I should clarify. My post is mainly in jest. I would rather be the single nation getting teamed up on than being part of a group of nations teaming up on a single nation. It's one of the reason I picked Vanheim this game and have been playing R'lyeh quite a bit lately.
I chose to live by the sword, I have no issue at all dying by it. And I will do it yet again in the next multiplayer game I am in. Eventually, I will find a way to win without depending on massive diplomacy to supplement skill

. For now, I am still teh suq as far as standing alone goes, but next game I will fair better, etcetera etcetera.