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''(Not to be confused with the [[Literature/StarWarsAllegiance Star Wars novel]], [[Series/{{Allegiance}} TV series]], or [[Theatre/{{Allegiance}} stage play]].)''
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''(Not to be confused with the [[Literature/StarWarsAllegiance Star Wars novel]], [[Series/{{Allegiance}} [[Series/Allegiance2024 TV series]], or [[Theatre/{{Allegiance}} [[Theatre/Allegiance2012 stage play]].)''
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15907_allegiance_windows_front_cover.jpg]]
->''On that day, across the gulf of space, came an end to all our sanity and peace...''
''Allegiance'' is an innovative computer game, a unique mix of RealTimeStrategy and multiplayer [[SimulationGame Space Combat]], that was first released by Microsoft in [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000]]. It [[AcclaimedFlop failed to sell despite good reviews]], and its source code has since been made available under a shared license. This allowed the die-hard fans the game quickly acquired to keep ''Allegiance'' alive. Today they still run the game's multi-player servers, operate a technical support forum, and continuously release new and updated content and code to keep the game running smoothly on modern computers. ''Allegiance'' [[http://www.freeallegiance.org can be downloaded for free from their site]], where you will also find a detailed wiki-fied gameplay guide. Which you ''will need.''
In September 2017, [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/700480/Microsoft_Allegiance/ the game was released (still free)]] on the Platform/{{Steam}} platform.
In ''Allegiance'', two teams compete to take control of a region of space by building [[SpaceStation space stations]], [[AsteroidMiners mining asteroids]] for resources, and [[StuffBlowingUp blasting the heck out of each other]]. Each team has a single commander who plays the game essentially as an RTS, building structures, investing in research, and setting the overall strategy. However, each space-ship under their command is flown by a human being who experiences the game as a first-person flight sim. Commanders can also jump into the action at any time, and players can become commanders if they successfully get the team to [[TheMutiny mutiny]]. This seemingly confusing structure works surprisingly well, with the game offering both fast-paced action and a lot of strategic depth.
A lot of the strategy comes from the fact that to win, players have to get organized and work together with their team. There are many non-combat roles that are absolutely essential, and the ability of each commander to get their team to co-operate and accomplish a range of complex goals will be infinitely more important to determining the victor than the [[AcePilot ability of the pilots]] to play "''VideoGame/{{Quake|I}}'' [[RecycledInSpace in space]]" (a phrase used by the game's community to describe what ''Allegiance'' is ''not''). ''Allegiance'' really is a strategy game merged with first-person action, rather than an action game with elements of strategy added in.
The game is also interesting for its creative use of some [[TropesInSpace space tropes]], like StealthInSpace, and aversion of others, like OldSchoolDogfight.
''(Not to be confused with the [[Literature/StarWarsAllegiance Star Wars novel]], [[Series/{{Allegiance}} TV series]], or [[Theatre/{{Allegiance}} stage play]].)''
----
!!''Allegiance'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AfterTheEnd:
** According to the back-story, the world will end in 2140 AD when an asteroid launched towards Lunar orbit for mining misses and hits the Earth. Oops! Humanity survives as by this point, a number of groups live on space stations and other planets, where (along with a couple alien races and a malevolent AI) they can now spend their time blowing each other up.
** Interesting trivia: [[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/04/130410-asteroid-recovery-nasa-space-budget-science/ In 2013, NASA announced a plan to capture an asteroid and place it in Lunar orbit]] in order to make it easier to explore -- and possibly even mine.
* AIIsACrapshoot: One of the player-made factions is a race of machines that TurnedAgainstTheirMasters.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: It is difficult to accomplish, but a skilled team can capture enemy bases with special ships and equipment.
* ArbitraryWeaponRange: Applies to all weapons. The longest-range guns can damage objects several kilometres away, but these are rare. Bullets that can only reach 400 meters in the vacuum of space? [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Ah well]]. A somewhat interesting aspect of this is that projectiles in the game actually have ''lifespan'' limits, rather than ''range'' limits per se. Because projectiles inherit the speed of the ship firing them in addition to their inherent speed, the faster you go when firing, the further the projectile will reach before it expires. Veteran players know that when their ship is travelling at full speed, their missiles may reach noticeably further than they otherwise would, for example.
* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]] Because the game is now being constantly developed by fans, fan-made factions, items, and elements of the back-story become a part of the "official" game on a regular basis.
* AsteroidMiners, one of the few AI-controlled ship types in the game. (Presumably holding down a button while staring at an asteroid for minutes at a time [[RuleOfFun would not make for thrilling game-play]]). Miners are usually the target of frequent enemy attacks, and as such must be [[EscortMission constantly defended]] by the team.
* AsteroidThicket: {{Downplayed}}. The game takes place across a map composed of asteroid-packed "sectors" - not to the point of being challenging to simply navigate, but to the point that there will usually be one roughly where you want it, unless you're trying to build a techbase[[note]]which require specific, rarer types of asteroid[[/note]]. An AcceptableBreakFromReality, since firstly, simulating an asteroid field of realistic size would lead to technical and gameplay difficulties; secondly, a large number of asteroids is needed because they are what's used to build bases and gather resources; and thirdly, [[RuleOfCool it looks cool]].
* AwesomeButImpractical:
** One of the factions can build a capital ship equipped with a missile that destroys ''everything'' in the target sector -- and ''[[ActionBomb the sector the ship itself is in]]''. Incredibly powerful, but very rarely used in actual gameplay: By the time you can afford it, you should easily be able to defeat the enemy through more conventional means.
** The aforementioned faction also get a special, unique tech base that allows for the research of interesting, often quite powerful extra equipment for all of the normal tech trees. The catch is, the team has to build, protect and gather enough money for the special base, plus what they need to build, research in and likely upgrade their regular base, all while trying to fight off the enemy as normal. A team that can pull this off gains a significant advantage [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill that they really didn't need to win]]. Also, the aforementioned ActionBomb ship requires the team to buy a tech base, a shipyard (which is an [[AwesomeButImpractical Awesome But Impractical]] stalemate-breaker in and of itself), the special base, then no less than '''five''' different upgrades to the shipyard, then researching the ship itself, and then each one of these ships fielded costs an ''enormous'' amount of money just to launch.
