Small map, population capped, approval dropping -- now what?

What is your planet's populations? I would be willing to guess the reason its so low is that your homeworld is at 16 billion or so and approval might even be in the 40's, which you would need to fix.

Home world is at 15 billion. Approval there is in the upper 50s

Two of my other planets are nearly at 12 billion with approval in the 60s and 70s.

I've built a few entertainment centers and dropped tax rate. Problem is if I drop tax rate anymore I end up operating at a negative.

Well, you can always research the morale techs, and there are also some trade goods you can build such as harmony crystals that increase galaxywide morale.

Another good way is researching the government techs and building a political capital. It gives a +50% morale boost to whatever planet it is on.

Look into learning the techs for the upgraded morale buildings. If you're still on Entertainment Centers, that will be one of your issues. Also, the better economy buildings will also help out your income.

Those colonists need room to breathe! Time to take over an opponent's worlds & spread out a bit!

The answer really depends on what you want to do and what type of game you want to play - diplomacy, influence, invasion?

If you have plenty of population, then it really doesn't matter if your approval drops as low as 21%

In my opinion, there are three occasions when one worries about crappy morale (and ONLY three):

1) When one has many low-populace (< 2 billion) planets. You want these to grow, and they grow best at 100% or, if that not surmountable, over 75% morale. If morale is too low these worlds will grow too slowly and the drain from maintenance will just kill you. This includes the early game while you're roping through the colony rush.

2) When one has espoused a government other than the default Imperialist system. Republic, Democracy and Federation all bestow excellent benefits, provided that morale is good. If not your political party might just be ousted by elections, thereby causing a forfeit of your political bonuses.

3) When morale on a planet drops below 20%. This would cause you to lose citizens, which is, needless to say, completely unproductive. Between about 20% and about 40% population remains static. Above 40% it grows (taking into account planetary capacity).

Thus, theoretically, if you're still on Imperialism, and your population is maxed out as you say, you can happily allow your worlds to drop as low as 21% with no ostensible disadvantage. Personally, I'm a bit of an OCD player, so regardless of everything else I like having a high morale, and I'm not sure what would happen if that were to happen.

BTW don't waste tiles on your worlds building morale buildings. Sure, get one or two, especially if you have a morale bonus tile, but it just doesn't pay to have six Entertainment Networks -- it will raise you morale by 25% and drop your planet functionality by 600%. Who cares if the bastards are unhappy? As long as they're coughing up their taxes!

J.

Here's a trick... but promise you won't share it with anyone else(!;)

Build some or many transports (for later use) at maximum loading capacity, pack'hem all with people (these WON'T be happy/or/mad or interfere with growth or even pay direct taxes, eat food, etc) and park..send the ships in numerous orbit(s) of your planets nearest to your next targeted enemy.

While this lowers population, the effective invasion strength would already be in place. Eventually, you WILL have to send to some troops (citizens, btw) around.

In as low as ten turns... your morale will peek, and the populations on the move AREN'T obstacles to natural planetary expansion levels.

When the opportunity strikes, lock & load the money you spared in producing necessary attacking ships, escort the troopers and USE them for a better purpose than wrecking havoc to morale for too long.

- Zyxpsilon.

Sadly enough, all those troop ships now will cost you an arm and a leg in maintenance.

Spending money to stage a war is something you'd have to deal with eventually which will also stack another burden on maintenance ratios. How would you guess the amount of ships necessary if the situations have yet to develop? Or rather, If you can't build what you want when - it means your hopes to win may melt like ice under the fire guns of the unknown planners (yet, opposing forces to evaluate or monitor carefully) out there.

I was thinking more of a method used through predictable conditions and the required
assets as it balances out with the need to dig yourself out a hole, fast or never.

- Zyxpsilon.