Yes. IN fact, for some nations, you start out with protectorates. Hell, I even aided my Courland protectorate as Poland for them to expand into estonia. They DO stay protectorates now.
Cool! Lack of protectorates/vassals have always been one of biggest oddities that have annoyed me in the previous Total Wars' diplomacy (or should I say lack of working diplomacy ).
Yep, the one thing I wish is that there was a way to peacefull annex them=/
Also, I was thinking the other day, and I had a great idea.
What if the border lines could move. What if you marched in and took a town, the border of your state moved to surrond the town, and then if you made peace, it stayed a part of your nation? It would make diplomacy a lot more fun, as you could just take certain producing areas, without having to deal with taking the entire state and deal with the civilian population, as well as being able to expand your state. Then I was hit with something more.
Supplies. Let's say your attacking a certain state, and you blitzed right through it with a single army, leaving a long, corridor from town to town. Then, if the enemy snipped it off, your army was forced to live off the land, and could even be starved into surrendering if you didn't return to your nation, or open the supply line again?
I honestly think that would be REALLY damn cool...anyone with me?