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I was playing the Central America Scenario as Costa Rica. I worked up a great relationship with Panama finally getting an alliance after doing non-aggression and mutual defense.

Well out of no where Nicaragua decides to attack me. Panama never helps! They didnt have any treaties with Nicaragua either.

After I killed Nicaragua Honduras declare war and still no Panama help

Why is that?

The AI.It just doesnt know how.

You can use my version of the "lend lease" program though.

If your ally is at war with a foe of yours, simply build (or capture) a mil base right next to the current front line.
In that base build some units you wont mind your ally having, than sell or trade those units to your ally.

This removes one of the main reasons the AI doesnt help, that it doesnt understand that your frontline should also be treated as their front line .
Especially when they dont have one.

Than , now that you have your allies units on the front, arrange for them to take control of another base for themselves ,this gives them a high priority hex to try and protect .

AND a base to build units out of so that it has some units there for combat.

A good way to do this is build(or capture) a new base (forward base) a decent distance inside enemy territory.Make and than sell or trade some units there to your ally.Than pull back the troops of yours you had protecting the forward base so it falls,be sure to protect some of the ally units,so they are there to retake the base.Which they will do IF you allow them to by destroying any enemy units in the area that would stop them.

Once youve done this, your ally will have a stake in the war it understands it should try and protect.
It will do so by moving alot of the units at the frontline base you give/sell to them, to the area of the forward base.
Which will create more hexes it will consider its priority to protect.

Now all you have to do, is systematically make sure that hexes and or units of your ally are always under threat/attack by your common foe and you will have an ally that is now useful.

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This post approved by Tkobo:Official Rabble Rouser of the United Yahoos
Chuckle TM

that sounds pretty complicated, but I'll try it.

first thing's first though and I see I did not make this part clear: MY ally did not even declare war on my enemy. I can understand if Panama did declare war but didn't know how to send his units to my front line, but why didn't Panama even declare war on Nicaragua when Nicaragua declared war on me?

Isn't that a part of the terms of the alliance?

Also, it was kind of silly how Nicaragua handled it's decision. He didn't make any preparations at all- he did not raise his DEFCOM level prior to declaring war and he did not move any units to my border. So when he did declare war he was as unprepared for it as I was. I had ample time to organize a defense and beat him back easily. If he had prepared by position units on the border prior to declaring war I probably would not have noticed and I would be in big trouble.

AI wont declare war on someone(A) just because they are allied to someone(B) who the first someone(A) went to war with.

Its supposed to push their belli against the declarer though,from slightly if they had justification to extremely so if they didnt.
This push combined with other factors can cause your ally to declare war ,but its far from a guaranty.Especially since the AI usually waits til it has justification before declaring war.

If your ally shares a border with your new enemy,you can help them decide to declare war.
You simply move some of you units,artillary works best,into your allies territory along its border with your enemy and have them attack from there.
This tends to draw counter-fire,which will of course be landing in your allies territory.
Which often does the trick

Dont expect anything brilliant from the AI.Including positioning before a declaration.Its sadly just doesnt know to do such things.

Hopefully in sr2020 we will see much more from the AI including things like that and group usage etc.....

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This post approved by Tkobo:Official Rabble Rouser of the United Yahoos
Chuckle TM