Mercy and Viable vassalship

[infernocanuck]

Hi everyone!

In my recent French campaign, I've decided to go the ultra-chivalrous route. So, far, it's going very well, and I've managed to get england as my vassal. I have a very trustworthy reputation, I'm incredibly rich and I'm the #1 overall ranking nation.

What I would really like to do is eventually have the entire british isles under my command, but under a vassaled state. Problem is, is that the Scots and my vassaled England are fighting. I have two choices:

1) Destroy the Scots completly, and give the lands over to England. One, unitary British Isles making money for me. (Pro: Stability Con: If I'm not careful, England may get too powerful and attempt to break from my protectorate)

2) Vassal the Scots as well. This is what I'd really like. Two smaller nations on one Isle, paying money to me. (Pro: Less worries about a vassal rebellion Con: They might fight each other and I'll have to pick sides, effectivly wasting my time and effort in trying to vassal them!!)

So, this is my question. Can two vassal nations live side by side in peace, or will they eventually fight one another? I'm running the Darth Road mod, which has superior diplomatic AI, and alliances are stable. I just want to know how viable this sounds.

Also, I'd appreciate if anyone replying stays away from the "Why are you bothering to do this? Just crush them all!" comments. I would like to attempt a game in a different way, is all.

[Samir]

what you could do is to help out your vassal militarily (and therefore justify your status as superior nation watching out for and after your vassal)

you send an army that supports the english in their fight with the scots, without breaking the scotish backbone (keep a low profile in the theatre, just strike armys that enter your vassals homeland, dont help out too much on the offensive, as the english usually are superior to the scots anyway). that way you keep your vassal in a war and as long as he is engaged in that one, it makes getting along with/for you easier. (maybe contribute some money to the scots before you enter war with them, so that the english dont overwhelm them too easily. you get the money back anyway as long as they are vassals...)

also you have an army ready to sort out any "misunderstandings" about taxes and tributes with the english

the "can 2 vassaled nations can live happily ever after" is difficult to answer. if the scots are still confined to Scotland (and Ireland) they have not much choice than the English to expand their empire(which the AI does, regardless of the mod you play)

So while it is possible for sure to vassal 2 neighboring countries I think it will be difficult (if not impossible) to make a country vassal that is at war with another vassal of yours. (pretty much like you cant make an alliance with someone who is at war with another of your allies)

besides that you risk that the english finish off the scots, while you try to negotiate the vassalship (as to become Vassal the scots will have probably just 1 province left and a small army)

[masterbaker]

Being England and Scotland, important objectives for each other and bordering rivals, I imagine they'll start fighting soon unless there are some strong gaming mechanics preventing it, which I'm not sure about.

I'd say stay with England, help them and take a foothold in the British Isles, perhaps Inverness or Dublin. Make it well fortified so if they do attack you can fight back, and soon happily crush them all!

[infernocanuck]

Alright, thank you both for your feedback. My progress in the game is going pretty solid, so I think I might try vassalling them both, give them equal lands on the isle, and pay to keep theier relations with me at maximum, and see if they can exist peacefully.

If that doesn't work, then I've learned a vlauable lesson, and I'll just crush the poor Scotts and hand it all over to England

[HopliteLysander]

This question strays slightly from the topic, but it regards a similar situation.
I have conquered England removing them and I hold London and the castle to the north of it. Scotland is fairly strong as they hold all Scotland, Ireland and Wales. We are at peace, but is war basically inevitable if Scotland can't expand anywhere? They are off and on at war with the Danish, and have a stack or two in their territory. I'm the French and I'm already at war with most of my neighbors so I don't want to mess with Scotland if I don't have to.

Thanks