My 2rd post and some more musings on this. For some reason defending a city on Server 131 was much easier than on 144. They were both the 200x200 tiles size. If the 100x100 was introduced along with 64 states, that is the same overall area but with less to travel in each state to defend.
Another innovation is to allow your alliance members to defend your city while under attack. This might be limited to Presbyters and VH-H level access with open-close gates up to being able to do most of the functions that players can do from officer rank.
Being able to move troops and resources out and close the gates for social players may be the game changer that many who have left are looking for. There might be three or four levels of access so that at least there is some chance of survival. Being able to replace range setters, traps and abatis, is a higher level of access more than just gate control.
Otherwise Age I is very much a 24/7 game with little chance of any respite.
One of the more alarming stats, is that half of the alliances I was a member of were either totally useless or worse had pests and persons who enjoyed imposing misery on lesser players.
Some system of players rating their alliance as well might be useful. One alliance which has a glowing intro now that it is closed about how wonderful it was, would have had high scores on bullying and mad people and low on committment by the host.
A good alliance without being a 5 city fanatic minimum and all that is what 95% of players who start but leave are looking for.
This opinion may have some dissent and this is welcomed.


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