Speaking to the point of helping out.
Hero party helped out early
bird clan when they were down
dracul we bought a fief for because they wanted to own land
Sandersson's crew when his trader was attacked
tundra nation with homes
NH when they were getting ranged on (tho with their cities and castles they prob did not need us)
now tuets when they were against the wall.
Now ask any of them if we required anything for the help... Hell most did not even ask us we offered. Does some of it serve our interests, damn right it does ,but we do not go in saying do this or tough luck.
I understand people not liking us, but saying we are not helping small clans is wrong...
Posting from my small jaunt to the frigid lands of Colorado to say that FCC has bent over backwards to help us, so we've stuck with them. It doesn't sit too well with me to not cooperate with folks that have helped us as friends.
Not a single time has Kesh, Bale, or any of the other FCC people come into our teamspeak or hit me on steam saying "hey, do this" or even "would you mind doing this" or "how do you feel about doing this"
I've come into THEIR teamspeak and asked "hey, if we do this will it fuck you over" or "hey, what do you think we should do regarding this"
If someone has rendered assistance to me, I'll be damned if I am going to put them in a bind. I'll work with them all day.
Same with the Velucans. They've given us help, but not given us orders. I'll work with them as much as I can as well.
I really hate what I call "paper diplomacy". I'd rather have a friend than an ally any day. That's what I would consider FCC and VE to us. I could work out a nice business deal with someone, write it down on paper, and proceed to wipe my own ass with that very paper a week later. If I consider someone a friend and they consider me the same, I find that much more reliable than a business deal. After all, it's a diplomacy simulator on the internet. No organization exists to punish breach of contract, but reputation and word of mouth is pretty damn powerful.