May 2nd 2012, 12:19:09
I mean if I just posted it on MD’s boxcar you’d all see it anyway right?
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I. The history
2005/06
I was President of MD from late 2005 to early 2006. During this time we were not allied to LaF, they were a uNAP alliance. Over that time I had had various run ins with both RD and later LaF. RD mainly because I was attempting to mediate a ceasefire between a then very demoralised PDM (they had been botted for months if not years and I still regard them as the greatest alliance in Earth history for what they stood up to and for). I remember this specifically because I had council access in PDM and was offered a lot of “things” including $ for the login and password. Over this period I became relatively close to LemonChiffon and that for a time ensured MD protection from RD and facilitated discussions with RD/PDM, albeit no deal was ever made.
During the same time MD has a few run ins with LaF. Over what exactly I honestly do not remember. It got to the point where war was highly likely. However, H4 came to me over GT message as it was then and we signed a uNAP with an FDP break clause. Three weeks in to the reset, LaF blindside FS’d MD through the uNAP denying its existence and then arguing a technicality when logs were produced. (Sounds familiar does it?). MD lost the war that reset. For what it’s worth LaF are not completely useless players with total surprise against a MD with no turns they did still manage to beat us. I have many stories of the courage and superhuman efforts of many MD’ers during that war (we have multiple countries with 1000+ defends - NuKeR) but that’s not relevant to this discussion.
The following reset MD did not pact LaF and was 100% prepared for retaliation. Within days of our FS we were botted. Initially given my relationship with LC, I went to him and asked what happened. He indicated that he had put MD on DNH within RD and that only a “higher” colour could override it. The MD heads and I suspected LaF given the obvious timing. We proceeded to get the IP addresses of LaF’s senior leadership and run them against RD logs (with the help of LC). TurtleCrawler the Don of LaF at the time was positively matched as Mr. Cream. Mr. Cream was a lower RD colour than LC and had therefore broken RD rules. LC therefore helped me obtain a printscreen of the RD logs page. We got a IP match with TC over IRC and confronted LaF. Denials followed and further evidence came out regarding the bot countries and their link to countries run in RD by Mr. Cream.
This evidence was posted that reset on AT and TurtleCrawler was “removed” from being Don of LaF the following reset. He was never booted or banned, H4 who signed and then broke a uNAP with MD was not punished and remained LaF FR. LaF continued along without any consequences.
2012
MD came back to EE after a long absence (thanks to Locutus and Amira – who both are legends of MD). Locutus was the architect and basically leader of MD during the first one or two resets. He re-connected with traditional allies such as SoF, LCN, Omega and learnt from them and LaF that SOL had been treating them poorly. It was our first set back and it was as good a reason as any to war. Locutus may wish to provide further colour on these decisions I was not directly involved. In anycase we helped traditional allies there wasn’t much more to it than that.
Over the next few resets as follow on conflicts occurred and I returned to senior MD leadership our relationship with LaF became increasingly troublesome. SOL FS’d LCN and MD when we specifically asked LaF not to pact out (yet they did, uNAP with FDP clause, knowing full well that this meant someone else i.e. MD would take the SOL FS – I had specifically asked Hanlong not to do this but he did anyway). These smaller instances confirmed other things we noticed, including constant talk of manipulating alliances and “cornering” SOL. It is my contention and one of my mistakes that I let interference from LaF diminish MD’s relationship with LCN that reset. I have since apologised to LCN and hope to rebuild trust with them over time.
Things continued along these lines, with a clear view that MD was an FDP of convenience for LaF. MD for its part did raise concerns with SoF and I had a particularly detailed discussion with Ivan asking that SoF sign an out clause with LaF in future resets incase MD was betrayed and FS’d. No such clause was signed.
The following reset things continued in the same vein. But MD had grown significantly and was now looking for a big challenge. We had probably established ourselves as the #2 alliance at that point and was looking for a war. After having no luck with SoF I spoke with Makinso and KJ. I have grown to respect Makinso following the MD/SOL wars – we hit him we had a clean war, he hit us we had a clean war. It’s all anyone can ask in this game. I suggested that MD wished to fight LaF and that if possible I would like to arrange a 1v1 the following reset. Makinso and KJ both agreed to facilitate this.
Last reset we were hacked. The MD heads forum (called “The Wiz Room” – for the last 12 years) was breached and logs posted there by me of a conversation I had with KJ and Makinso were stolen. Those logs showed planning for a 1v1 between MD and LaF the following set instigated by me with the full support of the MD heads. This strategy had been explained to my members and had full agreement. This war was to test who was the best alliance in earth, MD with 70 members, LaF with c.80.
In the lead up to our FS date and time, we suspected there had been a breach in Boxcar. TurtleCrawler had resurfaced and was seen on AT and logged in to Boxcar. And LaF’s country setup was perfectly shaped to answer MD’s setup.
We suspected a spy within the lower levels of MD and went to great lengths to isolate information to senior members of the alliance. Turn saving was staggered by access level so no one person could know what the alliance was at. Access other MD’ers ops were disabled.
