Steve, we have been thru this many times, GOW did not declare war, SoD started taking GOW cities because we didn't read your mind to know that you had intended to attack cities of members we took in. Fact was that you didn't declare war on LOH and they merged with GOW. We were more than generous in giving SoD the cities of our inactives out there and in your oceans but you insisted you wanted to fight. SoD attacked first, and possibly plotted against us with TLT. Doesn't matter now, didn't go as you had planned.
I agree TBD has a great chance of winning and GOW is in contention right now, we've grown pretty fast the last few months but nothing is certain with this much time left.
Time has granted me perspective to perhaps have a more balanced view. I will share my perception of that era, for those who are curious.
I think it is a classic case of allies knowing they will eventually have issues escalating matters. It is true that SOD initiated hostilities, albeit in a declared and limited fashion.
So my history....
1. Many months of mutual support and successful repulse of core teams by rim teams.
2. SOD declaring and winning strategic wars to defeat and absorb smaller border alliances.
3. SOD tells GOW leaders their next target is an 024 based alliance on their border that had invaded 034, o26
4. GOW asks SOD leaders to delay attacks on said team as they are asking for their help in war against RYR, DW, RATs etc.
5. SOD complies with GOW request and makes temporary NAP with said team.
6. Core alliances are repulsed.
7. SOD declares intention to conquer o24 per plan,
8. GOW leadership merges in the SOD target alliance into its GOW II academy, stopping any expansion by SOD. SOD sees this as a clear attempt to stop our growth, as no other options are practical other than to attack an ally. This angers SOD leadership and this is communicated clearly to a GOW leader over several weeks. It is not clear if this is shared, but GOW leaders encourage SOD to attack their long time ally instead (death Fiber or TLT). Both of these teams are our two oldest NAPs.
9. After negotiations for GOW to unmerge our target allance member fail, SOD declares its intent to attack and take over those cities in o24 anyway, per our prior agreement. We know this is likely going to cause trouble, but playing the game without any enemies would be way too boring. We announce this intent with over a weeks notice to GoW. GOW does offer 20 plus cities on o24 (a nice touch) As a compromise, that is rejected. Again free cities is not our goal, but to fight and have fun.
10. GOW chooses to stack these o24 cities with defense for cheap, easy BP. They also merge in other aggressive enemy players from the defeated central alliances. Their intent is to win using former enemies we had vowed to vanquish, thus becomes clear.
Some GOW players we respect split from GOW back to SE. We wonder if this is internal discontent or a ploy.
11. SOD SOD starts taking border cities in o24 anyway, after an announcing our intent, as is proper in our opinion. We say we will limit our attacks to the area of the former team. (As a side note,I was against war strategically, but the team wanted fun and the winning strategy was dull)
12. A few more players merge into sod, including one targeted by TLT in o34. The targets to attack thin further. Perhaps this is viewed as provocative in the way the prior merger was.
13. Tensions rise.
14. GOW attacks SOD across the board taking cities without any declaration of war, including one of mine on a ceremonial island in GOW territory (I named each city in a humorous way after an alliance (God of Pizza) is taken. It was basically undefend.
15. Full scale war happens....
16. A second city of mine close to GOW territory is targeted, but my defense of it holds. I earn 50k BP. Thanks, it was fun.
17. RL issues, so I have to leave the world.
Ultimately, I think the remaining teams and their leadership have done a fine job, so I still think highly of you, though I think aiolis was a snake to claim he would never attack me and had honored that personal agreement when his support for the only city I lost to an attack (gods of pizza) was 5 minutes from arriving to support the conquest and I was looking at it arrive as he typed his disengenuous message.