The Problem
A problem the game has had ever since the 2.2 patch is that slavery is the same for both authoritarian and xenophobic empires, which leads to two ethic combos that feel bad. Authoritarian xenophobes feel like they're wasting some of their features, because both enable slavery and if you already picked one of the ethics, the second one provides less features than normal. Likewise authoritarian xenophiles feel bad because they are blocked from using slavery, so part of the features of the authoritarian ethic again don't function. Beyond that it just feels bland for two ethics to do the same thing.
The Solution
My proposed solution is to expand the number of slavery policies.
1) The current Allowed policy would be renamed into something like Species Servitude and would require you to be xenophobic. Being authoritarian would not enable it.
2) Individual Servitude would be a new policy that doesn't allow enslaving species, but instead enslaves 35% of pops of every species (like the Slavers Guild civic). This policy would require you to be authoritarian. Being xenophile wouldn't block it.
3) Unlimited Slavery would be a new policy that both allows enslaving species and on top of that enslaves 35% of pops of every other species. This policy would require you to be both authoritarian and xenophobic.
This would solve all of the above problems. Authoritarian slavery would have a different flavor than xenophobic slavery (35% of every species vs 100% of specific species), empires that are both authoritarian and xenophobic would have a special policy available that allowed them to dive even deeper into slavery than either ethic would individually, and xenophile authoritarians would still be able to practice their brand of slavery, so no ethics features are lost.
Loose Ends
1. Slavers Guild civic probably should no longer enslave 35% of pops, as that effect can now come from the policy. Also, I'm concerned the effects might stack in unintended ways. It could have conditions relaxed so it's unlocked either by authoritarian or by xenophobe ethics. Alternatively it could require you to combine both ethics and lock you into Unlimited Slavery policy.
2. Indentured Assets civic for megacorps should probably lock you into Individual Servitude while also loosing the 35% Enslaved Pop Ratio.
3. The authoritarian, egalitarian, xenophile and xenophobe factions should react to the new forms of slavery.
4. Indentured Servitude could possibly be limited to non-slave species and would serve as the default form for any pops that get enslaved as the 35% of every species.
As a final note, the 35% proportion isn't set in stone. I used it because that's what Slavers Guild currently uses, but it might be better to use 25% or some third percentage. The policies could have different names too. The key point is that authoritarians enslave a proportion of every species while xenophobes get to enslave entire species.
A problem the game has had ever since the 2.2 patch is that slavery is the same for both authoritarian and xenophobic empires, which leads to two ethic combos that feel bad. Authoritarian xenophobes feel like they're wasting some of their features, because both enable slavery and if you already picked one of the ethics, the second one provides less features than normal. Likewise authoritarian xenophiles feel bad because they are blocked from using slavery, so part of the features of the authoritarian ethic again don't function. Beyond that it just feels bland for two ethics to do the same thing.
The Solution
My proposed solution is to expand the number of slavery policies.
1) The current Allowed policy would be renamed into something like Species Servitude and would require you to be xenophobic. Being authoritarian would not enable it.
2) Individual Servitude would be a new policy that doesn't allow enslaving species, but instead enslaves 35% of pops of every species (like the Slavers Guild civic). This policy would require you to be authoritarian. Being xenophile wouldn't block it.
3) Unlimited Slavery would be a new policy that both allows enslaving species and on top of that enslaves 35% of pops of every other species. This policy would require you to be both authoritarian and xenophobic.
This would solve all of the above problems. Authoritarian slavery would have a different flavor than xenophobic slavery (35% of every species vs 100% of specific species), empires that are both authoritarian and xenophobic would have a special policy available that allowed them to dive even deeper into slavery than either ethic would individually, and xenophile authoritarians would still be able to practice their brand of slavery, so no ethics features are lost.
Loose Ends
1. Slavers Guild civic probably should no longer enslave 35% of pops, as that effect can now come from the policy. Also, I'm concerned the effects might stack in unintended ways. It could have conditions relaxed so it's unlocked either by authoritarian or by xenophobe ethics. Alternatively it could require you to combine both ethics and lock you into Unlimited Slavery policy.
2. Indentured Assets civic for megacorps should probably lock you into Individual Servitude while also loosing the 35% Enslaved Pop Ratio.
3. The authoritarian, egalitarian, xenophile and xenophobe factions should react to the new forms of slavery.
4. Indentured Servitude could possibly be limited to non-slave species and would serve as the default form for any pops that get enslaved as the 35% of every species.
As a final note, the 35% proportion isn't set in stone. I used it because that's what Slavers Guild currently uses, but it might be better to use 25% or some third percentage. The policies could have different names too. The key point is that authoritarians enslave a proportion of every species while xenophobes get to enslave entire species.
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