I think we should keep it as is with the teams structure. However, I feel that there should be an inactivity system:
Players who do not post actions for 3 WoE days in a row are temporarily moved to an inactivity list and removed from the map; and the next player on the element waiting list replaces him/her. If a player becomes active again, he/she can request to continue, being placed at the top of the element's waiting list. Minimum time of being on the inactivity list before eligible to be added to the waiting list will be 5 or so WoE days.
A player may also announce an arriving period of inactivity, and be placed on the inactivity list if he/she is not in a dangerous situation, being either isolated from other players on the map, or in a city, town, or fortress not under siege. If the player was in a city, town, or fortress when he/she became inactive, they may continue from that spot, unless it then owned by a hostile element or under siege, as they will continue from the nearest non-hostile city, town, or fortress that is not under siege, along with those that went inactive on an isolated hex.