卫星国

荷尔施泰因在游戏开始时是丹麦的附庸

卫星国，或者说傀儡国、次国家、自治领或者附庸国，是指那些允许另一个国家在国际舞台上代表它的国家。卫星国在政府、经济和其他内政方面保持独立，但不得签署条约或对外国宣战。“母国”保留一些特权，能够与附庸国签署防御联盟和军事准入条约。卫星国也可以在相邻地区殖民。在战争期间，宗主国有一种特殊的外交互动来控制傀儡国的军队。

如果母国处于战争状态，则卫星国或自治领也将自动与敌人交战（除非战争的敌人是卫星国所处势力范围的领袖）。

The formation of master-puppet relations

Formation

A puppet-master relationship can be formed in two ways:

1. A nation can force another nation to be a puppet state by war.
2. A puppet state can be formed by releasing a nation peacefully.

Cancelling

A puppet-master relationship can be cancelled in five ways:

1. The master nation ceases to exist, while the puppet continues to exist.
2. A revolution in either of the countries happen.
3. The puppet rises to great power status
4. A cancel puppet casus belli.
5. Certain events and decisions.

Other than attempting to rise to great power status, there is actually nothing a puppet can actively do to break free.

Spheres and puppets

However, great powers can still attempt to place the satellite state within their sphere of influence or, if the satellite's government allows it, invest in the local economy. The mother country (if a Great Power) receives 100% bonus influence with its satellites.

Formable countries can still be formed by influencing a puppet nation even if the forming nation is not the liege. This can be used to "steal" other nations' puppets by forming countries. The liege cannot do anything to prevent the formation. This is typical for North German Federation and Holstein. If one intends to form a country where one's puppet is needed, is it NOT enough to be the liege. The only way is putting it in one's sphere of influence.

Special Types of Satellites

Dominions

Dominions are countries that are released from colonial regions. A dominion gets ownership of and cores on all colonies and protectorates in a contiguous area, one of which becomes the capital and gives it its name and primary culture (it also accepts its overlord's primary and accepted cultures). It is civilized and has its overlord's technology and government type, but no reforms. The colonial points that the overlord was spending on upkeep are refunded. Dominions are therefore useful to free up colonial power for colonial competition and allow factories to be built in colonial areas (though since they tend to have low literacy, factories will not be very productive).

China

China starts with its own special kind of satellites called substates. They act as very loyal puppets as long as China is an uncivilized nation and will be inherited after China westernizes. They join wars that China enters as an ally, and provide military access to both sides. That is however not the case during the civil war between China and Heavenly Kingdom. The substates include Yunnan and Qinghai. If the substate westernizes before China, it will automatically break free.