Stellaris: How to Declare War on Overlord

Warfare is a recurring theme in Stellaris. In fact, as long as there’s an empire that’s not a Fanatic Pacifist, war will inevitably break out. In the case of a vassal and an Overlord, you can declare war if you want to break free from its rule and act as an independent subject.

Let’s find out how you can do this.

How to Declare War on Overlord in Stellaris

If you have been a vassal for an Overlord for quite some time and want to break free, then you have to option to Request Independence via the Diplomacy screen. However, if you haven’t been with the Overlord for long, then your request for independence won’t be granted.

Specifically, you’ll need high Acceptance for the request to be granted, and since there’s a base reduction of 50 Acceptance, that’s just not possible.

It’s in this case that you’ll have the option to declare war. To start a war, you’ll need a Casus Belli, and in this case, that would be Independence. To declare it, you need to be a subject of an Overlord and should not be in a federation of the same Overlord.

Outcomes of a War

After you have declared war on your Overlord, the outcome of the war can go either way:

• Surrender – This means that the wargoal of the winning side is secured, and if you lose, you’ll remain as a vassal of the said Overlord.
• Status Quo – This means that the war has come to a point where the battle is at a stalemate or all wargoals have already been achieved even before a major battle takes place. Also, both sides will have to agree to stop the war.

In the event that you win the war, you’ll then become independent and your Overlord will lose all claims on your systems.

ALSO READ: Stellaris Overlord: Beginner’s Tips Vassals and Overlords