I don't have problem with hard research, was just giving you the feedback you asked for.
Anyway, in Perp, MA Agartha, MA C'tis, Pangaea, LA R'lyeh and LA Ermor were all quite prominent in end-game, and none had sacreds or tramplers. Just playing devil's advocate here. Victory conditions sound good.
3 of those nations had free spawn, and Ctis had an early war against a newer player. By the time I fought a tough sacred nation(Lanka), I had banelords.
Had I started out next to lanka, I would have been toast.
MA Ermor(Lolomo) was quite powerful as well. And again, he had tons of free spawn as well as tons of clams. MA Ermor may be the biggest free spawn nation left!
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"War is an art and as such is not susceptible of explanation by fixed formula."
- General George Patton Jr.
I'm fine with capital VP's, but I would put the number a bit higher than 15.
It is true that in perpetuality no one had gotten those 15, but then, no one had focused on getting capitals either. If you are a strong nation in an otherwise powerful position it should be quite possible to conquer a decent number of capitals in 2 turns, by picking on weaker nations, or capitals already conquered by medium-rate powers.
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Praeterea censeo, contributoribus magnae auctoritatis e Foro Shrapnelsi frequenter in exsilium eiectis, eos qui verum auxilium petunt melius hoc situ adiuvari posse.