Quote:
the problem is imho you are not very competetive in mp lategame when you can't do one of the 3 things good :
- bloodhunt largely (mictlan , abysia )
- clamhoard largely (especially r'leh , atlantis , ermor , arco , pythium )
- forge extreme cheap (ulm)
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Your experience differs greatly from mine.
I have yet to be in a game decided by clamhoarding, nor by choice of nation.
IMO, the most important factors are, in order:
-skill/knowledge of players involved, in particular regarding early expansion, strategic development of the nation played (design, research goals...) & battlefield tactical performance.
-diplomacy.
-starting location & map choice.
Whether someone bothers building any clams or not would fall pretty far in the list & be pretty minor IMO compared to the above 3. Forging a few clams is not going to save you if your enemy is 3 times bigger than you, and comes knocking at your door.
While some nations might be argued to be a bit better than others this hardly ever becomes the deciding factor in my experience. I would also dispute the reasons you name to justify some nations being better or worse, and the rating...I rather think that the old DomI faction rating by Alex Poger pretty much still stands nowadays, with some minor adjustments (you can google the newsgroup for it).