i like your idea about making outposts and starbases more useful, but mabe only a couple of te features you described.

Maybe even choosing the type of outpost/starbase when constructing.. ie... Research, Spy, Repair, Train, Defence.

Jus the way they are in the current botf game they only serve to increase range and provide mild defence

Starbases and Outposts are normally multi-able. They can change their hand to whatevers needed at the time. Prehaps you should be able to change what they do. S you build the same starbase, but you could have one set to spying around the nearby sectors, another devoted to research so on and so forth. The only problem with that is it dosent really work game wise. Starbases were set for military mainly, and planets did the Intell and Research. Good idea tho l3uddy.