Vassalage with deceitful reputation?

[SirRobin]

I'm wondering if it's possible to convince a faction to become your vassal even if your reputation is bad?

I mean, seriously, in real life history, people did not become vassals because they thought the enemy were nice guys, but rather because they would get killed if they refused ...

[k/t]

The Hungarians became my vassals even though our relations weren't good.

In real life history, people became vassals because they received lands from the suzerain. Regions would accept to become client states because they had lost a battle and were in danger of being conquered.

[Amaranth]

I mean, seriously, in real life history, people did not become vassals because they thought the enemy were nice guys, but rather because they would get killed if they refused ...

Exactly. Sometimes smaller faction accepted a superior faction to rule over them for protection, if their military power were weak to defend themselves. "Vassalage" is the last resort a faction would choose to take though, independence is not something that can be given up easily. But your reputation with that faction is bad, and your general reputation in the world is also low, then you might betray your vassal at any turn, destroy them slowly inside or assimulate them. And knowing that they may choose a last stand against you and go down gloriously in battle.

[Tomato_Sandwich]

The problem with vassalage in this game always seemed to me is that its pointless. If you are strong enough to make someone your vassal you may as well conquer them. Is making them a vassal better than just owning the region in any way?

[jsadighi]

The problem with vassalage in this game always seemed to me is that its pointless. If you are strong enough to make someone your vassal you may as well conquer them. Is making them a vassal better than just owning the region in any way?

You get to keep a trading partner.

[midget_roxx]

And you get to say you have underlings

Are there any tips for vassalising I can't seem to vassalise Aragon as France when they only have 1 province left

[king spartacus]

And you get to say you have underlings

Are there any tips for vassalising I can't seem to vassalise Aragon as France when they only have 1 province left

Get like two full stack to besiege their last province. Usually makes them more likely to accept.

[Avalanche]

And you get to say you have underlings

Are there any tips for vassalising I can't seem to vassalise Aragon as France when they only have 1 province left

Check if you are in war with one of their allies. If yes probably you won't even get chance to offer vassalage.

Also important note, you can make someone vassal only if their priority (in diplomacy window) is "peace". If it is set as "unknown" they will not accept. How to make them want to make peace? Usually weaker factions want ceasefire. All you have to do is to trade it for money. Of course weak factions are poor so they won't be able to accept this even if you offer is "very generous" or "generous". After few tries (and improving relations) their priority will be peace and you can try to make them vassals.

Of course those diplomacy tips may wary depending on difficulty and AI settings.

[Arker]

I got Kiev to be my vassal as ERE. All they had was Kiev, a stack of units, and a huge debt. I had 20 regions, a giant army, and lots of florins. I suppose the AI just needs to know that defeat is certain.

[k/t]

A vassal can serve as a buffer against someone else.

[Norwegian_viking]

I dont know if its just in vanilla, but you get half of their income

And that can come in handy sometimes

[PerXX]

I dont know if its just in vanilla, but you get half of their income

And that can come in handy sometimes

Yup.
Vassals + AI Money bonus = You'll never ever again need to worry about money.

[SirRobin]

So basically, is it possible to get vassals even if your own reputation is bad?

Not talking about the relations with target faction, but your global reputation..

Should be possible, really! Nazi Germany had France and other countries as a kind of vassals, but their reputation wasn't all that good

[Tomato_Sandwich]

I've since realised that if you're a Muslim faction you can keep them alive and control them using Jihads. They will build lots of stacks so this is pretty much using them as a weapon you aren't responsible for.

[k/t]

Wouldn't you be able to do the same thing with Catholic factions if you were one too?

[Tomato_Sandwich]

But there's more catholic factions so its not such a shame when one is lost. If you lose a Muslim faction the strength any Jihad goes down by a quarter right there.