This is not as rare as you might think. Consider it from the other players sides. As soon as you start winning (or you think you are at least) then you become a target. Indeed, the closer you get to winning the more likely it is your ally will stab you, because at the end of the day if you win they can't!

yeah even 56 pot games have 3way northern alliances :D

My advice to avoid this sort of situation is to play it cautiously. -Don't- grow too fast. Just because you -can- take a supply center doesn't mean you should.

It's good to be the biggest, certainly, but it's even better to just barely be the largest. Explain to your allies how your size isn't a factor thanks to extended supply lines or a war on multiple fronts. Always offer to support them and help them grow.

Except, don't actually help them. Give them grand support moves into enemies centers, only to warn the enemy that you are about to make the move to give them time to block you. Then your ally will love you for your 'attempt' and your enemy will love you for your honesty in saving his ass.

Yes, I'm a jerk. :(

"Yes, I'm a jerk. :( "

You sound more like a Diplomacy player to me ;-).

@PuppyKicker: You're not a jerk, you're a realist. :)

Sadly, I my experience, IA alliances never work out. One *always* stabs the other.

IA?

@SpeakerTA
sorry to boast but gameID=16639

And most alliances eventually have stabs... its the nature of WTA
I'd advise talking to people on the otherside of the board and maybe stirring things up to prevent 3 way alliances. Maybe you could have offered France support to Munich?

oh ok italy and austria
oh actually they do alot in games ive played

@dave bishop: That convoy to London is pretty impressive. Haven't had the chance to pull something like that off yet.

yeah... I thought that was funny.
I wanted it to be smyrna to edinburgh... but it would have delayed to finish by like year.
I've actually won 2 games as Austria using lepanto... my only Austrian wins

I totally agree with the grow slowly advice. It's much better to be a strong second and work with others to take down the leader. Then if you're solid the others are used to listening to you and consider you a friend.

I also believe you must be willing to give to others. This builds alliances that last. You must be careful with this though.

Whenever I play Austria or Italy, I generally win/draw when I've got a firm ally in the other role as Italy or Austria respectively.

It's a very strong alliance when you work together and trust one another.

The trouble happens when people do something stupid, like stabbing. An Italy/Austria alliance is one of the few that doesn't -require- open stabbing to beat the other. Your goal in an Italy/Austria alliance is to hamper your ally on their front while you win on yours, allowing you to outpace him in growth and claim the win.