Diplomacy gave the AIs the ability to build and use superweapons (something I hated but the community called for it). In Rebellion due to the massive changes to the game the AI got a bit buggy. Somethings did get changed like there is now a limit of 4 you can build but I prefer the AI just use them less or none at all. I don't (unless I feel like ending the game super fast).

not really a problem with the AI - a human plauyer could and would do the same in a long game and it had over a a hundred thousand credits

You can get a a starbase and give it auxiliary government (or non-tec equivalent), and then you can't loose the planet through bombardment -> all the novalith does is wipe out the population, but you keep the planet.

I disagree, with a limited range, it now makes those Novaliths something that needs to be protected.  Now you will need to build defenses and protect them if your wanting to sit back and just blast away at a user or AI.  I personally hate the Novaliths, In my mod in converted them to inner planetary defensive Ion Cannons.  All I'm saying is that to me it makes more sense to limit their range. if you want to use them, then you damn well better be ready to vigorously defend them.

Seems the novaliths make it very hard to play the game the way some of the factions are set up.  Some factions are more defense oriented.  Whats the purpose of 2 starbases in a system when the enemy never even has to attack you with a fleet?  4 novaliths can do an insane amount of damage.  If 2 are targetted at the same planet, the planet is lost, even your capitol.  They can wipe out planets far faster than you can restore them.  I had a colony ship stationed at each planet for the asteroids and dwarf planets, they were toast with one shot.  larger planets I can use the starbase to retain control, but its expensive to stick a starbase at every planet.  The TEC shield generator helps, but otherwise, I think it goes against good game dynamics to be able to sit far back from the front and snipe whole planets. 

Of course, the vasari superweapon is also pretty uber, being able to create a phase stabilizer at the targetted planet, you can just send a fleet in to wipe out that novalith, or just go wipe out the capitol.  Whats the point of starbases and chokepoints anymore, except to keep advent at bay?

Novalith is the strongest superweapon in the game, period, because it can instantly cost you a planet if it hits a dwarf or an asteroid. There's no way to save a dwarf if it's hit because the Novalith just wipes it out. The Vasari weapon while it does create phase nodes, it doesn't cost you a planet every time it hits. You don't want 4, you want more then 4, and the current way the AI is set up it will TRY to build a novalith at every planet it owns. At this moment this FORCES me to rush across a system just to wipe out a TEC first because as has been said, 2 novalith can and will nuke your capitol if they both point at it and say, go away.... and you want more then 4 of these things? Please....

Ok martox, so what you're saying is in every single gravity well I own I am going to have to build a starbase. And in every one of those starbases I have to build aux gov? And this is to counter a PC / NPC building two (minimum) novaliths? Forgive me if I don't laugh about that.

Yes, your counter to a weapon that the AI rushs to, is to blow all your money on starbases in every gravity well you own and mandatory one point for one passive ability on each of them. Try doing this on a 5 star (Huge) map, and see just how lovely that sounds.

I do not recall ever losing a planet to a nova except for the great Nova rush of early 2012 since then things have gone back to normal.

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If you put all those economic upgrades on a Starbase, the thing is going to be cannon fodder for a fleet or an Orkulus. So hey, go ahead. I'll forget about the Novaliths entirely and just curb stomp you the old fashioned way.

And you're also ignoring that this thing has it's non-econ effects countered by Starbases. The Deliverance Engine is more effectively countered by *broadcast centers*. Sorry, but weakest superweapon in the game has been a lock for the Advent since the game came out.