How to Defect to Another Nation? (Defection Guide)

First of all, defection is the act of changing your allegiance to another country. You can choose these nations:

• Portugal
• Spain
• England
• Netherlands
• France
• Venice
• Ottomans

But you cannot play as these NPC nations:

• Genoa
• Sweden
• Russia
• Hole Roman Empire

Defection Benefits

Defecting is particularity useful if you need to invest in a country's capital or territory.

• If you are a shipbuilder, you will need to have invested to be able to build the good / high level ships. 
• If you are a trader, some goods will also only show up if you have invested.
• Or maybe you want to privateer and don't want to be in a popular country like Spain. (As it will reduce the number of preys).

How to defect to another nation

Just go to the palace or governing building of the nation you want to defect to and talk to the ruler's administrator (NPC).

If you are eligible to defection the defection button will appear.

Note: You will need some formality to be able to talk to him. Earning court ranks is one of the ways to have more perceived formality.

How do I know if I am eligible for defection?

Basically if you want to defect from a stronger country to a weaker country you should be eligible if you have at least a neutral status. Other requirements may include:

• Some fame (Probably 20k+).
• No quest accepted.
• Less than 1000 notoriety.

The other case is when you want to go from a weaker country to a strong country. Or when you want to defect to the ottomans. You will need to improve your relation with them FIRST.

Other requirements for stronger nations may include:

• Relation status: Trust.
• Lots of total fame (Probably 200k+).
• No quest accepted.
• Less than 1000 notoriety.

The Ottomans also have these additional requirements:

• Relation status: Affection.
• Total Level (Probably 90+)
• Suez Canal Port Permit.
• 10m tax.

How do I know which country is stronger and which one is weaker?

In the past each country was given a strength score that was hidden. So most of us would just count how many ports (Influence) each country had.

It is now easier as Papaya regularly updates this score:

You can find the up-to-date score in their home page.

How do I improve my relation with a country?

Option 1: You may use an aide with the correspondence skill:

• Portugal
• Spain
• England
• Netherlands
• France
• Venice
• Ottomans

If you are already full of aides you can use a premium consumable called "Captain's Secret Notes" to add a temporary skill to one of your aides.

Once you have the aide with you, look for a NPC fleet that has the flag of the country you want to improve relations with.

You don't have to randomly look up for them. They usually spawn in very predictable places (The capital city for example). Check the bottom of this page for a list.

Once you found, just double click them. If you the aide with the correct skill there should be two option: Fight and correspondence.

Fighting will only worsen your relation with that country. So you want to use correspondence. 

As you use the skill (it has a cool down effect), relations will begin to improve. It may take lots of attempts (10+) to move from one status to another.

Please note that the success rate will improve with your aide's lookout trait.

Some estimate 10+ hours to get your relations to Trust and 20+ hours to get it to Affection. Be patient.

Option 2: You may use the "aide officer" system. Send the aide from the nationality that you want to improve relations with. Defection reported to work with all nations (including the ottomans). I'm still to test this route myself.

List of common status

• Neutral
• Amity
• Goodwill
• Trust
• Affection

Defection penalty

If you defect to another nation there will be penalties. It is explained to you just before you agree to defect to another nation.

To sum it up:

1. You will lose all your performance for the royal fleet, if you are in it (You are discharged).
2. If you were in the middle of your nation's storyline you will have to start from the beginning. Same for other storylines line "Wonder Seekers Event" (Or the secret edict).

There is also a fame penalty that depends if you go to a weaker nation or to a stronger nation (Or the ottomans):

Weaker nation

• Lose 5k fame

Example (From Netherlands to England):

In this example England was "weaker" than the Netherlands.

Stronger nation

• Lose 50k fame

Note 1: You don't lose the port permits you already have.

Note 2: You should not have an increase in notoriety as in the past we had.

Note 3: Whatever investment you made is maintained. So it is wise to invest in all exclusive ports of your current nation before defecting (20m for each port to be safe or at least 10m for capitals and 5m for territories). Don't forget the Caribbean port!

No Penalty Route

If you are not patient or you don't want to wait, there is a premium consumable called Secret Defection Application which allows you to defect without any penalties.

