sugarvalves [1963573] —
Original article
Read our summary of the drama surrounding Monarch's victory in the west, including Iron Fist's departure from Ride or Die, SA's march east, and how Batman and Realistassasin nearly tore Monarch apart.
It seems like a month has passed since Monarch booted Subversive Alliance out of the western part of the city, but it's only been a few days. A lot has happened since then, with SA's move out east hugely overshadowed by a rift at the heart of the Monarch family that almost took down one of Torn's most powerful factions.
And it still might.
THE CLEANSING OF THE WEST
Monarch's dismantling of Subversive Alliance's western empire was impressive, incisive, and utterly comprehensive. But was it conclusive? When our previous article on the war was published, the fight for the west was still very much ongoing. Monarch had dominated the early salvos, but SA and her allies had begun to push back, and it seemed like we may be entering into a protracted conflict that could last well into December. How wrong we were.
Between the 31st of October and the 18th of November, Monarch branded factions were involved in 138 territorial battles, with their allies The UnLeashed Sykoz adding another 70 to that list. There was hardly a single part of the west that wasn't touched by this far-reaching conflict, and when we look back at the results, it was about as comprehensive a victory as you could ever hope to achieve.
"Activity is the key in this current system. If you are a lazy hobo with super stats, that don't matter since 100 ants can certainly take you out, and if you don't rejoin, you're as good as dead. That's the main reason SA got their ass kicked; They are not active enough." - Anon TuS
After Monarch's failed invasion of Sport Club's QHA territory on the 4th, the Monarch faction family would go on to receive just one further loss during their western war. That's right, one. There were 103 battles involving Monarch or Monarch Engineering after their defeat at QHA, and the only fight that didn't go their way was a failed assault against SA's territory of VHA on the 10th. What began as a war turned into an absolute massacre. But why?
"Monarch came in with 3 HoF factions, we held them at bay for quite a while, but when they invited more and more people into the fight, on multiple channels and fronts, that's when the sides really flipped. Our alliance fought well in my opinion. But as more factions showed up, we knew the inevitable. We still kept at it tho, it's not about the land, it's about pride. We go down fighting. #RIDE OR DIE!" - Ohadik, SA co-leader
Subversive Alliance tried to turn the tide by deploying a Dirty Bomb against Monarch on the 11th, a move which cost the latter 632,058 respect, injured 388 people, but had little impact on the course of the war. A second bomb was sent Monarch's way on the 23rd, but again, it had no effect. Today, the western part of Torn City contains no traces of Subversive Alliance whatsoever. SA Igloo has also been removed, as have SA One Punch, with their Ride or Die allies also abandoning the area.
And unless you've been hiding under a radioactive rock lately, you'll also know that Iron Fist has divorced themselves from the SA family too. So is that it? Is the great SA alliance falling apart? Has Ride or Die chosen the latter option?
THE ALLIANCE CRACKS
Much of the discourse surrounding Subversive Alliance's defeat took the form of gloating. Their control over the western part of the map has been a feature of Torn for some time, and everyone likes to see the winds of change blow through the city every so often - bar those in charge, of course. So when Rifty of Iron Fist took to the forums to explain his reasons for departing the alliance, SA's detractors had a field day.
"I feel we treated Iron Fist with utmost respect and care. We gave them everything we could to ensure they were given tools to grow. However, it wasn't enough as it would seem." - Ohadik
Rifty began his lengthy post by praising SA for the help they have received but then went on to list a series of grievances against the faction, including misuse of war funds, leadership disputes, player poaching, and envy over the deals that proxies were receiving. This last point was the final straw, it seems, with Iron Fist reportedly demanding that a racket belonging to an SA ally be handed over to them.
"We declined, as it's not fair to take rackets from your own allies. We told them we would try to get them one if one popped near their land in our own territories. That wasn't satisfactory. They went as far as to ask their nearby allied factions to hand over their rackets to them. They felt owed for some reason, that it was okay to take other people's rackets from them. I do feel that in this case, they were asking for preferential treatment. Something we simply don't stand behind." - Ohadik
Another source within SA who wished to remain anonymous says that Iron Fist was in a bad way before they joined the alliance, remarking that they "couldn't even manage a 5k [chain]." I was told that SA gave Iron Fist a great deal of help to get to where they are today, and that Rifty of IF was initially understanding as to why he couldn't receive extra rackets and war funds, but that he changed his stance when the tide of the war turned against SA.
