SP - Player, NPCs & Troops Clan defection feels random and brakes the gameplay

[Kumasi]

After wars start reshaping the map, the clan defection frequency is ruining the game. They come and go randomly and without consequences.

I've tried voting against newcomers getting fiefs but sometimes they're the only candidates so I can't even avoid it.
I tried voting for only one or two, thinking that these would stick with us after getting compensated, but no... same thing. And the high relationship number built through influencing for them remained intact! If that was me, defecting together with my fiefs, everyone I abandoned would hate me.

Clan defections should happen within a reasonable context and have consequences. First, they should be A LOT less frequent. And there should be an explanation, e.g. going to a more powerful liege for survival. Or, if it's money they want, there should be a warning and a chance for a counteroffer. And for any reason, defectors should become enemies and not ever be taken back into the kingdom they left - I've seen that happen as well!

The way defections happen now, they serve no purpose and destroy the game. Please address this issue.

 

[Maneuverer]

I recently made a post in a different thread. I think there is a solution to it.

I also made a post where I mentioned this issue. The current problem is there is just some RNG and relation based trigger making lords to be like "aight boys, pack your s**t we're leaving" whenever the king does not majorly support them. There is no reasoning behind the AI behavior other than a bunch of numbers (please don't call me out on the fact that in the end everything is represented by numbers in computers). It does not make sense, it feels artificial and is a weak predicate for a clan to simply leave their kingdom whenever things just don't play their way.

Clans lack any kind of attachment to their settlements. They don't desire to get their territory back, only to gain whichever comes next and then they get p**sed when they don't receive a fief that was taken back and returned to it's previous owner. No sense of patriotism either.
They suffer no consequences for defecting like loosing trust and integrity as lords, their troops do not desert, no morale penalty is given and younger members of the family just go along with it like nothing has happened.

Lord defection should only occur in case of (the more conditions met the bigger chance of defecting) of these condition are met:
1. Massive weakening of their kingdom. Lord previously owning castle/city not being able to regain their influence for a long period of time.
2. Not receiving support from the king or from other vassals. (not relationship over number of fiefs and their already established postion in the kingdom)
3. Being left behind (bypassed) to the enemy army.
4. Being offered a fief and or a large amount of money by the enemy king/lord.

Also there should be a kingdom policy, which gives the king the permission to accept defected lord or should it be up to voting, like it is with fiefs. Also the rulers should want to maintain their position and try to lower the amount the controversy their actions would cause. They can do that by supporting their original vassals. When a fief is lost and retaken, the original owner should regain the fief or a civil war should occur. It is extremely silly to see some freshly accepted clan getting a fief that was once owned by the local family just because the freshly accepted clan hadn't had the chance to mess up the relationship level with the king through the game events.


Same should go for declaring wars. Wars should be declared based on an event or some background. There was a clear intention of that in Warband but to me it appeared it was never fully completed. Some clans/individuals should have the intentions to provoke wars in this order to:
1. Regain their lost fiefs.
2. Avenge executed family members.
4. Solve border disputes. Which could occur randomly or be event based (too many bandits in the area, bordering faction village has higher prosperity).
3. Gain new fiefs and wealth. Could collate with the previous point.

Also, like in Warband we need quest lines where you back clans which desire to end/start war as well in some cases wars could be the subject of voting, just like with any other kingdom related matter.


TLDR: Lord defections and war declarations should be event based not RNG based.
EDIT: Typos

 

[King Yngvar]

The worst part of it is that it makes factions less unique. Defections to other cultures could be removed. I'd rather see clans break from their faction as a rebellion, forming a new faction if landed.

 

[Maneuverer]

The worst part of it is that it makes factions less unique. Defections to other cultures could be removed. I'd rather see clans break from their faction as a rebellion, forming a new faction if landed.

Definitely, I hope the civil war will one day get implemented and will solve this awkward AI behavior. I understand there needs to be a balance of lords when a kingdom growes but what happens after a couple in-game years is just ridiculous, there is no progress since Warband.

 

[Kumasi]

I agree with everything you wrote Maneuverer. Absurd war declarations is the other thing that breaks the game.

I installed the Defection Overhaul mod. It doesn't do everything I'd want, but the game is now much more playable.

 

[Maneuverer]

I agree with everything you wrote Maneuverer. Absurd war declarations is the other thing that breaks the game.

I installed the Defection Overhaul mod. It doesn't do everything I'd want, but the game is now much more playable.

I'll check the mod out. This issue is the most disappointing side of the game.

I am not really bothered about the snowballing, glitches, unbalanced prices and troops. I am not bothered about the graphical glitches, sieges and crashes. This was to be expected but I hate to say it is sad to see there was no progress made since warband on this core aspect of the game.