Diplo annex getting more expensive?

[mcv]

After a hiatus where I played CK2, I'm back to EU4 again, and I decided to revisit the Ottomans. See if I can make them bigger than I did on my very first EU4 game years ago. Lots changed, though.

I'm conquering a lot, coring here, diplo annexing there. I vassalised one Syrian province and fed them the entire Levant, and now I want to annex them. It cost a whopping 500+ diplo point! I figured I'd wait a bit and get some ideas to bring the cost down a bit, but that wait is taking too long, and now it turns out annexing Syria costs 677 diploy points.

How is that possible? How can the cost go up? And by so much? Is Syria that good, and did I just increase their tax base by a lot? Or is something else going on here? Are there any tricks to bring it down again?

I believe administrative efficiency could help reduce the cost, but I don't see any way to increase my administrative efficiency. Is there any?

Is my only option really to just bite the bullet and pay through the nose to acquire the Levant?

[xxTHExFEAREDx]

I've been noticing this as Well it seems they did get a little more costly. I would like to know if that is the case or im on somthing.

[brian_va]

https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/Vassal#Annexation

thats the formula that goes into it, admin efficiency is a variable.

https://eu4.paradoxwikis.com/Overextension#Administrative_efficiency
its mostly tied to admin tech, but absolutism increases it as well.

[tonypa]

Development of your vassal raises the diplo annex cost. Developing for monarch points is now in base game and every country is able to spend their monarch points on it. Also if vassal has any province with hostile core-creation cost modifier, this can hike the cost up even more.

[mcv]

I released Walachia as a vassal because of their expensive core creation, but it now appears that was a stupid idea. Also, feeding a vassal does not seem as attractive as it once was.

I guess Syria must have spent a lot of monarch points on development then. At the moment it's even more expensive for me, but I hope that's only due to overextension, and it'll go down to 677 again.

From what I understand, it seems the most efficient way to expand in terms of monarch points now is to develop tall first, and only really expand after the age of absolutism. Is that a reasonable conclusion?

[brian_va]

that would mean 150 years of stalling. thats alot of points that could have been used to expand, even if it is less efficient. you could just push development and stack modifiers, but at some point that becomes some hardcore min maxing that few would entertain.

[Mr.M]

Its 8 points per dev - i think territorial cores do half that amount (i am not certain tho)

So basically without any bonus diplo annexing is more expensive than normal conquest (since normal conquest you only pay 5 per dev if you dont state it) and especially for Ottos who almost immediately get -20% ccr and permanent claims for another -25% ccr its actually A LOT more expensive to use vassals.

After stacking some bonuses and getting admin efficiency the cost of diplo annexation goes down and can even go below admin cost if you play a nation that doesnt give any ccr. I just played Austria and stacked -90% diplo annexation cost - a 550 dev nation only cost 180 diplo ;p


Using vassals still gives HUGE benefits over normal conquest (in order of importance):

- Reduced AE for vassalizing and retaking cores (this is HUGE)
- Splitting the cost between admin and diplo instead of pure admin
- More efficient use of freshly conquered provinces and no rebels (if its a reconquest)
-Ability to convert provinces easier (due to the vassal stating them and maybe accepting the culture)

Also remember that diplo points are a tad bit less important than admin: You need admin to raise stability.

[Mr.M]

Hmmm the wiki doesnt say anything about territorial cores costing less, but i feel like i have seen that already. Gotta test that mb

[bri]

Its 8 points per dev - i think territorial cores do half that amount (i am not certain tho)

Correct-ish. It's 8 points for a full core (and you get a full core) and 4 points for anything else (territory core or non-cored) and you get a territory core or no core accordingly so be careful about giving a vassal additional territory when you are close to annexing it as you will get no core if they have none.

[bri]

Originally posted by MrMonokel2000:

Hmmm the wiki doesnt say anything about territorial cores costing less, but i feel like i have seen that already. Gotta test that mb

Generally a non-issue since the ai will full core everything and it's highly unlikely a subject being annexed is large enough to run out of states...

[Mr.M]

Actually feeding them a lot of land would result in them having no admin points and therefore not being able to get full cores - my guess is that they focus getting territorial core over full core (which makes sense - to combat overextension)