Alliances in Diplomacy


Alliances are the name of the game:
. Making them;
. Keeping them;
. Breaking them;
. Patching them.

There are three basic alliance groups:
1) Opening alliance
2) Midgame alliance
3) Endgame alliance

1) Opening alliance
Every player should diplome hard at the start of the game to set up those alliances they want and hope will see them through to winning. 
This can mean influencing alliances on the other side of the board to your advantage. 
For example, as England in an EFG alliance, you want to know that Italy and Austria are attacking Turkey with solid Russian help
 (because Russian moves south, leave Scandinavia to you, while France faces no problem pumping fleets into the Med). 

A German/Russian alliance probably wants to see France and England squabbling. 
Within those opening agreements you should pick out at least one person you want a game-length alliance wit.  
Also, don't be afraid to start negotiations with a flat demand to force another player to go your way.   
"You and I should both wipe off England and get rid of the knife in our back, I refuse to do anything else."
 (Just be careful it doesn't backfire and force the others together against you ). 
Get the best advantage you can, which may not mean having the most centres but should mean having the best position strategically by Fall 1901 that you can. 
Don't make silly mistakes in the first 3 seasons - if someone thinks you're a dodo, you'll soon be as dead as one.

2) Midgame alliance.
You're playing Germany and you and France have reduced England to 3 pieces. England is on the ropes. 
Your midgame ally is Russia, who you are helping against Austria.  
England offers to be your loyal puppet, so you stab France.  
At the right moment, you help England get two centres and call a truce with Austria. 
Your armies move to Prussia, Silesia, (Galicia?) while the English build Fleet Edi, Army Liverpool. 
England relies on your help to continue attacking France on one side and Russia on the other. 
You tell England what he builds and where they will be used, OR ELSE.

3) Endgame alliance.
Some alliances are important to carry right through to the end, because any squabble means the death of both of you. 
These are game length alliances and good ones are hard to find. 
Most are marriages of convenience (both want a divorce, but cant afford it) 
The advantage of this game is a building of trust and rapport between the players,
 which often makes it easier to slip into another trusting alliance in the fixture. 
 Some alliances which begin as game-length suddenly find they have a use-by date, when some opportunities look too tempting. 
The rule of thumb is: don't stab for one centre.  
If it is worth stabbing your game length ally, it is worth taking 3 or more centres, preferably home centres. 
Nibbling at the edges may just force your "ally'' to change camps while he is still strong enough to hurt you.

Hidden (sleeper) alliances.
These are alliances which might exist from the start of the game, but only become clear to others when they can no longer do anything about them.  
For example, an opening-alliance Russia/Austria/ Italy vs Turkey might become a Russia/Italy vs Austria in midgame
 when suddenly France stabs his ally and it becomes clear that Russia/France have a sleeper alliance in play that is behind the flanks
  of all others players and likely to run amok across the whole board (17/17 split).

Patching alliances.
It's never too late to say I'm sorry.  
Give good reasons to be kept alive (eg. a German being caned by Austria/Turkey should point out he's the only one who can build fleets
 behind the Western alliances. 
Kiss and make up.  
If not, plead to become a spearhead. Any survival is better than elimination.