There's only one problem and it's not enough people playing. The past 4 rounds I've tried both styles of play, 2 round with NAPs and 2 rounds without NAPs. Both lead to the same thing. The last 3 weeks are boring. With or without NAPs you end up fighting everyone with 2-3 weeks left in the round and there's no options but to infrawhore.
With NAPs you end up with a lot of share wars, which leads to loads of farming of small families but also gives you tons 30% +/- more planets.
Without NAPs you end up fighting for space the entire round, but can't gain as many planets and end up not fighting any share wars.
I prefer the no NAPs, as it basically leads to conflict for most of the round, small battles over systems with everyone here and there. Also seems to save the smaller families from being farmed since the family needs to carry more NW in fleet, thus putting smaller fams out of NW range to attack. Making NAPs for nice share wars later on, seems to fizzle out more than it works. Typically one family won't be within NW range for a good battle, or it turns into a slaughterhouse. There's just not enough fams to keep fighting the entire round.
"The market is like a.....game within a game Teddy"