I would expect no less from experienced players that have build up trust playing together over several years.....
plant spies in every upcoming tribe, show off a bit of game skill and get on the councils.
learn who they are working with, recruit spies to leave in the tribes after they have formed up to feed them info all the time.
Almost sounds like this world is lost before it starts....BUT, with all masters they have apprentices, players that have watched them over the years, made notes, learned from their game, added a new twist or two, sat back and watched waiting to rise up and become masters themselves, with a win at all costs attitude.
What goes up must come down....maybe not on world 12 but it will happen soon.