Destroying stations

[-splosives-]

Can anyone give me some hints on how to destroy stations?

I have tried hiring a fleet and having them attack the shield generator, but they didn't seem too interested in attacking it when I told them to.
Is this a bug?

[Vice]

That is intended, stations must be destroyed by players so it requires them to be involved. It's also a universal condition for all NPC/AI ships, beyond just fleets. To quote a line from a discussion about it from 2016:

"I had some plans for NPC based attack/counter-attack events on stations, but after the lamenting that went on after players destroyed other player built stations and what it would mean if AI ships did the same, it's been shelved since."

Also, over the years, various modules have been tuned/tweaked to make them more or less destructible to reach a point of challenge, but yet still be marginally destructible in a multiplayer environment and/or for the player in single player... often requiring powerful weapons, careful positioning, and particle cannon use.

[-splosives-]

All right, so I guess my best bet is getting the leanest and meanest military ship and stuffing it with missiles and high yield cannons? Would that do the trick?

[Vice]

Exact tactics can vary a bit depending on the module, but overall, yes, that would be a generically more effective approach.

[-splosives-]

Do beams do any damage to stations?

[Vice]

No, requires impact weapons only (particle cannons or missiles).

[Marvin]

Here is how IM does it. WARNING: Spoiler!

First, a missile unit can only concentrate on one threat at a time. So, two ships, working together, can almost always take out the defenses, one at a time.

Second, taking out all the missiles isn't necessarily essential. Sometimes you can take out a more important unit by using the unit to block missile fire ... then quickly getting out of the line of fire after the unit is destroyed.

The docking station should be the last to go. It has soft spots but, in saving it until last, enemy fighters will usually have given up defending the station by the time you've taken out everything else. Then get as close as possible to either the top or bottom of the station and blast away until its shields are dropping. Finally, let loose with all your missiles (swap out those Excals for something with more punch ... eight of them).

[-splosives-]

Thanks Marvin, that helped a lot.

I managed to destroy a station all on my own, taking out the missiles one by one with flyby's and then all shield generators and power supply followed by the command module.

It took quite a long time though :p
But I am a patient man.

[Marvin]

And it should give you a gratifying feeling of accomplishment ... no matter how long it takes (the longer it takes, the better the feeling, actually).

[-splosives-]

Indeed. I have to say, I really like how there's an ever evolving battlefield going on. Starting out all on your own, and suddenly after fighting your way through some enemies, your allies start dropping in so you can start destroying station modules while the npc's fight for control.
After that is the cleanup and building your own faction's station.
It gives a nice sense of accomplishment and impact on the universe. A battle that can actually be won.
And best of all, this can all be done in one play session!
This is something Elite dangerous never managed to create. There you had to wait for a day to see the small impact you made on the state of the war, but it always seems like a stalemate with no real consequences.
But then again, they're 2 different games with different design philosophies. I just wanted to point out how nice of a change this is.

[Marvin]

In case you didn't notice: in a sector with only a planet, if the planet has a city (or you build a city) then that city belongs to no faction. To assign a faction, you need to build a docking bay in space ... at which time the city will take on the same faction. Additionally, with only a city, you won't be offered any contracts. For that, you again need a space station ... after which you will be offered contracts at both places.

[-splosives-]

Cool. Is there any documentation on what the station modules actually do? why do I build storage, production, living modules? Is there a range that the power supply covers? or is one power supply per sector enough? so many questions

[Vice]

This tutorial video provides details (full transcript available in the video description): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IdWHDf-5Nc

And this section provides some details on build modules:

Here is a quick overview of each build module type. Power Supply modules provide energy to other nearby modules when they are within about 500 coordinate units. Modules that don't have sufficient energy supplied to them will be inactive and their lights won't be on. Living/Crew modules provide the living space for the support personnel necessary to operate various parts of a station. As more modules are added to a station, more crew is needed to operate them and the game will prompt you to build more crew modules as needed to support other modules you build. Production modules help manufacture items in local inventories. They increase the regional econ/tech level by about 3% per module for the sectors they are built in. Storage modules help hold inventory items that are constructed as well as additional missile for weapon turrets. They also increase the regional econ/tech level by about 3% per module for the sectors they are built in.

Space station command modules are the primary trade, supply, ship design, engineering, hangar storage, and contract operation centers. They also increase the regional econ/tech level by about 3%, but also offer a broader array of functional operations and benefits including a longer range power supply of 1000 coordinate units and faction control of any cities that may be on the surface of a planet in the same sector. Only one space station command module can be built per sector. A smaller variant requiring less metal ore is available for building city docking pads on the surface of planets, but the smaller version doesn't provide all of the same options.

Shield modules provide shield array protection for nearby modules within about 500 coordinate units. Weapon turret modules are a defensive system that can protect a small area around a station. When an enemy ship comes within in range, weapon turrets can fire both missiles and particle cannons at the target. It's best to place weapon turrets at a distance far enough away from other station structures for clear lines of site, but not too far away that they can't provide adequate protection.

Horizontal and vertical modules are structural pieces that can be used to provide connecting and spacing structures and/or defensive obstacles around other modules. They provide no other functional benefit and are not required as part of a station's design.

[Marvin]

It might take a little practice to get the modules lined up ... but the 3D view is pretty user-friendly, allowing you to lock in one axis then pan around without messing up the lock. Also, it helps to place your ship (POV) on the grid line where you plan to build. Helps a lot.