I didn't mean that I wanted to know JUST the examples I listed but I find it nearly impossible to ally with Italy in gunboat games

come on, I need some experienced gunboaters to tell me how to show alliances

i just told you- learn to read:
If you are france, and want to ask germany for an alliance, you need to indicate one, either by those aforesaid fake moves, or by supporting his moves against england if they are at war.

You cannot do more than that on this site.
The fact orders do not need to be written is its biggest drawback for gunboat.

If you meant Turkey and Italy alliance? Rarely if at all happens from the start.

Austria Italy is easier.
tri s ven on first move

De Gualle, I don't think you understand my point completely here. Yes I can read a board but that is still hard to tell you who wants an alliance.I have seen the Lepanto as Turkey and it worked completely until he lost all his SCs to Austria due to a stab. But as Turkey I have only seen the lepanto and never even a suggestion of italy Turkey alliance. And an English French alliance is easy also. As england move to North, Norwegian,and Yorkshire. As France move to MAO, Bur and Spain. But An English german alliance can be hard to make. I have drawn England twice in gunboats and have not been able to pull a German alliance off.

@Killer: "I have drawn England twice in gunboats and have not been able to pull a German alliance off."
That is not a great sample size. It may be that the German player a) didn't read your signals, b) wasn't interested.

I know it is not a good sample size but at least it is a real example and it is true. And a) he attacked me before i could give him signals and B) yea that might be true. I have one example where I did set a German alliance but i don't count it because of a French CD

In fall 1901 have Bel support Italy's army being convoyed to Greece. As long as Italy looks at the orders or the big map they will see it.

Killer, specifics can't be done cause it varies from game to game, but the key is to provide support when you can, especially against an obvious enemy. But you have to have an opponent who bothers to read the orders or look at the big map (which shows the orders).

*opponent = potential ally

Don't do what this Germany did. ><

http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=32157#gamePanel

That is an ongoing game FS.

Sorry, I don't mean to comment on it, just moan about my terrible playing ability recently. :P

In any case, ALWAYS read all of the orders in the game very carefully, and assume that everyone else does.

Repeating support orders can signal a desire to get a certain move going, and extraneous supports can simply signal friendliness.

Additionally, if your ally is sending friendly signals to your enemies... well... you can get a heads up. :)