The 2025 Defender Awards

[The Defender Awards 2025]

The 2025 Defender Awards

It brings me great pleasure to announce the 2025 Defender Awards, hosted by the South Pacific! This is an important time for the defender community to come together and celebrate the individuals and groups that have contributed to the cause. Below, you will find the rough schedule, locations and awards on offer this year.

Schedule and Methods

• Discussion Period - Thursday, December 4th to Sunday, December 7th
• Nominations Period - Sunday, December 7th to Sunday, December 14th
• Voting Period - Sunday, December 14th to Sunday, December 21st
• Awards Ceremony - Sunday, December 21st

More specific instructions will be published at the opening of both the Nominations and Voting periods, but in each case defenders will be able to participate either on the Defender Awards 2025 thread on the TSP Forums or by telegramming the Defender Awards 2025 nation on-site. Nominations and votes should be done in such a way that we can identify you. Any defender banned from the TSP Forums must submit nominations or votes via telegram.

Awards Offered this Year

• Defender of the Year - Given to the nation that has served the defender cause effectively the most the past year.
• Ananke Award - Given to the nation that has most proficiently and regularly noticed and alerted others of in-progress invasions.
• Anarchtopia Award - Given to the military most succesful at curtailing invasions.
• Sir Lans Award - Given to the nation that has best served the defender cause through their presence at regular updates this year.
• Operation of the Year - Given to the victory that proved to be the most fulfilling of the year.
• Newcomer of the Year - Given to the nation that, having joined the faction in the past year, has most made a name for themselves as a strong defender.
• Lifetime Achievement Award - Given to a veteran nation that has contributed an immense time and effort to the cause.
• Best Defender Quote - Given to a defender quotation that amused, entertained or inspired the most this year.
• Numero Capitan Award - Given to the nation that has contributed the most to defender intelligence.
• Karputsk Award - Given to the nation that has most excelled in the leading of liberations.
• The Belgium Award - Given to the nation that advanced the defender cause in the Security Council the most.
• The Worst Invader Group - Given to the raider military that has made our jobs the easiest in the past year.
• The Eluvatar Award - Given to the nation that has most contributed to defender technological advancement.
• The Blackbird Award - Given to the raider military that has given us the biggest headaches this year.
• Mentor of the Year - Given to a nation that has been a strong and effective mentor to new defenders.

Now, friends and compatriots, I urge you to reflect on the past year, discuss and reminisce with each other, and be ready to submit nominations starting Sunday. Here's to many more successful years!

[Elite]

Very exciting. Time for me to start ruminating.

[Karenus]

Been out of the loop for too long, I'm excited to see the new up and coming faces of NS. Surely it's not gonna be the same old farts...

[Ikania]

When are we running Defendervision again?

[The Defender Awards 2025]

The 2025 Defender Awards - Nominations Open

The time has come to submit nominations for the 2025 Defender Awards! We hope that you have had time to think about who may be deserving this year and are ready to acknolwedge them. Please refer to the previous message for descriptions of each award and read about methods of nominations below.

Who Can Make Nominations

Any NationStates player whose identity we can ascertain and who is in good out-of-character standing may make nominations. As such, the forum account or nation used to make a nomination should be identifiable to your primary NationStates persona.

The South Pacific retains the right to reject bad-faith nominations and will make those rejections known publically on the TSP forums as soon as possible. Otherwise, all nominees that recieve two or more nominations will appear on the ballot next week.

How to Make a Nomination

Nominations can be submitted either by posting in the Defender Awards 2025 thread on the TSP Forums or by sending a telegram to the Defender Awards 2025 nation. Players banned for any reason from the TSP Forums must make their nominations via telegram. TSP will post all nominations made via telegram to the TSP forums for transparency.

Any message format that can be reasonably deciphered as a nomination will be accepted, but if you are making a large number of nominations, you can copy the following message, omitting awards you do not wish to make nominations for:

Defender of the Year: [Name 1], [Name 2] etc.
Ananke Award:
Anarchtopia Award:
Sir Lans Award:
Operation of the Year:
Newcomer of the Year:
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Best Defender Quote:
Numero Capitan Award:
Karputsk Award:
The Belgium Award:
The Worst Invader Group:
The Eluvatar Award:
The Blackbird Award:
Mentor of the Year:

Nominations will remain open for one week, closing at the opening of voting on Sunday, December 14th. Godspeed.

[Cessarea]

Mentor of the Year: Lumeris

She has been instrumental to the introduction of many people, myself included, to the very concept of Nationstates Gameplay and, more importantly, Defenderdom. I'd be remiss not to at least give my mentor this nomination, which I sincerely believe she deserves.

Sir Lans Award: MLGDogeland

This one has had a dementedly constant participation in Libcord updates since July. I think he's a very decent contender.

Can't say I'm qualified to nominate more than these - my participation in R/D was small, these are the only two I can attest to based on experience.

