@AcOrP
I stopped playing after season 6, so I don't know what happened afterwards.
#HCE: before f2p / hce nerf / RD introduction there were only so many keepers/morganas, so hce was basically the top pve content most of the people could access: repetitive, but most challenging, good fame, good loot, safe. Gear was incredibly expensive indeed (8.3 bolts alone was the equivalent of 1,5years of premium), but I guess people could start with hce1-6.
#HG:
#small guilds: Agreed, but it proves that in Albion small guilds with competent people could be competitive (especially if they have connections). Regarding u12 I was talking about the part after raccoon-torthur drama when you created your own alliance in W Anglia. I guess that such guilds would succeed in Fractured as well.
PS: I know u12 had competent gvgers, since they merc'ed for us from time to time
