Neutral Node: Space Observatory

i generally like this idea but i think it should do more than what you describe.

Once you discovered everything around the node the observatory is in, its probes are going to be useless and holding the point and paying 5 titanium and 5 hyperium per round and having to have a fleet there you could use for something different just for +1 fleetvision... idk.

I think the observatory should be something you really really want. Otherwise you could just have a system there that is going to be more useful to you anyways (without having to have a fleet there at all times)

Let me give you my ideas:

The observatory actually has an array of different probes for different purposes:

the observatory can host 3 probes total but you need to build em all. Once stored you can use them any time for free (just building costs; no launchcosts)

1. Exploration Probe: Costs 5 titanium/ 5 hyperium. A probe with 100% higher vision range and 100% higher lifetime than actual probes. Can be sent from the observatory to any system and from there in any direction like you would have an explorationship there.

2. Expedition probe: Costs 5 antimatter / 5 adamantium: A probe that can get attached to any system in the galaxy. Each round the probe will uncover an uncovered curiosity, liftime 5 rounds

3. Military probe: Costs 5 Orichalcix / 5 Quadrinix: A probe that is designed to sabotage enemy fleets and systems. On systems it will cause -10% FIDSI-production and has a chance to destroy a system-upgrade per turn; On enemy fleets it will add the fleets vision to you, show you the route the fleet is taking (like when you are Hissho and enemy fleets travel towards you) and demoralize the fleet resulting in -10% health on ships and troops; lasts 5 turns

ontop of these probes you can only launch if holding the observatory the observatory gives you a couple of empire-bonuses:

- +1 fleetvision

- -5% technologiecost for technologies of the "science and exploration"-sector

- granting you access to the observatory-questline with unique rewards.

rewards for the questline:

1. observers scope; System develoment; Science; 16 dust upkeep; gives the system +10 vision range

2. stirring interest in science; temporary buff; +1 science per population for 20 turns

3. empowered Scouts; hullupgrade for explorationships; grants your explorationships 1 additional module (costs titanium) and 1 additional module (costs hyperium); the modules should be defense/support

4. Seeker of knowledge; empire development; -50% upkeep for sciencebuildings and explorationships

i could imagine making such a special node for each research-section; this would be science and exploration.

Then you could also make 1 for each of the other sections with similar benefits and maybe a special superupgrade if you have em all. But that would be a bit deep now ^^