Forced diplomacy. How often/when do you use it?

**tuto170** · May 01, 2012, 11:00 AM

Hi, i am very curious when and how often do you use forced diplomacy? OR you have never used it? And in what situations you use it?

**Simon_Bar-Kochba** · May 01, 2012, 11:01 AM

i never use cheats so yeah no forced diplomacy for me

**fableofsea** · May 01, 2012, 11:28 AM

When the nation i'm fighting doesn't want to have peace. Even though they're at their last settlement and still try to rage war against me. So I force them to accept the diplomacy with a good sized bribe.

**ur-Lord Tedric** · May 02, 2012, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by fableofsea

When the nation i'm fighting doesn't want to have peace. Even though they're at their last settlement and still try to rage war against me. So I force them to accept the diplomacy with a good sized bribe.

Actually that's interesting....

I was simply going to write 'NEVER' and caveat it with 'didn't know I could until I learned about the console'.

But, when there's one settlement left, isn't that the time to finish them properly?

These days it's also a moral/life issue for me. As a student of history I have learned that 'diplomacy' has been responsible for more wars than almost any other single factor, with the possible exception of organised religion.

Personally I would like to see the UN outlaw war and hold diplomats and politicians far more responsible than the soldiers they blame.

Where's my soapbox.......

**DeWitt8** · May 02, 2012, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by ur-Lord Tedric

These days it's also a moral/life issue for me. As a student of history I have learned that 'diplomacy' has been responsible for more wars than almost any other single factor, with the possible exception of organised religion.

Personally I would like to see the UN outlaw war and hold diplomats and politicians far more responsible than the soldiers they blame.

Where's my soapbox.......

Oh be careful Tedric, once I wrote something like these great conquerors guys are speaking of here all the time - and not only of ancient timeframe - are nothing else than mass murderers, which certainly is nothing but the truth - but then I stopped because nobody seemed to understand what I meant. Game and reality. And the big difference...

**Primo** · May 01, 2012, 11:33 AM

The whole time. I sometimes have to force them to accept my large money gifts; the AI is really weird sometimes.

I also force them to accept Trade Rights, because I can´t see why a nation shouldn´t accept them, except when they are at war with me - but then I don´t propose it.

**Disco** · May 01, 2012, 02:19 PM

I'm considering using it for the first time. I'm allied with the Averni and I took back some of their land that was lost to the Gallaeci, including Gergovia. I protect them from the Gallaeci. But the Averni are now getting beaten up by Belgae and the Cimbri are closing in on them. I tried to gift them back freaking Gergovia, and they refused ?!

I'm used to dealing with bad dimplomacy but that's absurd.

**xsithspawnx** · May 01, 2012, 02:42 PM

Generally speaking, the less you use this the more satisfying a game experience you'll probably have. The few exceptions being that the A.I. in this game really doesn't know when to accept peace, as mentioned above. It can also be handy in making vassals out of nations that you've basically conquered but you don't want to kill completely. In short, use it to balance the faulty A.I. and not as an escape from enemies declaring war on you or forcing nations to do your will without actually having conquered them. It's a great tool that can enhance gameplay, but if abused it will take any challenge out of an already handicapped A.I.

**RafoutRoud** · May 01, 2012, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by xsithspawnx

Generally speaking, the less you use this the more satisfying a game experience you'll probably have. The few exceptions being that the A.I. in this game really doesn't know when to accept peace, as mentioned above. It can also be handy in making vassals out of nations that you've basically conquered but you don't want to kill completely. In short, use it to balance the faulty A.I. and not as an escape from enemies declaring war on you or forcing nations to do your will without actually having conquered them. It's a great tool that can enhance gameplay, but if abused it will take any challenge out of an already handicapped A.I.

Yeah, I only found out about FD a few months ago...when I had already taken out 9/10's of the factions out there.

I think I'll use it more often. Besides, I enjoy backing up my allies against the AI (when it goes on one of those *time to eliminate another faction* sprees.

**Brusilov** · May 02, 2012, 04:40 AM

I don't use forced diplomacy at all.

Nations don't always act rationally so the silly AI's diplomacy 'is what it is'. I just deal with it.

**Julio-Claudian** · May 02, 2012, 01:14 PM

I use it when I want to make a vassal or demand a tribute from a nation and I have them in a position in which they would realistically accept rather than be destroyed and enslaved. Also when I'm pointlessly at war with a nation and a battle hasn't been fought for years and years but they won't accept peace.

**Ferdiad** · May 02, 2012, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Julio-Claudian

I use it when I want to make a vassal or demand a tribute from a nation and I have them in a position in which they would realistically accept rather than be destroyed and enslaved. Also when I'm pointlessly at war with a nation and a battle hasn't been fought for years and years but they won't accept peace.

Pretty much this.

**Brusilov** · May 02, 2012, 05:33 PM

In order to get a faction to be a vassal you need to take a few settlements from them, defeat a few armies and when you ask them to be your vassal offer them money, maybe one settlement back and it may work for you.

However, I'd keep an eye on the diplomatic messages that drop down the left hand side of the screen. If your vassal allies with a former enemy of yours expect them to side with the new ally if a war breaks out (after all the faction is trying to win so it will try to defeat stronger factions).

**Julio-Claudian** · May 02, 2012, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by Brusilov

In order to get a faction to be a vassal you need to take a few settlements from them, defeat a few armies and when you ask them to be your vassal offer them money, maybe one settlement back and it may work for you.

However, I'd keep an eye on the diplomatic messages that drop down the left hand side of the screen. If your vassal allies with a former enemy of yours expect them to side with the new ally if a war breaks out (after all the faction is trying to win so it will try to defeat stronger factions).

That's only ever worked for me about three times. I do always try before I force it and I do always give them something. I find that they support the attacker, including when the attacker is me, so it's easy to mess up their alliances.

**RafoutRoud** · May 02, 2012, 08:50 PM

I think med2TW had quite a good system, mainly because the chivalry or dread of the faction leader was actively imposing itself on any sort of *deal* your diplomat was trying to get through. With high chivalry and letting prisoners go all the time, you could end any sort of dumb war within the first turn...and have them compensate you for the transgression.