So, who is the *cheater* in this situation?

[damesh]

snip
Warband alone has enough built-in **** moves trying to keep things evened up. A unique spawn *invading army* only hostile to you who has been gobbling up villagers but is neutral to all NPC lords, that's an additional **** move one would never consider. If I could find something in the so-called lore that would explain it, I'll buy it. But for now, **** move gets dicked with a cheat. My conscience is clear.

Obrist Heynrich comes from Mettenheim Renegades and has negative relations for example with:
Kingdom of Pendor
D'Shar Principalities
Noldor
Mettenheim
Barclay
Jatu
Mystmountain Tribes

If you are not able to take him down by yourself, wait till you start your own kingdom and attack it with your own lords.
If you really want to defeat him now, join forces with one of his enemies e.g. Noldor should have a fun with shield-less infantry (his core units).

Wouldn't it make sense if, when joining a faction, your relations with minor factions changed to match those of the faction you joined? I mean, if Obrist Heynrich attacks you when you're a lord of a faction; shouldn't that be considered a declaration of war on that faction?

Player is working hard to befriend Noldor (Mattenheim, Barclay ...), got nice +40, then ... decide to join Empire.

Yes, changing your relationships based on those of a faction you join is a bad idea.  That said, if I'm the king/queen and I get attacked my vassals should definitely join in no matter their relationship with minor faction.  That can be conditional on that particular lord's relationship with you, i.e. it being negative.

 

[Serazu]

From my experience, when I am king, my enemies become my lords' enemies too, just like my friends become my lords' friends. So, whenever I am attacked, all of my lords in the vicinity join the fight.

 

[Windwhistle]

Lord 1: Hey look, our marshall is being atacked by an overwhelming force but our  combined forces would be far superior. Should we help him?
Lord 2: No its ok. They are hostile to him.
Lord 1: But...
Lord 2: It's written down in a menu screen

I've come back from the dead to tell you, sir, that that was the best post I've ever read in my entire life.

 

[JoãoGabriel]

Lord 1: Hey look, our marshall is being atacked by an overwhelming force but our  combined forces would be far superior. Should we help him?
Lord 2: No its ok. They are hostile to him.
Lord 1: But...
Lord 2: It's written down in a menu screen

Lord 1: Hey look, our marshall is being atacked by an overwhelming force but our  combined forces would be far superior. Should we help him?
Lord 2: No its ok. They are hostile to him.
Lord 1: But...
Lord 2: It's written down in a menu screen

I've come back from the dead to tell you, sir, that that was the best post I've ever read in my entire life.

same here lol xD

 

[KiriKaneko]

Perhaps make it so that your relations with a faction don't change but they become the relations of the faction you join while you are with them. This means mettenheim would be neutral but stuff like the Noldor would become hostile even though you are friends. However, the modifiers saved are still there and can change by helping or harming these factions, and if you were to leave Ravenstern then it would switch from the Ravenstern faction relations to your faction relations and you would be friends or enemies again based on your personal relations

So even if Mettenheim hates you they cant attack you because you're a Ravenstern vassal, and vice versa, and even if you're a friend of the Noldor they'll apprehend you if you ride into their forest while flying the Ravenstern flag of their enemy, they won't hate you personally but will consider you to be part of an enemy state, rather like how you can be friends with a lord even while you're at war with his faction