I don't think attracting indies to a house will help much of anything, especially when it's a war-like house. Which is exactly what lowering ship prices of capitals will do. No, getting them into the official faction will actually get the area lively, as well as benefit the server and general roleplaying circumstances.
Gallia's navy faction had a "bit" of a turn over and may still be recovering from it, but they're holding steady. How could it be made more attractive? People will join a populated faction over a unpopulated one, though that can't really be fixed. Gallia is pretty damn huge but that isn't entirely a issue, either. What about their enemies, then? A navy is going to be doing a lot of fighting!
The council isn't really very healthy looking at all, though that is a given being that none of the other factions really are. Why be unlawful there when you could be unlawful in, I dunno, Liberty? On the flipside, though, their active, military enemies are actually extremely active: The Colonial, Bret navy and Liberty navy, though the latter just kinda hops into things from time to time, are all extremely active, top of the chart even! So much so that I think if the factions put their mind to it they could have organized battles several times a week, maybe even a day!
I don't think there is anything mechanically that needs to be done for them. What does need to be done for them, though, is some pushes and advertizing. Gallia could have a lot going on, even the attention of the majority of the server. If you want to fight a war you really ought to be in Gallia, Kusari has little hope of doing much and the other houses are on the noisy side as is. Push some spot light on them, making it very clear and obvious that organized events actually change up things, actively. Leeds alone took forever, so I can see it not being all that attractive to run. Step it up, put lots of chatter and news posts into the CR-BAF-LN coalition butting its head into the GRN and ships being on fire all over the place. Hype it. You'll get your numbers in due time.
Make the official factions very attractive to join and have some good 'ole war and military roleplaying. All the unofficial indies are just noise.