** Capital Ships as a whole. Shipyards are highly expensive to build and upgrade and require you to already have an expensive Techbase[[note]]which usually provides you with other more cost-effective ways to win through standard technology[[/note]]. Capital ship technology is also expensive, and each capital ship costs at least as much as a (permanent) technology upgrade, and can be taken down by (suitably upgraded) smaller ships, which are either free or much cheaper to use. Most games are won through upgrading your smaller ships, and player skill, strategy, and coordination.
* BeePeople: The Omicron Hive, the latest player-made faction, is an insect-like alien race with a [[HiveMind hive mentality]].
* BugWar: Any battle involving the Omicron Hive.
* CannedOrdersOverLoudspeaker: Present within most factions' bases, and often hint at the faction's nature and internal structure.
** For instance, the Iron Coalition mentions that "[[WellIntentionedExtremist military law]] prohibits communication with Gigacorp or any of its subsidiaries", and Gigacorp's "[[CorruptCorporateExecutive office of the president would like to remind employees to keep their compensation packages confidential]]".
** However, both factions' announcements also tend to feature reasonable references to the sort of standard procedures you'd expect on a starbase, while the [[WretchedHive Belters']] announcements are more likely to cheerfully discuss "Ladies' night at the bar", when not [[RefugeInAudacity openly offering]] the services of a "pirate to ship something somewhere", [[NoOSHACompliance blasely noting the non-operational status of the fire control systems,]] or ''[[SurroundedByIdiots once again]]'' reminding the duty officer to "lock down the core stabilization equipment after use".
** [[SuperPersistentPredator Dreghklar's]] bases are loud with inhuman hisses and growls, while much electronic blipping and beeping can be heard from the innards of a [[AIIsACrapshoot Technoflux]] one.
* CrewOfOne: A wealthy team can develop giant capital ships that look like they'd have room for a crew of hundreds -- but are flown and operated entirely by a single pilot. To be truly effective in combat, they do also require turret gunners -- up to ''four'' of them on the largest super-battleships. Probably an AcceptableBreakFromReality, since the basic philosophy of the game is to have actual human players doing all the fighting, and in most cases it would be hard for a team to come up with hundreds of people to man its capital ships...
* DeathIsCheap: Defied by the escape pod mechanics, which essentially impose being in an escape pod as the time penalty for dying, unless the enemy is careless enough to SinkTheLifeboats. Unlike other shooting games, this can last up to five minutes. Played straight if your pod is destroyed, however, as the only thing you lose is your Kill Bonus[[note]]which is oftentimes not significant, unless you're a notably skilled player and/or deliberately cultivating one[[/note]].
* DeflectorShields: Not all ships have them, and those that do don't always use them, as they also make the ship easier to spot (see StealthInSpace below).
* DifficultButAwesome: Being good enough to use fighter-bombers as fighters to win dogfights against anyone who tries to stop you, then blow up major enemy bases. One of the most pointed ways to win small games.
* EnergyWeapon: One of the two common categories of weapons in the game, and the rarer of the two. Most energy weapons are [[CripplingOverspecialization specialized to a specific role]], and consume slowly-regenerating energy rather than reloadable ammunition, meaning that overall, KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter in this game - especially in a dogfight.
* EnsignNewbie: Defied; if you haven't been playing for quite a while and become fairly good at the game, attempting to take command on the main game will throw the lobby into a frenzy until you step down. Alternatively, they may just decide to watch you [[TooDumbToLive try playing against a real commander and fail]] (or possibly succeed). Playing with all newbie commanders is right out (unless it's late at night, [[ForTheLulz and nobody cares)]]. Also, good luck getting anyone with half a clue to join your team.
* EscapePod: When a ship is killed, the pilot is ejected in one of these -- a tiny, unarmed, slow craft. The player has five minutes to make it back to a friendly base or ship before their oxygen runs out. Once they get home, they can get a new ship and re-join the fight; if their pod dies, they ''also'' get instantly re-spawned at base, but their Kill Bonus -- a damage bonus awarded to pilots who have shot down a lot of enemy ships -- gets re-set in this case. Still, sometimes it actually makes more sense to ''kill your own pod'' by ramming it into an enemy or flying through a mine-field, since getting back in the action as soon as possible is often more important. However, killing one's own pod is not easy, and rescuing friendly pods is a very important task that can often determine the course of the game.
* EscortMission: A successful team will need to carry out plenty of these. Miners, constructors, bombers and other vessels must be defended by fighter and repair ships to reach their destinations safely, or any halfway-competent enemy team will shoot them out of the sky. Fortunately, many ships needing escort (including bombers) will have actual human pilots, thus avoiding ArtificialStupidity... although still subject to the occasional IdiotBall. The ArtificialStupidity of [=AI=]-controlled miners and constructors can be mitigated by a competent commander keeping an eye on them and adjusting their orders as needed.
* FasterThanLightTravel: Some ships have the "jump drive" variety that lets them teleport to specially-built receivers. Also, the game's maps are made up of sectors connected by [[OurWormholesAreDifferent "alephs"]] -- a form of "shortcut drive."
* GatlingGood: Gatling guns are the armament of choice for many ships. In effect, though, it's just a cool name for yet another space-gun.
* GracefulLoser: The resign vote option can be used for this.
* HealingShiv: The Nanite Gun, which is used just like any other weapon, but heals whatever its projectiles hit. [[ShootTheMedicFirst Extremely important]] in a wide variety of situations; any ship that ''can'' use one is usually expected to be carrying one in cargo. If a player forgets to bring a Nanite Gun along, they can easily earn their team's wrath.
* InvisibilityCloak: Ships specifically designed for stealth can carry a cloaking device that reduces the ship's signature, making it harder for the enemy to spot (see StealthInSpace). These don't actually render the ship invisible -- the enemy just has to get much closer before its sensors can see the cloaked vessel. There is also a time limit on how long a ship can stay cloaked, depending on the technology available to the team. It adds a very interesting dynamic to play, as a game of cat-and-mouse develops between cloaked attack ships and defenders struggling to find them before they are in position to strike.
* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Particle Weapons are the second major category of weapons, and tend to be good all-rounders which consume ammunition (which is finite but reloadable, and comes in reasonable quantities). As such, most common guns fall into this category.
* KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect: Defied, at least by any sensible team and commander. While most roles are combat roles, scouts and the EWS probes they drop are crucial for intelligence advantage. Scouts can also surprise enemy ships (or defend locations) with Proximity Mines, and [[TheMedic heal teammates]] with the [[HealingShiv Nanite repair beam]]. The game manual ''heavily'' encourages mastering and playing as a scout.
* LeadTheTarget: Critical to hitting anything with guns. Easier with energy weapons and the [[AIIsACrapshoot Technoflux]] plasma guns, because the projectiles move faster and don't spread nearly as much.
* MegaCorp: One of the playable factions, Gigacorp, is this [[AllThereInTheManual in the backstory]]. This manifests itself in game as having a bunch of faction bonuses to making money, cheaper but flimsier bases, the highest-capacity miners in the game, more powerful "Luxury" ships which cost a small amount of money each[[note]] unlike most small ships, which are free[[/note]] but have specific perks, and the ability to, with enough money, construct bases whose main purpose is to generate... [[ShapedLikeItself a lot]] [[UnstableEquilibrium more money]].
-->''Gigacorp: [[{{Slogans}} Tomorrow's resources, ]]'''''''[[{{Slogans}} today!]]'''''
* OldSchoolDogfight: Averted. While the various fighters in the game don't really move the way spacecraft would move in RealLife, neither do they act like fighter planes. There is a sort of compromise between RuleOfFun and [[RealLife Newtonian Physics]]. This results in a somewhat unique kind of combat. (See also SpaceFriction below).
* OurWormholesAreDifferent: For no clear reason, the game calls them "alephs."
* PlasmaCannon: The Technoflux Plasma Gat, their upgraded version of the standard fighter weapon.
* PyrrhicVictory:
** It is quite possible to be in a situation where, although you achieved a tactical (or even strategic) objective, enough of your players have gotten blown up and are now [[ControllableHelplessness in lifepods]] that you can't prevent the enemy from doing ''much'' worse to you, or even ''outright winning the game''.
** A failed base defence which blows up the bomber too late definitely has this feel. Then again, if you still have a surviving fighter to [[NoManLeftBehind pick up pods]] and the enemy doesn't, it can easily turn into the above situation for them...
** A failure of prioritization or [[FailedASpotCheck attention]] can also lead to this, as destroying a Miner while the enemy bombs your Tech Base or Garrison is hardly a worthwhile sacrifice unless it's doomed in any case.
* RageQuit: Resignation votes can also be used this way, spitefully denying the enemy team the satisfaction of finishing the job themselves.
** A particularly toxic commander may "Boot Resign" by booting anyone who votes "no" (or [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem everyone except themselves]], or enough players to make the game a ForegoneConclusion), and then (re)initiating the vote. This is explicitly forbidden by game rules, but still happens often enough to merit a specific mention in them and the game's wiki.
* RammingAlwaysWorks:
** Heavy and fast ships can ram enemy ships off-course, often inflicting massive damage in the process. This tactic does not ''always'' work, however -- it requires some skill to use it, and the ramming ship will often be destroyed or heavily damaged in the process.
** A common tactic is for players to ram friendly bombers as they approach an enemy building (which does not inflict collision damage due to FriendlyFire being disabled in 99% of games). This can significantly shorten the run, allowing for less time for the enemy team to organize an effective defence even once they see it, and it also allows the missiles to travel faster and further, possibly allowing the bomber to fire a missile somewhat earlier.
** Quite aside from inflicting damage, ramming also throws the enemy ship off course. This is critical in two specific situations - stopping enemy Constructor ships from building[[note]]as they will generate an invincible field while building, and then the completed building will not be able to be damaged by most shipborne weapons, while the Constructor ship itself is as vulnerable as any other ship[[/note]], and preventing Miners from successfully docking[[note]]and instantly repairing to full as well as being protected by the base[[/note]].
* ScaryDogmaticAliens: One of the original factions of the game, the ''Rixian Unity,'' is a race of technologically advanced aliens desperate to convert humanity to their religious faith -- by any means necessary.
* ShootTheMedicFirst: Bombers are normally easy targets because they [[MightyGlacier move so slowly due to their weight and that of their anti-base missiles, but are capable of destroying bases.]] They don't have a lot of hitpoints for their size. Therefore, any bomber sent by a non-[[TooDumbToLive clueless]] team will be surrounded by scouts with [[NanoMachines nanite]] [[HealingShiv guns]]. [[MemeticMutation SHOOT THE %*#$&!@ NAN]].
* TheSiege: Definitely a thing that can happen in gameplay.
** LastStand: As can this subtrope, although most commanders and teams will opt for [[KnowWhenToFoldEm resignation]] instead.
* SinkTheLifeBoats:
** This is discouraged, because if an enemy EscapePod is killed, that pilot is instantly re-spawned back at base, and can re-join the battle. It is better to let their slow pod float back to base, because this gives you a period of time in which the enemy team has one fewer players doing anything useful. The best time to attack is when most of the enemy team is in pods -- you ''don't want to destroy these.''
** However, pilots earn a "Kill Bonus" to their damage depending on how many ships they've shot down, and only killing their EscapePod will reset this bonus. Sometimes it's worth it, but sometimes it's still better to let the enemy keep their large bonus if it means they'll be out of the action for a couple of minutes.
* SpaceFighter: The game offers many different kinds of Space Fighters, from the light Scouts (which aren't really meant to fight... ''most'' of the time) to the fast, heavy Interceptors. The roles these Space Fighters play depend on what type they are, and what the team's priorities are at the given moment. Stealth Fighters will try to take out the enemy's economy, Scouts will try to avoid combat while spying on the enemy, or use their {{Healing Shiv}}s to support the team, Interceptors will defend against enemy attacks, or soften up the enemy's defence in preparation for counter-attacks... No game of Allegiance can possibly be won with {{Space Fighter}}s ''alone'', however, and players are discouraged from engaging in [[OldSchoolDogfight pointless fighter-to-fighter combat]] when there's [[SeriousBusiness more important work]] to be done.
