Round 32
Dates and Times
Signups opened at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 19th June
Ticks started at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 26th June
Ticks finished at 20:00 GMT on Friday, 12th August
Round Summary
Round 32 saw a decrease in tag limit size down to 70 in an attempt to stimulate the game. This was also matched by Ascendancy carrying out an internal purge, kicking about half of their 120 strong memberbase after Round 31. xVx saw a large number of their members from the previous round leave as well, particularly the LDK core which had provided many of their top planets. This group, led by Cardinal, joined together with a number of ex-DLR players, led by Religfree and a group centred primarily around elviz, to form a new alliance called Apprime. Another new alliance also entered the round under the name p3nguins with members joining from various different locations. Other significant alliances included NewDawn, Conspiracy Theory and the smaller Ascendancy. Violent Realm
Three alliances were viewed as the primary contenders for this round, Conspiracy Theory and two new alliances, p3nguins and Apprime. Apprime, with what was considered by many to be the best contending group of players in the round, initially accumulated a value lead over their rivals and began to pull away. At this point a block of CT, p3nguins, Ascendancy, Newdawn, EC and at times Violent Realm joined forces and attacked Apprime. Up against extremely unfavourable odds, and despite a brief interval in the block's working together and the help of ROCK, Apprime were unable to hold their own and their planets were slowly roided. p3nguins and CT both accumulated a roid lead over Apprime and CT were able to move into the #1 spot while p3nguins closed in behind Apprime as well. As Apprime dropped to #2 and moved further behind CT, with a significantly lower roid count than the other alliances, Ascendancy left the block and positioned themselves alongside Apprime.
This reduction in firepower weakened the block and following Ascendancy's depature Violent Realm and then ND also left, deciding that their round goals no longer involved targeting Apprime. CT and p3nguins were steadily caught up to by Apprime in this period, assisted in their targeting by Ascendancy. Finding it difficult to fully focus on Apprime, and hampered by planets crashing p3nguins and CT were passed out by Apprime and despite some end of round closures Apprime were able to maintain their position as the #1 alliance for Round 32.
