[grumbler]

Suicide Junkie,

I tried out your idea of having satellites be bases. It seems to iron out a lot of wrinkles, but then it seems impossible to make the AI build them, as the AI wants to build honking big bases when it builds bases. Also, the numbers of bases around the planet become a management issue unless you allow bases to join fleets (in which case you just make a "Satellite Fleet" at each planet and tuck 'em out of sight)... but then I don't know if the AI won't make its fleets immobile by sticking bases in them.

Also, when I experimentally limit AI bases sizes to force them to build these little satellite bases, they just build every satellite base around their honeworld (and the AI not spreading out bases is an issue that needs to be tackled if possible anyway).

Sigh.. any thoughts, anyone? I sure wish satellites orbited planets in the basic game.