If it was possible Era 1 would have done it, and incest is not a storng enough argument not to Hapsburgs are proof of that.
City states that more or less function as a confederation, they refer to the possibility of conflict as a Civil War, they don't see other cities as enemies.
Also you keep saying tactics but never give an example, Their underground functions similar to ours of a specific time period doesn't mean that they have a military
Progression gave Renarin a notable healing advantage in OB
Illumination allows you to become a human laser cannon.
The surges that don't work at a distance are the most tactically useable ones, Cohesion,Tension, Transformation and other Terrain altering ones do however.
Weight would increase the strength of the pull, not allowing them to pull on harder to effect objects.