Bigger factions want more power

[Christian Strand]

If you go to war, it would feel better if it was a meaning to it, except to gain more land and money.

So what could it be? For example, if you play as a smaller faction, you would need to pay taxes to bigger factions because they demand it for some reason, and they are corrupt. And you better do what they tell you or else something "bad" would happen Maybe a bigger faction is owning land between one sea and every single ship that passes through need to pay toll to whoever own the passage.

Think about it, wouldnt it be more interesting if bigger factions could take advantage of its power and use the smaller nations because they know they cant do much about it?

Im just giving some examples here. What do you think of this?

In the past games, it only felt like you went to war because it was fun and you wanted more land.

[Holger Danske]

If you go to war, it would feel better if it was a meaning to it, except to gain more land and money.

Thats your opinion. Mine is that since it's a Total War game I don't need a reason to attack another faction. I just want A.I. that isn't bloody retarded in terms of diplomacy and meaningful alliances.

[Timotheus]

The word you are looking for is casus belli! Paradox games utilized it very good to their games, giving diplomacy sense! I.e. Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis III to pick a few

Also smaller factions paying taxes to bigger ones is vassalage

[totaltotalwar]

I'll think better about it. It'd be something that would change the game very much and it'd get more realistic. I think they could add this with moderation.

[Christian Strand]

Im not saying that it should be only like this. You can make war how much you like just for the sake of fun and to conquer, but sometimes i think it would be nice and add much more depth into the game, if the major nations(most of them, depending on the ruler behaviour) could have some kind of claim in various kinds of stuff.. im not good at knowing this stuff but im pretty sure that atleast some major nations had some kind of claim on something, for example if Carthage own the land between Spain and Africa(the only way reach the atlantic) they could demand taxes for trade ships that passes through. Toll?

And if you're a vassal of a major power, they could set up rules for you(if they have a bad king, they likely do bad stuff for your country).

And not every country would do bad things. It depends what kind of ruler they have, or what kind of "crimes" you commited..

Imo the gameplay would be alot more interesting if it was like this.