Some form of Federation + Romulan Republic + Klingon Empire VS Terran Empire + Tal Shiar + House Duras setup. This would have, I feel, greatly helped with keeping faction numbers more balanced, with the choices essentially just being the typical good vs evil.
You might want to check your facts on that. The Tholians are stated in canon to have diplomatic presences on both Earth (the Tholian ambassador is assassinated by a changeling in "Home Front") and Romulus (Tal'aura used a meeting with the Tholian ambassador to get out of the Senate before her bomb went off in Nemesis).
I am quite aware of the Tholian's diplomatic activities with the Federation and Romulans. That is quite different from joining the Typhon Pact, let alone suggesting its creation even.
Not so different. The point is that the Tholians may be xenophobes but they're not idiots: they're fully willing to engage with other species if it serves their aims (in other words, good old realpolitik). Allying with groups similarly at odds with the Khitomer Accords nations is a force multiplier.
Besides, they might just be facing backlash from other regional powers for staying out of the Dominion War and have nobody else they CAN deal with.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Not so different. The point is that the Tholians may be xenophobes but they're not idiots: they're fully willing to engage with other species if it serves their aims (in other words, good old realpolitik). Allying with groups similarly at odds with the Khitomer Accords nations is a force multiplier.
I would think it unlikely.
The Tholian likely have opened up dialogues with many of the other powers - we know they have done so with the Federation and Romulan Empire (at least); it wouldn't be too farfetched to think they have some dealings with the Klingon Empire and Cardassian Union too, however (outside of STO) the Tholian have shown very little interest in the political stance of any other faction; they're quite happy in their own little space, and generally only come out of it when there's something temporal going on (ST: Enterprise).
Them not being involved in the Dominion War, I'd think is of no consequence; the Dominion like to control other powers, especially expanding powers, but the Tholian don't seem to generally expand, and it's not as if Colonised Tholian worlds are going to be of much (if any) interest to humanoids. I would summarise that the only dealings the Tholian Assembly has with other powers is more to do with trade. I can't picture them aligning, and battling with the likes of the Romulan and Breen (two factions that apparently have a recent history between themselves).
I get that this Typhoon Pact is more of an uneasy alliance, but as stated earlier, it certainly comes across as a bunch of favourite factions that have simply been thrown together more for fun than thought.
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If it was all just Federation ships plenty of players would get bored, that's part of why I included other factions in my similar suggestion:
Not so different. The point is that the Tholians may be xenophobes but they're not idiots: they're fully willing to engage with other species if it serves their aims (in other words, good old realpolitik). Allying with groups similarly at odds with the Khitomer Accords nations is a force multiplier.
Besides, they might just be facing backlash from other regional powers for staying out of the Dominion War and have nobody else they CAN deal with.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
The Tholian likely have opened up dialogues with many of the other powers - we know they have done so with the Federation and Romulan Empire (at least); it wouldn't be too farfetched to think they have some dealings with the Klingon Empire and Cardassian Union too, however (outside of STO) the Tholian have shown very little interest in the political stance of any other faction; they're quite happy in their own little space, and generally only come out of it when there's something temporal going on (ST: Enterprise).
Them not being involved in the Dominion War, I'd think is of no consequence; the Dominion like to control other powers, especially expanding powers, but the Tholian don't seem to generally expand, and it's not as if Colonised Tholian worlds are going to be of much (if any) interest to humanoids. I would summarise that the only dealings the Tholian Assembly has with other powers is more to do with trade. I can't picture them aligning, and battling with the likes of the Romulan and Breen (two factions that apparently have a recent history between themselves).
I get that this Typhoon Pact is more of an uneasy alliance, but as stated earlier, it certainly comes across as a bunch of favourite factions that have simply been thrown together more for fun than thought.
This!!
Agreed!