On other threads we've been discussing starport vulnerability, which I think is really a byproduct of the proximity of civs at the start of the game.

As of Alpha 0.31, I did some quick game starts as Drengin to see how often I started within attack range of other civs.

So I ran through 25 game starts on tiny with 3 enemy civs. Of the 25 games, 5 were on random maps (before I realized it was on random) and then 5 were on each of the four galaxy types.

In 12 out of the 25 games, I started near enough to attack at least one enemy civ with a Bomber M1 (which is equipped with 1 life support module, giving it a total range of 14).

I am concerned this will often force a more military-focused game start. I think that proximity is the issue (and only barely). Following are 4 suggestions related to this issue:

First, I recommend some kind of minimum distance be built into the game to keep civs' starting planets just barely out of reach of the initial military ships. And this needn't be hard-coded--perhaps it could be moddable or even an option. Or it could be built in to the difficulty (i.e. on easy, starting positions are more distant, but on hard, you could start right next to another player).

Second, I suggest that the starting components be rebalanced slightly to make it impossible for the starting military ships to have a life support module installed.

Following are three examples from my 25 test games showing the range of a ship with 1 life support module (Bomber M1) and a ship with no life support modules. I overaid the images so both ranges are visible at the same time.

In this first image, the starports are in range with 1 life support module, but not in range with no life support modules. Notice that the trespassing enemy survey ship is in range without life support (so having military to start with remains an advantage for the Drengin).

In this second image, all 4 starports are in range with 1 life support module, but only 1 of 4 are in range without life support modules installed (making the threat to each of these civs much less drastic).

In this third image (which represents the closest starting positions I encountered in 25 game starts), the starport is in range without any life support modules installed. In this scenario, the Drengin player could easily cripple the other civ before it could defend itself or expand. But notice that if the starport was moved up, it would be safe if the Drengin's ships did not have life support installed.

Again, my first suggestion is to tweak the starting positions. My second suggestion is to make life support modules unavailable to starting military ships.

Third, I suggest that it should be possible to choose the starting location of starports (other than by building them with constructors)--perhaps using a feature similar to how planet ship-exit direction worked in GCII. Essentially, on the planet's info screen at the bottom left, there could be a small icon to set the default starport build location. Clicking this button would create a shaded area around the planet in which the starport's default starting location could be set. This could have a range of three or four hexes, allowing the starport to start in a more tactically sound location.

If no default location were set, perhaps a placement dialogue or process could be added when a starport is started in the build queue (i.e. when the starport becomes the current building project, the map centers on the planet and the surrounding hexes are shaded--then a dialogue box says something like "place your starport" and you then must choose where your starport is to be built).

Fourth, the initial range without life support could be reduced to 8 or 9 instead of 10 and an inexpensive tech could be added to bring this base range up to 10. If the base life support were a touch lower, it would help prevent the starting military ships from being able to reach the other civ's starports.

Each of these suggestions, I believe, could work independently or in some combination.

I'd love to hear some of the other player's thoughts on this--and perhaps from the devs on whether they are at all concerned about this issue and/or if they have some solutions in the works.