Sorry, long post coming.
Look, we are all playing the lottery when we queue for a match, even if you queue with a group.
Case in point - last night The Templars were dropping some casual Faction (we run 10-12 mans on Monday/Tuesday night, but the rest of the week it's generally smaller groups) so last night we were between 5-7 guys.
Drop 1, 5 Templars - Conquest on Grim Plexus - For opponents we drew the EVIL & Friends 12-man that was bouncing around late yesterday. For allies we got 4 or 5 Mercstar Guys and a couple folks that looked like they queued solo. It was actually a decent match, we lost by 125 resources but the EVIL premade was up big on kills.
LOSS
Drop 2, 7 Templars - Invasion Attack on Vitric Forge - Opponents were EVIL & Friends again. For allies we got a mixed bag of folks, including a few who actively questioned the calls and hung back trying to farm individual damage/score. We got beat handily and only managed to get one of the gens down by running a few mechs into one gate while the main body pushed the other. We then got to sit and watch EVIL spawncamp the couple of guys that had mechs left because they refused to move with the team .
LOSS
Drop 3, 6 Templars - Invasion Attack on Hellbore Springs - Opponents were a BCMC & Friends 10-12 man. For allies we drew four 66AH guys, who listened to calls and worked with the team nicely, and two other guys, one of whom always runs to the opposite gate every time and seems to always be perma-dead before wave 3. The other team beat us
handily.
LOSS
See the pattern here?
Sure, the Clan had Radar Sweep pretty much all night, which certainly made it easier for them but those teams above outplayed us, with better positioning, really good accuracy and the advantage of being on defense helped them a little too.
But I am not blaming them for queuing with their unit-mates and friends and kicking our asses. That isn't their fault - we are responsible for our own play and our own choices! We are responsible for learning where we need improvement then working on those things so that we can knock them off their thrones.
Do we want to see EVIL/BCMC/KCOM/228 etc every time we drop? Not really, but we signed up for it and we have to take what we get. (I know some of those guys don't really drop FP anymore)
Queuing in a group, large or small, does not guarantee a "fair" match, except in the sense that each team has 48 mechs. DC's, solo farmers, people who ignore calls, or who criticize the calls but aren't willing to make them are problems that we all have to deal with. That's why people will try to get a full group when they can because they can rule most of that out in advance. That's the design of the mode; sorry if you don't like it.
Please stop trying to change the Faction Play game mode away from what it was always designed to be - a place where players
team up and work together to bring complimentary builds then work collectively to win the match.
If you want to queue solo, go for it. I won't even be mad if you come on the forums and complain that you got spanked by a bunch of EVIL or BCMC or KCOM or maybe even T (we want to get good enough to make you complain!). But please don't come on here and ask for the mode to be
changed to suit your preference for solo play when that is not what it was designed for in the first place. Faction Play is already on life support and it isn't because people are tired of getting beat, it's because the depth and features that PGI promoted were never fully delivered.
In the name of all that is good and holy in this freeking universe, I humbly ask that you please do not try to ruin what little is left for those who are still managing to squeeze a little fun out of this husk.
Signed,
Everyone that likes playing Faction with their friends