How to force a Protectorate?

[Caius]

Some Senate missions are: Send a Diplomat to X faction, aand negotiate a surrender.
I know, its with a diplomat.
How to do this?

[HumphreysCraig00]

As far as im aware it is fairly random, but a way to increase the odds of acceptance drastically is to offer huge cash incentives along with the order to become a protectorate

[Poulp']

solution #1

send your diplomat, give them back a few territories, cash and whatever you can put into the negociation.
And pray that the AI consider that you've always been true to your word.

solution #2

send your army do the peace talks instead.


Solution #2 is by far more reliable.

[ByzantineKnight]

Advice: Wipe the floor with them, Protectorates are more trouble then they are worth.

The Senate is made up of jerks out for your blood, kill them as well.

My advice is to make the senate mad at you as quick as possable, and then you kill the (other) romans before they get too strong!

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

Hi,
Protectorates can only really be allowed by the AI if they are down to one measly little province. The best option in this situation is to first go and ask for a protectorate with a decent diplomat. If they refuse then attack their richest and largest provinces and exterminate them. Once they are down to this one province ask them again. They should be more that willing to accept a protectorate off of you now. Just incase they refuse keep one army within a one turn marching distance so you can besige the enemy town if they say no. In that case you neither lose the senate mission nor do you win it. This means that no favour is aquired off the senate and non is lost. Good luck with your protectorate and cheers!

[Ciaran]

No, you can have bigger protectorates, actually I´ve never had a protectorate of only one province.

The best way is the "Carrot and Stick" approach (at lest, that´s what worked for me occassionally), beat their armies senseless, besiege a lot of their cities and at the same time offer them huge amounts of cash. Keep in mind, negotiating a protectorate is one of the trickiest parts in RTW, so if you fail, you´re not the first one.

Oh, one further thing to consider when thinking about making a faction your protectorate: If said faction is allied to one you plan to go to war with in the forseeable future (that is, at all), you´ll lose your protectorate in 99,99% of the cases, I for my part have never, ever seen an alliance survive the declaration of war on the ally of my ally. It seems the alliance always go in favour of the AI. I´ve heard different, but I can only judge by my own experience.
So, make sure the faction you want as your protectorate has no allies (enemies don´t matter, if in doubt they´ll sign a ceasefire).