Round 31: Difference between revisions
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==Round Summary== | ==Round Summary== | ||
Round 31 began with [[Ascendancy]] (playing under the tag name [[toot|TOOT THE ALLIANCE]]), as the victor of the previous three rounds, as | '''Round 31''' began with [[Ascendancy]] (playing under the tag name [[toot|TOOT THE ALLIANCE]]), and as the victor of the previous three rounds they went in perceived as heavy favourites. On top of this they had continued their recruitment despite having more members than the tag limit, giving themselves a much wider pool than other alliances. The only other full alliance tag to start the round was [[xVx]]. xVx had recruited heavily as well after [[Round 30]]. [[Cardinal]], who had been one of Ascendancy's key members in the previous round, had left the alliance and with a number of other ex-[[LDK]] members had joined xVx. This strengthened xVx immensely and provided a further boost as many players, believing that Ascendancy and xVx were on friendly terms, joined them to avoid fighting Ascendancy that round. xVx, Ascendancy and [[ROCK]] all did in fact go into the round on relatively friendly terms, although not [[NAP]]ed as some believed. | ||
The other main development in the round concerned the impact of Ascendancy's dominance on the opposing alliances from the previous round. Both [[Conspiracy Theory]], [[VGN]] and [[NewDawn]] lost a number of members and [[Omen]] disbanded. After the success of [[DLR]] the previous round many people decided to start up their own smaller "[[BG]]"-style alliances. These included [[Evolution]], largely based around a [[Denial]] core, [[WAFHH]], started by ex-Omen [[HC]] [[Wishmaster]], a returning [[Insomnia]], [[EC]] and [[SPOON]], the tag name under which Saints played. These alliances all entered the round on friendly terms, sharing an [[IRC]] channel and holding a common agreement to work together to oppose any attempt to run them over individually. This round was marked by the dominance of a few particular [[ship types]], primarily [[Cathaar]] [[Ship_class#Fighter_.28FI.29|fighters]] and [[Xandathrii]] fighter/[[Ship_class#Corvette_.28CO.29|corvette]] fleets, with [[Ship_class#Frigate_.28fr.29|frigate]] and [[Ship_class#Destroyer_.28DE.29|destroyer]] anti-[[Ship_class#Cruiser_.28CR.29|cr]]/[[Ship_class#Battleship_.28BS.29|bs]] def fleets. Ascendancy and xVx were almost entirely fi/co to start off. Other alliances specialised even further with Evolution and SPOON going totally Xan fi/co and DLR being almost purely Cath fi. | |||
As the round got under way Ascendancy, as expected, moved out to an early lead, on the back of both a larger memberbase and a better average roid count. xVx were the next closest alliance, with the rest lagging further behind. Ascendancy and xVx were at this stage both avoiding each other's [[core galaxies]], a tactic which made sense for both alliances given the number of shared galaxies they possessed. Without any concentrated targeting against them Ascendancy began to stretch the gap between themselves and xVx. At this point, with some 10 days of the round gone, the BGs, fearing the worst, decided they needed to at least make an attempt to prevent Ascendancy from running away with the round. This led to most of them hitting Ascendancy but this initial attempt did not hold together well. Although Ascendancy's growth stalled somewhat, particularly over the first couple of days, they were still holding onto the #1 position comfortably. With a little less than 3 weeks gone in the round the attempt to bring Ascendancy down was renewed in strength. Most of the BGs, along with ND, CT and VGN, as well as other smaller alliances on rare occasions, targeted Ascendancy heavily. While the earlier problems concerning keeping everyone involved and contented still existed, and some alliances did not participate on certain nights, enough did to severely hamper Ascendancy's growth. The next few days then saw xVx overtake Ascendancy in terms of total roids. | |||
Despite the appearance that only Ascendancy and xVx were competitors for the #1 spot xVx declined the repeated invitations from the anti-Ascendancy block to become involved in targeting them. | |||
There was only one other full alliance tag in [[xVx]]. Initially xVx, Ascendancy and [[Rock]] co-operated in avoiding each other's galaxies. A loose coalition of most other active alliances, [[Conspiracy Theory]], [[Evolution]], [[DLR]], [[NewDawn]], [[Vengeance]], [[EC]], [[Insomnia]] and [[SPOON]], began targeting Ascendancy in the hopes of preventing their domination of the universe. Despite some success in slowing down their rates of growth Ascendancy were still maintaining their hold on the #1 spot. At this point xVx joined the block and sustained targeting over a period of a week or so saw Ascendancy drop roids heavily, perhaps unfavoured by the halving of [[salvage]] from the previous round which made defending both more difficult and less profitable. | |||
Unable to beat off this opposition Ascendancy approached xVx and offered a [[NAP]] and a proposal to kick their own members from tag at the end of the round to ensure xVx held the #1 spot if they wanted it. xVx accepted the [[NAP]], while at the same time declining the second half of the proposal. This prompted an outcry from the community, leading to an [[Round 31 xVx Statement|official xVx Statement]] on [[Alliance Discussions]]. The remaining few weeks of the round saw xVx and Ascendancy increase their hold on the top rankings and [[Ascendancy]] rise from their second place ranking to achieve their fourth round in a row as #1 alliance. | Unable to beat off this opposition Ascendancy approached xVx and offered a [[NAP]] and a proposal to kick their own members from tag at the end of the round to ensure xVx held the #1 spot if they wanted it. xVx accepted the [[NAP]], while at the same time declining the second half of the proposal. This prompted an outcry from the community, leading to an [[Round 31 xVx Statement|official xVx Statement]] on [[Alliance Discussions]]. The remaining few weeks of the round saw xVx and Ascendancy increase their hold on the top rankings and [[Ascendancy]] rise from their second place ranking to achieve their fourth round in a row as #1 alliance. | ||
