Yeah if house influence and where they can use caps has been curtailed, I think its about time to do the same with Outcast ZOI. Perhaps limit them down to cruisers inside house space, and the interhouse borderworlds. Houses might not be able to meddle as much in the borderworlds, but that also means they can't go help in defense. Any system where any faction's caps have ZOI should also have at least one opposing faction of equal cap capability though. Which means in Liberty, only the insurgency should be a real threat, in Rheinland, only the Hessians/Unioners should be that treat, and in Bretonia perhaps just the corsairs (and of course coalition could still be the one go-to for an 'everywhere' ZOI).
At the same time, how often do lawful fleets rush to the defense of stations in the borderworlds?
A possible solution would be to allow intel ID cruisers to engage enemies outside of ZOI for more than just self defense. If a house wants to siege a base just outside its borders or anywhere I suppose, let them use intel ID ships instead. Same goes if they want to send ships to help in base defense. RP deals and alliances can always secure exceptions.
As to POB's, people say they are a disaster but I don't get that. Bases here are either hopeless newborns that never get off the ground, or actually manage to get strong enough to survive. There's little in between. For sieges, we could use a super weapon like a Trebuchet ship that would be like a cap that only fires one weapon, one big long range volt every minute or so that causes huge damage and effects a wide area. Caps would then just need to defend that ship during a siege, and it would make serious base sieges like real city sieges where forces show up with siege artillery and bombard from afar. Which means an opposing fleet would be needed to go take out the trebuchet ship. And technically defenders can bring their own to the field to try to even the odds. Maybe make them an OF perk or just a ludicrous moneysink ship, that moves slow like a barge. That would give factions a better chance to deal with bases they feel are impossible to crack.
In return, POB's should start out at at least 200 million HP, not 20. To avoid spam, it might be time to change the value of laying a base. Make one of the commodities super expensive so it costs at least 100 million to even build a base. That will make people think twice about spam dropping them everywhere. But if you're serious, and especially if a major faction and need the POB for additional defense, etc, you'll simply need to invest.
