Note on The Order policies

[Nevearo]

-THE- question has been one that has been debated in my own faction. We came to the conclusion 500 million is much better spent on other activities. An official recruitment topic isn't needed, since recruits will find you In-game or PM you if they are really that interested in joining

The reason we are continuing to continue to request official faction at all is as a way to get a "Special RP" as a collective group. We want our "Space Gypsy" style of play. Some IDs allow it, but we will not have a good RP basis without a Capital ship as a "Base".
In the end, it is very likely we will be out 500 million, be badly burned, and decide never to become official, since there is no benefit if you take away the ability to have a "Special RP" status as a faction and have no desire for a home system.

Sure, 500 million is pocket change... to people who power trade. Maybe with 4.85, RP trade will become valuable enough that it might someday become pocket change to me. Either way, it equals out to 100 hours of gameplay at my rate. With 10 people playing 8 hours a day, it is more than a day to get it. Now factor in the fact it IS trade, and your likely to only get maybe 3 hours a day out of each person. That is assuming all your members have time. I generally have difficulty putting in more than 8 hours a WEEK in freelancer. Consider the cost to setup a new trader being about an hour worth of trading at all, and any fighter character worth about three hours of trading, if not more, and you get an enormous timesink for setting up a clan before it is even approved.
500 Million is a major investment for anyone who actually cares about RP. The value for it is only in the fact that your base RP is accepted even if it has a little deviation. If you restrict the deviation, then only the ability to buy a system remains of value.
Is that really of any value though? I don't know. I know that my group isn't interested in a home system though.