Quote Originally Posted by Cullhwch View Post
As a result, X will be flat broke, as all the money that it would have received via scripting would instead go straight to your coffers. X will be unable to train troops and will stagnate and eventually decline
I never actually realized Protectorate makes AI's decline. I really thought the money script gave them money that they could use during their turn, and then I would just get whatever they didn't spend themselves. And then the next turn, the same scenario would happen all over, meaning that the AI faction wasn't seriously hampered, but just gave me insane amounts of cash?
I've been using a little of protectorates as AS to keep Hayasdan and Pontus alive without having to fight them all the time. I realize the 'cheating' part of it, however, and make a point of spending all the money I get from them on something completely useless. I have a legion of Armoured Elephants in Babylon. For parade purposes. So I'm not gaining from it. But I really thought Pontus and Hayasdan could continue recruiting and expanding in different directions that me?