Basewars Briefing

There are just a few simple steps to completing a round of Basewars. Team work and communication is a vital component to finishing a game. It's not something you can do easily by yourself, and it'd be pretty boring to do it that way. There are two ways to play Basewars, either by taking part in Player-VS-Player action by going up against the other team and their base, or just roaming around the systems destroying things and collecting new weapons. First I'll cover the basic steps of PVP conquest in Basewars. The ultimate goal is to destroy the enemy base, which is located two systems away from your base. Each base has exactly the same layout. They consist of the following components:

Command Tower

This is where you spawn. The tower contains all the basic weapons, so you can collect all your startup gear here. There is a total of five missiles and five guns to collect, each taking a unique amount of time to respawn. Changing the respawn time in this level will have no effect. The smallest weapons respawn quickly, whereas the large weapons can take several minutes. There is infact five additional missiles to obtain, and five more guns available in Basewars - These are really intended for people who are willing to work for them (without cheating, ofcourse..). Different bots and locations will drop these unique weapons. So look out for them, and take care of them!

Storage Silo

When you exit the base entrance, you are now within the perimeter of your team's base. There are several structures outside. The first one of mention is the Storage Silo, which contains deployable sentry platforms. Originally the Silo was intended to store ALL weapons, but this changed during development. The Silo looks like a box with purple-matcen lights on the outside. Deployable platforms come in the form of countermeasures. There are three different types, each taking longer to respawn. There is a limited number of platforms available per team, so use them wisely.

Repair Hanger

The Repair Hanger has orange lights at the entrance. This hanger will refuel your Energy, and also boost your Shields back to 100 if they are below that figure. Overuse of the hanger can result in a fuse blowout of the shield recharger. Remember, only your team can use this hanger. The other team cannot access any of your base assets.

Shield Generators

There are four objects marked with green lights around the base, and they all look the same. These are the Shield Generators which protect your base from being damaged. They shield the Tower, Silo and Hanger. All three of these structures are invulnerable to weapons fire until the generators are destroyed. Once all four are destroyed, the shields of the hangers will turn off. A shield status monitor can be found within your Command Tower.

Jamming Array

The Jamming Array looks like a large turret, but is infact an Electronic Warfare platform. Enemy players who come near this structure will have their engines jammed for exactly ten seconds. It has a twenty second recharge time. This array was originally intended to perform various different actions, but those were dropped from the final release.

Beyond PVP

Whereas in previous Hyperspace levels, you were limited to just one large arena - Or just two arenas, such as in Hyperspace Standoff, in this spinoff you get to fly to different star systems entirely. The minigates will instantly teleport you to the connected system. The red and blue base are seperated by a virtual canyon in space. Each base is in its own system, and there is one middle system that seperates them. That means you have to fly through this system to get to the other base. Originally, I was going to put each base further apart - But figured people would get bored spending all that time flying around using up energy, only to get shot down by a super missile or by a lucky bullet from an NPC swindler.

So you ask, what happens if you go beyond the "centre systems?" - Well, go see for yourself. There is a total of nine environments to explore. Each system will feature NPC ships - pirate factions bent on destruction. Well, mostly your destruction. From the centre of the map they'll be relatively easy, but as you venture to the systems further out, they might get a bit tough for newbie pilots or may require gangs to take down. Some systems will include a base of somesort - Which could be a pirate outpost, abandoned mining post or something quite different! Additional weaponry can also be salvaged from destroyed NPC ships.

The environment itself is persistant - Some ships will take a long time to appear, others will not appear until after you've already destroyed a certain group. It could take you hours to discover every single spawn Basewars has to offer, from small fighters to huge ships. Some of the scenary is more than just scenary - you can interact with it or change it by destroying it - Look out for missions and gauntlets which you can go to. Beware, some of these are very hard and can't be done alone!

