EU5: Which Is Better—Completing or Solving?

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Choosing the right subjects in Europa Universalis 5 is key to building an effective strategy. The game adds new details to how you manage subjects, requiring you to carefully weigh costs and benefits for every minor power under your control.

Whether you aim for quick conquest and annexation or prefer stable, long-term relationships to maximize bonuses, deciding between a traditional Vassal and the new Fiefdom subject type will significantly shape your game. Making the right choice can help protect your borders and support your empire’s expansion. Conversely, a poor decision may strain your diplomatic options and turn your subjects against you.

Vassals versus Fiefdoms

Based on player experiences, the main difference lies in the nature of these subjects and how they relate to your ruler and laws.

Vassals are the classic type: independent countries that pay fees and support your wars. They keep their own ruling family and courts. Importantly, a Vassal’s loyalty is tracked separately from other subjects like Fiefdoms, and they provide you with monthly Prestige. However, if their loyalty drops too low, they might declare independence. Vassals are the subjects that will fight with you in wars.

Fiefdoms, on the other hand, are more like extensions of your own monarchy. They are considered property of your ruler and adopt your country’s laws, social values, and estate privileges. Because of this, they usually have higher loyalty and cannot declare independence directly. They also gain more institutions from your country compared to Vassals. But note, you cannot create Fiefdoms through diplomatic offers, and they do not give you monthly Prestige.

Having a mix of subject types is beneficial: if the loyalty of one type drops, it doesn’t affect the other, making this a safer way to manage many subjects.

When to Use Which

The best choice depends on your specific goals and playstyle.

For quick integration, Fiefdoms are ideal because they can inherit your culture and convert regions more easily. They’re also integrated through diplomatic options, speeding up the annexation process.

For expanding into colonies or distant regions, Vassals are better due to their higher bonus for spreading institutions and fostering development in faraway lands.

For long-term benefits or managing buffer states, Vassals are advantageous since they provide monthly Prestige and are less affected by your laws and privileges. You can also assign less significant courtier rulers to them.

If your strategy involves creating a large number of subjects, a mix of both types is recommended. This allows you to manage loyalty issues more safely, as problems with one subject type won’t impact others. It’s especially useful to keep stronger nations as Vassals for war purposes, while weaker ones can serve as Fiefdoms.