Outposts can be built to increase the reach of a subject empire. Trade can be established with other empires to gain access to resources that are not available from their own borders. Integration of subject empires can be done through diplomacy or war.
Understanding where you are in the game is key to maximizing your gains and eventually leading you to victory. ..
Border expansion in Stellaris works differently now than it did when the game was released. This guide assumes you are playing Stellaris at version 2.0 or later. If you want to expand your borders, you will first need to acquire new territory. You can do this by conquering planets or by forming alliances with other empires. Once you have acquired new territory, you can then use it to expand your borders. ..
Why Borders Matter in Stellaris
Borders in Stellaris are a visual indicator of how far your territory, hence your control and influence, reaches. This is especially important for empires that wish to expand their reach and dominion.
Your territory includes a star system, which means you can exploit its resources, population, and maintain sensory intel on it at all times.
Colonization
The borders between different cultures and civilizations are important in the process of Colonization. Borders help to protect people and resources from other cultures, and help to create new civilizations.
As you establish your Colony, the planet becomes easy prey for enemy fleets. In fact, just a few in-game days of bombardment can destroy it, effectively wasting resources.
A strong buffer zone can make establishing colonies much easier. ..
Travel
This is because the imperial government provides a wide variety of services and transportation within its borders, making it easier for tourists to explore its many attractions.
Your ships would be able to travel at the speed of light, and you wouldn’t have to worry about hostile fleets or starbases along your routes. You also wouldn’t have to worry about FTL Inhibitors slowing you down.
Restricting Rival Empires
You can control who gets to travel through your empire by selectively opening or closing your borders for different neighbors.
A rival empire can be isolated if it sets up its borders smartly.
In Stellaris, there are a lot of ways to play. But the most important thing is how you take care of your borders. If you don’t, your opponent will.
Expansion Through Outposts
Outposts are a common way to expand your borders in the early to mid-game. By building Outposts, you can claim new systems and make them your own.
You should first build the Construction Ship and the Science Ship to survey your surroundings.
- Choose a location with good resources and a strategic location.
- Build a wall around the outpost to protect it from enemies and make it difficult for them to attack.
- Collect resources from the surrounding area to help build up your outpost.
- Train your troops to defend your outpost and conquer new territory. ..
Expansion Through War
Although Outposts are a good way to expand your territory at the start, eventually, finding unclaimed systems will become harder the closer you get to the mid-game. ..
A star system that is fully surveyed will have its name on the Galaxy Map white, rather than gray.
If you’re looking to jump to a new star system, the Influence cost will increase with each hyperlane jump. If you’re two jumps away from a new system, for example, you’ll have to pay 225 Influence instead of the normal 100.
As the galaxy expands, it becomes more and more difficult to keep control of every system. Eventually, every star system not within your territory will belong to someone else. This means that you’ll need to be strategic in your expansion, lest you fall behind and lose out on valuable resources and territory. ..
Your border expansion could continue, and it could even get bigger.
Another way to expand your borders is by claiming star systems that are not currently under your control. You can then fight a war to annex these systems.
Making Claims
If you want to expand your borders through war, you will need to make a claim on the occupied system first.
The territorial claims of various countries will be a key factor during wartime. ..
If you achieve all of your War Goals, then you will automatically annex any system you’ve made a claim on. ..
- You make a claim
- You provide evidence to support your claim
- You provide a logical argument for your claim
- You provide an example of how your claim could be true
- You offer a conclusion to your argument
Claiming sovereignty over a system can sour relations with the empire that owns the system. However, making claims does not have to happen immediately after making your claims; it can wait until further negotiations are possible. ..
Strengthening your Claims
You can claim a system more than once if you can back up your claims with evidence.
A stronger claim means that the territory will transfer to you if there are multiple participants in the war.
The ancient Egyptians had a long and complex history, with claims to many lands and titles. Their most famous claim to fame is the construction of the Great Pyramid, which still stands today.
Declaring War
The United States has made its case to the world, and it’s time for war.
For an empire to declare war, they need a justification for going to war. This justification can come in the form of a Casus Belli, or a reason to go to war. ..
Since you’ve made claims, you should already have the “Conquer” Casus Belli, but there are numerous other Casus Belli available in Stellaris.
The War Goals for each conflict are unique, and offer different results for both sides.
If you win the war, or you’ve forced your opponent to surrender, then any systems your opponent has made claim to will automatically be transferred to you.
Expansion Through Vassals
If you’re not interested in war, there are other ways to take over a rival empire peacefully.
You can do this by subjugating the empire in question or making them into your subject and integrating them into your society.
To make an empire a subject, you will need to have a superior relative power compared to them. They also need to have a positive attitude towards you.
The Subjugation War Goal is to subjugate empires through war.
Integration
If your subjugation is successful, you become the ruler of an empire.
You will have the option to integrate your subjects into your empire once 10 in-game years have passed without them gaining independence.
If successfully integrated, all the subject empire’s planets, star systems, and ships will transfer control to you. ..
Expansion Through Trade
Another way to gain territory is by trading, or effectively buying star systems from rival empires. ..
If you want to trade with an empire, it’s best to have a good relationship with them. ..
If you want to get ahead in your career, you’ll need to build up a lot of favors from your superiors. ..