Destroying a Base

The best (and only) way to eradicate a base is in the correct order. Here, I'll show you some thumbnails indicating what structures to target and in what order. Following these steps in conjunction with good team work will result in a strong offense. Remember, the key to victory is not firepower - It's brains. However, when it comes to destroying structures in Basewars, you'll still need a LOT of firepower. So be sure to fill your ship with plenty of weapons. Keep in mind there are three different kinds of ships in Basewars, similar to D3. These ships are opposite ends of the scale, with the slowest ship having tons of shielding and a huge payload - As opposed to the fastest ship having paper-thin shields and a poor payload. That being said, each ship has its own advantages. You can find out more by reading the Dev Blogs.

Step 1

In your base. This is where you start. Straight ahead is the exit, to the first left and right is the armory - Directly below the spawn room.

Step 2

Ten different types of weapons spawn here. The biggest weapons will take 3-4 minutes to respawn, so try not to hog! Also, you can collect Platforms outside of the station in the "Storage Silo". These are best used to defend your base, and should be positioned carefully.

Step 3

Although it may look different, the correct direction to the enemy base is always to the "right" side of your base. So assume you exit your base, the gate directly ahead is the opposite direction. You'll want to take the Stargate on the right side of the base, assuming 'right' is from the perspective of the exit.

Step 4

When you reach the enemy base, the first threat is the Jamming Array. It'll pretty much stop you dead in your tracks. So you'll need to destroy it with long range weapons first, unless you want to become a sitting duck.

Step 5

Once the array is down, you'll be able to target the Shield Generators without being locked down every 20 seconds. Each generator is fairly tough, so you'll need to focus on one at a time instead of splitting targets. It's best to indicate to your team *what* generator you are targeting first, either by giving directions or by placing a marker.

Step 6

Once the generators are down, the first two structures that are open to attack are the Storage Silo and Repair Bay. It's up to you which one to target first, however cutting off the enemies supply to Energy and Shields is a good tactic, so the best bet is the Repair Hanger.

Step 7

... And then you destroy the Storage Silo, which in turn results in the Command Tower becoming vulnerable.

Step 8

The Command Tower is the toughest of all the structures, and will take a concentrated effort to destroy. Once it's destroyed, the game ends.

Systems of Basewars

In total there is seven interactive star systems (connected with scripted jumpgates), but infact there is nine environments due to there being two mission areas. Two of these systems contain the destroyable player bases. Scenary such as rocks and debris is randomly placed in systems based on the framerate of the system itself (Edit: Back in 2005 when computers were slower).

The centre system, which separates the Red and Blue base systems contains a varied selection of objects, including Maltu Orion Legion Fighters, Cruisers and a single heavy cruiser spawn (NPCs will spawn in various locations at different times). There is also an asteroid belt with an infested asteroid base. This base is also known as a mission complex, and you can enter solo or with team mates. Once inside, you锟斤拷ll be locked in until the ten minute timer expires, or you complete the mission. No one else will able to get in and help at this point.

The adjoining systems contain the Red and Blue bases. Each base is scattered in a bubble formation, tightly placed as to not use too much space on the map. There is no other scenery in these systems due to the polygon amount of the bases themselves. There is however fighter spawns from the Maltu Orion Legion at the far edges. They will ignore the player bases entirely and just sit there until approached. These guard the exit systems. So if you get disoriented, remember heading toward the gate with these fighters is the wrong direction to the enemy base.

The systems beyond the bases are optional flying zones - the gates which lead in the OTHER direction. These places are packed with non player spawns including frigates, cruisers, battleships and other nasty stuff. Some of the stuff will be present when you arrive, or appear while your there. Others may take a while to appear depending on the difficulty of the spawn itself. There are also structures you can explore and missions that you can undertake to obtain new weaponry. Click here for a look at the full Hyperspace starmap.

