Do different levels of "Generic Win" do anything different?

[ludovic]

So as America, I just finished a 2 year long war with Germany and Britain, which ended with "A peace concluded in which our side gains major concessions and territory", but no actual options for territory or ship reparations appeared afterward. Does this type of win do anything different in game effects from a win in which you only get minor concessions? Speaking of which, does a win in which you only get minor concessions (but no actual territory) differ from a "peace in which there will be no annexations"? Or are all three of them simply roleplaying messages?

[gurudennis]

A victory can manifest in 3 possible outcomes (excluding the white peace option):

a. Revolution. The enemy suffers a change in regime, concedes 10 "annexation points" and offers you one ship to take.
b. Major victory. This is what the message you quoted in the original post suggests. You get anywhere between 1 and 8 annexation points (I've never personally seen 9 but it may also be possible).
c. Minor victory. You get no annexation points, so the victory is entirely symbolic.

The annexation points can be distributed in any proportion between taking possessions and taking reparations. Any points not spent on possessions will automatically become reparations, i.e. monetary payments that manifest as economic benefits for you (and losses for other side). In some cases, you have no choice but to take reparations because no possessions are available to take or they are worth more than the annexation points you have.

In my experience, territories that are located around sea zones that were never contested in the course of the war are less likely to appear on the potential list of annexations. This is likely the cause for the empty list you are seeing. I wouldn't worry about it too much though because it is demonstrably more financially beneficial (both short and long term) to take reparations than to annex colonies. If you wish to min-max your game, you should only annex strategically important territories and take the rest in reparations.

[ludovic]

I'm glad to hear that a major victory without a possession dialog screen will still boost your economy. I indeed usually only take strategic possessions and leave the other points in generic reparations, but this time I am trying to conquer as much of the globe as possible. (The most frustrating part about it is not that the economy drags when you take colonies -- that is why I am playing the USA this time, because my economy will grow nonetheless -- nor that there are often no colonies to take in a successful war -- but it is that it's hard to avoid a repeat war with someone who doesn't have any more possessions to give but who nonetheless thinks they have a chance of victory the second or third goaround unless you want to lose prestige by backing down in the face of absurd provocations that don't stand a chance of success. This time it's Germany and Russia who keep thinking they are the David to my Goliath.)

[flamedraken]

I just recently had a victory against Russia that gave me 20 points. IIRC that was a government collapse as well.

Russia was a junior partner in the war however, so that may have made the fall all the harder.

[fronstermog]

I've seen major victories -i think- up to 12 points, and generally 20 for Regime change along with a ship. 12-20 for demonstrations forcing an end to the war, iirc.

What I'd like to know is if there is some benefit to the "minor territories and concessions".

[hawkeye]

IIRC, annexing points above 10 can only happen, if you take the "harsher peace deals" options on the game's setup (looks like that setting doubles the points you get)

[asdfzxc922]

Minor victories do give you a small resource boost. AFAIK it's about equivalent to one point of reparations.

[ogustus]

Based on what I have seen, minor victories grant 200 base resources and major victories grant 1000. Each point on unspent reparations grants 25 extra points. If an enemy coalition collapses, you do not gain any extra base resources, but if the enemy decides to fight on and you defeat them as well, it counts as another victory and you do get more base resources.