Guide to Alliances in OpenFront.io

Alliances in OpenFront.io are a powerful diplomatic tool that can secure your borders, boost your economy, and shape the balance of power on any map. This guide covers everything you need to know—mechanics, strategy, etiquette, and common pitfalls—so you can form and leverage alliances effectively.

1. Alliance Basics

1.1 Forming and Breaking Alliances

In Free for All mode:

• Right-click a player’s territory and select the handshake icon to offer an alliance.
• If accepted, you become allies immediately.

In Teams mode:

• You are automatically allied with players of your color and cannot betray teammates.

An alliance lasts 10 minutes and can be renewed by mutual agreement.

1.2 Effects of Alliances

Being allied confers several benefits:

• Priority trade: Trade ships favor allied ports.
• Friendly fire disabled: Ground and naval units ignore allied territory.
• No sea capture: Your warships will not seize allied trade ships.
• Reinforcements: You can send troops or gold directly to an ally.

Breaking an alliance triggers Traitor status for 30 seconds:

• 50% defense penalty for the betrayer.
• Automatic embargo on trade until manually lifted or alliance restored.
• Traitor count increases.

2. Strategic Considerations

2.1 Choosing Allies

• Assess power balance: Ally stronger neighbors to deter aggression, or weaker ones to expand influence.
• Terrain synergy: On chokepoint maps, ally players who cover vulnerable flanks, e.g., mountainous borders.
• Trade networks: Secure allies with strong naval presence to maximize gold flow via ports.

2.2 Timing and Renewal

• Early game: Form quick non-aggression pacts to focus on snowballing land captures.
• Mid-game: Renew alliances before the 10-minute timer elapses; track durations on the info bar.
• Endgame: Use alliance windows to coordinate mass assaults or safe annexations.

2.3 Coordinated Offense and Defense

• Joint attacks: Synchronize troop donations and defense posts to bolster a shared border.
• Defense posts: Place posts on border segments vulnerable to allied aggression to dissuade betrayal.
• Troop donations: Send reinforcements to allies under heavy attack to maintain mutual strength.

3. Etiquette and Common Pitfalls

3.1 Betrayal Tactics

A known exploit is attacking an offeror for a border strip, then accepting the alliance to retain the gains. This can be countered by:

• Waiting to accept alliances until after the attacker’s troops withdraw.
• Observing troop movements: do not accept while under attack.

3.2 Trust and Reputation

• Frequent betrayals mark you as untrustworthy; allies may refuse future offers.
• Use public chat or voice channels to build credibility and coordinate reliably.

4. Advanced Tips

Tip	Benefit
Send 1% naval probes post-alliance	Test allied warship placements and reveal vulnerabilities.
Stack ports with allies	Create a joint trade corridor to starve enemies of gold.
Rotate alliance partners	Maintain fresh diplomatic ties to prevent collusion against you.

5. Summary

Alliances in OpenFront.io are temporary but potent. Use them to secure borders, share resources, and execute coordinated strategies. Always monitor alliance timers, communicate intentions, and guard against betrayal tactics to make the most of every handshake.

Enjoy forging—and sometimes breaking—alliances to dominate your next match!