Insane subject loses me the war.

[Imp0815]

I'm in a war against France where my colonial subject constantly attacks for no reason, only to lose and consequently lose captured territory.
In addition, it kills so much of my colonial population — it’s insane.

How can I tell my vassal to stop creating a bloodbath and start defending, just like my armies?
Also, my armies get sucked into idiotic advances that shouldn’t happen when I set them to defend. This drives me insane.

 

[NATOaster]

How can I tell my vassal to stop creating a bloodbath and start defending, just like my armies?

Click this button

 

[FlavourBeans]

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Click this button

This, but I think this is only answering half of the problem. The other half is when vassals and allies just keep throwing their troops into blatantly unwinnable battles with lousy troops and poor generals and end up getting mulched while you're standing with them and only defending. If they held back with you, they'd be fine, but instead they just burn off all their troops until you're basically alone on the front or take so many casualties that they bail out of the war.


I'me constantly wrong about everything, but I'm curious to know how much weight (if any) the AI puts not just on whether your troops are in defensive stance and/or if your troops are marked to not be loaned out.

 

[monksimus]

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Click this button

That button should be enabled by default! When defending it already allows all troops to be picked, it is exceedingly rare that I would want my allies to be able to grab my troops for an advance. I often forget to check this for all armies at the start of the game and remember when I keep losing battles I should win in my first war.

 

[TitaniumMan91]

This, but I think this is only answering half of the problem. The other half is when vassals and allies just keep throwing their troops into blatantly unwinnable battles with lousy troops and poor generals and end up getting mulched while you're standing with them and only defending. If they held back with you, they'd be fine, but instead they just burn off all their troops until you're basically alone on the front or take so many casualties that they bail out of the war.


I'me constantly wrong about everything, but I'm curious to know how much weight (if any) the AI puts not just on whether your troops are in defensive stance and/or if your troops are marked to not be loaned out.

In my experience, they only attack because they see your troops as available and will stop when you stop lending them your armies.

That button should be enabled by default! When defending it already allows all troops to be picked, it is exceedingly rare that I would want my allies to be able to grab my troops for an advance. I often forget to check this for all armies at the start of the game and remember when I keep loosing battles I should win in my first war.

Whole heartedly agree, I will never understand why the default is sharing my troops.

 

[Imp0815]

View attachment 1325972

Click this button

That button should be enabled by default! When defending it already allows all troops to be picked, it is exceedingly rare that I would want my allies to be able to grab my troops for an advance. I often forget to check this for all armies at the start of the game and remember when I keep losing battles I should win in my first war.

I found it, but I must say it's hidden in a tucked-away menu at first, and the UI drives me insane too.

 

[OxfordNik]

There's also the option of exempting the subject from military service, of course, if you're worried they will just throw their troops away (though realise this isn't ideal, and that being able to control what stances subject armies take would be more optimal; plus, it may not be an option if you're not playing as a Great Power, of course)