The Rome TW exploit: Being a protectorate

**Jambo** · 07-02-2006, 11:08

This whole protectorate system appears to have one major weakness which can be exploited to the full, even if you don't actually want to exploit the AI -

Firstly, if you're the protectorate of an AI faction I don't think you ever seem to pay tribute to them (noted by the lack of any funds disappearing from turn to turn and there being no note of it in the 'tribute expenditure' section of the financial scroll...

Second, when the AI offers you to become their protectorate, you can always seem to counter offer and include a large sum in your favour. If the tribute sytem worked (can anyone confirm this or not?) then maybe this would be ok, but as it doesn't when you're the protectorate it just seems like an easy way to get a quick financial fix.

Third, and related to the above, the AI often offers protectorates when it's besiegeing or about to besiege one of your settlements. In effect, they offer you the protectorate and a large sum of money and then they cancel it on the same or the next turn. In otherwords they just shelled out several thousand denari for nothing.

Sigh.

Anyone help here? Someone please tell me that being a protectorate means you pay the protecting faction? I've noticed it does sometime appear to be the case that you will receive money from your protectorates as a human player, but this doesn't seem to be the case the other way round.

**Avicenna** · 07-02-2006, 11:42

The simplest solution is just to not be anyone's protectorate. It's impossible to win that way, because their faction's territory = theirs + yours, so they'll win first. If you really don't want to exploit, just reject any offers to become another faction's protectorate, because then they won't attack you and you're not supposed to attack them, leading to the scenario where they win the campaign and you lose.

stalin · 07-02-2006, 18:27

Playing as romans you can screw up your allies protectorates by attacking the protected faction. the alliance forces them to declare war

**Dominii** · 07-02-2006, 23:24

I had Egypt offer me their protection as Parthia, and being at war with all the factions on the eastern half of the map I accepted. This gave me ceasefires with them all and a single turn of breathing space before the Egyptians renegaded and attacked me again.

In my opinion having protectorates is no good as it can hinder your expansion, and having their settlements under your banner is much more secure than allowing them to have their own lands.

I would say only become a protectorate if the short term benefits outweigh the downside, otherwise keep fighting.

**The Spartan (Returns)** · 07-03-2006, 00:18

Originally Posted by Tiberius

The simplest solution is just to not be anyone's protectorate. It's impossible to win that way, because their faction's territory = theirs + yours, so they'll win first. If you really don't want to exploit, just reject any offers to become another faction's protectorate, because then they won't attack you and you're not supposed to attack them, leading to the scenario where they win the campaign and you lose.

true. but really doesnt matter in a regular campaign. (unless their regions are almost 50)

**gmjapan** · 07-03-2006, 14:37

Egypt offered me a "become protectorate" and I wasnt going to take it so as an insult I counter offered something I didnt think they would go for; one of their cities. But they did go for it! I ended up 1 city better off as Selucid for avoiding conflict. Then the Eggies attacked me a turn or two later anyway.

So they declared war, gave a city to get a protectorate out of me, then threw it away to declare war again. Nice battle plan!

**Shaun** · 07-03-2006, 16:11

The AI never seems to want to have anything to do with protocterates in my games, pfft.

**Garvanko** · 07-03-2006, 17:10

The AI hasn't got a clue what a protectorate is.

**Avicenna** · 07-11-2006, 05:15

Originally Posted by gmjapan

Egypt offered me a "become protectorate" and I wasnt going to take it so as an insult I counter offered something I didnt think they would go for; one of their cities. But they did go for it! I ended up 1 city better off as Selucid for avoiding conflict. Then the Eggies attacked me a turn or two later anyway.

So they declared war, gave a city to get a protectorate out of me, then threw it away to declare war again. Nice battle plan!

They said 'all your base are belong to us' right?

**gmjapan** · 07-11-2006, 13:05

They used to, I dont remember seeing it this time though... Come to think of it I havent seen that message for Eggy protectorate since I patched...

Maybe I am not paying enough attention

**Garvanko** · 07-15-2006, 12:41

Originally Posted by Jambo

Second, when the AI offers you to become their protectorate, you can always seem to counter offer and include a large sum in your favour. If the tribute sytem worked (can anyone confirm this or not?) then maybe this would be ok, but as it doesn't when you're the protectorate it just seems like an easy way to get a quick financial fix.

This is one of the biggest exploits in the game, btw.