Galspan vs. Bora
Obviously, there are two sides in Base Wars, Galspan and Bora. You can pick which side you would prefer to play, but if that side already has more people on it then you will be forced onto the other side.
Galspan has lock-on missiles, while Bora has the heavier firepower. Bora's rockets are all dumbfires (no auto-guidance), so Galspan seems a bit easier to play (in my opinion). However, Bora can be very ruthless, and if you can fly well it's just a matter of being more effective at close range than Galspan fighters.
The Goal
Naturally, the main idea is to get in the other team's way, and destroy their base before they get yours.
The general object is to get Credits, and return them to your base. Once your team has enough Credits, you advance in Tech Levels, which give you access to better technology and weapons. When your team reaches Tech Level 10, you can equip Helios Rockets, the only weapon capable of damaging the opposing team's Life Support. Destroying the Life Support means victory for your team.
Another key point is that you can destroy the other team's Credit Plants, which is where their Credits are stored. This will set back their Team Experience, which can drop them down Tech Levels and remove their access to Helios Rockets. It will also piss them off, so expect them to retaliate by doing the same to you.
Here's
a screenshot of the life support. It's the big glowing thing in the
center. Note that by targeting it using either the Enter key or Button 3
on your joystick, the Hull value as well as the team's Tech Level are
displayed. When the Hull reaches zero, game's over. Duel fired,
Helios missiles will do about 9 damage.
The Life Support of each base is at the very center, on the top side.