The only thing I don't get is the part that people put Council rated in a way that there is noway they could stand against GRN - fact is that they did. The main fleet, and the larger one, is so large and well supplied that the GRN can't break through it - can't send their fleets to Champagne.
I'd put the Council not so far from Bretonia - who is the weakest house of all currently (Maybe Kusari is weaker, but not by much to my guessing).
EDIT:
Also the corsairs are way more numerous than one might think. The only problem is that corsairs are not united, they are separated to many smaller clans each with its own agenda. It's even suggested that if corsairs would stop their inner conflicts and organize a built nation and army they could fight toe to toe with a house fleet.