March

A march is a military orientated subject nation, which receives bonuses to its army, navy and forts at a cost of paying no taxes to its overlord and being more difficult to annex. Marches are more helpful subjects in wars, and can make an excellent buffer state between an overlord and its enemies.

Benefits of a March

A march doesn't pay taxes to their suzerain and cannot be annexed as long as they are designated a march. In exchange, they have -15% Liberty Desire and receive the following military bonuses:

Military bonuses

	+25%	National manpower modifier
	+30%	Land force limit modifier
	+30%	Naval force limit modifier
	+20%	Fort defense
	−20%	Fort maintenance
	+20%	Manpower recovery speed
	−20%	Land maintenance modifier
	−20%	Naval maintenance modifier

A march only receives these bonuses as long as it has less than 25% of the development of its overlord.

March force limit contribution

Marches increase the suzerain's land force limit by 1 and 20% of its army limit. This contribution can be increased by the following.

Ideas and policies:

	Traditions	Ideas	Bonuses	Policies
+100%	—	Influence idea 7: Marcher Lords Andalusian idea 2: Taifa Administration Ashikaga idea 7: Reform the Shogun - Shugo System Bosnian idea 5: Land of Princes Herzegovinian idea 5: Land of Princes Latin idea 1: Emperor of Constantinople Majapahit idea 1: Nusantara Tributaries	—	Horde-Influence: Kharash Influence-Aristocratic: Autonomous Estates Influence-Economic: Vassal Obligations Act Plutocratic-Influence: Unified Army Command
+50%	—	—	—	Mercenary-Influence: Client State Act
+30%	—	Tongan idea 2: Pulotu's Creation	—	—

Decisions and events:

	Event modifier	Trigger	Duration
+100%	Firm Hand	Influence ideas event: “A Firm Hand”	for 10 years.

Creating a March

Marches are created from a vassal via the "Designate March" button under the "Influence actions" section of the vassal's diplomacy window. Vassals are usually keen to become marches, and will sometimes ask their overlord to make them one. As of the Common Sense DLC, there is a -1000 malus towards an overlord accepting a request from a vassal to become a march if the vassal is next to colonizable territory, not bordering any of the overlord's rivals or enemies, or the vassal is in the overlord's culture group.

Although Art of War is required to designate a march, sometimes it is possible to have a march subject without the DLC.

• Poland or Hungary both have a chance to get Moldavia as a march through the Roman's Invasion Event
• Ottomans starts with
  • Crimea as a march from 1 May 1478 to 20 July 1774.
  • Tripoli as a march from 1516 to 1710.
  • Algiers as a march from 1516 to 1821.
  • Tunis as a march from 1593 to 1704.
• Any eligible country can get Habsan as a march through the Siddi State of Habsan event.
• Ottomans can get Crimea as a march through the Fate of the Crimean Khanate event.
• The Mongol Empire, Yuan, or Golden Horde can release Ilkhanate as a march if they conquer Persia.
• Any country controlling Kuma (province), can get Kalmyk as a march by event
• If the Golden Age of Piracy event has fired, the player controls Madagascar, and have some other requirements met they can get Libertatia as a march. Requires Golden Century
• If a country controls the right province in North Africa and many other requirements are met they can release Salé as a march by event. Requires Golden Century.

Revoking a March

The status of a march can be revoked for the price of −1 stability and −50 relations, decaying at a base rate of 2 per year. Revoking a march returns the subject to vassalage, allowing diplomatic annexation by the overlord 10 years after the revocation. Note that the stability cost penalty can be negated by completing the Diplomatic idea group.

Subject interaction

Main article: Subject_nation#Subject_interactions

In addition to the generic subject interactions, marches have the following unique options:

Icon	Interaction	Effect
	Fortify March	Build a fort, paid for by the overlord
	Send Officers	-10% Liberty Desire Overlord pays 33% of subject's army maintenance Subject gets +20% Land Morale and +5% Discipline
	Subsidize Armies	10% of the overlord's manpower is sent to the subject +50 relations with subject

Achievements

Full House

Have 3 Vassals and 2 Marches at the same time.

Holy Trinity

As the Papal State, own Jerusalem and have Livonian Order, Teutonic Order, and The Knights as Marches.

Marshy March

Have a march with at least two marsh provinces.

Diplomacy