[TheoDD]

two suggestions, the first is simple and basic: reinstate cluster and parallel eta advantage on attack and defence, think this would give the game some new momentum. Galaxy to Galaxy based politics might come more in to play or be reinvented.

the other suggestion is, changing the base eta system on each class, and the entire travel system.
Example:
Fi base eta: 5
Co base eta: 6
Fr base eta: 7
De base eta: 8
Cr base eta: 9
Bs base eta: 10

the travel tech still in place lowering each class base eta by 1 for each level of tech you finish. The travel system would add 1 tick for the distance you want to go. Lets say you are 5:4:2 and your alliance has 8:3 and 1:7 up as galaxies, you should pick targets that would give you as good as possible potensial cap and as low as possible travel time.
In this case 8:3 would be closer than 1:7. If you map the coordinates in a 3d grid system. probably way too "complex" if i am supposed to believe the newbie thread, but anyways flame away :-p