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Well done, Canada

You know how CoT died? Yep. There’s not really much more to talk about it than that. But of course, we were in CoT. And now we’re not. There’s no real rush to leap into another alliance’s arms. After all, what’s the point of hitching a ride on a leaky dinghy? So no, quiet on the talks of “LETZ JOIN TWO” or “WOLFTW” just for the sake of being in an alliance. An alliance should protect its members and provide coordination and damage greater than the sum of its parts. But how do we know what a good alliance would be if we don’t even what allies we want? So it’s imperative to be sure where our friends are. We’re in no rush to find friends, but it’s good to form an idea. Allies are great, grand or modest. Every drop of damage matters, especially in this day and age, where our coalition happens to be at a massive disadvantage. Besides, a nation small today could explode its population, and while their numbers may not be great, they can provide various other benefits, and it’s just good to have friends in generale.

So my goal here is to provide a basis on what nations are our allies, and who we could pursue in future relationships. Both helpful for babies and for politicians! Yosh!

Have you looked at the top 10 nations in the world? Like, not in terms of quality people or citizens, but in amount of damage? Granted, a nation is far more than the sum of its influence, but it’s interessant to notice the imbalance on the top.
Serbia
Poland
Romania
Greece
Spain
Hungary
Croatia
Turkey
Argentina
Bulgaria

We only have two nations producing damage only for us and our allies, and as awesome as Turkey is, they still have relations with other pro-TWO nations like Romania. I’m not trying to imply that it’s imperative to ally with more of these nations - on the contrary. It’s bad to think of nations only as damage, but we can make up for the deficit. From a purely strategic standpoint, it means that we have to work with all the smaller nations. We might be weak individually, but together we can be a dominant force!

Luck of the Irish
Ireland

I suppose some of y’all thought I’d start with USA? But no no, let’s start with Ireland. Ireland’s one of our best bros, and have been for awhile. What they lack in the strength department, they make up for in heart and booze. Our times battling United Kingdom together have brought us together, and while the Irish have taken a more peaceful route due to their surroundings, they’re a nation we’ve always been able to rely on. It goes to show you that allies don’t need to be strong to be awesome. What matters is not how much damage they have, but how much we can rely on, and with the Irish, it’s always just enough to make a difference.

ABC Balkans
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia

Though we left EDEN long before it collapsed, one friendship we never lost was with Croatia. Croatia’s not the most powerful nation in the world (though still mighty as hell), but they’ve always been the leader in fighting ONE/TWO forces, even more so than USA. While other nations have since allied with TWO nations, Croatia alone has defied TWO as the lone EDEN superpower to battle TWO rather than back down. And of course, we can’t forget about their two otouto, Albania and Bosnia. While neither have the destructive power of the Croats, they too have fought relentlessly against Serbia in particular, being a pain in their side. And they’ve always given us and our allies the help we need in battles, a loyalty that isn’t too common these days. We haven’t always kept our MPP with them, especially the smaller two, and it’s a shame and something to be corrected.

Not Quiet on the Western Front
Germany-Denmark
France
Italy

We don’t have MPPs with any of these three, and honestly, I got why. After all, these three aren’t superpowers, and they’ve either been wiped or neutralized for the last few months. Germark has been quieted by Poland when they’re not hunting for Norwegian oil, and France has been all but permawiped by Poland and Serbia for months, if not years. On the other hand, Italy hasn’t had much fun being a Slovenian colony for years on end. However, with the new changes, it makes sense to reunite with our old EDEN/Terra brothers. They’re all good nations on par with us, and their success limits our enemies and keeps them from our borders. Now that the admins have thrown them a bone, they now have a way to fight back against their old foes. It would be helpful not just to them but to us as well to ally them. If they want to fight their enemies, we must stand by them.

The Nordic Gods
Norway
Sweden
Finland
Russia

The first three are obvious bros. Though we’ve since left the merry crew of the Vikings, Asgard’s always been good to us, even if their own wars have meant they couldn’t help us out in battles as much as we’d like. Along with Croatia, they’re certainly the most active nations battling for their lives against TWO everyday in endless war, despite their limited strength. While Russia isn’t a part of Asgard, their troubles have been one and the same. Asgard and the Russians are amicable towards each other, and in one way or another, we’ve had great relations with them for as long as anyone. All have neverending battles for freedom and congress. Though this means that it’s not always possible for them to support us in our own battles, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re always willing to help as much as they can. It’s hard to find good friends, so it’s good to see some pals around.

