Authentic from the Rim: Top 12's Down to a Science
1. Honey Badgers- My alliance your opinions.
2. Rising Phoenix- Based in 55 need to be wary of other alliances in the area though, I know a few Army of the Dead members not personally but played with, played against, and they could be come a problem to the south, same with TBA., Instinct, Perfect Storm. Low ABP and DBP for current size but I attribute to them taking over the outer parts of 55 early on instead of the inner core area, also to the fact that a lot of BP from the first couple weeks is lost because of being a new alliance.
Swim
3. RAIDING HORDE- Good positioning in 54 but between 2 Elite giants in Instinct and Storm having the highest and second highest average respectively, As they are a large alliance and can probably stand their own against an onslaught from a few alliances.
Float then Swim
4. TBA.- 3rd Best average good ABP numbers, I see them going places although they have lost a few good players and they have recruited members from other alliances, while actively fighting them.
Swim
5. Perfect Storm - Fourth biggest average, good alliance they just have a large spread with their core being the 64/65 border, their ABP is okay compared to size. They may lose players that are separated from the core.
Float then Swim
6. S.T.O.R.M- Even with a good average an fantastic ABP closing recruitment may be a grave mistake, as when you do things like severely limit recruiting this early it makes it hard to grow as taking cities does not equal the amount of points gained from adding new players. I call this the Elite Effect, as although it is possible to win WW with 37 members it is usually a competition of who has the most resources and usually the 37 member alliance doesn't win except in low alliance cap worlds. Many alliances thought to be the best couldn't grow quickly enough, and it was a matter of time before they got outpaced by everyone else.
Swim then Float
7. Instinct- Extreme sufferer of Elite Effect, low ABP but this can be attributed to lack of members. Unlike the other top 12 alliance with EE, they have recruitment open but with such strict measures (less than 150 players meet their standards and since almost all the players are in a top 12 alliance This limits them to 10 players or less not in a top 12 alliance within an entire ocean of them that they can recruit, this basically means "we aren't recruiting anyone but we want to make it look like we are". They have a couple good players and if they are smart they will either absorb a couple small alliances nearby or merge.
Float
8. THE MILITIA- A good alliance based in 64, their survival depends completely on whether their capable enough to beat Perfect Storm, but with many of Perfect Storm's best located in northern waters and 64, they might have the upper hand in this war, this also depends on what alliances like No Drama, The Asylum and The Refugees do. seems to be taking the beating DBp wise in this one. Float
9. Hammertime- Great ABP, decent average, but terrible location right between 2 of the giants TBA. and Rising Phoenix and they seem to be taking the biggest beating in this world, if they are smart they can flee towards the rim area or in SW 45, or the undeveloped parts of 44.
Float then Sink
10. Refugees- They dominate their ocean (63) and depending on what they do they can build a great alliance or easily destroy it, due to their low ABP they would usually be an instant sink, their survival depends on how isolated they are from the majority of the world, so they can have time to develop or cause problems with others and get taken out early. Lowest ABP, DBP and average.
Float
11. Order of Sicarius- Know many of them from Troy, and besides their 2 areas (southern 45 and the 45/44 border) they can grow and take the undeveloped part of 44 to become real contender of an alliance. As Cleo slowly wanes I expect nothing but good things from these guys.
Swim
12. Cleopatra Legion- Although currently they look solid, looking at their history they have decline from a possible top 3 contender to the bottom of the top 12. I see them merging into an alliance or continuing a decline that will leaver the already 75% empty 44, with a vacuum that will need to be filled most likely by order of Sicarius.
Sink
The most up and coming alliances in order is
Army of Dead
United Front
Super Duper
The Storm
Sledgehammers
Iron Edge
NameLess Elite