The week before the FS, LaF began to rapidly jump. First to our size then higher and higher, until just before our FS they had (from memory) c.20 countries bigger than our biggest country. Now LaF may be better netgainers than us, but not 1 or 2 resets before MD finished with ANW of $90m and took TNW – they aren’t that much better. They had c.20 guys bigger than our best player Highrock. I tell you right now that guy is a genius at this game so what was happening was pretty unbelievable to us. The public market was high from MD’ers buying up (and we though LaF’ers to) so we just could not believe the military levels LaF’ers had and the cash they had. Guys were twice our size with the same cash and stock as us after having bought up.
At the time we thought we had been “outplayed” – I was very skeptical but had no proof. We knew for sure following their FS and “posting of logs” (how ridiculous to hack and steal them and then post them and pretend to be the good guy) that they had hacked MD as noone leaked them. At this stage we did not know they also cheated in-game. Hanlong defended claims of hacking by saying he had “detailed tools to track FS time and date”. LaF FS’d at the EXACT time MD was planned to FS. No turn saving tracking tool tells you the EXACT to the hour time another alliance will FS. His excuses on this and running a “web search bot” or whatever to find the logs were ridiculous back then and have been proven complete fabrications now.
II. The fall out on AT
So LaF came on AT and tried to drag me and MD through the mud. You tried to make out that I held a grudge and that I was backstabbing you. You used your own cheating to legitimise your claims.
While you trolled and poked fun at MD, MD sat quietly and refused to engage in AT yelling matches. We let alliances make up there own mind. We let our reputation and personal dealings tell the story.
MD has a long standing policy not to engage in AT politics and I continue to be proud of my guys. They were screaming inside to fight back against the slander aimed at them on this board by LaF and others (you all know who you are). They stood by and took the high road and bore the brunt of these attacks. A number of them were aimed at me personally. Hanlong you personally worked to have me removed from MD leadership. Everytime it was suggested internally that we speak out, that we make a statement that we respond I simply said this: “every moment they concentrate on me, is a moment that don’t concentrate on MD – let them come.”
So we let them come in the knowledge that they had cheated and hacked and that perhaps one day we would be vindicated.
Today we’ve been vindicated, completely without reservation, without argument and without rebuttal. The following things have occurred:
1. LaF have hacked MD’s boxcar (and potentially everyone elses)
2. LaF have hacked MD’s AT forum messages (and potentially everyone elses)
3. LaF have hacked in-game to increase their countries power against AT LEAST MD and this reset SoL
4. LaF have lied to AT, to almost every alliance leader and FA in this game.
5. LaF’s cheating has come directly from the top and is widespread including multiple countries and numerous leaders and members. (it may have been two people but it benefited many countries and many members)
LaF resorted to this cheating because they knew they would lose 1v1 against MD.
III. The aftermath
Another alliance would spend the next few days going back through the AT posts for the last two resets picking out all those people who tore MD down for what happened last reset.
But MD does not operate this way. And despite everything we have and continue to maintain integrity in the way we conduct ourselves – in the game and out. We hold no grudges. What we do, do is make-sure that lessons are learnt and that we stand up for
what’s right in this game.
Today I announce the following MD positions:
1. MD will not pact LaF in any form for at least the next six months
2. MD will act to protect (including go to war for) any alliance which also chooses not
to pact LaF in the next six months
3. MD with immediate effect rescinds its uNAP with LaF
4. MD calls for the immediate removal of all known cheaters from LaF and an
opening up of LaF’s complete IP logs to all interested alliances in EE to provide
comparison for the identification of spies.
MD believes that every alliance in this game needs to set an example (unlike throughout the history of earth where we have not: think RD, think TurtleCrawler botting MD etc).
I say to every alliance leader in earth, if you want to lift the discourse of this game you will drop LaF and let them earn the respect of the server back over the next six months. I say to every small tag you can do this to and I commit and I hope other like minded alliances also commit that we will protect you if LaF tries to punish you for this decision.
IV. Final thoughts
In hindsight it all made a lot of sense, but at the time few in earth would listen to the vocal minority. I give special mention to M_A_C, Jax and Highrock all of whom were particularly perceptive and gave me great advice over the last two resets. MD has some amazing war guys and they fought against the impossible, Kalick, Slash, MO, Daved, Wulf, Y-Not (I can’t name you all) – amazing. I’d like to personally thank Makinso and KJ for maintaining their word from when this all started. I want to thank Detmer for his council and support of MD - you and your alliance are true friends and I respect you immensely. I want to thank Helmet who I have always found to be reasonable and forthright albeit mate I have to say to you and only you “I told you so.”=)
I give my gratitude to every person who played for me and MD – for trusting me when I said this is what LaF was doing and for sticking with it even when our allies said we were crazy.
I do not want TurtleCrawler or Hanlong to stop playing this game, I do not want any LaF’ers to stop playing this game. I just want you to start playing it properly. I honestly have no personal grudge against either of you. Just don’t cheat and play fair.
LaF members who feel unfairly painted based on the actions of your leaders I hope will find open arms around the server. I know MD will hold no grudge if you apply.
This is the second time I have been in conflict with LaF, this is the second time TurtleCrawler has been found to cheat, this is the second time I have seen the disgraced removal of a sitting LaF Don. I sincerely hope there isn't a third.
Arsenal
President
Moral Decay