I don't know how far along this has progressed- but is this truly necessary? It seems like with the recent flurry of auths, the amount of available spaces has shot up dramatically in the last 24-36 hours. We no longer seem to have hordes of unsponsored people clamoring for crews (if anything, perhaps a single, large emergency container crew could have been launched 2-3 days ago and would start being phased out now). But aren't things solidly trending in the right direction?

I don't believe in admins abandoning the game entirely to the whims of the players, but this seems a little forced and unnecessary to me. If the existing CLs were steadfastly refusing to auth people then yes, something would need to be done by the admins. But isn't the situation correcting itself already?

Even the phrase "admin sponsored crew" is a little unsettling to me. If more space is needed, why not mail the CLs and tell them that? At least give the current CLs a chance to fix the issue, no?

Just my two cents!

If a route like Catharina mentions away from admin crews, could we just possibly increase crew capacities on a temporary basis, so the control is in crewleaders/godfathers hands?

I certainly prefer that suggestion- but I still don't think there need to be any changes at all.

It's true that there's a relative scarcity of Made Man plus- but we still have 19 people who are at that rank or higher. Furthermore, we have 37 Wise Guys and 58 Earners. Not to mention an ocean of fast ranking Goombas and Gangsters. This problem is going to solve itself in a matter of hours. 

In fact, in the wake of such a devastating war, city and district leaders may need to auth people that they normally wouldn't. Isn't it a good thing to provide these opportunities?

It just seems that there have been a few changes proposed/enforced that are designed to Fix This Problem Immediately. But the problem is going to fix itself. Give it a week and things will be back to "normal". In the meantime, embrace the uncertainty that choices by the players caused and let the players deal with the results of their own actions (if they want they're city to keep growing and recruiting).

(Again, this would be a totally different situation if things were the same as they were showing yesterday, when I think there was something like 4 open spots available. Absolutely panic mode time if that stayed the same. But thanks to new auths, there are now 60 open spots in crews.)

I agree with Catharina, the spacing availability is not the issue any longer in my opinion, there are still very few unhoused people of rank and that is mostly because they are choosing for it to be that way which is fine.

I think its best to leave it how it is and if at a later date an influx comes in and we need this then fine but I don't think it is necessary.

The only problem I see with the current spacing abilities is if people can't join the cities they actually want to. Like Chicago has many auths but New York doesn't. So say someone wanted to join New York and was waiting on them to auth. Will they then be stuck with whatever home they had to choose just because the space was there?

Dusty, I would argue that the responsibility there is on New York to auth someone if they want to recruit more people. If they really wanted to auth someone- even on a temporary basis- that's a decision that they could make. Chicago has chosen to prioritize opening up lots of spaces to bring new people in. New York hasn't as of this moment. There's no right or wrong there; it's just the choice of the players, so I think it needs to play out without admin intervention.

"Will they then be stuck with whatever home they had to choose just because the space was there?"

Isn't this usually how recruitment works all the time? You look at who has available spaces and you pick the one you think is the best fit for you. If there's a fully staffed Godfather crew that you'd love to join... aren't you just out of luck? You could try to talk your way in, but most likely you'd just have to look elsewhere. I agree that it's a bit more extreme when you're talking about an entire city, but I believe the same principle applies.

I agree with everyone to an extent. There are a few people like myself that want to prove they have what it takes to lead a good crew. I know i do. I have and still run top families crews in other games. I put in alot of work when i am in families or run my own. I know i can help any family that wants to have me

While that is fine and dandy logic, it kind of lacks. Some auths are very rushed and others would rather place permanent homes of people that deserved it. So I would argue it depends on the standard of the city. However, to say that just because there is space available that it should be good enough for everyone is wrong.

Some people won't want to join certain cities. Others will hop at whatever chance they get.

Before anyone gets huffy I am not suggesting any crews are good or bad, just that every individual is different. There should be the ability to wait a little bit longer than just because one city decided they would get a bunch of crews together. At the end of the war some cities had more Made Men then others alive. Nothing wrong with that, but the ones that lack them may have to wait.

Dusty, I think we both agree that the current situation is not ideal. We just differ in the response to it. You're absolutely entitled to your opinion, of course- but here's some food for thought.

You're right in saying that some CLs are quickly authing, while others seem to be more cautious. Why not let the players live with the results of their decision? If Chicago and Detroit are making the effort right now to recruit others why not reward them? Why should people even have the option of stashing themselves in a temporary-admin crew and then going to another city later,?

How is it wrong to say that available space should be good enough for everyone? Isn't the idea that there isn't enough space for unsponsoreds exactly what we're talking about as a justification for these admin-crews? So if there is enough space and people just don't like the available spaces due to player decisions... how is that something that admins should so drastically involve themselves in? 

You said that some people won't want to join certain cities whereas others will go anywhere. Again, we agree. But if you don't want to go to any city that's currently recruiting... isn't that your problem and not an admin problem? I'm not suggesting that you just sit there and take it. Mail the city you want to join and try to wow them so much they can' t live without you. Or try to persuade them to auth someone else. Or just bide your time until a space in the city does open up.

I just can't understand the leap between "There was a giant war that killed everyone and the city I want to join is unable and/or unwilling to recruit" to creating temporary-admin crews. I don't want to call them "fake" crews, but if there aren't rank requirements and they're getting major backing from admins... they certainly aren't "real" in the sense that other crews are real.

