"Colonized Systems" in Empire Size calculation

[DUnit]

Earlier versions had a mechanic for "core systems"* which I'd like to partially replace the 10 empire size penalty from "Colony". eg. Humans who build a habitat around Earth and colonize Mars would not be as sprawled as say humans who first colonize something in Alpha Centauri, even if both examples have stations in AC.

Source Size
Colony 10 -> (2-5)
Branch 2
System 1
Pop 1
District 0.5

Colonized Systems 5-10
or maybe
Core Colonized Systems 5
Frontier Colonized Systems 10

* "Core Systems" was used for core vs. frontier, a predecessor of the sprawl mechanics

ref: https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Empire#Empire_size

 

[HFY]

Interesting idea.

This type of thing would neatly handle some current problems with Void Dwellers.

 

[Stupid_Dragon]

That penalty is excessive, almost if it was specifically designed to nerf habitats, pigeonholing habitat heavy playstyle into Imperial Prerogative. It should had been a penalty per colonized system instead.

 

[fusei]

I would be quite unhappy with this change, currently I can ascend planets to reduce their size contribution from 10 to 1.5, but that wouldn't effect the system's contribution ... unless of course you plan to expand ascension to the entire system as well.

 

[Cosmic Fishering Fleet]

I think that additional colonies in one system should have some reduction but not a lot.
Like, system with one colony has 11 sprawl: 1 from outpost and 10 from colonies. System with two colonies has 19 sprawl (each colony gives 9 sprawl before pops), system with 3 colonies gives 25 sprawl, and system with 4 colonies gives 29 sprawl, without further reductions. This will mean that Void Dwellers (with 3 starting habitats) will have 6 sprawl less at the start of the game, postponing their problems further in time while empires won't benefit from having more than 4 colonies in the given system because ease of administration has its limits too. This will distinct "deep" approach (growing inwards by spawning more habitats or using the Worm) from "wide" approach (growing outwards by spamming more outposts and rushing to settle new planets) as well from "tall" approach (building up existing infrastructure and using unity to Ascend core worlds) a little more and will make tall and deep playstyle more lucrative without nerfing wide playstyle.
The ones who will benefit the most are, of course Void Dwellers, because 6 sprawl at the start of the game could be leveraged to snowball further, and generally help them throughout all game, and Machine Intelligences, who while having perfect habitability suffer a +50% sprawl penalty from colonies, which not only affects traditions, but also edicts (and gestalts don't have easy way to increase their edict fund, unlike Byzantine Bureaucrats).

 

[Wilmfe92]

I would like to see the ability to reduce empire sprawl through administrator jobs return. Though a little bit better balanced to the point that eliminating it entirely would require so many administrators that it's not worth it. The fact that you can't really dynamically reduce empire size makes it very, very difficult to balance.