How do I work around defensive pacts?

[Pilgrim]

Really close to forming rome, but dont want World War one.

Never playing with these on again :)

Isnt there a way of declaring war on someone when they first start reigning? I tried but it didnt work, they were still in the pact.

[barracuda-rostigraben]

What's the current threat level at?

[Pilgrim]

Originally posted by barracuda-rostigraben:

What's the current threat level at?

98

[barracuda-rostigraben]

Originally posted by Belisarius:

Originally posted by barracuda-rostigraben:

What's the current threat level at?

98

.....yeah, I'd let that cool down until it's below 75% and the only banding together you'll get is from pacts not of your religion. Totally didn't steal this advice from the CK2 Wiki walkthrough on the SPQR achievement or anything.

[al_x_ator2411]

https://ck2.paradoxwikis.com/Defensive_pact#Strategies

The M&M new chancellor task for lowering threat is also very good.

[Serulas]

A few things you can do. First is wait for rebellions in lands you want. Rebellion leaders don’t join defensive pacts. Second is if the county(s) you want are small (up to their independent liege) just snipe them. Prep your retinues around the land then declare war. Fast siege down the target and kill any nearby defender armies. Usually you can get 100% Warscore before the pact gets their troops ready.

Again this only works when the target is small. I tried taking a barony in one of my counties back from a larger kingdom (warscore wouldn’t jump as fast) and ended up on a multi year world war that ended up costing me 20K ducats in retinue replacements and mercenaries to finally win.

The last thing you can do, depending on geography, is to make sure you have non aggression pacts with the largest nearby rulers. This will keep them out of the defensive pacts.

Hope that helps. I’ve been loathing this “feature” for 700 years on my 769 run. After starting in Wessex, I formed Brittania, then HRE, then ERE, then Roman Empire along with SPQR. It was painful. I ended up painting the whole world purple except for India and a sIngle RUS kingdom in Europe that I just didn’t have the patience to conquer.

Long rant but last thing I can recommend is to usurp and grant titles to your more powerful vassals that include the dejeure territory you want. They will often co quiet it for you. My vassals we’re responsible for conquering at least 1/4th of my entire empire.

[Serulas]

One other thing you can do wait for your ruler to die. Upon his death immediately pause and declare war. The defensive pacts are against the ruler and so you get a Tony window before the new pacts form.

[Meewec]

i liked to pause in my conquests to do the "see the realm prosper" ambition. then when the pact disbands declare war on everyone you want to at the same time

[Fredericks of Cursewood]

If you have two of the defensive pact members at war, you can declare war on one of them. The other one should drop out of the pact since they won't aid someone that they are at war with. You can then declare on the one who dropped out. If you quickly resolve the first war with the party who is in the pact, you won't have to fight the hordes that are in the pact. The defensive pact members won't come to the aid of the party that dropped out of the pact either even when the first war is resolved.