I would be really interested in seeing vanity/combat combo! It would work like this: each player gets a minor pet (or a ally) He will be able to take it to combat arena for short battles and training. It would be like a game of chess for marines that keep their strategic abilities in check. buying new pets would be like creating a squad and planing tactical battles with your comrades
It's just that the game should be focused entirely around the ongoing war. Pets are a nice little visual thing but I don't want to be playing pokemon in the green zones with my warband. I want to crush loyalist skull.