Both sides have their grievances, and some of them may be fair, but the bottom line is that Iron Fist decided that they were no longer receiving as many benefits as they felt they deserved from their membership of Ride or Die. SA didn't want to meet Iron Fist's increased demands, so their arrangement came to an end.
SA's rivals were hopeful that this split would be the first of many, and that Ride or Die's days were numbered. However, I have been told that no other Ride or Die members have made demands for more funds or rackets either before or since Iron Fist made their reasons for departure public. SA leadership denies that Ride or Die has collapsed, and their current efforts on the eastern side of the city seem to prove as much.
"Of course Ride or Die still exists. A loss of a war isn't going to break up the friendships and bonds we all have with each other. We are stronger than that." - Ohadik
RISING IN THE EAST
In the immediate aftermath of their defeat, it wasn't clear where SA and her allies would end up on the map. These powerful factions weren't just going to disappear, and nor would their alliances, so we knew that at least some would move together in a block. Yet it seemed a huge ask for SA to find somewhere large enough to accommodate themselves, their subfactions, their allies, and their proxies.
But it seems that's exactly what they're trying to do.
My source within SA tells me that clear plans were laid out for an evacuation to the East when defeat looked inevitable. These plans were communicated to the Ride or Die alliance along with their reasons for moving there, and I am told that after the main factions had arrived, any Ride or Die members who wanted to join them would be given a spot, even if that meant the top dogs received only one territory - an offer that doesn't appear to have been necessary based on current territory counts.
As of the 28th, Subversive Alliance holds a block of 14 territories in Sector 5 next to the Race Track. SA One Punch sits further out east, holding 11 territories in an area of Sector 7 just outside of the shopping district. Ride or Die factions are also making inroads here too, with Endless Endeavor, Winter is Coming, and Onion Smugglers holding blocks north of the Dump. Further south, Chimera's Den and Equilibrium are among the factions currently fighting it out for supremacy on the border between Sectors 6 and 7.
Is this the beginning of a new empire in the east? Perhaps so, but I doubt this region will satisfy SA's ambitions for long. Ohadik admitted as much when he told the Torn City Times that his side may "go take the island or something." This could be a flippant remark, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see SA head for a smaller tranche of prize territories like the island or The Docks after their heavy defeat to Monarch.
My anonymous source in SA admits that their side overstretched during their time in the west, and I wonder if this is a hint at where the future lies for the faction and its ambitions. Subversive Alliance's hold over the west ran for many years, and that alone is an impressive feat that should be celebrated. But after seeing all of their hard work undone in just a few weeks, SA could be forgiven for wanting to focus on smaller goals for the time being.
"Firstly, it must be said, we didn't dominate the West. We merely settled into the area and made friends with the RoD (Ride or Die) alliance. We fought along their sides and together protected the area hand in hand the best we all could. We all share tools, advice, and share input for all factions in the alliance to help grow themselves." - Ohadik
Whatever you want to call it, SA's time in the west is now over, and it looks like a new chapter of influence in the east may be beginning. They will face opposition of course, but my SA insider describes the nearby CRyPTo alliance as friendly to their ambitions, so it will be interesting to see how faction politics determines the makeup of the east in the months to come.
And what now for the west? Is this area safe to invade since SA's network of allies has been forcibly moved on? The Monarch family is calling the shots now, and many have wondered whether they would attempt to set up their own stronghold of proxies and subs in an attempt to replicate SA's legacy. If they do, Ohadik has a few words of advice.
"You better be ready to defend all of your new allies/proxies. If you don't, your 200-page post about how SA doesn't defend its friends will be a major slap in your hypocrite faces. I'd actually like to take this opportunity to invite people to attack the west. SA may or may not join in, but it will be interesting after all the trash talk to see what happens when someone actually does enter the west, especially since all of Monarch's friends solely have racket agreements, and not protection agreements."
"Cue "Kermit sipping a glass of tea" meme. But that's none of my business..." - Ohadik
Ohadik is right. It would be interesting to see what happens if the west were invaded, because Monarch may not be in a position to defend it. While researching this article I received barely any responses from my usual sources in Monarch, which was a surprise given the nature of their victory.
But we all know why that was.
THE DARK NIGHT
Right now, Monarch's leadership team should be toasting their victory, divvying up the rewards, and figuring out how to retain long-term control of the west. Instead, mere days after a triumphant debut war, this embryonic faction family is facing an uncertain future thanks to the inscrutable unscrupulousness of two of its most prominent members: Realistassasin and Batman.
