I don't know what you intentions are, but right now I don't like the factions.  Even on EASY, by time I find the factions they have 3 to 4 points over to the SK.  There's no way to make that up with 20 turns between talking to them.  Even if they give me a quest, by time I get to where the quest is at and then get the the turn in, they've declared war.

I enjoyed it alot more when it was US against the SK... not us against the SK against each other... but really, just everyone against me since they don't attack each other, don't attack roaming mobs, don't GET attacked by roaming mobs and generally ignore all the restrictive rules I have to live by.

Take a lesson from Galactic Civ... one universe, one set of rules.  Everyone (except maybe the SK) abides by them.  

I hope to see you REALLY flesh out the factions in the future... or at least, increase the time it takes for the SK to go to work on them.