If you want, I can send you a completed template.  I went through the same thing starting out and still scratch my head now and then.  Make sure ship/construction names are correct in spelling and syntax.

Ahhhh...if you use Galaxy Forge to make your templates it doesn't always format them correctly.  Unfortunately, I just lost (literally, five minutes ago) the folder with my old maps in it and I don't have a working militia one at hand.  I'm a bit rusty on map creating and don't want to mislead you.  Give me a bit and I'll create one if someone doesn't beat me to it.  Harpo is a genius at them.

It isn't that hard but unfortunately there are game-included worlds with broken templates, bad or out of date examples of ones on the forums and then GF itself doesn't get them fully right.  Once you have a working one, save it and use it as a reference.  I went through the same thing starting and it wasn't till someone gave me a "right" one that I could start doing them with no problem.

Another help is in the program folder is the developers .exe and it will debug non working maps when you run them.  You can download Notepad++ for a free editor with line refernces too which helps greatly to find the bugged lines.

Notepad++:

http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

Here's my first post asking just what you are--there may be help in there if you read through it:

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/374572

I do action script editing and validated layered css websites and this was more frustrating than any new stuff there because of the scant reference material to work with.

The only difference in a mod template will be if you list an item that has a new entity file and name added that Sins doesn't have.

Yeah--sorry for the delay.  As soon as I can find a working militia I'll post it up for you.  It will be easy to go back in and change it later.

Have you looked here?: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/339832

Cool.   I posted a non-militia template https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/177125 just in case you needed a clean, working player template sample.  Many old samples on the forum are bugged, incorrect or outdated.

Sadly militia cannot be easily be added to maps because for some reason GalaxyForge doesn't have the "RandomMilitia" or "Pirate" owners, but here is what I do if I don't want to make a template, and will work for all mods.

1. Make the map as I normally would. Then for each planet that you want to have custom militia on, remember the names of that planet and make your militia fleet under "NoOwner"

2. Save the map, then find its folder and open it in Notepad. Search for the planet name and you should find a list under it of all the objects you added to it. Change it from "NoOwner" to "RandomMilitia" or "Pirate".

3. Save the editted notepad file, start Sins and they should be present.

This is best if you have a couple of planets you want to give customized militia to or if every planet is going to have a unique setup. If you are going to have  a lot of planets with the same set up then templates are the way to go.

Wow--very nice!  Why is it I am only now hearing this!? Yeah, it's good not to lose your mind.

If you look at the link in my post above, Harpo also gave a very fancy militia template there where you can have random force mixes...also worth noting and saving.

Lol--I can hear the hysterical tears of joy in this (I was there too).

Goa, if you come back, do Militia attack Pirates when they go through their system? (assuming they are "militia" and not "pirates").

Wow I am so glad that I found this. In two weeks I will be working with setting up militia in a test map ... you guys saved my butt!!!

I have no idea, I've posted this method several times over the years. Apparently I somehow just missed yours.