The Austrian and British alliance in the Western Mediterranean from 1703 to 1708 is used as a case study in the problem of getting allies to cooperate at the strategic and operational levels of war. Differing grand strategies can lead to disagreements about strategic priorities and the value of possible operations. However, poor personal relations can do more to wreck an alliance than differing opinions over strategy. While good personal relations can keep an alliance operating smoothly, it is often military necessity (and the threat of grand strategic failure) that forces important compromises. In the case of the Western Mediterranean, it was the urgent situation created by the Allied defeat at Almanza that forced the British and Austrians to create a workable solution.

1703年至1708年在西地中海的奥地利和英国同盟被用作案例研究，目的是使盟国在战争的战略和作战层面上进行合作。不同的大战略可能导致在战略重点和可能的运营价值上存在分歧。但是，不良的人际关系比破坏战略的观点更能破坏同盟。良好的人际关系可以使联盟保持平稳运转，但军事上的需要（以及重大战略失败的威胁）通常会迫使重要的妥协。就西地中海而言，正是盟军在阿尔曼​​扎（Almanza）失败所造成的紧急局势，迫使英国和奥地利人提出了可行的解决方案。