I stick to the point that TMP is awesome, and reminds everyone when they are part of a lame realm that is too scared to fight battles. No monsters? Go pick a fight with humans. The game is still called Battlemaster and as for as I'm concerned the goal of TMP is to "encourage" (read: force) people into picking a fight.
Perhaps getting rid of the gigantic realms, but instead creating one-city realms, might be easier? It sure as hell would give more realms, and thus more "wars".
get rid of realm and everyone is in a 1 city duchy?