* SpaceFriction: Present, though not nearly as much as in many other games. Inertia is important, moving ships take time to stop, and the larger and heavier ones may not stop nearly quickly enough to [[CollisionDamage save their pilot]]. Also, pointing your ship in a new direction will not instantly change your direction of movement -- your ship will be facing one way, and headed in another for a time before SpaceFriction finally lets you change your heading. The heavier your ship (or its cargo!), the more gradual the turn will be. This can be a bad thing (if you need to change course quickly), or a good thing (if you need to fire at an enemy without heading towards them).
* SpaceIsNoisy: Not very loud, perhaps, but noisy nonetheless. You can hear nearby ships shooting guns and firing boosters, and these sounds can be an important part of overall situational awareness. Ships moving using normal engines produce a faint whisper that is only audible if you are very close to them. Curiously, you can hear ships even when your sensors have not yet detected them, for instance, if you happen to zoom in on their location on the command map. Hearing the boosters of an incoming enemy ship long before it shows up on the sensors of your own nearly-blind interceptor can save the cautious pilot.
* StealthInSpace: Used in a very creative way, but without any justification. Every ship (and object) in the game has a "signature" that indicates how easy it is for the enemy to spot it. Different ship types also have different sensor ranges. By avoiding enemy ships with good sensors, and minimizing one's signature (which requires un-mounting useful but noisy devices from one's ship), it is possible to remain quite stealthy, which is essential in many situations.
* StockScream: The Wilhelm Scream can be heard in the in-base ambient sound effects for the Omicron Hive, the latest player-made faction. Presumably, some unfortunate human found its way into the hive...
* TechTree: ''Allegiance'' has a very extensive and complicated one, because it is a strategy game as much as a space sim. A team will start off flying one or two very basic ship types, but many different kinds of ships, weapons, and ship-mounted equipment can be researched over time -- if the commander knows what they're doing. The tree is divided into several branches, accessing each of which requires the construction of a special base -- which (along with the [[AsteroidMiners mining ships]] that pay for the research) is sure to become a primary target for enemy attacks.
* TeleportationWithDrawbacks: Some ships can teleport, a process the game calls "ripcording" (from the idea that the pilot is "pulling a rip-cord" to escape a dangerous situation). A special teleport receiver has to be built first, and ships can only teleport to such receivers. Teleportation is also implied to explain how pilots can instantly move from one base to another while docked, and how the pilot in a rescued EscapePod gets instantly sent back to base.
* TheMutiny: What happens to incompetent or unpopular team commanders, and also what keeps them from abusing their power.
* [[TwoDSpace Two-D Space]]: Averted. Space is very much 3D. Ships can maneuver to attack from above or below, asteroids and other points of interest are widely scattered across the Y-axis, and hiding stealth ships and probes above or below where the enemy would look for them is an important tactic.
* UselessUsefulStealth: Stealth is difficult to use effectively, but very powerful in the right hands. With good timing and situational awareness, ships designed for stealth can be powerful weapons, and even normally noisy ships can be made stealthier and greatly benefit from it. However, this requires un-mounting useful devices like shields and missiles from the ship, and these take time to re-mount should they be needed. Ships specifically designed for stealth are also somewhat challenging to fly, and require a well-planned attack launched at the right moment from a considerable distance. If done badly, attempts at stealth may well end up being worse than useless.
* WretchedHive: Any Belters base, just listen to the announcements.
-->'''Announcement:''' [[RefugeInAudacity Does anyone need a pirate to ship something somewhere? I'll be at the bar if anyone wants me.]]
* YouRequireMoreVespeneGas:
** The game has one resource, Helium-3, which is harvested by [[AsteroidMiners [=AI=] mining ships]] from special asteroids and automatically converted to money once miners dock, thus making cash equivalent to ''"gold."'' Building stations, conducting research, and purchasing certain advanced ships costs money.
** Arguably, the game also has a second resource, equivalent to ''"lumber"'' -- the asteroids themselves. Every new base needs to be built on an asteroid, which is consumed in the process. Some advanced bases require specific kinds of asteroid, which will get increasingly hard to find and secure as the battle goes on.
** Interestingly, ''"population"'' can also be said to be a resource in the game -- but in the case of Allegiance, your "population" is made up of RealLife human beings. With the exception of automated miner, carrier and constructor ships, and a few other faction-specific exceptions, every ship you field will need an actual human pilot. The game automatically tries to maintain balance in numbers and skill between the competing teams, but having a particularly good (or strategic, or obedient) player on your team can make all the difference.
* ZergRush: There are several strategies which can fall into this category, especially under the [[LensmanArmsRace Supremacy tech path]]:
** The most basic defence strategy is to get as many players as possible into the strongest combat craft currently available, and have them engage the threat (and its [[ShootTheMedicFirst Nanite Scouts]], where present) en masse.
** Fighter-Bombers (or "figbees") usually have this as their modus operandi. While ''much'' faster and more agile than a standard bomber, they're not ''quite'' enough to dogfight dedicated combat ships, and as they cost money while standard fighters don't, this is a pointlessly risky endeavour anyway. Instead, they're usually used more like "Light Bombers" and sent out to attack targets en masse, hoping to collectively get off enough anti-base missiles to destroy the target structure before they're all destroyed themselves. As they're half the price of a standard bomber, and they're affected by other upgrades found in the Supremacy Center, this can be a very viable strategy.
** Galvonic Blasters are an energy weapon which damages lighter structures, allowing Advanced Fighters to "galv" such targets. Fighters are too small, agile and lightly armoured to really be worth defending and healing in combat, and each individual Galvonic Blaster is fairly weak. Galvs and Adv. Fighters - unlike nearly every other method of destroying a base - do not cost any cash once researched. This is the logical conclusion (and intended use).
** "Int bombing" is an Expansion Complex strategy which involves escorting a bomber with a mass of (otherwise usually defensive, but powerful) Interceptor fighters, aiming to overpower resistance through sheer brute force. The same strategy can also be applied to escorting [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs Heavy Troop Transports]] to instead capture the target base.
** "Nanning" is a form of ''reverse'' Zerg Rush routinely[[note]]to the point that it probably has the most pages dedicated to one topic on the official wiki[[/note]] used to protect mission critical ships by surrounding them with expendable Scouts equipped with ''[[HealingShiv healing]]'' weapons. [[WeHaveReserves Sure, the Scouts may die]], but [[GoldenSnitch as long as the key ship survives to complete its mission]]... and [[PyrrhicVictory the enemy doesn't take advantage of some or most of your team being in nans or pods]]... Any tech path may use this, as Scouts and Nanites are a [[HomeBase Garrison]] tech, and [[TheMedic nans]] are some of the most welcome players on any team.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/15907_allegiance_windows_front_cover.jpg]]
->''On that day, across the gulf of space, came an end to all our sanity and peace...''
