[1.6.1.5] POSITIVE tension problem

[Plothos]

I have been trying in my game almost every other month for more than a decade as I fought other powers to bring down my relations with Britain. Every month, however, they go up a point or two based on several sea regions getting a +.5 or +.3 etc. Here and there will be a negative, but way out performed by positives. I figured for a while it was because we were both fighting he US, but the US is gone now and it keeps happening. Then I figured maybe these regions are peaceful or boatless, so I put big cruisers off their ports and put my port ships all on sea control and it kept going. Maybe it’s because we’re positive now? Or allied with someone in common? Nope. I edited the json and made all my relations at least around -40. Still happening. I don’t think it can be hard coded for Germany and Britain to just be all chummy, but I am at a loss here. I know I can just go to the json and start a war, but trying to figure out how to do this non-scummy and also understand the mechanics. Never saw anything like this in 1.5. What gives?

[thunderspirit2014]

It's weird that it seems like either you have eternal peace or else everyone and his brother is attacking. It also is aggravating that your 'minor allies' can be attacked by a major and you can do nothing to help them. This mechanic just didn't get fixed.

Here's a few things to try.
1. Sell lots of ships to minor allies. It seems to provoke things.
2. CLs or DDs near their ports. These don't increase your 'power projection' much.
3. Put your ships in harbor on 'limited' so the AI calculates you as weak.
4. Refit all your BBs so the AI thinks you don't have ships.
5. Don't threaten when your government wants you to, unless your ships are being refit. Let an 'incident' get generated where the enemy is trying to shake you down for money, so you can pick war instead of a buy-off.
6. Accept alliances then break them, and start to hammer on that country.

I believe that the ships that are designed for auto resolve (fast ships, overgunned with little armor and long range) are the ones that also provoke enemies the most. The ships are then good for commerce raiding but pretty worthless in a regular fight.

The 'golden days' of 1.3 let you decide if you wanted to go to war if one of your allies was attacked.