I'd like to start a 5-man team on this server. However, this forum is full of discussion of clan tags. Is the intent that groups of 5-man teams play independently with no loyalty to larger clans OR is the play clan-based with the large clans having multiple tags?

Up to the players on how to server politics works. Some have multiple tags, some have one.

Three key dynamic differences:
1) Alliances (off, def, research, etc) may only be made within members of the same clan tag
2) Alliances have zero expenses
3) Once you join a clan tag, you can not leave it for the rest of the reset, even if you die.

So if I'm part of a 5-man team with no ties to a larger clan and I attack a tag that is tied to a larger alliance that is running multiple tags, I can expect retal from either the tag that I hit or any other tag associated with the alliance?

The 5-man team play seems interesting to me but I don't want to waste my time if this is just Alliance with a small twist.

There are no set rules. Most tags retal only within their own tag. Many tags do not retal across tags although they do kill across tags. Some tags only kill with associated tags, some tags that are solo tags do joint kills with other tags.

This is a violent server with more killing per percentage of players than all the other servers.

This server has more artillary barrages used then the other servers.

Also you get 100 turns per day, with max of 160 turns which changes gameplay dynamics a bit. IE batch exploring is more powerful.

It is definitely not like alliance... Politics is a lot more arbitrary. Some tags don't have FAs. Most of the tags that do have FAs have FAs that very hawkish... very few FAs here are going the negotiate a peace route :) Most FAs exist just to give war declarations or death proclamations lol

Personally I think it is a very fun server, the pace is very fast. The resets are only 1 month long, so it encourages experimentation. Also dying from wars is fine bc resets are so short, if you get wipped out can recover and come back quickly.

Typically, the culture of the server looks down on cross-tag retaliations and there do not seem to be too many. Typically teams of five are independent of the larger clan with few exceptions, but in war all bets are off.

I think BM and Tertius explained it fairly well. :)

I haven't ready any of the other responses, but in short, the answer is:

It doesn't

Don't waste your time then..If a member of your 5 man Team hits a member of a sub Team of an alliance,you will be killed by all of that alliance.
[Edit]
More likely then not,your entire Team will be killed.

snawdog that is very unlikely to happen. There is really no teams on the server currently that would behave in that way.

If however you AB someone one of the RD teams I would expect at the very least the country that did the ABing would be very dead very fast but other than that not much will happen. Most teams here play completely without any pacts or ties at all.

Its really good fun to play here and one of the servers that I get the most enjoyment out of.

Yup - RD, Lords, and MKR would definitely neeeeeever condone separate tags working together against a common target ::eye roll::

yes tags will work together to kill countries. i havent seen an instance of clans cross tag retalling since RD came around.

dantzig as far as grabbing goes you kinda have to treat this server like express. if you play nice youll do well. dont grab anything tagged RD and give ZEN a good fondling to get on his good side and youll have nothing to worry about.

The RD part is true.

The fondling part, is appreciated, but I am just a pawn of Detmer and Ravi. I am like Marlon Jackson. The least talented and appreciated member of our 5 Man Team.

FBI does not cross retal. In fact, we will retal our own members if they cross retal. But yes. We war as a unit. Some of us actually war WITH our unit. Because it is lengthy.

Also, I believe Pain is one of our FA's.

Thanks,

ZEN
Female Body Inspector
FBI

I'd like to fondle ZEN.

so you tricked me into believing that if i fondled you softly i would be safe?

UNBELIEVABLE

fun, except now3p is a hater who needs to get personally vested in the interests of this server again