Things are obviously a little chaotic at the moment, but I don't understand why so many people see the reason to change the game and the rules and make things easier just because things aren't ideal in this precise moment in time. There are spaces for unsponsored members; this is not a critical housing emergency. Besides, in three weeks (with zero admin intervention) everything is most likely going to be back to "normal". There will be of high ranks, plenty of available spaces. Why not enjoy a relatively unique event and embrace the idea that players have to make hard choices?

I am more thinking of the way the cities run and the people running them may not be suited for everyone. People should be allowed a choice and not have to choose whatever remains. On the flip side to that would you as a CL want someone joining you just because they feel they have to? That isn't exactly ideal or inspiring for either party.

Don't mistake me, I am not saying that Admins should rush in either. I am more of the belief that perhaps people can realize that we have just had quite the wipe out and that it will take time to rebuild. If people cannot holster their guns then perhaps they deserve the bullet they are likely to get for it?

I suppose I just don't think that thugs and gangsters are entitled to the perfect crew that they want to be in if that crew is full and/or choosing not to recruit. You look at what's available and you make the best call you can, just like anyone always does, even in times of prosperity. Don't people always have to choose from "whatever remains"? As long as we're not talking about an emergency situation, I don't think that should change just because the war happened.

Would a CL want someone because they feel they have to? I don't know; that's up for that CL to decide, I think. But if they're recruiting, they obviously want people. My assumption would be that a good CL would get to know their members, try to figure out what they want, and try to help them maximize their potential; in other words, it's up to that CL to prove why their members should work and want to be there.  If it's a shitty situation, I'd assume the unhappy Goomba could retire and try elsewhere, just like they would if they were unhappy during "normal" times, which no doubt will return swiftly.

Your second paragraph is an interesting argument, but it has nothing to do with temporary-admin-crews. If you're proposing a CL-enforced protection order on unsponsoreds (or something like that) to give people more time once rebuild mode is off, then perhaps that's something to discuss in the streets. But that's a potential solution that I'd see as more fitting than the drastic intervention of admin-crews.

There are currently 56 open spots in crews that are currently set up. Also, take into consideration that the funds for setting up, BGing, etc new leaders is running a little bit lower than they were this time last week. 

Is there a need for "container crews" if there are vacant spots? Give it a week or so and there will be more auths as funds are raised and the crews that do have space to fill up. 

Just because someone is Made+ doesn't mean they have earned or want auth. 

OpheliaPayne, there may be 56 open spots but I think you're leaving out an important detail there. It's not like there are 56(well, 54 at the moment I'm writing this) and only 56 players who need a crew... 

187 active unsponsored and with that ratio, it wouldn't surprise me if crews were being selective about who they let in as they have done in the past.

A container crew would also lead to less time in rebuild mode, wouldn't it? More people would be sponsored and thus bring down that active unsponsored count.  So you can shoot punks like me and actually get a +1 for your efforts. 

It seems like now is exactly the time for a "container crew". 

It's in the best interests of a select few players to keep auths infrequent and strangle any tall poppies while making the game as boring as possible for everyone but them.

Until that's fixed, this problem will persist.

With how the game is at the moment, those CL's currently in place will be looking to secure funds to strengthen themselves in case another war comes about. With that in mind it decreases the amount of money available for players to purchase HQ's.

However, Izzy has addressed this situation previously and has offered loans to those who want to set up, we also have Rebuild mode, which means those with an R on their profile are pointless shooting.

With these things in place I'm not sure why another option's needed tbh. If the current leaders want to set someone up and are short on cash, they have the admins to turn to to borrow that money.

 I'm not overly concerned about the funds needed for CLs to set up. There's 500 million dollars in the game right now. How much are HQs in a empty district? Especially when the admins have talked about loans, as Fitz mentioned.

I don't have much pity for leaders who choose "BGing" over expansion. It's well within their rights to choose to focus on their own protection over providing new spaces in their cities. Forcing CLs to make these difficult decisions in the aftermath of almost unprecedented destruction seems like it should be a part of the game- not something treated as a bug requiring radical admin intervention.

187 active unsponsored for 54 spots is obviously not ideal. It's up to the players, then, to auth more people and create more spaces. Again, to repeat what FitzChivalry had mentioned, with rebuild mode on and admin loans available, what's stopping CLs from authing more people immediately?

If you say "well, these options may not be ideal CL candidates and they may not want to lead"... then great! That's the game, right? The action is yours, the reaction is not? We just suffered a devastating war. Of course it makes sense that people might be promoted that their boss isn't entirely comfortable with. If cities want to keep recruiting, they have to give people a chance who maybe wouldn't have gotten it before. Or they have to persuade someone to step up on a temporary basis. Shouldn't a war like this have consequences for players, instead of setting up fake crews for a few weeks so the same crop of people can rank up and get authed again?

Launching a temporary-admin crew just seems like an overreaction, in my opinion. Even leaving rebuild mode on for another few days would seemingly solve the problem. 

can a part of this admin retainer crew project be that they are required to have TEMPORARY CREW in nice big bold letters at the very top of their profile for the duration, or to have their crew name be "temporary crew" so there's absolutely no confusion about what's going on?

there's a project up and running with the sort of "if you want a go, go get it" thing with LV LA and PH right now and any confusion about who is and isn't admin/temporary crew probably won't help the game, Squishy :)