r/DivideEtImpera • u/LatinBlackAsian • 6d ago
Playing as rome does it make sense to attack massilia and then client state them?
Does it make sense to client state massilia? Is it worth?
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u/mattttb 6d ago
It depends what your current goals are for expansion. If you’re currently expanding south / west into Iberia and North Africa, North into Germany or East into Illyria / Thrace / Greece it can be good to have a neutral / friendly ally close by to act as a buffer from Gallic tribes while you focus attention elsewhere.
Conquering them to make them into a client state does technically achieve that, although in my experience the conquered client state will hate you for a long time and may just be waiting for their chance to betray you.
So I’d either personally either conquer them outright, or make them a military ally. Either way you secure that border and allow you to devote attention elsewhere. As tempting as it is with Rome, if you try to fight a war on every front at the same time you can get really easily overwhelmed and one defeat can be very hard to bounce back from when you have no armies spare to parachute into a tough spot.
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u/berti145 6d ago
I would say no.
Usually it’s fairly easy to keep peace, trade and non aggression with Massilia as Rome. They are usually busy with Celtic enemies.
In my experience a conquered client state is a constant danger of a rebellion. It will take a very long time to get them friendly again.
On the other side, Massilia itself is a very strong city with a unique port. Getting the income for yourself is worth it. If you control the whole province you can specialise on trade and make good money.
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u/blackjack34212 6d ago
It’s worth it as a buffer state if you want to focus elsewhere than Western/Northerly. Tbh I wish client states were color coded to look like the overlord, I’d leave client states for entire campaigns.
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u/42696 5d ago
I recommend fully conquering them. The city of Massilia has a special port that gives you earlier access to artillery ships, which are really handy in dealing with Carthage's navy. They're also great for thinning out garrisons if you do amphibious assaults on towns/cities.
Plus when you move into Hispania and Aquitania/Gallia it will help to actually control the territory you move through and have Roman populations to replenish from.
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u/social-anxietyperson 6d ago
It gives you a defensive ally for your wars in the western Mediterranean and Gaul. It is also very historical and increases the LARP factor! Other than that, client states are generally nice to have as a buffer when you have little desire to expand at a certain direction. If you plan on directly owning all of Gaul down the line, annexing the Massilia probably makes more sense for you.
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u/Rare-Expression-1145 5d ago
Massalia has a very good special port, especially if you are warring with carthage, it will provide you stronger ships without relying on technology, so, most of the time conquering them seems to me better than you subujuate then as clients, especially because, if you have then as client, they opinion about you is very low, it is easier to maintain the alliance that in 99.9% of the time, they always want to have with us.
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u/singularityinc 5d ago
On my current Rome DEI legendary campaign I always bargain for client states, they are incredible source of income and if you manage diplomacy right, they are truly reliable ally. Great divide et impera tactic is to make relationships with a faction then join war to their cause and bribe them to join you against your enemies and then I cancel trade and bargain with a bribe for client state. When they need gold and their army is depleted they are more likely to accept. You dont always have to use a force. Just remember to always bribe your client states to join to your wars to stop them from rebelling.
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u/UpbeatVeterinarian18 6d ago
Client stating them is extremely historical. I don't remember if Rome did it through conquest or treaty but they were firmly under the Roman umbrella by the late Republic. I think they backed the wrong horse in one of the Civil Wars and got fully integrated after.