>>96906759
Nailed it, lol.

>>96909851
>There's not a lot of wind behind the "kobolds as evil hordes" sails EXCEPT when you make whatever they serve evil... in which case it's not really the kobolds' fault directly. It's not like they'd survive rebelling - you might even pity them for being used that way as you're fighting them.
Something something Kobold Liberation Front. Something something rebellion plot/side questline.
Also, further proving your point about characterization, a PC kobold fighting the Big Bad Dragon to liberate their brethren isn't exactly hard to imagine.

Semi-related question: could they serve half-dragons/dragonborn/whatever-dragon-related? Even if it's as something like low-cost low-power allies, or something to that effect.
Imagine slaying a dragon as a half-dragon, then get beset by a gaggle of confused kobolds that just lost their boss and don't know what to do and ask if you're in charge of them now.
It's rather amusing to imagine some kind of literal underground criminal enterprise, with 'bolds working for a guy with draconic features.
If it's at least somewhat dragon-looking, kobolds will feel an instinctive urge to serve it. Sad, but also kinda funny.