Yes, it's a missed shot to have basically no interaction with these minor factions, imagine being able to ba part of these factions in some way.
I would also like this, i am kind of dissapinted that you can't join these minor factions in a way, but i guess that would be super hard to imploment, but still, it would be really cool...
Interesting that you can't join a minor faction, I remember reading a Sturgia dev blog and they mentioned that those people who would like to play as Norse raiders, vikings etc. will be able to with the Skolderbroda minor faction.
I hope so, i had no idea this test was gonna happen.
I would toss a coin that there could be a female unit in Skolderbroda minor faction ( sturgia) in the form of Shield maidens, or a unit within Battania that is female for those who want this. Mind you, we will only know a answer to this question when the game fully releases, we are still in Early Access.