"ask to prepare for War" mechanics?

[Hussar]

Not following the logic here.

I have an alliance with a major power ... and the rival of the major power is also my rival.

I clicked on the prepare for war task ... and yet when I went to war, they were all greyed out refusing to enter (including the land grab option).

No one was currently at war, so how does this mechanic actually work? I've failed to see it in use.

Thanks in advance!

[grotaclas]

The mechanic is that you pay 10 favors so that your ally does not start an offensive war for some time and that they have additional reasons to join the war. But you will need an additional 10 favors to actually call them into the war(if they don't want any land from it). Also there isn't a guarantee that they will join, because other reasons could be much bigger or they could be unable to join the war(e.g. because they are allied to the enemy)

[Marquoz]

Right. "Ask to Prepare for War" is extremely useful. In addition to what grotaclas already said, it gives a +20 bonus to the modifier that determines whether or not an ally will join an offensive conflict.

But...+20 may not be enough. If you ally is too far away, or has no manpower, or is in debt, or has a malevolent ruler, or has a combination of these and other factors, +20 won't overcome the cumulative negative modifiers by itself.

When allies are so used-up that they won't help you any more even with "Prepare for War" and Trust, it's time to betray them, get new allies, and eat your former friends.

[Malvastor]

There should also be a indicator next to their grayed-out icon that will break down their reasons for refusing to join if you mouse over it.

(Also, never go camping with Marquoz)

[Marquoz]

Aw man...

[cayenne_spicy]

The phrasing is surprisingly deliberate. You're spending 10 favors to ask them to "prepare" for war, not "guarantee you will help" for war. But if they don't have manpower, are up to their neck in debt, and the war is on the other side of the continent, the best "preparing" they could do is these three conscripts that they handed busted broomsticks to and said "get marching across Asia, boys". Which is to say... they're not going to help you.

The time you want to use that feature is exactly this moment: you go to declare war, and you see that they have less than 20 reasons short of being willing to join you. Hey, you can use Prepare For War to add 20 reasons and bump them over the line so they'll agree to help. But if you go to declare war and they have 20 or more reasons deficit for helping you, yeah, they're still not gonna help you.

Though, depending on how many favors you've built up and what their trust is, you might still be able to push them over the line burning favors to raise trust, because trust also adds reasons. Situational.

[Marquoz]

Originally posted by cayenne_spicy:

Hey, you can use Prepare For War to add 10 reasons and bump them over the line so they'll agree to help. But if you go to declare war and they have 10 or more reasons deficit for helping you, yeah, they're still not gonna help you.

+20, but otherwise, yes.

[cayenne_spicy]

Originally posted by Marquoz:

Originally posted by cayenne_spicy:

Hey, you can use Prepare For War to add 10 reasons and bump them over the line so they'll agree to help. But if you go to declare war and they have 10 or more reasons deficit for helping you, yeah, they're still not gonna help you.

+20, but otherwise, yes.

Tired brain did the "10 favors? 10 reasons!!" math I think. Fixed.

[Hussar]

Okay, I've been armed with a bit more knowledge and am more dangerous. Thank you for your detailed explanations!!!