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That was a post made by Batman, the Monarch leader at the time, who spent several days holding the faction to ransom after Realistassasin triggered a major dispute within the family. According to Batman, Realist's crime was to scam a first-year player called Jewbo23 out of a Private Island. The first rule of the Monarch family is "No begging or scamming allowed", but Realistassasin did it anyway, because that's what he does.
Realist has form in this regard, with his flight delay vendetta against PT Family widely blamed for the departure of Monarch leader Hank earlier this year. Then, as is the case now, Realist's allies within Monarch backed him to the hilt, regardless of the impact that doing so has and will continue to have upon the faction. For Batman, Realistassasin's latest shenanigans were the straw that broke the back of an already paralysed camel.
Despite their recent successes, the differing personalities brought together by the merger of Relentless and MnC has been a source of constant tension in Monarch. When news of Realist's scam broke, there was disagreement among the family as to whether or not he should return the funds to his victim. Realist refused to entertain such an outcome, believing that his actions were permitted due to the specific manner of the scam and the way the Relentless / MnC merger was negotiated.
"During merger talks it was actually agreed that trade accepts would be allowed. When the situation with RA occurred recently, Batman decided to take it upon himself to pay back the noob with faction money and then demand RA pay back the faction. There is a leadership group where discussions like these are supposed to happen. Naturally, as all things do with these particular players, things blew up." - Anon Monarch member
Things certainly did blow up, but in a way nobody could've predicted. Former Monarch leader RGiskard's forum post reveals that disputes over Realistassassin's punishment resulted in his associates using threats and insults towards Monarch leadership. The result of this behaviour was that Blistig and Decisive_Fire quit the faction for Evolution and Natural Selection respectively.
But as despicable as they were, Realist's actions would soon pale into comparison with those of Batman. The Monarch leader, frustrated in his attempts to quell the influence of "the scum squad", decided to take sole control of Monarch main and threaten the very future of the faction.
"The real issue is that Batman has refused to give up leadership for weeks and when this situation escalated, removed all permissions from other leaders and refused to give the faction back despite being voted out of leadership. Even those opposed to RA's actions want Batman to give the faction back. All leads, Main included want Batman to give up leadership. Hank and RG included in that. He has essentially taken over a faction that is not his." - Anon Monarch
RGiskard's forum post revealed that Batman had a history of hostility towards some former MnC members within Monarch's ranks, and he often sought to keep the two sides financially separate. In this instance, Batman went one step further by separating the entire faction from their money, as he is alleged to have taken control of Monarch's cash and item reserves worth over $300bn.
On the forums, KingLion of ME described this situation as "potentially the case of the biggest faction scam in history." Fortunately, factions over 100k cannot be destroyed by those in charge, but they can be effectively crippled. To achieve this, it is rumoured that Batman threatened to quit playing and continue logging in every 31 days in order to retain permanent control of Monarch, with his only goal being to keep the faction out of reach of "the scum squad".
"The problem has been festering for quite some time, and can be traced back all the way back to Mentos and Cola. In Monarch when RA / scum squad made their first play for usurping leadership designated positions (during the world tiger flight delay debacle). Even Hank with his wealth of leadership experience could not see a way to navigate that mire and was forced into a 3+ month hiatus." - Pops, former Relentless
The situation looked bleak midweek when former Monarch leader Hank posted a buying request for Dirty Bombs and amended his profile to announce he was leaving Torn. These appeared to be the actions of a beaten man, someone who knew that the faction he had put so much of his heart and soul into was on the verge of being erased.
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Thankfully, that's not how it played out.
BATMAN RELENTS
A Monarch faction newsletter posted by Batman and leaked to the forums by anghel on Saturday revealed that the Monarch leader had attempted to demerge the faction simply by announcing it. His justification was, as everyone expected, his opposition to the continued influence of Realistassasin and "the scum squad" within Monarch. Because Hank appeared willing to continue working with these players, Batman decided he was unable to hand back the faction at this point in time.
In an interview with The Times, Realistassasin says that this behaviour from Batman was not unexpected. He accuses Batman of previously stealing a faction and scamming ex-Relentless members while adding that he consistently caused problems as M leader by being neither productive nor present when wars were fought.