Homeless Shelter
Netherlands
Switzerland

The Dutch and Swiss really should pay us more for their lands. They should be happy that we’re not wiping them. But in all seriousness, this is exactly why I stay in this country. I like having a nation willing to help out its allies no matter the risk and detriment. It’s why I pushed the Dutch roommate idea for months before an opportunity finally arose. The Dutch have always been a great ally. Despite their smaller stature on the global stage, they’ve sent every ounce of damage our way when we needed it most. And while our friendship with Switzerland lacks the same degree of history, it’s a burgeoning relationship that’s fast growing. There’s logistical issues of signing MPPs with them involving possible region roaming and reclaiming territory, but in times of defense, it’s critical to stay coordinated and supportive of each other. The Dutch and Swiss are the best examples of mutual trust here in eRep.

Continental Compadres
USA
Mexico
Brazil

I suppose I’ve put them off long enough, so here we go! Hello America! America’s been our most traditional ally, and with good reason. Between a strong cultural similarity, proximity, mutual enemies, and strength, Canada has always been attracted to America as a close friend. Despite a rift in relations in the past, we’ve since repaired relations. Mexico has grown close to America, and as a result, we’ve started helping each other as well. We don’t have the history with the Mexicans, but in our limited time together, we’ve gotten along well. Brazil is the opposite. We’ve been good friends during our time in Terra, but because of their friendship with Spain, we’ve stayed away, especially when they sided with Spain over America. But with new developments, we’ve renewed our friendship with Brazil. With the mighty nations on our side, we have great weapons at our disposal.

The Other Balkaners
Bulgaria
Macedonia
Ukraine

Some of the strongest anti-TWO powers, you say? Now we’re getting somewhere! Bulgaria’s an old ally, and a great one as well; players from both sides won’t argue that. After some time on opposing sides, we’ve since reunited, and it’s been a happy relationship - one of the best parts of CoT. They’ve always been a good help, and it looks to continue. Our relationship with Macedonia, on the other hand, blossomed because of CoT. Though we don’t always resign our MPP because of the sporadicity of their congress, it’s a great friendship and one that Canada must continue until we have reason to the contrary, and I see none. Ukraine, though, is an interesting nation. They’ve messed around with our Asgard buddies a lot, something that I can’t say we’re happy to see, but with their falling out with Hungary, sometimes nations just need a hand. Who knows? It might pay off dividends. Something to consider, maybe in a month or two.

Across the Other Pond
Japan
South Korea

The two little nations from the Far East! Neither score high on the damage scoreboards, but they’re friends nonetheless. Both nations, Japan especially, have had issues with PTOs in the past, and both deal with the same adversary: Taiwan (more on them later). As a result, they’ve often been wiped, but the new changes give them a fighting chance. Often at war when on the map, they’re a consistent war that we can support and make a difference in. Although their low damage limits their helpfulness in battle, South Korea in particular is a growing nation, with young babies. If damage is the issue, then they will grow to be powerful in the future, the Argentina of the East. All that’s needed is a little boost to keep their numbers up. Keep their congress now, pays dividends later. Plus, they’re chill! I’d also like to wave hi to North Korea because that’s just hilarious xD

Friends by Association
Paraguay
Peru

As former members of CoT, we certainly don’t have any bad relations with the Paraguayans or Peruvians. However, unlike the previous nations, we haven’t had a history of keeping MPPs with them. Obviously, the big damage isn’t there for the two nations, so wouldn’t be benefitting extremely from them. However, it’s always good to keep friendships alive, and since they’re always in wars, it’d be a huge benefit to them to keep the light on. But in order to create a genuine relationship between our nations, it can’t just be a relationship by association, helping merely for a common objective. Someone’s gotta take the first step. Decide whether or not it’s worth it, but in this world, all allies are welcome.

