As lykke explained, i suspect the problem is caused by one of the vbulletin updates. Reasoning is simple: i implemented the conquest system in the new version after the forum went live, and things worked then. I have not touched the conquest system (and probably won't touch the code anymore either), meaning the explanation lies elsewhere. I will have to spend some more indepth time on it. Though perhaps ShadowSong might just have given me an idea.