Expanding as Brandenburg

[Xenophon13]

I'm at about 1500 in a game as Brandenburg, and I'm just wondering what the best way to proceed is. I have Pommerania and Miessen as vassals, and I am the senior partner in a PU with Austria. My main questions are:

Is there a good way to diplo-annex my vassals? When I tried, I had to release them again, because they were not cores. Is there a good way to get cores?

What do I do with Austria? Should I try to integrate, or should I just take advantage of the fact that they're my allies? What are my chances of inheriting for the free cores?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Premu]

I'm at about 1500 in a game as Brandenburg, and I'm just wondering what the best way to proceed is. I have Pommerania and Miessen as vassals, and I am the senior partner in a PU with Austria. My main questions are:

Is there a good way to diplo-annex my vassals? When I tried, I had to release them again, because they were not cores. Is there a good way to get cores?

What do I do with Austria? Should I try to integrate, or should I just take advantage of the fact that they're my allies? What are my chances of inheriting for the free cores?

Thanks in advance.

Regarding the annexion of vasalls - normally you'll get a mission for this sooner or later, in which you get a core, so the emperor won't annoy you. Besides, in doubt you can afford one or two non cored provinces in the empire if you're small and can regain stability fast.

 

[amirberner]

Regarding the annexion of vasalls - normally you'll get a mission for this sooner or later, in which you get a core, so the emperor won't annoy you. Besides, in doubt you can afford one or two non cored provinces in the empire if you're small and can regain stability fast.

the problem with non-cores is not the stability but the infamy. every unlawful territory is worth 0.25 infamy per year. you can manage with 2-3 of these but it comes with a cost.
to the OP, I would wait until I get the mission to annex vassals (I think it helps if you have a high diplo monarch) and until then keep them as vassals

 

[Kaazmodan]

to the OP, I would wait until I get the mission to annex vassals (I think it helps if you have a high diplo monarch) and until then keep them as vassals

Correct, the mission weight increases by a factor of 1.5 at dip6 and another 1.5 at dip8. Of course such high dip value already lowers the infamy problem in the first case...


from missions/diplomatic.txt

generic_annex_vassal_mission = {
	
	type = neighbor_provinces

	allow = {
		this = { war = no }
		owner = {
			is_subject = yes
			vassal_of = THIS
			not = { num_of_cities = this }
			religion_group = this
		}
		not = { is_core = THIS }
	}
	abort = {
		owner = {
			or = {
				not = { religion_group = this }
				not = { num_of_cities = 1 }
				not = { vassal_of = this }
			}
		}
	}
	success = {
		owned_by = this
	}
	chance = {
		factor = 1
		modifier = {
			factor = 1.5
		this = { DIP = 6 }
		}
		modifier = {
			factor = 1.5
			this = { DIP = 8 }
		}
	}
	effect = {
		add_core = this
	}
}

 

[Xenophon13]

I got the mission to diplo-annex Pomerania, but it didn't say anything about cores. Is this a glitch, or was it just hiding the fact that I would get cores?

 

[unmerged(463662)]

Youll get the cores once the mission is complet.

 

[I8Strudel]

You're going to have to take some infamy hits to expand, especially in the HRE. One or two unlawful provinces won't kill you. They'll become normal once they core in 50 year anyhow.

 

[Xenophon13]

You're going to have to take some infamy hits to expand, especially in the HRE. One or two unlawful provinces won't kill you. They'll become normal once they core in 50 year anyhow.

I'm mainly afraid of Bohemia or Burgundy coming in and crushing me if I refuse to give up the provinces. Is this fear unfounded?

 

[unmerged(463662)]

Just be ready to defend yourself.

 

[Premu]

I'm mainly afraid of Bohemia or Burgundy coming in and crushing me if I refuse to give up the provinces. Is this fear unfounded?

No, they won't come after you normally.

The emperor will demand the unlawful provinces, but if you refuse you'll just have to live with the stab-hit and the negative province modifiers. But that's it.

 

[Xenophon13]

No, they won't come after you normally.

The emperor will demand the unlawful provinces, but if you refuse you'll just have to live with the stab-hit and the negative province modifiers. But that's it.

Got it, thanks.