In its current form, by requiring victories in order to advance, the ranks system works in the opposite direction of the recent (and most appreciated) “join any team” bonus.
If I’m not mistaken, ranks are now the last remaining mechanic that encourages following power trends in order to maximise progression, instead of playing anything.
Some say to scrap ranks altogether, but I think that a relatively simple tweak could allow the ranks system to improve, while staying basically the same:
Just remove the victory requirement, and make it count the number of completed battles instead.
Completed match? +1 no matter the result
Battle hero award achieved? Extra +1 (good work soldier!) = net +2
No battle hero? -1 (you didn’t even try, you lazy!) = net 0
Match deserted? No completion bonus, no battle hero bonus = net -1
This way, the system stays basically the same, but the focus is shifted from victories to personal effort. Less desertions, more activity in matches. Win-win.
If needed, of course, the total amount of points required for each step can be rebalanced.