Edit: In my newbishness, I did this wrong, but I'll leave this up anyway!

[Nu Elysium]

i would like to nominate the regional password feature as best defender

[Hemogard]

.

[The Defender Awards 2025]

The 2025 Defender Awards - Voting Open

We are excited to announce that voting is now open for the 2025 Defender Awards! Any candidate that recieved two or more nominations over the past week will be included on the ballot. There are a few awards which, having only one candidate with sufficient nominations, will not be voted on, but those awards will still be given out at the close of voting in one week’s time.

If you spot an error (in spelling, or a candidate errononeosly missing) please reach out in any way that you can submit a vote as soon as possible.

How to Vote

Firstly, copy the ballot below. Then, either bold the candidate that you wish to vote for or remove all other candidates. Remember that you may only vote for one candidate per award. View the introductory message at the top of this thread for a description of every award. You are not required to vote in every award; simply leave blank any award you do not wish to vote for.

Defender of the Year: Faralried, Moon, Quebecshire
Anarchotopia Award: Galactic Armada of Starlight, League Defense Forces, South Pacific Special Forces, the Order of the Grey Wardens
Sir Lans Award: Dogeland, Heliseum, Kadaizee, The Age of Utopia
Newcomer of the Year: Dogeland, Heliseum, Kadaizee, Merethin, Untecna
Lifetime Achievement Award: Benevolent Thomas, HumanSanity, Numero Capitan, Quebecshire
Karputsk Award: Heliseum, Moon, Takkaviita
The Belgium Award: Moon, Quebecshire
The Worst Invader Group: Lone Wolves United, The W0rld
The Eluvatar Award: Haku, Merethin
The Blackbird Award: A plastic plant in the corner of Max Barry’s office, Purple Pony Club, Border Control (Captchas)
Mentor of the Year: Faralried, Heliseum, Lumeris, Salem
Best Defender Quote:
“Barely outranks The Last Jedi” - Excidium Planetis,

"Out of update 2025-08-02

Surrender: 1

https://www.nationstates.net/region=the ... _of_malice" - Amalteia

Ballots can be submitted either by posting in the Defender Awards 2025 thread on the TSP Forums or by sending a telegram to the Defender Awards 2025 nation. Players banned for any reason from the TSP Forums must submit their votes via telegram. TSP will post all votes made via telegram to the TSP forums for transparency. Votes submitted via telegram should be submitted from your main nation.

Voting will remain open for one week, closingon Sunday, December 21th. Best of luck to all candidates!

[Alfonzo]

I want BT to win his lifetime achievement award.

[Numero Capitan]

I want BT to win his lifetime achievement award.

(He already did, in 2019...)

[Benevolent Thomas]

I want BT to win his lifetime achievement award.

(He already did, in 2019...)

Yeah, I'm not even sure how I'm eligible to win this prestigious honor a second time, especially when there are scores of defenders who are deserving the receive it. The other nominees this year are more than deserving and I hope nobody embarrasses us by voting for me.

[Warzone Codger]

Yearly reminder that we must correct the injustice of The Poll Raiders losing to The Skeleton Army in the 2014 Defender awards.

[Alfonzo]

(He already did, in 2019...)

Yeah, I'm not even sure how I'm eligible to win this prestigious honor a second time, especially when there are scores of defenders who are deserving the receive it. The other nominees this year are more than deserving and I hope nobody embarrasses us by voting for me.

Sorry, I was under the assumption you didn't have one (for some reason) >_>

My official vote would be Quebecshire, he's put in the work to build defending to the winning streak it is now.

[The Defender Awards 2025]

A Statement on the Best Defender Quote Award

Recent events have uncovered that Amalteia, to whom one of the candidates for Best Defender Quote is attributed, was an infiltrator in Europeia working at the time for the Brotherhood of Malice. We have received several questions from fellow defenders about the quote, and we apologize for the delay while we conferred with the other signatories of the Award Accords. We recognize that Defender Quote isn't precisely the most important award, but we nevertheless decided some action was needed.

We recognize that the quote's source is now in conflict with the spirit of the award. We also recognize that we are far into the voting period -- the vast majority of people who are going to cast a vote have done so already -- and despite its origin, the quote nevertheless represents a monumental moment of victory for the cause this year.

As such, we wish to announce one action and one reminder:

• Should the quote in question win the award, it will be presented and put into record without attribution.
• We wish to remind any voter that they may amend their ballot, either by editing their post on the TSP Forums or by sending another telegram to The Defender Awards 2025 nation.

Voting remains open until this Sunday, December 21st. Best of luck to all the candidates.

[The Defender Awards 2025]

The 2025 Defender Awards - Awards Ceremony

Thank you to everyone that send in nominations and votes over the past several weeks! Voting is now closed!

2025 has been a year of extremes. We have broken record after record, crushed occupation after occupation, and now seemingly *organization* after *organization*. Each and every soldier who has lent their time and energy to the cause this year should feel proud. In times like these, we should be encouraged to take a look back at the year -- if even for a moment -- before turning to the year ahead.