Organisations: Earth Alliance

The Earth Alliance is the hub of interstellar commerce, science and military in our small corner of the galaxy. After the discovery of the Ancient Stargates over 300 years ago the knowledge of hyperspace travel was born, and an interstellar community began to flourish. Before the time of Hyperspace, ships were limited to travelling at about 90% the speed of light - And it would take years to reach the nearest stars. It took nearly a century for scientists to finally unlock the secrets behind the magnificent ancient stargates, most of which were almost entirely dead without any power remaining. Little is known about the origins of the stargates, all that is known that an ancient race constructed them. Fragments of the same material used to build the stargates were also discovered in digs on Mars - And estimated dating put them at nearly 100,000 years old.

It was not until much later that the Alliance finally began to build their own Stargate network. Utilizing the same basic underline technology as the original gates by reverse engineering, these new gates are intended only for small explorer vessels, personnel craft, fighters and small cruisers.

The Alliance has had a turbulent history, but is always striving to resolve the their struggles in hope for a better future. The inner planets of the Alliance are governed by parliaments, whom are also responsible for the terraforming of worlds - From inhospitable barren rocks to habitable lush worlds. This process takes several decades, and so the majority of colonies within the alliance are shielded environments either in domes or in planetary orbit.

Organisations: Maltu Orion Legion

The Maltu Orion Legion controls several remote sectors of space, and are considered pirates by many in the Alliance - But many worlds consider them an organization that provides essential supplies to growing colonies. The Legion are on a neutral term with the Alliance, but they are very committed to protecting their assets and will defend them with everything they have.

The technology of the Maltu is considered equally as advanced as the Alliance, and most of their ships are essentially retrofitted Alliance hulls with factional paintwork. Some scientists within the legion were previously citizens of the Alliance, which is how they are able to keep up with Alliance science. The origin of the Legion is a mystery to most people, but it is rumored they were once part of an Intelligence arm within the government, which later rebelled against the Alliance. Why, how - No one exactly knows. All that is known is that one day an entire division within the Alliance just decided to pack their bags and leave for a new home, taking ships and equipment with them.

After failing to track down them for nearly ten years - It was, as if by accident, that a scout discovered them on a regular planetary survey mission. The Alliance was swift to dispatch representatives to this newly discovered and flourishing colony - Only to find a blockade upon their arrival, with the ultimatum to turn around or face death. The scars of the independence wars were still fresh - People were reluctant to spill any more blood, and so the Alliance gave up and disowned the former workers of a once prominent agency.

Organisations: Gemini Syndicate

The Gemini Syndicate is a hardcore pirate organization who control a single solar system on the edge of an uncharted region. It is believed they have ventured further out, but no new stargates have been seen, nor have the syndicate ever built a stargate themselves. The Gemini live out their days mainly on space stations, but it is believed there are some civilian colonies in the system. The Syndicate was formed nearly 100 years ago, and is essentially the primary black market amongst the colonies. The inner circle of the syndicate are something of a mystery - Few people have had dealings with them, and anyone who did has never come back alive. The home planet of the Gemini Syndicate is Gemini Prime. Little is known about the surface of the planet - but long range scans conducted within the system have determined it is protected by at least two Gemini fleets at all times. Gemini ships are very powerful, but while their ships are very impressive, both the Alliance and Legion are able to hold them off effectively.

The Syndicate utilizes projectile weaponry on all their ships, which has nearly been phased out in the Alliance due to the payload size that could otherwise be used for essential equipment. The Syndicate constructs their own interstellar craft - The materials used are common to the system they inhabit, but the sheer brilliance of the craft baffles Alliance scientists to this day, who are unable to grasp how the Gemini Syndicate were able to build their ships - Which is the reason the Alliance hasn't done anything about the syndicate for nearly a century, because both sides would take heavy losses in all out conflict. Predictions are still upheld though, that one day something will be done to cull the Gemini war machine. It is said that the reason the Gemini Syndicate are able to build such impressive ships, is due to help from an outside force. Although many civilian planets do construct their own personalized space craft, all major components are variations of Alliance engineering. However the Syndicate, for example, have entirely different engineering methods including unique propulsion systems.

