I believe the OP has mistakenly put too much emphasis on drivetrain friction and optimum working chainline. Modern bushingless chains are much more flexible.

There is some merit of running fewer cogs and friction shifting. Those who are not interested in optimum performance and can live with larger gaps can ride along however they want.

He is also under the impression that a no dish wheel will be much more durable. While technically true, a poorly made no dish wheel will not hold up as well as a properly made dished wheel. But running fewer cogs and keeping to 126mm OLD or less should be more than durable. Even more so for light touring and modern rims.

I could see a vintage gearing setup of a 3x5 with the 26-38-50 and a 13-16-20-26-34, or there abouts. This more than covers his gear inches and lets him ride in the 38t the majority of the time.

John