Help with cultural influence

[Kindbud]

Quick question:

If I build a starbase in a sector that has no other empire's planets and crank up the culture modules on that starbase do those percentage gains only effect planets in the sector or do they contribute to the overall influence of my civ? Is it worth my time to upgrade and pump my overall inlfuence level up or only do that on bases in systems that have other civ's planets? Thanks...

[Egbert]

They contribute to your influence even though the sector is empty of planets. They contribute a lot more if they are in sector with your planets.

Sorry to be a vague but I have no idea how big the difference is. I do not know if it is worthwhile to pump up those starbases. I once did accidentally flip a sector to me with a culture enhanced starbase which was sitting in a sector with only a resource butno planets.

The flippability of your target will depend upon the influence of your intended victim and your influence and the number of influencing enhancing modules you stick on your starbase.

Hope this helps.

[Harry Seldon]

Your culture spills into adjacent sectors so having one in a sector with no planets is a good way to culturally attack someone. Your influence level is a combination of all your influence builders like starbases, social project, etc. You can also trade influence with other cultures. It's worth it to build it up if only to dominate the UP votes (influence = # of votes).

[fsk+]

I only build cultural influence starbases when I'm trying to flip an AI planet. I'll also build them defensively, if one of my planets are at risk. If you bild a culture starbase in the same sector as an enemy planet, it's 5x as effective as being in the adjacent sector. However, building it in the same sector pisses off the AI player; building it in a sector where the AI has no planets doesn't affect relations.

There's a good article on the official GalCiv webpage that explains influence.

[Kindbud]

Thanks for the tip

Originally posted by fsk+


There's a good article on the official GalCiv webpage that explains influence.

Thanks for the heads up... I really really like the warm feeling I get when I flip a planet to my side. It is almost to easy on the easiest setting but I have working my way the AI difficulty chart and finding it harder and harder so any edge I can find helps.

[tetley]

It doesn't piss off the AI if the starbase in his sector has a resource on it. Or if you're at war at the time you build it--he won't demand it later after you make peace. Not a bad deal at all, since after they flip you can throw in the +production upgrades.

[Harry Seldon]

The AI won't say anything if you have a planet in the sector, either. He'll attack it, though, the first chance he gets so be sure to pump up the defense.

[fsk+]

I've also had the AI demand a starbase after I upgraded it. It seems that military or cultural upgrades cause the AI to complain.

You may not get a complaint if you have a superior military, or otherwise have good relations. Even on Intelligent, I think the AI only complains a fraction of the time.