I have read some threads about gouvermental systems, but i have not found suggestions of a bigger inclusion of the player in the game mechanics itself. At the moment you feel most of the time as an unquestioned omnipresent and invincible ruler of all the different dwarf castes. To reduce this separation between leadership or hive councious of dwarves and the player my suggestion is that the player would be not able to designate areas or give direct orders to the military or to the civilians if the actual highest noble is absent, killed or missing and is heir or sucessor is not yet found.
This would of cause suggest that succesion can take a little of time in which the player can just observe how this thing is solved by the dwarves.
So one idea would be that all or the qualitative majority of selected nobles to this moment have to come together in their council room. The possibility of polls could be given as well if wanted for example the dwarves could have one day to give their vote. But i think democratic structures should be really just optional a nice utopist view... Otherwise a dwarf can take the power with force as well and getting opponents out of his way.
Another possibility is of of cause that a sucessor is appointed or elected before, so sucession can run smouth and the player keeps control.
I think this whole succesion process shouldnt take longer than maybe a minute or two, so i think it would be bearable for the player...
This feature of the player possible to loose for a moment the control of his or her dwarves would start with the time that five nobles are in place for example broker, manager, expedition leader and chief medical dwarve. Depends on the situation the dwarves are in can different attributes decide who will be the next successor. For example under an attack more ruthless and fierce dwarves are chosen and in time of peace more the dwarves with for example diplomatic skills, i think this would be possible with more than fifty character traits
I know this idea is a little bit radical but it helps to deep the immersion and the need to protect the nobles and give them like this more purpose. I just wanted to throw this idea into the room as a toggable option for an deeper immersion and a deeper simulation of exisitng and broken comanding chains. I am curious about your suggestions