So I'll make this a bit different this time and give my subjective rankings number in order who I feel the best 12 are rather than just the top points alliances.
1) Grepo With Swag- Call me biased, but I arrived here due to two reasons. First, they've condensed down to grab a core area. Second, they have the best set of hitters and a decent resume so far.
2) Sledge- Don't look now but Sledge has quietly built up a nice lead vs SL/SW leading 4-2 after a week. They still have a good core and are making a bid for O45. Their lead gives them a nod for now.
3) Spartan Legion/Spartan Warriors- This group also has built up a decent core. But they're still pretty spread out else where. I feel this group has a lot of talent on it and when I look at them, they are getting the job done in most areas.
4) The Order of the Black Lotus- A solid core and some good players warrant top 5 respect.
5) Cobra- This group looked like it was going to do worse than it actually is so far. They have a good core and will probably be able to take on O54. The problem will be fighting off the Spartans and Lotus to keep it.
6) Hot Chickens- They're small, but they clearly know what they're doing. I don't think they'll overtake any oceans on their own. But I do think they're good enough to be a thorn in everyone's side.
7) Kings Of Olympus- Quietly clustered up in west O44. Not doing bad so far.
8) Knights of the Republic- If talent alone determined my rankings this team would have a case to challenge Swag, HC, and SL. But positioning is also a factor and they seem to not be grabbing many core islands outside of the rocks. That said, this group is going to be a tough nut to crack still.
9) Vulcan- Haven't lost a city to an alliance yet, surprisingly. They do have some good players. But are another team with no core area. Which puts them lower on my list as they're vulnerable.
10) The Crusaders/II- They're territory is north O44. But they're spread across it. I think they have some potential but they have to cluster up.
11) Infinite Presence- They have an okay core in O45. But they seem to be the victim child of other alliances like Sledge.
12) Jokers Wild- They have a decent cluster in the deep reaches of O54 and some decent players to give them a shot at running the ocean in the coming months.