Bactria avoid being “integrated”?

[Dragonrubi]

I saw a vid (i think Danistoned) recommending Bactria and yes seems interesting.

Unfortunately in my first try I did a n00b mistake and thought it was good idea to befriend too much the Seleucids (buffer and protection since I heard Mauryans might be serious threat).

So then I got a message I started being “integrated” I assume is game over when that is concreted.

How to avoid it? My assumptions is playing maintaining balance insults and good stuff to not reach friendship too high (I think 190 is the threshold)

[Rooter]

Bro, smash them early and break free.
You will fight their vassal to your south westish and them.
Pick wargoal on the vassal and take it, peace out and you are your own man.
Maurya will come after you, they are easy to defend against in the mountain passes to your south and south east.
But you want to take Maurya for the achieve so dont be too defensive, only at the start.
Bactrian Armies rock, but avoid the Seluicid legion in the first war.
Watch attrition and reinforce smaller armies rather than having a large one.

[[__h.stickeye_]]

wage war on bigger fish when an equally big fish is trying to eat them.

[Jean-Maurice Nya]

Yeah, you need to free yourself from Seleukid from the beginning (which means war), before the Diadochi wars. As Rooter explained, just avoid a long fight, just take what you need to reach a good warscore and peace out. Maurya will most likely attack you at the same time (while at war against Seleukid like it happened on my Bactria playthrough) or a bit later. And you'll need to do the same, secure the wargoal and peace out before the big fights.
If you want a bit of help against Maurya, you may take a few allies that might join you. They're a good decoy.

Bactria is indeed a fun run, mostly because it's hard from the beginning and it takes time to defeat Maurya and Seleukid. Your first wars are difficult and you cannot gain much territories as you lack tech bonuses to decrease the warcost for provinces.
I don't remember which tribe it was, but if you take northern territories, there's an event that make plenty of pop migrating in your provinces. That allows you to reach a huge overall pop and therefore a huge army.
As for the two achievements, it's wise to reach the "Winning Land by the Spear" tech on the left oratory tree to finish Maurya. If you survive, let's say that Seleukid is more likely to end very badly, destroyed from the inside, the migratory tribes on the north, Armenia and Egypt. So threats from the west should be no problem. Seleukid tend to fare well thanks to Bactria.

[Rooter]

Also dont take bits of regions, especialy north east as you wont be able to feed them and keep them happy and will become a constant drain.
Allways have some defense troops, barbarians seem to spawn regularly.