Diplomacy Pt.1: Hatred/Fear System, Crown System & Delegation

[We Who Are About 2 Die]

This going to be a long one. This is the first part.

I understand why the happiness penalty from integrating cultures exist. They don't want you to simply remove the happiness penalties for cultures by integrating every single culture you conquer pops from. But the implementation feels wonky. As Rome for example you probably want to integrate Punic for instance, making all the former citizens of the Carthaginian empire fully integrated romans within a few years of conquering Carthage. That doesn't feel right.

My suggestion: A mechanic called animosity. All cultures can have animosity for every other culture. Any time two countries are at war their cultures (assuming they're different) gain animosity towards each other scaled to the portion of the pops of their respective cultures that live in each of the countries. When a pop is killed by pillaging the victim culture gains a large amount of animosity towards the culture of the looter. Enslaving pops would do the same to a lesser degree. When a culture gains animosity towards a culture of a different culture group it also gains a lesser amount of animosity towards other cultures in the same group.

Integrating a culture could then require low animosity, making it impossible to instantly integrating the culture of a hated enemy the moment you defeat them. This would also make it possible to lower the penalties for integrating cultures while still limiting your ability to spam it endlessly.

I want to give credit where its due. This post inspired me to how Paradox can fix the awkward peace issue. I am currently playing a game and the Antigonids took East and West Nile Delta, its been over 50+ years and Egypt have not tried to take it back.

Hatred System
I propose a Hatred System. The Hatred gauge is filled by enemy raiding, desecration, losing territory, insults, treatment of co-ethnics within their borders (forced slavery), and devastation** (would like to see this added to the game). Until that hatred is satisfied, the nation suffers from public outrage (declining stability & reduce pop. happiness), increased disloyalty in military officers, and decrease in popularity. The penalty increases over time as long as the debt of revenge is not paid.

Satisfying the hatred would obviously be solved by declaring or fighting a war on the target. However this would be a two edge sword, cause if the nation loses the hatred gauge would grow causing more instability.

Factors for Increasing Hatred

• War
  • Lost War
  • Raiding & Desecration
  • Lost Territory
  • Devastation
• Insults
• Disenfranchisement of Co-Ethnics
• Happiness of Co-Ethnics

Factors for Reducing Hatred

• Royal Marriage
• Integrated Co-Ethnics
• Trade (Effected by Amount)

Fear System
This system is to balance out the hatred system. Fear is to keep the extreme debuffs from hate from getting out of hand when there is a power disparity that is not in the nation's favor. It is the concept of extreme external pressure facilitating internal solidarity. Fear increases the loyalty of governors and cabinet/counsel, as they are vested in maintaining the status quo. If the nation is defeated, then they all will be out of work or lives. Fear would also increase province loyalty and religion happiness, as people turn to the gods for salvation and deliverance. Increased Freeman and Slave output as the nation gears up for fear of war.

Nations with a similar fear target will likely form defensive leagues. While individual nations may seek to a protector nation; seeking guarantees, petition to become vassals. And if they are tribes, they might seek to become migratory and move away from the terrifying nation.

Just like the Hatred System, the Fear System would be a two edge sword. If the nation reaches a point of abject terror (on the fear gauge) of another nation and the former nation declares war on said nation, it would start a scripted conspiracy to overthrow/assassinate the ruler. Possibly leading to civil war, and more likely if the war is lost.

Factors for Fear

• Power Level Difference
• Aggressive Expansion
• Tech
  • Military Tech Level Difference
  • Certain Religion Tech Options
• "Human Sacrifice" Tribal Law
• Certain Heritages
• Severity of War Victory (Against Target Warring Nations)

 

[Daft]

On the face of it, I really like this! Maybe some more levers to lower the levels of both.

There's a lot to work with here!

 

[Pirarucu]

I believe this is better suited to the suggestions sub