There are two situations: you alone are fighting a civ; your opponent is also fighting another civ(s).
In the first, your opponent can bribe another civ to declare war on you. It works in the same way as a war bribe save that the bribe offered is agreeing to become a vassal rather than giving tech or gold. Here you end up at war with your opponents new master.
In the second, your opponent decides to capitulate to another civ it is fighting. You are then forced into peace with your former opponent. You would not be forced into war with your former war ally.
just off topic.
in CIV3 IIRC, you could become a vassal yourself. I even managed to win once from a vassalage position.
I don´t think it´s possible in CIV 4, is it?
still about your explanations:
1) "In the first, your opponent can bribe another civ to declare war on you. It works in the same way as a war bribe save that the bribe offered is agreeing to become a vassal rather than giving tech or gold. Here you end up at war with your opponents new master."
ok this one makes sense, but I didn´t realize civ4 leaders will do this.
2) "In the second, your opponent decides to capitulate to another civ it is fighting. You are then forced into peace with your former opponent. You would not be forced into war with your former war ally."
so this one is essentially the same, the leader vassalages themselves, but in exchange of peace. so he then accepts the same diplomatic status as the master, which is peace with you
what happened in my game: Qin asked me to war on Bismark. With Bismark I had horrible status, with Qin, perfect status (same religion buddies).
some turns later, Bismark vassalages to Quin, and Quin immediately destroys me,
This situation seems not intuitive, fair and is probably what is causing bad vibes. It could be explained by 1), but why did Quin declare with perfects dimplomatic standing? Still seems like a bug.
I have to say I hate the vassalage mechanics and miss pre BTS games. I hate it about as much as the tech trading between AIS.
