Subject empire

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (2.8) of the game.

A subject empire is an Empire that has a special diplomatic relationship with another empire of superior strength. In the default galaxy map mode subjects have the same color as their overlord.

An empire can become a subject either forcefully through wargoals or willingly, though the latter requires both a superior relative power and a positive attitude towards the superior party. If an empire becomes a subject willingly it brings a temporary +30 Opinion. If it becomes a subject forcefully it brings a temporary -30 Opinion

If they have fleets available, subject fleets tend to follow the overlord's.

Subject types

There are a number of types of subjects available depending on the overlord's government. Most of them have to pay a certain tribute to the overlord.

Type	Tribute	Can expand	Diplomacy	Protected	Joins overlord's wars	Can be integrated	Other effects	Overlord requirements
Tributary	25% Energy Output 25% Minerals Output							Not Corporate authority
Vassal								Not Corporate authority Less than 50% technological superiority Neither empire has Inward Perfection civic
Protectorate							Subject gains −80% Research Cost towards technologies researched by the overlord Overlord gains +0.25 Monthly Influence At less than 50% Technological Level difference the Protectorate becomes a Vassal	Not Corporate authority More than 50% technological superiority Neither empire has Inward Perfection civic
Subsidiary	25% Energy Output							Corporate authority
Dominion	25% Energy Output 25% Minerals Output						Ethics are shifted towards Fanatic Spiritualist if not Gestalt Consciousness	Doctrinal Enforcers Awakened Empire
Satellite	33% Research Output						Artificial Intelligence policy stays set to Outlawed	Watchful Regulators Awakened Empire
Signatory							Slavery and Purge policies stay set to Prohibited	Benevolent Interventionists Awakened Empire
Thrall	25% Energy Output 25% Minerals Output							Jingoistic Reclaimers Awakened Empire
Scion							Can use the Bring Into Fold Wargoal Can travel through the borders of all Fallen Empires	Scion origin
Satrapy	10% Energy Output 20% Minerals Output 30% Naval Capacity						House a Void Dwelling in the capital system	The Horde Subject didn't rebel before

If an empire switches its authority to or from Corporate, its subjects' types remain unchanged.

Subject actions

For subject empires the attitude is replaced by loyalty, expressing how content they are living under their Overlord’s rule. If a subject becomes disloyal they refuse any deal with the overlord and have a chance to start a war for independence, always waiting for an opportunity when something depletes the overlord's relative power (a taxing war, a larger uprising, a crisis, etc.). The loyalty is determined by the subject's opinion of the Overlord, which aside from the normal factors is also affected by the total military strength of all the subjects relative to the Overlord as well as that of those who support their independence.

A subject cannot declare a war of independence while in a federation. This occurs when the overlord's federation has the law "Can Subjects Join" set to "yes."

An Empire is able to support the independence of another Empire's vassal. Doing this will count the supporting empire's fleet for the "relative power of subjects" opinion modifier, causing the subject to rebel if they stand a good chance of victory. If they do, the Empire supporting them automatically joins their war for independence.

Subject empires do not suffer from border friction and can therefore in some cases be utilized as buffer states between two empires that otherwise would have significant border friction issues.

The opinion penalty from Relative Power is reduced by 50% with the Feudal Society civic and by 33% with the Franchising civic.

Vassals and Protectorates cannot build new starbases and expand their empires, unless their overlord has the Feudal Society civic.

Integration

Vassals and Protectorates that an empire possess for longer than 3 600 days can be peacefully "integrated" by paying influence, at a rate of 5 influence a month. The base cost is 50, increased by 1 for each pop and 10 for each planet. Empires with the Shared Destiny ascension perk benefit from a -50% influence cost to integrating subjects. Only one subject can be integrated at a time.

Once the integration is completed, all planets and ships of the subject are transferred to the overlord; the ships and starbases retain their graphic type. All leaders, resources and armies are removed; new scientists are required for their science ships.

Releasing as a vassal

A player can create a vassal from their own territory by releasing one of their sectors as a vassal from the "Sectors" tab by clicking the "Create Vassal" button next to the sector they want to release. The player can then transfer additional systems to their vassal through the Trade option "Transfer System" if they so choose. Sometimes it is preferable to conquer systems and then release them as a vassal since this will create a vassal that shares the overlord's ethics and government. Notably, the vassal will be granted all its overlord's technology. The option to release a vassal is not available to Determined Exterminator or for species with Culture Shock or the Hive-Minded and Nerve Stapled traits.

Game concepts