I like this idea, but here is something i think might be better than the stuff marked with red...

Dan starts a weekly mission, only ONE. This mission starts a chain where a lot of different things happens (like a campaign). You start of by being on the one side. However, as you continue the missions, things are revealed. You see it from both sides. AS the missions continue, you are faced with a decision, represented as two different weekly missions. You can only finish one of these. I suggest this last mission would be like selekting a new race. You dont see it unless you finished all the other missions of the chain. This last mission divides you into two different points of views, two different teams. For example Empire and Rebels, or Traitors and Loyalists... The thing you get from the mission is a bonus, like the Tactical Algorythm (Tactical Re-modulation), or something like the other rewards already discussed. Something very valuable and something you cant change. Ever It should be something great but not so good that its unfair to not be able to change (side). Futhermore the two sides should maybe have a collective base, site, planet, etc... like the legion base. Or maybe you have a couple of planets, and the two sides battle over dominion (over the new sector/cluster?). There would of course be a "capital" for each faction, and impossible for the other side to take over, but attack... sure Also this capital should be a flag ship, a battlecruiser, but you should be able to guard this battlecruiser like you guard a planet. The other faction should be able to target the ships on guard after a certant amount of damage have been dealt to the battlecruiser (50% or so). The battlecruiser can not be altered (youre not the leader of the faction, right?). However, the different locations being fought over should be possible to upgrade like any normal planet, with a "owner". Each planet under one faction's control gives all people of the same faction, not resourses, that might be too powerful (as legions like the Dikes might go to one side just to dominate the sector), but maybe something else? Any ideas to what they might give? They should a least give a bonus to the Battlecruiser's defense and maybe an attack bonus to the controlling faction's "troops" (aka the players) when they attack the enemy battlecruiser.

wouldn't the chains/sides have to be decided by legion commanders on a legion basis? If it was left up to individuals it would cause friction/division within the groups i.e do you defend a legionmates planet if he picks the other side? do you respond to alerts? you could have only the ability to target bases on the opposing team, but then what happens to your battle pacts/NAPs? hate to be buzz killington, but while the concept sounds ok its a logistical nightmare to implement id imagine

@Thunderflare - I was thinking of keeping it simple 1st time round - something to test the idea that you could keep coming back to and improving say, between each race biweekly chain. So on the second run, say introduce 3 factions/a merc faction, Add enemy "faction" NPCs, Add a central "hub base" to each faction, etc.

The mission page could look like this:

"Alerted Missions"
Distress Call - Time remaining: 27 days 23 hours
Rallying the troops - Time remaining: 27 days 23 hours

Say you finish distress call:

"Alerted Missions"
Supplying the colonies - Time remaining: 27 days 20 hours
Anticipating the Attacks - Time remaining: 27 days 20 hours
Adapting to Survive - Time remaining: 27 days 20 hours
Suitable Homes - Time remaining: 27 days 20 hours

@Skeleton1

With planets - you hardly ever know who's attacking until too late. Remember, this is for fun. You can't target a legionmate's planet anyway to invade, and NAPS have to be abided by anyway simply by their own mechanics.
And as I said in my quote, it could be used to help co-ordination, or it could be used by top legions (eg the Dysonians) as an internal test of strength - a way to easily "compete" against each other in terms of war points scored, with no-one having to leave the legion or alienate each other.

+1 i would participate depending on how long this would actually run for (a month sounds reasonable)

The main thing I'd like to see about this is that EVERYONE can participate, regardless of rank. Lower levels only have to disable similar levelled people of the opposite faction to help with the "war effort"

I'll try to mock up some images later and I've edited my original post.

This is GENIUS.
+1 for me.

First Image of front page:

WWWHHHAAATTT!!!! THat's unreal +50

screw the natives; to the victor goes the spoils!

+1

Battle tab SC from the Natives Point of view (excuse the rubbish gun drawing):

WOW. +100%

+999999999

+1 epic idea!

Front page edited with all info.

Also, Some potential "victory" rewards could be:
An achievement.
Scaled Lump sum of credits.
A ship module (say limit 4 per ship - there would be subsequent wars)
A VERY good planet and/or base structure - this would be a replacement for the ship module once a player has all of them.

Even perhaps a "badge" on their ship stats?

I think this is brilliant. It gives me an actual reason to PVP, something I normally hate so much that I've still not managed to get all 3 proteans or Cannons at rank 600+.

awesome idea!! 1+

like it.... +1

One other thing - while the war is on, random events could happen, as shown in my first image - for example:
The "losing" side could have a small % boost to get them back in the game
A King of the Hill planet could be released (a planet of strategic importance) - The longer one side owns it for, the more points they get
There could be a NPC "release" from each side for a few days - again, killing them gives points.

+1