Now, without further ado, please join me in congratulating each of the winners of the 2025 Defender Awards!

Defender of the Year

Given to the nation that has served the defender cause effectively the most the past year.

Moon

The Ananke Award

Given to the nation that has most proficiently and regularly noticed and alerted others of in-progress invasions.

Takkaviita

The Anarchotopia Award

Given to the military most succesful at curtailing invasions.

The Galactic Armada of Starlight

The Sir Lans Award

Given to the nation that has best served the defender cause through their presence at regular updates this year.

Dogeland

Operation of the Year

Given to the victory that proved to be the most fulfilling of the year.

The Liberation of Lonia Kreptia Llor

Newcomer of the Year

Given to the nation that, having joined the faction in the past year, has most made a name for themselves as a strong defender.

Dogeland

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Given to a veteran nation that has contributed immense time and effort to the cause.

Quebecshire

Best Defender Quote

Given to a defender quotation that amused, entertained or inspired the most this year.

"Out of update 2025-08-02

Surrender: 1

https://www.nationstates.net/region=the ... _of_malice"

The Numero Capitan Award

Given to the nation that has contributed the most to defender intelligence.

Numero Capitan

The Karputsk Award

Given to the nation that has most excelled in the leading of liberations.

Moon

The Belgium Award

Given to the nation that advanced the defender cause in the Security Council the most.

Quebecshire

Worst Invader Group

Given to the raider military that has made our jobs the easiest in the past year.

Lone Wolves United

The Eluvatar Award

Given to the nation that has most contributed to defender technological advancement.

Merethin

The Blackbird Award

Given to the raider military that has given us the biggest headaches this year.

A plastic plant in the corner of Max Barry’s office

Mentor of the Year

Given to a nation that has been a strong and effective mentor to new defenders.

Heliseum

Congratulations to the many winners, and here's to many more victorious years!

[Untecna]

Hearty congratulations to all the winners! And what a year for the GAS!

[Ostlantis]

Another strong year for a plastic plant in the corner of Max Barry’s office. Exciting to see!

[Nolrem]

Numero Capitan winning the Numero Capitan award feels correct.

[Emodea]

It's good to be back.

Congratulations to all the winners, this has been a great year for defenderdom and I hope we continue our dominance into the next year as well!

[Rhaza]

Lifetime Achievement in sub-5-years while Delegate of an independent GCR

[Dogeland]

Very proud of myself and GAS's performance this year.

Here's to an even better 2026!

[Whelaen]

(Image)

The 2025 Defender Awards - Awards Ceremony

Thank you to everyone that send in nominations and votes over the past several weeks! Voting is now closed!

2025 has been a year of extremes. We have broken record after record, crushed occupation after occupation, and now seemingly *organization* after *organization*. Each and every soldier who has lent their time and energy to the cause this year should feel proud. In times like these, we should be encouraged to take a look back at the year -- if even for a moment -- before turning to the year ahead.

Now, without further ado, please join me in congratulating each of the winners of the 2025 Defender Awards!

Defender of the Year

Given to the nation that has served the defender cause effectively the most the past year.

Moon

The Ananke Award

Given to the nation that has most proficiently and regularly noticed and alerted others of in-progress invasions.

Takkaviita

The Anarchotopia Award

Given to the military most succesful at curtailing invasions.

The Galactic Armada of Starlight

The Sir Lans Award

Given to the nation that has best served the defender cause through their presence at regular updates this year.

Dogeland

Operation of the Year

Given to the victory that proved to be the most fulfilling of the year.

The Liberation of Lonia Kreptia Llor

Newcomer of the Year

Given to the nation that, having joined the faction in the past year, has most made a name for themselves as a strong defender.

Dogeland

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Given to a veteran nation that has contributed immense time and effort to the cause.

Quebecshire

Best Defender Quote

Given to a defender quotation that amused, entertained or inspired the most this year.

"Out of update 2025-08-02

Surrender: 1

https://www.nationstates.net/region=the ... _of_malice"

The Numero Capitan Award

Given to the nation that has contributed the most to defender intelligence.

Numero Capitan

The Karputsk Award

Given to the nation that has most excelled in the leading of liberations.

Moon

The Belgium Award

Given to the nation that advanced the defender cause in the Security Council the most.

Quebecshire

Worst Invader Group

Given to the raider military that has made our jobs the easiest in the past year.

Lone Wolves United

The Eluvatar Award

Given to the nation that has most contributed to defender technological advancement.

Merethin

The Blackbird Award

Given to the raider military that has given us the biggest headaches this year.

A plastic plant in the corner of Max Barry’s office

Mentor of the Year

Given to a nation that has been a strong and effective mentor to new defenders.

Heliseum

Congratulations to the many winners, and here's to many more victorious years!

An Absolute Pleasure to be the Operation of the Year! Thank you.