[llamabeast]

Yep, everyone could just form a single team and win immediately!

One idea that someone had before was that a certain number of players (e.g. 2 for a smallish game) could be "superpower" nations. Analogous to, say, the US and Russia during the Cold War. They may or may not be more powerful in any meaningful sense. However, all the other players can choose to ally themselves to a superpower, and then wins if that superpower wins. So the superpowers have to browbeat their neighbours into joining their cause, and then direct them to victory.