What's the use of an alliance?

from Stardock Forums
I wish alliances in general are much stronger. I haven't seen many space stratgy games that had alliances worth anything, IMO. Allies in Galciv should be able to share resources, tech, money, etc. Currently I can't think of a good reason to ally with anyone unless you are looking for an alliance win.

Disadvantages of alliances:
1) They drag you into wars
2) They kill your trade economy via #1 above.
3) Impossible to break (unless you attack them)
4) No benefit (unless you count the UP issue: starbase modules help allies - this is great but it should be all the time.

Advantages of alliances
1) Allow alliance victory.
490 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
More Advantages:
They won't attack you
They will join you in a war

You can break them with the break alliance button on the major race relations screen.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Unless I am going for alliance victory, I just see them as entanglements that are to be avoided. An alliance can be useful in securing a peaceful flank, as Gengsta says, but I just dislike watching out for everyone else's wars.
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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Before I turned off Culture Victory, I used them to ensure I was never at peace for 12 turns. LOL

I actually think Culture Victory is a good idea, but it usually takes the fun out of the game as I am usually just ready to smash the other majors when it kicks in.

It seems like it's easier to trade during an alliance, but that may be a side effect of good relations.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
i also have stopped getting into alliances, too many wars with opponents that i have no problem with.

question: has anyone had an AI offer them an alliance? all the alliances i have been in, i have initiated, i never had an AI ask me to form an alliance.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I like alliances on certain games. It just depends on the situation. But I always break them before the end of the game, especially if they stop giving me stuff.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
no, ai do not initiate alliances. i think the alliances with other ai is just random.



more advantages to alliances-

1. they send more freighters to you,therefor more $$$
2. you can stay at peace with them until then end and then build a big army and they wont try and stop you and BOOM no more ally.they no longer exist in the universe. ;p
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
I thought AI did initiate alliances... but that might just be memories of MOO2.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Alliances are also nice for defense...as I don't play a heavy military game...

Keep one or two races at close (a few minors too)...If someone declares war, or some event triggers, I instantly ally with 1-2 majors and 3-4 minors, and get the neutrals to declare war on them too...

It gives me the 5-6 turns needed to churn out a massive fleet without any casualties at all...the minors tend to have a heck of a lot of small ships to occupy the attackers' attention and harass them...

~SDC~
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
I did have an AI request an Alliance during my first (Easy) game. Also, having Alliances in the game can complicate things when you want to start a war with one AI, but it's Allied with 2 or 3 others!
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Maybe we need a wish list of how (realistically) we would like alliances to work.

Maybe the diplomacy needs to be fleshed out to more layers - no relations to trade partner to military assist to full fledged ally - or something to that affect.

I think a lot of us MOO2 players expect things like alliances to work a certain way and get caught off guard. :p
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Yes, having various levels of alliance, ranging from non agression to full military aliance (with 2 or 3 intermediary levels) would be a nice addition (something like in Alpha centaury maybe).
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Here's a nice alliance I have right now. It's a bit of an unfair fight, but:
Terrans + Drengins + Arceans + Torians vs. Yor (the Altarians surrendered to me while the Drengisn crushed them).
What's happening:
Torians don't do much.
Drengins send lots of big big ships and kill whatever craft the Yor may build.
Arceans send transports and take off planets.
I send AMMs and transports to take a few planets too, mostly to build my cultural influence there, so I end up flipping both Yor and Arcean worlds.
That's quite fun: Drengins provide ships, Arceans transports, and I culture. Of course, culture takes it all in the end :).