Imperial Authority

Imperial Authority is a resource and mechanic exclusive to Reikland and Wissenland & Nuln, and any other Empire factions that manage to hold on one of the Empire core provinces.
Warning: This article is out of date with the 5.0 patch.
Imperial Authority is a measure of how many of the Empire's home provinces are occupied by factions belonging to it. Imperial Authority is based on the amount settlements with "Empire Region" icon that the Empire factions own. Marienburg does not count towards the Imperial Authority. 
Imperial Authority becomes available for Empire factions that begin campaign outside of the Empire once they occupy regions within it such as Cult of Sigmar, The Golden Order and the Huntmarshal's Expedition. 
==Features==
Imperial Authority: Empire players can extend their authority across the empire by engaging in internal politics and quelling agitators in their efforts to confederate or go to war with the Elector Counts leading other major Empire factions. Most of these are very outdated and exclusive to Reikland with the 5.0 Patch.
*Prestige: Prestige can be used to manage the player’s Imperial Authority, and is acquired through winning battles and constructing ever-more impressive edifices along with powerful Electoral Machinations (Emperor's Decrees and Diplomatic Talks).
*Fealty: Fealty is an overall measure of an Elector Count’s loyalty towards the Empire and is influenced by many factors, including (but not limited to) Imperial Authority, your overall tech-level, diplomatic attitude, and the new Political Events. When an Elector Count’s Fealty reaches a certain height, they will pledge their unswerving loyalty to the Empire with an offer of confederation. If their Fealty drops low enough however, they may secede from the Empire altogether.
*Summon the Elector Counts!: The new Elector Counts panel displays the characters which occupy Elector Count roles and tracks their Fealty towards the Empire. Should you own an Empire State’s capital city, you can assign a character as its Elector Count (for example, you may own Bechafen in Ostermark, and choose to assign Wolfram Hertwig to the position). This will unlock one of the legendary Runefang weapons (The Ostermark Runefang: Troll Cleaver in this case), and grants access to an elite, unique Empire unit variant (Ostermark grants the Knights of the Everlasting Light). 
*Political Events: Political Events are a new type of event which can trigger during the course of an Empire campaign. These can directly impact your Prestige, your economy, or the Fealty of the Elector Counts – for good or ill! These events can drive meaningful real-world consequences. For example, if a civil war ensues, you’ll have to choose sides between the Elector Counts. From time to time you may be called upon by an Elector Count, via a Political Event, to assist them militarily against roaming invaders. Whether you choose to do nothing, offer money to fund mercenary assistance, or choose to fight directly alongside them against their aggressors, there’ll be a relevant impact on their Fealty.
*Territory: If you capture a settlement considered to be the rightful property of an Elector Count, you may gift them that settlement as a post-battle option, increasing their Fealty towards you. If you capture one of the Empire province capitals, you may instead install a new Elector Count of your own choosing.
*The Empire reforged: Though usurped long ago, Sylvania and Marienburg are still considered rightful Empire territory. If they are liberated, players may install their own Elector Counts there.
*Flummox the Elector Counts!: Through the new Electoral Machinations panel, players can expend some of their Prestige to influence relations between the Elector Counts and other faction, increasing bonds, inciting wars, or ostracizing bad eggs as appropriate. This works in a similar way to the High Elves’ Intrigue system.
==Tiers==
Below are the tiers for Imperial Authority. Each settlement is worth 2-3 Imperial Authority. There are 5 of them.
Name 	Imperial Authority	Tier	Effects	Flavour text
True Heirs of Sigmar	100 	 	
*Mercenary Replenish time: -30% for Electoral Count State Troops units
* Growth: +20 (provinces)
* Income from all buildings: +20% (provinces within the Empire)
* Control: +3 (regions within the Empire)	The Empire is thwarting all those dare annex Imperial lands from the rightful heirs, and in doing so strengthen the enduring dominion of the Sons of Sigmar!
Propsering 	76-99 	 	
*Mercenary Replenish time: -30% for Electoral Count State Troops units
* Growth: +10% (provinces within the Empire)
*Control: +2 (provinces within the Empire)	
Stagnant 	51-75 	 	
* Growth: +5 (provinces within the Empire)
*Control: +1 (provinces within the Empire)	
In Decline 	26-50 	 	
* Growth: -10 (provinces within the Empire)
* Control: -2 (all provinces within the Empire)	
The Nation Crumbles!	0-25 	 	
*Mercenary replenish time: +100% for all Electoral Count State Troops units (faction wide)
* Growth: -20 (all provinces within the Empire)
* Control: -4 (all provinces within the Empire)
* Income from all buildings: -10% (all regions within the Empire)	
== Resource ==
As a resource, Imperial Authority can be gained and lost through a series of in-game actions. Please note changes are cumulative and permanent so peace with Elector Count factions and protecting de jure provinces ares incentivised to stave off increasingly punishing effects.
===Gained===
Action 	Imperial Authority 	Restrictions
Elector Counts reinstated 	 	
Empire settlements returned	per unique settlement	
Missions 	per relevant mission 	
Political events 	+1 	per relevant dilemma, Elector Politics dilemma
Prevented Civil War 	+1 	per relevant dilemma
===Lost===
Action 	Imperial Authority	Restrictions
Attacked recently-returned regions	 	
Confederation 	-3 	per unique confederation
Declared war on Elector Counts 	-3 	per war
Elector Counts destroyed 	 	per unique Elector Count faction
Empire province capitals razed 	 	per raze
Political events 	-1 	per relevant dilemma, Elector Politics dilemma
==Elector Politics dilemmas==
 Imperial Authority interacts with the unique Elector Politics dilemma game mechanic to confederate and avoid or declare war between and with the Elector Count factions.
==See also==
*Influence and Intrigue at the Court, the High Elves equivalent.
Category:The Empire
Category:Unique game mechanics
Category:Mechanic resources