I feel I have a pretty good mixture. Some big realms, like Eston, Oligarch, latter-day Terran, some periods of Riombara, PoZ; but some small struggling realms, like Irombrozia, Massillion, Riombara at other times, Meridian Republic, early Terran, Melodia, latter-day Oligarch.
I personally prefer the small realm feel usually.