The CPM is very vocally split on this topic. I think it is one of the simplest way to alleviate pubstomping but I do understand that 4 is limiting when you have an active corp and want to play with your friends. I am looking at whether we can have 4 man squads for public and keep 6 or even 8 for FW.

Though Team size 16 is evenly dividable by 4.

I still think that squad of 8 will reduce stomp even in pub match, provided MM don't put 2 full squad on the same side.

i do agree with the 16 person squad. it would make organizing and deployment for pc way more easier for everybody.

I would LOVE an eight man squad for FW, or even 16

Great idea:

For the UI when you bring up the squad creation, give us 3 options:
Create Squad (4 Man, can do pubs, FW, and PC)
Create Patrol (8 Man, can do FW and PC)
Create Platoon (16 Man, can do FW and PC)

That'd be super super cool if you could do that.

What about public matches that are divided by security space?

1.0 - 0.5 security space will only allow 4 player squads
0.4 - null security space will allow you to have the standard 6 player squad.

Make contracts in low-sec & null sec space give you more payout and salvage to appeal to players that want to play to win and not pub around. This will somewhat help separate the casual player that doesn't care all too much about winning and the Hardcore player that wants to win.

However, there will still be K/D padders, especially guys from my alliance.

is there some reason for the allergy to odd numbers?

why not make squad limit 5 and have 30 man battles? bigger/smaller in multiples of 5.

off peak might make sense for 20 min battles on the smaller maps. ive been in battles where its 13 vs 9 for some reason anyway.

4. FW stores don't have all of the gear that you need, especially if you are a loyalist.
5. How perfect does the matchmaking have to be before I can deploy into a match? Will my 8-man squad or 16-man platoon be forced to wait around in queue for an equally powerful opponent?

And back to domination...

What a perfectly-suited match type for two cohesive teams to meet and rip each other apart. Limiting it to 4-man squads is such a waste.

Many of us don't like this game mode . Please let us untiick this option.

FW is supposed to be an isk sink. You make money from salvage, and when it is introduced, FW specific missions. I'm not opposed to being able to make isk from FW, I just feel isk shouldn't be given out just to minimise losses.

Then public matched become completely pointless. The only ways isk should be made in FW is through salvage, missions and selling LP items (selling obviously won't work atm and missions could me introduced).

Well at this point a performance reduction would be bad, but is it possible to implement the idea with the current team sizes?

I agree with almost everything that those that want the 6 or even 8 man squads in pubs are saying. I just don't agree with it in only 1 pub area.
There needs to be someplace for noobs and casual players to play and not be stomped by the corps and proto players.
I know I suck because my age and slower reaction time add on to that physical reasons from injury. So I play only in pubs while only in std gear MOST of the time. I don' t play to prove I am better than anyone I play to have fun. That is why I have spent all the money I have spent on this game is for enjoyment not to prove I am better than anyone.
He defends proto stomping I defend the little man that just wants to have fun in a fair game.
We are both right and both wrong. Only difference is I voice to add 2nd pub he wants to keep proto stomping the regular pubs.
Big difference. My way gives both what they want his way only gives his way.

Player retention is not going to go up if noobs are slaughtered over and over in pubs by proto players
Vets and proto stompers make fun and laugh about getting players to quit. They do not care about player retention.
If those are the types of people CCP is going to listen to then I am in the wrong game.

When is the best time to worry about player retention? After everyone quits or before?

Do we keep the players we have until the proto stompers drive more noob and casual players to quit?
Or
Do something now to try and keep new players and casual players?

I need to know the answer to that.

You guys have me close to sold on 4-man squads in pubs provided that we find a solution that allows larger groups to enjoy the same match variety as everyone else, but if we're going down the road of making pubs more friendly to solo players, new players, etc., then I see no reason to go out of the way to protect people in FW.

Where there are balance mechanics meant to protect players there is no true meta. I'm okay with protectionist matchmaking principles in pubs because they are meant to be a more casual experience, but if we ever hope to give meaning to FW then we really need the gloves to come off so that it's a harsher experience.

There should be a potential cost to being anti-social in FW and a potential benefit for those who form ties and make allies. There is no net gain in the meta of FW if the advantage of being on an organized team is always cancelled out against another perfectly matched opponent. If we ever find a way to make the faction experience similar to the corp/alliance experience, then people could more easily find each other and interact with their factional allies thereby naturally promoting organized team play over soloing. In my opinion, FW needs to be something totally unique and entirely meta-driven, but pub-style matchmaking balance jeopardizes that vision.

By the way, if you disagree with that sentiment, be kind enough to express your dissent without resorting to insults, innuendos, or other remarks that serve only to attack me for who I am or what corp I belong to. There's really no need for that kind of discourse. Thanks.