Ok since Smarty took the lead I'll follow it up with a brief -personal- interpretation of the current standings of only a few alliances.
Getting started here with #1: The 13th Legion.
Still a powerhouse of an alliance, loads of talent in their diverse bunch but the departure of their founder Graeme0161 casts speculation their way in terms of viability and overall ability to hold together to weather this storm. I like these guys, we've always had a great relationship with them since the server first opened. To see Graeme's departure is of great concern to me for not only that alliance's ability to carry on, but the overall status of the relationships the 13th have. Again, the talent pool is deep and there are some fantastic players there, but I wonder aloud if they will be capable of the transition that's in progress. Best of luck, chaps.
#2 Dark Wolves
Man-crush? Check. Love their aggressive approach to domination? Check. See the server's best best for WW champions? Check. DW are one of those alliances that don't belong on this tiny server. They're one of those alliances you'd expect to see in a much larger server, the kind you ally with, merge with, or become their next conquest. They're the real deal and I have loads of respect and admiration for them due to their making two alliances come together under one banner and actually making it work. It's not purely a numbers game for them. Their merger shot them up the ranks, but that isn't to say they've not earned every bit of BP and point they have. They've worked for it and are still working for it. If you don't see the talent in that alliance, you need to get out of here and go play Sim City.
#3 Mycenaean Empire
Still waiting for these guys to bust loose. I think their major challenge right now is their geography. They have some great players, but their talent pool is not nearly as deep as 13th, or DW. I'd like to see these guys stick to a dedicated move into hostile waters and start creating havoc across the server. They're capable of affecting the balance of power to a moderate degree, however I get the impression that there may be internal issues to be dealt with before they start throwing their weight around. (Just a personal observation, nothing concrete in terms of evidence.)
#4 Apathetic
My alliance, I could say a lot, but I won't. Despite being a narcissist.
#5 Knights of Mayhem
I just don't know where to start with these guys. I mean they have some really, really good players. But only a handful. Why those guys hang around with that alliance, I'm just not sure. I mean sure, it's noble and honorable to hang around as the ship is sinking, but at what point do you put on your own life preserver and swim for the shore? They're not a broken alliance, but the cracks are widening and I think the divisions in the group will become apparent in the next few weeks (this is just a prediction.) I'm curious to see how they handle everything that's going on in the server. With Graeme no longer at the helm of 13th, are KoM now trying to brow beat 13th into a merger? Are they trying to convince 13th to attack us, or to attack others? Or are the players going to just abandon KoM and flee to the alliances they see as the stronger, more dominant alliances? One thing is certain, KoM have put up a brave fight, they've managed to grab a few cities from us, but they're nowhere near our level (or 13th's, or DW's) of play as a whole. Take away 3 of their most active players and that alliance will fail, I almost guarantee that. Let's revisit this question in 4 or 5 weeks and see where KoM stands. I'm not saying they won't last that long, but it's certainly something worth noting.
Honorable Mentions:
#6 Achaean Order. These guys should totally secede from ME and establish themselves as a solo project. Alliances with academies, sister alliances, brother alliances, whatever you call them are -in my opinion- a sign of pure weakness.
#7 The War Veterans. Still unknown to me.
#8 legion of ares. Formerly Squires of Mayhem, gotta raw deal from Val at KoM. Are now hell bent on sticking it to him and KoM. I like that fire in their bellies, let's go fight.
#9 FireBreathingRubberDucks. Love Graeme, I hope he stays on the server. Regardless of the alliance he may join, he's a great guy.