Whether you should accept an alliance in Civilization VII depends on several strategic considerations:
Reasons to Accept an Alliance:
•Mutual Defense: An alliance can deter other civilizations from attacking you, as they would risk facing the combined might of your alliance. This is particularly valuable if you're on the smaller side or if you're facing aggressive neighbors.
•Resource Sharing: Alliances often come with benefits like shared visibility of the map, open borders, or even shared resources. This can significantly boost your economy or military capabilities, especially if one civilization has access to resources or strategic locations that you lack.
•Diplomatic Leverage: Being allied with a powerful civilization can improve your standing in global diplomacy, potentially leading to better trade deals or more favorable outcomes in world congress votes.
•Joint Operations: You can coordinate attacks or defenses more effectively, potentially leading to quicker victories or more stable defenses.
Reasons to Decline or Be Wary:
•Trust Issues: The AI in Civ games can be opportunistic. An ally might betray you when it suits them, especially if they perceive you as weak or if they're close to winning. Always keep an eye on your ally's military buildup and their diplomatic relations with others.
•Strategic Misalignment: If your ally's goals (like conquering all neighboring city-states or focusing on a different victory condition than yours) conflict with your strategy, the alliance might do more harm than good.
•Dependence: Relying too heavily on an ally can make you vulnerable if they decide to break the alliance or if they suffer a significant setback.
•Opportunity Cost: The benefits of an alliance might be outweighed by what you could achieve alone or with different partners. For example, an alliance might prevent you from making certain diplomatic moves or aggressive expansions.
When to Accept:
•Early Game: Forming alliances early can help secure your borders and provide mutual benefits through resource sharing when both parties are still building their empires.
•Against a Common Threat: If there's a dominant civilization threatening your existence or that of your ally, banding together can be the only way to survive or counter-attack.
•Supporting Your Victory Condition: If the alliance supports your path to victory (like science for a Science Victory or cultural exchange for a Cultural Victory), it's likely beneficial.
When to Reject:
•If the Ally is Unreliable: Check the AI's previous actions and reputation. If they have a history of breaking alliances or if they're known for backstabbing, proceed with caution.
•If It Conflicts with Your Strategy: If the alliance will limit your strategic options more than it benefits you, it might be better to stay neutral or look for other partners.
•If You're Stronger Alone: Sometimes, going solo or with less formal agreements like trade pacts might be more advantageous if you're confident in your own capabilities.
In Civilization VII, like previous titles, the decision should be dynamic. Regularly reassess your alliances based on the current game state, your allies' actions, and your progress towards victory. Remember, alliances can be broken, so keep your military strong and your strategies adaptable.