In the Balance
Turkey
China

Now this is where everything starts to get interessant. Turkey and China are both nations that we get along with. We’ve had an MPP with China for the most part in the last few years. And thanks to breakthroughs, we’ve MPP’d Turkey again after a bit of hiatus. And not to be self-centered, but they’re certainly a major help on our side, since they carry top-15 damage, and are efficient and powerful in war. And neither nation is aligned with TWO to say. The only real way to describe the two is ex-EDEN - they’re allied primarily with old EDEN nations, relics from the past. Yet, because of how EDEN fractured, a lot of their MPPs are in pro-TWO nations, such as Taiwan, Romania, Argentina, and Greece. Yet, they’re a huge help against Serbia since they’re allied with the ABCroatian block. Whether or not they pick a side this decade will be a huge swing one way or another. In the meantime, I’m happy being friends.

Reminiscence
Portugal

Remember those good ol’ days? When we would sing at the drop of a dime and battle Spain together? Seems like an eternity ago. But those days, we were tight as two bees in a honeycomb. Our nations’ continuous battle with Spain made us close. But after we diverged paths, we’ve amicably avoided mingling with each other’s affairs. Certainly, if we ended up on the same side once more, our relationship would rekindle quickly, and during the latest Iberian War, there were plenty of Canadians calling to aid their old friend (and just an excuse to have another war). Still, it feels like we’ve grown apart from each other, like two old primary school students that went to different countries. Our MPP stacks seem a bit too off to reunite. But perhaps there’ll be a day.

*Obscure Reference is Tempting* Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Pakistan

This young alliance called WOLF is all about protecting the little guy. The three Middle Eastern nations in this regional alliance are all among the lowest damage in the world, yet I’ve always been curieux. For most of their history, the three nations have been mere colonies, and their populations haven’t expanded enough to break out, in part because of their weak start and also because of the RL link - while nations like France have large RL populations to entice, WOLF in general has less of an opportunity. There are also other issues, at least with some of the nations. Pakistan’s friendship with Spain and Serbia dissuade any potential relationship, and Egypt’s a bit esoteric and iffy based on their conflict with friendly Cyprus. Saudi Arabia, though, is notable, as they were one of our best allies during our airstrike into Scandinavia. While we had many allies, they helped us out without an MPP, providing large amounts of damage for their small size. Now that they have a chance at liberty, at least the Saudis should be given a chance.

Big in Spirit?
Malaysia
Philippines
Cyprus

Outside of WOLF, there are also other small nations that might be little pieces in the puzzle. The first two are in Southeast Asia, trying to carve out their existence and relevance. Malaysia’s been occupied for months by various nations, including Indonesia, Thailand, and Pakistan. Philippines has been a Pakistani/Chinese/Indonesian colony for months. Once again, I know their low strength and limited relations are put-offs. Hell, I wouldn’t MPP them. But it might be worthwhile to just say hi, keep options open. As for Cyprus, they’re a much better fit. Being a good ally of Turkey and USA, and a former Terra bro, it wouldn’t be too difficult to rekindle the fire. Damage notwithstanding, of course, it might be something to pursue if necessary.

Enemy of My Enemy
Argentina
Colombia
Uruguay
Bolivia
South Africa

If you thought I was crazy before (most people do), just wait. What are these pro-TWO nations doing here? Well, I won’t be touching these nations anytime soon. Most of their damage goes against allies, such as Brazil and Peru. However, their one saving grace, at least from a Canadian perspective, is their disdain for Spain. A bit of infighting within the TWO clan, non? One of the major storylines at this point is how Argentina-Spain will splinter the alliance, or whether they can kiss and make up. If Spain’s influence expels Argentina’s coalition from TWO’s clutches and forces them elsewhere, that might be a chance for a move. Certainly no time before, though. I might have good memories of being allies with them, but the past can’t dictate the future. We’ll see how it goes.

*also waves hi to Indonesia and Chile because I forgot >
In Conclusion…
Don’t shut anyone off from a chance! An open mind is a powerful weapon, and though a lot of the nations I listed are small, combined they can make an impact. Let’s see what we can get going! Find the allies that will fight for us, and extend a hand, no matter the strength! Remember, it’s not the damage they can do that counts, it’s what they’ll put for us in the last round 😉

*edit* HIIII MAZZYYYYY

Until next time, take care!

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