One of the new changes scales production when population is less than 80% of max population.

A batch explore from 1800->3600 acres causes a pile of turns with reduced production. It's most noticable with an indy.

Anyone come up with a way to minimise the production loss, while still maximising exploration land gains? It seems like a different tax rate may be optimal when batch exploring?

Don't batch explore. Sounds better than playing the tax game. LGing out of the gate and working on your bpt early is definitely the way to go now.

do mini affordable batches. eg. 1800 -> 2250 -> 2812 -> 3515 -> 4394

all by a factor of .8