''Allegiance'' is an innovative computer game, a unique mix of RealTimeStrategy and multiplayer [[SimulationGame Space Combat]], that was first released by Microsoft in [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000]]. It [[AcclaimedFlop failed to sell despite good reviews]], and its source code has since been made available under a shared license. This allowed the die-hard fans the game quickly acquired to keep ''Allegiance'' alive. Today they still run the game's multi-player servers, operate a technical support forum, and continuously release new and updated content and code to keep the game running smoothly on modern computers. ''Allegiance'' [[http://www.freeallegiance.org can be downloaded for free from their site]], where you will also find a detailed wiki-fied gameplay guide. Which you ''will need.''
In September 2017, [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/700480/Microsoft_Allegiance/ the game was released (still free)]] on the Platform/{{Steam}} platform.
In ''Allegiance'', two teams compete to take control of a region of space by building [[SpaceStation space stations]], [[AsteroidMiners mining asteroids]] for resources, and [[StuffBlowingUp blasting the heck out of each other]]. Each team has a single commander who plays the game essentially as an RTS, building structures, investing in research, and setting the overall strategy. However, each space-ship under their command is flown by a human being who experiences the game as a first-person flight sim. Commanders can also jump into the action at any time, and players can become commanders if they successfully get the team to [[TheMutiny mutiny]]. This seemingly confusing structure works surprisingly well, with the game offering both fast-paced action and a lot of strategic depth.
A lot of the strategy comes from the fact that to win, players have to get organized and work together with their team. There are many non-combat roles that are absolutely essential, and the ability of each commander to get their team to co-operate and accomplish a range of complex goals will be infinitely more important to determining the victor than the [[AcePilot ability of the pilots]] to play "''VideoGame/{{Quake|I}}'' [[RecycledInSpace in space]]" (a phrase used by the game's community to describe what ''Allegiance'' is ''not''). ''Allegiance'' really is a strategy game merged with first-person action, rather than an action game with elements of strategy added in.
The game is also interesting for its creative use of some [[TropesInSpace space tropes]], like StealthInSpace, and aversion of others, like OldSchoolDogfight.
''(Not to be confused with the [[Literature/StarWarsAllegiance Star Wars novel]], [[Series/{{Allegiance}} TV series]], or [[Theatre/{{Allegiance}} stage play]].)''
----
!!''Allegiance'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AfterTheEnd:
** According to the back-story, the world will end in 2140 AD when an asteroid launched towards Lunar orbit for mining misses and hits the Earth. Oops! Humanity survives as by this point, a number of groups live on space stations and other planets, where (along with a couple alien races and a malevolent AI) they can now spend their time blowing each other up.
** Interesting trivia: [[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/04/130410-asteroid-recovery-nasa-space-budget-science/ In 2013, NASA announced a plan to capture an asteroid and place it in Lunar orbit]] in order to make it easier to explore -- and possibly even mine.
* AIIsACrapshoot: One of the player-made factions is a race of machines that TurnedAgainstTheirMasters.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: It is difficult to accomplish, but a skilled team can capture enemy bases with special ships and equipment.
* ArbitraryWeaponRange: Applies to all weapons. The longest-range guns can damage objects several kilometres away, but these are rare. Bullets that can only reach 400 meters in the vacuum of space? [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Ah well]]. A somewhat interesting aspect of this is that projectiles in the game actually have ''lifespan'' limits, rather than ''range'' limits per se. Because projectiles inherit the speed of the ship firing them in addition to their inherent speed, the faster you go when firing, the further the projectile will reach before it expires. Veteran players know that when their ship is travelling at full speed, their missiles may reach noticeably further than they otherwise would, for example.
* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]] Because the game is now being constantly developed by fans, fan-made factions, items, and elements of the back-story become a part of the "official" game on a regular basis.
* AsteroidMiners, one of the few AI-controlled ship types in the game. (Presumably holding down a button while staring at an asteroid for minutes at a time [[RuleOfFun would not make for thrilling game-play]]). Miners are usually the target of frequent enemy attacks, and as such must be [[EscortMission constantly defended]] by the team.
* AsteroidThicket: {{Downplayed}}. The game takes place across a map composed of asteroid-packed "sectors" - not to the point of being challenging to simply navigate, but to the point that there will usually be one roughly where you want it, unless you're trying to build a techbase[[note]]which require specific, rarer types of asteroid[[/note]]. An AcceptableBreakFromReality, since firstly, simulating an asteroid field of realistic size would lead to technical and gameplay difficulties; secondly, a large number of asteroids is needed because they are what's used to build bases and gather resources; and thirdly, [[RuleOfCool it looks cool]].
* AwesomeButImpractical:
** One of the factions can build a capital ship equipped with a missile that destroys ''everything'' in the target sector -- and ''[[ActionBomb the sector the ship itself is in]]''. Incredibly powerful, but very rarely used in actual gameplay: By the time you can afford it, you should easily be able to defeat the enemy through more conventional means.
** The aforementioned faction also get a special, unique tech base that allows for the research of interesting, often quite powerful extra equipment for all of the normal tech trees. The catch is, the team has to build, protect and gather enough money for the special base, plus what they need to build, research in and likely upgrade their regular base, all while trying to fight off the enemy as normal. A team that can pull this off gains a significant advantage [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill that they really didn't need to win]]. Also, the aforementioned ActionBomb ship requires the team to buy a tech base, a shipyard (which is an [[AwesomeButImpractical Awesome But Impractical]] stalemate-breaker in and of itself), the special base, then no less than '''five''' different upgrades to the shipyard, then researching the ship itself, and then each one of these ships fielded costs an ''enormous'' amount of money just to launch.
** Capital Ships as a whole. Shipyards are highly expensive to build and upgrade and require you to already have an expensive Techbase[[note]]which usually provides you with other more cost-effective ways to win through standard technology[[/note]]. Capital ship technology is also expensive, and each capital ship costs at least as much as a (permanent) technology upgrade, and can be taken down by (suitably upgraded) smaller ships, which are either free or much cheaper to use. Most games are won through upgrading your smaller ships, and player skill, strategy, and coordination.
