Why do factions commission such awful stations?

[LameFox]

The things they ask for in missions seem substandard in every way compared to the normal ones they make. I mean, a defence platform with 3 defence modules, one of which is the admin centre? There are better armed factories around than that. And speaking of factories, PIO even asked me to make a microlattice factory recently without a liquid storage... for what purpose, decoration? It literally wouldn't have been able to make anything.

If I actually built these to spec instead of tacking on a bunch of extra planned modules before it transfers ownership, the stations would be so bad. Why do they ask for this?

[BitByte]

I hope you didn't report missing liquid storage of microlattice station to Egosoft as that sounds more incomplete configuration for mission.

I assume main reason for small stations is their costs vs reward and build time. Small stations are cheap, require less blueprints (which especially in early game can be challenging to get when lack of credits) and limited available resources (also in early game).
For example big defence station (1*admin center, 1*S/M dock, 1*pier dock, 1*S-container, 10-15 defence modules fully equipped) is expensive due different variation of config and requires long build time.
Giving fair enough reward from such project (as we know stations rewards are limited to specific amount of credits) can be challenging.

[GCU Grey Area]

Agree with BitByte, seems probable it's to keep the mission cost & duration down. NPC factions do expand stations (adding new production & storage modules etc) after ownership has been transferred if it doesn't meet their needs.

[LameFox]

A station of the sort they normally build isn't all that long or costly to make IMO. Defence platforms are probably the most expensive due to the weapons but their factories rarely combine many modules or blueprints compared to even modest player stations.

If the goal is to make them easier in the start though, then I wish there would be different tiers of them. Most missions pay so poorly I do not bother with them at all. Station or fleet building are an exception because I can do them remotely unlike repairing satellites or something and the pay can actually be worth the bother, but even then, their window of relevance is small and later I just do them to influence the power of the factions.

[BitByte]

I would say current payments what player gets from missions are more or less ok. The fact is that in every game (not just X4) begining is hard because you're operating with limited resources (money, workforce, ships, low reputation, etc) and there's lots of things what you need to do simultaniously.
But when you get your first station and it starts make money things comes more and more simple. Reputation comes passively as your traders make trades, you may have autominers which sell resources. And you get more ships to your fleet to operate around the galaxy. At that point no matter how big reward is it's worthless when bank account shows 1 billion (I would go lower and say 500 million) as you can already buy lots of things and you may already have the most of what you need.
I have now played new start about 90h, reputation which 6 primary factions (Argon, Antigone, Teladi, Paranid, Holy Order and Zyarth) is =>20, Terran, Free Families, Vigor, Fallen Families and Ministry >10 and Pioneers and Riptide <10. Bucaneers and Scale Plate are what they are due locked reputation. 7 stations which make credits and Scale Plate have handedover their ships (destroyers, Heron Es and Minotaur Riders. Xenon have caused trouble but I'm surprised so far how little damage they did in universe (except for Zyarth). I haven't much done plots so far (yes I will do them) but missions and especially my staiions make plenty of credits (320+ million).
So far I have only made couple war missions and I already feel credits won't be issue (I know I need couple billion when start buying ship blueprints). The best payout mission I completed so far was for Teladi as they wanted me to destroy Kha'ak installation in Black Hole Sun V.

[flywlyx]

Personally, I usually add more modules once all the materials are ready. Since NPC factions will pay for those additional modules, I can simply profit by selling them more materials.