It’s easy to overlook the federations and association status when so much of Stellaris is focused on exploring the universe, extending territory, and gradually building fleets and stations. Association status is undoubtedly one of the most significant components of an empire’s economics and infrastructure, serving as the basis upon which the remainder of your Empire is built. Therefore you should be familiar with it.
Federations and association status are essential aspects of Stellaris. Federations are alliances of empires formed for mutual advantage. A federation is a much more comprehensive form of a Defense Pact, complete with its system of policies, regulations, and benefits.
Empires may strengthen their military prowess by creating federations in addition to building and employing a powerful force. When an empire wages war on one of a federation’s allies, the rest of the federation joins. If a federation participant declares war, the other empires of the federation must vote as to whether the member has the authority to do so.
Also read: What is Galactic Ambition in Stellaris?
Different forms of federations
There are five different forms of federations, each with its own set of advantages. Federation Galactic Unions have the advantage of getting a -50 percent loss of cohesion due to Ethics.
Federation Trade Leagues have the benefit of allowing members to choose the Trade League trade policy.
Federation Martial Alliances have the advantage of the ship and military experience and shipbuilding speed.
Federation Research Cooperatives have the advantages of getting an automatic trade deal between all members, and Hegemony has the advantages of getting a -50 percent loss of cohesion due to Ethics.
Federation cohesiveness impacts a federation’s experience acquisition, and experience enables you to power up your federation and boost centralization.
By appointing Envoys to your federation, you may improve cohesion.
In a federation, diplomatic relations improve: members do not create border friction between themselves, gain trust to a maximum of +100, and exchange 10% of their victory score. Players may give their federation a title at the start or choose one at random; the name may be modified at any time. All federation members have the same hue in the standard map view.
There are only three methods to form a federation. An empire that embraces the Federation culture from the Diplomacy tree may form a federation with another emperor, an empire that has an origin that grants them a federation, or even during the late game “War in Heaven”. The galaxy’s strongest empire will receive an event to form a League of Non-Aligned Powers, even if that kingdom hasn’t had the Federation culture.
Only a Hegemony federation or Martial Alliance may be formed by empires with the Barbaric Despoilers civic. For a current federation participant to vote for their admission, an invited empire must have a favorable acceptance score. Hovering your mouse over a diplomatic option will reveal which nations agree and which ones disagree.
The Energy Output of members of a federation is lowered by -15 percent. This tax does not apply to trade-generated energy.
A Diplomacy truce is established when a member departs or is expelled from a federation.
Leaving a federation grants all federation members an immediate -200 Diplomacy Opinion.
There are two types of association status.
1: It’s a non-aggression contract with all of the federation’s members.
2: It establishes confidence with each of the federations up to 100. That implies longtime associates will get a +100 opinion boost from each federation member, making it simpler to get everyone to agree to let you join.
A non-aggression contract between the Federation and the Empire is known as association status or federation status.
Once you’ve joined a Federation, you can’t create your own non-aggression agreement; instead, you must do it on behalf of the whole Federation.
It improves your diplomacy with that empire, and who knows, maybe one day they’ll like you enough to accept you as a full member.
An association status serves as a NAP including all Federation member kingdoms while also enabling all Federation participants to gain trust up to 100.
Association may be both beneficial and irritating. Unless you’re out cleaning the galaxy, the 100 trust will maintain the Federation well; nonetheless, keep a watch on who your other associates are since the 100 trust is really how empires acquire excellent ties with the Federation.
Also read: Tributaries vs Vassals – Which One Is Better For Expanding The Empire?
Final thoughts
So, if you intend to make an assault on an associate empire, your preparations might be pushed back by ten years if they unexpectedly join the federation, forcing you to renounce your alliance in order to continue your war plan. In 2.2, you may find that association is a good approach to compensate for the distance penalty when dealing with extremely distant mega corp federation members with whom you’d want to form business pacts.
Although the commercial structures might be adequate for you as the host planet, you should begin to court a megacorp early in order to “claim” your key planets and prevent crime groups from constructing on them.
