Subject empire

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.10) of the game.

*Overlord redirects here. For the game expansion, see Overlord (DLC).*

A subject is an empire that has limited autonomy and is subservient to another, usually strong empire, called the overlord. Their fleets tend to follow their overlord's. In the default galaxy map mode, subjects have the same color as their overlord.

An empire can become a subject willingly via diplomacy; the acceptance depends on a number of factors, particularly  relative power. Additionally, having an overall **superior** or **overwhelming** relative power enables an empire to use the  *Subjugation* casus belli to forcefully make another empire a subject.

Subjects, except  Satrapies, receive a **−50%** penalty to their  diplomatic weight. In addition, operation difficulty is reduced between subjects and their overlord.

## Loyalty

Subjects have a secondary opinion type towards their overlord called *Loyalty* that ranges from **−100** to **100**. Subjects with negative loyalty have the **Disloyal** attitude, which prevents any diplomatic agreements; subjects with positive loyalty have the **Loyal** attitude, which increases acceptance of diplomatic agreements. Loyalty can also be used as part of trade deals between the overlord and the subject. Sectors released as subjects start with 50 loyalty.

Loyalty is gained or lost monthly based on subject's  opinion and terms of agreements; ethics compatibility, relative power, and overlord holdings have a lesser impact as well. A  *Pledge of Loyalty* can also be negotiated via trade, adding  **+1.5** monthly loyalty for the duration of the trade deal; if the subject's  opinion of the overlord is at least **150**, the Pledge of Loyalty adds  **+2.5** monthly loyalty instead.

If an overlord has multiple subjects, each subject gains  **−1** monthly loyalty for every other subject. This penalty can be delayed by the  Feudal Society civic,  Franchising civic, or the  Shared Destiny ascension perk.

 Loyalty also grants experience to specialized subjects. In addition, the *Suzerains and Sovereignty* resolutions -  and  Bureaucratic Surveillance - increase or reduce  monthly loyalty as well.

## Terms of agreement

All subjects and overlords have an Agreement towards each other, which may include certain obligations for the subject or the overlord. Agreements may only be changed once every 5 years. Reforming the government to add the  Feudal Society or  Franchising civics removes incompatible terms from all agreements. Many agreement terms are restricted by subject type, primarily  Tributary, or by the *Suzerains and Sovereignty* resolutions.

The  influence cost to propose a change in the Agreement Terms is **50** + **5** for each point of immediate change in  loyalty; the total change in loyalty is summed across all terms, so that positive and negative changes can "cancel out" their costs.

For example, changing Holdings Limit from 0 to 1 (or vice-versa) changes loyalty by **−5** and thus costs an additional  **25** influence; similarly, changing from Sensors from Independent Sensors to Unified Sensors (or vice-versa) changes loyalty by **+5** and so also costs an additional  **25** influence; however, changing *both* Holdings Limit from 0 to 1 *and* Sensors from Independent Sensors to Unified Sensors "cancels out" the total loyalty change and thus costs no additional influence.

The initial terms of agreement for subjects created by the  *Subjugation* and *Imposed Inclusion* casus belli as well as their starting  Loyalty are determined by the overlord's  Subjugation War Terms policy.

### Contribution

Contribution terms of agreement dictate whether the subject or the overlord will pay something to the other empire. They are adjustable in **15%** increments as a proportion of the subject's income. A negative value means that the overlord pays the subject (a subsidy) and a positive value means that the subject pays the overlord (a tax). Any contribution other than **0%** blocks regular diplomatic trading of those resources.

A  Bulwark or  Prospectorium's required subsidy (*basic* and *research* respectively) increases by 15% for each tier the subject reaches: 45% at tier 2, 60% at tier 3. Additionally, a tier 2 or 3 Prospectorium must pay at least a 30% tax of their *strategic* resources.

## Subject types

There are five types of regular subjects, three types of specialized subjects and five types of fallen empire subjects.

### Negotiable subjects

* Inward Perfection
* Within 60% technological difference
* Not converting to specialist subject
* Imperial Fiefdom overlord
* Subject:
	+ Gains  **−80%** research cost
	+ Cannot form  research agreements
* Within 60% technological difference
* Within 60% technological difference

#### Specialized subjects

Specialized subjects cannot be integrated and have additional effects. They can gain experience to increase in tier and gain additional effects. To reach tier 2, they need 1200 experience, and to reach tier 3, they need 3600 experience. Experience is gained monthly at a value of a tenth of the subject's  loyalty. Empires with the  Imperial Fiefdom origin will become a specialized subject of their choice shortly after the game starts. Protectorates cannot be made into a specialized subject; any other regular type of subject can be turned into a specialized subject through the agreement screen.

Overlord effects do not stack if there are multiple specialized subjects of the same type. The Relay Network effects require a Hyper Relay connection between the overlord and subject's capital systems and only apply to overlord systems connected to the same Hyper Relay network.

### Fallen empire subjects

Fallen empire subjects have preset terms of agreement. They do not allow subject integration or holdings.

### Luminarium

Luminarium is a subject type only possible for the Formless. The Formless gain **+100%** Jump Drive Range and **−90%** Jump Drive Cooldown and the overlord gains **−50%**  Physics Research Cost. Aside from Contribution their terms of agreement cannot be changed.

## Integration

Subjects that have *Integration Permitted* in the terms of agreement can be integrated into the overlord empire after 10 years via a diplomatic action, transferring ownership of the subject's systems, ships, and relics to the overlord; the subject's leaders, stockpiled resources, and armies are not transferred. Only one subject can be integrated at a time. Integration costs  **5** influence per month and has a base cost with the following formula:

# Base cost
50
number of pops
(
10

⋅

number of planets
)

{\displaystyle \text{Base cost} = 50 + \text{number of pops} + (10 \, \cdot\, \text{number of planets})\ }

If the player empire is integrated, the game is automatically lost.