the strongest nations of eorzea

[GrizzlyTank]

Going to go with either Gridania or Ishgard. Isgard becuase it's a miliary nation that's been in a thousand year war with dravania, and Gridania because they are positioned just beside a hostile nation so they need a sizeable army to keep them in check. Ul'dah runs the issue of easily fracturing due to it's political structure as we saw in ARR while Limsa just recently managed to unify it's navy.

[Comrade_uri]

I’d put Ishgard as first. Yes Ul’Dah is not to be messed with but Ishgard can also call the watch to enlarge its numbers and Airships, not to mention dragoons. Shame there is no proof the dravanians would come to there aid as that would seal the deal. They are also by far the most well rounded force which is said in storm blood by I think pipin when he speaks on the plan for blowing the gate. Also Temple Knights, you can’t just join. You must either win a tourney or be selected. Grand Companies will take any who sign up and use Free companies. It might give larger numbers sure but this method still had Ishgard fighting for a thousand years and suffering a massive climate change. They lost ground over the course of that long span but that’s still amazing but means every Knight is a highly skilled fighter from the beginning. House knights seem to be more a mixed bag.

Ul’dah meanwhile has the brass blades who are corrupt as fuck but you can not ignore they do have quite a study and tough land force. Only issue there is they are surrounded by sea on three sides which brings Limsa in so I ain’t getting too deep into this as counter upon counter will occur so I will leave this.

During the Autumn war Ala Mhigo pushed back Gridania. Limsa and Ul’dah joined but could only bring them to a stalemate. Ishgard while fighting the Dragon song war joined in and broke that stalemate. They fought two wars, at once, held on side off and helped beat another at two different ends of Eorzea. No one has beaten that feat of our current city states.

[Seger]

Ul'dah or Ishgard

[SaberMaxwell]

Gridania kicked Ala Mhigo's ass in the Autumn War iirc. It's also been the border to Baelsar's Wall and thus one of the first fronts of ground aggression from Garlemald this entire time. They're no pushovers.

[Ghost_of_Ebina]

I think Kan-E-Senna was the strongest leader among them all -- she had complete control over the governing structures within Gridania and military leaders such as Swethryk and Vorsaile are 100% loyal to Kan-E. Gridania has garrisons all over the Shroud and are constantly fighting against rogues and the Ixal, not to mention the Garleans who have had a strong presence since Gridania has been the borderland against the Garleans since the fall of Ala Mhigo. I wouldn't call them isolationist either as they have sought out and organized alliances with other countries (which means they have capable leaders who can recognize when they need help and can explain this within their nation without significant opposition), and they also have an entire military branch composed of adventurers.

Meanwhile, Ishgard _is_ xenophobic and isolationist (the whole plot of Heavensward was about that), has major issues with decision-making due to internal politics. Even after the events of HW, they are not completely united under their new leader.
Ishgard also actively preyed upon their own people during the archbishop's rule, and this was due to spies and foreign influence.

U'ldah with their leadership always pulling each other's legs in perpetual political games makes it difficult for the Sultana to rule as she pleases.
Rauban is also over-rated. He allows the insurrection to happen, lost his cool (and his arm) and would have died an ignoble death if not for the WoL.

Limsa also struggles with the issue of political decisions always being questioned by those who are not 100% loyal to the leader.

Anyhow, great discussion -- I appreciate this thread so thanks to the OP.
However, I think Gridania merits better ratings given how they have a strong governing structure and have resilience against foreign spies / meddling.

[HanWenqing]

I’d put Ishgard as first. Yes Ul’Dah is not to be messed with but Ishgard can also call the watch to enlarge its numbers and Airships, not to mention dragoons. Shame there is no proof the dravanians would come to there aid as that would seal the deal. They are also by far the most well rounded force which is said in storm blood by I think pipin when he speaks on the plan for blowing the gate. Also Temple Knights, you can’t just join. You must either win a tourney or be selected. Grand Companies will take any who sign up and use Free companies. It might give larger numbers sure but this method still had Ishgard fighting for a thousand years and suffering a massive climate change. They lost ground over the course of that long span but that’s still amazing but means every Knight is a highly skilled fighter from the beginning. House knights seem to be more a mixed bag.

Ul’dah meanwhile has the brass blades who are corrupt as fuck but you can not ignore they do have quite a study and tough land force. Only issue there is they are surrounded by sea on three sides which brings Limsa in so I ain’t getting too deep into this as counter upon counter will occur so I will leave this.

During the Autumn war Ala Mhigo pushed back Gridania. Limsa and Ul’dah joined but could only bring them to a stalemate. Ishgard while fighting the Dragon song war joined in and broke that stalemate. They fought two wars, at once, held on side off and helped beat another at two different ends of Eorzea. No one has beaten that feat of our current city states.

It was interesting to read, I think it would end in stalemate but we can clearly see that Ishgard has the best army I put Ul'Dah first counting Raubahn. If I had to add Estinian I think Isghard has more chances to win but it would be a terrible war and the big distance between the two nations will give a very important death rate

If we were to add the Dragons with Ishgard then Ishgard's supremacy would be absolute.

I would say that even now that its millennial war is over, we can say that with time Ishgard can only become the greatest power, especially since they have a huge territory

[HanWenqing]

Gridania kicked Ala Mhigo's ass in the Autumn War iirc. It's also been the border to Baelsar's Wall and thus one of the first fronts of ground aggression from Garlemald this entire time. They're no pushovers.

As Comrade_uri says :

During the Autumn war Ala Mhigo pushed back Gridania. Limsa and Ul’dah joined but could only bring them to a stalemate. Ishgard while fighting the Dragon song war joined in and broke that stalemate. They fought two wars, at once, held on side off and helped beat another at two different ends of Eorzea. No one has beaten that feat of our current city states.

Without the intervention of the other nations Gridania would surely have lost...

[TheMightyMollusk]

If we were to add the Dragons with Ishgard then Ishgard's supremacy would be absolute.

The dragons are aloof at best. If they couldn't be moved to help the war to liberate Ala Mhigo, or to do much of anything against the Final Days other than hand over some scales and go back to sleep, I wouldn't count on them in a war between mortals.

[Comrade_uri]

I would argue that’s more due to lost identity. The best dragon killers in the world don’t really have many dragons to slay. The reason to exist for the most part is gone.

Now if you could repurpose them for anti air or, dragon riders like the ones of old you might find they would… jump in more. Besides technically three Dragoons were present during the final days. WoL, Our favourite white haired Elezen and if you did the Dragoon quest, your teacher though I admit three is not a large number by any means but jobs are rare and not many of the others were present either.

[TheMightyMollusk]

I would argue that’s more due to lost identity. The best dragon killers in the world don’t really have many dragons to slay. The reason to exist for the most part is gone.

Now if you could repurpose them for anti air or, dragon riders like the ones of old you might find they would… jump in more. Besides technically three Dragoons were present during the final days. WoL, Our favourite white haired Elezen and if you did the Dragoon quest, your teacher though I admit three is not a large number by any means but jobs are rare and not many of the others were present either.

Dragons, not dragoons.