After playing a very aggressive first age, fighting multiple wars, we wanted to play this round more strategic (i.e. make sure we win). We picked NZ as a starting position and soon kicked out the few other people spawning there. When the relics started spawning, we got 2 in asia due to the gate network we had build up there and our forward colonies in thailand.

The first big thing of the round was the our third possible relic, which both we and DROW had a shot at. We got there first, but the issue was risking to slide into a war with DROW, the only other big alliance in oceania. Now, big wars early on are always bad, but wars between 2 Aussi allies are especially bad. We had a lead in score and would likely have won, but it would have kept us occupied while all the other relics spawned and would have also thrown us far behind FRXX. In the end, we made a deal that DROW accepted: They took the relic, and we agreed to split all other relics, as well as the win in the end 50-50. This way, we gained valuable and loyal allies.

Next to us in china SYN picked up a relic as well. Seeing how they stood little chance against SoLD and DROW combined, they offered to hand over the relic without fight, provided we left it to them till we got all others. A little later, we sent our forces to southern america to take FEARs relic, but FEAR made the same deal. It has to be said that both alliances proved to be faithful and stood by their word later on.

That left us with just 3 relics to go before the win: RCPs and the 2 FRXX ones. DROW shipped their army over to africa with a nice relic attack move and secured the first. Once SoLDs initial timed NAP with FRXX ran out, we started the war to get the other two. SYN decided to help us out, so it turned out to be SoLD, DROW & SYN (plus subs with little actual combat) vs FRXX & xKTx (did xKTx have subs? dont remember). While we had a small advantage scorewise, it still looked like the stage was set for an epic battle. However, in the end, our victory was more swift than expected: We knocked xKTx out of the war without FRXX helping them much, leaving three full alliances to face FRXX. Then, several of FRXX's top players (including #1 melmik) went into vacation mode, making the battle very loopsided. With still more than 2500 ticks to go, we decided to pull forward the relic merger agreed on with DROW at the start of the round, to prevent half an age of boredom.

Props go to:
*Our leader this round, Uni, who made all this possible.
*Our loyal allies, SYN, FEAR and especially DROW
*All others who helped and those allies who honored their NAPs with us

See you all next age and enjoy havoc till then!

- Xeeron

I got some very amused messages when I changed (FRXX) Melmik's alliance name to 'MLV - Melmik loves vacation'

I sort of wish I played that round just to at least witness the events, although it seemed be fairly quick

No love for the enemy? If Kirr and Pistolz werent sick, if my bro didn't die, if melmik wasn't a coward, and if tootje didn't run, we'd have won. but oh well. Good round.

Congrats to everyone.

I started the round as a low ranked inactive colony. I saw that sold was going to be a good alliance (having never head of them before), so I asked to join. Uni let me join sold, relying on only my word that I was a good player. I hope I have shown him that over the round. I had a brilliant round this era, and have learned a lot ( damage unit suck big time). I look forward to future rounds with sold

That is the main point: If half the ally cant (or wont) fight, you wont win wars. Would have been a more interesting round with a "fully staffed" FRXX against us.

- Xeeron

Thanks drow for a great round, I think this round has taught me alot =]

Great team work from our allies, we kicked ass.
See you next round

ahh but a word from a member of SoLD: appollo, FRXX couldnt have taken on the four alliances of SoLD, DROW, SYN, and FEAR. The ones who were cowardly, were the smart ones. I give you my sincere apology if your brother passed, BUT i doubt that all the members who left on vacation were "sick" or whatever else they might have been all at once. They were simply too worried about losing their own rank. Players like that do not benefit a thing in an alliance. You need team players.