When a game is new like ours and the new toys that are given to any game we play the top players or clans always take the first picking,

eventually as new OB's drop, the middle Ob's aren't really wanted as most high ranked clans are going to fight for the border so they don't get locked in....

it all takes some great patience but sooner or "later" even those other clans will be fighting for the Ob's that the upper hand doesn't no longer want

soon the balance will be there

the game isn't going to die just because the top clans are taking over the map, speaking out of previous experience with plarium games, this is how it always is, like I said in my previous comment, With do time more will drop, I didn't say this week or next I said when they do.... 

Cookie said:

Just a thought which might be worth considering for the big 4 teams... (Malice, Malice II / Vanguard, Decadence, Storm Riders)

I've been playing for nearly a month... still new enough to be nowhere near a contender, and yet old enough to see how this game works. One of the observations that I have made is that we have basically entered into a "stable system" world. Malice has the same Obelisks it had a month ago... nothing has changed; Malice II has the same obelisks it had, nothing has changed. Decadence and storm riders have the same obelisks.... and notably... nothing has changed.

Obelisk attack and defence is supposed to be the critical "top end" part to the game... and yet, what we see in actuality is a stable system where you are not only content with what you have - but have ACTIVELY DECLARED NAP's with each other. While obviously this provides an excellent opportunity for you to leverage your considerable advantages against the next level down (people level 50-70 odd in a disparate number of clans) without much loss - I was wondering whether you had considered some of the following:

1. A stable system is boring. Seriously - how can you not consider it boring? Either way, if all you do is pump the level 60's in other clans, they will eventually leave and your new targets will eventually get further away.

2. You yourself are failing to be able to enjoy the attack/defence aspects of the key clan portion of the game... last time you attacked an obelisk was..?

3. You will actually kill the game. If it just ends up with the old hands pumping out against new hands, this game cannot survive.

4. no other clans can really participate. They are just fodder.

This is just a thought; I'm neither upset nor bitter about anything - I think most people in your position would do the same sorts of things to preserve themselves. I just think that you might need to reconsider your domineering truce and perhaps take the game on somewhat more.

Happy hunting out there,

Cooks.

What Blasphemy has said is 100% Accurate (and no, I'm not just siding with her because I'm in her Pirates game And we are on the same league in Stormfall (Knights Templar- Being Number 1).

Believe it or not, we are ALL starting to feel the impatience of Plarium Not dropping Obelisks by now. However, Im sure it's gonna happen. We all just have to be Paitient. Because after all, The clans aren't killing the game because no obelisks are dropping, Plarium is doing that (or perhaps it's the clan's who aren't doing anything).   - - I'm sure when Plarium feel the need to drop them, they will.

I can't say (and don't expect Me to say) that when Obelisks Do eventually drop, what SRS is gonna do. You just have to play it smartly.

Anyway- To Address your Suggestions...

You said, "1. A stable system is boring. Seriously - how can you not consider it boring? Either way, if all you do is pump the level 60's in other clans, they will eventually leave and your new targets will eventually get further away."

That is a matter of Opinion. Peace can be boring, however lower level members can grow and Blossum into powerful people, with out spending any money in the game. They don't have to fear (as much) as losing theire troops to the other higher level players.

These people who are in a Safe enough Clan get all the Rewards of Holding an Obelisks. I can Not speak for them, but I don't think they consider it boring. Nothing is wrong with peace.... There are Tons of clans in this game, to the point where they have a problem, they are More then free/welcom to attack anybody at Any time.

Don't blame the top clans for this, blame the people who Don't want to Hit them and cause some Havoc. I mean, if your on top, why try to start a fire with so many people below you like that?

Your on top, your job is to maintain it.

You said, "2. You yourself are failing to be able to enjoy the attack/defence aspects of the key clan portion of the game... last time you attacked an obelisk was..?"

Strategy. There is no need to attack one another when the top clans can grow more powerful. We may not be able to attack eachothers obelisks for example, but that doesn't mean the REST of the Entire clans on Nords can't attack us...and Ohhh boy, they have. The clans who hold obelisks Defend the obelisks against all enemy threats.  Thinking very smart here, it's better to lose some defense troops defending an obelisks, then to lose defense And offense in trying to take one.

This is a smart choice on those who spent money on theire troops and don't want to lose them.  And anyway, if the great majority of the people within the clan are happy with the way things are set up between the Obelisks Clans... Then what ever they Are willing to miss out on means nothing to them.           -(Obelisk Carnage)-                              They do have the Option to Leave if they want to do "more"...but nobody has left just to do That.

You said, 3. You will actually kill the game. If it just ends up with the old hands pumping out against new hands, this game cannot survive.

As I said earlier in my post, "we" aren't killing the game. The game (IMO) can Grow if Plarium Would drop more obelisks and get everybody Moving/shifting/planning/calculating/scheming etc...      (Sounds like you work for Plarium and want people to start to Do something to spend money) Lol

You said, "4. no other clans can really participate. They are just fodder."

This I'm afraid is not true. If a Clan Wants to Participate... If they want to Do something, If they have the Money (yes that), and Members, -they can take out any clans on the clan map. But it comes down to more then that. It comes down to Sacrificing. If your not willing to Sacrifice and Make deals with other clans to help, then you get nothing. Nothing will happen, Nothing will Change.

You must have the power to change what you want, because if you don't...then there is no point.

If Other clans Want an Obelisks Bad enough, they'll take it... We can't stop them from taking anything they want to. We can't stop Anybody from hitting Any Obelisks.

