The Host person can set the odds of ONE very large meteor crashing into a planet by using the HCONFIG program.
When a meteor strikes a planet, massive amounts of new minerals and fuel ore will be buried deep in to planet's core. That planet will then become a mineral rich world and a very good place to build mineral mines.
Many bad things happen to a planet that is hit by a meteor. A great number of the population will be killed. Many mines, factories and
defense outposts, will be destroyed and the planet may be plunged into a civil war.
Your starbase and all ships in orbit will be safe from the effects of the meteor.
When a meteor hits the resulting explosion is so large that all the races will know which planet was hit (everyone will receive a message). This could trigger a "mineral rush" to get to that planet first and setup a colony there first. The impacted planet should have enough minerals buried in it to build a starbase and many new ships. That makes the planet impacted a real prize.