Vassalage question...

[Dogofwar]

This is my 1st time posting on civ4 forums...so hello everyone!

Let me start by saying civ 4 is currently may favorite game at the moment...I think I am hopelessly addicted...seems like a lot of my downtime is occupied thinking of what my next move will be and how I can improve my strategy...

However, I think I have run across a game concept which has an aspect I feel I may not fully understand...vassalage...

Here's my current issue...
Isabella was rapidly becoming a nuisance, and was causing me to spend way too much time improving my military, when my goal was to culturally attack Vctoria. So after a prolonged war and having (with much difficulty) taken over about 4 of Isabella's cities, she offered capitulation. Having never done this before I decided to try it...maybe I'd like it. So almost immediately Peter and Napoleon, who I am assuming had bad relationship with Isabella, end up declaring war on me. I fended them off (man that hurt). I decided that this wasn't working out, so re-read vassalagae rules...and supposedly, the way I understood it, is that if you keep bugging your vassal state for resources, they may eventually decline and declare war. So I decided to pester her, and finally, she cancelled her resource trading with me...and I thought...finally, she'll declare war and I can finish her...but that option did not arise...

Can someone tell me what will give me the best possible odds of removing this monkey named Isabella from my back? Any input would be great!

Thanks!

 

[carl corey]

Welcome to civfanatics!

The good news is, you've come to the right place.

The bad news is, there's no way to cancel a capitulation, it's a very weird system right now. The better news is that they promised to change it with the first patch. Until then, forget about war-time vassals and try to crush them into the ground or at most offer a peace treaty. Notice however that offering a peace treaty when they are almost destroyed will make them search for another master and you'll have to go to war with both of them if you decide to get rid of the little bugger.

 

[Dogofwar]

Thanks carl...I guess I'll move on and see how things turn out...right now she reminds me of having a bratty little sister that you have to drag around with you wherever you go. It's a leaning experience so its all good.

 

[carl corey]

You're welcome.

As for the others declaring war on you, they were either at war with her already - in which case I think they also declare on you, or do they have to make peace with her?! not sure - or they were cautious toward you and the -1 from the "you have a vassal" (or something like it) diplomatic modifier made them annoyed enough to declare.

Oh, and your situation isn't the worst. Someone had a vassal he couldn't talk to. "Refuses to talk". The war was very short, the AI offered to capitulate and then it was totally useless. Couldn't even make demands. Now you can call that however you like, but it's not a vassal, that's for sure.

 

[mice]

Dogofwar, I was confusd at first because I thought you were refering to the civic, Vassalage. It's probably better to call your case something like Vassal state... situation. Carl corey's advice is right. Avoid capitulation agreements until they patch it.

The war declaration could have simply been the last straw for Louis and Peter (they're both backstabbers anyway), because the vassal agreement gives you a 1 point demerit with all other civs.

Also if you are interested in culturally dominating, forget about vassal states. You cant destroy your vassals city if it starts to engulf yours culturaly. It's a pain. better to cripple them or destroy them.