To pick up on one of Feisar's points - I'd rather see 4 players per match. Close races between 8 players become a lag lottery IMO. Any 4 player races I've been in have seemed a lot fairer, still just as close, and generally more measured and tactical. But I'm sure that will be a hugely unpopular suggestion, and it's not so much the case for non-weapons races. If you did 2vs2 by splitting 4 man teams up between weapons races and non-weapons races then each country/team would have to make a tactical decision about who is the fastest and who are the best warriors. I like tactics!

So much to discuss/plan/agree etc.