Flawed Heros

Yeah, as they they each have two starting unique traits, at the very least those unique traits can nudge them towards being better Fleet Admirals or better Governors with their Strengths and Flaws, and could reflect their back stories more, and maybe can exist as "On Hero" modifiers that populate, as Skills are selected. 

So existing modifiers like Rousing Orator or Military Spine will appear in the "On System (if assigned)" or "On Fleet / ship (if assigned)" and could see reductions there, as the "On Hero" Modifiers would be populating as well.

And then maybe the focus between Combat Operations versus Administrative Actions could have better interplay in how Skills are set up.

I basically mean more tradeoffs in traits where, each Skill can have an influence on both possible roles. As I've seen Kinete Muldaur and Oleg Lagarin have to select a Skill that would be System related as an Admiral, due to how may Skills are available to select from as they get unlocked. So depending on the Starting two traits, an "On System" Skill could give an "On Hero" modifier increase for example.

Skills that are selected could certainly have this sort of give and take, so how about a stronger influence from their Political leaning also, for example?

So an Industrialist like Dmitri Lenko selecting Blue Sky Speculator, instead of getting the big boost to Science (+60 on the 2nd Rank) could also have his political leaning factor in with maybe +40 Science and +5% Industry (as it has two ranks, each rank could be +2.5%). 

Also his Starting Traits could be more dynamic, where it could instead of being +5% Hull Plating absorption on Fleet and +5% Industry on System.

They could be Diplomatic and Adventurous, where a System that is Mutinous can be Seduced by Dmitri without using a Luxury and -5% Approval on a System as he'd rather be off exploring than running a system and his stories also grant him increases in Manpower Rate Increases from his particular two Traits. If he is used as an Admiral then being Diplomatic would be reducing the "On Fleet boosts and granting Manpower Rate "On Hero" modifiers instead.  Adventurous as an Admiral could boost something like Evasion or maybe Squadron boosts.

I could take time to detail other Heroes, but I hope this provides a starting framework on how something like this could work, and populate the "On Hero" area for them in the process.

Hey man, thats actually a good idea. but i think that in order for such to be more accepted, you need to be more precise on what you're looking for. For example, try making a list of all the "traits" you want your heroes to take, and try placing some balance between them. Don't make something crazy as -1 movement point 999% extra health because , y'know, that seriously broken. try finding some extra balance in those. I think that if we add some extra layer of randomness to heroes in this case you could help to make placing heroes on governament a more viable option, or heroes into the fleet for a more viable option. Also think it like this: you need to create bonueses for governament, AND fleet bonueses. some of them are positive, and other negative. This would help to make a choice for most heroes if you want to place them on governament (they give a huge bonus one of your systems in specific needs) or they have a neaty battle skill that gives a maximum (you need to estabilish a bonus limit for either governament bonueses and fleet bonueses) and i believe that the bonus for the fleet should be capped at a maximum of 25%. It's a very significant buff, in my opinion. 

Try creating a list of those buffs or make them sound more generic, like Extra damage whit kinetics, or energy, or any, ETC. but i believe that if you made a list whit those bonueses and separate them in sections it would help to make your idea more clear and acceptable. 

Also remember: your idea is great because it could help in making a certain hero able to change its normal "style" because for example, certain heroes, like Riftborn heroes, are mostly in 200% cases better at systems rather than in fleets. Because riftborn heroes have skills SOLELY for governament skills. Imagine if you get trough RNG a riftborn hero that gives you 25% extra boost for fleet hp? then you have a choice of utilizing such hero in making your decision at placing him in a fleet instead of a governament, ONLY. because for example, if all skills he has are better to be used ONLY in a governament or ONLY in a fleet, it makes hero assignment pretty obvious. i think your idea can actually change that point of the game, and thus why it is good, in my opinion. 

try making one of those points in your idea so it is more acceptable by the others :)