I hate Vassalizing!

[Rancid Sushi]

I recently purchased Warlords and I've been enjoying the game until now. I had to quit the last game I played because my plans for a domination victory kept getting thwarted by my big 'friendly' neighbor vassalizing everyone I was trying to conquer. First I vassalized Catherine (easy since she's a nutjob who often bites off more than she can chew). Then I went after Roosevelt, and just when I was about to plow through his last few cities, Bismarck vassalizes him and declares war. That's a little frustrating, but not a problem because I then brought in Qin (aformentioned big friendly neighbor) to help me. So everything was going well, as I wiped out Roosey and was about to finish off Bismarck when lo and behold, Qin vassalizes him and everyone is forced to declare peace. I decided this wouldn't hurt me too much because there was still plenty more land/population out there to conquer between the two leaders on the other island (Mehmed and Rammy). This map is continental, btw. So I built an enormous invasion fleet with over 3 dozen land units ready to set sail and wipe Meh and Rammy off of Sid's green earth. I invade Meh first and easily take his 4 largest cities with my enormous stack. Then when I'm about to finish him off, he runs to his friend Qin and is vassalized, therefore I'm at war with Qin who has more troops and more techs, and Bismarck and Mehmed. At that point I simply turned the game off and decided I'd come here to ask all you guys how am I ever supposed to win via domination when I can never finish anyone off. At first I thoght vassalizing was a nice feature, but now it seems that it can make it impossible to win. What to do next time?

 

[Titus]

What to do next time?

Click the "no vassal states" option.

 

[Mutineer]

Look on diplomatic screen each turn and vassal them to yourself as soon as option become avalible. It actially faster, then killing them complitly. Work with it and you will find it revarding.

 

[Paasky]

Think of it from the enemy's point of view: If some aggressive nation declared war on you & took 4 of your cities, wouldn't you want to get the largest civ ingame to ally with you?

 

[Naismith]

You need to prevent or discourage Qin from vassalizing your enemies. As mentioned earlier, one way to accomplish that is by vassalizing them yourself. Another way to is to get a higher power rating than him. Then he probably won't risk a war with you. If that's not possible, and you are determined to win by domination, you may have to deal with Qin directly. He may have more troops and more techs than you, but you're smarter - concentrate your forces, take some cities, pillage his lands, etc.

As for next time, you can always turn off vassal states. If you play with vassal states, you may want to consider dealing with someone like a Qin (tech leader, power leader) before he gets too far ahead. Sometimes I find myself taking on the weak Civ's when I should be concentrating on the more powerful Civ's. It's something to consider, anyway.

 

[paperchase417]

kill or cripple your main opposition before Feudalism.

 

[vra379971]

Vassals states land area DOES contribute to your domination win.

 

[Moxxa]

Vassals states land area DOES contribute to your domination win.

Only 50% of your vassal's land and population count towards domination, but if you vassalize everyone, you get a conquest victory.

 

[Crighton]

Should have gunned for Quin (prefferably after bribing him and others into a general conflagration, eg get Quin to declare on as many as possible, then go to each of the others and get them to attack whomever you could get them to attack, then you move in on the big cheese, the others probably won't attack you since they've got wars of their own now).