Thanks for still following the game. In fact that's what I thought during ludumdare. But at the end of the jam there was a bug in the enemy AI system and I didn't have time to deal with it causing me to simplify a lot of things.
I took a long break. and planning to get back into this project.
If I still want to keep the rule of occupied areas. I would put an invincible enemy piece on board like about after 20 turns that slowly moves towards your territory, destroying everything in its way. (Forcing the player to occupy the territory quickly to end the game)