Is the PHQ really useful?

[Revolution Rising]

I'm just wondering about this, as I ran my game for 4-5 days playtime and got everything but a shipyard working (I'd never done this before tbh) and it really didn't seem to make a lot of money - also the Xenon seemed to just be rolling over the main empires - to the point where I was having issues finding parts to build a new base in Antigone Memorial (Mostly just to get the hell out of the way of the Xenon advance).

I made the PHQ make pretty much everything in order to get the market going - but hardly anyone bought anything - no ships seemed to be in great numbers being built by the alliances even though they were sorely needed.

What should I really be aiming for as progression? It seems very very different from X3 in that there's no real way to fight for an empire directly like X3 had.

I don't get it.

[Ezarkal]

PHQ is useful as it allows you to run the research tree, and also act as a starting point for late-game quests.

Otherwise, it's a station like any other.
Like any other station, it will depend on what you want to make of it, and how you build it.

Unlike any other stations, you cannot chose where the PHQ is yet. It's supposed to be an upcoming feature but we have no ETA on that. This means that right now the PHQ is pretty much bound to trade with TEL's neighboring stations. It is not a good station to supply NPC shipyards because there are no NPC shipyards nearby, (safe for MIN's shipyard, which usually don't do much). So unless you build other massive complexes in the same area, it's not really useful to turn the PHQ itself into a massive complex.

-In my last run, I had all my ship production in Nopileo's system, and the PHQ was my main food/medical supply station. It would have been better for this production to be in Nopileo's, but I really wanted to give some use to the PHQ for my supply chain, and it did end up working pretty well.
-It my current game, it is the center of my drug production. (Credits to pref for the whole "drug lord" inspiration.)
-Next run, I'll probably just build a dock and some storage to run the tech tree, then leave it dormant until the PHQ teleportation feature gets implemented and I get to yank it closer to where I'll set up my ship production.

[Revolution Rising]

PHQ is useful as it allows you to run the research tree, and also act as a starting point for late-game quests.

Otherwise, it's a station like any other.
Like any other station, it will depend on what you want to make of it, and how you build it.

Unlike any other stations, you cannot chose where the PHQ is yet. It's supposed to be an upcoming feature but we have no ETA on that. This means that right now the PHQ is pretty much bound to trade with TEL's neighboring stations. It is not a good station to supply NPC shipyards because there are no NPC shipyards nearby, (safe for MIN's shipyard, which usually don't do much). So unless you build other massive complexes in the same area, it's not really useful to turn the PHQ itself into a massive complex.

-In my last run, I had all my ship production in Nopileo's system, and the PHQ was my main food/medical supply station. It would have been better for this production to be in Nopileo's, but I really wanted to give some use to the PHQ for my supply chain, and it did end up working pretty well.
-It my current game, it is the center of my drug production. (Credits to pref for the whole "drug lord" inspiration.)
-Next run, I'll probably just build a dock and some storage to run the tech tree, then leave it dormant until the PHQ teleportation feature gets implemented and I get to yank it closer to where I'll set up my ship production.

Yeah this is the conversation I needed right here. Because I was thinking about it - even though I'm kinda new to X4 - and I couldn't really see a big use for the station where it was.

I might go the dormant route and pick a faction to back for the war so they don't get steamrolled like they have been.

[Ezarkal]

I might go the dormant route and pick a faction to back for the war so they don't get steamrolled like they have been.

Regarding the steamrolling, from my own experience and from what I've gathered from the forums, it is very RNG-based.

There are many accounts of overpowered Xenons, many accounts of Xenons losing everything within 20 hours, and like in my current playthrough, many accounts of no factions making any progress in their wars. After a few days in, no factions have managed to conquer any sectors to any other factions they're at war with. It's one of the reasons I consider re-starting a new game. I'd like some action.

[jlehtone]

... and like in my current playthrough, many accounts of no factions making any progress in their wars ...

I have one of those: at 155 hours
* PAR took one from HOP
* Teladi took #451
* Northern Xenon have spread, but somewhat stalled

Since then, in 3-4 days:
* Xenon have left Tharka's Ravine. (Grey. Not by me.)
* I wiped Open Market, Nhuut, Zyarth I, Zhin, and Valka grey. Twice.
* TEL have taken Open Market, Nhuut, and Zhin.

It thus seems that I'm the only visibly active party and TEL the only one with will and/or resources to seize void.
I was hoping that ZYA would reclaim some. Now hauling resources to them to see if that enables them.


I have no stations, not even the PHQ. No huge miner/trade fleet either. The RNG might rule the Galaxy,
but I presume that the logistics services that players tend to provide, can weigh on decisions.
Then again, TEL is the faction I have not traded for/with (much).

I don't have PHQ and this is my first (and most likely only*) playthrough so I can't tell whether it is useful,
but I've had fun without; can't be essential.


* Have started X2, X3R, Xbtf, X3TC, X3AP exactly once each. After years still not done with them all.

[Revolution Rising]

I have no stations, not even the PHQ. No huge miner/trade fleet either. The RNG might rule the Galaxy,
but I presume that the logistics services that players tend to provide, can weigh on decisions.
Then again, TEL is the faction I have not traded for/with (much).

I have had an idea that the player really makes a big difference in this way.

[Raevyan]

I tend to not build at the HQ ever other than that what is needed for storage with 3.0. The reason being that will eventually end up in some problems as it is involved in the plots. Looking back in the past, such plot assets tend to cause problems so I leave them alone.

[EGO_Aut]

I have HQ only expanded for the HQ-Plot to make research.
Now i made a big parking spot for my ships, did not want to build factories because of endless traffic in my first play through.

[alt3rn1ty]

I'm currently using the PHQ as a trading station to stock up on resources for the Dukes missions.

[dtpsprt]

Ir's a Big Free Plot right in the middle of the map with easy access to the Ring Highway. More so, the TEL who own the sector are in (at least relatively) good terms with everybody. Ideal place for the Ship Building Business, it also provides a good way for any ship to "evade" it's enemies.
The Ship Material production facilities can be in Nopileos, right next door, with Free Plots and you can either claim it or leave it for the Duke, player's choice... In either circumstance it's good to build there (except if you have played Donald Trump earlier in the game, biased on behalf of the ugly hybrid incest Neanderthals (Argon) and end up with -30 with HOP).