War looks far more threatening when you fight it in your own lands. I don't only blame Darka, but it just weird to see 40kCS righ now from Darka alone, and not during the stalemate. No way CE&co would have been able to break 60+kCS of Darka+Eston wall. Barony was always bad in terms of military. They care more of RPing drunken nobles (which is fine), so at least their military reflected their RP 
This whole situation reminds me of fall of Tucha during Falasan war. CE had to pull all of its allies to sack the city: Talerium, Tara, Carelia, Caergoth and Suville (?) Refit times of Suville, Strombran and Caergoth are simply not feasible in this war against the north.
5 reasons for the Darkan CS surge:
1. We are dipping into our vast treasury to give everyone big units.
2. We can field bigger units when we are always a day, maybe two from one of our own cities and do not have to depend on another realm to coordinate attack times and refit times. You can cash bonds easier.
3. We have gained nobles, and since many of our regions needed new nobles anyways, we are also gaining a more efficient regional economy.
4. Everyone fights harder at home than away.
5. I personally can say that I have been working harder, and the Military as well been working harder, since we are the one being threatened. You can say this is wrong, but that is just the way it is. We are communicating better, sending out Orders more regularly, and coming up with different tactics every turn.
