I think that’s just one of the features of small games (or issues, if like me you don’t like small games :P).
As in small games the point at which ‘leader ganging/kingmaking’ happens can be as early as turns 15-20 (or even sooner). As if for example you have two nations that get off to great starts (compared to “the rest”), then if “the rest” attempt to gang one, they are just playing kingmaker for the other. And if “the rest” do nothing, or even worse fight amongst themselves, then they will just get taken out one-by-one as the two leaders race to the finish. As it’s rare a pair of leaders will choose to directly take each other on early, not if there are smaller prey to go for and as such enter a “race to win with possible ultimate showdown”, rather than “an early showdown that might let one of the rest win if we beat each other up”. This is because “Winner takes all” has far better odds than “Winner might take all, or they might take nothing because they left other people alive before heading for the ultimate showdown”.
And because not everyone wants to get involved in “leader ganging/kingmaking” so soon into the game, and especially when some are still finishing off expansion, some players will either just ignore the issue completely (although they will likely notice it later when it’s already far too late to do anything), and/or have a strong desire to “just do their own thing”. But small games rarely allow for “doing your own thing”, unless your thing involves “getting a good start and taking a neighbour out asap”. Some players in “the rest” catagory might believe they can still win “just doing their thing”. Even though they are a small nation that had poor expansion, and while currently watching two of their neighbours being rapidly eaten by a big fish. Just not realistic I’m afraid. Plus the odds of “poor/slow expansion + chance to still win” becoming a wedded pair has ever increasing odds the smaller games get.
The ideal outcome for “the rest” is for them to split up in such as way as they can stop both leaders, and end up with a scenario where the two fish who became fat early on are dead, allowing the brave little fish, who have now become fatter, to battle it out for the win. And free from the tyranny of the two big fish who once upon a time threatened the well being of all small fish. (hey, this could be the storyline for Finding Nemo 2!)
But the problem for “the rest” with this ideal outcome is that far too often they are far too slow to react. As one small fish might not come to the aid of his neighbouring small fish until all but their tail has disappeared down the gullet of the big fish. And then it’s not a “2 small fish vs 1 big fish” fight, as it’s just another “1 small fish vs 1 big fish” fight. With the big fish perhaps having some stomach ache for a turn or two, but an ache that rarely prevents him from eating again immediately should another small fish generously offer himself up on a plate.
Oh and I might add binding NAP’s and/or honourable play only ever helps the big fish in these situations. As those 3 free turns might be all they need to have swallowed their first small fish. Since how often do you see players who get a good start, NAP-ing with all but one neighbour, and then going for that one who missed the NAP handout. It’s such a staple and successful strategy that SA have built an entire Dom community around it. But if you have agreed a NAP with a strong nation, then the moment they attack a mutual neighbour you should attack them straight away (circumstances providing). If you hesitate or give notice of the NAP at that stage, then you are already on the backfoot, and likely irreparably so. Hesitation usually means death in these cases. There is no honour in dying. And there is certainly no honour in sticking to honour at the cost of dying (or throwing the game away, allowing the game to be won unopposed).
Of course what Scribble describes might have a few traits involved that are uniquely associated with the QT3 community. But I think it’s the small size of games in general more than anything else.
