I agree, Rust seems an example of a game that balances wiping and rebuilding well. I have never played it personally, but does it not have things like a flatter gear progression or the ability to take over an opponent’s base rather than destroy it?

The example I gave, DayZ, has RNG looting as well as harsh survival systems that make regearing a unique and dynamic experience. I assume Rust is similar? The point is that those games were made with rebuilding as a pillar of design. When CE tries to balance like Rust or Dayz with none of their systems, we end up with a shittier product.

Rebuilding in CE is a grind, not an adventure. One that is so cookie cutter, if you are the clan doing the wiping you can easily tamp down any opponent brazen enough to stick around after the first beating. Most players hop servers after being wiped, that is a norm for a reason.

I’m glad you are content to be offline wiped. That doesn’t make it any less stupid as a design objective.

Statements like this make me think our disconnect may result from differing experiences of the game. There was a time when we had no raid hours either, 24/7. Thralls would pincushion your ass for even attempting to smell what your neighbors were cooking, let alone scout for a raid. Our castles used to be able to defend themselves pretty admirably. Because that is what the game was designed around. Pretty simple.