Diplomacy: Reputation

It seems - there are many ways to lose reputation, but I am starting to believe, the only way to RAISE reputation in MTW II is to fight along with your allies. And, probably, the easiest way to do it is with your fleet.

Last night, my crusading army approached Cyprus, which belonged to my "so-so" relations allies - the Byzantines. Note that the Greeks were not at war with Egyptians at the time. My fleet attacked a lone Egyptian boat parked next to Byzantine fleet and voila... Byzantines get dragged into war and my Kingdom's reputation goes from "Mixed" to "Good"... Another such "joint" attack and my reputation globally goes up to "Very Reliable".
Felt almost like an exploit. 25 or so turns later, my reputation still is "Very Reliable".

On a different note: I am wondering whether the fact that we remain allied to various factions who engage in war to each other is a bug or a feature? In the previous TW games, the player would have to cancel alliance with one or the other fighting side, not anymore. Maybe this is considered to be more "Medieval" approach to international relations? At the current point in my English campaign I am allied to almost everybody except the Egyptians (due to Crusades) and the French who backstabbed me (their reputation is currenty "Very Unreliable" while their standing with the Pople is close to zero). Meanwhile, many of my allies are fighting each other.

I always get my reputation very high just by not betraying my allies, or atleast notifying them of my intentions rather than just attacking them all of a sudden. I will cancel the alliance first.

I believe that alliances are useless right now with this system, but trade rights are ok.
the word alliance has lost its meaning in m2, i prefer rome's or medieval's 1 system...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Darth Nihilus

I always get my reputation very high just by not betraying my allies, or atleast notifying them of my intentions rather than just attacking them all of a sudden. I will cancel the alliance first.

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In the couple campaigns I have played (M and H campaign difficulty), my reputation tended to stay at "Mixed" even though I did not break any alliances and did not attack anybody without being attacked first. It started to improve (rapidly) only when I executed the mentioned "joint" attacks with my Byzantine allies.

My reputation has always been reliable,probably because i always keep my word.I just wonder how it affects the other factions opinion of me as their opinion of me always drops to poor even though i'am a good Christian and have a reliable reputation?
Playing as the English btw.

Well, if you give another faction a tribute of 100 florins per turn for 10 turns (about the same it costs to maintain a peasant unit...) your relations would sky-rocket to "amiable"... Even from "so-so".

This wouldn't stop a faction from attacking you if they were predisposed to do that anyway. It seems a good way to find out about a factions' priorities is to plant a few spies in their cities and "re-enter" the cities before you approach the faction diplomatically. All of a sudden, the "?" mark, where their "priorities" field is, changes to useful information. For example, I discovered that French priority was war with me even though, at that time, they were amiable to me diplomatically. A turn later, they attacked. Snakes!

The only faction I ever manage to keep on the good side of is the papal states, and even then only when playing the italians or someone who REALLY can't afford inquisitors.