Both sides have valid points here. YES, the game lacks any real sense of progression and NO we don't need dweebs with a chest full of medals getting a false sense of authority but let's think about this a little more: Is anyone really going to care any more about rank than they do about score?
How do you make it the slightest bit relevant? 1. Higher ranks would have dibs on Task Groups thus eliminating the problem of inexplicable noobery which not only ruins fun but ruins chances for success.
2. The ability to host missions would be earned after the first couple ranks. This gives new players something to work for when they would not be taking advantage of the feature anyway and spamming country channel with calls to war. Increased rank allows more aircraft in your mission. You might say, "I can only have 8 aircraft in my mission it's worthless!" Not so. Coordinate with the other guy who can only command six in his mission.
Hi Letalis, I agree with you and Dhyran, I have once suggested something along these lines...
I would tie rank to the time as a active paying costumer and with time spent online vs kill ratios, hit percentage, damage produced and so on. Experience would count for something, in the end...Rank would be atributed by the server, known only to the players or those visiting his profile. Rank allowed for use in the BBS.
I would link the ribbons to the arenas. After a certain number of missions played in a given arena in a given ToD, you would receive and be entitled to use a specific arena/ToD ribbon. Ribbons not visible in game, only in player profile. Ribbons allowed for use in the BBS.
I would link medals to special achievements: number of kills, a certain % ratio to longest streak, total damage produced as bomber, accuracy in field guns, and so on... Also, something along the lines of the "Like" button so popular nowadays: everytime someone "Liked" something some player did - like getting you out of trouble, etc - would press that button and add a +1 to that player's record of "good deeds"... After, let's say, 100, 500, 1000 of these points, the player would be awarded a special medal and a rank improvement... "Likes" would not be free, however. They would cost 5 perks to the player giving it.
Just a few thougts.
Cheers,