I have to say Chenier, it's always fun to read your version of the truth.
Which aspects diverge from your version?
I argument my views, at least, unlike some. It's easy to claim, for example, that Enweil was a declining military power. But then one would have to support such a statement, because decline and military power are both relative and subjective.
When I say that I think Riombara is outmatched by Enweil+Fheuv'n, I give arguments. Historical, geographical, and economical. For example, Enweil came to a hair of successfully pulling it off in the last age is a historical argument. Geographically, Riombara as a lot of fortified chokepoints that make it a tough nut to crack. But once cracked, it will then be the one that has to worry about attacks and harassment on two fronts, instead of Enweil. Economically, if I look at the stats page, it looks that if we ignore what appears to have been a big investment quite recently, Enweil and Riombara now have access to equivalent amounts of gold. However, Fheuv'n breaks this equation, tipping it in favor of Enweil. However, the greatest economical aspect of that war is food: Fheuv'n has thousands of bushels it doesn't know what to do with, and Enweil is more than secure with food herself. Riombara, on the other hand, has by my calculations a food surplus equivalent to more or less two rurals' worth. Past this point, it becomes a food deficit. Kuugl is adjacent to Enweil, breaking its production or making it revolt would simply require Fheuv'n and Enweil to join forces and attack it, a rather simple task. leaving the equivalent of 1 rural to be dealt with to remove the surplus, which can either be done by focusing on a single region or spreading out on many, such as the isles. Note that if looting had not been bugged, Fheuv'n would have already dealt significant damage to Riombara's food-producing islands. We had a few days before battles occurred, and could have easily avoided the Riombaran troops longer.
Riombara has a strong military, good movement rates, and very defensible choke points. But its economy is still inferior to her enemies', and her food balance is fragile and requires careful management of population growth. That is why I believe that Rio will continue to give one hell of a fight, but that as soon as her enemies score significant hits, it'll be a irreversible decline. Enweil and Fheuv'n just need the north to stay out of it long enough for them to reach this point, as once it is reached, even if Rio is still alive, then could then deal with the far-away northerners and continue their progress against Rio.
