How to avoid defender of the faith defender?

[olavhose]

Hello people!

I am currently playing as Bohemia in the year of 1570, and I am having the force into union casus belli against Poland. However, even with the help of the Ottomans, I am heavily outnumbered due to mega strong Austria who inherited both Hungary and Burgundy early on in the game being the defender of the faith. Austria is my ally, but that doesn't help as the will be called in as defenders. I wont be able to win that war, and I do only have another five years to start the war. What can I do to avoid this situation?

I could start a war on non-HRE protestant country and call in Austria as ally, but then the Ottomans wont join my war against Poland. Is it a good idea to shift back to being catholic, and then after the 10 year truce, shift back to Protestantism? Is that a possible solution, and is it worth it? I was thinking if the the unrest and loss of prestige would be too much? I would appreciate any tips. Thanks

 

[Big Bad France]

I think that if you call Austria into a war and then lose the war, they lose their defender of the faith title. I'm not 100% certain that is true on the current patch, though. A better alternative would be to call them into an easy war and then declare against Poland when they are already at war on your side. Just win the war against Poland before you make peace in the other war.

 

[Cancerofthehead]

I think losing a war with Austria as an ally should remove the DotF from them but am not certain.

Another thought, I believe you should be able to win your war with Austria as an ally, declare on Poland, Peace out the other war, then call in Ottomans against Poland. As I understand DotF functions similar to a guarantee not an ally so Austria can only get the CTA when you declare war. As such you don’t need to stay in your war with them. But I have never tested this.

I would recommend backing up your save before trying this just in case.

 

[Josar]

If Austria is fighting with you in one war as an ally, then they cannot join another war as an enemy.

Call them in as an ally on a weak nation. Then attack Poland for your PU, Austria will not be able to help Poland. This will not remove DotF though.

 

[olavhose]

Thank you for all your answers, I appreciate that. The only way I can solve this is then by attaching the smal protestant saluzzo, but I don't have any casus belli but I guess it's worth the potential stab hit. I really find the defender of the faith mechanic annoying as hell as a protestant country in the HRE. As most of Europe is still catholic, it's hard for me to expand. Austria is basically friends with almost all major countries too, so that's annoying.

 

[ImAdrian]

Thank you for all your answers, I appreciate that. The only way I can solve this is then by attaching the smal protestant saluzzo, but I don't have any casus belli but I guess it's worth the potential stab hit. I really find the defender of the faith mechanic annoying as hell as a protestant country in the HRE. As most of Europe is still catholic, it's hard for me to expand. Austria is basically friends with almost all major countries too, so that's annoying.

These annoyances is what I like about the game.. if everything was made easy for the player i would get bored quickly

 

[olavhose]

Another question, if I would declare the war against Saluzzo, defeat them, but then finish by voluntarily losing the war, perhaps by giving them 1 ducat. Would that make Austria to lose the defender of the faith title? In that case, I could start the war against Poland after the second war without having the risk not being able to call Ottomans into the war.

 

[Cancerofthehead]

Another question, if I would declare the war against Saluzzo, defeat them, but then finish by voluntarily losing the war, perhaps by giving them 1 ducat. Would that make Austria to lose the defender of the faith title? In that case, I could start the war against Poland after the second war without having the risk not being able to call Ottomans into the war.

Back up your save and test it out.

Be far faster and more reliable than coming here.

 

[Deliberus]

Wait for another country to take the bullet or expand into other places if you can that don't have a faith defender...

 

[Beagá]

Keep us updated!