New player question - is there a less RNG way to get into a Sphere?

[z3rO_]

I figured how most systems work, however, I have the same trouble every game - getting into a Sphere as an Unciv seems very inconsistent. As far as I know, the nonly way to influence it is improve relations, but I've seen infuence on me get to 90 and dissapear somewhere. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just restarts galore?

 

[Savolainen5]

To my knowledge there is no way to work your way intentionally into a sphere, and you're dependent on the RNG of whether AI want to do it, and sometimes they mess up each other's influence for no reason other than because they can.

 

[z3rO_]

Hm. Can you conquer and release yourself as a puppet to play as? Are puppets in spheres of influence?

 

[Savolainen5]

Hm. Can you conquer and release yourself as a puppet to play as? Are puppets in spheres of influence?

As far as I recall, not by default. But it's worth testing!

 

[z3rO_]

As far as I recall, not by default. But it's worth testing!

Well, from what I gathered, you could conquer as a protectorate and then release as satelite and play as, buuut I think it either releases as independent, or satelite doesn't do anything.

I would also assume I am just pressing the wrong button, potentialy.

 

[CdePlatter]

The puppet-master of a satellite state gets a substantial boost (100% !) to their influence rate over the vassalized country. This should incentivize the AI to sphere you if you are the satellite of a great power, but the AI can be inconsistent and end up neglecting to sphere its own puppets, instead squandering its influence trying to sphere strategic targets that all the other AI are vying for, like Egypt.

Switching to a party that has an economic policy that allows foreign investment will also give influence boosts to whoever invests, increasing your chances of getting sphered.
EDIT: Great powers that invest inflict an influence penalty on other great powers proportional to their investment. This means they will more likely be successful in beating their rivals to sphering you and should incentivize the AI favor influencing you, though in practice, the AI tends not to do much foreign investing in the first place.

You don't say whether your desire to get sphered is primarily for RP or for gameplay reasons, but check out the wiki page if you want all the details on the benefits and drawbacks of being sphered mechanically. It's definitely not intuitive, especially the economic part.

Influence - Victoria 2 Wiki

vic2.paradoxwikis.com

 

[z3rO_]

You don't say whether your desire to get sphered is primarily for RP or for gameplay reasons,

Gameplay reasons. I want to attempt a top1 Bhutan game, but without a sphere it is almost unplayable.

Great powers that invest inflict an influence penalty on other great powers proportional to their investment.

I could conquer myself, build a factory, then release. Would that work?

It is wierd though, because for some reason releasing yourself as Dominion doesn't leave the cojntry who released you with anything. You aren't in their sphere, you aren't their satelite. You do inherit SOMETHING because elections start happening, but any connetion to the "overlord" seems to be severed. So if I want go be puppeted or get sphered, I would need to provoke a wargoal.

 

[CdePlatter]

Gameplay reasons. I want to attempt a top1 Bhutan game, but without a sphere it is almost unplayable.

I could conquer myself, build a factory, then release. Would that work?

It is wierd though, because for some reason releasing yourself as Dominion doesn't leave the cojntry who released you with anything. You aren't in their sphere, you aren't their satelite. You do inherit SOMETHING because elections start happening, but any connetion to the "overlord" seems to be severed. So if I want go be puppeted or get sphered, I would need to provoke a wargoal.

As far as I know, when you release a pupet through the "release country" tab in the political screen, you should be a satellite. If your vassalage is immediately being cancelled, then something odd is happening. Off the top of my head, I know certain mods add decisions to leave or break vassalages based on relations and stuff, which the AI might be triggering as soon as you tag switch. Other than that, not quite sure.

 

[Thrake]

I used to think that being sphered would crash my economy... And the workaround was to climb the rank ladder to get a bigger share of the high demand goods.

 

[z3rO_]

I used to think that being sphered would crash my economy... And the workaround was to climb the rank ladder to get a bigger share of the high demand goods.

Well, you need to have an economy in the first place for it to crash, so, not a problem for me!

As far as I know, when you release a pupet through the "release country" tab in the political screen, you should be a satellite. If your vassalage is immediately being cancelled, then something odd is happening.

It actually even says in that screen that you release it as Dominion, not Satelite. Why do you think that be the case?
Steam Vanilla, all DLC, no mods.

 

[CdePlatter]

Well, you need to have an economy in the first place for it to crash, so, not a problem for me!



It actually even says in that screen that you release it as Dominion, not Satelite. Why do you think that be the case?
Steam Vanilla, all DLC, no mods.

Dominions are just what satellite states are called when they are formed from colonial states and become "uncivilized" or "non-westernized" states upon release. They function the same otherwise. or at least as far as I recall.

Satellite - Victoria 2 Wiki

vic2.paradoxwikis.com

 

[z3rO_]

Dominions are just what satellite states are called when they are formed from colonial states and become "uncivilized" or "non-westernized" states upon release. They function the same otherwise. or at least as far as I recall.

I have absolutely no idea what am I doing wrong then. Maybe you can't release and play a satelite?