Ok, Sardinia-Piedmont get the decision for "Cavour's Diplomacy" that cedes Savoy and Nice to France. However, all Sardinia gets out of it is a little prestige, loss of infamy, and cores in Lombardy. It seems France gets a much better deal. What is really annoying is that the AI will always choose "Cavour's Diplomacy", though it is rare for Sardinia to get Lombardy in the first place.
I was thinking about how rare it is to see Italy form and thought of a change to "Cavour's Diplomacy". Historically, France and S-P fought Austria for Lombardy (Real-Politik, etc...). France let S-P have Lombardy but the only supported S-P annexing the smaller states in exchange for Savoy and Nice.
So, here is my solution: Sardinia-Piedmont starts with cores in Lombardy, encouraging a war. (I tested this once playing as Prussia. I gave Sardinia cores in Lombardia and when I was at war with Austria they declared war for their cores. Ironically they still did "Cavour's Diplomacy even though they had the cores already.) Then if they own Lombardy, Nice, and Savoy, as well as have good relations with France, they can enact "Cavour's Diplomacy". The decision would now be changed to give France: Savoy and Nice and give Sardinia-Piedmont: Parma, Lucca, Modena, and Tuscany. (The player could choose to not give away Nice and Savoy if they think they can get to Great Power without the decision and sphere all the minors.)
The addition of these two provinces with lots of Northern Italians should give S-P enough to become a Great Power or in close running. S-P could then sphere the Two Sicilies and the Papal States and form Italy.
This isn't ahistoric and would give a much better chance at seeing Italy for the AI.
I was thinking about how rare it is to see Italy form and thought of a change to "Cavour's Diplomacy". Historically, France and S-P fought Austria for Lombardy (Real-Politik, etc...). France let S-P have Lombardy but the only supported S-P annexing the smaller states in exchange for Savoy and Nice.
So, here is my solution: Sardinia-Piedmont starts with cores in Lombardy, encouraging a war. (I tested this once playing as Prussia. I gave Sardinia cores in Lombardia and when I was at war with Austria they declared war for their cores. Ironically they still did "Cavour's Diplomacy even though they had the cores already.) Then if they own Lombardy, Nice, and Savoy, as well as have good relations with France, they can enact "Cavour's Diplomacy". The decision would now be changed to give France: Savoy and Nice and give Sardinia-Piedmont: Parma, Lucca, Modena, and Tuscany. (The player could choose to not give away Nice and Savoy if they think they can get to Great Power without the decision and sphere all the minors.)
The addition of these two provinces with lots of Northern Italians should give S-P enough to become a Great Power or in close running. S-P could then sphere the Two Sicilies and the Papal States and form Italy.
This isn't ahistoric and would give a much better chance at seeing Italy for the AI.