IS it a good strategy to try to build factories to use as forward outposts?

[Russia2012]

I am playing XBTF and started a strategy where I try to make each system self sustaining as much as possible before I start building another sector. I have been working on trying to build mines on all the asteroids and have at least 5 bats on each one. I notice when I go through the North gate I get ambushed by 3 xenon craft. I started in seizewell developing the outermost asteroids first so that if I were to be ambushed by Xenon I could call over bats to assist me. Would this be a viable strategy.

[Coreblimey]

I've noticed that you have no replies yet to your question. I'll try and help but as I have never played XBTF my knowledge is very, very limited.
IMO early in the game factories should be built for one purpose. To make you profit. By all means dock some fighers there but they should mainly be used to protect your asset.
If you keep getting attacked every time you go through the gate then try sending some of your bats through first and you follow them. That way when you enter the north gate you will have some backup when you exit.

[Nanook]

@ Coreblimey: X-BTF has a totally different paradigm from all the later games. The biggest difference is that you only 'own' your own ship. All the other ships under your command are 'hired', and are automatically homebased to your station that hired them - freighters to buy resources (never sell) and fighters to protect those stations.

@Russia2012: In X-BTF, Xenon are almost always waiting on the other side of gates. It's a feature. So while you could call for help from your local stations, it's a better idea to get your ship upgraded as much as possible first. Then you can deal with the Xenon on your own. Making lots of stations just to homebase fighters on them for help seems like a lot of work and expense for relatively little gain, unless you're making plenty of credits from those stations.

[Coreblimey]

@ Coreblimey: X-BTF has a totally different paradigm from all the later games. The biggest difference is that you only 'own' your own ship. All the other ships under your command are 'hired', and are automatically homebased to your station that hired them - freighters to buy resources (never sell) and fighters to protect those stations.

I do own X-BTF as part of the Superbox. It was my intention to play the earlier games (I started originally on X3:Reunion way back), but when I got AP as a freebie I've been playing it ever since! Still, one day I will get round to playing the earlier three games.