Expansion and diplomacy

[Sir Beane]

Interesting. That's why when I was sitting back for 50 years, being the most powerful nation, everyone wanted to be friends, but when I started conquering they all became Unfriendly.

I think that some factions might have a preset negative modifier though. More precisely, those which are enemies from the start (Russia/Ottomans, Britain/France, etc.).

There are other modifiers to relations such as:

* Historic friendship/enmity
* Trade agreement
* National rulers respected/not respected
* Same government/ different government
* Same religion/ different religion
* Military Alliance
* The enemy of my enemy is my friend

[quadalpha]

Most modifier seem to be capped. For example, trade agreement is capped at +60. One modifier that is not capped is "diplomatic threats." You get -30 each time you use the threaten option in diplomacy. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be a sure way to get nations to declare war (so you can avoid their alliances). I had Wurttemburg to around -650, and they stayed stubbornly peaceful.