[DirectorTsaarx]

I like BarnacleBill's idea of a "fighter base" on the planet. Maybe take this further, and force fighters to be stored in fighter bays, not as generic "cargo". The planetary fighter base would be a facility (not a weapon platform) that had a specific capacity and launch rate. You could even set it up so the only place to BUILD fighters was at a planetary fighter base, and/or a specific shipyard-type component; this "fighteryard" could only build fighters (and maybe satellites), not ships or mines or WPs.

This would force us to make more strategic decisions about using fighters (instead of maintenance cost, we're using facility spaces and/or building expensive bases in space).

BTW - if we're going to force fighters to use supply every turn, we should probably make ships use supply every turn as well. As it is now, I can park ships in remote places for long periods of time, which makes just as little sense as parking fighters for long periods of time. I'm willing to accept that a base doesn't need resupply, since the base hull probably includes the ability to turn life support components into self-sustaining life support systems...