OK my thougts.
Start up
I cannot see the point in having any Dip in the first few months or until tribe have started to noble, which is usually with in 2/3 weeks of a world opening. So to have NAP's Allies at this stage slows your tribe growth and will stop you from getting any hold on your K/K's
Nobles are out
If you come across a tribe that has a similar growth to your tribe and a NAP would be the best to stop a silly war at the beginning of the world then go for it. But most K's will only have 1 or 2 tribes that will be there in the end, so why not fight it out.
End Game
By end game there will be 6/8 tribes fighting it out, so why not get an Ally to take the smaller ones out then have the last 2 tribes fight it out.
Saying all this every world is different, but I usually try to stay away from any dip in the first few months until everything has settled down. And as some peeps that have been in my last few tribes will know A Ruffus tribe always seems to get an allies against it so dip is even harder lol
Just my thoughts on Gold.
They could have been the tribe to beat at the end, but RL and other things got in the way, and the fact that it was players, playing in a tribe not a tribe playing as a tribe, Thats just my thoughts, and wish no disrespect to any one in Gold.
respect to all
Ruffus