Make up your own planetary defence force

[Vehrec]

I'd rather keep weapons off space-stations if I can. For one thing, stations are places where trade happens and people live. I don't want these to become targets to anyone who comes in intent on blowing my military sky high. Ships are also able to evade long range fire, so that's a point in their favor. Why anyone would opt for a Golan over a VSD is beyond me. One might be useful as a permanant base for fleet operations command, but that seems to be the limit of their usefulness to me.
Since he who controls the spaceways controls the flow of troops on and off the world, my armies would be intended to deal with sudden landings and strike forces as opposed to massive armies sweeping across the plains. After all, such an army would likely have eliminated my fleet and be pouring in more troops than this single system could ever handle. I subscribe to the principle that he who controls the stars controls the afairs of worlds. The sudden appearance of an Imperial battlegroup would more likely than not compell my surrender to save as many of the troops and civilians as possible. I have no real illusions about the ability of a single mid-rim world to hold off a galactic power.

[CaptHawkeye]

Like most have posted, a planetary shield is a must have. Even if it's a cheapo design that runs on the Star Wars equivalent Briggs and Straton two stroke engine.

Patrol craft for starters. Light scout vessels I can use to alert me at a distance of any unwelcome guests. Clone War surplus will undoubtedly be at hand, at which those ARC-170s will be usefull. TIE Fighters are individually pretty cheap, if really difficult to fly without substantial training. Since they aren't going far, I don't have to worry about range limits. And i'm in a defensive situation, lost pilots and equipment can supposedly be recovered.

Long range turbo laser emplacements on the planet surface. Placing them in mountain ranges, swamps, or deep forests, within bunkers with small openings as fire ports. This limits their field of fire, but makes them well protected and difficult to spot.

For the real slug out, Corellian Corvettes would be nice, the Empire simply MUST have some old Venators lieing around they want to get rid of.

While space stations such as Golans look attractive, the lack of mobility bothers me. My forces are already fairly "nailed down" with the turbo laser bunkers and shield generator. The Venator/s and Corvettes can be used to patrol and secure potentially favorable landing zones. The enemy must confront them, he cannot bypass them without taking signifigant casualties. Even if he lands ground forces, the Venators can bombard them from orbit while they plod towards the shield dome.

In the event that the enemy breaches the shield dome by ground, I need to confront him with some kind of challenge to keep him busy or slowly whittle him down. Widespread minefields could be used to make enemies take unfavorable paths of advance through deep swamps/mountain ranges/deserts.

Again, some of those SPHA-Ts left from the Clone Wars must be in surplus. I'd only need a few, they could bombard the regions where the enemy is advancing with arcing shots. After all that trouble, I don't doubt that a few units of Mercenaries could handle them with ease.

Note: I would not drop the shield generator dome unless my defense fleet had successfully destroyed any and all enemy ships in the region. I will not expose my most valuable cities and towns to orbital bombardment for even a moment.

[LeftWingExtremist]

Alright seeing as I started this thread I may as well come up with my own force.

First I would go for a planetary sheild if I can afford it or a theatre sheild over the largest population centres. Also I would try and buy lots of Ion cannons and kuat planetary turbolasers .

For orbital defence I would have various automated turbolaser/missile/ion cannon stations and a few manned battle stations (more for storing fighters though). Also I would try and buy a good sensor net so the PDF will know where an invasion is comming from.

For fighters I would get a couple squadrons of howlrunners and X-95s nad a couple of squadrons of Y-wings or Arc170s as bombers. Also some Sky-prey squads might be good as patrol craft.

My main fleet would be made up of corellian corvettes and gunships for use against larger ships while ill use lancer light frigates (if i can get them) or nebulon B's for anti fighter defence.

[Master_Baerne]

And then, of course, there's the simple matter of cost. I doubt that they sell superlaser-equipped space stations down at Watto's Used and Refurbished.

Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the latest fad.

"Mommy, I want a superlaser! I want it!"

"No, Billy, you can't have one."

