Protectorates..What are they good for?!?

[Rayven1]

What are protectorates good for? I have both Egypt and Parthia as protectorates right now. I betrayed Egypt and attacked them thinking that Parthia, as my client state, would be forced into war considering included in a protectorate is an alliance with me. The Parthians refuse to enter the war. Even when I send diplomats to Parthia and ask them to attack the faction I am attacking they refuse. They won't give into any demands like tribute or regions and I'm left wondering what the point of protectorates are... They complain that "we will not become your slaves no matter how fine the words," when you ask them to become a protectorate and they have refused but when they do accept and become a protectorate they are not slaves at all but an independent state. This makes no sense...

"War gives the conqueror the right to impose on the vanquished any condition he sees fit" -- Julius Caesar

[Slug For A Butt]

Yup. I'm wondering the same thing as well, it seems that its just a slightly more dependable alliance that costs you money.

[bubbanator]

In the 1.2 patched, the protectorate making you lose money but was fixed (i think)

Either way, protectorates aren't good for much IMO. Unless you really need the money then just kill them.

[pezhetairoi]

protectorates are just...so you feel good about yourself, I guess. Nothing much. Protectorates aren't much use unless you happen to be the protectorate, which usually means that faction won't attack you unless you attack them, and you get a big big big injection of money into your economy to boot. Sweet. Accept becoming a protectorate if someone demands you do so in the start of the game; it will help you to no end, unless you already have zero cashflow problems, i.e. unless your name is Greece, Macedon, the Seleucids, or Egypt.

And remember to immediately cancel military access so he can't march past your forts or trample over your newly-sown wheatfields unless he's invading, just so you know.

[King of Atlantis]

The best way to us protectorates is to become one. If someone is about to wipe you out then become their protectorate and be safe. Sadly never been forced to do that in RTW.

[pezhetairoi]

...why sadly? It's just the normal facts of life that we;re just too good to be made protectorate! ^_^ I became a protectorate as Spain because the Gauls demanded it of me because they'd been defeated in 3 major battles in the passes trying to retake Numantia which I'd stormed. The reason why I accepted was because a)I wanted to see what it was like, and b) they offered me 6 (or was it 8?) turns of 3000d tribute.

'Oh well, you know Marcus, Gaul refused to make us their protectorate again.'
'Oh humbug! I don't know what we're lacking in. We've got half their provinces and they're defenceless... Oh well. Sun's setting, what say we go for a meal of stewed oxtail? I hear that little establishment on the Palatine hill next to the Pantheon is pretty good...'

[LestaT]

So far in both RTW and RTR I'm playing , factions esp Gaul will offer me to become their protecterates. I just accept provided they pay me huge sum of money.

Usually they do but don't accept installment (tribute form). Agree for one large sum. Surely they will attack again themselves when I already have their money for troops reinforcement.

Then as Ceaser , subjagate the Gaul .. with their own money I shall add...

[Deus ret.]

Protectorates basically are good for nothing except one thing: The number of provinces of your protectorates add to yours in terms of winning the game. Unfortunately you don't control them....
If you manage it right, you can win a campaign with a rather low number of battles. Having several protectorates at once tends to make things difficult diplomatically, though.

[The Stranger]

no wrong. theyre good for money. 3 protectorates are good for 50 million a year.

[Deus ret.]

actually? Since 1.2, I never noticed any influence of protectorates on income... except for the trade increase through trade rights maybe.
How do you get that much money out of them?

[Kourutsu]

Protectorates. Who needs 'em. After all, you'll have to conquer them too eventually.

[The Stranger]

dues Ret: thatss weird indeed. i had 3 normally poor countries as protectorate but they did came up with 100 million a year (50 a turn). i checked it and read it over and over, i really thought i misread it. i think they have a senate like income.

Kourutsu: thats wrong, their provinces counts as conquered. if you have 40 provinces and you have 10, your provinces count says 50 and with rome, you've won the game.

[Ciaran]

Protectorates count to your provinces, as Emperor Umoi has pointed out, and they get you money. I think you get the money the protectorate faction makes. So, if you´re unlucky, they might cost you money if their faction has a negative balance. Personally, I´ve always profited from being Protector, but not close to 50 million, 50000 from four protectorates, among them Egypt, is more like it. Their income is stated as diplomatic/tribute.

[King of Atlantis]

...why sadly?

cause it would be nice to have a challenge.

[Kourutsu]

Its more fun just to conquer...