What do you do about reputation?

**Coldfire88** · April 08, 2015, 07:39 AM

I like to play at extreme difficulty H/VH + BGR V + agressive ai and usually with hard to play or large factions, but to survive at that difficulty I cant play honorably all the time, usually the few factions that border me will declare war, so im usually at war with multiple factions, and will have to sack occasionally to maintain control of conquered cities, this eventually drops my reputation to untrustworthy and whatever faction that wasnt at war with me attacks me, even allies, and then I quit.

**teks** · April 08, 2015, 07:38 PM

With aggressive AI does it even matter?
It seems like that would just be an aspect of the mod.
Other then that, one solution is to not sack cities if you think the reputation will keep you from being attacked. Just bring militias alongside your main army led by popular generals. You could also pay everyone off regularly. In my campaign at any point I'm normally giving 3 factions tribute. That normally keeps them from attacking.

**AKDeath** · April 09, 2015, 02:04 AM

always release prisoners, that should keep your rep always at a high level, even if you sack conquered settlements, just don't over do it

**Coldfire88** · April 09, 2015, 02:13 AM

Well, Unfortunately reputation does have an effect on diplomacy, it makes asking for peace near impossible, even when I add a pile of money to the offer, and makes alliances useless when they can hold for longer, it just locks me into battle with every one, which is fine except when playing a nation with alot of neighbors like Poland/Lithuania/Kiev. BGR makes it impossible to raise armies quickly. Thanks for the tip though, I will try to pay off atleast 1 faction off so it might leave me be.

**teks** · April 09, 2015, 04:13 PM

The piles of money should come before war was declared. While at war have diplomats visit other danger zones with piles of cash to keep them happy before they declare war. My reputation is immaculate and sueing for peace is still impossible. If im at war with three countries i really dont have a good barganing position so they are going to demand a lot for peace.

with aggressive ai i would imagine that any state will attack you if they believe they can. A big army will help, strong borders will help, and lots of spies will help. pitting countries against each other also works, and dont be afraid to give up regions for peace.

when genova and the papal states both moved on my southern italian territories i gave half to genova and half to the papal states. They ignored me, and declared war upon each other. It went as far as a crusade being called upon genova which seriously weakened their future.

Also, during my two-front war i left large garrisons in border cities. Other countries moved in to attack, saw that i wasnt a pushover and either lingered or left. Talk is cheap, but a full garrison speaks louder then words. In order to handle backstabs even further ive reinstated the byzantine provisional system with a standing army positioned near a group of regions to repel any attacks until my main force is free to reapond.

**Coldfire88** · April 09, 2015, 05:05 PM

In a new game as Castile, strangely my marriage-alliance with Portugal is still holding, relations don't drop below perfect, hell they are even helping me kick out the moors from Iberia. I worked aggressively on my rep from the start, and so far no backstabs or sudden attacks. This is the same AI that was trying to exterminate me the last few games, only thing that is left is to try this on a faction with a bad starting position.