Where are the Vassals?

[Skald]

So in my Belakor playthrough Wulfrik has taken all of Norsca, i'm slowly making my way through it taking it all off of him, but I can't Bring back the Varg, the Skraeling, or the Sarl as vassals, I capture the fortress in their province, but i don't get the option to vassalize the original tribes that Wulfrik wiped out, and the option to "Gift to vassal" is greyed out when i take the adjoining small settlements.

This seems to happen to me quite a lot, is it something i'm doing wrong?

[Seraphiel]

I have had this too in my recent Archaon campaign. Exact same issue, I'm assuming that it is a bug.

[Basarab Laiota]

those factions got confederated

[CrUsHeR]

My own observation:



If the Norsca faction was wiped out:

You revive them when capturing the associated fortress. They start with an army at the fortress, but no settlements. So you need to have some associated town left to take & grant. Or they have to capture one by themselves. However if this army gets defeated, the faction is gone for good.



If they were confederated by other Norscans: Dead forever.



That's why you should always go for Wulfrik and Throgg first. After you granted the northern town on Albion to your first vassal, use the remaining movement points to march directly north to Wulfrik's start area.

You can also vassalize Wulfrik if you march directly to Monument of Bjorkil Bloody-Hand, but this costs 4 turns to march forth and back to the coast to vassalize him. These are 4 turns where Throgg will probably confederate 2-3 more factions.

[CrUsHeR]

Also gotta add that, for some reason, the norsca vassals have been entirely useless in the recent updates. Example the Yusak (Vilitch) didn't manage to upgrade any of their major settlements in about 100 turns.

[talanarion]

Vassals dont real seem to be useful apart from selling settlements to them and sometimes confusing the ai. Im currently using a trade any settlement mod so you can sell to anyone. In order to not abuse it i only sell to vassals. Also im playing with a dynamic scaling mod where the ai gets more buffs the more powerful you are, it grants buffs to the vassals as well.

[talanarion]

In general apart from getting some gold from selling settlements they are just there to create a buffer zone.

[CrUsHeR]

Depends on the exact vassals.


The regular norsca vassals just suck. They don't have the income to do anything productive.

Wulfrik and Throgg are a lot better, they have solid legendary lords and faction bonuses.

WoC vassals can be great; however you have to grant them Dark Fortresses which are much more useful if you own them yourself. Letting them have any other settlements is 100% waste. Though Belakor can confederate them instead.

Skaven can be great if they have their starting province intact.

Order factions are also useful; however there's a conflict between your chaos vassals and the order vassals. The order factions may end up hating you just based on the vassalage of so many factions they hate, so they won't even buy cities from you.

[talanarion]

With the trade any settlement mod they will buy it even if they hate you. The vanilla mechanic doesnt make sense because you are on the same side.

[Mr_Puddins]

Originally posted by talanarion:

Vassals dont real seem to be useful apart from selling settlements to them and sometimes confusing the ai. Im currently using a trade any settlement mod so you can sell to anyone. In order to not abuse it i only sell to vassals. Also im playing with a dynamic scaling mod where the ai gets more buffs the more powerful you are, it grants buffs to the vassals as well.

I use my Vassals to defend places when I go on far away treks.

[Skald]

Originally posted by Basarab Laiota:

those factions got confederated

That would never in a million years have crossed my mind but now you say it, it makes perfect sense.

[Skald]

so new question...does anyone know of a mod that fixes this?

[CrUsHeR]

Originally posted by Skald:

so new question...does anyone know of a mod that fixes this?

I don't think there is anything to "fix", just based on the confederation logic.

Wulfrik defeats Halvtor in battle, chooses to confederate.

Now Halvtor is fighting under Wulfrik's banner, his original faction no longer exists.

[Païtiti]

Originally posted by Skald:

so new question...does anyone know of a mod that fixes this?

There is nothing to fix. It's how it is. It follows Norsca confederation rules. If a ruler loses a battle he is gobbled up by the winner. Therefore he and his settlements are now part of the winning faction.

As Be'lakor you can basicially have all Norscan vassals anyway. The only faction that is hard to get is Barsoling because Wulfric will be there by turn 4 and you cannot really stop him.

The way to stop Wulfric early is to do the following: Conquer the first settlement on your island but keep sacking the second. Use your Exhaulted Hero to go to Norsca and head straight for Wulfric. By turn 4 he usually conquered his second city. Put up a portal and get Be'lakor in front of him. Easy clap. Wulfric is then beaten and didn't have time to confederate the rest. From there you can easily take the Varg and Skaeling, then Throgg.

[Seraphiel]

Originally posted by Basarab Laiota:

those factions got confederated

Oh man, thanks! I never would have worked that out!