That's funny--I was actually going to ask what that did.  The force is strong in this one!  I also am hopingn someone else out there might get something ot of this thread. I'm certainly taking the opportunity to learn how to debug this--trying a new approach  now--which I had the question about the normal and quickstart entries and you answered it before I asked too.

Worldstrider you are using the most recent GalaxyForge correct? From the most recent ForgeTools(3?)? If so I do have ForgeTools 1.1 GalaxyForge I could upload that may fix some of your issues. Its what Im using...Im not had the all the problems you had. Let me know.

OK...I have gutted the file, gone back to the original, customized it with several other player's templates and never can get the spawns I specify.  So I have taken Voruk's Labyrinth and chopped it down to use as an experimental setup.  No lane connecions or wormholes and only one HW planet per player.

I have put my emulation of one of the Voruk's  Labyrinth templates (the things I want to spawn) and have changed one other parameter:

In the original template the templateName was given as a player made template and then below it in the name field, LightStart was given.  LightStart is from the GalaxyDef file and is a default game template.  When used as written in Voruk's Labyrinth, the LightStart ships/buildings are what appeared.   Renaming or leaving blank the name field causes the game to crash or no ships to spawn. In this example I have given the player created template name in the place of both name and templateName which does allow the map to load.  As is, the militia units no longer spawn--but neither do the called for ships.  You end up with an empty but owned homeworld. If you go down to the template units shown it's pretty easy to see what I am attemping as far as spawns. 

I deleted the Labs template that was in the original Voruk's Labyrinth as it called for five non-combat modules but spawned none.  Removing it and the dead asteroids associated with it have caused no issues.  The other planets and all lane connections and the like have been removed for simplicity's sake.  I am pasting in the entire (small) map file here and if someone can alter it to work as I intend I would like to see what is done to achieve that.  So here it is (I just need the two worlds to spawn according to race type as specified--see if you can get it to run on your machine and let me know)--thanks in advance:

TXT
versionNumber 3
isBrowsable TRUE
browsePictureName ""
browseName "Worldstrider Template Trial"
browseDescription "Modification of Templates"
isFirstCapitalShipIsFlagship TRUE
randomizeStartingPositions TRUE
planetArtifactDensity 0.150000
planetBonusDensity 0.400000
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Population 3
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:CivilianModules 1
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:TacticalModules 0
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Home 1
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:ArtifactLevel 10
normalStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Infrastructure 2
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Population 4
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:CivilianModules 1
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:TacticalModules 0
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Home 1
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:ArtifactLevel 10
quickStartHomePlanetUpgradeLevel:Infrastructure 2
recommendedGameTypeCount 2
recommendedGameType "1v1"
recommendedGameType "FFA"
metersPerGalaxyUnit 25000.000000
pixelsPerGalaxyUnit 6.351996
useRandomGenerator FALSE
galaxyWidth 1280.000000
galaxyHeight 880.000000
nextStarNameUniqueId 11
nextPlanetNameUniqueId 63
starCount 2
star
 designName "Star0"
 inGameName "ALPHA"
 type "RedStar"
 pos [ 357 , 50 ]
 radius 20.000000
 planetCount 1
 planet
  designName "Planet0"
  inGameName "Alpha Prime"
  type "DesertHome"
  pos [ 349 , 40 ]
  owner "NewPlayer"
  isHomePlanet TRUE
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 0
  planetItems
   templateName "Start"
   subTemplates 1
   template "Start"
   groups 0
  spawnProbability 1.000000
  useDefaultTemplate FALSE
 connectionCount 0
 spawnProbability 1.000000
star
 designName "Star2"
 inGameName "Beta"
 type "YellowStar"
 pos [ 399 , 52 ]
 radius 20.000000
 planetCount 1
 planet
  designName "Planet9"
  inGameName "Beta Prime"
  type "DesertHome"
  pos [ 392 , 65 ]
  owner "NewPlayer1"
  isHomePlanet TRUE
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 0
  normalStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 0
  quickStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 0
  planetItems
   templateName "Start"
   subTemplates 1
   template "Start"
   groups 0
  spawnProbability 1.000000
  useDefaultTemplate FALSE
 connectionCount 0
 spawnProbability 1.000000
interStarConnectionCount 0
playerCount 2
player
 designName "NewPlayer"
 inGameName "NewPlayer"
 overrideRaceName ""
 teamIndex -1
 startingCredits 3000
 startingMetal 800
 startingCrystal 500
 isNormalPlayer TRUE
 isRaidingPlayer FALSE
 isInsurgentPlayer FALSE
 themeGroup ""
 themeIndex 0
 pictureGroup ""
 pictureIndex 0
player
 designName "NewPlayer1"
 inGameName "NewPlayer1"
 overrideRaceName ""
 teamIndex -1
 startingCredits 3000
 startingMetal 800
 startingCrystal 500
 isNormalPlayer TRUE
 isRaidingPlayer FALSE
 isInsurgentPlayer FALSE
 themeGroup ""
 themeIndex 0
 pictureGroup ""
 pictureIndex 0
templates 1
template
    templateName "starts"
    subTemplates 0
    groups 6
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceNormalStart"
            param "Tech"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 4
        item "Tech:Frigate:Colony"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceNormalStart"
            param "Psi"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 4
        item "Psi:Frigate:Colony"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceNormalStart"
            param "Phase"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 1
        item "Phase:CapitalShip:Colony"
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceQuickStart"
            param "Tech"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 4
        item "Tech:Frigate:Colony"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Tech:Frigate:Heavy"
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceQuickStart"
            param "Psi"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 4
        item "Psi:Frigate:Colony"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
        item "Psi:Frigate:Heavy"
    group
        condition
            type "PlanetOwnerIsRaceQuickStart"
            param "Phase"
        owner "PlanetOwner"
        colonizeChance 0.000000
        items 1
        item "Phase:CapitalShip:Colony"

I have tried it with one field or both fields and get the same result.  Originally it had the quick and normal start values in it  but I still got the empty spawns. 

I did not however try normal start as the only option.  I am wondering about complete template functionality outside of entity file references myself now.  I'll email you the file if you like and you can try to execute it on your end and I will do so here.  If it doesn't work for either of us there is surely some issue we don't knolw about.

Can you append the changes on the forum here so I can be sure we run it the same way?  Also for clarification:   I saw the quick and normal start examples and when it came to the number of groups entered some had the cumulative total for both starts and some had the total only for one.  Which is it?

I have reinstalled SINs twice now after a complete wipe and manual deletion of files--the time before last my Ironclad Games folder under Application data literally deleted itself after I added a map file to it.  I reinstalled the game and it didn't create a new one.  So I wonder about these things.  I have amended the galaxy file above as I understand so far it should be.

Thanks. Lol--after all this I would like to actually PLAY the game.

I like messing with the files some too--but while its been fun with this its not been reeeal fun

Let me try two more variations real fast and I will send it.  Thanks!

I got it--thank you sir.  The pasted galaxy file contents are for a two star, two world map to serve as a proof-of-concept and test bed.  If someone can get it to function properly, I would love to see it.

Still no luck here getting it to work.  It appears you can't  overide a HW template?