I think, we missed an important thing while discussing about "Endgame".
- Reading the name of the game attentively.
The first word of the name says the important resource, the second word - Alliances - tells you the key-behavior for being a winner. If you get rid of the leader alliance, right after the fort, - you wil remove always the most experienced team.
You would not only punish the winner, but also the followers. On the one hand, they get nothing back for their help - on the other hand, not even the chance to master the right strategies under the leadership of the winner. So, double-nothing.
If we removed the winner, there would be no point in diplomatic relations, and in the end you would get a game - against everyone - with NO or slight chance to win.