What good are allies? Worthless...

[EncryptedToast]

So I thought I was doing pretty well as Scottland; I have very trustworthy reputation and perfect relations with about 10 factions. 8 of those are allies, whenever I talk to them I get the receive ally response.

Crown of Aragon had a crusade called against them and half the map became their enemies. I happend to be expanding that way anyway so naturally I joined the cause. The next thing I know the Moors are pounding at my back door while Aragon still has a full scale war going on.

Not one of my freaking allies will help me; France has a rather large settlement right in the war zone and every turn I watch huge stacks move around doing nothing; I came right out and asked them to attack Aragon and they refused. In fact none of my so called allies will help me.

What use are allies, other than keeping factions from attacking you? Do they ever join in and help or do I have to take on half the known world by myself?

Using SS 6.1 if that matters.

[Ichon]

Only occasionally are allies useful in fights. Typically when a crusade or jihad is called or with AI favorite siege city. Otherwise the main purpose is secure a border for a little while.

[Goofy]

Probably they're just to prevent factions (or simply your ally) from attacking you. Rarely your allies will help you. As an example, if you're playing as Spain and are allied with Portugal and you attack the Moors, Portugal likely declares a war to them as well. But, as you should know, Portugal attacks the Moors in every single time if you don't do anything. If you ally with them both, then they don't - or should I say, shouldn't - attack each other.

A good suggestion for modders would be that allies really help you; now they're only a nominal support.

I usually ally with only the factions I don't want to get in war with. For example, when you're playing Novgorod, Cumans are usually this kind of a faction. However, Kievan Rus and Teutonic Order are your archenemies, so get rid of them as quickly as you can.
When playing England, try to ally with HRE because when you attack France, they'll probably help you.

I find having too many allies very annoying >> they declare a war to each other >> you must select only another of them >> you betray the another one >> your global reputation decreases.
Also, I want to war all the time with someone, so that faction I don't ally with. I only pick a few factions as my allies so I'm sure at least they don't attack me.

Finally, you can do a subtle act; attack the faction your ally is warring with. This ensures that you get their support. However, be aware that your ally may stop the war; then you're alone.
In my Spanish campaign Aragon was my ally and they were at war with France. I couldn't take my forces through Aragon's land, so I invaded them with my navy. Then we destroyed the French altogether.

In my opinion alliances in Stainless Steel are a lot better than Vanilla ones.
Perhaps you should download Lusted's campaign AI. I've never tested it but it may help.

Lusted's Improved Campaign AI

Please, +rep Lusted for his excellent work with M2TW AI. He certainly deserves it.

[merocaine]

Wait until an allied stack appears beside someone you want to attack, when you launch your attack your ally will be sucked into the fight. Works best if your allied to the pope
Its a bit of a cheap trick, but its the only way to get them to help you out.

[Souka]

I find having too many allies very annoying >> they declare a war to each other >> you must select only another of them >> you betray the another one >> your global reputation decreases.

If you side with the defender your rep won't drop

[Echuta]

its total war, you do not need allies! I only try to become allies with a faction who I dont want to fight. As templars I always try to avoid egypt and prefer to attack the turks. (yes becoming allies with egypt isnt really crusade like)

[JorisofHolland]

Not one of my freaking allies will help me; France has a rather large settlement right in the war zone and every turn I watch huge stacks move around doing nothing; I came right out and asked them to attack Aragon and they refused. In fact none of my so called allies will help me.

Offer some money in return for an attack on your foe. They will accept. (Note that what I call a bit might ruin you if your're to poor.)

[PerXX]

The main purpose of allies are to secure one border, while fighting on another. Don't expect much (qualified) help from them.

[impspy]

Get this mod if you want trustworthy allies: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=291398

EDIT: oh sorry, missed your point. I can sympathize...

[Sokar Rostau]

Currently, most of France, from Nottingham to Barcelona to Stettin to Ragusa and everything in between is garrisoned by what probably amounts to four stacks, while two stacks cover the area east of Melilla to the front lines in Egypt. Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Poland and Hungary have absolutely massive armies while my main forces are in Greece and Egypt. Any one of them, and probably any other Catholic Faction, could walk all over me at any moment. I haven't been at war with a Catholic Faction in well over 150 years (in fact, now that I think of it, I don't think any Catholic Factions have been in a hot war for decades with only Scotland and Norway at war with Denmark but ignoring them on Visby). I'm allied to all Catholics with the exception of Spain and Denmark and have Perfect relations with them all. I think that's a pretty good example of "secure borders" derived from allies.

[arcanek]

Let's say another faction attacks a settlement of your ally, and you happen to border that settlement and see it. Would you go and spend your army to help your ally keep his settlement? I'd rather let them take that settlement and recapture it myself - now you get something for exhausting your army. Think that way: computer allies act same way. In international politics the weaker your ally gets, the better.

[DeliCiousTZM]

Allies are worthless.. i actually laughed when i saw the Topic. one thing that really ruins it for me is that my vassals wont listen to me. attack them i tell them they write back FU and declare independence. If there was a mod to force Vassal states to be vassals that obeyed u like a well trained police dog. i would be perfecly satsified with the massive AI faults of this game.

[n0z]

I find that in my current Genoese campaign, Allies are very annoying to have. I've been Allied with Sicily for over 100 turns, and then suddenly they back stab me, and lay siege on Ancona. So, very disappointed and frustrated at this deception, I annihilated their faction. And since Spain was my former ally as well, that broke the Alliance, well hey they got the boot too.

In the beginning I had over 10+ Alliances, but now I only have 3, my reputation has dropped considerably from Trustworthy to Mixed, and even the Pope broke from the Alliance and excommunicated me, therefore I looked to get reprieved and, sacked Rome, killed the Pope, and Voila, no more excommunication...

[Sokar Rostau]

I find that in my current Genoese campaign, Allies are very annoying to have. I've been Allied with Sicily for over 100 turns, and then suddenly they back stab me, and lay siege on Ancona. So, very disappointed and frustrated at this deception, I annihilated their faction. And since Spain was my former ally as well, that broke the Alliance, well hey they got the boot too.

In the beginning I had over 10+ Alliances, but now I only have 3, my reputation has dropped considerably from Trustworthy to Mixed, and even the Pope broke from the Alliance and excommunicated me, therefore I looked to get reprieved and, sacked Rome, killed the Pope, and Voila, no more excommunication...

Something in this post tells me that you have either never played, or only played Milan in, Vanilla...

[Kazuhiro]

Alliances are only to raise your reputation.

[meese]

Hmm..allies..proxy war..otherwise I tend to have few alliances and many enemies

[Point Blank]

How worthwhile were such alliances in the real Medieval world? They were purely expedient and could change at any time if one of the parties saw advantage in doing so.

Read the history of the Italian Wars 1494+ for a good example of this. Its pure politics all the way. Loyalty? What loyalty?

[JorisofHolland]

Yes, but allies often attacked together.
And alliances were signed for a selected period of time.

[Halbard]

allying with papal states = win
i normally get 3-4 allies per game, maybe 5 if i wanna be safe

[Trinity]

I ally with factions who are enemies to my enemy. As Hungary, I'll ally to Genoa, France, Denmark, and Novgorod sometimes. This way, I can take Poland, HRE, Venice, ERE, and Ukrainian lands.