How to propose alliences?

[Obadiah]

Here's a wierd (noobish) thing- having played MTW2 for awhile, I just experienced the jaw-drop of discovering that when the diplo screen opens, it doesn't contain a "propose alliance" option!! What the heck!?!$? Ok, it was kinda late at night, so I went through the options on the left several times, thinking 'it MUST be here'! and couldnt' find it! Am I truly blind??? I've traded map info, given gifts, sold vassalage, trading rights, etc. But I guess I've never actually proposed an alliance before b'c I figured they never stick. (Although I have accepted alliance offers...)

Or- suscipious glance over the shoulder - has it been removed as part of the AI conspiracy against my growing Venetian empire?

[phonicsmonkey]

have a look on the right at that faction's list of friends and enemies.

if they are

1) allied with someone that you are at war with (should be highlighted in red), or

2) even if they were once allied with someone that you were once at war with who was destroyed as a faction while you were still at war with them (phew),

then you won't be able to propose an alliance with them

number 2), which is a bug, is particularly annoying. it appears that your diplomatic status with destroyed factions is frozen in place on their death, and never resets...best option to avoid this seems to be to make peace with a faction when they are down to one region, then let someone else finish them off.

[Slug For A Butt]

Well done Phonics, that was about as easy to explain as the offside rule at football.
You deserve a gold star for that.

[phonicsmonkey]

ah the offside rule....I need salt shakers and peppermills for that one

[Kobal2fr]

Or better yet : make them your vassals, so that their region total counts towards yours for victory total (hmmm, now that I think about it, does it still count ? It did in RTW but...)

[DVX BELLORVM]

Or better yet : make them your vassals, so that their region total counts towards yours for victory total (hmmm, now that I think about it, does it still count ? It did in RTW but...)

It does.