=Final Rankings= | =Final Rankings= | ||
Revision as of 20:49, 10 June 2010
Dates and Times
Signups opened at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 17th April
Ticks started at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 24th April
Ticks ended at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 12th June
Round Summary
Round 31 began with Ascendancy (playing under the tag name TOOT THE ALLIANCE), and as the victor of the previous three rounds they went in perceived as heavy favourites. On top of this they had continued their recruitment despite having more members than the tag limit, giving themselves a much wider pool than other alliances. The only other full alliance tag to start the round was xVx. xVx had recruited heavily as well after Round 30. Cardinal, who had been one of Ascendancy's key members in the previous round, had left the alliance and with a number of other ex-LDK members had joined xVx. This strengthened xVx immensely and provided a further boost as many players, believing that Ascendancy and xVx were on friendly terms, joined them to avoid fighting Ascendancy that round. xVx, Ascendancy and ROCK all did in fact go into the round on relatively friendly terms, although not NAPed as some believed.
The other main development in the round concerned the impact of Ascendancy's dominance on the opposing alliances from the previous round. Both Conspiracy Theory, VGN and NewDawn lost a number of members and Omen disbanded. After the success of DLR the previous round many people decided to start up their own smaller "BG"-style alliances. These included Evolution, largely based around a Denial core, WAFHH, started by ex-Omen HC Wishmaster, a returning Insomnia, EC and SPOON, the tag name under which Saints played. These alliances all entered the round on friendly terms, sharing an IRC channel and holding a common agreement to work together to oppose any attempt to run them over individually. This round was marked by the dominance of a few particular ship types, primarily Cathaar fighters and Xandathrii fighter/corvette fleets, with frigate and destroyer anti-cr/bs def fleets. Ascendancy and xVx were almost entirely fi/co to start off. Other alliances specialised even further with Evolution and SPOON going totally Xan fi/co and DLR being almost purely Cath fi.
As the round got under way Ascendancy, as expected, moved out to an early lead, on the back of both a larger memberbase and a better average roid count. xVx were the next closest alliance, with the rest lagging further behind. Ascendancy and xVx were at this stage both avoiding each other's core galaxies, a tactic which made sense for both alliances given the number of shared galaxies they possessed. Without any concentrated targeting against them Ascendancy began to stretch the gap between themselves and xVx. At this point, with some 10 days of the round gone, the BGs, fearing the worst, decided they needed to at least make an attempt to prevent Ascendancy from running away with the round. This led to most of them hitting Ascendancy but this initial attempt did not hold together well. Although Ascendancy's growth stalled somewhat, particularly over the first couple of days, they were still holding onto the #1 position comfortably. With a little less than 3 weeks gone in the round the attempt to bring Ascendancy down was renewed in strength. Most of the BGs, along with ND, CT and VGN, as well as other smaller alliances on rare occasions, targeted Ascendancy heavily. While the earlier problems concerning keeping everyone involved and contented still existed, and some alliances did not participate on certain nights, enough did to severely hamper Ascendancy's growth. The next few days then saw xVx overtake Ascendancy in terms of total roids.
Despite the appearance that only Ascendancy and xVx were competitors for the #1 spot xVx declined the repeated invitations from the anti-Ascendancy block to become involved in targeting them.
There was only one other full alliance tag in xVx. Initially xVx, Ascendancy and Rock co-operated in avoiding each other's galaxies. A loose coalition of most other active alliances, Conspiracy Theory, Evolution, DLR, NewDawn, Vengeance, EC, Insomnia and SPOON, began targeting Ascendancy in the hopes of preventing their domination of the universe. Despite some success in slowing down their rates of growth Ascendancy were still maintaining their hold on the #1 spot. At this point xVx joined the block and sustained targeting over a period of a week or so saw Ascendancy drop roids heavily, perhaps unfavoured by the halving of salvage from the previous round which made defending both more difficult and less profitable.
Unable to beat off this opposition Ascendancy approached xVx and offered a NAP and a proposal to kick their own members from tag at the end of the round to ensure xVx held the #1 spot if they wanted it. xVx accepted the NAP, while at the same time declining the second half of the proposal. This prompted an outcry from the community, leading to an official xVx Statement on Alliance Discussions. The remaining few weeks of the round saw xVx and Ascendancy increase their hold on the top rankings and Ascendancy rise from their second place ranking to achieve their fourth round in a row as #1 alliance.
