Transfer subject war goal doesn't get enforced

[cepxu0]

Integrity​

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes

I have disabled all mods​

Yes

Required​

Summary​

OIB 1.9.7 – "Transfer Subject" war goal has no effect

Description​

In the Opt-in Beta 1.9.7, the "Transfer Subject" war goal appears to be broken.

I played as the East India Company and declared war on Burma with the goal to transfer Shan.
After full occupation and capitulation, Shan remained a subject of Burma — no diplomatic or political change occurred, despite the war goal being listed as enforced.

The issue is consistently reproducible.

I also tested this by starting a war as Brazil to transfer North Peru from Bolivia.
Then I switched to Bolivia and pressed the Capitulate button.
Once again, nothing changed — North Peru remained a subject of Bolivia.

This confirms the bug occurs in both offensive and defensive wars.

Steps to reproduce​

- Start a war with the "Transfer Subject" war goal targeting a subject of another country.
- Win the war or force the target to capitulate.
- Observe that nothing happens — the subject remains unchanged.

Game Version​

OIB 1.9.7

OS​

Windows

Additional​

Bug Type​

Other

Save Game​

View attachment transfer subject bug report - after win.v3View attachment transfer subject bug report - before win.v3

Attachments​

View attachment transfer subject bug report - after win.v3View attachment transfer subject bug report - before win.v3

Player Pain​

8

 

[fusei]

Integrity​

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes

I have disabled all mods​

Yes

Required​

Summary​

1.9.7 Transfer subject is not enforced on capitulation

Description​

Spain started a war against Tunis and I joined on Tunis' side for the war goal to transfer the Spanish subject of Tripolitania to me.

In the end Tunis got to their wargoal when Spain capitulated, but I didn't get mine.

Steps to reproduce​

Open save
Wait for Spain to capitulate

Game Version​

Victoria 3 1.9.7 Lady Grey - release/1.9.7 3b6be353 2025-07-14 10:46:31 +0000

OS​

Windows

Additional​

Bug Type​

Other

Save Game​

View attachment italy_1892_09_27nope.v3

Attachments​

Player Pain​

8

 

[cepxu0]

In the release version 1.9.7 still reproduces

 

[quincasborba]

I was also able to reproduce this, Sweden against Spain, transfer subject Cuba primary war goal. Infamy is gained when requesting the war goal, but war ends without enforcing the transfer. Happened multiple times in the same game.

I've noticed that the transfer subject war goal works fine if the opponent backs down pre-fight, which was the case in a separate Sweden against Spain, transfer subject Phillipines war goal.

I believe there's another thread reporting the same issue (secondary-wargoal-not-enforced-when-capitulating-the-enemy.1848956), but it would be incorrect to assume that it's related to being a secondary goal, as the issue is reproduced also when transfer subject is the primary war goal.

And another thread reports that "liberate subject" war goals are not working (oib-1-9-7-liberate-subject-war-goal-doesnt-work.1847173). Perhaps these bugs share the same root cause?

 

[swellwrench]

Also confirming that this is still present. In my case, the subject (Cambodia)'s suzerain (Vietnam) also had their own suzerain (Great Britain), who were not participating in the war at all. I assumed that was the cause, but I guess that part wasn't relevant.

 

[ychicken]

This issue makes gameplay very painful. I was playing as Prussia and had the war goal of liberating the subject states, but upon victory, Schleswig and Holstein were not liberated.

 

[Comfort]

Same issue, playing as Japan enforce transfer Philippne, Spain surrender and nothing happens

 

[TarnishedSteel]

I was also able to reproduce this, Sweden against Spain, transfer subject Cuba primary war goal. Infamy is gained when requesting the war goal, but war ends without enforcing the transfer. Happened multiple times in the same game.

I've noticed that the transfer subject war goal works fine if the opponent backs down pre-fight, which was the case in a separate Sweden against Spain, transfer subject Phillipines war goal.

I believe there's another thread reporting the same issue (secondary-wargoal-not-enforced-when-capitulating-the-enemy.1848956), but it would be incorrect to assume that it's related to being a secondary goal, as the issue is reproduced also when transfer subject is the primary war goal.

And another thread reports that "liberate subject" war goals are not working (oib-1-9-7-liberate-subject-war-goal-doesnt-work.1847173). Perhaps these bugs share the same root cause?

Not only do liberate wargoals not fire, they've been broken since at least the start of 1.9. If your liberation target joins you against their overlord, it invalidates the liberate wargoal because you can't ask for wargoals against your allies.

Which begs the question, why are transfer subject and liberate subject wargoals against the subject to begin with? It causes the estimation system to project intervention against the subject, not the overlord, which means it's useless.

 

[Nika_105]

Same it's very frustrating

 

[Portal4Life]

This issue makes gameplay very painful. I was playing as Prussia and had the war goal of liberating the subject states, but upon victory, Schleswig and Holstein were not liberated.

Same thing happened to me just now. Denmark capitulates as soon as the capitulation desire turns positive but the liberate war goals aren't enforced.

Edit: I tried making peace for only one of the two danish subjects and it seems that as long as Denmark accepts the peace deal and doesn't capitulate the liberate subject war goal works. As a workaround add humiliate and then just settle for the liberate goals.

 

[Hybrid17]

Was just coming here to report this. Transfer subject and release subject do nothing. I've tried to release a subject from Russia in 3 wars now just to test it. Nothing.

 

[exi123]

Yeah playing as Japan in Asia is basically pointless, can not get Korea from China, the Philippines from Spain, all the clients around Borneo, absolutely pointless to play further to become the regional hegemon.

 

[Nika_105]

Integrity​

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes

I have disabled all mods​

Yes

Required​

Summary​

Transfer subject war goal doesn't get enforced

Description​

When enemy capitulates the Transfer subject war goal doesn't get enforced

Steps to reproduce​

Wait for Netherlands war support to reach minus 100. Netherlands will capitulate and every war goal, except for the transfer subject on the Dutch East Indies will be enforced. After the war ends Netherlands will keep the dutch east indies.

Game Version​

1.9.7

OS​

Windows

Additional​

Bug Type​

Other

Save Game​

View attachment TransferSubjectBug.v3

Attachments​

View attachment TransferSubjectBug.v3

Player Pain​

9

 

[Carter2100]

I have had the same issue playing as France and trying to transfer lower Canada. GB war support drops to -100, war goals against them are enforced but not the subject transfer

 

[OnceSetCannotBeChanged]

Came to post about the same issue. Very very annoying. In my case it DEI still has war support but they capitulate first before it runs out? Might be a red herring.

 

[chlorion]

As a workaround (if possible). Instead of waiting for the warscore to go to -100, try offering peace with all your wargoals, right before they would auto surrender, then you get all the wargoals enforced

 

[vpapako]

Same issue, I also noticed it against Great Britain.

 

[Invader_Canuck]

Does it work for AI vs AI wars? Or only when the player attempts to enforce war goals?

 

[Carter2100]

As a workaround (if possible). Instead of waiting for the warscore to go to -100, try offering peace with all your wargoals, right before they would auto surrender, then you get all the wargoals enforced

That does work but only if the country will accept peace. Even when they are about to capitulate they still won’t accept peace deals that ask for too much and then the war ends and only enforces demands against the overlord and not subjects

 

[Nika_105]

As a workaround (if possible). Instead of waiting for the warscore to go to -100, try offering peace with all your wargoals, right before they would auto surrender, then you get all the wargoals enforced

Yeah but for me it seems like the AI only accepts the treaty if you don't enforce one of the wargoals at least, no matter how low their warscore is