Quote Originally Posted by Omanes Alexandrapolites
Truthfully though, in general terms, R:TW faction leaders have no effect on your empire overall, so who gets the job next isn't really anything that needs careful planning. I generally do try to make my faction heir a popular or heroic general, but this is just for realism and immersion purposes rather than for tactical reasons.
I'm not sure if that is the case. Obviously, the faction leader for the AI is usually the best traited character in that faction - but that may be cause rather than the effect. There's a bunch of traits that only affect Faction Leaders - ordering bribes, assassinations, spies... all of which are fairly useful, and some of them help your Senate standing, for example.

The main problem the computers choice may present (besides giving the heir status to the old and impotent) is the possible conflict between you ususally putting the faction leader in a city / the battlefield, and the AI choosing a general / administrator for the job.

....

Any ideas on how to give Rome Shell proper character names?