Going to chime in here because I literally google searched a calendar to try and draw out what this would look like and it messed me up already, sooo: I agree that AC being fixed in the month is the best way to go. That said, apps being out of sync with AC feels like something that would get confusing, especially in regards to the "first month" of AC for a given player/character. For example- eventually there will be an app round that's the week before fixed AC, meaning technically those players have less time before their first AC than people who apped during the week right after AC, when that cycle arrangement turns up. If "first month free" AC is applied like it is at other games, that also would then raise the issue of people having staggered numbers between their ACs that they're "required" to provide for. this is a mess, i drew a calendar, it was bad

I just feel like breaking up n*sync here is going to lead to more confusion of keeping track of who owes AC and when after they app in, but maybe that's just me.