Niche roles for small guilds in Earthrise

Earthrise is an upcoming post-apocalyptic/sci-fi MMO from Masthead Studios that we've been keeping an eye on. As a sandbox MMO, Earthrise takes place on a single but vast island called Enterra. This means finite territory and ultimately a trigger for conflict between guilds. Given there's strength in numbers, it stands to reason that collective action taken by large guilds could allow them to become political and economic powerhouses in the game. But what about smaller guilds? Will Earthrise have niches for small to medium-sized guilds or will they always be in the shadow of the larger player entities?

This won't be a game where only the largest guilds can succeed, according to Moll, the Earthrise Community Manager. She explains that while territorial conquest will not be an endeavor best suited to small guilds, much less solo players, these smaller groups will be able to tap into a steady stream of resources and income. One way is to provide services to the playerbase and even the larger guilds.
Moll writes: "Playing as mercenaries, aiding strategical partners or providing guilds busy with preparation for the next siege a security convoy for their resource-loaded mecha transport for a cut from the load is definitely among the scenarios that can come to mind." Also given that siege warfare in Earthrise will require large numbers of players, there may be opportunities for these smaller guilds to offer their services as hired guns -- either as additional protection or as contracted strike forces.

If you're following along with the development of Earthrise or are interested in sandbox gameplay in an MMO, give Moll's "Guilds, Small and Large" a read and see what the game's community has to say about the roles of small guilds on Enterra.