HRE like federations and leagues

[Rhaegar1]

As the title says, at the start of the game even Rome was not one united nation but formally just led the latin league also during the timeframe there are multiple examples of both barbarian tribes or Greek cities uniting in a (con)federacy or league to fight off invaders (vincengetorix' gaul, Aetolian and aegean league) or rather to invade (teutons and cimbri, galatians). You could actually argue that the remnants of Alexander's or rather the persian empire was more of a federation of satrapies as well.

In order to improve this I feel that what we need is a substantial rework of vassals, satrapies, tributaries etc. where there are actually gameplay mechanics, not unlike the HRE in EU4 which you can use to found or join a federation and use a mixture of politics or force in order to bring the members more in line, gain a fixed leadership or overthrow the current leader of the federation, and choose to centralize or decentralize the union more or less. This might also open the possibilities for actually creating opportunities to take over a complete empire (like Alexander did) in one war if you can beat them in battle by replacing the ruling class with your own but relying on the old satrapy system. Only to find out disloyal generals or opportunistic vassals breaking away the moment you look away (or you know, die).

So essentially a nation can join or be forced to join a more federation like entity where there are different tiers of 'membership' this might mean that there is a more equal relationship with roulating leadership between the members or something more like the Latin league with one member dominating and working towards full integration of the members (and giving citizens rights to them alongside that).

This would actually add interesting political options as well as very fundamental new gameplay with regards to playing tall.

 

[Rabid]

This is probably the single mechanic overhaul I can think of to make Imperator more interesting in the sense of having meaningful diplomacy. Properly functioning leagues and tribal federations would significantly improve gameplay on every part of the map; the current defensive pacts are an extremely weak implementation of this. It would give more things to do while at peace, more interesting diplomacy, and provide more exciting and challenging opportunities for warfare in regions where the game currently tends to just have you go stomp on a bunch of helpless minors.

 

[Rhaegar1]

This is probably the single mechanic overhaul I can think of to make Imperator more interesting in the sense of having meaningful diplomacy. Properly functioning leagues and tribal federations would significantly improve gameplay on every part of the map; the current defensive pacts are an extremely weak implementation of this. It would give more things to do while at peace, more interesting diplomacy, and provide more exciting and challenging opportunities for warfare in regions where the game currently tends to just have you go stomp on a bunch of helpless minors.

I agree. It would be great if you could start a federation with a specific purpose like throwing Macedon out of Greece or settle in gaul or pillage and burn Rome. The chances of factions joining could be increased by aggressive expansion, good relations or a famine in your home region. When the target of the league is met the factions should have an incentive to quit the league but through diplonacy you might be able to retain the league or change its goal. Meanwhile reforms in the league could help slowly cementing it into a more firmly attached entity, disable internal wars, disallow individual diplomacy, a fixed chair to lead etc. And finally might allow you to transform it in a really united state where the other members are just vazzals just once integration away from becoming a full province.

A nation like Phrygia might start with a fully vazzalized overlordship of its satrapies and Rome dominates the Latin league almost as complete.

I feel this mechanic would work equally as well for the satrapies and tributaries we already have and might make a large greek kingdom more fun to control and realistic.