* BeePeople: The Omicron Hive, the latest player-made faction, is an insect-like alien race with a [[HiveMind hive mentality]].
* BugWar: Any battle involving the Omicron Hive.
* CannedOrdersOverLoudspeaker: Present within most factions' bases, and often hint at the faction's nature and internal structure.
** For instance, the Iron Coalition mentions that "[[WellIntentionedExtremist military law]] prohibits communication with Gigacorp or any of its subsidiaries", and Gigacorp's "[[CorruptCorporateExecutive office of the president would like to remind employees to keep their compensation packages confidential]]".
** However, both factions' announcements also tend to feature reasonable references to the sort of standard procedures you'd expect on a starbase, while the [[WretchedHive Belters']] announcements are more likely to cheerfully discuss "Ladies' night at the bar", when not [[RefugeInAudacity openly offering]] the services of a "pirate to ship something somewhere", [[NoOSHACompliance blasely noting the non-operational status of the fire control systems,]] or ''[[SurroundedByIdiots once again]]'' reminding the duty officer to "lock down the core stabilization equipment after use".
** [[SuperPersistentPredator Dreghklar's]] bases are loud with inhuman hisses and growls, while much electronic blipping and beeping can be heard from the innards of a [[AIIsACrapshoot Technoflux]] one.
* CrewOfOne: A wealthy team can develop giant capital ships that look like they'd have room for a crew of hundreds -- but are flown and operated entirely by a single pilot. To be truly effective in combat, they do also require turret gunners -- up to ''four'' of them on the largest super-battleships. Probably an AcceptableBreakFromReality, since the basic philosophy of the game is to have actual human players doing all the fighting, and in most cases it would be hard for a team to come up with hundreds of people to man its capital ships...
* DeathIsCheap: Defied by the escape pod mechanics, which essentially impose being in an escape pod as the time penalty for dying, unless the enemy is careless enough to SinkTheLifeboats. Unlike other shooting games, this can last up to five minutes. Played straight if your pod is destroyed, however, as the only thing you lose is your Kill Bonus[[note]]which is oftentimes not significant, unless you're a notably skilled player and/or deliberately cultivating one[[/note]].
* DeflectorShields: Not all ships have them, and those that do don't always use them, as they also make the ship easier to spot (see StealthInSpace below).
* DifficultButAwesome: Being good enough to use fighter-bombers as fighters to win dogfights against anyone who tries to stop you, then blow up major enemy bases. One of the most pointed ways to win small games.
* EnergyWeapon: One of the two common categories of weapons in the game, and the rarer of the two. Most energy weapons are [[CripplingOverspecialization specialized to a specific role]], and consume slowly-regenerating energy rather than reloadable ammunition, meaning that overall, KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter in this game - especially in a dogfight.
* EnsignNewbie: Defied; if you haven't been playing for quite a while and become fairly good at the game, attempting to take command on the main game will throw the lobby into a frenzy until you step down. Alternatively, they may just decide to watch you [[TooDumbToLive try playing against a real commander and fail]] (or possibly succeed). Playing with all newbie commanders is right out (unless it's late at night, [[ForTheLulz and nobody cares)]]. Also, good luck getting anyone with half a clue to join your team.
* EscapePod: When a ship is killed, the pilot is ejected in one of these -- a tiny, unarmed, slow craft. The player has five minutes to make it back to a friendly base or ship before their oxygen runs out. Once they get home, they can get a new ship and re-join the fight; if their pod dies, they ''also'' get instantly re-spawned at base, but their Kill Bonus -- a damage bonus awarded to pilots who have shot down a lot of enemy ships -- gets re-set in this case. Still, sometimes it actually makes more sense to ''kill your own pod'' by ramming it into an enemy or flying through a mine-field, since getting back in the action as soon as possible is often more important. However, killing one's own pod is not easy, and rescuing friendly pods is a very important task that can often determine the course of the game.
* EscortMission: A successful team will need to carry out plenty of these. Miners, constructors, bombers and other vessels must be defended by fighter and repair ships to reach their destinations safely, or any halfway-competent enemy team will shoot them out of the sky. Fortunately, many ships needing escort (including bombers) will have actual human pilots, thus avoiding ArtificialStupidity... although still subject to the occasional IdiotBall. The ArtificialStupidity of [=AI=]-controlled miners and constructors can be mitigated by a competent commander keeping an eye on them and adjusting their orders as needed.
* FasterThanLightTravel: Some ships have the "jump drive" variety that lets them teleport to specially-built receivers. Also, the game's maps are made up of sectors connected by [[OurWormholesAreDifferent "alephs"]] -- a form of "shortcut drive."
* GatlingGood: Gatling guns are the armament of choice for many ships. In effect, though, it's just a cool name for yet another space-gun.
* GracefulLoser: The resign vote option can be used for this.
* HealingShiv: The Nanite Gun, which is used just like any other weapon, but heals whatever its projectiles hit. [[ShootTheMedicFirst Extremely important]] in a wide variety of situations; any ship that ''can'' use one is usually expected to be carrying one in cargo. If a player forgets to bring a Nanite Gun along, they can easily earn their team's wrath.
* InvisibilityCloak: Ships specifically designed for stealth can carry a cloaking device that reduces the ship's signature, making it harder for the enemy to spot (see StealthInSpace). These don't actually render the ship invisible -- the enemy just has to get much closer before its sensors can see the cloaked vessel. There is also a time limit on how long a ship can stay cloaked, depending on the technology available to the team. It adds a very interesting dynamic to play, as a game of cat-and-mouse develops between cloaked attack ships and defenders struggling to find them before they are in position to strike.
* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Particle Weapons are the second major category of weapons, and tend to be good all-rounders which consume ammunition (which is finite but reloadable, and comes in reasonable quantities). As such, most common guns fall into this category.
* KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect: Defied, at least by any sensible team and commander. While most roles are combat roles, scouts and the EWS probes they drop are crucial for intelligence advantage. Scouts can also surprise enemy ships (or defend locations) with Proximity Mines, and [[TheMedic heal teammates]] with the [[HealingShiv Nanite repair beam]]. The game manual ''heavily'' encourages mastering and playing as a scout.