"His 1 to 1 convos with any topic were awful as he doesn't know how to speak to people, (mostly to MnC). I wasn't really confident with him being a lead pre merge but gave it the benefit of the doubt as the rest of the leads were not as concerned as me but s**t happens, he chose to be selfish rather than think about R, Hank, RG and R* members." - Realistassasin
Eventually, Batman took to the forums to clear up a few misconceptions regarding his actions. He explained that he'd only revoked other members' vault permissions due to MagicDust's emptying of the vault, and suggested that he had never actually stolen any cash. This is disputed by some in Monarch, and Batman's own networth graph shows a significant rise on November 20th.
Batman's networth has stayed high since, whereas MagicDust's dropped down soon after. This trend gives credence to the claim that MD took the money to protect it when Batman's intentions became clear, and then distributed it back among Monarch's members. But regardless of their respective motives and intentions, both Batman and MagicDust have something in common; they both took control of assets to "protect" them for others, but in doing so served mostly to further their own side's agendas.
Batman went on to post logs of items being passed on from Monarch's armory to the likes of Hank, Afwas, and TranQuilizer - a move which seemed to signify that the Monarch faction would not be returned. But as Friday turned to Saturday, the ice started to thaw, as Batman told the forums that MagicDust had returned $15bn to the faction. This would not be happening unless progress was being made behind the scenes.
Or, something unseemly had occurred.
MONARCHY RESTORED
Monarch was handed back to former leader Hank late on Saturday night.Hank immediately changed the name of the faction to Scum Squad Batman changed the name of the faction to The Scum Squad before leaving, and Hank left it this way for unknown reasons. But everyone's eyes were drawn to a statement on Batman's profile indicating that threats had been made to his family. We are unable to substantiate these rumours or comment on them, but all incidents of this nature are always investigated fully by our staff and community manager.
When asked for his comments on the situation as a whole, Batman's response to the Torn City Times was brief:
"You know I don't have any interest in that. Propaganda is their game not mine." - Batman
In truth, this whole charade has been one big propaganda game, an exercise conducted between two groups with opposing belief systems over how a faction should be run. Eventually, due to Batman's extreme tactics, one of these sides became a group of one, as while Realistassasin's actions meant that many within M sympathised with Batman's reasons for doing what he did, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who agreed with his actions.
Once the faction had been returned, Monarch's Hank provided a magnanimous statement on the matter, one which appeared sorrowful and understanding rather than triumphant in tone. Unfortunately, he also appeared to confirm that this faction drama had indeed spilled over into real life, and Hank called for an end to any unwanted contact towards Batman's family. It would be wise for all involved to heed his words.
So, with Monarch now back in the hands of its founder and rightful owner, the question now is where the hell do they go from here?
"Scum squad either need instating as the defacto head of the faction (as let's face it, they are the prime mover and will continue to be at the center of all conflict instigation) or they need removal root and branch. You can't have a faction within a faction that answers to someone else and expect harmony of purpose, not when the head of scum squad holds diametrically opposed views." - Pops
"Sadly, I think the "win at all costs" mentality is too prevalent in M now for anyone to really get too fussed about them becoming the new House of Scam in Torn. So whether it be in M Main, ME, or MR, the nucleus will indeed regroup and stay together in some form." - MeanMike
"I for one am exhausted. But I do believe we will grow from the situation across the board. We can evaluate our rules and how we operate. We're still a new merger and there's room to grow and improve and that's with already being pretty kick ass. It shouldn't be forgotten how well the family worked together against SA." - Anon Monarch
Monarch has a lot to be proud of after its recent successes, but it also has a huge amount of work to do if it is to remain a viable and unified faction. Hank and M's other leaders can talk all they want about taking on board dialogue and providing feedback, but the only thing that will stop this happening again is firm and decisive action.
Batman was wrong to do what he did, but he is gone, and his behavior is no longer Monarch's concern. When Realistassasin steps out of line again - and he will - are Monarch's leaders strong enough to punish him, or are they content to jeopardise their entire ethos by letting the loudest, s**ttiest voices win? Without consistent rules and effective punishment, any faction in Torn can become ungovernable, even one as strong as Monarch.
You can argue the toss about whether Realist technically violated their rules or not with his scam, but he absolutely brought Monarch into disrepute - of that there is no doubt. A player who is committed to their faction's wellbeing would find some way to avoid dragging their name through the mud. A true team player would act like one by taking on board internal criticisms to prevent events like this from ripping the faction apart. A person who is able to be trusted would apologize to their factions for causing all of this, regardless of how justified they feel their behaviour was.
If I were in Hank's shoes right now, I'd be asking Realistassasin one question and one question only:
Was it worth it?
