So We have a semi Fleet based origin. Cool
Can I take this one step further, and create a unique take?

So. Marauders. Their fleets are mostly Corvettes, Destroyers, Cruisers and SuperBattleships.

And I've always wanted a fleet based origin, however There was no good way I could see to make an adaptable economy without needing planets.

You've proven it's possible, but you suffer from consequences tech wise that make planet based operation beneficial, and essential to a functioning economy.
A little unfortunate. but sure.

The dream: Origin starts as Habitat dwellers. But you CAN colonize planets a bit better.
Why? Because your Habitats aren't as good, possibly costing more till Megastructures Technology.

So a weak planet game and a bad Habitat game. SO whats the bonuses?

Well: Improvised ships.
Start the game with Solar Arrays, An Auxilary slot item for Corvettes and destroyers.
Expand with Mining Arms, An Auxillary slot for Corvettes and Frigates.
Grow your empire with a custom L slot item: Forge and Factory, producing Alloys and Consumer goods in the front of a Destroyer or two in a Cruiser and many in a Battleship.
Need more Population space? Carrier slot item 'Habitation District' Grants +2 to off map population cap. If you go over the cap, population overcrowds Starbases causing empire wide debuffs, first crowding starbases (upkeep increases based on unhoused pop), then Empire Sprawl (if unhoused pop exceeds starbase count), and later happiness and crime debuffs to the entire empire. (I might add a Piracy penalty but lets not be rude)
Fleet based population is possible, but not advisable.
But I'm not going to stop you.
And Like Nomads pops on ships can be retasked easily enough. And they are dumped into your home habitat if 'sent back' into the empire.

You might note the Basic resource production comes from only the small ships Auxillary slots. Why is that?
Well Destroyers and up can produce exotics, alloys, Consumer goods from A, L and L slots. Meanwhile Science and unity need less space but produce roughly one Scientist worth for a medium slot, but suffer output penalties due to starbase upkeep (see overcrowding)

Starbases Might end up with a unique improvement granting two housing slots at the cost of hangar bays, anchorages or similar. Possibly housing should grant some reduced fleet cap if an extra bonus is needed to make the limited slots viable.


Your economy might be booming in the depths of space, but your refit costs for war will be expensive.
Then again, with this much value coming out of Alloys and only having to refit to go to war, your economy might boom and bust depending on conflict status.

As for resources like Nanites?
Why would I give you those for free?


But maybe you just need to invest in a ascension perk to get some small slots producing 0.1 of each in small slots.


This would represent a literal Raidable economy. Also one you could literally gift to your allies to help prop them up in wartime by donating them some of your fleets. (or ruin them by shipping fleets demanding hundreds of minerals per turn to operate, your pick)


Ideally I might allow off map population to be more efficent when technology like Alloy plants becomes available, But I might halve the bonus. So +0.5 and later +1 output at increased mineral costs when the techs are developed, unlike Nomad who don't benefit at all from energy, mineral, alloy or consumer good techs are refined.



And I didn't mention food?
Who said we had enough food? Stations and habitats were all we had. And are kind of important to keep our people fed.
Yes it's mean. Thats the point!