The Accidental Adversaries structure is a composed of three reinforcing loops and two balancing loops. Overall system growth is driven by a global reinforcing loop. Two local reinforcing loops create balancing loops which then limit the growth of the overall system. This is by far not one of the easiest archetypes to understand.

The loop consisting of A's Activity toward B, B's Success, B's Activity toward A, and A's Success represents a cooperative reinforcing loop between A and B. At the same time that A and B are taking actions to enhance each others success they are taking actions to promote their own success. This activity is represented by two inner reinforcing structures represented by A's Activity toward A influencing A's Success which in turn influences A's Activity toward A, and B's Activity toward B influencing B's Success which in turn influences B's Activity toward B.

This local self-enhancement activity would be fine except that the locally directed activities by A and B have an unintended consequences. A's Activity toward A inhibits B's Success. This in turn influences a decline in B's Activity toward A inhibiting A's Success. The inhibition of A's Success further decreases A's Activity toward B. This represents a balancing loop which limits the overall intended cooperative efforts between A and B. This balancing loop is mirrored in the actions by B where B's Activity toward B inhibits A's Success. This in turn influences a decline in A's Activity toward B inhibiting B's Success. The inhibition of B's Success further decreases B's Activity toward A.

This structure points out how myopic local activity, with the best of intentions, can lead to an overall limiting development of the global system, and actually inhibit local development as well.