Ok, I've read many suggestions skirting this issue, but none that have addressed it in a way that anything but a reset could solve it(that I have seen anyway). 

First of all, I am quite sure that anything that pushes the game towards more realism will be considered by a considerable percentage of the game population; but we need a fix that could be implemented with the least amount of toes getting stepped on. 

Now, I may be suggesting something here that others have suggested in the past, but I am hoping I can put them together in this thread to make it a viable solution, or at least something to work with.

Most suggestions I have read have damn near required a reset to work. Since there are players that have worked damn hard to get where they are, that is unfair.

Others have made suggestions that would make it much too easy for new players to get bodyguards, therefore making the ones that had paid so much for them already feel jyped.

So here is a suggestion that may seem like it comes from left field, but it would solve not only the unrealistic demote for bodyguards, but make new players not have to pay exorbitant amounts when the change occurs.

1) Made Man is the lowest rank that may buy bodyguards, but they would be the most expensive. (reversing the cost so that the higher your rank, the cheaper they get)

2) Implement a cap on BG's for each rank, starting and including Made Man, so that there would be more people trying to rank up to get more of them, for cheaper prices.

I understand you would have to tweak some things, but is this not at least worthy of discussion?

Please, if anything, debate and discuss this, and PLEASE, keep an open mind. 

I also suggest that if you are at the cap of BG's for your rank and are demoted, you lose said BG's equal to the cap of the lower rank you are demoted to. Making demoting a punishment, always.

I for one love this idea. It definitely makes sense that a person in power would only become more connected and more able to hire protection at cheaper rates, not the reverse.
Additionally, people could still get as many BGs as they wanted at the lower level after a demotion, they'd just have to wait a bit to get them after doing some work.

Strangely enough this kind of makes sense to me personally but I haven't fully thought through the possibly implications, but seems like a step in the right direction.

I like this idea. While I was demoted myself for BGs previous account, I think that demotion should be used for punishment only, and the BG's should get cheaper as you rank.

I'm not sure that reversing the pricing structure would be beneficial. Sure, it would wipe out demoting for BGs but it would just make the strongest even stronger.

If I'm a Don, making the most money I've ever made, then I will get the most protection I can possibly afford to get. Making that protection cheaper for the point when you are earning the most you ever will is going to widen the gap between new accounts and old accounts into a near unassailable chasm. Whilst I see the logic in that a Godfather is likely to be able to get a better rate than a nobody, in terms of gameplay we must make an allowance to prevent accounts from becoming too powerful.

I think a better option would be to increase the cost of bodyguards from the outset and to make it so that once you reach a rank, you retain that bodyguard pricing structure. $750,000 is an amount that is now chump change that is easily accumulated by virtually every player. Bodyguard pricing has not risen in line with the longevity of accounts and the increased money that is available. If this was increased to say $2,000,000 per bodyguard (which I think it may actually have used to be) then it would reduce the volume of protection within the game. Couple this with a demoted Boss still having to pay Boss prices, then you would eliminate demotions for bodyguards.

Well, as I stated before, this is NOT a perfect fix, since that would require a reset. This was the only way I could see it working. There are a ton of other factors affecting it as well, like the BG cap, and the size of the guns in game, which are always fluctuating. BG's are not the reason wars go on forever though in my opinion, pro wackers are. Look how long rogues last without any BG's. As long as several measures remain in the game mechanics to be exploited, these problems will continue. 

I agree that there are other factors to consider, but I don't believe that inverting the pricing structure is the best way to go.

As far as a reset, yes that would be the only way that things could 100% fairly be resolved. However, as this has been an ongoing issue for about 3 years and no resolution in sight, perhaps it is time we took action and dealt with the consequences of those actions when they became apparent. I'm starting to believe that the consequences of not doing anything, and continuing to allow demotions for bodygards, is worse than acting against it.

Personally I prefer the bullets, guns and protection system to this system of 1 gun and bodyguards.

What system is that Maestro?

Well I played several games where there's a shop with guns and protection. There are 5-6 of each, and you have to buy all of them if you want the strongest one (for example, you can't buy the best gun or the best protection right away, the best is the last you buy). There's no gun skill, but bullet factories, where you buy bullets used to kill people.

Hm, I've never played a game with a system like that. One of the things I used to love about Mafia and MafiaReturns was the apparent simplicity of it and the lack of features. You had limited features and the rest was really up to the players in how they worked. I would prefer, where possible to see the game remain with that ideal at it's core and I think complicating things by adding bullet factories, gun levels and so on would be a move away from that.

I've seen the bullets system in a game. It depends entirely on money so it's possible to simply get a load of points and you can become the best shooter five minutes after you begin playing. That's why MR's system is better, because even though you can still buy credits you have to put time into becoming a shooter.