Should I knock out the Enigmatic Observers?

[The Bored Chairman]

My Empire is Xenophile, Fanatic Egalitarian and has the Charismatic Trait (which gives me a permanent +75 opinion with the FE). They spawned neighbouring me and I read that when they awaken, they force Empires to outlaw Purges and Slavery (something my Empire can't do anyway).

It feels like they'd just end up being my bodyguards. Or can you not win as a signatory of their Empire?

[4and4squared]

Never dealt with them awakening since. Awakened empires were introduced. As long as being a signatory let's you be diplomatically independent and doesn' t inflict too much of am economic penalty upon you. You should have no issues winning.

Of course it's always easier to take them out before they awaken if possible.

[Rin]

But .. each Fallen Empire you take out before they wake up increases the chance that one will wake up. So you might need to be fast once you decide to go after them.

[The Bored Chairman]

Originally posted by 4and4squared:

Never dealt with them awakening since. Awakened empires were introduced. As long as being a signatory let's you be diplomatically independent and doesn' t inflict too much of am economic penalty upon you. You should have no issues winning.

Of course it's always easier to take them out before they awaken if possible.

That's just the thing, Enigmatic Observers only force your Empire to stop Purging and Slavery. There is no penalty otherwise (as far as I know, I've only ever experienced the Xenophobic Awakening, and that only happened because my Federation members were a bunch of cowards).

My empire can't Purge or Enslave others anyway, so I feel like there's absolutely no reason to fight them, unless you can't win if you're under a FE's influence.

[The Bored Chairman]

I've discovered that you HAVE to be independent to win, even if signing their treaty has no downside for your empire.

A shame you can't cooperate with FEs, especially when your factions share goals.