Celebrating the winners of Season IV and Season V

Previously thought intercepted by bandits and thieves, personal communications from the champions of seasons past have been discovered! Specifically, from the winners of Season IV and Season V. While some of the dispatches were damaged and a few pages missing from the tranche of correspondence, our scribes have pieced together what they can so that the official record of ALL champions can be restored to its intended glory!

The Conquerors of Season IV

Server: EU1 (Crystal Sea)

Alliance: Friendly

Member Houses: WereRabbits, Heretic, Avar

As the winners of Season II and Season III, taking a third consecutive title cemented Friendly’s place at the top of the all-server podium. It was by no means a forgone conclusion that Friendly would emerge victorious, however. Despite priding itself on being prepared, the alliance had a difficult start to the season and was constantly being harangued by the armies of InJustice. In the end, Friendly’s determination and experience during the final battles saw it through a difficult challenge “They were our toughest opponent”, said Friendly’s leader of InJustice. “They defended so well and got further than all the other houses when trying to take Conqueror’s City from us.”

Server: EU2 (Sicania)

Alliance: GoldenAge

Member Houses: CARTEL, SULTANs, Saint

Despite best efforts, GoldenAge’s battle reports from Season IV could not be restored. Beyond casualty lists and a few personal letters that never made it home, all that is known about GoldenAge’s attempt to successfully hold the Conqueror’s City in the final battles of the season are undocumented accounts of heroic assaults and futile last stands. Nevertheless, let the record show that GoldenAge were deserving victors.

Server: EU3 (Teutatis)

Alliance: OttomanEmpire

Member Houses: OTTOMAN, OTTOMANII, OTTOMANIII

With many players migrating from other servers (predominantly EU2), OttomanEmpire managed to quickly deploy experience and diplomacy to give itself an advantage for the battles ahead. The alliance was also highly organised, with armies of up to 300 players, tasked with securing the most valuable settlements and resource sites, while more mobile units would secure lesser targets, such as villages. Inevitably, perhaps, there was little to stop OttomanEmpire’s ascension in its inaugural season in its new home:. “The foundations of the OTTOMAN family's units were laid this season, and they have reached the strength to carry us forward in the following seasons.”

Server: EU East (Steppes)

Alliance: Dominion

Member Houses: DTInsanire, Crusaders, Byzantium

Byzantium and DTInsanire were previously part of the Troynichok alliance that won Season III, alongside Exiles that were a core member of the alliance that won Season II. There was perhaps some inevitability that this alliance would win what would become the final season before the server was merged into EU1.

Server: NA (Asterion)

Alliance: HeavenlyKingdom

Member Houses: aiko, ForbiddenCity, TheWolfSyndicate

A second consecutive win for HeavenlyKingdom, this time with TheWolfSyndicate replacing previous house member Nakoria and aiko taking the lead for the season’s battles. Despite the cycling administrative changes, the alliance maintained its unity and was “against all odds” able to notch up another victory against its old rival Defiance (the winners of Season II).

The Conquerors of Season V

Server: EU1 (Crystal Sea)

Alliance: Dominion

Member Houses: DTInsanire, Crusaders, Byzantium

Having migrated from EU East, where it had consistently overwhelmed its opposition, Dominion found itself on familiar territory against unfamiliar enemies, namely the Requiem alliance. After taking Daicheng from NewOrder, Dominion was poised to move on Reginopolis, but the city was recaptured, threatening Dominion’s ability to mount a final assault. In the end, Dominion was able to wrest control of the city in the final battle, closing what was a tense and very closely contested season - one that ended the Friendly alliance’s run of three consecutive server victories.

Server: EU2 (Sicania)

Alliance: BlanK

Member Houses: ENDGEGNER, Schwarzfeder, NordischerOrden

Despite being part of Season II’s winning alliance, ENDGEGNER were much diminished after Season III, and spent Season IV rebuilding as part of new alliance BlanK. The lengthy preparations paid off, however, as despite being largely outnumbered in its attempts to dominate Anadolou, notably by SPQR alliance, BlanK was able to assemble an elite team of warlords that was able to successfully challenge for its capital.

Server: EU3 (Teutatis)

Alliance: OttomanEmpire

Member Houses: OTTOMAN, OTTOMANII, OTTOMANIII

It was perhaps inevitable that the winners of EU3’s inaugural season would dominate the second, yet despite having a detailed plan for taking Anadolou, there were many more difficulties to face. Overextending itself was the main problem, by trying and ultimately failing to establish a second alliance to be able to compete for three regional capitals in quick succession. OttomanEmpire also found itself ranged against a more united and organised foe than during Season IV, typified by undaunted efforts of The Forsaken House from the Triforce alliance, noted to be “a formidable adversary in the Turul Varos and Reginopolis wars.”

Server: EU4 (Empyros)

Alliance: Omerta

Member Houses: MAFIA, PvP, SamarKand

Not just a new server and therefore a new alliance, but one whose members and leadership were largely new to the game. Its seeming lack of experience, however, allowed Omerta to be flexible in its tactics, while always keeping the main prize - Reginopolis - as the ultimate goal. Successful diplomatic efforts in maintaining allies that could constantly harass enemies were key. This allowed Omerta to focus its attention on taking and holding Reginopolis against evermore determined opposition.

Server: NA (Asterion)

Alliance: HeavenlyKingdom

Member Houses: aiko, ForbiddenCity

For Season V it was TheWolfSyndicate leading HeavenlyKingdom, using tried and tested tactics to capture only the territories necessary to be able to compete at the end of the season. Meanwhile, the other houses rampaged at will to constantly harass enemies wherever they might be, more as a means to prepare for more meaningful battles to come than to enact any grand strategy. Once again it was the more diplomatically-engaged Defiance alliance that was the main threat to HeavenlyKingdom winning a third consecutive season, but in the end, it was brutal efficiency that allowed HeavenlyKingdom to equal Friendly’s EU1 achievements and become best poised to overshadow them.