Now if they do... will they have the defense to hold it, or the offense to take it if they lose it? There is too much to plan for ahead before anybody would have to do anything when it comes to taking an obelisk. *shrugs* Maybe no other clan wants it.... 

And to comment on your last part, 

This being a War game as it is, it's not Strategically smart to fight a clan (or clans) if your gonna be out numbered. It doens't make Any Sense. 

3 vs. 1 Is Not a wise move on anybodies part..........   So yeah, playing the game smart here.   :~p

The top clans aren't killing the game, the players who aren't Doing anything about it (May) be the ones who are   -  IMO -.

The top 4 earned those spots through diplomacy, planning, and straight up sacrifice. 

1. As top tier clans I don't believe we would turn away lvl 50's or 60's or even 40's aslong as they deserve a spot. Obelisks require defense and the more defense a clan has, the more obelisks it can likely hold. A lvl 60 with 10k defense and offence probably isn't suited for a top clan. If people can follow the rules of their respective clan and can contribute more than witty conversation to it, they'll likely be kept. 

2. Last time I attacked an obelisk.... 17 days. Last time my obelisk was attacked... today. When new obelisks drop, we'll attack them and when new clans work their way onto the map we'll attack them..... unless you ask us nicely ;) No single clan can hold every obelisk so there is no reason for the top 4 to weaken each other for obelisks we cant hold.

3. I cant speak for every top 4, but I'm constantly cleaning out Malice and making way for new members. Some make the cut, others don't. Its's just the nature of the beast. We aren't all a bunch of old farts set in our ways, just a few of us are.

Interesting. I appreciate the view point of the OP, but basically they are asking us to dumb down our game play. I think their approach should be instead asking Plarium to improve/change some things. The 4 clans on the map, as stated earlier, have earned their spots. They all have something different than 99% of the other clans on the game & that is organization and smart diplomacy. Lots of clans out there have some big coiners, they just do not seem to know how to use these people better or maybe it is they do not know how to use their non-coiners to support their coiners. Also, as most of us who play other games know, these things have life cycles and they will change eventually. 

I REALLY hope Plarium releases a LOT more Obelisks this next drop & that they have a drop soon!!

Meadran

Guys, I think you miss my point.

Not arguing it is a bad strategy.  It is a very good strategy.... but it is also a strategy which cripples gameplay for anyone who is not you, to the extent where anyone who is not you cannot compete.  My point is not that you aren't on a winning strategy... my point is that your winning strategy is one which chokes the game (as it currently stands - you all are very eager for Plarium to drop Obelisk - sure, but as the game currently stands, surely you agree that this strategy will kill the game).

This is just another discussion about envy

People just understand, there are players who pay a lot. there are also a lot of players who play smart and pay nothing.

Don't think you will be a well known player in the start of the game.

Just get experienced in the game and its mechanics.

If you understand that, it does not matter if you pay or not, you will get at the top just by think smart

Don't envy people on a higher level, just be sure you will also get there

It takes some time, but eventually you will get there

Yes - your answers were (in summary):

1. It's not boring, that's just your opinion.
2. It's a good strategy to keep forming and reforming a larger power base at the top and crushing people below.
3. It's not our fault - Plarium should change how it works so that we can keep working like we are.
4. Other clans should just "take control".

My answer.  It is a good strategy in the short term... but it ultimately is a losing strategy if you wish to play this game for more than the next 2 months.

In response to you:
1. It is boring for any player belonging to a clan between ranks 6 and 60 who is ranked over level 50.  It is less thrilling than it could be for you because as Scorpdog notes - last time he even got to attack an Obelisk was 3 weeks ago (that was a nice raid you did do on the Obelisk that we had claimed).
2. It is a good strategy, except if people quit...  And this game leaks people like a sieve.
3. It is your responsibility to play the game under its current guidelines. - not ot pass the blame for your approach on the permissibility of Plarium.
4. Have you considered what that would mean?  Firstly to take an Obelisk from the top tier of the game - and then secondly to defend your Obelisk against the attacks of ALL 4 top tier clans, because it is the only one that they can attack, because of their NAPs.

*sighs*

I'm sure your "suggestion" has been considered, but I can't speak for the other 3 Clans, I can only speak for mines. And even if it is just my voice to give an opinion about the current Obelisks N.a.P.

My clan is fine with it. There is No need or will there be a need to Change it..... AT Least until Plarium does something on their end.

I would greatly assume that the other 3 Clans feel the same exact way.

It's good to see that you have put yourself in the position to be the voice of so many clans though...... >_>

Your giving an opinion on what You feel *by suggesting* the top clans should do, when realistically and politically it's been decided among us all that the way things are Now is what "we" feel is best for our clans as a whole- The Chiefs/Advisors.

 There is No need to change it, especially based upon somebody who's not in the top clans?

I'm not trying to come off as being Prudish or Insulting. People who know me from this game knows I don't come off like that. (I could though)- It's just that, this is whats best for us, the top clans. And it's all been discussed over and over again.

All the other clans can feel free to do what ever they want about it if they are up to it...if they feel that they are bored, that the game is decaying.

I'm not really saying "you must do this".... that's silly.  I'm just hopefully providing an observation from someone who joined a month ago and who sees things from the middle of the pack...  from this particular vantage point - there are things which those who'd like to play this long term probably need to consider.

I'll say I'm Australian and so have a permanent bent towards hoping the underdog comes out on top :-P.  Nah, I'd want to feel like I earned and contributed to getting up there rather than just falling into it.

Won't it be great if there is only 3 OBs? And only the top 3 clans can hold it and every month it goes back neutral and everybody got to fight for it.