This age can be mainly categorized into the long build-up to the war with Knaw, the war with Knaw, and finally the war with LAW.
Build-upThe round started pretty easy for us. As usual, we took New Zealand and re-established our traditional alliance with AuAu and DIP in Australia/Papua. Knaw entered an early NAP with us that pretty much made Europe and Africa there territory and Eastern Asia ours.
We expanded our infrastructure network to most of Asia and Antarctica. Meanwhile OiLF, build up in southern africa (being undisturbed by us and mostly by Knaw as well). Some decicive diplomacy occured once the first Knaw NAP run out. Knaw strongly wanted to keep us away from Europe and begged us to extend the NAP for as long as possible. We finally gave in and extended the NAP but SoLD entry into Africa. As soon as we arrived there, now OiLF in turn wanted a NAP with us, keeping us from Africa. The prolonged negotiations on that ment that we did not have a proper gate network in place by the time the relics spawned there (which were taken by OilF, that very likely being their goal from the beginning). So lack of access, combined with an unfortunate relic spawn distribution resulted in us getting only 2 of the initial relics.
War with KnawAfter a while, OilF got bashed and lost their relics to FEAR (who also dominated SW Antarctica and parts of America, together with KoD). Meanwhile, our hands were tied by our earlier NAPs. The same happened with Knaw, which was attacked by LAW and several smaller alliances, OiLF's remains and TE fighting on Knaw side. LAW did not make a lot of headway, but the prolonged fight meant that, once our NAP ran out, Knaw had already savely retreated to their very defensible hive in Spitzbergen. To attack, we had to make a risky long distant attack, which turned bad for us (biggest battle of the round): Knaw successfully defended. However, it didn't do them any good, since seeing that large attack embolded several other alliances to try to get their share of the Knaw bounty. Even their defensible position didn't help Knaw in the end.
Unfortunately for us, though, the failed attack ment that FEAR and KoD got Knaw's relics. Most crystals went to DIP, btw, who promtly lost them after foolishly entering a battle with FEAR shortly after.
War with LAWLAW had retreated from the Knaw war to rebuild and where sitting in NE Russia, with several subs and big armies (they where No1 for a while after Knaw fell) + one relic. We agreed to start a war with them at a predetermined date.
Our gate network was by far larger than theirs, so they didn't wait for the predetermined date, but attacked early. None-the-less, we dispatched of their subs early on and killed a few of their armies in the course of fighting, pushing them back to their colonies. While we were laying siege to them, LAW moved away from Russia, into the sea of Japan, undefended. There it was easily snatched by FEAR (whether that move was planned by LAW to deny us the relic or simply bad tactics, I don't know). A bit later, we won a huge battle against LAW and the war was pretty much over. We had hardly lost any armies in the war at all and came away with a good crystal and army score, but without relics.
So in the end, FEAR had 6 relics, KoD and SoLD 2 each. KoD had early on agreed to hand their relics over to either FEAR or SoLD. We also handed over our relics and the round ended.
FutureWhile the round was very fun (not only our own wars, but also the multitude of smaller wars happening all the time), ultimatively, we found it very frustrating that age after age, the real challenge was not beating other allies, but snatching relics faster than FEAR. Each age had some "big" opposing allies show up (who frequently took rank 1 before falling to SoLD or FEAR), yet in the end, the outcome was predictable. The combination of FEAR's and SoLD's active and tactically skilled players always won out. Being great friends with FEAR, we did not want to fight against them, but a continuation of FEAR-SoLD dominance on this server would be boring. We won 4 ages in a row, there is nothing left to prove here.
We tried to arrange some kind of merger between FEAR and SoLD into one ally, which didn't work out. So, in response, SoLD is dropping out of this server for the next age. Time for some other alliances to show what they are worth. There will be a big hole in the usual power structure in the eastern half of the world, and I'll be most interested to watch who will fill it.
Players:SoLD has a large number of skilled players (not only in SoLD, but also so1d and S0LD), but I want to single out 2 specifically:
- Uni: Our leader this age (and several ages in the past), super commited to the team and one of the most tactically skilled and selfless players I know
- Morph: One of our newer recruits who simply is a superb player. Active, skilled, great teamplay.
Among many good others, you were the best and ensured that we came out on top again this age.
AlliesFEAR: You guys have been great friends over all those ages. Between us, who won was usually down to luck, not any difference in skill. I have no doubt that any other ally will have a hard time winning E3 against you.
AuAu & DIP: You have been both long time allies and friends in the Australia region. I really want to see what you can do, now that the area is yours without SoLD as the overarching ally in the region.
OthersGrr: Over all ages, I have to say you were out strongest foes. The only time ever that we were close to defeat. Great work!
Knaw: Nice defense, but making favorable NAPs and defending alone doesn't win the game.
LAW: No hard feelings for the early attack here. Ours was one of the cleanest and most fun of all wars I had.
All those others we fought: Props to those of you who fought well and made us worry. Shame on those (and you were a lot more numberous) who backed up big words and big highscores with nothing and easily crumbled. If you are still think you deserve a go at us, well, tough luck, you had your chance. Maybe we'll come back some day to give you another one
- Xeeron
