Sins II: Dev Journal 7 - The Argonev Starbase

Although recognized as powerful battlestations, the Argonev-class starbases began their lives as civilian structures. Prior to the war, the Argonev served as orbital cities where families lived, major commerce hubs were established, and ships serviced on their treks across Trader space.

By War Year 15 the TEC had determined that these massive bases would need to be repurposed for the war effort. Many of the civilian accommodations were removed to free up space for military hardware and construction facilities; and new defense and weapons systems were added throughout.

Now 20 years after their initial military conversion the TEC factions have made the Argonev more deadly than ever before.

Base Argonev Configuration

In its base configuration (seen above), the Argonev is an impressive fortress. The base features 8 banks of medium autocannons and 4 banks of light autocannons per side, for a total of 48 emplacements. Additionally, the Argonev hosts 4 banks of point-defense autocannons along each of its top and bottom quadrants, for a total of 16 emplacements.

Upgraded Argonev Configuation

Here we see a fully upgraded Argonev in all its martial and support glory. With its selection of optional upgrades, the Argonev truly comes into its own.

Optional Upgrades

Structural Integrity (I-III): Up to 3 levels of additional armor plating and shielding can be applied to the Argonev. Each upgrade grants a substantial boost to the starbase's hull points, shields, armor and passive regeneration stats.
Heavy Beam Cannons: A more refined version of the beam cannon found on the Kol-class battleship, this upgrade mounts 4 heavy beam cannons on the starbase - one in each corner.
Missile Launcher Arrays: Deployed on the four corners of the starbase, arrays of 17 missile tubes are added for very-long range firepower.
Auxiliary Hangars (I-III): This upgrade converts old storage blocks into hangar bays, giving the Argonev the ability to deploy 4-14 squadrons of strikecraft.
Construction Bays: By adding internal manufacturing facilities, the Argonev gains the ability to construct corvette, frigate and cruiser class ships. Excess capacity is also given to the local planet to boost external ship production.
Docking Booms: A holdover from happier times, these Docking Booms are now an optional upgrade to the Argonev. Their addition to the starbase grants friendly ships and structures a massive boost to hull point and antimatter restoration speed.
Trade Facilities: Even in times of war there’s a need for commerce. By re-opening trade facilities on the Argonev the player’s empire gains valuable trade points.
Planetary Shield Array: This large addition to the starbase provides an invulnerable shield to its host planet, making it immune to bombardment.
Safety Override Protocol: In the darkest of times, spite can be a final ‘salute’ to the enemy. This ability disables the safety systems on the Argonev’s power reactors and weapons, resulting in a catastrophic explosion. Anything in a wide radius around the starbase is unlikely to survive its destruction.