# SAGE C4: Understanding Regions Published July 21, 2025 by Funcracker. _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. ![C4 Map](https://assets.aephia.com/wp-assets/7a1af239361a6bee45aa939f29eddca3586116bec4392b107a622ba86d5d5cae.png) 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 1](https://aephia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SA-C4-Regions-Part-1-3.pdf)[Download](https://aephia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SA-C4-Regions-Part-1-3.pdf) [SA C4 Regions – Part 2](https://aephia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SA-C4-Regions-Part-2-1.pdf)[Download](https://aephia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SA-C4-Regions-Part-2-1.pdf) _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.