Conquest victory

[Fistleaf]

Is it possible to win a Conquest victory if you have vassals?

[Ming]

Yes... they are treated as part of your empire.

[Supr49er]

I'm still not sold on having vassals.

[snoopy369]

If you can get them before they're totally worthless, they can be very useful to help research and even fight ... if they're just a city or two, they're not worth much except to reduce war weariness a few turns and save you a bit of military (earlier end to war). And also, of course, to prevent them from becoming a vassal to somebody else and making your war harder...

[wodan11]

I've hesitated on getting vassals in some games because I suspect that you will not then benefit from wiping out the civ, in regard to all your unhappy conquered populace suddenly becoming happy. (There's no longer any civ for them to clamor to join.)

Wodan

[panther553212]

One thing I have found that vassels can be useful for is if you are on a map with several enemies around you they can serve as a first buffer if they are between you and some of your enemies.

[Ming]

Originally posted by snoopy369
And also, of course, to prevent them from becoming a vassal to somebody else and making your war harder...

[Yosho]

Eh, I still don't like vassels. It wouldn't be so bad, but the comination of the added cost and the permenent diplomacy hit with everyone else just hurts to much. Granted it might sometimes be worth taking the guy as a vassel before someone else does, but in general, I'd rather make peace and just finish the crippled civ off later rather then make him a vassel.

[smbakeresq]

I do not like them myself, but when the AI has vassals, I always leave the vassals alone and go after the master. Once you clip him a little bit the vassals will free themselves and then accept peace right away, which really hurts the master. Since you did not declare war on them, the diplomatic hit is small. You can even sometimes get them to attack the master in a few turns.