(cause people don't show up, which you can't do much about) => losin hope, leaving strat and without them there won't be any strat going on.
I disagree, I think it would be pretty easy to fix, what u see on the map now are small factions popping up, there would be more small factions doing this if it werent for the big blocks, and the small factions would be able to do more individual stuff if they werent tied up to either side of the big war. We have the Scums, the mongolian, the Normands, the "Butans" in Chaelbeck castle, Rhaegar+friends, Herkuttati (+prolly no friends), Sandor Clegane+possible friends (Kelredan castle), Pandemona in Shapeschte and so on. I know others that left the game that would come back and start a small faction, and i know several that fight in our faction that would like nothing more than to leave and do their own thing.
Thats 8 small factions owning fiefs, and I dont know if there are more out there that dont own fiefs. If Northern alliance were to break up I am sure that Vanguards would be one rather large faction compared to the others I mentioned above, the independents, the DRO, the Barabes and perhaps some other guys aswell. Northern alliance could break itself up within 24 hours if we needed/wanted to - there is no purpose for that alliance other than trying to withstand the UIF.
Im sure that if the leaders of the UIF would step down, the minions of the UIF would rise up and try their own ideas for strat, start smaller factions (like polanie did) and try to make it on their own in strat.
So, once strat gets interessting again, once the small clans actually can try out the game, perhaps even guys that havent played strat at all, or perhaps have only been trading or grinding for some major power - suddenly they can think "I am gonna get me a fief, and see what I can do with it".
Battles wouldnt be plated ones, they would be smaller, diplomacy would matter again and EU would turn more into NA in many ways - which would be better for strat overall.
And to let this happen, by itself - we just need to break the big blocks up and let new leaders come forth that have the energy and the will to make new alliances and enemies.
Rosters would come with it, 2 months ago there was more people than slots in the roster cause strat was still interessting - it isnt anymore