Do vassals count for victory conditions?

[General Maximus]

Today I was playing a Satsuma game. I first focused on conquering Kyushu, and ended up owning all of it. Then I developed all of Kyushu with my abundant money. Then I focused on Shikoku, and again ended up owning everything in it except Awaji. But now, looking after and developing every single province AND protecting them from Jozai invasions every turn became somewhat tough for me. And then I went on to attack the mainland, where I chose to be a Republic. Now the whole Japan jumped on me, as was expected. But my armies got crushed by combined attacks from all sides, and by the time I raised a proper fighting force, I had lost everything except Kyushu. My first realm divide was a disaster.

Now, I didn't make vassals because I think you need to personally control every listed victory province and other things to win the game. But from what I have heard from many people after searching around, making vassals can also make you win the game.

So, is it true? Suppose if I am playing as the Shimazu/Satsuma, and I create vassals in the listed victory provinces, and then I also go on to conquer rest of the provinces needed for victory. I personally don't control, but make all the provinces my vassals, will they still count as 'my' provinces for victory?

[Cruzz]

Yes, they count.

All your vassals will turn against you for Republic though, and you can't make new ones after it either.

[General Maximus]

And if I am playing base game Shogun II? I heard somewhere that if you make vassals after realm divide, they don't get the penalty.

So supposedly I am playing Mori. I conquer a province or two for myself, and then I release everything I conquer after that as vassals. After that, I would keep the two-three provinces I have including Kyoto, and still win the game, right?

Thanks for the answer.

[AngryTitusPullo]

And if I am playing base game Shogun II? I heard somewhere that if you make vassals after realm divide, they don't get the penalty.

After you become Shogun. After RD but you're still not Shogun they will probably declare war on you still.

[The Lone Sparabara]

On the contrary, any vassals created after R/D whether your the Shogun or not doesn't suffer from the realm divide diplomatic penalty.
However, your R/D "allies" always declare war on them after a few turns and you'll probably end up warring against your vassal.

If you capture Kyoto as one of your earliest province (triggering R/D early in the game) and start vassalizing after that, I suppose that approach could work...

[General Maximus]

Which means, if I would capture Kyoto very early on, I get an instant realm divide on my hands?

And what happens in FoTS if I capture Kyoto or Edo very early?

[Laniere]

In Shogun 2 if you capture Kyoto you will istant trigger Realm divide. If you wanna make vassals before RD remember that each provinces they have will count as 0.5 of your provinces in a count-down provinces for realm divide. make vassals only after rd and after became shogun or otherwise they will backstabb you often. For FoTS idk because i don't have the expansion

[General Maximus]

Ah, I see. Thanks to all for help.