I don't think it is a controversial opinion that the way Vassals, Tributaries, Subsidiaries, and Protectorates currently work is - while perhaps not actually broken - lacking depth and nuance that the system sorely needs as the Devs continue to try and support a "Tall" gameplay style. As it currently stands, Vassals and Tributaries do not seem particularly useful compared to outright owning that territory instead and the AI barely makes use of the system at all - with the exception of Awakened Empires and The Great Khan.
It is my opinion, and I think many people will agree, that the foremost issue is a lack of authority and control over subject States. Indeed, it is difficult for me to verbalize the frustration I feel at seeing my own Vassal voting against me in the Galactic Community, or condoning a policy I dislike, or claiming a Fallen Empire's system and dragging me into a war with them.
So what I propose is that we do away with the current system entirely and replace it with something closer to the Policy menu. When you negotiate or force an Empire to become your Subject, you should get a Policy menu for that Empire that allows you to set what they are and are not allowed to do. Of course, certain choices would have consequences. The more you restrict an Empire, the more they would dislike you, but on the other hand the same Policy menu should give you options to support your Subjects.
So, for example, I could set a Policy for a certain Subject State that they must deliver me 10% of their Energy per month, but at the same time I will cover any Food shortfalls they might have.
Most importantly, I think that if you set a Policy that an Empire is not allowed to vote against your interests in the Galactic Community, they should still be able to do it but you would gain a "Punishment" Casus Belie if they do so. And indeed, I think a lot of these Policies shouldn't outright restrict, but rather give the Overlord the right to Punish and exact things like Fines or maybe add more restrictions to/from their disobedient Subjects.
Additionally, Integrating a Subject should be faster, but more difficult. A Disloyal Subject should probably prefer to fight and rebel instead of integrate and even a Loyal Subject with opposing Ethics might trigger something like a Robot Uprising (but this would be more like an Ethics Rebellion?) where some planets try and secede during the integration.
Some of the Policies I would really like to see are:
-An option that allows me to Allow/Disallow a Subject from performing Archaeology Excavations
-An option that allows me to perform Archaeological Excavations in their territory
-An option to Allow/Disallow their expansion
-An option to require them to fight with me in war
-An option to Allow/Disallow slavery
-An option to require my main Species be given Full Citizenship
-An option to require my Subjects to turn over Artifacts to me
-An option to restrict my Subjects ability to Claim territories
-An option to require that my Subject have a certain Fleet Size
Additionally, I think having the ability to Create Vassal's of other Authorities - like MegaCorp - should be an option as well.
And I had to leave while I was writing this, so I forgot everything else I was going to say. Oh well, maybe I will remember later.
It is my opinion, and I think many people will agree, that the foremost issue is a lack of authority and control over subject States. Indeed, it is difficult for me to verbalize the frustration I feel at seeing my own Vassal voting against me in the Galactic Community, or condoning a policy I dislike, or claiming a Fallen Empire's system and dragging me into a war with them.
So what I propose is that we do away with the current system entirely and replace it with something closer to the Policy menu. When you negotiate or force an Empire to become your Subject, you should get a Policy menu for that Empire that allows you to set what they are and are not allowed to do. Of course, certain choices would have consequences. The more you restrict an Empire, the more they would dislike you, but on the other hand the same Policy menu should give you options to support your Subjects.
So, for example, I could set a Policy for a certain Subject State that they must deliver me 10% of their Energy per month, but at the same time I will cover any Food shortfalls they might have.
Most importantly, I think that if you set a Policy that an Empire is not allowed to vote against your interests in the Galactic Community, they should still be able to do it but you would gain a "Punishment" Casus Belie if they do so. And indeed, I think a lot of these Policies shouldn't outright restrict, but rather give the Overlord the right to Punish and exact things like Fines or maybe add more restrictions to/from their disobedient Subjects.
Additionally, Integrating a Subject should be faster, but more difficult. A Disloyal Subject should probably prefer to fight and rebel instead of integrate and even a Loyal Subject with opposing Ethics might trigger something like a Robot Uprising (but this would be more like an Ethics Rebellion?) where some planets try and secede during the integration.
Some of the Policies I would really like to see are:
-An option that allows me to Allow/Disallow a Subject from performing Archaeology Excavations
-An option that allows me to perform Archaeological Excavations in their territory
-An option to Allow/Disallow their expansion
-An option to require them to fight with me in war
-An option to Allow/Disallow slavery
-An option to require my main Species be given Full Citizenship
-An option to require my Subjects to turn over Artifacts to me
-An option to restrict my Subjects ability to Claim territories
-An option to require that my Subject have a certain Fleet Size
Additionally, I think having the ability to Create Vassal's of other Authorities - like MegaCorp - should be an option as well.
And I had to leave while I was writing this, so I forgot everything else I was going to say. Oh well, maybe I will remember later.
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