Again, comparing "faction size" is a pretty dishonest measurement at this point in strat. Look at the rosters, that is where you get a real sense of "faction size". Yes, you can always have a few afk people making some tickets or doing the odd trade run, but the active players on the strat battle are the ones that actually matter. So i reviewed six previous battles between HoC and other folks. Here's how it staked up in terms of mercs.
Battle 1: HoC 9, Pink 7
Battle 2: HoC 8, Pink 7
Battle 3: HoC 9, Pink 3
Battle 4: HoC 9, Pink 5
Battle 5: HoC 7, Pink 7
Battle 6: HoC 5, Pink 5
So Tristian, if you are actually wanting to be honest about this and put shit posting aside for a moment. To say that HoC has 19 and to use that as implication of actual strength in a strat battle is just inaccurate. I got back into crpg with the understand that pretty much all these factions that have played previous strats are shadows of their former selves, and its the efforts of a few dedicated people in each faction that keeps the whole damn mod alive (that and blood offerings James of Acre gives every night).
So lets just cut the crap. I am sure if I looked at the rosters in detail, we'd see that there are 4 factions that can field somewhere between 7-10 fighters with some regularity. 3 of those factions are allied (or at least mercing together) against 1. Yes, in the early days there were some battles where HoC had a merc advantage. But its not the merc advantage that bothers me so much as dishonesty in trying to say that its a fairly evening fight as things stand now. It's not. and actually, thats fine. Its a war game, you have an advantage you use it. But its the virtue signaling and hypocrisy, aside from the normal shit-posting, that gets people to stop caring about this game.
So please, Tristran. Talk to me about about faction size.
I'd also like to just give a shout out to the various smaller factions, afk'ers, and other rag-tag assortment of warriors who have merced for HoC and made from some pretty decent battles afterall.
To others in Acre, Occitan and Pinks, regardless of whatever official or secret political deals you guys have with eachother, the rosters don't lie. I don't care who "wins" this war, but lets just have an honest one for crying out loud. Do you're worst, but don't pretend that you are some how fighting some mega-faction or that the odds are exactly even.
Pretty sure sJimmy brought up faction size first by saying the other side was a megafaction (implying they are a way bigger faction than anyone else).
Also, gotta love taking quotes out of context several months after they were stated. Ya our faction got bigger when we recruited more members pretty shocking i know