"This is a CBS News Special Report, here is your host, Dan Rather."
Good evening. In regards to the War In The Core, it looks to this reporter as if SFU is merging folks in an attempt to stay relevant. Their Defensive Bash is absurdly out of proportion to the rest of the top 4, which does not bode well in the long term. They have 2 1/2 times the defensive bash as the next highest tribe, NOT. However, their Offensive Bash is also higher, albeit by a much smaller margin. Their efforts, though valiant, seem increasingly desperate to this reporter.
As of now, the current conquer levels for the top 4 tribes are as follows:
DOA: 101 conquers, 27 losses, 16 internals, 74 net gain
NOT: 110 conquers, 14 losses, 15 internals, 96 net gain
SFU: 143 conquers, 64 losses, 13 internals, 79 net gain
When you bear out this information out, it seems to this reporter that NOT is faring the best out of the top 3 by far, with an impressive net gain of 96 villages while being in total control of the Southwest. With a good position that is undergoing rapid consolidation, I can totally see NOT taking the top spot in the near future.
Next is SFU surprisingly with a net gain of 79 villages despite being under heavy attack. While impressive, when you combine this with their Bash numbers mentioned above, you get a picture of a tribe slowly losing ground in the core while spreading like a virus across the northern rim areas. They also merged in the East in what appears to be an attempt to hit DOA from their flank position. Will these moves pay off? Only time will tell.
Finally, with a net gain of 74 villages, is DOA. They have been the number 1 tribe for a while now, and have an excellent core position with a small expanding spread in the Northwest. They have low losses for fighting a frontline world, and look to be in a good position to push on SFU as long as they can hold their backline in the East, which may be more challenging with SFU calling the shots.
I will mention SPT in the fact that I think everyone knows they will not be a long haul tribe due to being absurdly spread out, and are in fact essentially 2 separate tribes due to the extreme spread. It looks as if they are just picking players based on points in their respective areas. That being said, there are always some diamonds in the rough, and things can and do change rapidly in Tribal Wars.
Tune in next week for a new in depth analysis of World 61. For CBS News, I'm Dan Rather.
BELOW IS A CURRENT MAP OF THE WORLD: