You guys don't get that they are free to play however they want to play. Them banding together ruins the game for you? Well tough luck. They have every right to do it and you can't call it unfair.
where did i call it unfair? Where did i say they have not the rigth to do so?
Never said that, but what i am saying is, if the biggest factions, are allied together
1) They dont have a real challange and if they but would then brag about winning against less well equiped ennemis with less troops, they are just a bunch trolls.
2) Anyone going with them into that direction are not more then banner leechers
3) As said before, it is mostly a problem about game mechancis , that factions that size are even possible, that there is no diplomatic system , making it impossible for clans to work with each other when they are not taking part in it that system, impossible to gank onto another faction if not seen as allies within that system, therfor them being open for economical balancing at least.
As the shortcomings of Strategus are well known, increasing even more the number of players within a faction or allying to the second biggest faction within strategus, could be seen as being not good sports, allowed sure, but well perhaps from some even defined as unfair, i but say they are in the limits of the game mechanics and its the game mechancis fault more then the shortcomings of the leadership.