There are two main things I have against the model of small realm conflict with an emphasis on the relative ease of subverting your own realm.
First, if we were to make a bunch of small realms fighting, then I think eventually (perhaps not very long of a time either) we just see a conglomerate of small realms that federate unconditionally, serving as pretty much a single realm but with separate capitals and the ability to repair damage in their federated cities. Maybe slightly inconvenient at first, but there will be a natural tendency in most people in power to desire sticking to that power. The methods to do so may change but the intent is still unwavering.
Next, just how interesting is it for people anyway? On this forum, mind you, are pretty much only the most vocal with rare exceptions of newer players. There are hundreds more, and they don't talk for the most part, feeling fine to go travel where you tell them and set their units to the correct settings. Are you sure they're really into your whole political revolutionary bombastic speech? Backs-and-forths among established characters and/or brash upstarts who have a strange idea that being as vocal and obnoxious as possible is the way to go to gain power?
Sure, they're good people to manipulate into your designs, but then you're probably being fairly selfish. I can name right now several families that are like that, who seek to increase their own ambitions, which is fine ICly, but for some reason may or may not OOCly believe that it would be as fun for many other people.
Truth is, as one of the people who started off in Fontan, for my first 1.5 years doing not much else beyond setting my unit and going into battles, it's not fun. The letters were either long, or pointless, but all of them were stupid. At a certain point I just filtered types to orders because I knew I wasn't missing out on anything else. I will make a gamble in the belief that what people like seeing is their unit, as part of a bigger group, crush other people's groups, in actual tangible ways.
All this stuff with words flying around is where the real battles are, that is true. That is realistic. That is in fact the "right" way to go. But as a game, I don't think it is the way that most players would really care to play.
I don't say not to do it. But I do say that even if you are going to do it, try to actually get some regular battles going. The most exciting time I had in all of my BM experience actually came during my first 1.5 years in Fontan when we faced off 24/7 against OR, Sirion, later Caligus and Perdan. That meant a nearly endless amount of battles where winning really does make everything feel better. I didn't care one bit about what the council and lords and people who pretended like they had power in the realm said. I just really liked how there was a rush from standing alongside other guys with units, and beating the crap out of our enemies. And that was also when I actually didn't like having my crap beaten out.
Now, in Arcaea is about the only place where I'm militarily active anymore. And that does have some excitement to it as for the most part people aren't screaming their big inflated heads off trying to gain power, which is good because if they were I'd probably either get in on the action and scream just as much, or just shrug and do my own thing, depending on how worthwhile the realm is. (Arcaea I'd count as a worthwhile realm, but there is really not much screaming.) For some places, like Nothoi (Boy why do I hate Notoi so much? I have good reasons I assure you.) when we were getting hammered by undead everywhere I was like "Meh, serves you right you idiots". And that actually occurred because BK split when Wudenkin went to Fronen, and in order to "distance themselves from the legacy of Bara'Khur", Reeds split off to form the Greek word for "bastard" or something.
Are they still nobles? Bastards are like, adventurers huh? Hm...
But yeah, anyway, the thing is, I think most people who play this game by vast majority like the actual battles between units.