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Was Batman the villain of this story, or was it Realistassasin? Perhaps it was neither. I'd like to end this article with one final thought which comes to you from an anonymous observer:
"Would all this have happened if Bling_Bling never bought nudes and got banned for it? We never would have had the taunting from RealistAssasin of Bling in the forums, never would have had MnC getting bombed multiple times by Bling and others, perhaps never resulting in MnC dissolving and reforming with R* as Monarch?"
Pictured: Will Bling_Bling foot the bill for all this mess?
And it still might.
THE CLEANSING OF THE WEST
Monarch's dismantling of Subversive Alliance's western empire was impressive, incisive, and utterly comprehensive. But was it conclusive? When our previous article on the war was published, the fight for the west was still very much ongoing. Monarch had dominated the early salvos, but SA and her allies had begun to push back, and it seemed like we may be entering into a protracted conflict that could last well into December. How wrong we were.
Between the 31st of October and the 18th of November, Monarch branded factions were involved in 138 territorial battles, with their allies The UnLeashed Sykoz adding another 70 to that list. There was hardly a single part of the west that wasn't touched by this far-reaching conflict, and when we look back at the results, it was about as comprehensive a victory as you could ever hope to achieve.
"Activity is the key in this current system. If you are a lazy hobo with super stats, that don't matter since 100 ants can certainly take you out, and if you don't rejoin, you're as good as dead. That's the main reason SA got their ass kicked; They are not active enough." - Anon TuS
After Monarch's failed invasion of Sport Club's QHA territory on the 4th, the Monarch faction family would go on to receive just one further loss during their western war. That's right, one. There were 103 battles involving Monarch or Monarch Engineering after their defeat at QHA, and the only fight that didn't go their way was a failed assault against SA's territory of VHA on the 10th. What began as a war turned into an absolute massacre. But why?
"Monarch came in with 3 HoF factions, we held them at bay for quite a while, but when they invited more and more people into the fight, on multiple channels and fronts, that's when the sides really flipped. Our alliance fought well in my opinion. But as more factions showed up, we knew the inevitable. We still kept at it tho, it's not about the land, it's about pride. We go down fighting. #RIDE OR DIE!" - Ohadik, SA co-leader
Subversive Alliance tried to turn the tide by deploying a Dirty Bomb against Monarch on the 11th, a move which cost the latter 632,058 respect, injured 388 people, but had little impact on the course of the war. A second bomb was sent Monarch's way on the 23rd, but again, it had no effect. Today, the western part of Torn City contains no traces of Subversive Alliance whatsoever. SA Igloo has also been removed, as have SA One Punch, with their Ride or Die allies also abandoning the area.
And unless you've been hiding under a radioactive rock lately, you'll also know that Iron Fist has divorced themselves from the SA family too. So is that it? Is the great SA alliance falling apart? Has Ride or Die chosen the latter option?
THE ALLIANCE CRACKS
Much of the discourse surrounding Subversive Alliance's defeat took the form of gloating. Their control over the western part of the map has been a feature of Torn for some time, and everyone likes to see the winds of change blow through the city every so often - bar those in charge, of course. So when Rifty of Iron Fist took to the forums to explain his reasons for departing the alliance, SA's detractors had a field day.
"I feel we treated Iron Fist with utmost respect and care. We gave them everything we could to ensure they were given tools to grow. However, it wasn't enough as it would seem." - Ohadik
Rifty began his lengthy post by praising SA for the help they have received but then went on to list a series of grievances against the faction, including misuse of war funds, leadership disputes, player poaching, and envy over the deals that proxies were receiving. This last point was the final straw, it seems, with Iron Fist reportedly demanding that a racket belonging to an SA ally be handed over to them.
"We declined, as it's not fair to take rackets from your own allies. We told them we would try to get them one if one popped near their land in our own territories. That wasn't satisfactory. They went as far as to ask their nearby allied factions to hand over their rackets to them. They felt owed for some reason, that it was okay to take other people's rackets from them. I do feel that in this case, they were asking for preferential treatment. Something we simply don't stand behind." - Ohadik
Another source within SA who wished to remain anonymous says that Iron Fist was in a bad way before they joined the alliance, remarking that they "couldn't even manage a 5k [chain]." I was told that SA gave Iron Fist a great deal of help to get to where they are today, and that Rifty of IF was initially understanding as to why he couldn't receive extra rackets and war funds, but that he changed his stance when the tide of the war turned against SA.
