Colonies, Outposts & Population Growth

[Chyll]

Good points here, and I am drawn back to the concepts of migration versus population growth... Growth is more likely in the highly populated areas. Some of those people will accept incentive (or propaganda) to pursue a new and better life on the frontier (I keep picturing the 'better life in the colonies' advertising in Blade Runner during this discussion).

Now, in VBAM terms generating a new point of census at the homeworld at the same time that a point migrates to the promising world of Oceana is transparent and supports placement by the player conceptually.

However, I still recommend a basic guideline based around available productivity (jobs and opportunity) to pull the census rather than 100% free movement. Something akin to

1st point of census must go to the system with the most free productivity
2nd point to the next, and so on

Until all productivity is full and then I am less certain.
It could have to go to the highest population centers, or could be free placement.

Of course, this doesn't even consider things like government type, if using those rules, and what that would do regarding restriction of a population's freedom to move voluntarily ....

[jygro]

The more I think about this, I more I think that census should be added to the largest population centers first (when there is a tie, to the planet with the lowest CV, then random). My reason is two fold. First as Chyll stated that we are dealing with population growth and not population migration. Population growth occurs where there are a bunch of people and that isn't the far-flung areas in an empire. Secondly and completely a matter of taste, I believe that a player needs to manage the number and location of census. Allowing a player to grow at the colonies removes a bit of book keeping, but I think a part of the game is how and where you manage your resources.

-Bren

[Charles Lewis]

There are very good arguments on both sides of this issue, and to a certain extent, it probably comes down to personal preference. Official rules probably need to lean on the side of the major population centers, but as with most other aspects of the Campaign System, a levy of options would allow players to flavor to taste.

[PenguinGod]

Another option is to not to completely get rid of the old growth system, but instead use it to determine where the new census will go. Highest roll gets it and tie breakers could be unused productivity and moral.

-yes it defeats the purpose to coming up with a more streamlined approach to growth, but i like it