Seconded. If each race has its own distinct play style and flavor, I would love for the factions to be categorized accordingly.
Along this same vein, I've another suggestion. For the TEC, it seems a bit odd to have the "Nithiem Rebels" be a Loyalist faction.
Could the devs see about re-naming some of the random faction names to be more fitting to their alignment?

Thanks for your support and ideas, guys. Hopefully someone from Ironclad will take notice of this topic

In regard to Apostates, i had to use dictionary to find that word, hehe... i knew, what i was looking for, i mean synonyme to "renegade from religion", but tbf, never heard the word "Apostate" before myself as well 

I actually like "Imperialists" as a name for one of the Vasari sub-factions. I think that it would go better with the Rebels, though, because the Vasari Loyalists are supposed to destroy planets, not imperialize them.

I also like both Zealots and Fundamentalists for the Advent, but I think that Fundamentalists would go better with the Loyalists because they are keeping to the Advent fundamentals, whereas the Zealots could go for both sub-factions, and so I think it is a little less awesome. I also hear the word "zealots" a lot more than the word "fundamentalists", so I think that it is a bit too overused to be a sub-faction name.

Great suggestions though.

Well the reason "Apostates" is so great for the Rebels is because they're pretty much a textbook definition of Apostates.

"(apostates) Members who seriously oppose or ignore cardinal teachings of the Church, publicly or privately."

The Rebels have basically become a splinter "religion" in direct opposition to the Loyalist teaching that their "destiny" is that they destroy the TEC and conquer the Universe, assimilating or destroying everything in their path.

Fundamentalist works because, well, yeah, they're just fervently sticking with the same old song with renewed vigor and rejecting any other possibility (like peace.)

I do hope StarClad read this thread, I think this (subtle) change would make the faction split a bit more interesting.

And speaking of which, how about changing the default acronym that the TEC Rebels get on their Capital Ships/Titans? "TDN" stood for "Trader Defense Network", which fits perfectly with the Loyalists, but not so much with the new militant "xenophobic lynch mob" that is the Rebels.

Fundamentalists, while probably very fitting, is bit too long word in my opinion.  

And not sure about the Imperialists designation, neither for Loyalist nor Rebel faction of Vasari. Rebels now seem to be quite cooperative and "friendly", that is not a behavior you would expect from someone called Imperialist. While Loyalist are not building any empire for sure, they actually leaving their planets. I would stick with my original "Extremist" label for them. Or Radicals.

The reason I and some others named the Vas Loyals 'Imperialists' is because the Vasari Loyalists are still loyal to the old Vasari Empire, its ideals (kill and oppress) and the ideals that developed when they fled the old empire (run like f^%k while gathering as much as you can). The Vasari Rebels are going all hippy on them and therefore even if they are building more of a structural empire, it is harder for us (and themselves) to picture the Rebels as the true descendants of the Old Vasari Empire.  

I was thinking that Advent Disciples would work well for the loyalist subfaction, I at least prefer that to fundamentalists, which sounds so.. uhh, non-threatening. The other reason is that I think Disciple/Apostate counter each other well.

How about Advent Purists / Advent Apostates?

Otherwise, I like Orthodox. It has a slight Dune feel to it.

What is plural to Orthodox?

Here is my personal opinion of what the Rebellion sub factions should be designated as, taking into account all of the suggestions thus far.

TEC - Loyalists / Rebels

Advent - Orthodox / Apostates

Vasari - Itinerants / Imperialists

I think that all of these suggestions correctly convey the play styles and philosophies of their respective factions without sounding overused or vague or too focused on one aspect of their existence as a sub faction. I also think that Orthodox has a slight Dune ring to it, and Dune is awesome.

In the end, though, it will be Stardock who decides what the best names are for the factions, and I hope that they change the names of the Vasari and Advent to something here on this post or maybe something cooler that they come up with themselves.