Ming Tributaries

[Susan1972]

One thing I have yet to understand about playing Ming is why can my tributaries attack each other at will, but when I'm playing as, say, Lan Xang, Ming will defend the other Tributaries. They're greyed out and check-marked even, so it's not like it's even a choice. No matter what, they'll defend.

And yet, Ayutthaya can consume all of my tributaries without me even noticing. How does this work?

 

[grotaclas]

Ming does not defend the other tributaries if you are Lan Xang and you are still a tributary:

If they did defend one of their tributaries, it is could be because you were not a tributary anymore. You only get a small popup if that happens which is easy to overlook. The popup might also be disabled.

They're greyed out and check-marked even

An overlord of a tributary does not normally get a greyed-out and checkmarked co-belligerent box. In that case the defense is likely for other reasons. Maybe a coalition. Or maybe the subject is a vassal and not a tributary(there is a way to turn tributaries into vassals, but I don't know if the AI uses that

 

[Richard-monagha]

Are you still a Ming tributary? Ming can and will revoke tributary status if you grow too strong. As grotaclas said the popup when they break the status can be missed easy if like me you tend to just press enter a lot.

Edit. I don't know what the criteria is for the AI to break tributary because I've had a Korea game where they broke tributary on me just after I reached the 200 dev for the mission and declared on Jianzho, and another game as Ayutthaya where they allow me to vassalize and conquer half of their other tributaries before they broke it...

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

They probably broke the tributary because your liberty desire just got way too high with your conquests.