Organisations: Mercenary Confederation

The Mercenary Confederation is comprised of several large companies that gained their wealth through exploitation of civilian worlds. The far reaches of the Sagitarria region and beyond where many civilian colonies thrive is the breeding ground of the Confederation. The darker shades of humankid, the corrupt of corrupt, the backstabbers of society form the very core of the Confederation. Although they are not organised pirates like the Gemini Syndicate, they are far from a peaceful bunch. Once considered merely raiders and pests not unlike an insect, the Confederation is rapidly gaining in strength and power throughout the Northern Region. Advanced weaponry and technology is at the core of the Confederations power. Without even having to field starships, the Confederation succeeded in rising to power amongst the Sagitarria region through raiding and gorilla tactics. Specializing in advanced computer programming and hacking, the Confederation have proven themselves capable of hacking into almost any network. Using neural interfaces and enhancing narcotics, the members of the Confederation have strange tastes in aesthetics.

Ship Types Explained

Throughout the Hyperspace and Basewars series are several different types of ship classes (NPCs). Here is how they are broken down.

Fighter Class

Ships of this class feature Interceptors, Standard Fighters and Light Bombers. Fighters are very fast and highly effective in groups. Typically 6-10 meters radius. The Alliance favors small agile fighters over the bulkier classes, whereas Frigates are quite common elsewhere. Fighters are built using the most advanced tech of the time and can be fitted with multiple types of weaponry.

Frigate Class

Typically larger and slower than Fighters, Frigates (and Frigate-Bombers) are the mainstay of fleet defense. Up to 20 meters radius. Frigates are comparable with fighters in fighting ability, but they tend to have a lot of hitpoints and are less sophisticated - which makes them cheap and easy to build.

Cruiser Class

Much slower and more cumbersome than Frigates, Cruisers are the bridge between light combat craft and heavy weaponry. Typically they range between 40 and 60 meters radius. Cruisers can be found just about anywhere, protecting vital assets or on patrol. With thick armor plating and heavy weapons, they are not be trifled with and are capable of dealing with small and large targets.

Battleship Class

Battleships come in all shapes and various sizes, but they are generally between 100 and 150 meters in radius. Many fleets deploy Battleships as their Flagships or Destroyers during combat. Typically, Battleships are much better fighting from long range or against larger opponents as their weapons, while highly damaging, tend to be slower at tracking smaller craft.

Carrier Class

Carriers are among the most varied ships of all the classes. Some carriers can be purely for combat, while others may be for logistical purposes. Usually they can range anywhere from a few hundred meters to about half a kilometer radius - very big indeed. Carriers are designed to carry all sorts of equipment including multiple fighters, frigates and perhaps even cruisers. In wartime they serve as a base of operations in fleet engagements, and are usually deployed on long range assignments in peacetime.

Industrial Class

Anything including haulers, freighters, cargo transports, gas haulers, ice haulers and more. Typically industrial class ships are similar in size to Cruisers, with a few large exceptions.

Platform Class

Combat or logistical platforms including sentry guns, jamming systems or defense satellites. Platforms typically range in size from smaller than Fighters to as big as Cruisers. Small platforms (such as sentry guns) are commonly used for defense and can be quickly deployed. Larger platforms are for heavier installations and can pack quite a lot of weaponry.

Stations in Basewars

Click on the name of an object to view its stats and some information.

These mobile setups are generally deployed by Carrier-class vessels, such as the Nova, over a period of about 24 hours. The outpost and all of its components are stored in pods that are unpacked once they are deployed. The unique ability of such outposts is that they can be packed up again and moved elsewhere. The functions of Command Outposts are to provide fleets and squadrons a means for supply and refuel. Also, outposts are able to monitor movements of interstellar craft within a four jump radius - And can be fitted for numerous tasks such as science, research or combat. Command Outposts with rerouted powergrids designed for combat have enough firepower to take on hoards of opponents - But due to the remoteness of these outposts, such setups are rarely used. The outposts themselves are poorly defended with very thin armour.

Special Features: 150% bonus to deep space scanners.