population issues

Hang on a second Hami. Shouldn't players be able to start as some sort of a civ and then pick a faction? Or they start immediately with a faction of their choise once their character is created? If they start as a civ, then they are much more free to choose, they can hang around or become independent traders and even help every faction that might need help. In other words, mercenaries, and we know they will exist, that way the balance between factions should be more fair, since the "losing" faction can pay the mercenaries much more than the winning faction if not economically weak and then that faction might be able to turn into the winning faction.