[GS] Quick Hungary question

[Loderingo]

When the AI attacks your city states do you think it is better to defend them using protectorate war or let them be captured and then liberate?

In my current game, I liberated Granada but 30-odd turns it has not built any troops I can levy. I’m now defending Hong Kong but not sure if this is the best strategy as I won’t get any extra envoys for it.

I’m generally finding it a bit frustrating that in mid game, city states seem to build less troops.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I've only played Hungary once. I tried the Protectorate War and it was fine, but the way I found that required the lowest effort was to levy the city-state's units then surround the city center to shield it.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

When the AI attacks your city states do you think it is better to defend them using protectorate war or let them be captured and then liberate?

In my current game, I liberated Granada but 30-odd turns it has not built any troops I can levy. I’m now defending Hong Kong but not sure if this is the best strategy as I won’t get any extra envoys for it.

I’m generally finding it a bit frustrating that in mid game, city states seem to build less troops.

I've gotten lucky most of the time and leveraged liberation with the city state world congress resolution. it's kind of a lot of money if you're playing the cs game.

 

[Victoria]

do you think it is better to defend them using protectorate war or let them be captured and then liberate?

If they are already in a denounced state with you when they declare I would declare an immediate protectorate as they will have 50 grievance points for declaration with you an declaring war keeps those until peace so you can take a city of theirs without causing too much kerfuffle.
If you are not denounced then it will take 5 turns so their 50 grievances has pretty much decayed to nothing but a protectorate war may still be a good option to defend them.
You can also levy the CS troops and encircle the CS with these troops which will stop the aggressor but you have to be aware that normally once a civ has set its mind on taking a CS it will continue to try, you can use this to your advantage to protectorate war and at least wipe out their troops... they will still try to take the CS while you are attacking them and this normally makes it easier.

In my mind you have 3 envoys there and if they take it you have lost 3 valuable envoys and a lot of diplomatic favour as well as any nice suzerain bonus. If you let them take it you lose all of this and in return you have to cause them grievance by declaring war on them to finally take it back and the benefits of this are short term. Some civs like Australia have some benefits but I doubt you are playing them.

Bottom line is defend it unless you think it pointless and expensive. Hungarian benefits are more that just levy troops so it is not all lost, especially when you consider there are plenty worse civs to play.