CWBorne said:
Trying to figure out a bit of an issue as part of me really wants the Imperial armed forces to have existed for some time, but I don't want the Clone Wars to involve Republic vs. Empire in any way. I guess part of me's wondering if the Imperial aspect existing as part of the Republic but not really overtaking everything till Palpatine's later days could work.
I think it could work. I'm going in that direction myself, with the Republic reforming into a far more militant Empire mid-way through the Clone Wars but not really becoming a fully despotic entity until Palpatine's rise to power decades later.