Aldaman failed to persuade the two largest city-states in the region to join his new-found federation. Baluard and Sonceto bore little interest in sharing power with their smaller and poorer neighbors. When Estancia invaded Zamaii, however, a window of opportunity came to change the game. Baluard called for assistance, and the Agurts states rushed to Baluard's aid while Sonceto stood by and watched with cold schadenfreude. Estancian troops almost breached Baluard's gates, but Auth's newly developed Stronghold SA arrived just in time to repel the invaders. After Estancia's defeat, Baluard joined the federation out gratitude. Sonceto, seeing it was outnumbered on all sides by the new federation, agreed to join the charter as well.