Interested in setting up a frontier separatist faction. A coalition of pioneers, alien exiles, separatists, rouges, and homesteaders trying to survive the collapse of the empire.

And unfortunately they are sitting ontop of a lot of exotic materials and valuable trade routes. Wealthy, but a target for many.

One factor I'd like to propose for my sector: the Coalition has succeeded in taking or destroying major logistics strongpoints, and the neighboring systems do not have major military infrastructure to support capital ships or large fleets. This means battle on the frontier is about skirmishes, raids, more age-of-sail lone cruiser operations than of grand battlefleets duking it out. The stakes are high, because if those logistics bases are taken then one could roll in the battleships and dreadnoughts.

I think it would make for better character interaction and conflict.