New Minor Faction Idea


Mechanic:

A minor faction which at the start of the game [around 15 turns in on normal] contacts all major factions.

Then a form of competition is set, where all the factions attempt to become the sovereign, if not assimilate it. The reward: A relatively large portion of the map explored. They would offer no real bonuses beyond such without assimilation, and the population bonuses could be some sort of meager resource on over-crowded planets. The actual AI of the minor faction would be practically inept to everything beyond this quest, but I believe the faction and system should be invisible before the quest; so no one can colonize it prior. I am unsure of what parameters you should use for spawning rights, but they could be on the edge of the universe to act as a counter to the Academy at the center. 


Lore

You've found [planet name here] This form of "garbage dump" at the edge of the universe is an amalgamation of various habitats and annihilated planets, that eventually formed into an unstable ball. 

The [Minor Faction name], a tall, slender, dark specimen of smooth skin, grew underground in caves formed by the unstable wreak of a planet. Due to these circumstances, they were not able to reach the stars, and as such, could not contact anyone until they found a curious couple bits of Endless debris underground.