Both sides have their grievances, and some of them may be fair, but the bottom line is that Iron Fist decided that they were no longer receiving as many benefits as they felt they deserved from their membership of Ride or Die. SA didn't want to meet Iron Fist's increased demands, so their arrangement came to an end.
SA's rivals were hopeful that this split would be the first of many, and that Ride or Die's days were numbered. However, I have been told that no other Ride or Die members have made demands for more funds or rackets either before or since Iron Fist made their reasons for departure public. SA leadership denies that Ride or Die has collapsed, and their current efforts on the eastern side of the city seem to prove as much.
"Of course Ride or Die still exists. A loss of a war isn't going to break up the friendships and bonds we all have with each other. We are stronger than that." - Ohadik
RISING IN THE EAST
In the immediate aftermath of their defeat, it wasn't clear where SA and her allies would end up on the map. These powerful factions weren't just going to disappear, and nor would their alliances, so we knew that at least some would move together in a block. Yet it seemed a huge ask for SA to find somewhere large enough to accommodate themselves, their subfactions, their allies, and their proxies.
But it seems that's exactly what they're trying to do.
My source within SA tells me that clear plans were laid out for an evacuation to the East when defeat looked inevitable. These plans were communicated to the Ride or Die alliance along with their reasons for moving there, and I am told that after the main factions had arrived, any Ride or Die members who wanted to join them would be given a spot, even if that meant the top dogs received only one territory - an offer that doesn't appear to have been necessary based on current territory counts.
As of the 28th, Subversive Alliance holds a block of 14 territories in Sector 5 next to the Race Track. SA One Punch sits further out east, holding 11 territories in an area of Sector 7 just outside of the shopping district. Ride or Die factions are also making inroads here too, with Endless Endeavor, Winter is Coming, and Onion Smugglers holding blocks north of the Dump. Further south, Chimera's Den and Equilibrium are among the factions currently fighting it out for supremacy on the border between Sectors 6 and 7.
Is this the beginning of a new empire in the east? Perhaps so, but I doubt this region will satisfy SA's ambitions for long. Ohadik admitted as much when he told the Torn City Times that his side may "go take the island or something." This could be a flippant remark, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see SA head for a smaller tranche of prize territories like the island or The Docks after their heavy defeat to Monarch.
My anonymous source in SA admits that their side overstretched during their time in the west, and I wonder if this is a hint at where the future lies for the faction and its ambitions. Subversive Alliance's hold over the west ran for many years, and that alone is an impressive feat that should be celebrated. But after seeing all of their hard work undone in just a few weeks, SA could be forgiven for wanting to focus on smaller goals for the time being.
"Firstly, it must be said, we didn't dominate the West. We merely settled into the area and made friends with the RoD (Ride or Die) alliance. We fought along their sides and together protected the area hand in hand the best we all could. We all share tools, advice, and share input for all factions in the alliance to help grow themselves." - Ohadik
Whatever you want to call it, SA's time in the west is now over, and it looks like a new chapter of influence in the east may be beginning. They will face opposition of course, but my SA insider describes the nearby CRyPTo alliance as friendly to their ambitions, so it will be interesting to see how faction politics determines the makeup of the east in the months to come.
And what now for the west? Is this area safe to invade since SA's network of allies has been forcibly moved on? The Monarch family is calling the shots now, and many have wondered whether they would attempt to set up their own stronghold of proxies and subs in an attempt to replicate SA's legacy. If they do, Ohadik has a few words of advice.
"You better be ready to defend all of your new allies/proxies. If you don't, your 200-page post about how SA doesn't defend its friends will be a major slap in your hypocrite faces. I'd actually like to take this opportunity to invite people to attack the west. SA may or may not join in, but it will be interesting after all the trash talk to see what happens when someone actually does enter the west, especially since all of Monarch's friends solely have racket agreements, and not protection agreements."
"Cue "Kermit sipping a glass of tea" meme. But that's none of my business..." - Ohadik
Ohadik is right. It would be interesting to see what happens if the west were invaded, because Monarch may not be in a position to defend it. While researching this article I received barely any responses from my usual sources in Monarch, which was a surprise given the nature of their victory.
But we all know why that was.
THE DARK NIGHT
Right now, Monarch's leadership team should be toasting their victory, divvying up the rewards, and figuring out how to retain long-term control of the west. Instead, mere days after a triumphant debut war, this embryonic faction family is facing an uncertain future thanks to the inscrutable unscrupulousness of two of its most prominent members: Realistassasin and Batman.
