[Xietor]

MA Vanheim actually defeated LA Pangaea, but before they lost their last province LA ermor stepped in and saved them, killing off vanheim.

So it would be misleading to think la pangaea > MA Vanheim
based on the perp game.

Not to disrespect any player's skill, but some races are still alive only because more powerful neighbors have been fighting amongst themselves and no one has gotten around to attacking them yet.

And some of it is matchups. MA Ctis is not a great race, but it matched up fairly well against LA Atlantis(leprosy, miasma), MA Oceania(Banelords > water troops on land), LA Man (Banelords, Wraith lords > castle bought troops).

EA Lanka was at a disadvantage fighting MA Ctis because he was the one storming castles, and I was the one defending them. Much easier to defend then attack for many reasons, not the least of which is you get to cast the spells 1st).

And some of it is pretender selection. Having an immortal pretender who has high death and can also cast banefire fighting in his own dominion is a decided equalizer.