Pre-warp Techs

[dmm]

Hey, here's an idea:

Make the first few engine techs big Versions of the standard starting engine techs. For example, level 1 would be 6x as big as regular engines, so that only one will fit on an escort. Then level 2 would be 3x, and level 3 would be 2x. (You could also proportionately increase the supplies used.)

At the same time, make the warp points "only at the edges" of systems.

The net effect is that warp points are accessible, but really hard to make use of, until some engine research has been done. Neutrals could then be set up to delay this engine research, or never do it at all.

BTW, I noticed a comment that pre-warps and/or neutrals wouldn't have mines/sats/bases at warp points. Well, not necessarily. They might know that other races are out there, and they might be able to detect warp points (just not willing or able to exploit them). A xenophobic race might very well put mines and sats in every sector of its system! (And in a battle, they might go after minesweepers and PD ships preferentially.)