the ability to create commanders

Indeed. One of the most effective solutions is to not give those kinds of resources to begin with. Extractor points are bottomless sources of income, so a huge number of high yield points will end up giving insane returns.

TA recognized much of these problems. That's why it focuses early game income on WRECKAGE, not extractors. It is perfectly possible to run a fast paced game off of wreckage if you have cheap, fast bots dedicated to reclamation. Wreckage keeps the game FAST when extractor income is SLOW, giving time for planetary resources to be fully established at the ideal levels for proper play.

Extractor YIELD played some part in limiting economic growth. The high yield points were ideal places to put T2 extractors, which were wasteful on low yield points. PA can get similar returns by having low and high yield extractor points. Only the high yield can support T2 extractors, while both types support T1. This keeps the T2 economy from being 3-5 times the size as a T1 economy, while keeping high value points that affect the late game.


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The other pace controlling mechanic is planetary DESTRUCTION. Can extractor points be destroyed? How easy are they to destroy? Will there be varying durabilities of extractor points, such as them being very easy or nearly impossible to destroy? If players are expected to ruin their extractor points throughout the course of play, then the problem of extreme economy begins to solve itself. High income means more high yield weapons, which destroy points, which reduce income, which reduces big units and returns the game to normal sized units.

Nukes are an ideal weapon to wreak planetary destruction and return the game to a more normal scale. Unfortunately they are currently FAR better when pointed directly at the enemy, than they are when pointed at a hapless world.