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That was a post made by Batman, the Monarch leader at the time, who spent several days holding the faction to ransom after Realistassasin triggered a major dispute within the family. According to Batman, Realist's crime was to scam a first-year player called Jewbo23 out of a Private Island. The first rule of the Monarch family is "No begging or scamming allowed", but Realistassasin did it anyway, because that's what he does.
Realist has form in this regard, with his flight delay vendetta against PT Family widely blamed for the departure of Monarch leader Hank earlier this year. Then, as is the case now, Realist's allies within Monarch backed him to the hilt, regardless of the impact that doing so has and will continue to have upon the faction. For Batman, Realistassasin's latest shenanigans were the straw that broke the back of an already paralysed camel.
Despite their recent successes, the differing personalities brought together by the merger of Relentless and MnC has been a source of constant tension in Monarch. When news of Realist's scam broke, there was disagreement among the family as to whether or not he should return the funds to his victim. Realist refused to entertain such an outcome, believing that his actions were permitted due to the specific manner of the scam and the way the Relentless / MnC merger was negotiated.
"During merger talks it was actually agreed that trade accepts would be allowed. When the situation with RA occurred recently, Batman decided to take it upon himself to pay back the noob with faction money and then demand RA pay back the faction. There is a leadership group where discussions like these are supposed to happen. Naturally, as all things do with these particular players, things blew up." - Anon Monarch member
Things certainly did blow up, but in a way nobody could've predicted. Former Monarch leader RGiskard's forum post reveals that disputes over Realistassassin's punishment resulted in his associates using threats and insults towards Monarch leadership. The result of this behaviour was that Blistig and Decisive_Fire quit the faction for Evolution and Natural Selection respectively.
But as despicable as they were, Realist's actions would soon pale into comparison with those of Batman. The Monarch leader, frustrated in his attempts to quell the influence of "the scum squad", decided to take sole control of Monarch main and threaten the very future of the faction.
"The real issue is that Batman has refused to give up leadership for weeks and when this situation escalated, removed all permissions from other leaders and refused to give the faction back despite being voted out of leadership. Even those opposed to RA's actions want Batman to give the faction back. All leads, Main included want Batman to give up leadership. Hank and RG included in that. He has essentially taken over a faction that is not his." - Anon Monarch
RGiskard's forum post revealed that Batman had a history of hostility towards some former MnC members within Monarch's ranks, and he often sought to keep the two sides financially separate. In this instance, Batman went one step further by separating the entire faction from their money, as he is alleged to have taken control of Monarch's cash and item reserves worth over $300bn.
On the forums, KingLion of ME described this situation as "potentially the case of the biggest faction scam in history." Fortunately, factions over 100k cannot be destroyed by those in charge, but they can be effectively crippled. To achieve this, it is rumoured that Batman threatened to quit playing and continue logging in every 31 days in order to retain permanent control of Monarch, with his only goal being to keep the faction out of reach of "the scum squad".
"The problem has been festering for quite some time, and can be traced back all the way back to Mentos and Cola. In Monarch when RA / scum squad made their first play for usurping leadership designated positions (during the world tiger flight delay debacle). Even Hank with his wealth of leadership experience could not see a way to navigate that mire and was forced into a 3+ month hiatus." - Pops, former Relentless
The situation looked bleak midweek when former Monarch leader Hank posted a buying request for Dirty Bombs and amended his profile to announce he was leaving Torn. These appeared to be the actions of a beaten man, someone who knew that the faction he had put so much of his heart and soul into was on the verge of being erased.
Larger Link
Thankfully, that's not how it played out.
BATMAN RELENTS
A Monarch faction newsletter posted by Batman and leaked to the forums by anghel on Saturday revealed that the Monarch leader had attempted to demerge the faction simply by announcing it. His justification was, as everyone expected, his opposition to the continued influence of Realistassasin and "the scum squad" within Monarch. Because Hank appeared willing to continue working with these players, Batman decided he was unable to hand back the faction at this point in time.
In an interview with The Times, Realistassasin says that this behaviour from Batman was not unexpected. He accuses Batman of previously stealing a faction and scamming ex-Relentless members while adding that he consistently caused problems as M leader by being neither productive nor present when wars were fought.
"His 1 to 1 convos with any topic were awful as he doesn't know how to speak to people, (mostly to MnC). I wasn't really confident with him being a lead pre merge but gave it the benefit of the doubt as the rest of the leads were not as concerned as me but s**t happens, he chose to be selfish rather than think about R, Hank, RG and R* members." - Realistassasin
Eventually, Batman took to the forums to clear up a few misconceptions regarding his actions. He explained that he'd only revoked other members' vault permissions due to MagicDust's emptying of the vault, and suggested that he had never actually stolen any cash. This is disputed by some in Monarch, and Batman's own networth graph shows a significant rise on November 20th.
