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Vassal Contracts Unleashed

This mod has 3 core components. Chiefly, it allows the player to choose any combination of vassal negotiation terms. It eliminates these restrictions for the player only, the AI still has to follow vanilla requirements. So, if you want to integrate your Bulwarks or restrict Tributaries to Limited Diplomacy, that is now entirely possible.

Secondly, it eliminates locked-in taxes and subsidies, as well as breaking basic, advanced, and strategic resources into individual sliders, as well as adding unity, minor artifacts, and influence as taxes or subsidies.

This means that, if you so desire, you can force your Bulwark to pay you a tax of their basic resources instead, or any other settings on the sliders for any subjects that you wish.

Finally, it fixes the bane that is Protectorates, and it eliminates the automatic switching of subjects to Protectorates. Now, if you're so far ahead in technology that you've researched everything and your vassal is still researching their first techs, they *still* won't become a Protectorate automatically just because they're too far behind in tech.

However, if for some reason you want to turn a subject into a Protectorate, the option is there now even if the overlord and subject are almost completely identical in technological level. You won't be required to, but you will be able to if you wish.


--- Compatibility ---

A few values had to be altered to make this mod. They are:
@protectorate_tech_threshold
and
@protectorate_tech_switch
from agreement_presets, as well as most agreement_term_values.

Getting agreement_presets to accept the scripted variables on their own is a continually pointless endeavour, and a full override remains the only way to satiate its hate. Work on finding a neater, key-based alternative continues.

Any mod that adds or overwrites agreement_term_values will likely need compatibility patching.

Full documentation is included in the mod, as well as a code walkthrough detailing exactly where, why, and how each alteration was made. The goal of this file is to provide complete transparency, as well as make the mod accessible for any beginner modders to update or alter this mod however they like without having to wait for updates on my end.

Mercatorum & Vassal Contracts Unleashed Compatibility Patch


--- Minor Issues and Imperfections ---

There wasn't a clear way to enable tax and subsidy freedom for the player only, so the AI is also not obligated to give their Bulwarks half their basic resources or anything similar. If a way to alter this more neatly becomes clear in the future, I intend to incorporate the update.

The Protectorate changes also could not be disabled for the AI specifically. The result of this is that, in a niche scenario where an AI Overlord is advanced far enough ahead of their subject that they would normally become a Protectorate, that is no longer guaranteed to happen.


--- Similar Mods I've Made, and Submods ---

Why Can't I Hold All These Holdings

Vassal Contracts Unleashed - Maximum Taxation Submod

--- Credits and Thanks to the Stellaris Modding Den ---

NotNitehawk, her help with the `Possible` blocks allowed me to overwrite them much more cleanly than my original approach, granting the player much more freedom and the AI far fewer unwanted changes in behaviour.

Lezzistrata, whom I adore, for the fantastic thumbnail art. My skill with art is non-existent, and you'd have gotten simple in-game screenshots instead.

LAJ-47FC9, who helped me pick out a name for this mod. Without its help, this mod would probably be called something boring and functional like "All Vassal Agreement Terms Unlocked".

MrFunEGUY, who was not actually involved directly in the creation of this mod, but the "Viable Feudalism and Imperialism - Empire Federation" mod includes an origin that spawns 2 vassals of the player.

This origin greatly cut down on the time and tedium of actually testing if these changes happened, and also leaving vassals alone for a year or 2 to see if they became protectorates again or other kinds of irritations.

Govannon, who helped me identify and isolate where the loyalty costs for resource subsidies / taxes were defined.

And Avarice, not part of the Modding Den, who graciously allowed me to integrate large chunks of their "Subsidies Sliders Expanded" mod into mine as part of VCU's 1.1 update.

I hope you like this mod, and feel free to drop by the Stellaris Modding Den by clicking on the big banner below!

[discord.gg]