Alliance Troubles

[Sumer]

Ok, this question might have been answered already, but I just bought the game this past weekend. Anyway, I started playing the Grand Campaign as France. I have already been about 4 or 5 wars and the other countries in my alliance DO NOT help me out at all. As one can tell, this is getting very annoying. My first alliance I had with Savoy and the Papal States. I declared war on England expecting that my alliance mates will come in to support me. They didn't, but that didn't bother me much because I took care of England rather quickly.
Ok, now my second alliance I joined with Portugal(as leader), Navarra, and the Papal States. I had a Cassus Bella against Lorraine and wanted to go to war with them. I declared war on them. Spain and Cologne declared war on me because of their alliance with Lorraine, which didn't surprise me. What surprised me was that Portugal, Navarra, and the Papal States didn't come in to support me. So I got trounced and steaming mad that they didn't help me. I didn't go to war for awhile after that.
A couple of years later I formed an alliance with Portugal(my "supposed" friend). I thought that "Well, maybe this alliance thing only works as a defensive pact." So I decided to get Spain to declare war on me by imposing a trade embargo and claiming their throne. They declared war on me a couple of months later and their same allies(Lorraine and Cologne) also declared war on me to support Spain. But, alas and to my surprise, Portugal did not step in to send me relief! I got beat up again! So I'm not having a good experience with this game when my alliance NEVER work. Am I doing something wrong? Please help me and tell me how to get alliances to work! I don't wanna fight wars by myself against a grand alliance! Thanks everyone!

 

[Griffon]

Did you invite them to you?

When you declare war and you are part of an alliance, a small icon will pop-up on the top right of the screen. Click it. It will ask you if you want to call your "buddies" to fight with you.

The reson it's not automatic are many, but one of them is that you might want to keep the spoils of war for yourself.

cheers

 

[unmerged(2528)]

Relations Ratings

How do your alliance partners feel about the country you are declaring war on? Is it -200 or is it neutral. I'm not sure but I think this is part of the mechanism. While you may haev horrible relations with say England, the Papal States may get on with them quite well and so wouldn't honor your alliance if asked to go to war.

 

[Chris8b]

Originally posted by Sumer
Ok, this question might have been answered already, but I just bought the game this past weekend. Anyway, I started playing the Grand Campaign as France. I have already been about 4 or 5 wars and the other countries in my alliance DO NOT help me out at all. As one can tell, this is getting very annoying. My first alliance I had with Savoy and the Papal States. I declared war on England expecting that my alliance mates will come in to support me. They didn't, but that didn't bother me much because I took care of England rather quickly.
Ok, now my second alliance I joined with Portugal(as leader), Navarra, and the Papal States. I had a Cassus Bella against Lorraine and wanted to go to war with them. I declared war on them. Spain and Cologne declared war on me because of their alliance with Lorraine, which didn't surprise me. What surprised me was that Portugal, Navarra, and the Papal States didn't come in to support me. So I got trounced and steaming mad that they didn't help me. I didn't go to war for awhile after that.
A couple of years later I formed an alliance with Portugal(my "supposed" friend). I thought that "Well, maybe this alliance thing only works as a defensive pact." So I decided to get Spain to declare war on me by imposing a trade embargo and claiming their throne. They declared war on me a couple of months later and their same allies(Lorraine and Cologne) also declared war on me to support Spain. But, alas and to my surprise, Portugal did not step in to send me relief! I got beat up again! So I'm not having a good experience with this game when my alliance NEVER work. Am I doing something wrong? Please help me and tell me how to get alliances to work! I don't wanna fight wars by myself against a grand alliance! Thanks everyone!

My guess is that you did not invite them to join the fight. After you declare war, you'll hear a musical tone and the alliance "shield" will pop up in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on it, read the alert window, and choose "Accept" to ask your allies to help.

Christopher

 

[Sumer]

Well, I can tell you for sure that I didn't get a little icon in the top right of my screen asking me if I want them to help. When I declare war or get war declared on me I pause the game to look around the entire screen to get my bearings before I start fighting. I haven't noticed the little icon once. I have noticed it when someone wants to give me a royal marriage and I click on it to read the terms. But not once has it come up during war. Is there something wrong with the installation of the game? I bring this up because I noticed something funny about the VPs. I completed a mission and won a war against England, but I don't receive any victory points. It still says I have 0, as with all of the other countries in Europe. And its around 1530 in the game. I didn't think this was normal. But maybe I'm wrong and they just don't show the VPs until after the game is done. So, anymore ideas why my alliances won't work? Thanks.
P.S. Portugal is on negative relationship with Spain, they should be more than willing to help me out!

 

[unmerged(234)]

If you are in a alliance and declare war or have one declared against you, you should get the icon imidetly. It will dissapear after a month I think. If that do not happen something is wrong.

VP is an off/on setting wich have to be set before starting a game.

 

[Olaf the Unsure]

Check the message configuration in the options menu. You can set a pop-up window to ask you whether you want your allies to join.

 

[Chris8b]

Originally posted by Sumer
Well, I can tell you for sure that I didn't get a little icon in the top right of my screen asking me if I want them to help. When I declare war or get war declared on me I pause the game to look around the entire screen to get my bearings before I start fighting. I haven't noticed the little icon once. I have noticed it when someone wants to give me a royal marriage and I click on it to read the terms. But not once has it come up during war. Is there

Hmm... set the message to come up as a pop-up in the message configuration. I still suspect you just missed the icon, but setting it to pop-up will definitely solve the issue.

something wrong with the installation of the game? I bring this up because I noticed something funny about the VPs. I completed a mission and won a war against England, but I don't receive any victory points. It still says I have 0, as with all of the other countries in Europe. And its around 1530 in the game. I didn't think this was normal. But maybe I'm wrong and they just don't show the VPs until after the game is done. So, anymore ideas why my alliances won't work? Thanks.

Turn VPs on when you set the options for a new game. They are off by default.

Christopher

 

[unmerged(548)]

I haven't noticed the little icon once.

Don't worry, your not the first one to have this problem ... =)

Anyway, that little flag in the top right corner IS there. You just have to be observant or your brain easily "filters" it out when so much else is happening at the same time (the brain can be funny that way in deciding what info is important or not =).

Anyway, the best solution is probably to set it up as a big popup box in the middle of the screen, until you get the hang of the game and can keep up a bit better.