Oct 22nd 2014, 17:42:26
Supply v. Demand.
With fewer players on the server, it becomes easier to manipulate the commodity markets. The old "rule of thumb" in terms of specialization doesn't always apply now. Not being "self sufficient" causes more vulnerabilities than it used to.
Back in the day when there were 8,000 countries (or more) on the server, the dynamic was very different. The irony of the whole thing is that today, a large net gaining clan could use their financial advantage to control the oil and food market and simply lay waste to all competition if they planned it right.
We all know that DUE to the specialization advantages to certain Gov/Economy combos, that also outlines the vulnerabilities they experience.
Truth is, the "rainbow strategies" that everyone has always made fun of becomes THE strategy when war breaks out and only THEN if they have enough commodity reserves to initiate a crippling FS. Note that I didn't say high kill FS.
This game is evolving in ways maybe unexpected and unintended, but if I wanted a piece of someone, I'd AB or BR their asses into the ground and then use them as land farms. For too long, the traditional notions of the FS has stayed inside the box.