Wiki

effect · release_autonomy

Definition

  • Supported scope:COUNTRY
  • Supported target:THIS, ROOT, PREV, FROM, OWNER, CONTROLLER, OCCUPIED, CAPITAL

Description

releases specified country with specified level of autonomy.
Example:
ENG = { 
 release_autonomy = { 
  target = RAJ 
  autonomy_state = autonomy_puppet 
  freedom_level = 0.5 
  release_non_owned_controlled = yes # default no. if yes you will release states you only control as well  force_change_controller_for_non_ally_controlled = yes # default = no. if yes it will change the controller of the states you or your allies don't control (ie if an enemy occupying it, the ownership will change but not controller) }
}

Hands-On Notes

Hands-on notes are AI-generated and checked against the vanilla command vocabulary — treat them as a starting point, not authoritative reference. The definition above is the game's own documentation.

Hands-On Usage

release_autonomy is most commonly used in diplomatic mods to convert a nation from direct control to various autonomy tiers such as dominions or puppets within focus trees, decisions, or events. For example, a British history mod might grant India dominion status after completing a specific focus, or batch-release vassals in post-war peace conference events:

# Grant India dominion status after focus completion
focus_complete_effect = {
    ENG = {
        release_autonomy = {
            target = RAJ
            autonomy_state = autonomy_dominion
            freedom_level = 0.4
            release_non_owned_controlled = yes
        }
    }
}

Synergy

  • [compare_autonomy_state](/wiki/trigger/compare_autonomy_state): Before executing release_autonomy, use this trigger to check the target nation's current autonomy state, avoiding duplicate downgrades or logical conflicts.
  • [has_autonomy_state](/wiki/trigger/has_autonomy_state): Similar to above, used within trigger blocks to precisely determine whether the target is already at the expected autonomy tier, commonly serving as a prerequisite condition for release_autonomy.
  • [add_autonomy_score](/wiki/effect/add_autonomy_score): Adjust autonomy score progress while granting autonomy; combined usage allows smoother autonomy changes and prevents the target nation from triggering automatic promotion/demotion due to low autonomy points.
  • [diplomatic_relation](/wiki/effect/diplomatic_relation): After releasing autonomy, you may need to simultaneously establish or revoke guarantees, military access, and other diplomatic relations, commonly written in the same execution block as release_autonomy.

Common Pitfalls

  1. Forgetting to specify release_non_owned_controlled: If portions of the target nation's territory are controlled by your nation but don't belong to it, omitting this field defaults to no, causing those provinces to not be incorporated into the new autonomous state, resulting in incomplete borders or even silent script failure that newcomers rarely catch.
  2. Incorrect scope placement: release_autonomy must be executed under the overlord nation's scope (i.e., the one "granting" autonomy), not called under the target nation's scope; beginners often mistakenly place it inside RAJ = { ... }, causing the game to error or the effect to fail.