Starbase cap no longer increased by pops.

[szmik]

why is this even an issue? if you can afford upkeep caps don't matter

 

[MechaThumper]

Using the 2.23 beta, trade routes go through gateways for me.

Even without 2.2.3 I'm pretty certain they still use gateways & wormholes. A large issue with the late game lag is specifically the pathfinding for trade through gateways.

 

[Retry]

Actually do employ those quite a bit. The impact of the jobs on naval cap is really low, unless you go overboard with strongholds...

Low? Two upgraded Strongholds + one of the early-game soldier upgrade techs is equivalent to a single Star Fortress Anchorage. A fortress world (or habitat) can net naval cap up to the high 100s or even a bit above it.

 

[Atreides]

I think I would prefer to keep the cap itself low, but increase the modules that a given starbase can hold. That way there would be less SB to manage, but you could could create multi usage ones.

If the modules were 4/6/8/10 instead of the current 2/4/6/6 that would be a significantly improvement .

 

[Bouchart]

There is a repeatable tech that gives you +1 starbase capacity but you can only take five levels of it.

tech_repeatable_improved_starbase_capacity = {
    area = society
    cost = @repeatableTechBaseCost
    cost_per_level = @repeatableTechLevelCost
    tier = @repeatableTechTier
    category = { new_worlds }
    levels = 5
    prerequisites = { "tech_galactic_ambitions" }
    weight = @repeatableTechWeight
    
    weight_modifier = {
        factor = @repatableTechFactor
    }
    
    ai_weight = {
        factor = 1.0
    }
    
    weight_groups = {
        repeatable
    }
    mod_weight_if_group_picked = {
        repeatable = 0.01
    }
    
    modifier = {
        country_starbase_capacity_add = 1
    }
}

Also if population affected starbase capacity you could fill a bunch of planets with nerve stapled livestock slaves...I think where we currently are is good.

 

[lordvagrant]

There is a situation that we need more Starbases with trade modules to collect all space trade. And we need just as many bastions with hangars to protect this trade.
So having starbases for anchores is hard to get.
Grasp of the Void new META.
Or habitats filled with fortresses.

Repeatable tech with +1 starbase would be nice.

Sidenote: Maybe we can have starbase module with small guns? Like autocannons? The reason is that corvettas rush early game is a thing, and medium guns are not very effective.

Put your fleets on Patrol to protect trade, especially around your capital. Even an unlimited cap on starbases won't give enough trade protection late game (well, it would if you had a star base in each system as no piracy in a starbase system).

 

[01d55]

As of 2.2.2, gateway not only allow trade routes to path through them, but trade collection range reaches through gates, so a single trade hub with a gate in its system can collect through the entire gateway network.

I expect protection also reaches through gates.