I mostly love coming up with names for alliances. There’s no point to it other than a bit of fun. The Elephant and Whale alliance is a different kind of alliance, though.
Most names alliances include specific powers. The JUGGERNAUT ALLIANCE is between Russia and Turkey (not my name). It indicates that they can steamroll their way across the board, a juggernaut being ‘unstoppable’. The WESTERN TRIPLE ALLIANCE features England, France and Germany.
An Elephant and Whale alliance, however, can feature any two powers working together. It indicates that one power is building armies (the Elephant) and the other fleets (the Whale). It has an alternative name: Tiger and Shark alliance.
Why?
Why would any power limit themselves by being in this kind of alliance? After all, it doesn’t matter which power you play, you’re probably going to need to build additional fleets or armies at some point. Perhaps England is an exception in that you can do well as England with just fleets but you’re also going to need to look at build armies to get those last pesky inland SCs: Paris, Munich, Moscow, Warsaw.
Austria is the opposite example. It’s rare, almost unheard of, that Austria develops any significant sea power. What are they going to do with them? Well, Italy is best defeated by sea; Tunis needs fleets to take, and Italy and Turkey are likely to be threatening in the Med so you probably need an additional fleet or two.
Well, the point is that this type of alliance is, like any other alliance should be, time-limited. Nobody expects it to last forever… and it mightn’t last very long at all! But it’s a good way to cement (perhaps that treacherous RAAC version of cement but still) a working relationship with another power. In other words, it’s meant to facilitate the forming of an alliance, to help with building trust.
The Anglo-German alliance
If England and Germany are discussing an alliance in the Early Game, they’re likely to be gravitating to an Elephant and Whale alliance, and for these two powers it can work well, at least initially.
England is, of course, a maritime power. It is surrounded by sea. It can only expand by having fleets, and it is defensively important, as England, to control sea spaces. No other power can attack you except by overwhelming you at sea. This doesn’t mean by outnumbering your fleets, of course, but by having a localised advantage.
England already has to deal with a French fleet that starts in Brest, just over the English Channel. Germany’s fleet is in Kiel and can, in one move, border the North Sea, and if it actually gets into the North Sea it threatens London and Edinburgh, both English HOME SCS.
England really doesn’t want a Germany that wants to build fleets. You’re already facing a France that will build fleets because – if nothing else – France will want to have a Mediterranean presence. If Germany also builds fleets, then England has two neighbours who are increasing the number of fleets you have to deal with.
For Germany, although a second fleet in Kiel or Berlin is useful for attacking Russia (if not England), Germany faces threats mainly from land (assuming you can ally with England): Russia to the east; Austria and Italy to the south; France to the west. Fleets aren’t much good defensively.
And to expand, Germany is probably better off building armies. If the enemies are offering a potential land-based threat, the spoils are also accessible over land.
England (the Whale) and Germany (the Elephant) is often a good way to go at the start of the game. Both may need to overlook the build of an additional unit that doesn’t fit the mould but, generally, they should be able to agree to this form of alliance. It helps both players.
The Russo-Turkish alliance
The infamous Juggernaut alliance can also be formed as an Elephant and Whale alliance, with Russia as the Elephant and Turkey the Whale. This is aided by the fact that this is more of a regional agreement, with Russia often free to build fleets in the north.
However, Russia’s threats come from the land, mostly. Well, England’s a threat, and that means the Barents Sea as well as Norway. And, of course, the Black Sea is problematic. But, apart from the WITCHES, Russia’s problems are mainly land-based. And, perhaps more importantly, in the centre and south, Russia will expand over land (with the Black Sea as an exception again).
Although F(Sev) is important defensively against Turkey, it isn’t of much use offensively, after Rumania. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for Russia to organise for that fleet to be destroyed and removed from the board, or even gives its control to Turkey.
For Turkey, especially in alliance with Russia, fleets are necessary. Turkey needs to contend for the eastern end of the Med, and this means fleets. Armies are useful, too, as to make your way through the Balkans, you’re going to need them.
So, allowing for Russian fleet builds in the north, and the odd Turkish army moving into the Balkans, Russia and Turkey can also form an Elephant and Whale alliance, although it isn’t likely to be as durable as some.
When it doesn’t work
There are occasions when an Elephant and Whale alliance looks like it should work but doesn’t. One example of this is the Austro-Turkish alliance.
Another name for this alliance is the KRAKEN ALLIANCE. This is named because Austria can afford to allow Turkey to focus mainly on fleets. Fleets aren’t much use against Austria. The weakness in this alliance, though, is that, as Turkey, you can find yourself severely disadvantaged by it.
Austria, of course, is the Elephant. With the exception of the Adriatic Sea, Austria’s main threat is land-based. Germany to the north; Russia to the north-east; Italy to the west and, if Turkey can get through into the Balkans further than Bulgaria, Turkey to the south.
Additionally, Austria’s spoils are land-based. The Balkan treasure trove is accessible to Austria through armies. Expansion against enemies is also overland. Austria may need an extra fleet, but it’s rare to find an Austria with more than three fleets.
In this alliance, Turkey is looking for Austria support against Russia that will allow Turkish armies to expand northwards. Other than that, you’re given free reign to challenge for the Mediterranean using fleets. The idea is that the Turkish Whale pushes fleet after fleet into the Med, gaining SCs via fleet expansion.
There are two problems with this alliance, both of them Turkey’s problems. First, unless Austria (or perhaps France) is attacking Italy, Turkey is going to find it slow-going through the Med. Bulgaria and Greece (and even this is problematic because Austria often stupidly demands Greece as their own even in an Elephant and Whale Kraken alliance). Then you hit the Ionian Sea, which is likely to be in Italian hands, probably with a second Italian fleet to back it up. If Austria uses their fleet to help, you could gain an advantage, but it’s still slow growth.
The other issue is that Austrian armies are likely to be in your way. The best offer is that they’ve helped you take Sevastopol and Moscow. They’ll have Rumania, Serbia and Warsaw. They’ve probably also got Trieste… and may be able to take Rome before you can get into Naples and Tunis. Suddenly there’s an Austrian line holding you back. Even worse, there are a lot of Austrian armies against you.
As a way of settling the South, an Elephant and Whale alliance is good but the advantage is going to lie with Austria on land… and an Austrian attack on land can split Turkey in two and effectively beat Turkey, while Turkish fleets are either tied down in the Mid-Med, or forced to pull back to try and defend.
THE DIPTIONARY 