Help deciding on server and nation

[Legion121]

Alright I've decided to buy the game. However I'm still not sure which server (PvP a must) and which nation to choose from. I live in the Caribbean so a US server is the way to go. But, there is no info on reddit or on here that can give me a lets say breakdown of total players and popularity of nation in the game. I'm trying to avoid the more populated nations so US, Brits, Pirates and not particularly interested in playing as the Dutch. So I'm left with Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and France as potential candidates. Would it be possible to get some comments on the amount of players for the nations on the US PvP servers and possibly the name of clans/groups for them. Also if possible to get a couple of screenshots of the game map so as to see the current nation balance on the different servers?

[Admiral 8Q]

There is currently only 2 US servers. One is PvE, and the other is PvP. 

As for nations, you should probably base that on languages you can speak in order to communicate with other players. I originally played as USA, then switched to Great Britain. I would love to play as Holland in the Bahamas, but I don't know Dutch.

The reason I switched to GB was because it's centered on the world map at Jamaica. As USA you start way up in the top right of the map.

[Matsje van Leeuwenhoek]

Here's my experience, YMMV

 

Brits-large population, but this can provide a decent amount of opportunity for someone to get involved, because of such a large area to defend. Also, English is obviously the spoken national chat language

 

Pirates-Large pop. But they're very active, on both a solo level/RvR level

 

US--Large'ish pop, active later primetime, and obviously more so because of timezones

 

French--large'ish pop, BUT, as Admiral mentioned, language is a VERY important part, because during EU prime time, French is the   predominate language of chat

 

Dutch-medium pop. Several active clans. Active PvP, active RvR. English is the spoken language of national chat

 

 

Svirge/Danes --I believe both are in the smallest pop category, however, I think both nations are VERY active. If not all over the map, I think they're having some most likely very fun matches between ea. other and in their little corners of the world. I'm pretty sure, about 70% sure, that Svirge chat is English, but from my understanding Dane chat is German or Russian quite a bit, but thats really all hearsay.

 

Espana---I know has some activity, but I dont know nor have I heard alot about their activity. From time to time in Global, you hear people complain that alot of their national chat is mainly Spanish, but that may be a few vocal individuals unhappy.

 

 

Personal notes,

 

French was fun, but not speaking French made involvement difficult to feel a part of a greater good sort of thing. Playing against them (as Dutch obviously), is very fun, because our whole area is really active w/small fights, big fights, RvR fights, port battles, and even doing port defenses if you cant get in because of size or what have you.

 

I think USN would be alot of fun, because they've got a real early grasp of RvR gameplay, and now that most of the continental US is under their banner, they've got nothing but time and money on their hands to go/do what they want.

 

I think Svirge would be really, really fun. Its small, its probably, 50-100 guys all hanging out and just creating chaos and fighting a group of players that most likely are just about the exact same size as them. If I had not of gone Dutch, (which I'm happy w/because its alotta fun atm) I think I would go Svirge. Their only drawback would be having people online during the time I/you or whoever would be online. The game can be very empty come 10pm MST regardless of what nation you play for.

 

 

------edited---

bcuz of odd formating

Edited February 8, 2016 by Matsje van Leeuwenhoek

['Sharpe]

Legion121, it's worth pointing out that a superb ping is not required to play this game. I am U.S. based, but play on the primary server, EU PvP 1. I have never had my higher ping interfere in any meaningful way in combat or otherwise. It's not even noticeable. I get between 150-200 ping ingame. This is not the type of game like a first person shooter where milliseconds are essential. Therefore I would recommend going PvP1, as you will find a higher overall server population and therefore more activity.

[Jack Marslow]

PVP 1 is where its at. Good meta here. Great pops. Established clans. Ping is not as important as you think. I play 130 and know of others with 250 ping and it doesnt bother them at all. You dont need 30 ping to compete. 

[Noif]

Here's my experience, YMMV

 

Svirge/Danes --I believe both are in the smallest pop category, however, I think both nations are VERY active. If not all over the map, I think they're having some most likely very fun matches between ea. other and in their little corners of the world. I'm pretty sure, about 70% sure, that Svirge chat is English, but from my understanding Dane chat is German or Russian quite a bit, but thats really all hearsay.

 

I think Svirge would be really, really fun. Its small, its probably, 50-100 guys all hanging out and just creating chaos and fighting a group of players that most likely are just about the exact same size as them. If I had not of gone Dutch, (which I'm happy w/because its alotta fun atm) I think I would go Svirge. Their only drawback would be having people online during the time I/you or whoever would be online. The game can be very empty come 10pm MST regardless of what nation you play for.

 

 

------edited---

bcuz of odd formating

 

I can say from Sweden side that here most people in chat speaks english and germans. Not much swedish language in chat so here is easy to communicate as I finnish play on Sweden side. What I heard from Danmark-norge that there most people are russians (because they selected that nation as their main nation to play) If you play on danmark side, prepare to have good russian language to communicate.

[Scream112]

The only german in Swedish chat I see is German Clans recruiting Otherwise its 99% English in the Swedish Nation Chat from my experience

 

Sweden is a lot of fun with plenty of battles and good people. But dont expect to be in a "zerg-nation" such as the Brits.

 

From our experience in PVP against Denmark-Norway they are infested with Russians. The biggest and most noticeble clan being [RUS] which is basicly the ones deciding what the Danish nation does, and they are all Russians. I feel bad for the Danes and Norwegians who have to deal with the Russian language in nation chat.

 

But playing as Sweden its great fun to know that your battling the Russians

[Legion121]

I'm guessing all the Russian speak is coming from the EU server? Many thanks guys. As much as I would like to join you I doubt the different time-zones would make it easy on me. I'm choosing the US server. As for nation I've narrowed it down to Sweden, Danes and Spain. I heard the 2 former are small compared to other nations and I kinda like the appeal of the underdogs. Now I just gotta convince them to take over PR. If not I'll switch to Spain and defend my island.  

[Ghroznak]

Well, I played Denmark-Norway on PvE server just learning the ropes and whatnot.

 

Started on EU PVP 1 as Denmark-Norway, but that was really awkward. Felt like it should be renamed to Russian faction maybe as there was 99 lines of cyrillic for every 1 line of English. Some guy was asking a question in English and it was simply drowned out by cyrillics and he never got any answers. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind there being mix of languages in chats. Not every speaks english obviously. But when the dominant language of the chat is something other than English then I feel it's just fair to let people know what to expect if they join that faction.

 

I'm currently considering switching to GB, US or just Pirates instead. Guess that means I get reset to rank 0 and lose my Kaptajnlojtenant rank I got on D-N so far

 

*edit* I made a US character on EU PVP 1 and I kept both my rank and crafting level that I had on my Danish-Norwegian character on the PvE server. Instant Lieutenant Commandant on US character

 

Anyways, guess point I try to make is that (in my experience so far on EU PVP 1 as D-N) there isn't a whole lot of English in Denmark-Norway chats.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Ghroznak