Sphereworld Problem |

I know there have been alot of posts on sphereworld problems but I've searched through them and havent found an answer to the problem I am encountering.
I am using version 1.17 and Balance mod version .99
The situation:
I am trying to construct a sphereworld around a star in a system with no planets, it has the usual assortment of asteroids and 2 warp points but nothing else. I designed and built 10 plating starbases, and 10 cable starbases in a hex as close as possible to the star. I also constructed one starbase with the sphereworld component (I did this because it was the method of SEIV and I forgot that the method had changed). Finding that I could not use the starbase to generate a sphereworld, I designed and built a baseship with a sphereworld component and moved it to the same hex with the 20 component bases.
When I now attempt to generate a sphereworld I get a error message that there are non-component ships within the radius of construction. I assume this is referring to my accidental sphereworld starbase. I have tried to decommision this starbase and nothing happened (I assume because it is not around a planet where resources can be deposited), I then moved one of my dreadnoughts onto the hex and selected 'fire on', nothing happened. The only way I can think of to remove this starbase is to update the design to include a self destruct device, retrofit the starbase, and then self destruct it. I havent been able to try that though (I was playing right up until I came to work
does anybody know if it will work? and if not, what will?
I think that is the problem I am encountering, however reading the forums I have seen a few things that also confuse me and could be screwing up my effort.
*One post refers to the need to use baseships to move all components to the position around the star, however my baseship component limit is 1,800kt. This makes adding a cable or plating component (2,000kt) to a baseship impossible. Could someone explain if this is correct or not?
*Several posts refer to the fact that a star system must be empty in the 6 surrounding hexes of a star. The system I am using contains several asteroid hexes. Will these prevent a sphereworld from being constructed? Should I instead go for a completely clean system by creating a new star in a nebulae system?
Thanks in advance for any comments/explanations/answers!




Sphereworlds
To kill the base:
(x) Get a mobile spaceyard down there and scrap the base using the right-click menu. You also need to cancel its orders (press backspace) as if it has orders and 0 MP it cant ever complete those orders, and cant blow up with unresolved orders in the chain. If you try FIRE ON, try both the right click menu and the key shortcut, as sometimes one doesn't work.
To build a spehereworld you need:
(x) the plating and the cables on bases, in the hex adjacent to the star (I have had it fail 5 hexes out)
(x) the sphereworld generator on a baseship, in the same hex, as it needs a movement point to trigger (why?)
(x) i have not been able to get it to work if there are other planets within 6 hexes of the star
(x) out of the three ways to trigger: (a) the right click menu, (b) the menu at the bottom right of screen, (c) the keyboard shortcut - two of them dont work but I don't remember which. experiment FTW! I _think_ the keyboard shortcut works, click it, then click the star.
IMO I don't regard 1.17 as a "release candidate" but I'm a really fussy dragon. I've spent 20 hours playing it and 25 hours stopped by, or dealing with, bugs. Yes I'm retentive enough to keep a record of these things. But 4:5 ratio screams "beta testing" to me.