* LeadTheTarget: Critical to hitting anything with guns. Easier with energy weapons and the [[AIIsACrapshoot Technoflux]] plasma guns, because the projectiles move faster and don't spread nearly as much.
* MegaCorp: One of the playable factions, Gigacorp, is this [[AllThereInTheManual in the backstory]]. This manifests itself in game as having a bunch of faction bonuses to making money, cheaper but flimsier bases, the highest-capacity miners in the game, more powerful "Luxury" ships which cost a small amount of money each[[note]] unlike most small ships, which are free[[/note]] but have specific perks, and the ability to, with enough money, construct bases whose main purpose is to generate... [[ShapedLikeItself a lot]] [[UnstableEquilibrium more money]].
-->''Gigacorp: [[{{Slogans}} Tomorrow's resources, ]]'''''''[[{{Slogans}} today!]]'''''
* OldSchoolDogfight: Averted. While the various fighters in the game don't really move the way spacecraft would move in RealLife, neither do they act like fighter planes. There is a sort of compromise between RuleOfFun and [[RealLife Newtonian Physics]]. This results in a somewhat unique kind of combat. (See also SpaceFriction below).
* OurWormholesAreDifferent: For no clear reason, the game calls them "alephs."
* PlasmaCannon: The Technoflux Plasma Gat, their upgraded version of the standard fighter weapon.
* PyrrhicVictory:
** It is quite possible to be in a situation where, although you achieved a tactical (or even strategic) objective, enough of your players have gotten blown up and are now [[ControllableHelplessness in lifepods]] that you can't prevent the enemy from doing ''much'' worse to you, or even ''outright winning the game''.
** A failed base defence which blows up the bomber too late definitely has this feel. Then again, if you still have a surviving fighter to [[NoManLeftBehind pick up pods]] and the enemy doesn't, it can easily turn into the above situation for them...
** A failure of prioritization or [[FailedASpotCheck attention]] can also lead to this, as destroying a Miner while the enemy bombs your Tech Base or Garrison is hardly a worthwhile sacrifice unless it's doomed in any case.
* RageQuit: Resignation votes can also be used this way, spitefully denying the enemy team the satisfaction of finishing the job themselves.
** A particularly toxic commander may "Boot Resign" by booting anyone who votes "no" (or [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem everyone except themselves]], or enough players to make the game a ForegoneConclusion), and then (re)initiating the vote. This is explicitly forbidden by game rules, but still happens often enough to merit a specific mention in them and the game's wiki.
* RammingAlwaysWorks:
** Heavy and fast ships can ram enemy ships off-course, often inflicting massive damage in the process. This tactic does not ''always'' work, however -- it requires some skill to use it, and the ramming ship will often be destroyed or heavily damaged in the process.
** A common tactic is for players to ram friendly bombers as they approach an enemy building (which does not inflict collision damage due to FriendlyFire being disabled in 99% of games). This can significantly shorten the run, allowing for less time for the enemy team to organize an effective defence even once they see it, and it also allows the missiles to travel faster and further, possibly allowing the bomber to fire a missile somewhat earlier.
** Quite aside from inflicting damage, ramming also throws the enemy ship off course. This is critical in two specific situations - stopping enemy Constructor ships from building[[note]]as they will generate an invincible field while building, and then the completed building will not be able to be damaged by most shipborne weapons, while the Constructor ship itself is as vulnerable as any other ship[[/note]], and preventing Miners from successfully docking[[note]]and instantly repairing to full as well as being protected by the base[[/note]].
* ScaryDogmaticAliens: One of the original factions of the game, the ''Rixian Unity,'' is a race of technologically advanced aliens desperate to convert humanity to their religious faith -- by any means necessary.
* ShootTheMedicFirst: Bombers are normally easy targets because they [[MightyGlacier move so slowly due to their weight and that of their anti-base missiles, but are capable of destroying bases.]] They don't have a lot of hitpoints for their size. Therefore, any bomber sent by a non-[[TooDumbToLive clueless]] team will be surrounded by scouts with [[NanoMachines nanite]] [[HealingShiv guns]]. [[MemeticMutation SHOOT THE %*#$&!@ NAN]].
* TheSiege: Definitely a thing that can happen in gameplay.
** LastStand: As can this subtrope, although most commanders and teams will opt for [[KnowWhenToFoldEm resignation]] instead.
* SinkTheLifeBoats:
** This is discouraged, because if an enemy EscapePod is killed, that pilot is instantly re-spawned back at base, and can re-join the battle. It is better to let their slow pod float back to base, because this gives you a period of time in which the enemy team has one fewer players doing anything useful. The best time to attack is when most of the enemy team is in pods -- you ''don't want to destroy these.''
** However, pilots earn a "Kill Bonus" to their damage depending on how many ships they've shot down, and only killing their EscapePod will reset this bonus. Sometimes it's worth it, but sometimes it's still better to let the enemy keep their large bonus if it means they'll be out of the action for a couple of minutes.
* SpaceFighter: The game offers many different kinds of Space Fighters, from the light Scouts (which aren't really meant to fight... ''most'' of the time) to the fast, heavy Interceptors. The roles these Space Fighters play depend on what type they are, and what the team's priorities are at the given moment. Stealth Fighters will try to take out the enemy's economy, Scouts will try to avoid combat while spying on the enemy, or use their {{Healing Shiv}}s to support the team, Interceptors will defend against enemy attacks, or soften up the enemy's defence in preparation for counter-attacks... No game of Allegiance can possibly be won with {{Space Fighter}}s ''alone'', however, and players are discouraged from engaging in [[OldSchoolDogfight pointless fighter-to-fighter combat]] when there's [[SeriousBusiness more important work]] to be done.
* SpaceFriction: Present, though not nearly as much as in many other games. Inertia is important, moving ships take time to stop, and the larger and heavier ones may not stop nearly quickly enough to [[CollisionDamage save their pilot]]. Also, pointing your ship in a new direction will not instantly change your direction of movement -- your ship will be facing one way, and headed in another for a time before SpaceFriction finally lets you change your heading. The heavier your ship (or its cargo!), the more gradual the turn will be. This can be a bad thing (if you need to change course quickly), or a good thing (if you need to fire at an enemy without heading towards them).
