An Overview of How the Galaxy is About to Change
With the launch of C4, Star Atlas is introducing a major change to the galaxy’s structure, paving the way for a nuanced form of territory control. One of the key pillars of this update is the addition of hundreds of new Star Systems, along with the introduction of Regions, which are clusters of Star Systems.
This guide (and especially the PDFs attached at the bottom) breaks down how Regions work and what to expect when C4 goes live.
SAGE C4 Map as shown in the team’s internal Map Editor
From Star Systems to Regions
Today, each Faction controls a set of individual Star Systems in the Safe and Medium Risk Zones. With C4, these individual systems will evolve into Regions—larger clusters of systems that are grouped together.
Each Region is anchored by a King System. All of the Star Systems we know today will transform into such King Systems. These are the only Systems that host a Local Market. Around it, a handful of Core Systems (of which the King System is one) and multiple normal Star Systems form the rest of the Region.
Regions are the new battlegrounds, and control over them will determine power and access in the galaxy.
There are 17 Starbases per Faction right now, five in the Secure Zone, and 12 in the Medium Risk Zone. These will form the foundation for 17 regions in C4. On top, six brand new regions are introduced per Faction, in their Medium Risk zone. These will start out as fully neutral, meaning that none of the factions will own a single system in it.
Conquest Mechanics
Starbases remain central to control, but now in a more layered fashion.
- Destroying a Tier 0 or Tier 1 Starbase flips the Starbase to your Faction as a Tier 0 Starbase.
- Upgrading a Starbase to Tier 1 or higher is required to claim ownership of that system.
In other words, flipping a Starbase is not enough. Without upgrading it, you don’t own the System it is in.
Warp Lanes
The new Warp Lanes (formerly known as Starpath) are tied to system-level control. A Warp Lane only opens if your Faction controls both endpoints. This makes owning such systems across regions vital, not just for movement, but for securing supply lines and defensive buffers.
Region Control States
Regions can exist in several states, based on system ownership and their neighboring connections:
🟡 Neutral Region
No Faction holds 60%+ of the Region’s Core Systems, including the King System.
🟠 Border Region (Partially Owned)
A Faction owns 60%+ of the Core Systems, including the King. Border Regions (both fully owned and not) could be contested and are open to incursions.
🟠 Border Region (Fully Owned)
A Faction owns all systems in the Region, but it’s still connected via Warp Lanes to regions owned by other Factions or that are Neutral Regions.
🟢 Safe Region
A Fully Owned Region that is only connected to other regions owned by the same Faction. These are locked down and cannot be entered or attacked by others.
At launch, each Faction will have 5 Safe Regions in their original Safe Zone. These cannot be invaded, regardless of neighboring Region status.
Region Ownership Requirements
To claim a Region, a Faction must:
- Own the King System
- Own 60% or more of the Core Systems
But to make that Region Safe, you also need to:
- Fully own every system in the Region
- Ensure all neighboring Regions (via Warp Lanes) are also owned by your Faction
This requires planning, not just brute force.
Expansion & Strategic Depth
What this means is: claiming ownership of one Region isn’t always enough. To truly secure territory, you’ll need to take into account the network of Regions around it.
You can’t simply grab a central Region and expect safety. It will remain a Border Region unless all its connections lead to other Faction-owned Regions. This adds layers of strategy and long-term planning.
The Domino Effect: Contested Regions
Contesting even a portion of a Region can cause ripple effects.
- If a rival Faction takes 40%+ of the Core Systems, the Region becomes Neutral.
- This change can cascade, undermining Safe Regions by changing their neighbors’ status.
- Control is fragile. A push in one Region can unravel control in others.
Sharing Knowledge
Understanding how Regions function is essential if you plan to survive and thrive in the coming galactic order!
The above information, along with additional details, can be found in two documents we created specifically for independent sharing, separate from this article. These pages provide a detailed visual explanation of the above.
We hope this allows other DACs and Star Atlas influencers to educate others properly. You are welcome to use these as you see fit!
SA C4 Regions – Part 1Download
SA C4 Regions – Part 2Download
p.s. We’ve run all the info through this by the team, and they vetted it.
p.p.s. The 60%+ Core Systems ownership rule is new information. Previously, the team’s thinking was that you needed all Core Systems to own a region. Please note that the 60% may change further between now and the C4 launch.