So i've done a number of runs now going for galactic emperor, and i've noticed a couple issues with the galactic custodian and how it works.
So, the Galactic custodian is supposed to be a defender of the galactic community right? The defender of their safety and of the laws of the community. Well then why are there no obligations or limitations inherit to the role? In my most recent game i became custodian after the Khans rise, only to never even engage a Khan fleet, or attack they're systems. The Khan died to a concubine assassin having never seen one of my fleets.
And in the meantime i managed to somehow convince the council to make me a permanent Custodian, create the GDF and reduce the number of council positions to just me.
Imagine that conversation in any real life political interview. "look i know we've done literally none of the things we're supposed to do as Custodian, but you should definitely centralize all political and military power in our hands. We'll certainly use it for good." riiiiight.
I think there needs to be some pretty big changes to how custodian works if we want to make it, ya'know, do the job it's supposed to. As well as making the rise to emperor a more worthy and interesting endevour.
The Custodian is the arm of the Council:
The Custodian shouldn't be a member of the council, at least not automatically, but maybe could rejoin the council with another law.
But instead should be the arm of the council, subject to the councils orders. The council can order the Custodian to defend certain systems, target certain fleets, capture worlds Ect. In return the custodian not only gets the GDF, but can also request aid from non-council members of the community when it pertains to a council-given mission. Like requesting fleets to help, or resources to rebuild from a battle from a mission.
The council should be able to put forward laws to further restrict the freedom of the Custodian, banning them from using certain policy's (we of the council are really sick of our Custodian, defender of our galaxy wide democracy, keeping damn SLAVES), from using Colossus ect. While the Custodian can put forward laws expanding they're power and freedom, not just the GDF but also giving them the ability to ignore council requests or outright remove the councils ability to ask.
The Custodian's voting power should be limited.... at first:
The custodian, in exchange for it's many boons and privileges, should loose some diplomatic weight and the ability to vote on certain things ( having the defender set the community's policy on warfare and war rules would be a bitttttttt sketchy) at least until they manage to pass new laws removing those limitations, and then perhaps expanding they're power (diplo weight) further.
Maybe the Custodian, in exchange for being able to freeze a policy from going to the vote for a time, forfeit's they're right to put forward they're vote on that policy in the future. after all it's clear which way they lean, if they want to use they're executive power then they should loose the right to then also wade in on the issue in the regular vote.
Rise to Imperium:
The rise to becoming the Galactic Emperor should be a more gradual and actually be authoritarian in nature. The Custodian requires greater resources to keep the galaxy safe, we'll need to implement a tax, 5% of the entire community's alloys please. We, as the Custodian spend great resources protecting the galaxy's vast trade routes, it's past time that the traders started paying they're dues. 10% trade income as tax, thank you.
Perhaps it turns out, in our vast conflicts keeping the many empires of the community safe from outside threats our fleets require places to rest and repair far from our borders. we'll need to begin building Custodian stations in community's members border's which are capable of repairing and upgrading our fleets.
Maybe even our vast fleet has proven insufficient to defend the vast holdings of the community. we need the community members to provide perhaps a small portion of they're fleet cap to expand our far more effective GDF fleets, so that we could better defend them.
And, after so much of the community's vast economic and military has been centralized it is time to declare our intent. We are better off as an Empire where the new Emperor can enact the reforms need to further goals of the new Galactic Empire.
With the Empire now declared, it's time for work to begin. The old Custodian stations served they're purpose, but now it is time we ensured the empires many subjects know who it is who keep them...... safe. it is time we armed these stations. equipped them with vast battery's of weapons and large shipyards to keep the Armada strong. And the tax's of the past, well they served, but now there's no reason for the our many subjects to hold such wealth when it would serve the empire far better in our hands. they're fleets as well, it is past time we began limiting the power of our new subjects. after all, with the Grand Imperial Armada protecting them, what need could they have of such vast forces.
And so on and so on. until either the entire Empire is completely under the Imperial Cores thumb, or until, finally the many members of the Empire finally snap, and begin the work needed to throw off the yoke of Imperial control.
