I'm sure from my title by now you will know what this post will be about, the clan Halcyon! Now if you have read my previous post about peace on the server I have semi mentioned Halcyon, mainly just threw their name out there. I have also did an over run of Core *big reason was due to the fact that I was just an old solid member with a strong factual opinion*.
But why am I doing a blog post on Halcyon? Its simple, my perspective and opinion on Halcyon now and the foreseeable future.
I have stated in my post before that I will be an unbiased reviewer, the leader of Halcyon is actually a pretty good person, I wouldn't say we are close friends but we are indeed friends. Just because I'm friends with the people or clan I am reviewing and giving my two cents on does not mean this is going to be all flowers and roses. (Then again flowers and roses are the same thing lol)
As you can tell my title of this blog post is "Halcyon: The Growing Dragon", I'm sure most individuals have heard about the old saying "The Sleeping Dragon" this is some what similar. When it comes to say the "Sleeping Dragon" I would give that title to more of a clan that does not really do Colony War, does not really raid much, but some how has a great deal of strong players and if that strong amount of players in that clan was to unleash its fury and give a strong impact upon the rest of the server. Halcyon is not this, just due to the reasons that they do in fact have a nice amount of strong people but not enough to the point where they can fully steal raids from the other top clans making them that "Sleeping Dragon". No, no "The Growing Dragon" is a much more fit name for Halcyon, but why? Halcyon is continuing to grow and mature a lot more then I think people give them credit for. Their leader cares about where the clan and its direction is headed and tends to make those difficult decisions in order to lead Halcyon into the positive, growing and maturity growth.
Although there might be a few issues Halcyon is still facing today. I am not here to compare Core and Halcyon but use Core more as a "This is what will happen if etc happens". Halcyon really needs to watch its recruiting and activity rate. From my own knowledge I know Halcyon has probably more members then it needs to. Meaning there are people in the clan that maybe really do not play much, or do not contribute much or maybe even just stick to themselves and afk level most of the time. I'm almost positive in Halcyon there is just that firm set of raiders who in reality keep the clans blood pushing, their the heart of Halcyon. Numbers are always a great thing but only when those numbers are actually doing something to further the cause of the clan. If you just have people who are not at the proper level for what the clan does then whats really being benefited for that individual and the clan itself? Now I am not saying Halcyon recruits a bunch of Experts, but I have seen a few people go in there and join, keep to themselves, contribute much of nothing, and gives no effort in connecting with their clan mates.
In twined what I am really saying is Halcyon needs to just be cautious of their numbers. They need to create more of that "Family feel" a more close connection, that's why a good deal of the top clans are so successful today. Again I have never really been in Halcyon, its just things I have discovered and found out; all I really do know is the thinner the clan the stronger that family feel becomes. I mean you do not want a bad ratio meaning 20-40 people are inactive, anti social, unworkable, and pure lazy. Now do not get me wrong I am not calling the Halcyon people that, even the ones who are semi inactive or tend to not raid much but still try to connect with everyone,do not fall under that category. Everything I just said was more of a warning. Knowing the Halcyon leader I can give a good bet this is something she goes against, unlike other leaders out there where they believe that the more numbers they have the more balanced their clan will be and in the end better off. I do not know about you guys but I would rather have quality then quantity.
100 people do not complete a raid, 100 WELL, organized, communicated, and willed people complete a raid. Honestly, I can see Halcyon cleaning up more and more as they grow, getting rid of the unnecessary weeds and picking the diamonds out of the hay stack. When I talk about slimming down their numbers I am not talking just purely based on an individuals armor / weapons etc. I had a good friend of mine she was moderate at her armor / weapons but she put in effort, the will power to progress further in Halcyon and is actually in my eyes becoming a tremendous Sword 2 player through Halcyon. A big reason why I am always against people just joining a clan for numbers is because do you honestly want to be one of those...clans where you have about 10-20 really dedicated individuals with about 30+ people who are the fat, the people who absorb the 10-20s hard work, I'm sure you know what clan I am thinking of :P. If Halcyon can just control their recruitment as they have been and not be afraid to take wise moves to clean up a crowded "area" then as time goes by I can really see Halcyon getting smaller yet stronger.