* SpaceIsNoisy: Not very loud, perhaps, but noisy nonetheless. You can hear nearby ships shooting guns and firing boosters, and these sounds can be an important part of overall situational awareness. Ships moving using normal engines produce a faint whisper that is only audible if you are very close to them. Curiously, you can hear ships even when your sensors have not yet detected them, for instance, if you happen to zoom in on their location on the command map. Hearing the boosters of an incoming enemy ship long before it shows up on the sensors of your own nearly-blind interceptor can save the cautious pilot.
* StealthInSpace: Used in a very creative way, but without any justification. Every ship (and object) in the game has a "signature" that indicates how easy it is for the enemy to spot it. Different ship types also have different sensor ranges. By avoiding enemy ships with good sensors, and minimizing one's signature (which requires un-mounting useful but noisy devices from one's ship), it is possible to remain quite stealthy, which is essential in many situations.
* StockScream: The Wilhelm Scream can be heard in the in-base ambient sound effects for the Omicron Hive, the latest player-made faction. Presumably, some unfortunate human found its way into the hive...
* TechTree: ''Allegiance'' has a very extensive and complicated one, because it is a strategy game as much as a space sim. A team will start off flying one or two very basic ship types, but many different kinds of ships, weapons, and ship-mounted equipment can be researched over time -- if the commander knows what they're doing. The tree is divided into several branches, accessing each of which requires the construction of a special base -- which (along with the [[AsteroidMiners mining ships]] that pay for the research) is sure to become a primary target for enemy attacks.
* TeleportationWithDrawbacks: Some ships can teleport, a process the game calls "ripcording" (from the idea that the pilot is "pulling a rip-cord" to escape a dangerous situation). A special teleport receiver has to be built first, and ships can only teleport to such receivers. Teleportation is also implied to explain how pilots can instantly move from one base to another while docked, and how the pilot in a rescued EscapePod gets instantly sent back to base.
* TheMutiny: What happens to incompetent or unpopular team commanders, and also what keeps them from abusing their power.
* [[TwoDSpace Two-D Space]]: Averted. Space is very much 3D. Ships can maneuver to attack from above or below, asteroids and other points of interest are widely scattered across the Y-axis, and hiding stealth ships and probes above or below where the enemy would look for them is an important tactic.
* UselessUsefulStealth: Stealth is difficult to use effectively, but very powerful in the right hands. With good timing and situational awareness, ships designed for stealth can be powerful weapons, and even normally noisy ships can be made stealthier and greatly benefit from it. However, this requires un-mounting useful devices like shields and missiles from the ship, and these take time to re-mount should they be needed. Ships specifically designed for stealth are also somewhat challenging to fly, and require a well-planned attack launched at the right moment from a considerable distance. If done badly, attempts at stealth may well end up being worse than useless.
* WretchedHive: Any Belters base, just listen to the announcements.
-->'''Announcement:''' [[RefugeInAudacity Does anyone need a pirate to ship something somewhere? I'll be at the bar if anyone wants me.]]
* YouRequireMoreVespeneGas:
** The game has one resource, Helium-3, which is harvested by [[AsteroidMiners [=AI=] mining ships]] from special asteroids and automatically converted to money once miners dock, thus making cash equivalent to ''"gold."'' Building stations, conducting research, and purchasing certain advanced ships costs money.
** Arguably, the game also has a second resource, equivalent to ''"lumber"'' -- the asteroids themselves. Every new base needs to be built on an asteroid, which is consumed in the process. Some advanced bases require specific kinds of asteroid, which will get increasingly hard to find and secure as the battle goes on.
** Interestingly, ''"population"'' can also be said to be a resource in the game -- but in the case of Allegiance, your "population" is made up of RealLife human beings. With the exception of automated miner, carrier and constructor ships, and a few other faction-specific exceptions, every ship you field will need an actual human pilot. The game automatically tries to maintain balance in numbers and skill between the competing teams, but having a particularly good (or strategic, or obedient) player on your team can make all the difference.
* ZergRush: There are several strategies which can fall into this category, especially under the [[LensmanArmsRace Supremacy tech path]]:
** The most basic defence strategy is to get as many players as possible into the strongest combat craft currently available, and have them engage the threat (and its [[ShootTheMedicFirst Nanite Scouts]], where present) en masse.
** Fighter-Bombers (or "figbees") usually have this as their modus operandi. While ''much'' faster and more agile than a standard bomber, they're not ''quite'' enough to dogfight dedicated combat ships, and as they cost money while standard fighters don't, this is a pointlessly risky endeavour anyway. Instead, they're usually used more like "Light Bombers" and sent out to attack targets en masse, hoping to collectively get off enough anti-base missiles to destroy the target structure before they're all destroyed themselves. As they're half the price of a standard bomber, and they're affected by other upgrades found in the Supremacy Center, this can be a very viable strategy.
** Galvonic Blasters are an energy weapon which damages lighter structures, allowing Advanced Fighters to "galv" such targets. Fighters are too small, agile and lightly armoured to really be worth defending and healing in combat, and each individual Galvonic Blaster is fairly weak. Galvs and Adv. Fighters - unlike nearly every other method of destroying a base - do not cost any cash once researched. This is the logical conclusion (and intended use).
** "Int bombing" is an Expansion Complex strategy which involves escorting a bomber with a mass of (otherwise usually defensive, but powerful) Interceptor fighters, aiming to overpower resistance through sheer brute force. The same strategy can also be applied to escorting [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs Heavy Troop Transports]] to instead capture the target base.
** "Nanning" is a form of ''reverse'' Zerg Rush routinely[[note]]to the point that it probably has the most pages dedicated to one topic on the official wiki[[/note]] used to protect mission critical ships by surrounding them with expendable Scouts equipped with ''[[HealingShiv healing]]'' weapons. [[WeHaveReserves Sure, the Scouts may die]], but [[GoldenSnitch as long as the key ship survives to complete its mission]]... and [[PyrrhicVictory the enemy doesn't take advantage of some or most of your team being in nans or pods]]... Any tech path may use this, as Scouts and Nanites are a [[HomeBase Garrison]] tech, and [[TheMedic nans]] are some of the most welcome players on any team.
