Imperial Authority

Imperial Authority is a resource and mechanic exclusive to Reikland and The Golden Order.

Imperial Authority is a measure of how the other Elector Counts within the Empire view your faction. Low Imperial Authority will not only cause you to lose the confidence of your subjects, but may eventually lead to the other Elector Counts deciding to oust you

Features[ | ]

Imperial Authority: Empire players can extend their authority across the empire by engaging in internal politics and quelling agitators in their efforts to confederate or go to war with the Elector Counts leading other major Empire factions.

Prestige: Prestige can be used to manage the player’s Imperial Authority, and is acquired through winning battles and constructing ever-more impressive edifices. High Authority grants enhanced growth, tax rate, and increases the chances of improved Fealty from the Elector Counts. Low Authority incurs the reverse, plus reduced public order and leadership. If your Imperial Authority falls too low, you risk the Elector Counts turning against you en-masse in an Imperial civil war!
Fealty: Fealty is an overall measure of an Elector Count’s loyalty towards the Empire and is influenced by many factors, including (but not limited to) Imperial Authority, your overall tech-level, diplomatic attitude, and the new Political Events. When an Elector Count’s Fealty reaches a certain height, they will pledge their unswerving loyalty to the Empire with an offer of confederation. If their Fealty drops low enough however, they may secede from the Empire altogether.
Summon the Elector Counts!: The new Elector Counts panel displays the characters which occupy Elector Count roles and tracks their Fealty towards the Empire. Should you own an Empire State’s capital city, you can assign a character as its Elector Count (for example, you may own Bechafen in Ostermark, and choose to assign Wolfram Hertwig to the position). This will unlock one of the legendary Runefang weapons (The Ostermark Runefang: Troll Cleaver in this case), and grants access to an elite, unique Empire unit variant (Ostermark grants the Knights of the Everlasting Light).
Political Events: Political Events are a new type of event which can trigger during the course of an Empire campaign. These can directly impact your Prestige, Imperial Authority, your economy, or the Fealty of the Elector Counts – for good or ill! These events can drive meaningful real-world consequences. For example, if a civil war ensues, you’ll have to choose sides between the Elector Counts. From time to time you may be called upon by an Elector Count, via a Political Event, to assist them militarily against roaming invaders. Whether you choose to do nothing, offer money to fund mercenary assistance, or choose to fight directly alongside them against their aggressors, there’ll be a relevant impact on their Fealty.
Territory: If you capture a settlement considered to be the rightful property of an Elector Count, you may gift them that settlement as a post-battle option, increasing their Fealty towards you. If you capture one of the Empire province capitals, you may instead install a new Elector Count of your own choosing.
The Empire reforged: Though usurped long ago, Sylvania and Marienburg are still considered rightful Empire territory. If they are liberated, players may install their own Elector Counts there.
Flummox the Elector Counts!: Through the new Electoral Machinations panel, players can expend some of their Prestige to influence relations between the Elector Counts, increasing bonds, inciting wars, or ostracizing bad eggs as appropriate. This works in a similar way to the High Elves’ Intrigue system.

Tiers[ | ]

There are six tiers with increasing penalties (reverse tier ranking), visible in a sliding scale on the upper area of the game screen, and which are summarised in the table below.

Name	Imperial Authority	Tier	Effects	Flavour text
Absolute	+1	I	Elector Count Fealty increase chance: +5% (each turn for each Elector Count) Growth: +3 (all provinces) Tax rate: +5% (all provinces)	There is no doubting your faction's position amongst the political elite.
Stagnant	0	II	Growth: -5 (all provinces)	Many would still refuse to deny your faction's legitimacy, but there are the first signs of some grumblings...
Declining	-2	III	Elector Count Fealty decrease chance: +1% (each turn for each Elector Count) Growth: -5 (all provinces) Tax rate: -5% (all provinces)	Perhaps not what it once was, your faction begins to fall into the shadow of others.
Fading	-4	IV	Elector Count Fealty decrease chance: +2% (each turn for each Elector Count) Growth: -5 (all provinces) Public order: -2 (all provinces) Tax rate: -5% (all provinces)	Action is required if we are to regain the belief of the other Electors that our position is warranted.
Crumbling	-7	V	Elector Count Fealty decrease chance: +5% (each turn for each Elector Count) Growth: -8 (all provinces) Leadership: -5 (all armies) Public order: -4 (all provinces) Tax rate: -10% (all provinces)	Everything has begun to fall apart, we must now fight for our political lives, before it is too late.
Calamitous	-10	VI	Civil War (All Elector Counts declare war on you!)	By Sigmar, our faction's end is here. The other Electors see you as nothing but a target now.

Resource[ | ]

As a resource, Imperial Authority can be gained and lost through a series of in-game actions. Please note changes are cumulative and permanent so peace with Elector Count factions and protecting de jure provinces ares incentivised to stave off increasingly punishing effects.

Gained[ | ]

Action	Imperial Authority	Restrictions
Elector Counts reinstated	+2
Empire settlements returned	+1	per unique settlement
Missions	+1	per relevant mission
Political events	+1	per relevant dilemma, Elector Politics dilemma
Prevented Civil War	+1	per relevant dilemma

Lost[ | ]

Action	Imperial Authority	Restrictions
Attacked recently-returned regions
Confederation	-3	per unique confederation
Declared war on Elector Counts	-3	per war
Elector Counts destroyed		per unique Elector Count faction
Empire province capitals razed		per raze
Political events	-1	per relevant dilemma, Elector Politics dilemma

Elector Politics dilemmas[ | ]

Imperial Authority interacts with the unique Elector Politics dilemma game mechanic to confederate and avoid or declare war between and with the Elector Count factions.