It's been quite a while since I last played, what are currently the best ways to keep a (much) stronger junior partner in a PU happy?
Playing as Ryazan I got a PU over Muscovy some 25 years in (event when my female heir took the throne), and they are still a fair bit more powerful than me. Even the -20% LD option for money is nowhere near enough.
Luckily there's a 5-year-truce in effect now, so what are my best options?
slap diplomat on them. get dip tech up. max diplo reputation with advisors. max legitimacy.
farm prestige, as PU subjects get 1% ld for each point overlord is in negative prestige. -100 prestige is 100 LD in PU subject, so farm that prestige!
be at war constantly, and never be at peace for a day. Unions get -50 malus to declare independence if overlord (and them) are in a war.
If you own Cossacks dlc, you can conquer provinces near them, and then you can grant the conquered provinces with the subject window option. If the conquered provinces border them by land or sea zone, you can grant those provinces to them.
It will lower their liberty desire, and THEY got to attack the rebels that follow. Its a great way to weaken subjects.
And constant warfare (leading their armies around with 1k stack with attach on) will lower their army strength, which will all in all result in docile PU subjects.
If one of them goes above 50+% ld, then enable loyalist faction. You have to prevent PU subjects from allying, which they will do if one goes above 50%.
If someone supports their independence, then rival them and crush them with humiliate rival cb.
That's the best thing to do in 1.17. Keeping free rival slot for nations that support subject independence guarantees a CB to stomp those supporters the minute they support your PU subject independence.
