> On the other hand, I recognize that there are at least two major
> problems with large factions. The first is economic: large factions
> tend to become exponential money machines.
There's nothing about large factions that makes them better at being
exponential money machines than small factions -- it's just a
selection effect, where the peple who have discovered or have been
willing to expotentiate have become large. I hope that closing the
last exponential hole (markets) will put an end to this problem.
> Secondly, make it difficult to
> use force against small units - i.e., let a unit of one man have a
> guaranteed flee from any combat.
But this doesn't only help small factions -- it helps large factions
as well. Atnerks could add a fudge factor that makes it a little
easier for a small faction's units to flee. There's no rational basis
for it, but it would help the game a bit.
> I think that the real problem in Olympia is that almost everything
> that you can do in the game is made easier/better by having more
> money.
It's really difficult to avoid this problem. Let's say that everything
depends on your "fame". Who has the most fame? Old units that have
done a lot of stuff -- exactly the people who are likely to be rich.
On the other hand, requiring "fame" as well as money would make the
rich players do more things "in person", as only some of their units
would have acquired fame. Recruiting, for example, might be
significantly cheaper for a unit with fame. And newbie PC's could
start out with some fame. But you wouldn't be able to give a
newly-recruited unit a bunch of money and form an instant army.
-- Oleg