There have been many, many threads from new players (and not so new!-Mod)) who are having trouble vassilizing/annexing. Below is a step by step guide:
1) Remember to meet all of the initial qualifications. Royal marriage, +190 relations, religion, and military alliance (+10 years a vassal and a common border for annexation)... In reality you must wait at least 20-30 years before making an annexation offer.
2) You must be larger and more powerful than your vassilization target. They are essentially surrendering their sovereignity to your monarch. They have to get something out of the deal, like protection from big bad Spain or the Turks. You have to be able to defend them. You have to be a big dog yourself.
3) Stability is key. A nation won't agree to vassilization if your country is in chaos. They might if their country is in chaos and you are a model for stability.
4) Monarch diplomatic values must be high. Your monarch's skill is crucial. Any thing less than 3 and you can forget about it.
5) Always maintain +190 relations. Don't let that slip and then spike relations on the eve of your offer. They need to be your best of best friends.
6) Make sure you aren't flooding their CoT with merchants, cutting them out of their own trade. That doesn't help your relations and it makes for some angry feelings.
7) A high BB will hurt you. Something to remember when you embark on land conquests. The lower your BB the more nations will think of you as a friend and not a hungry empire waiting to eat them.
8) Most importantly, Always make vassilization/annexation offers after a war. March a large army to their border (or into their capital if they are your vassal) and then make the offer. This a not-too-subtle message that you mean business.
1) Remember to meet all of the initial qualifications. Royal marriage, +190 relations, religion, and military alliance (+10 years a vassal and a common border for annexation)... In reality you must wait at least 20-30 years before making an annexation offer.
2) You must be larger and more powerful than your vassilization target. They are essentially surrendering their sovereignity to your monarch. They have to get something out of the deal, like protection from big bad Spain or the Turks. You have to be able to defend them. You have to be a big dog yourself.
3) Stability is key. A nation won't agree to vassilization if your country is in chaos. They might if their country is in chaos and you are a model for stability.
4) Monarch diplomatic values must be high. Your monarch's skill is crucial. Any thing less than 3 and you can forget about it.
5) Always maintain +190 relations. Don't let that slip and then spike relations on the eve of your offer. They need to be your best of best friends.
6) Make sure you aren't flooding their CoT with merchants, cutting them out of their own trade. That doesn't help your relations and it makes for some angry feelings.
7) A high BB will hurt you. Something to remember when you embark on land conquests. The lower your BB the more nations will think of you as a friend and not a hungry empire waiting to eat them.
8) Most importantly, Always make vassilization/annexation offers after a war. March a large army to their border (or into their capital if they are your vassal) and then make the offer. This a not-too-subtle message that you mean business.
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