I dunno.

Sorry, Ibn, but let's say he joins my faction. That's all well and good for me, may not be so wise for him, but what if he joins the Military faction? Dying leads to winning the game?

I don't think that makes sense.

If that were the Xanatos gambit, I'd have been playing for it since day one, because why be Mercantile when I could join Military on their unstoppable rise?