"But Mommy, the Empire has (insert correct number here). Why can't I have just one measly superlaser station? Please?"

[LeftWingExtremist]

Also im not sure the empire will be pleased at a planetary militia owning weapons that can kaplode even their biggest ships.

[The Original Nex]

Also im not sure the empire will be pleased at a planetary militia owning weapons that can kaplode their even their biggest ships.

To wit, the Empire would come down on that system so hard they would regret they ever heard the term "superlaser."

[Warsie]

Also im not sure the empire will be pleased at a planetary militia owning weapons that can kaplode even their biggest ships.

Kuat, Corellia, etc all do though, and Corellia isn't known as being necessarily a loyalist planet to the Galactic Government.

And also, a question to everyone: How much would theatre shields cost compared to a planetary shield? Depending on the planet, it may be simpler to simply get a full planetary shield, an that would be my main defense (with a few ground batteries of various types)

[CaptHawkeye]

Also im not sure the empire will be pleased at a planetary militia owning weapons that can kaplode even their biggest ships.

Kuat, Corellia, etc all do though, and Corellia isn't known as being necessarily a loyalist planet to the Galactic Government.

And also, a question to everyone: How much would theatre shields cost compared to a planetary shield? Depending on the planet, it may be simpler to simply get a full planetary shield, an that would be my main defense (with a few ground batteries of various types)

I seriously doubt a mid world could afford one, at least not without giving up every other potential defense option. Your enemy may not be able to attack your world, but allowing him to fly freely about your space and scare off any interplanetary travel just can't be good for you.

[LeftWingExtremist]

Yes superlasers certainly aren't really a clever option unless you can afford something else as well.

[Lord Relvenous]

Yes superlasers certainly aren't really a clever option unless you can afford something else as well.

The money spent building and maintaing the superlaser would probably be better spent on extra defensive resources anyways.

[The Original Nex]

Also im not sure the empire will be pleased at a planetary militia owning weapons that can kaplode even their biggest ships.

Kuat, Corellia, etc all do though, and Corellia isn't known as being necessarily a loyalist planet to the Galactic Government.

CenterPoint isn't something the Corellians constructed. It's been in their system since time immemorial. It's exceedingly difficult to operate in any case. It's been begrudgingly tolerated by Galactic governments for millennia.

What does Kuat have that compares to a Superlaser? Certainly they have their own Home Fleet including Star Dreadnoughts, but my guess is that their Mandators are greatly outclassed by the Empire's Executors.

[Warsie]

I seriously doubt a mid world could afford one, at least not without giving up every other potential defense option. Your enemy may not be able to attack your world, but allowing him to fly freely about your space and scare off any interplanetary travel just can't be good for you.

It depends on your enemy. If you're going up against the Empire with a massive fleet, it can last decently long. If it's pirates as my main threat and I'm a loyalist world to the Empire/Republic, i'd focus more on Golans (or other orbital defenses) and a small fleet (larger, if it's during a time the Republic is disarmed and local security forces aren't so good.

CenterPoint isn't something the Corellians constructed. It's been in their system since time immemorial. It's exceedingly difficult to operate in any case. It's been begrudgingly tolerated by Galactic governments for millennia.

Okay. There's the Corellian Navy, with multi-kilometer warships based on Saxton's studies ( if some of Giel's fleet is anindicator of the Corellian Defense Fleets)

What does Kuat have that compares to a Superlaser? Certainly they have their own Home Fleet including Star Dreadnoughts, but my guess is that their Mandators are greatly outclassed by the Empire's Executors.

I admit there is nothing, but Kuat does have considerable influence to keep the Empire from attacking (one of the heads of KDY tried to destroy the yards when the Empire tried to nationalize it). We also do not necessarily know the numbers of Kuat and Imperial Warships there, or the security forces/loyalties of the forces defending Kuat (the local sector/planetary fleets were nationalized during the Clone Wars and IIRC, the 'Generationals' were replaced in some places with New Order loyalists), so who knows what would happen, but it is likely the Empire would eventually win if only based on numbers.