[starbase ogg]

How to Base

by Kevin Bernatz

These pages are maintained by Frank Niessink.
Last updated on 26 feb 1996.
With all these posts of dream bases and how to ogg bases and such, I figured I'd add some on how to be a better base. This is mainly for the newer players, but some of you old hands should pay attention and you might learn something (I did!).

For those of you who don't know me, my qualifications for writing this post are simple. I've played netrek for 4.5 years and at one point (about 3.5 years ago) was argueably the second best base in the game. I was the first to seriously contest a 1000 ratio base (being killed by a Spaceace! BB at 764-1) and after that I basically gave up on basing as it was 'too easy'. Alot has changed since then (more rabid oggers, primarily) and when MM recruited me to be their base this summer, I had to relearn how to be effective (and I'm sure Rick would point out I still have alot to learn :> ).

Observe The first point I would like to make is observe. Watch other 'good' bases. I watched Erik and learned alot from him. I learned to concentrate more on splitting damage. I learned that you must have a phaser key so that you can use the keyboards autorepeat function (you simply can't phaser as fast as the autorepeat). So always watch what the good bases are doing and don't be afraid to ask them questions (though make sure you don't do it during an ogg wave :> ).

Split damage 2nd point: split damage. (most people already know this). The reason is that you can then repair twice as fast (since shields and hull damage can repair at the same time, albeit at different rates (shields repair 2x as fast as hull)).

Phaser key 3rd point: put an easily accessible phaser key into your keymap. Use it as soon as you get a phaser lock until the target goes poof. Rinse, lather, repeat. Nothing can destroy an oggwave faster than a good phaserlocker with an SB autorepeat phaser. Ever wonder how the good bases keep killing you before you can even get any torps off? That is how.

Keep calm 4th point: BE CALM! As soon as you notice that 6 man ogg wave coming at you, DON'T PANIC! Think!
  1. Move away from it or towards the largest group of friends. Don't be afraid to press friendly ships into torps or whatever it takes....YOU are more important than any stinking BB or CA in your way (except one that carries armies).
  2. Concentrate on Search and Destroy target acquisition. Do NOT fire blindly..pick a single ?? (either the one directly behind you, to allow you to pressor and retreat from the rest, or the closest) and target it and destroy it. Then switch to the next and repeat. If they have uncloaked and are firing at you, it becomes a bit more difficult. Always bang on the det key... it is your best weapon against lots of oggers. Pressor to dodge torps as best you can, and NEVER stop phasering.

Torps are Wtemp 5th point: Torps are Wtemp sucks BIG TIME. Huh the good players will say? They only cost 2/torp they say... how can they be Wtemp dumps? Easy... you very seldom do much damage with SB torps... so don't use them to kill people. Use them to direct traffic (force oggers on top of each other) or to find cloakers by firing just a random patern and phasering at the first person who hits one. If someone is charging mindlessly at you, then torps are usefull. But many times, phasers are more efficient as far as actual damage done/wtemp cost.

Wtemp 6th point: Always keep an eye on Wtemp. Sometimes against single oggers it is better to NOT fire until he uncloaks inorder to conserve Wtemp at the sacrifice of some damage. With autorepeat phasers, the most he will probably do to you is ~100-200 pts of damage. But if you Wtemp trying to phaser him, then he can do >800 pts. Of course, if you're very hurt then you have to try to kill him before he uncloaks.

Well, that covers most of it...