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What I've learned


Joseph Black

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Alliances are seen as united entities against foreign nations/alliances. The pure and simple purpose for starting an alliance is to avoid the natural order which is to be raided relentlessly.

But just starting an alliance does not exempt individuals from this natural order. They sign treaties to avoid being the next head on the chopping block. This moves the world forward from being a unit nation, to a unit alliance.

Now we all know what comes next, the inevitable bloc, alliances join blocs so they can gain political clot they could not have gained on their own. Example of this, nobody would care about Non Grata if it were not for them being part of Pandora's Box. There are countless other alliances that are like this.

So now you have the world divided into five classes of people; unit nations, unit alliances, blocs, and meat shields. For the purpose of this discussion lets say that any alliance that only has one treaty or is a protectorate of a larger alliances fall into the last category. (I know they don't, but its easier with an odd number)

The biggest issue is that most 89% of all alliances are a carbon copy of each other. Strip away the creative names (for titles, forum sections, and/or avatar) and you end up with about 3 types of alliances.

~The leader driven- where the leadership does most of the work, the members are semi to not active.

~The member driven- where the members do most of the work, and the leadership pretty much does nothing, but pretends to have some reason for still being in charge.

~The Corps- a dead alliance with the illusion of the above, the only thing still keeping the alliance together is simply the fact that the vultures are to scared it might come back to life, or even the flies find the idea of eating it revolting.

Alright so I think that's enough flushing out detail, I'll get onto what this whole topic is about. A negative regression within the alliance its self. They say organization is the key to alliance success. Let me be the first to tell you it isn't, you can be as organized as you want to be, right down to where to post that up collected taxes for that day.

Organization is a tool to build a solid alliance, but by no means is it the material that makes the alliance. A forum, flag, members, community, communication channels, and stats. These are what make an alliance an alliance. Don't let anyone fool you stats are probably the 3rd most important fact in having a successful alliance. I'll go into this in order of importance.

~Members, without these you don't have an alliance. You have a club, your forum is a club house, and at best you are a political party within your protectors alliance. This is the foundation of your alliance.

~Community, without this you doomed, once you have the members you need a reason for the members to even be there. If you can't come up with one (that doesn't include; I want to lead, I want to make a difference, We are doing something together, I like these people) than you have no supporting walls. Yes, I just said all of those reasons are crap and you WILL FAIL.

~Goals, you must have a realistic goal and a set amount of time to reach the goal. Meaning we will have X number of NS, nukes, ANS, members, score, treaty with this alliance, ect within the next 1-3 months. This is your stats, and these are very important. These are the windows and doors, without them your in a cell and will eventual resent being there.

~Forums/Flag/ect, alright now we get to vanity. Depending on what kind of alliance you want to build depends on how much detail you should go into with these. If you want lots of organization great, this is the place to add a trashcan, smoke detector, and coat rack in corner of the house.

~Charter, simply put this is the operation of the house you have now built, whether your the man/woman of the house and what you say goes or everyone gets to vote, or you hold candles and dance. This is the last thing you should worry about when starting an alliance because this has nothing to do with the alliance. This is the fancy TV, the big couch, the hot tub out back. Even without these things the house is still a house and the alliance is still an alliance.

Alright I'm starting to fell a little bit better and I my piña colada just got here so I'll wrap this up. Most people want to find/make/merge/co-found an alliance that fits their stuff. They want to pick the color, put posters up, a big TV, and call it good. Most people are also Idiots who will watch a ball falling from the sky until it smacks them in the face too.

So remember these suggestions the next time your starting or joining a new alliance.

Edit

I shared this publicly because I felt that others may be able to add to it, or learn something from it.

Edited by Muddog
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I can guarantee you that the best alliances have very advanced systems of coordinating especially during war. To say alliances are carbon copies of each other is naive.

Edited by Jaiar
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[quote name='Jaiar' timestamp='1310358323' post='2754206']
Non Grata joined Doomhouse? I am out of the loop.

I can guarantee you that the best alliances have very advanced systems of coordinating especially during war. To say alliances are carbon copies of each other is naive.
[/quote]

Pandora's Box forgive me. I'd be interested to compare them, but I'd bet that those advanced systematical differences you make mention are superficial at best (Edit) and still are not enough to separate them from the crowd.


Edit-

I will not argue that the best alliances are organized, but not all organized alliances are the best.

Edited by Muddog
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[quote name='Muddog' timestamp='1310358591' post='2754207']
Pandora's Box forgive me. I'd be interested to compare them, but I'd bet that those advanced systematical differences you make mention are superficial at best.
[/quote]
The best alliances have people that can write programs to make coordination easier for war and foreign aid slots. Most alliances do not have such people so in a way you are right about most being carbon copy alliances. The average DOE alliance if it were thrown 400 members behind its AA would have a huge mess. Using pen and paper or spreadsheets to try and organize things. The elite have better methods.

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[quote name='Jaiar' timestamp='1310359077' post='2754214']
The best alliances have people that can write programs to make coordination easier for war and foreign aid slots. Most alliances do not have such people so in a way you are right about most being carbon copy alliances. The average DOE alliance if it were thrown 400 members behind its AA would have a huge mess. Using pen and paper or spreadsheets to try and organize things. The elite have better methods.
[/quote]

I'll have to fold on that one. I've never had the opportunity to see a program for that...

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Formula for success:
• Be controversial
• Core theme
• Historical/Authentic/Political
• Authoritarian/Democratically (but controlled) placed on a predetermined path
• Rigored system of membership promotions
• Militaristic
• Dynamic leadership

Alliances whom have weathered this path and still exist:
• New Pacific Order
• New Polar Order
• Mushroom Kingdom
• Federation of Armed Nations
• Independent Republic of Orange Nations
• Nordreich
• Umbrella

That to me is the list of alliances in this game that are not cookie cutter, lazy, stupidly themed, meatshields, 'exist by default', packed on a bus with friends for protection and just so inept that their continued existence defies logic.

