I just started playing Elemental - Fallen Enchantress 0.952 again after a long break. Since I last played the game has improved immensely so that's good. However, I find there is one problem that I think needs to be urgently addressed and that is the rules around the placement of cities in regards to fertile squares and city exclusion zone.

Essentially, the problem seems to be that all too frequently the only fertile squares where you could possibly place your second city are within your first city’s exclusion zone.

I don't know if this will work, but can we try dropping the exclusion zone, instead making it that each new city needs to be within that faction’s border. For one thing that would result in more organic looking growth of the factions.