Newbie Question

[Jerrymander]

I researched Orbital Spaceflight. But I don't know how to get Nessus Mining Stations and the other orbital platforms.
Are they buildings that you construct? I just got lost in the datalinks. Help appreciated.

 

[Norbert]

OK, first off, you unlock Sky Hydroponics at Orbital Spaceflight, Power transmitters at advaced Spaceflight, and the other two at a slightly later tech that escapes me at teh moment...second, you can only build them as no-maintenance "buildings" (you don't lose them when the base you built them dies) at a base WITH AN AEROSPACE COMPLEX. (+2 morale all air units built at base after complex, two maintenance per turn, unlocked with Doctrine: Air Power.) THis drove me crazy trying to get space race on SMAX until I figured it out, glhf.

 

[Stylesrj]

You need an Aerospace Complex and the proper techs for the space improvements. In SMAX, you can build the Cloudbase Academy and solve the whole Aerospace Complex issue in one swoop.

Sky Hydroponics Lab- Orbital Spaceflight
(Good food bonuses, haven't seen any disaster hit these yet that causes them all to be blown up)

Orbital Power Transmitter- Advanced Spaceflight
(Good energy bonuses, problem is solar storms)

Geosynchronous Survey Pod- N-Space Compression
(No need for sensor arrays around a city, only problem is that it's vulnerable to Probe Teams!)

Orbital Defence Pod- Self-Aware Mechanics
(Really good Satellite assault and defence, only problem is solar storms!)

Nessus Mining Station- Self-Aware Mechanics
(Good for mineral bonuses, but the pollution can be bad late game and a meteor might hit Nessus Prime, which somehow can destroy all your stations)

That should clear things up and some hints on uses

 

[Jerrymander]

Ahh. Thanks muchly. This is what I thought it was, but I wasn't sure.