Bases should be less of a committment, not more. Core 1's aren't that dangerous. The real danger here seems to be from immaturity. Bases are set up about as balanced and practical as can be. We can't balance out all of the problems of life that we simulate here with more barriers.
Truth is, only houses should have battleships and carriers, except for maybe Zoners. Bam, now only Houses can easily siege bases. I suppose OC's and Sairs are Nation States so they would stay the same, CR would be the same, and Enclave because of how it formed. TBH I really dont know why Hessians or Unioners (or any unlawful para-militaries) get battleships in the first place. Who's left? Core and Order? They also verged on nation state status.
The 'problems' caused by bases are in people's heads and attitudes. Where or when do we really ever get base spammed? If they are not serious projects, they dont last long, no one cares. If they are serious, it isn't spam. I think its cap spam/oorp siege spam that needs to be done away with. It was a mistake to give some unlawfuls big caps. Everyone was talking about Imperial Rheinland, but what about the civil war they were already fighting? I guess they just lost as Rheinland everything has bailed. The base system is fine, its people we need to work on.
I think some factions need their caps yanked, or at very least made SRP, make them pay an extra 250 mil per ship. That might end the oorp capspam finally. Limit non state factions to BC's with few exceptions.