To januhull: the coding for gating already exists too, just look at SB24. And since leveling a charachter in a week is a faceroll with minimal effort, gating would be far more effective.

Leveling up or down players don't do much. If you level up weaker players, they're still missing gear and abilities. If you level down stronger players, you're just mainly reducing the quantitative aspects of the ship (health, shields, effectiveness of abilities). The disparity in quantity and variety of gear and abilities don't really change.

The problem. People want get fleetmarks for their starbase fleet. Some fleets ask their members to do fleet action no matters they are weak, they no abilities, and others. I don't think cryptic can do something against this because it's due of players behaviours. Also I think pwe/cryptic did enough unfair rules. For example mission for vice admiral and mision for no vice admiral. It was stupid and unfair.