What is the purpose of claims?

[Lucid]

I'm not really understanding them.

I thought they would generate influence when I captured them. but instead it just took resources away. It's cheaper towards the boarder, but that's what I'm going to invade anyway. So why lay a claim on it? I get in a weird scenario that if you're losing making you can make out to some territory. But if you're losing why would the enemy agree to the claims.

The only thing is that it makes the diplomacy more negative (which is good for me to create rivals, etc). But that's about it. and on further note there doesn't seem to be many ways for me to generate influence, except a few traditions, and making rivals. The factions give dismally very little, even if you promote them and do their goals (mine are warlike).

Can someone explain the claim system and how it's supposed to be used (for militarism expansionist empires).

[Elitewrecker PT]

The claimed systems are what you can actually get after the end of the war.
Systems that aren't claimed are returned after the end of a war.
Just like normal starbase claiming, the farther from your territory the more expensive it is.

[Lucid]

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

The claimed systems are what you can actually get after the end of the war.
Systems that aren't claimed are returned after the end of a war.
Just like normal starbase claiming, the farther from your territory the more expensive it is.

Wait, so when you conquer you don't get it?

I swear I got a couple of systems and did not claim them. Now I not so sure. I was playing a lot last night. How can you make claims if you can't see it. Often times I get into a situation where I cannot make claims because of course I'm becoming hostile and they close the boarder. There's probably a sequence of steps conquering civs go about this and I'm just missing something.

Is there more ways to gain influence because I maximize traditions. I'm not sure what else I can do. I guess having a deficit harms it?

[Elitewrecker PT]

A late game unity edict for +5.
Pleasing your factions.
Designating Rivals.
Having protectorates.
Avoiding advanced treaties.
Avoiding influencing factions (promoting, suppressing).

[Elitewrecker PT]

You can make more claims during a War but they cost double.
If you don't have Intel on a system you have to set spy networks or use the gathering information spy operation to gain vision and be able to claim them before declaring war and going there in person.

If you have access to total wars you don't have to claim systems, during those wars captured territory immediately switches ownership (but you have to invade colonies too or the system doesn't count as being occupied).

[Lucid]

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

You can make more claims during a War but they cost double.
If you don't have Intel on a system you have to set spy networks or use the gathering information spy operation to gain vision and be able to claim them before declaring war and going there in person.

If you have access to total wars you don't have to claim systems, during those wars captured territory immediately switches ownership (but you have to invade colonies too or the system doesn't count as being occupied).

I don't have anything except gather intel since I don't own nemesis. Is that the operation you're talking about.

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

A late game unity edict for +5.
Pleasing your factions.
Designating Rivals.
Having protectorates.
Avoiding advanced treaties.
Avoiding influencing factions (promoting, suppressing).

I do please my factions and getting rivals but the increase is so small. Is a negative deficit in resources also a cause? And empire sprawl deficit? I guess I shouldn't have taken non-aggression packs. It must've stopped it (I'm playing a Human xenophobic Imperialist Nationalist faction so you probably guess what sort of traits, etc I picked.

[Xaphnir]

Originally posted by Lucid:

I don't have anything except gather intel since I don't own nemesis. Is that the operation you're talking about.

Yes, just building a spy network and increasing its intel level will eventually discover all their systems.

Originally posted by Lucid:

I do please my factions and getting rivals but the increase is so small. Is a negative deficit in resources also a cause? And empire sprawl deficit? I guess I shouldn't have taken non-aggression packs. It must've stopped it (I'm playing a Human xenophobic Imperialist Nationalist faction so you probably guess what sort of traits, etc I picked.

There's no influence penalty for having a resource shortage, unless one of your factions has a happiness penalty for having a resource shortage (though resource shortages come with severe penalties in other forms and should be avoided at all costs). Neither is there an influence cost for empire sprawl going over your capacity.

Influence is a relatively limited resource compared to other resources, and so you should be mindful of what you spend it on.

[Lucid]

Originally posted by Xaphnir:

Originally posted by Lucid:

I don't have anything except gather intel since I don't own nemesis. Is that the operation you're talking about.

Yes, just building a spy network and increasing its intel level will eventually discover all their systems.

