Go to war with an ally?

[unmerged(102510)]

As Macedonia, I'm allied with Sparta, the Achnaens, and Aetolia -- however, I'd like to start eliminating them one by one to take over the whole of the greek isles.

What's the best way to do this? If I try to assisnate one of their leaders, to get causus belli and declare ware, will I loose my alliances with the other 3?

 

[unmerged(98892)]

Don't know the answer to the alliance question for sure, but I'm guessing that they will honor the alliance among themselves and you'll be fighting the whole crew.

In my current game as Rome, when I tried to eliminate Massilia early, an immediate DoW was about a -8 stability hit. I had to send an envoy to end the tribute, send another envoy to end the alliance, and a third to declare war.

Unconfirmed, but I think that when I tried this out of order by ending the alliance before ending the tribute, I was then unable to end the tribute. The button was there, but inactive.

 

[DesertSnow]

If i am not mistaken, after 1.2 you can't send a "call to arms" to a nation that is also allied to your "enemy", so i guess they will remain neutral.

 

[Andy_Dandy]

Use them in the wars vs Illyria and Trachia first to make them abit bored of you wars, never let the gain anything in the wars.....

Sooner or later they will say no to join you in wars vs other greek minors. Then make sure you use that Cassus Belli against them. Always works for me as Macedonia, Sparta is mine sooner or later, meanwhile they are a fine ally...

 

[unmerged(102510)]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I played a ton this weekend, and I'm almost finished mopping up greece, one more war with a defeated Aeotolia should do it.

Very true that you can't issue a call to arms if your ally is allied with your enemy, although fortunately, it seems that you won't lose your alliance with one country if you issue a DoW to one of their allies. (At least, if you have causus belli, I'm not sure what happens if you don't.)

Getting these allies involved in fighting the Illyrians and Thrace was definitely helpful -- in one war, I held off suing for peace for a year or so because Aeatolia was being battered by Dacia.

Two things I wish I'd have thought of though earlier in this campaign:
- I was trading iron and wood to Aetolia right up until we went to war. (Doh!)
- I paid no attention to developments around the world. Victory in greece now seems certain, however the Seleucids have alliances with Pontus, Egypt and many of the other Eastern factions. I have no more allies, and they are starting to develop quite a stack across the bosphoros. Not good.

Oh well, this is why my first campaign is on easy! Thanks for everyone's help.