Provoking friendly minors - is it possible?

[mroyer]

How does one intentionally reduce the national relationship with a minor power? For majors there are a variety of stratagems, such as Provocation, that will fit the bill. I haven't found anything similar for minors.

-Mark R.

[DrakeD]

You can critically fail some stratagems to lower relation.

[mroyer]

You can critically fail some stratagems to lower relation.

Without risking war and pissing off all your leaders?
-Mark R.

[DrakeD]

Why would you intentionally reduce the national relationship with a minor power if not for war? I have done it so I get less happiness penalty to pop and less fist increase when I do declare war on them.

[mroyer]

Why would you intentionally reduce the national relationship with a minor power if not for war? I have done it so I get less happiness penalty to pop and less fist increase when I do declare war on them.

Failing an Annex stratagem, as an example, will throw the nations into premature war if I'm not mistaken. And that comes with the high-relationship penalties. Are there stratagems where failure reduces relationship without a risk of premature war?

-Mark R.