Ally with the badboy! --- but how?

[unmerged(1064)]

Howdy all,

As Venice and Portugal I have had very good results by the simple strategy of allying with whomever I expect to be attacked. France or Spain in 1492, and the biggest badboy after that. This way you can fight a series of defensive wars with no badboy or stability cost. (unless you choose to annex a whole country.)

My difficulty in following this play 100% is my inability to figure out the AI's rational for allowing me into an existing alliance. It is pretty clear and straight forward if I would be the 3rd - 5th member of an alliance. Then positive relations are good enough.

But to join an alliance with 5 or more members is far less clear. To get a 6th country to join YOUR alliance, you need -5 to -150 relations with them. This SOMETIMES also works when joining someone elses alliance, but not always.

Does anyone know the AI rational for admitting a new (human player) country into an existing alliance of 5 or more? I would be happy to spend some diplo $$ (or send some insults) if I thought it might do some good.

thanks,
Skyjack

 

[unmerged(3627)]

Why does there necessarily have to be a rationale? They might refuse you membership of the alliance just because they don't like your face.

More sensibly, it might be that nobody wants you in there alliance because they've worked out that you're a very selfish and treacherous ally who is only interested in joining up so that you can get into a free war and pick off some juicy territories for your own benefit.

 

[BiB]

And u do get BB from separate peaces (which u get if u aren't the alliance leader from the start)

 

[unmerged(1064)]

Originally posted by BiB
And u do get BB from separate peaces (which u get if u aren't the alliance leader from the start)

I will have to pay closer attention next time. I thought that if I was a part of the alliance that was attacked, that all my separate peaces would be considered defensive.

On the alliance question:
Tonight I was able to join a big alliance only once my relations pulled up to -20 or so with the alliance leader. Perhaps there is a small -5 to -30 window for joining a big (5 member) alliance. Or maybe it IS random.

Skyjack

- electronic crack, that's what it is!