Client states are a neat little toy but right now exist solely as glorified vassals. This would probably be alright if you didn't have to wait for tech 22 to unlock them. Here's a couple of ideas that come to mind that would improve them.
Small Changes:
Improve the flags.
Right now the flags have some visual artifacts and some strange aligning. Some in the modding community believe the resolution for the flag strip is wrong which might be causing the issues, I'm not too sure on the technical side of it.
Different religious flags.
Right now all nations are stuck with rather bland western heraldry. Different religions should have access to different iconology like the Buddhist Wheel, Khanda or the Shahada.
Add theocracy as a government choice.
Couldn't hurt?
Adopt overlord's sprites.
Client states should probably adopt the overlord's sprites instead of being stuck with generic tier 1 western. This might be a bug or oversight however.
Major Changes:
Choose religion/culture of client state.
Allow the ability to make states with different religion and culture to the overlord. This can be used for creating an Israel-like state or just ensuring the client state isn't broken by rebels. There should be a relationship modifier that negates the heretic/heathen malus ("legitimised our religion" or something).
Client state bonuses.
Much like how vassals pay tax and colonial nations pay tariffs/trade client states should give back just a little to their overlord.
Standard monarchies should get some very small military bonuses, smaller than marches, but something to give them a slight edge over a vassal.
Republics should hand over a modest amount of trade to their overlord (15% or so) just to give trade focused nations some more utilities.
Theocracies (if implemented) should give a very minor bonus to Papal Influence, Piety, Zeal, etc and/or some prestige.
Allow client states to be made overseas.
Very late in the game (28ish?) client states should be unlocked to use overseas to offer an alternative to protectorates/full conquest. Might help to simulate the subjugation of India by the British and to ease some of the micromanagement of major wars in the end game.
I'm not too sure what to do with trade companies in that situation but I think just keeping them in the overlord's ownership makes the most sense with the ability to create/remove in client state territory.
Push forward client states technology.
If the previous changes aren't implemented then I think it would be decent enough to push forward client states to around dip tech 16. While client states have some decent ideas it's almost always better to find a nation with god-tier ideas and feed them instead.
Client states if made this early obviously shouldn't have the more advance governments and instead take whatever is the most modern currently researched (or even add the ability to choose what government you want for them).
Small Changes:
Improve the flags.
Right now the flags have some visual artifacts and some strange aligning. Some in the modding community believe the resolution for the flag strip is wrong which might be causing the issues, I'm not too sure on the technical side of it.
Different religious flags.
Right now all nations are stuck with rather bland western heraldry. Different religions should have access to different iconology like the Buddhist Wheel, Khanda or the Shahada.
Add theocracy as a government choice.
Couldn't hurt?
Adopt overlord's sprites.
Client states should probably adopt the overlord's sprites instead of being stuck with generic tier 1 western. This might be a bug or oversight however.
Major Changes:
Choose religion/culture of client state.
Allow the ability to make states with different religion and culture to the overlord. This can be used for creating an Israel-like state or just ensuring the client state isn't broken by rebels. There should be a relationship modifier that negates the heretic/heathen malus ("legitimised our religion" or something).
Client state bonuses.
Much like how vassals pay tax and colonial nations pay tariffs/trade client states should give back just a little to their overlord.
Standard monarchies should get some very small military bonuses, smaller than marches, but something to give them a slight edge over a vassal.
Republics should hand over a modest amount of trade to their overlord (15% or so) just to give trade focused nations some more utilities.
Theocracies (if implemented) should give a very minor bonus to Papal Influence, Piety, Zeal, etc and/or some prestige.
Allow client states to be made overseas.
Very late in the game (28ish?) client states should be unlocked to use overseas to offer an alternative to protectorates/full conquest. Might help to simulate the subjugation of India by the British and to ease some of the micromanagement of major wars in the end game.
I'm not too sure what to do with trade companies in that situation but I think just keeping them in the overlord's ownership makes the most sense with the ability to create/remove in client state territory.
Push forward client states technology.
If the previous changes aren't implemented then I think it would be decent enough to push forward client states to around dip tech 16. While client states have some decent ideas it's almost always better to find a nation with god-tier ideas and feed them instead.
Client states if made this early obviously shouldn't have the more advance governments and instead take whatever is the most modern currently researched (or even add the ability to choose what government you want for them).
