What an alliance is for
Nations send alliance requests. Accepting one lets you stop fighting that border for as long as the pact holds. With several neighbors, that is how you cut the number of fronts in the Attacks panel.
The official description lists forging alliances next to cities, ports, factories, and nukes. It does not list a gold cost to send a request.
The break confirmation
Breaking a pact opens this confirmation:
Break the alliance with [Nation]? For 30 s you are a TRAITOR: every nation sees it and attacks on you cost only 50% of the troops.
Read the three effects separately:
- The mark lasts 30 seconds, not the rest of the match.
- Every nation sees it, not only the nation you broke.
- Attacks on you cost only 50% of the troops. You are cheaper to invade during that window.
When the window helps or hurts
The window rewards a fast grab if you break the pact and immediately take the land you wanted, then survive the half minute. It punishes a break while you are already surrounded, because several nations can hit the discounted border at once.
Before you confirm:
- Check the Attacks panel. If two borders are already live, do not add a traitor mark.
- Have the troops for the grab ready before you click break.
- Assume neighbors who were ignoring you can see the mark.
- After 30 seconds the discount ends. The broken pact does not automatically return.
What this page does not know
There is no published limit on how many alliances you can hold, no timer for how long a request stays open, and no separate truce button beyond the alliance itself. Do not invent a diplomacy reputation score.