[dmm]

(Long post, written Tues when server was down.)

I'd like to see civil war as a possibility, but only on "realistic" terms. Also would like to see PPP intel be more "realistic." Here's what I mean by "realistic":

1a) Your home planet should never rebel. That's just silly. Moscow is never going to rebel against Russia, London is never going to rebel against UK, etc. for the simple fact that much of their importance derives from being the seat of government.

2a) Minor planets should be unlikely to start a rebellion. Riot, yes. Rebel, no. HOWEVER, if there is a major planet nearby that has rebelled, then they might JOIN the rebellion.

3a) Planets should not rebel if they are happy. Happy people don't rebel. They go to work, pay taxes, and raise families. If they're happy, why are they rebelling? Is the entire planet populated with teenagers?

4a) The ruling species is unlikely to rebel. They are in power; why revolt and risk being taken over by aliens?

5a) Planets that are close to the homeworld and/or have been part of the empire for a long time are less likely to rebel.

6a) Planets that are economically dependent on the rest of the empire are less likely to rebel. For instance, a planet with nothing but mines is less likely to rebel than a planet with balanced resource development and a shipyard.

In contrast,

1b) Former homeworlds of other empires should be more likely to rebel.

2b) Major planets (larger, more pop, better resources, more facilities) are more likely to be centers of rebellion.

3b) Unhappy planets should be more likely to rebel.

4b) Planets with a sizeable majority of an out-of-power species should be susceptible to rebellion, even if the empire is treating them well. (Populating planets with captured species would then carry a long-term risk to go along with the benefits.)

5b) Natural barriers like asteroid systems and black holes would encourage rebellion. Being on the empire's periphery would encourage rebellion. Being newly acquired or newly colonized would encourage rebellion.

6b) Another empire nearby that presents good trading opportunities would make a planet more likely to rebel, especially if there were no trade agreement in place.