Make colonies independent after the conquest of their overlord.

[Khaine ashbring]

Currently when you completely annex a nation with colonial subjects you inherit those subjects.
This for example would let me inherit the entire Spanish empire if I annex Spain without ever putting any afford into colonization or conquest in the new world.
My suggestion would be to either free the colonies after the overlord was annexed or do something else like have them become very unruly vassals of the strongest other colony.

For example: After Spain was conquered by France Mexico would become independent. It is than given the choice to either continue the legacy of the Spanish empire(perhaps even crowning the former Spanish king) in which case the other American colonies would become vassal states to her and Mexico would be faced with several independence wars until they are back under control. Or it chooses to become an entirely new nation in which case all other colonies would just go their own way if the controller of Mexico chooses that option.

By doing this the conquest of the Americas will become a lot harder than it currently is. Where it is just the conquest of Europe+ leftovers.

But in the case annexing subjects these colonies should be integrated into your own colonial empire as this is about a peaceful integration rather than a violent conquest of their fatherland.

 

[RMS Oceanic]

I think Spanish American independence is best modelled by the colonies gaining a huge liberty desire boost, as while initially they focused on restoration of Ferdinand, calls for reforms led to calls for autonomy led to Simon Bolivar.

 

[Ghalandar]

Exactly their independence is more logical

 

[RMS Oceanic]

Exactly their independence is more logical

I'm suggesting that it would be modelled with a big Liberty Desire spike that should lead to an independence war that the conquerer should have a go at fighting.

 

[Ghalandar]

I'm suggesting that it would be modelled with a big Liberty Desire spike that should lead to an independence war that the conquerer should have a go at fighting.

There must be a situation where the conqueror can give them freedom at the very beginning of the war and they can get along without fighting

 

[RMS Oceanic]

There must be a situation where the conqueror can give them freedom at the very beginning of the war and they can get along without fighting

Can't they do that with existing mechanics? An overlord can grand independence to their colony at any time.

 

[Ghalandar]

Can't they do that with existing mechanics? An overlord can grand independence to their colony at any time.

I mean that the overlord can do it without paying

 

[Slaytanic]

Maybe after annexing the colonizer you can get an event that reads something along the lines of:

After conquering X's domains in the old world, we are left with deciding the fate of their colonial posessions. (insert flavorful text here)
Options:
- We have no interest in the New World (Releases all previous colonial subjects and they receive opinion bonuses to you if they were rebellious towards their previous overlord)
- They bow to us now (Lose 1 Stability, inherited colonies gain 25% liberty desire, progress to further event chain...)


Rebellion in [colony name] (with the most dev)
The lands administered by [colony name] used to be the heart of [defunct nation's] new world ambitions. Some of the local aristocracy has not been favorable to the change in administration, and there are rumors that pretenders to the former [defunct nation's] crown that fled to the colonies are attemting to press their claims on the region.

Then you might have the options to placate the locals at steep cost, or try to brute force them into submission, spawning a lot of rebels, maybe even a new disaster which if allowed to go on for too long might inspire the other former colonies to join the struggle, and eventually they could declare their independence wars (with spawned in new armies, since their normal forces might get stack wiped by the disaster's rebels), either all together, or only the ones you were not able to contain, and even ask your rivals for support.