Re: Surrender of Pythium and Marignon
 

It wasn't our intention to rig the rules in any way. Our alliance came into existence due to geographical reasons and common enemies (starting with Ermor). Other nations formed alliances throughout the game as well, e.g. Tien Chi and Arco or various pacts involving them, Pythium and Marignon to which we're not fully privy.
Having defeated the opposing powers we would have to duke it out between ourselves through a long, tedious grind. We chose not to do so.
If you need a single winner for the record, I think Caelum qualifies due to a number of powerful globals.

Re: Surrender of Pythium and Marignon
 

More on the game - it was a wild ride from the beginning to the end, with almost constant fighting.
I fought, in chronological order, against Ctis, Ermor, Atlantis, Marignon, Rlyeh, Tien Chi, Arcoscephale, Pythium and Machaka, with most opponents giving a really good fight.
I had to start astral, death and fire from the scratch through empowerment. Seas were relatively easy to conquer, land was difficult due to lack of good troops. Ichtycentaur knights got me only so far, I based my later strategy on SCs - queens of water and air (to my astonishment I initially got all 3 of the latter - what did you do with your air income, Velusion?) and Tartarians later.
Scarcity of astral hampered me somewhat in late game - astral nations shine then, but this is widely known.
Regarding globals, Utterdark and Arcane Nexus seem rather unbalanced, I think our esteemed host was right to nerf them in his later games. Astral Corruption is a double-edged sword and I lost many a caster to it.
I've never had more than thirty clams.

Re: Surrender of Pythium and Marignon
 

Some memorable moments:

Storming R'lyeh capital with hundred of combatants on either side. Dozens of shark ripping through illithids - yay!
Heavy battles with Tien Chi under remote spells barrage - his sacred 9S9W armies were _nasty_, cost me air queen among others.
Losing the second air queen with Mage Bane in a ruse to kill Marignon angels - she had MR 25 and fell to third enslave mind in the battle:/

Re: Surrender of Pythium and Marignon
 

Wow, it's over! I finally went AI towards the end (me being Machaka). This was one of the first few Dom 3 MP games I was in where I was still in it beyond midgame, and it was enjoyable. I was more of a minor power, duking it out with Mictlan early on. Then Abysia tried to join in, but Arco helped me out and we had an alliance from then on.

I do remember at first I was in the water taking a lot of the water provinces in that lake in the middle, but I knew that wouldn't last, and of course someone (Rlyeh or Atlantis) came around from the NE and took all those provinces from me. After that it was downhill, I was just a minor thorn in the side for the major powers.

This was definitely a fun game to be in!!