Right, this really belongs in Ideas, but I wanted to get it into Uni News first for the exposure, and since it's about a specific family.  I'll likely move it to Ideas soonishly.

Sorry 9897, to use you guys as an example - but it highlights what I want to talk about.  Not saying you guys are down and out, but you're definitely disadvantaged.

The Family:

Members in family #9897, Umbrella Corporation(51,51)

Empire    Race    Networth    Planets    
Rhoxx     Quantam     4994    4    Online!
Fleet Admiral     Minion     Minor Minions     2399    1    
Aries     Partaxs     2178    1    

Inactive     Anibus     BankersBreed     1250    1    
Inactive     Droogi     Eurotrash     1250    1    
Inactive     Meth     trolololol     1250    1    
Inactive     Moderate Impact     Moderate Impact     1250    1    

The Problem

Let's assume none are multi's (cos we're good humans and think better of people first, before doing checks!).  Instead, they're people, that I assume are people who don't want to play in this fam, and will try to random into a Fam with:
A) Someone they know
B) A fam that looks organised and has a leader doing stuff

Now, this fam is effectively operating an 8 man fam, with only 3 players.  That's a big disadvantage.  Unfortunately, none of the 3, made an effort (it seems) to bring in some friends to draft (or the fam was full by then, or noone wanted to join).  That at least would have made it a 5 man family.

What we can't do, is easily remove the 48hr wait rule.  Because this gives the guys doing this, another chance to just random into a place they want to play in (why make it easier for them?).  But at the same time, we need to support the guys who "are" sticking around and trying to play.

Perhaps a solution, is to somehow distribute their starting res to the active players of the fam (but I don't know, maybe this will be abuseable?) and can even add somehow the explo ship limits somehow?

Point is, it seriously hurts.  I've been in fams like this before, multiple times, and if you don't have an active few who know what they're doing and how to play well, the whole round is a struggle from the backfoot.  Tbh, I've actually had the most fun in a round like this, working hard to work up the ranks - but it still means you're disadvantaged from the outset.

The Question

How do we fix this?  This kind of stuff seriously disadvantages a fam.  What needs to be done?

You guys always complain that Mods don't know the game, or are making the wrong decisions.  But as of late, all I see are feedback threads and ideas that we implement from you guys.  Yes, we don't do everything, because simply we can't for some reason or the other.  But we do actively listen and try to get you what you think is best.  We're not experts in anything as such.  We all started off as players. 

So with that in mind, please try to be constructive, and lets work out a plan to solve issues like these.