I'm all for making ranks more important, but I don't want to see new families punished unnecessarily. A low ranked RHM should only ever be employed in the early days of setting up when you only have a small nucleus of people to draw from. It is in those circumstances, i.e. within the first 30 days, when the majority of low ranked appointments occur. So, if we instituted a blanket policy that you could only have a RHM above Wise Guy, it would be those families likely to be most hindered, which to me is not a good thing.

In order to work around this, I still think you should be able to appoint a low ranked RHM if you don't have any other viable alternatives. The reason a cosmetic change is better than the alternatives, is because it doesn't hurt the family like a earning or skill penalty would, because again these are usually new crews, and it is significantly better than having a Thug treated like royalty. 

If we consider who the people are who would receive this cosmetic change, I also do not feel it would invalidate of "make worthless" any of the ranks. Is a RHM a reflection of the Boss? Yes. Is the RHM's word gospel in the absence of the Boss? Yes. Is the RHM treated better than most Made Men? Yes. And, most importantly, is that RHM going to be Made the second they are able to be? Yes again.

So, is cosmetically altering someone's rank to the rank they are treated like, act like, judged like and going to receive anyway in the fullness of time, really going to do anything to deteriorate the quality of it? I don't believe it is.

If someone has an alternative that doesn't hurt newer families and does a better job from an RP perspective than that, I'm all ears, but I think it would be a significant improvement to the current system and, in reality, likely to be used pretty infrequently anyway. 

(I would actually prefer to see the entire family structure changed to be more realistic but I can't see that ever happening)

Exactly, there is actually no way around this issue time to rank up is very short, what ever a altered way be, for time for it to take effect the RH has there  button up.

This suggestion has been around since .org days its never going to change

Not every rhm in history in the real world was a Made Man.

While it is 'realistic'.. Not everything is. Dons don't join Dons.

People don't have 175 bodyguards following them.

This is just a thing for people to complain about honestly. Me? I don't like under Made hands, if its possible, I'll take a made+ hand. If its not? I'll work with what I have.

Heel exactly why the ranks should not be changed even cosmetically. So that they can still hold more value than a hollow shell.

I am all for low ranking RHs to have more restrictions than I am for their ranks to be changed because a CL wants to use them for a few minutes or a few days.

I rather much keep the ranks to those that worked for them, not just handed out as a mask of a sort to make a leader look good with a member that hasn't earned the rank.

Then don't complain about the current system tbh.

I have every right to complain about it. But I understand the use in certain circumstances with using low rank hands. Which is why I said that I would prefer them to be more restricted than those that are of Made Man or higher.

With out hindering the family its not possible, as the family should suffer its there choice

I've always been for this, always! There's no reasonable excuse to have a thug as a hand, especially in an established family. Trust, most people here are ran over by those trusted. It's a hollow shell of an excuse to stick with what you know. That's why nothing expands.

Rank can't mean anything until this is resolved. Plain and simple, when I have to value the opinion of a thug over a made...something is screwed.

Also, Made Men should not be able to run a crew! Capo and above, the titles have a meaning and made man isnt a CL title.

I'm actually in agreement for the most part with anyone who is annoyed by seeing low ranked people hold positions of prominence over Consigs, Dons, etc. But if there is ever to be a change, I'd much rather see it be enforced by the players rather than it being coded, especially considering there are sometimes extenuating circumstances. Maybe some day somebody will rise to power and initiate that change for their city/district and others will follow suit. But it is illogical to have a Don be subservient to a thug.

Also, not to split hairs, but Made Men running their own crew is not unheard of in the mafia. In fact it's commonplace. But its usually considered just that, a crew, as opposed to a Family. (The admins have tried emulating that with the sponsorship/associate feature, which has mostly gone unused in terms of chain of command, but that was the players that let that feature fall flat in terms of realism.)

Then perhaps we really should discuss sponsorship. I think its ridiculous that such a low rank can sponsor.

@ ErenYaeger, as of September 30th, the rank requirement to sponsor is now Made and above.