Elph, I think the problems you describe are more a function of the piss poor pvp environment offered by faction type games, like DAoC and WoW. In a free for all game, like SB, Eve, and hopefully Darkfall, alliances are much more important, because it isn't you against another side, it's you against the entire world. Almost everyone is potentially an enemy.

One cautionary tale must be told comes directly from our experience in ShadowBane, however. There, we saw the case where once serious pressure was applied to the alliance, alliance members started to melt away. At one point during the siege of an allied city, and I vividly remember that extended mass battle, almost the only alliance names in sight belonged to the KGB. We died so many times defending the allied city by ourselves that eventually some of us threw ourselves into the ranks of the enemy almost naked, because our armor had been destroyed in previous engagements.

In the long run, that fight served the KGB well, because people on both sides were impressed that even in the face of hopeless odds, the KGB would stand and fight and die with honor. Repeatedly.

Long live the KGB.

To the everlasting glory of the infantry...

Owain ab Arawn
KGB Supreme Knight
King's High Council