Replace normal colonization with a military invasion decision. Basically move a set amount of troops (say 6k for example) onto a uncolonized province, and you get a decision in return for money and those troops to either get a siberien frontier on the province or straight up get the province if it shares your culture/faith. This would give the Imperium an advantage at regaining its lost worlds, compared to other factions who have to take awhile to root out the native humans.

The way conquest currently works should be kept to only societies conquering other planets of their same culture group (or if you're Tau or maybe Chaos conquering things like humans or 'normal' xenos). The Imperium would not try to deal with an Ork presence in its territory by trying to gradually erode their beliefs and customs until they adopt the Imperial Cult and Low Gothic, they'd deal with them immediately via lasgun and chainsword. Conquering a foreign culture group territory outside those distinct circumstances should trigger constant revolts until the province is fully genocided, removing all separatism and giving religious and culture conversion in exchange for a large chunk of development being lost in the process.

Do your colonies a bit like anbennar does with its colonies : puts thousands and thousands of very, very aggressive natives on it. They will rise up often and thus necessitate true military investment (armies) to garrison the colony until it's developped. It transforms the colonization from an afterthought into a true military campaign : those orks ain't going to just lie down and accept imperial authority now will they :)

At some point a discord group might be beneficial to help create a community around the mod!

I feel like dev is to low currently. At least +10 for all settled worlds, maybe less for death worlds and stations should work. That way OPMs might be slightly better at defending themselves.

Also, I'd buff forts, e.g. by reducing their upkeep by 50% and +1 buildings so they don't take up a building slot. Since almost all planets are only one province, forts don't block movement and don't protect other provinces, so they are way less usefull than in vanilla. That way it becomes somewhat viable to build forts on most planets, which obviously means they take longer to siege but planets in 40k are famous for being hard to take anyways.

I'd change negative relations between species/religions to be based on modifiers instead of gov reforms.

Also, I don't know what the plans for future monuments are but have you considered using whole planets as monuments? I think it would be easier to just have famous worlds like e.g. Mars (goods produced), Krieg (manpower+forcelimit), and Macragge (admin efficiency) than to pick a specific location on these planets.

Have you considered using the HRE mechanics to simulate how the Imperium functions? It would really add to the headache of playing as Roboute trying to reform it and make it actually function.

Originally posted by TIBERIUS EQUITIUS GRACCHUS:

Replace normal colonization with a military invasion decision. Basically move a set amount of troops (say 6k for example) onto a uncolonized province, and you get a decision in return for money and those troops to either get a siberien frontier on the province or straight up get the province if it shares your culture/faith. This would give the Imperium an advantage at regaining its lost worlds, compared to other factions who have to take awhile to root out the native humans.

I like it! Going to see if I can make a custom GUI button for this.

Originally posted by Marmottin:

Do your colonies a bit like anbennar does with its colonies : puts thousands and thousands of very, very aggressive natives on it. They will rise up often and thus necessitate true military investment (armies) to garrison the colony until it's developped. It transforms the colonization from an afterthought into a true military campaign : those orks ain't going to just lie down and accept imperial authority now will they :)

Makes sense! I'll pump up the native aggression when I start balancing development.

Originally posted by Saint Boreale:

Have you considered using the HRE mechanics to simulate how the Imperium functions? It would really add to the headache of playing as Roboute trying to reform it and make it actually function.

HRE mechanics are planned for the Necrons atm, with the religious wars mechanic representing the split between Imotekh and Szarekh-aligned Phaerons. Hopefully with the new custom GUI changes a smaller system could be implemented for the Imperium though!

Originally posted by Johannes0511:

I feel like dev is to low currently. At least +10 for all settled worlds, maybe less for death worlds and stations should work. That way OPMs might be slightly better at defending themselves.

Also, I'd buff forts, e.g. by reducing their upkeep by 50% and +1 buildings so they don't take up a building slot. Since almost all planets are only one province, forts don't block movement and don't protect other provinces, so they are way less usefull than in vanilla. That way it becomes somewhat viable to build forts on most planets, which obviously means they take longer to siege but planets in 40k are famous for being hard to take anyways.

I'd change negative relations between species/religions to be based on modifiers instead of gov reforms.

Also, I don't know what the plans for future monuments are but have you considered using whole planets as monuments? I think it would be easier to just have famous worlds like e.g. Mars (goods produced), Krieg (manpower+forcelimit), and Macragge (admin efficiency) than to pick a specific location on these planets.

These changes make a lot of sense! Fort buffs and dev changes are definitely going to get added. Planetary monuments make sense, I can add them as soon as I find some good photos for them.

Just started my playthrough, but I've noticed that trade goods are all at 1 ducat. Is this intentional? Cause it makes the economy pretty brutal.

It's intentional since trade didn't really make sense in the setting, but I can definitely boost other base revenue to preserve the balance.

Originally posted by Ro:

It's intentional since trade didn't really make sense in the setting, but I can definitely boost other base revenue to preserve the balance.

I mean, Rogue Traders do exist and even outside of them goods are certainly exchanged within a given society's borders based on their value. I think it'd make more sense than not to have goods have prices.

Originally posted by Danwar:

Originally posted by Ro:

It's intentional since trade didn't really make sense in the setting, but I can definitely boost other base revenue to preserve the balance.

I think it'd make more sense than not to have goods have prices.

There also is loreistic use, energy weapons are cheap during the dark age of technology, but become progressively more sought after as ages progress, enriching certain planets into lategame trajectory.

Could institutions instead be replaced with STC's with related effects? (better colonization, Leman Russ Tank) to simulate the decline, with age related institution decline/mass events to wipe institution progress, and finding fragments of STC's on colonized worlds via archeology.

Originally posted by Fantastic Fwoosh:

Originally posted by Danwar:

I think it'd make more sense than not to have goods have prices.

There also is loreistic use, energy weapons are cheap during the dark age of technology, but become progressively more sought after as ages progress, enriching certain planets into lategame trajectory.

Could institutions instead be replaced with STC's with related effects? (better colonization, Leman Russ Tank) to simulate the decline, with age related institution decline/mass events to wipe institution progress, and finding fragments of STC's on colonized worlds via archeology.

Originally posted by Danwar:

Originally posted by Ro:

It's intentional since trade didn't really make sense in the setting, but I can definitely boost other base revenue to preserve the balance.

I mean, Rogue Traders do exist and even outside of them goods are certainly exchanged within a given society's borders based on their value. I think it'd make more sense than not to have goods have prices.

Good points. I'll return it to normal.