[Sombre]

I have to say, claiming they're balanced because everyone can gang up on them pisses me off a bit. You're greatly limiting the variety in the game if every single time ______ is forced to fight an alliance of people, the first person ______ attacks gets crushed without being able to do **** about it (but that's ok because his allies will avenge him) etc

You're limiting the strategic options there and toning the variety in the game down, not increasing it.