Batman's networth has stayed high since, whereas MagicDust's dropped down soon after. This trend gives credence to the claim that MD took the money to protect it when Batman's intentions became clear, and then distributed it back among Monarch's members. But regardless of their respective motives and intentions, both Batman and MagicDust have something in common; they both took control of assets to "protect" them for others, but in doing so served mostly to further their own side's agendas.
Batman went on to post logs of items being passed on from Monarch's armory to the likes of Hank, Afwas, and TranQuilizer - a move which seemed to signify that the Monarch faction would not be returned. But as Friday turned to Saturday, the ice started to thaw, as Batman told the forums that MagicDust had returned $15bn to the faction. This would not be happening unless progress was being made behind the scenes.
Or, something unseemly had occurred.
MONARCHY RESTORED
Monarch was handed back to former leader Hank late on Saturday night.
When asked for his comments on the situation as a whole, Batman's response to the Torn City Times was brief:
"You know I don't have any interest in that. Propaganda is their game not mine." - Batman
In truth, this whole charade has been one big propaganda game, an exercise conducted between two groups with opposing belief systems over how a faction should be run. Eventually, due to Batman's extreme tactics, one of these sides became a group of one, as while Realistassasin's actions meant that many within M sympathised with Batman's reasons for doing what he did, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who agreed with his actions.
Once the faction had been returned, Monarch's Hank provided a magnanimous statement on the matter, one which appeared sorrowful and understanding rather than triumphant in tone. Unfortunately, he also appeared to confirm that this faction drama had indeed spilled over into real life, and Hank called for an end to any unwanted contact towards Batman's family. It would be wise for all involved to heed his words.
So, with Monarch now back in the hands of its founder and rightful owner, the question now is where the hell do they go from here?
"Scum squad either need instating as the defacto head of the faction (as let's face it, they are the prime mover and will continue to be at the center of all conflict instigation) or they need removal root and branch. You can't have a faction within a faction that answers to someone else and expect harmony of purpose, not when the head of scum squad holds diametrically opposed views." - Pops
"Sadly, I think the "win at all costs" mentality is too prevalent in M now for anyone to really get too fussed about them becoming the new House of Scam in Torn. So whether it be in M Main, ME, or MR, the nucleus will indeed regroup and stay together in some form." - MeanMike
"I for one am exhausted. But I do believe we will grow from the situation across the board. We can evaluate our rules and how we operate. We're still a new merger and there's room to grow and improve and that's with already being pretty kick ass. It shouldn't be forgotten how well the family worked together against SA." - Anon Monarch
Monarch has a lot to be proud of after its recent successes, but it also has a huge amount of work to do if it is to remain a viable and unified faction. Hank and M's other leaders can talk all they want about taking on board dialogue and providing feedback, but the only thing that will stop this happening again is firm and decisive action.
Batman was wrong to do what he did, but he is gone, and his behavior is no longer Monarch's concern. When Realistassasin steps out of line again - and he will - are Monarch's leaders strong enough to punish him, or are they content to jeopardise their entire ethos by letting the loudest, s**ttiest voices win? Without consistent rules and effective punishment, any faction in Torn can become ungovernable, even one as strong as Monarch.
You can argue the toss about whether Realist technically violated their rules or not with his scam, but he absolutely brought Monarch into disrepute - of that there is no doubt. A player who is committed to their faction's wellbeing would find some way to avoid dragging their name through the mud. A true team player would act like one by taking on board internal criticisms to prevent events like this from ripping the faction apart. A person who is able to be trusted would apologize to their factions for causing all of this, regardless of how justified they feel their behaviour was.
If I were in Hank's shoes right now, I'd be asking Realistassasin one question and one question only:
Was it worth it?
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Was Batman the villain of this story, or was it Realistassasin? Perhaps it was neither. I'd like to end this article with one final thought which comes to you from an anonymous observer:
"Would all this have happened if Bling_Bling never bought nudes and got banned for it? We never would have had the taunting from RealistAssasin of Bling in the forums, never would have had MnC getting bombed multiple times by Bling and others, perhaps never resulting in MnC dissolving and reforming with R* as Monarch?"
Pictured: Will Bling_Bling foot the bill for all this mess?
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