Originally posted by Lucid:

I do please my factions and getting rivals but the increase is so small. Is a negative deficit in resources also a cause? And empire sprawl deficit? I guess I shouldn't have taken non-aggression packs. It must've stopped it (I'm playing a Human xenophobic Imperialist Nationalist faction so you probably guess what sort of traits, etc I picked.

There's no influence penalty for having a resource shortage, unless one of your factions has a happiness penalty for having a resource shortage (though resource shortages come with severe penalties in other forms and should be avoided at all costs). Neither is there an influence cost for empire sprawl going over your capacity.

Influence is a relatively limited resource compared to other resources, and so you should be mindful of what you spend it on.

How are you supposed to conquer the galaxy? Doing claims is just not feasible. Just watched a video about extermination/purification. But it doesn't seem like claims can really help you conquer.

[Elitewrecker PT]

By claiming, or using total war (easiest way), or subjugating and integrating.
What do you mean claims don't help, they're THE way of conquering via war outside total wars.
Later in the game you'll have 10 or more monthly influence and you can change your diplomatic stance for cheaper claims.

[Lucid]

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

By claiming, or using total war (easiest way), or subjugating and integrating.
What do you mean claims don't help, they're THE way of conquering via war outside total wars.
Later in the game you'll have 10 or more monthly influence and you can change your diplomatic stance for cheaper claims.

They're too expensive and I become bankrupt when it comes to influence. In factm mid- game, I get a negative modifier. I just don't get enough to make purchase "claims" to really conquer.

[Ryika]

If you want to conquer a lot, you need to gather up all the claim cost reductions you can.

The Wiki has a list of all that exist:
https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Warfare#Claims

If you're playing an empire that doesn't have those cost reductions, the way to conquer a lot of stuff is by vassalizing other empires via subjugation wars, and then 10 years later integrating them. Integrating is a lot cheaper than claiming.

[Meewec]

Originally posted by Lucid:

They're too expensive and I become bankrupted when it comes to influence. In fact mid game, I get a negative modifier. I just don't get enough to make purchase "claims" to really conquer.

you're not supposed to go for everything in one go unless they're small. go for a chunk you can grab and defend, peace out with either enforce demands if possible or status quo(just make sure they don't hold any claimed systems). come back in 10+ years.

or the other route some people take is to claim only the inhabited systems, then when you take all their worlds everything else becomes wild space again.

[ScreamCon]

Chunk up the other empires bite size while not losing territory of your own. By the end of the game you will have whole galaxy. Its better to chunk it rather than take all at once as than you get more time to balance the new integrations to your empire ratio to the pre-existing.

Integration works but I find its more of a hassle to deal with protecting the vassal and losing diplomat to keep loyal. That's just my cup of tea, some players really love the feudal empire designs. Vassal integration can get you new territory lightening fast.

[Edmund Greyfox]

Originally posted by Lucid:

Originally posted by Elitewrecker PT:

By claiming, or using total war (easiest way), or subjugating and integrating.
What do you mean claims don't help, they're THE way of conquering via war outside total wars.
Later in the game you'll have 10 or more monthly influence and you can change your diplomatic stance for cheaper claims.

They're too expensive and I become bankrupted when it comes to influence. In fact mid game, I get a negative modifier. I just don't get enough to make purchase "claims" to really conquer.

If you are running a negative then you are spending some of your monthly influence gain on various treaties with other factions. If you hover over your monthly influence it will tell you how much you're getting from what, and how much you're spending and for what. Also keep in mind that you don't need to conquer the galaxy to win the game.

[Razor Feather]

You can make claims *much* cheaper with the right setup, too. Sticking to only the most consistently available sources of cost reduction, you can get -80% claim cost. 20% from fan. Militarist, 20% from tech, 10% from diplo policy, 20% from acension perk, and 10% from civic. Combine with late game 8+ influence a month, and you can take an enormous amount of territory very quickly.

Also, you really shouldn’t be zeroing out any resources with a deficit, especially not influence. Are you perhaps running a diplo policy that punishes closed or open borders? That can drain a huge amount of influence. Most of the game you should have at least a 3-4 per month surplus. If you have less than that, something’s up.