IGN seems to have gotten a look at the "micro-expansion" for Sins of a Solar Empire, the superlative sci-fi RTS and a shoo-in for one of the best games of the year. I was pretty skeptical about the concept of dribbling out little $10 expansion packs, but it's a bit reassuring to read some of IGN's observations.

For instance, I'm pleased developer Ironclad isn't just piling in new defences, apropros of the subtitle, Entrenchment. They're also adding new ships to counter the new defenses, as well as a few tweaks to the bonuses you can earn by controlling planets. Whereas the original game was all about fleets, it seems like Entrenchment is shifting a bit of emphasis tot the map itself. And I'm glad to read that the new starbase system seems to take a page from the strategy game, Galactic Civilizations II, which is never a bad thing:

[Starbases] are massive space structures that can be upgraded and specialized in numerous ways. They positively dwarf the capital ships in the game. And the twist is that you can build them almost anywhere if you deploy a deep space heavy constructor. Starbases can be built next to stars, around gas giants, near wormholes, and even in enemy space. They have construction ability, so they can churn out frigates and cruisers. They can be outfitted with an array of weapons, and they can target multiple ships simultaneously. And they're extremely durable.