Sorry if this is already suggested and addressed.

Would it be possible to include an option to liberate a planet and return it to it's former owners?

Works something like this.

We already know the percentageo of race on a given planet. If a planet is liberated, the race with the highest percentage of population gets the planet. Liberation could happen any time, just make it an button on the planet screen that is available as long as the predominant population on the planet isn't yours.

So if the Drengan empire takes a Snathi world and you invade that world you have the ability to give the planet back to the Snathi at any time as long as the Snathi are the dominant race on the planet.


What do you get out of this?
How about big points with the good aligned races? Makes it a viable option if you end up taking a 3 planet for instance.
If you are allied it might become expected. Your allies return your planets to you and you return their planets to them.
Races could ask you for planets that 'belong' to them back and if you refuse, you could suffer relationship loss. Makes the diplomatic game a bit stickier.

I've been wanting to play the liberator role for awhile, I think this would be a great addition.