This is NOT to say that alliances like Viridian Entente, Sparta, The Order of Paradox, New Sith Order, Mostly Harmless Alliance, Orange Defense Network, Valhalla and Fark -- will not be there for you when !@#$ turns sideways -- but the alliances on that top list; they will burn for you and sail to the end of the world if that means defending you.

That top list has a lot of things in common; chiefly being that they're tough !@#$ and anyone who has played this game long enough, will appreciate and expect the outcome of what will happen when one of those declares your pixels dust. Denying the reality of that fact is uneducated in the historical wars of Cyber Nations.

What makes a successful alliance?

A desire to $%&@ !@#$ up and coordinated offenses. No amount of 'forum and charter design' will save you when the music stops. Strong theme, unwavering leadership, balls and educated leadership -- that is success.

Play ball or go home.

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[quote name='Jaiar' timestamp='1310359077' post='2754214']
The average DOE alliance if it were thrown 400 members behind its AA would have a huge mess. Using pen and paper or spreadsheets to try and organize things. The elite have better methods.
[/quote]

Programs do make life easier, but that isnt what makes or breaks organisation as a couple of people who are dedicated to the job can easily make do with spreadsheets without too much effort/hassle. Its just finding them if the people who made the alliance are lazy :P

Edited by the rebel
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[quote name='ImperialCubanacan' timestamp='1310386947' post='2754360']
Alliances whom have weathered this path and still exist:
• New Pacific Order
• New Polar Order
• Mushroom Kingdom
• Federation of Armed Nations
• Independent Republic of Orange Nations
• Nordreich
• Umbrella

That to me is the list of alliances in this game that are not cookie cutter, lazy, stupidly themed, meatshields, 'exist by default', packed on a bus with friends for protection and just so inept that their continued existence defies logic.

This is NOT to say that alliances like Viridian Entente, Sparta, The Order of Paradox, New Sith Order, Mostly Harmless Alliance, Orange Defense Network, Valhalla and Fark -- will not be there for you when !@#$ turns sideways -- [b]but the alliances on that top list; they will burn for you and sail to the end of the world if that means defending you.[/b]
[/quote]

Did you type that bold part with a straight face?

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Guess you didn't learn spelling from leading Organization XIII :P

Now that you mention this, I guess some things that I've learned from a similar adventure of my own is that any alliance that is going to go anywhere in the present climate needs to have patience, perseverance, purpose and dedication.

So many alliances pop on to the scene in a blaze of glory, and a month or two later they've fizzled. Putting it together too quickly often leads to long-term failure. There are alot of people who are attracted to those sort of things, the "flavor of the month" type alliance. People like to band-wagon and hop on something that looks promising. I think those type of people are cancer, because they'll be the first to hop off when things go to hell.

Things won't go your way. Have back-up plans (and plans to fall back on [s]if[/s] when your back-up plans fail.) Have realistic expectations, and realise that things will happen that will be out of of your control and you will simply have to do the best you can.

Have goals in mind of what your doing with your alliance that you can't accomplish by being a member elsewhere and work to achieve them. Sure, an alliance can function as just yet another hang-out for people to assemble, but with so much choice, for you to make it big, you need to find a niche. I'm not sure if I'd count themes as doing this by themselves.

And when everything fails, you've got to care enough about your project to revise your plan of attack and give it another go.

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the key to succes is simple
you need capable people who can spend enough time on CN
10 smart guys and 90 retards are better than 100 people with average intelligence if the 90 retards are willing to do what the 10smart guys say

what is the hardest part about this?
CN is simply full of people who consider themselves smart but who are actually complete retards compared to anyone with an IQ higher than 125
Even worse is the amount of people who think they are doing a great job eventho they are doing a crappy one. Usually they get the support from other retards who are being sincere when they say "great job, I couldn't have done that myself", but the fact that they would do a pathetic job doesn't turn the crappy job in a good job. These people doing a crappy are also usually the ones unwilling to step down should someone with more skills/potential come along. One of the best traits a person who genuinely loves his alliance can have, is putting his pride aside and stepping down when someone who can do a better job comes along.
so if you want to start an AA, just gather atleast 5 committed smart guys and you'll have a tremendous headstart compared with 90% of the alliances being founded.

Edited by Exige
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In August I will be the official leader of an alliance for 3 years now(Immortals and Legacy). It all depends on what kind of alliance you want to have. I always went the strong community route. Neither TI or Legacy had a theme and our community was/is awesome. We have formed very strong bonds and they have lasted for a long time, some are going on 3 or 4 years this summer, others will hit 5 years this november.

If this is what you want it's all about how you treat your members. Ive had plenty of newer nations leave because they want to experience something different and test the waters and 90% of the time they come back and I get the stories about how the leader of whatever alliance never once talked to them, no one in gov tried to get to know them, or they felt like they were just a number. That is not how you run an alliance.

It all depends on what you define as fun though. To us, our forums and irc are fun. It's limitless, we never know whats gonna be said next and we got a lot of laughs out of it.

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[quote name='sir pwnage' timestamp='1310469644' post='2754868']
If eco is lumped into IA, then you're right. But lining up tech deals and trade circles is a lot more mind numbing than running an academy and recruiting.
[/quote]

That depends on the kinds of setups you have internally for Eco and IA. Recruiting and data scraping is just plain mind-numbing -.-

Edited by shahenshah
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