Epic Challenge

[The Stranger]

without cheating and without conquering more than 50 provinces you got to make all factions your protectorate (atleast you may not destroy any factions, the AI can do it.)

[Conqueror]

Why the limit on conquered provinces? The game counts protectorate provinces as yours, so it would be very difficult to get every AI faction to be protectorate without reaching the 50 limit.

Diplomacy "features" would also make the game very annoying. Some of your protectorates would make alliances with non-protectorate factions, meaning that if you attack those factions then your protectorates will rebel and you have to capture them again. I think it's also impossible to make all the Roman factions to protectorates unless you can somehow trigger the civil war, since they're all allied to each other and as soon as one of them becomes protectorate, the others will declare ceasefire with you (yes, declare. they don't bother to ask your opinion) and I don't think it's possible to demand a faction to be protectorate unless you're at war with them.

[Afro Thunder]

Well, I guess that's why it's called an "Epic Challenge"!

[PseRamesses]

without cheating and without conquering more than 50 provinces you got to make all factions your protectorate (atleast you may not destroy any factions, the AI can do it.)

That´s sort of the way I always play. Initially I secure my "homelands", taking out nighbouring rebs then just focusing on getting as many protectorates as possible. By "homelands" I mean expelling Carthage from Iberia when playing the Spanish, unifying Italy and islands as the Romans, unifying Greece, the Aegean and the coast of Asia Minor as the Greeks, taking Ireland as the Britons etc.
My current game as the Iberians (RTR) I´ve managed to subdue the Gauls, the Carthaginians and the Britons. I´m currently working on the Romans and SPQR to win the game.
This kind of gameplay is more of a challenge since it will limit you from totally dominate the game (any fool can do that, right?!) but it´s really annoying when you´ve worked hard to get a protectorate and they simply won´t yeild and you´ve to give them their lands back and start all over at a later date or when a P attacks another of my P and I´ve to choose sides???! Who the h_ll has written this feat?

[The Stranger]

Why the limit on conquered provinces? The game counts protectorate provinces as yours, so it would be very difficult to get every AI faction to be protectorate without reaching the 50 limit.

Diplomacy "features" would also make the game very annoying. Some of your protectorates would make alliances with non-protectorate factions, meaning that if you attack those factions then your protectorates will rebel and you have to capture them again. I think it's also impossible to make all the Roman factions to protectorates unless you can somehow trigger the civil war, since they're all allied to each other and as soon as one of them becomes protectorate, the others will declare ceasefire with you (yes, declare. they don't bother to ask your opinion) and I don't think it's possible to demand a faction to be protectorate unless you're at war with them.

it can be done but timing and money is critical. i once pulled it of as the greeks. you make war with one and pay all the factions to become your protectorate.

[Marquis of Roland]

Why the limit on conquered provinces? The game counts protectorate provinces as yours, so it would be very difficult to get every AI faction to be protectorate without reaching the 50 limit.

Diplomacy "features" would also make the game very annoying. Some of your protectorates would make alliances with non-protectorate factions, meaning that if you attack those factions then your protectorates will rebel and you have to capture them again. I think it's also impossible to make all the Roman factions to protectorates unless you can somehow trigger the civil war, since they're all allied to each other and as soon as one of them becomes protectorate, the others will declare ceasefire with you (yes, declare. they don't bother to ask your opinion) and I don't think it's possible to demand a faction to be protectorate unless you're at war with them.

I guess I'll be making my annual 200,000 denarii donation check to the rebels then.........