but Vassel States dont give you their research

[justawarlord]

why not?

Seems trade remains the same with your Vassel States?

doesnt seem to be so helpful to the master.

 

[ecp]

Because the game would be SO much easier.

You get half their land. I think that's enough.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

You can direct their research and demand techs they research and they are very likely to give.

Use the "lets discuss something else" option.

 

[ciryon]

I had the same issue on my first warlords game. I had Ragnar as my vassal due to an early war against him. I got a tech off him + some resources in the initial trade. After that though, the negative diplo modifiers I had, coupled with his reluctance to trade techs in general, made him pretty useless.

On games since I've pretty much avoided taking vassals early on. If you're looking for a vassal state for help w/ research/techs, my thought was to use a leader who likes to trade techs and emphasizes research. The problem is getting them to become your vassal without ending up with a lot of negative diplo modifiers so that they'll trade what they get with you.

Vassals seem much more useful in the late game for mopping up a domination or diplomatic win. Taking them early just means a lot more maintenance costs for not much benefit.

 

[Pantastic]

I say just absorb their research into your own; they seem willing to trade away their whole economy for resources. In medieval times, I was getting something like 25 gpt for each resource and my Vassal Saladin dropped from 16 marathon turns for whatever tech he was on to over 200.

 

[Mr. Civtastic]

I dont think Vassels give enough in return. You can only take resources you dont have (so if you both have horses, you can take their only horse and deprive him). You cant break Vassels unless they break it. You dont get their research, or any research bonus. When attacking, you dont control or even suggest (i.e. coordinate) their troops. Their culture can still flip your cities. So I "get" half their land. Big damn deal.

The whole Vassel thing has been a huge disappointment to me.

 

[dalessi12]

I agree that for the human player (other than late domination or diplomatic pushes) vassal addition is fairly worthless. But in terms of the AI, I have found that warring has become harder due to the vassal agreements between AI. It is much like defensive pacts or permanent alliances.

I have only played a few games of Warlords thus far, but in each one, I was in the process of destroying a particular AI when they became a vassal of another AI, mid-war, which resulted in the new master declaring on me instantly. I have found that I can no longer go to war with as few troops as I have been used to in the past. I used to pseudo-skimp on defenses when I pooled my troops for a major offensive, often leaving only a couple of defenders in my cities. Now I have found I have to assume that I will be waging against more than one AI at a time, everytime I declare war.

Anyway, I am still getting used to the vassal facet of the game.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

Vassals aren't for research, they do your bidding. They vote your way on UN votes. They declare war on your enemies. If you have all surviving powers under your thumb, then you are declared a winner by conquest.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Oh, I have'nt played many Warlords games yet, but I really like vassal states. You have allies you can really rely on.
Alexander HATES me (furious), but we have open borders (for trade routes) and some resource trades.
I know the crazy b*stard won't backstab me or attack my other allies like in many vanilla games where he used to ruin diplomacy when I tried to befriend him.

 

[DarthJaxon]

I love this new game! Still experimenting on it though --- last night was my first warlords game, at first i didnt know how it worked, but when i approached the last 2 cities of Mansa Musa, he offered ceasefire + capitulation! For a moment i felt like I was the real Julius Caesar