Long standing alliances

[Craze_b0i]

So I was thinking there aren't many long standing alliances in warhammer. Historically everyone squabbles with everyone. The 3 chaos armies only really ally temporarily, when there is some exceptional leader like an Everchosen. High Elves only really take an interest in helping others when the the world is at stake, like a chaos incursion.

The only one I can think of is Empire and Dwarfs. That has been pretty solid for 2500 years.

Are there any others that people can think of?

[grumbaki]

Empire and Kislev, more or less. I can't recall any territorial disputes that made it into the fluff, and when Kislev is hit bad the Empire responds with help. Especially the northern provinces, if I recall correctly.

And it could be argued that Bretonnia and Athel Loren have something resembling an alliance, though I'd say that it is more like a long lasting treaty.

[eron12]

I think the lack of long alliances is a good thing. I know Warhammer is far from the real world, but alliances don't last forever in real life and they shouldn't in fantasy either.

[TheDungen]

depends on you definition of long. The high elves are allied to the imperial throne since the great war against chaos that 500 years. And they've been allied to the dwarfs since Finubar visited Karaz-a-karak which i seem to remember was prior to him being king so even longer. Ofcourse these as the empire dwarf alliance is defensive treaties, not full alliances.

[Craze_b0i]

Empire and Kislev, more or less. I can't recall any territorial disputes that made it into the fluff, and when Kislev is hit bad the Empire responds with help. Especially the northern provinces, if I recall correctly.

And it could be argued that Bretonnia and Athel Loren have something resembling an alliance, though I'd say that it is more like a long lasting treaty.

Empire-Kislev is possible. At least there is no mention of any war between them - which in 2000 years is impressive. Though the only time I recall empire actually helped them was Great War Against Chaos.

Wood Elf & Brettonia is a good one. Even if it is not a formal alliance there is definately some kind of understanding.

I think the lack of long alliances is a good thing. I know Warhammer is far from the real world, but alliances don't last forever in real life and they shouldn't in fantasy either.

Well of course no alliance lasts "forever", but here we are merely talking long-standing. There have been plenty of long-standing ones in the past. England-Portugal have frequently been allies, and continuously from the 1600s to the present we have either been in actual alliance or at least remained friends. Scotland and France were long standing allies in medieval times. Britain and France from 1905 to the present day.

[Athelassan]

The Empire and Kislev have been formally allied since 2304. Before that, WFRP background has mentioned conflict between the two, usually between Kislev and an individual province (or the Ottilian Empire).

According to the 5th ed background, Bretonnia and Loren have been formally allied since the foundation of Bretonnia, although there have been raids across the border on either side (local barons from Bretonnia; the Wild Hunt from Loren).

The Chaos Dwarfs and hobgoblins seem to have a longstanding arrangement of some sort, even if not an alliance as such.

[Arnizipal]

depends on you definition of long. The high elves are allied to the imperial throne since the great war against chaos that 500 years.

I think you'll find that it's actually more around 200 years.
It's also not really a true alliance in my opinion, since the High Elves won't ever request aid from humans and the humans rarely receive much aid from the High Elves.

[Darkminion]

Skaven have held an alliance with Nagash for many centuries.....untill they found a way to kill him....offcourse

High Elves held a very long and steady alliance with the Dwarves (pre sundering)

D...

[warboss6820]

According to the 5th ed background, Bretonnia and Loren have been formally allied since the foundation of Bretonnia, although there have been raids across the border on either side (local barons from Bretonnia; the Wild Hunt from Loren).

I dont own ethir of the army books but dont wwod elves steal brettonian pesent babies and make them their waiters?

The Chaos Dwarfs and hobgoblins seem to have a longstanding arrangement of some sort, even if not an alliance as such.

Hobgoblins were chaos dwarf slaves and after the black orc rebellion they were to scared to acully go into the dark lands or mountains of mourn. also the black orcs wouldnt let them join there waaaghs because their voices were high pitched aand they would sell their mothers for a picked bloodletter.

[Lord Zarkov]

I dont own ethir of the army books but dont wwod elves steal brettonian pesent babies and make them their waiters?

Mainly wizard babies, although a few other as well. The plus side is the female ones get trained as Damsels.

Hobgoblins were chaos dwarf slaves and after the black orc rebellion they were to scared to acully go into the dark lands or mountains of mourn. also the black orcs wouldnt let them join there waaaghs because their voices were high pitched aand they would sell their mothers for a picked bloodletter.

The are two groups of Hobgoblins
Firstly the ones that are the Chaos Dwarfs' minions (formerly slaves until they turned the tables on the BO rebellion after which they became minions and slave overseers). Even they have a number of different tribes and large areas of land they administrate on the CD's behalf. E.g. Gash Kadrak, the Vale of Woe, is ruled by the Sneaky Git tribe and is a major gem mining area.
Secondly there is the large Hobgoblin Wolf Rider horde of Hobgobla Khan who roam to the south of the Dark Lands harassing the Silk Road. Presumably they also have some sort of accord with the Chaos Dwarfs who do use Wolf Riders in their armies.

[Athelassan]

I dont own ethir of the army books but dont wwod elves steal brettonian pesent babies and make them their waiters?

The degree of contact between the Wood Elves and Bretonnia has been scaled back and made less overt, but it hasn't been rescinded, as far as I'm aware, that there's an alliance, or at least an understanding, between the Kingdom of Bretonnia and the Kingdom of Athel Loren. That doesn't preclude the odd bit of mischief on either side, like the Wild Hunts, or Bretonnian barons occasionally trying to grab bits of the Meadow Glades for their land. The King of Bretonnia presumably (and sensibly) turns a blind eye to this sort of thing, reasoning that the benefit he gets from the elves outweighs any trouble they cause.

Most of the baby-abducting will happen at peasant-level among families who have a limited or heavily mythologised understanding of the elves. Plus, as mentioned, it's only really magic-users, and the kingdom get the female ones back as Damsels (and very occasionally they get them back regardless, if the elves make a mistake and can be bothered to return the baby).

I think it's important to remember just how little of a toss the king and dukes really give about the day-to-day welfare of any given peasant. That the elves steal the odd baby (a negligible proportion) won't bother them in the slightest. Especially since one of their chief counsellors is the Fay Enchantress, who is, if not an elf herself, almost certainly a fully paid-up Wood Elf agent.

[warboss6820]

Also in the strom of magic book it appears they will ally with brettonians to defeat a common enemy. They deafeated the vampire in the fluff section of the book. Although at the end the wood elves knocked the brettonia uncouncious and put them back at the border of their land. So I geuss their is a relationship is pretty good.

[SimaoSegunda]

Orcs and Goblins! Sort of.

Dragon Ogres and the Chaos Gods? High Elves and Dragons? I would consider it to be a pretty strong alliance if you both feature in the same army list.

Clearly, the Fishmen have longstanding non-aggression pacts with all the different groups. That's why we sadly never get to see them.

[Athelassan]

The four principal Chaos gods have had a pact with GW's lawyers to stop Malal interfering with their plans for quite a while.

[warboss6820]

Sigmar bribed the fluff writers to fend of every chaos invasion aimed at his empire...