A good amount of people all know that Halcyon is neutral. However, they do raids, they do CW just like any other clan that is not neutral. This is really where I actually give Halcyon two thumbs up. They have been able to take and hold colonies *at times a little help from What but only due to another superior power attacking* and attend all the raids that the top few clans have been attending. Now we all know Halcyon and What have agreements together for raids, that was in the past. Basically they have been trying to as some one might say "Wing off" meaning break off from the assistance of What and just purely as a clan do Cortez / Wraiths / Minis themselves. This is something I give them props for. A clan like for an example, Core would just stay and piggy back and throw some highish players of their own to the raid and obtain the items when lets say What would do a good 80% of the work. Halcyon could easily have taken that approach, but instead they have worked with What, observed What and the way to successfully complete these raids and are now attempting to try it on their own sol clan alone. I do give them my thumbs up for that. My other thumb will go to the fact that in reality Halcyon has a side. They raid with What, What has helped them a few times in Colony War but you want to know the crazy thing, a good deal of people IN this server still see Halcyon as "neutral". They have basically built this ability to get the raids they need to get done, work with a clan but never had to fully pick a side. This is definitely a good thing cause it just shows that a clan can be neutral and not have to pick a side in order to work with people to complete raids or have a chance at the goodies that some of the other clans get.
However, if I am not mistaken Halcyon actions show as though they work more towards What then the other end of the stick. If something got "real" with say What, I am not 100% sure if Halcyon would stick by their side. Halcyon has always been the kinda clan that just would rather stay out of issues and drama and stick to the side lines by any means necessary. What I mean is Halcyon has always had that "feel" that they just wanna kinda stay in the shadows and do what they can without any confrontation. The big question is if anything were to happen with What, say they lose a good deal of players, would Halcyon help them raid rise, help them during CW, basically the other side of the fence. That I can honestly say I am unsure of only due to the fact that Halcyon is just purley one of those clans where the clan comes first before any "alliance". Of course that's not at all a bad thing, well not for the clan that is, for their "alliance" if they ever truly admitted to being in one, would be. Backing away from your "alliance" *not saying they have one publicly* can lead to even more issues just due to the fact that they may just wanna go back into that hibernation mode. Now saying they wouldn't help raid wise, I believe of course they would, but more means of issues, and clan to clan conflict which might put their clan in jeopardy of success. Anything that might even breeze in the air of an issue with an ally, I can see them distancing themselves only if they believe it would cause a strong permanent harm against them, then again why shouldn't they? Any sane leader would look out for the clan first before any alliance which then brings up the point. *but I have seen a good deal of clans do what was more best for the alliance then the clan itself*. Knowing that you are in Halcyon and in an alliance with another clan but you still feel that the clan will always put your security first before any old alliance, is a good feeling.
Although I do not really see any issues or strong decision making between the agreements and the clan happening anytime soon.
My only biggest concern for Halcyon would simply be their members, their active rate and how desperate they might get for new members due to the lack of a patch and the disappearance of the population. They MUST NOT get desperate for new fresh blood, I would always just love my own old reliable, loyal individuals then bring in fresh Masters. The chances for those fresh masters to barley put any effort in or just fully disappear all together and not log in for months at a time is pretty high surprisingly. With more issues to get vis and more issues to gear and grow, it means only more and more people will suddenly just poof cause people do get tired of it. So once again I am not saying the people in Halcyon are sluggish and lazy, all I am saying is as long as Halcyon does not get desperate for fresh blood and continues to further trim its fat, it will only benefit each member in the clan and well the clan itself.
Halcyon is growing more popular server wide meaning more and more people are hearing about Halcyon and its growth. Everyone wants to be in What, everyone wants to be in a clan that has that ability to go to a raid with just their clan and have that opportunity at a Greek Croma (33 DR armor) or lovely accessories or even just that full enjoyment of getting a raid down just with your clan mates, everyone wants that. As I see people underestimate Halcyon and questioning them, I can only see them getting stronger if they do what is necessary and continue to be on that "progress" path. As more people from other clans gear and level faster then their own clan mates *you see it all the time, some people in your clan progressing so fast its incredible and then eventually leave and move on, that's if the clan their in is not going at their needed pace* then when they think about the next step they want to go to it just wont be "What, Schia, STH" but I am seeing even more "Halcyon, Halcyon, What, Schia, STH" meaning I'm actually seeing a rise in people wanting to go to Halcyon more then any where else.
So my prediction for Halcyon is simple, it will continue to grow if it just trims the fat and does not consume more food and end up like a clan like Core. Their breaching out and trying to do things on their own, away from their "associates" their jumping off that piggys back! Although people cant really say Halcyon was "Piggy backing" they were more like getting a "Lift" cause they have to get to Cortez / Wraiths some how, if What / Schia are constantly going, they had to get their foot in the door. They indeed got their foot in the door and learned the ropes and are now adventuring onto their own.
Even after seeing them every week raiding with What, some how I still call Halcyon neutral, that's how well Halcyon can truly play its role, quite impressive if I might say so myself.
