The Shady Bunch- TSB have done a very good job of eliminating every target they have come across. They started off the server fighting TP and TS with TF on their side. TF took some serious damage to start the world while TSB holds strong. Since then TSB has proven themselves as a strong team of people who will not lose cities easily, if at all, and can take them with little difficulty. I like the core they have set up very much and have a feeling taking any cities from them in 54 will be a task that I'm not sure can be done alone. I'm not too worried about them losing cities on the scoreboards to TF, due to the positioning. SWIM
Skull Skeletons + Skull n Bones- Skulls have done an excellent job of eliminating every target they have faced as well. Rumor is they chose 56 to drop in order to have easy pickings in 55 once s**t hit the fan. It seems they have done just that, with perfect timing. Props to them for scoring big in the TS free agency that seemed to come with the #1 player on the server heading their way. I'd say the merger from The Booty Warrior Cult and Winged Hussars seems to be working out extremely well, and i think Erik might just be the mastermind I've heard him rumored to be. The biggest negative I can see from this team is the large area they control, this can be a major issue if they aren't prepared when the world comes after them. SWIM
Kraken- Kraken has done an excellent job of avoiding many wars that have been going on around them and building their core. They in my opinion did well taking in the biggest haul of TS members and most of 55 belongs to them. I'm interested to see how the new editions to the Kraken team fit in as well as what the next move for Kraken is. They are surrounded by TSB, Skulls, TF, and TP. They seem to be friends with Skulls due to the fact that you cant border someone for that long and not have multiple cities lost or taken and it does not seem this way at all. I have heard great things about the leadership here and if it is as good as rumored, I am captivated by what the next move is. Who do they go to war with. My personal recommendation is quit the dispute with Angry Apples and work with TF to hit TP. By positioning only, the logical move is to go after Skulls, but I'm not certain a war with Skulls would be a good idea unless they can get NAPs from TP, TF, and TSB. That does not seem likely. FLOAT THEN SINK.
True Fear- TF has done an excellent job bouncing back from the colossal beat down that happened in the beginning. In my original projections in my head I had them sinking and sinking rapidly. They seem to have done a complete about face and have become my new favorite alliance. From what I understand they are not big on diplomacy and I see that as very courageous, but also their kryptonite. I hope to be proven wrong here and they flourish but the question is the same as with Kraken. Where do they go? Do they wipe Kraken from 45, go after TP in 44, head to 35 and fight The Apocalypse? What to do, what to do. SWIM
The Priory- The Holy Men have done an excellent job of holding the core they set of to establish early on. They seem to be on the wrong side of a 17-53 battle against TSB, but considering how much worse it could be since they have been fighting TSB and PnP at the same time, I must say im quite impressed. As of late they haven't been on the offensive side too much but I expect that to turn around soon. It does not require the conquest of 100 cities to win a war, but rather 10-20 if the opponent is mentally weak. This alliance still has a chance, if they can cause an opponent to fall apart. But it does not look great. Maybe if they can convince TF or even Epidemic to be an ally aide them then the ship that is TP may stay afloat but for now. SINK
Plunder and Pillage/ Raid and Ravage- PnP has done an excellent job of licki- i mean riding the rim and really only has 2 potential enemies in TP and Epidemic. They currently have a 48-47 lead over TP and 42-4 lead over Epidemic. I see them holding their ground and gaining a little bit more but I don't see them contesting for a victory in the end game. They do seem like a skilled group, and had they formed up sooner this could be a different story. Big things have to happen before we see this alliance cracking the top 3. SWIM THEN FLOAT
-Angry Apples- -Apples have done an excellent job of ruining my one hyphen per alliance plan on this. They made the whole thing look awkward now and it just really doesn't fit. I think it says enough that this was really the best point I could find them excelling in. They got forced from 45, gained some new leadership, and are rallying down in 46 with no contestants in that area. My assumption is they have a NAP from Skulls that is allowing them free reign of their ocean. I do see 2 new additional alliances down in 47/57 that I'm sure are just making the Skulls very happy campers. That can lead to big problems for the Apples if they dont figure out a way to move away from Skull territory. The best thing for Apples is to drop 1 of the alliances, eat the Kraken cities that seemed to have made their way down to lower 45 and all the way to 36. FLOAT
The Apocalypse- Don't know much about them other than they formed recently and are currently up 16-12 on TF. So kudos to them I guess. SINK
Epidemic- Same as Apocalypse except they seem to be on the losing side of any war against any formidable opponents. I don't expect them to be around much longer. SINK
Alpha Male- Been around a while, but haven't really grown into anything impressive. I guess that is the best way to sum these guys up. Had potential but really just didn't amount to anything. I was hoping to see Kurbads do something with his team but I have a feeling they are just around to offer him easy cities as internals. He doesn't seem to have conquered many cities from active players that are in strong alliances. Actually it doesn't look like he conquered any cities from opponents worth mentioning. Once TSB decides to look this way its over. SINK