Wildlife as Unit Attrition and Zone Danger

[Random94]

I think it would be more immersive if the wildlife was more of a background feature than as a military unit that moves around the map that you lose territory to like non-aligned militias

Instead, the wildlife present on a planet would have gameplay effects that would have different characteristics depending on the characteristics of the animals created through planet generation

For example, carnivorous/predatory animals would have certain types of environments on the map that they would be known to inhabit (e.g forest tiles) and they would add to attrition for your troops as well as add to a zones danger rating

Whereas herbivorous animals can take advantage of the alien tissue nutrition rating that is a part of planet generation to be hunted for food or domesticated through research or policy events and used to give a bonus to your farm output

Carnivorous/predatory animals can also be hunted and captured to be displayed in your zoos, or to be traded with other factions as a rare trophy

Also, wildlife would be less likely to be found near a tile the more built up it becomes (i.e paved roads, facilities, population, etc)

[JagdFlanker]

Perhaps the animals should not project a Zone of Control around them when they move, they are not conquering or defending anything, they are just roaming around

[mroyer]

Yes, and further, non-sentient indigenous fauna should not control hexes other than the one they occupy. When creatures move from a hex, the vacated hex should revert to the control of whomever controlled it before the creatures entered.

Control of a hex implies some sort of administrative infrastructure that animals just don't have. Even in the most remote regions, for humans (and presumably other sentient life) there is some minimal administrative attempt to exert ones claim of control over the territory.

-Mark R.