Thing is, most official factions claim certain systems as their turf, it's logical they don't want outsiders setting up permanent settlements in their turf. Imagine you have a backyard and some unknown person randomly starts setting up camp in your own backyard without your permission, you'd take action to have them removed as-well. it's your responsibility to inform yourself who the system you want to build your base in belongs to, and make arrangements with the local power to keep your base. Most of the time that means giving them docking access and paying a regular fee. Some factions even offer to protect your base from raiders for that fee, others will just let you manage it. Freelancers have more freedom than anyone in that they can fly and stay wherever they want and affiliate themselves with whoever they want, but they are still just individuals passing through systems owned by interstellar corporations, armies, pirate groups or Houses and as such are subject to the laws and regulations of those powers.
Freelancers? owning things? Not allowed, Freelancers are free people, just like Zoners. Who whine when they get b00lied rather than doing something about it.
Annex all freelancer and zoner stations, k thanks.
Here is picture explaining Coalition policy about bases in Omega-2
If speak seriously, as freelancer you always can adjust your reputation for different cases. Here for example, instead of building your own base, you can try make good rep with Coalition and use our. JOIN US FOR DA REVOLUTION.
Leaving out the snark, you can summarize the folks with:
Did you, a private citizen (Freelancer), get in touch with the local authorities, regardless of whether they are "legal" or not?
Are you RPing your interactions when they contact you?
If you are RPing, what attitude are you giving?
Not previously mentioned, but pertinent, are the people causing you distress Official or Indy?
Indies sometimes will not care about the Official position. I've seen a group of players demand separate "protection" money even after they were pointed to the Official payments, basically using the ID as a coverfor OORP piracy because they knew that there wouldn't be retaliation by the Officials.
These unlawful factions are supposed to be somewhat territorial. Its true that a Freelancer base may be harmless, but could also eventually pose a danger to them. Their claims to right over the territory are inrp, so its just how the story is, if you go out there to build a business, you'll need to deal with others that use that territory. They'll act like a mafia or small government trying to maintain a precedent that no one builds in claimed territory without permission.
Everyone learns this lesson the hard way at least once. Its frustrating but its also what brought many here, and its supposed to entice players to get more involved roleplay wise. one thing they leave out of the base building guide is to check the area you want to build in and contact factions with claims over that area, and you can tell that by checking what factions have Zone of Influence in the place you want to build in.
But setting up bases in remote places as Freelancers does have drawbacks. There are independent factions like Zoners and the Core that you could operate as that let you fly capital ships on your own to defend a base, but that still won't win a war, unless you reach out for help. If you do rebuild somewhere, send out a general open message to all in that system/region of your intentions and see what replies you get. You may still get a no but you'll know what trouble may come in advance. Or, maybe you'll find someone to make a deal with to leave you be, or make allies to help out. If you need help sending RP messages, there are plenty here who will help give you pointers on good ways to do RP.
If you still only want to do it as a freelancer, you can build in house space and be much safer. You'll likely want to ask permission (register) and pay a monthly fee, but that also gets you protection, as house navies will defend lawful bases from pirates and other aggressors.
As an example, back before the current map reorg, I had a base in Kansas (it hung where Magellan is now).
In order to set up that base and keep it relatively peaceful, I got permission from Liberty, the Rogues, Hellfire, Bretonia and the Junkers. Then, I ended up paying "rent" to the Lane Hackers.
It can be done, and you'll learn a fair amount doing it. That doesn't mean it is always fun or enjoyable, although I personally found the juggling entertaining.