After examining 26 worlds in total (yes I had a lot of free time last week
![Tongue :P](http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/Smileys/aaron/tongue.gif)
), I have to say that Dark Ages... aren't really that dark. Evil races are always on the losing side.
Dark Gnomes, Aboleth, Greater Hags, Kobolds - usually wiped out entirely or reduced to 1 site with 10 or so members
Dark Elves, Orcs, Gnolls, Hags, Dark Elf Vampires - rarely wiped out fast but get bullied relentessly, lose constantly and generally are absolutely irrelevant
Frog Fiends, Warwolves, Lizardmen - sometimes they have big populations, but never use this advantage and rarely actually expand. Sometimes luck doesn't favor them and they get reduced to 2-3k population and stop being a presence in the world.
Goblins, Shadows - actually win wars and sometimes expand (Goblins moreso than Shadows). Shadows either spawn in some far off corner of the map and multiply relentlessly until there's like 4k Shadows in ever major settlement which isn't something anyone would want to tackle with, or spawn near other civs, get in wars, win or at least inflict severe losses and do fine anyway. Goblins rarely drop below 10+ population and usually become the most numerous race by far, reaching 80k pops at a time.
Meanwhile, good races:
Clerics, Wizards - the only good races to actually go extinct sometimes. Still do relatively well most of the time.
Paladins, Dwarved Druids - they sometimes do so well they have populations equal to humans (who usually are the most numerous race after goblins), and even if they don't they still don't get wiped out or crushed ever.
Humans - tend to have the largest population after goblins or legendary dwarves most of the time, never seem to do bad or be under any danger.
Dwarves - are relatively few in numbers, but never go fully extinct.
Legendary Dwarves - always kinda OP.
Elves - get into fights all the time, but replenish losses fast so they are always ok.