In discussions with someone who cannot post another variant concept between the two of us was considered and is suggested:

To give credit where it's due he came up with the planet attributes, my end is merely to suggest how it could incorporate into a war aspect.

Sector Capitals - A player designates X number of planets (based on rank or set limit per player,doesn't really matter) to be sector capitals. These planets AUTOMATICALLY advance in attributes to say 5x or 10x from their current stats...Players would likely select their cruddiest planets (hey governments often put their physical locations in bad neighborhoods as a boost and because the tax base is easier to lose than expensive neighborhoods).

These planets are EASIER to scan than normal... In turn as sector capitials they get passive defense or attack bonuses that are better than normal...

Now if they are attacked and lost here's my thought - we could either let the player take them current stats but goes back to a otherwise regular planet OR
the attacker gets some type of bonus and the owner in turn has it revert to the prior cruddy planet....

If legions go to war it could also be made easier for these planets to be found by the warring legions...

lol i could see capping the size to very large to make it really interesting for the owner in terms of production vs defense ratios.

Some interesting ideas there.

+0.5... maybe more when it's fully fleshed out.

Fleshing out given the concept would have to be done by the devs to a certain extent if they run with it... but if you'll hear me out a bit more we could:

set it up as a new mission. Its capped based on the # of sector capitals you have (based on rank or set limit as mentioned). When you lose it, assuming the conqueror gets a bonus and your planet reverts to its prior quality, you get to re-do the mission. Mission would involve not just E expenditure but other materials... some CTP to be fair(but not too much please we use it so much as it is) and maybe some Ku/AID under theory of tech and money being spent to improve a planet to sector capital.

Next question is is a planet that gets more notice because of its nature readily fluxable... My associate suggested make it harder to flux... that makes sense I think tho I hate the concept in application (you get a rank 1700 wanting the reward of taking it when you are a rank 600 you are not going to be happy hoping he can't take it until after you flux)

Depending on how the Devs approach the concept of sector capitals you could make each one a particular image if there's a set limit (for instance if you got a planet with your country's flag on it as your 1st sector capital based on ur registration it might inspire a lot of patriotic interest, tho that seems like a lot of work for the devs in making at last count what was 178 country flags oy), whether it be a funky image or something else...

you could also have special sector capital mods only in terms of production, defense etc. that were either acquired thru missions or npcs that would circle that planet (just make em more common than the allovore please!)

there's room to run with it, i just dont know if the devs would enjoy the effort.

I see an issue with this, two actually,

1) what is stopping someone from "foot balling" a crummy planet in to an uber one for effectively free?

2) players may convert their "rift/exotic/Dyson" gain the resource boost and never worry about loseing the planet.

in response to #!

my suggestion is make it mission based in acquiring. so it won't be free.

In response to #2
the planet is suggested to go to 5x or 10x. The planet is also capturable by its nature (all government structures in rl are right?).. but mostly if its 5x or even 10x odds are good its lower than that rift or dyson mentioned.