Protectorates still baffle me. Yesterday playing as the Britons, Germany became a Protectorate (Why did they even accept? They had 8 regions and I had maybe 9!). I had been fighting the Gauls (who only had one region and would not accept the same deal at all ) who were allied with the Germans.

So when the Germans accept the deal, I get the diplomacy info automatically saying a ceasefire had been declared between me and Gaul. Well, that's unnacceptable so I go ahead and attack gaul, I get the neutral faction bit but then I get the alliance in tatters screen regarding Germany. What alliance? Their my colonialized slaves! What would I care who they want to be allied with? I own them!

They were still on my list as a protectorate but my tribute dropped from 27,000 the first turn to 2,000 from then on.