Supply ...Can`t Get There from Here

[dogscoff]

I`ve come back to the Game recently, and when I got it on first release, I really don`t remember this huge maintance cost issue for Ships. Was this introduced in a recent Patch ?

Maintenance/ component costs weren't changed significantly in any of the later patches, as far as I can remember. Of course if you're now running a modded game - or if you used to use modded files- that could explain the differences between what you see now and what you remember from your earlier experiences of the game.

If you're not using mods and never have, then modding the game might be the answer you are looking for. Simply tweak (copies of) your data files to increase the output of resource production facilities and the capacity of the storage facilities. That will allow you (and your enemies ) to support larger fleets.

EDIT: Cheeze's spaceport suggestion is a good one as well. DO you see little red barrel icons on all your extra-system colonies?

[Alneyan]

Another possibility to explain your economic shortages: have you lowered your resource gathering characteristics and/or your maintenance aptitude? Doing so would cripple your economy, especially in the case of maintenance, since lowering maintenance will kill your economy very quickly.

Along the same lines, what is the current happiness levels of your worlds? Happiness is paramount to determining resource income, and so the number of ships you can safely supporter. Or have you taken something besides "peaceful" as an happiness type?

Besides such odd Empire setups, I see no other reason why your economy would be in such a poor state, if you have expanded well and developped your colonies.