Flag NPC List

Country	Sea Region	NPC Name
England	East Mediterranean Sea	Jenson
England	Baltic Sea	Charles Gilban
England	South Britain Island	Edwards
England	Baltic Sea	John Holly
England	Baltic Sea	John York
England	Baltic Sea	Thomas Lodge
England	Bay of Biscay	Alfred Row
England	Bay of Biscay	Gonson
England	Bay of Biscay	John Turbaner
England	Bay of Biscay	Robert Thorne
England	Bay of Biscay	Sancho Cabot
England	Bay of Biscay	Stephan Peron
England	Bay of Biscay	Thomas Gobham
England	Bay of Biscay	Thomas Locke
England	Bay of Biscay	William Clark
England	Jutland Peninsula	Catherine
England	Jutland Peninsula	Caverndash
England	Jutland Peninsula	Fisher
England	Jutland Peninsula	Fitzwilliam
England	Jutland Peninsula	George Burns
England	Jutland Peninsula	George Winter
England	Jutland Peninsula	John Girarde
England	Jutland Peninsula	John Hamshire
England	Jutland Peninsula	John Joy
England	Jutland Peninsula	Thomas Strange
England	Jutland Peninsula	Wiccam
England	Jutland Peninsula	William Barrow
England	North Sea	Morris Lyden
England	North Sea	Robert Starmy
England	North Sea	Thomas Windam
England	Northern Britiain Island	Cochram
England	Northern Britiain Island	Daviet Pirie
England	Northern Britiain Island	Edgecamba
England	Northern Britiain Island	Edward Danpier
England	Northern Britiain Island	Gilbert Hosley
England	Northern Britiain Island	Grafton
England	Northern Britiain Island	Harry Pei
England	Northern Britiain Island	John Davies
England	Northern Britiain Island	Mansfel
England	Northern Britiain Island	Nicholas Thorn
England	Northern Britiain Island	Robert Stork
England	Northern Britiain Island	Rudofico Cavot
England	Northern Britiain Island	Thomas Boley
England	Northern Britiain Island	Thomas Borton
England	Northern Britiain Island	Walter Lorry
England	Norwegian Sea	Charlie Lee
England	Norwegian Sea	Eastman
England	Norwegian Sea	Hickman
England	Norwegian Sea	John Philips
England	Norwegian Sea	John Robins
England	Southern Britain Island	Andrews
England	Southern Britain Island	Arthur Barrow
England	Southern Britain Island	Arthurs Bett
England	Southern Britain Island	Baker
England	Southern Britain Island	Cabal Chantie
England	Southern Britain Island	Cunnings
England	Southern Britain Island	Duquette
England	Southern Britain Island	Edward Kelly
England	Southern Britain Island	Effingham
England	Southern Britain Island	Henry Hawks
England	Southern Britain Island	Hugh Willoby
England	Southern Britain Island	Huxley
England	Southern Britain Island	Jack Rackham
England	Southern Britain Island	Jackman
England	Southern Britain Island	James Lounz
England	Southern Britain Island	Jenkinson
England	Southern Britain Island	Jobson
England	Southern Britain Island	John Buckland
England	Southern Britain Island	John Novel
England	Southern Britain Island	Matthew Roy
England	Southern Britain Island	Michel Locke
England	Southern Britain Island	Otto Spinola
England	Southern Britain Island	Raul Fitch
England	Southern Britain Island	Richard Hall
England	Southern Britain Island	Robert Barrett
England	Southern Britain Island	Robert Blake
England	Southern Britain Island	Robert Wilde
England	Southern Britain Island	Thomas Hampton
England	Southern Britain Island	Thomas Harriot
England	Southern Britain Island	Thomas Hutchinson
England	Southern Britain Island	Thomas Stuckley
England	Southern Britain Island	Worcester
England	Lisbon	Robert Maynard
England	Madeira	Copper
England	Madeira	Fernandez
France	Bay of Biscay	Jack Cartier
France	Ligurian Sea	Ahmet Granie
France	Ligurian Sea	Albero Schiracchi
France	Ligurian Sea	Charlie
France	Ligurian Sea	Fermel
France	Ligurian Sea	Giovanni Andrea
France	Ligurian Sea	Jean Alphonse
France	Ligurian Sea	Pierre Lugran
France	Tyrrhenian Sea	Jean do Casanova
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	Cormenello
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	Francois Caron
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	Jacob Herman
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	Simon Simonsen
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	Willem Hayne
Netherlands	Baltic Sea	William Jensen
Netherlands	Bay of Biscay	Dirk Hardock
Netherlands	Bay of Biscay	Ferhuben
Netherlands	Bay of Biscay	Juan Delharven
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Alsehart
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Daniel Milza
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Fahn Zanen
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Freajius
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Hon Del Veil
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Jan Harlen
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Laurenstein
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Leonard Kamps
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Shpire
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Staiphesant
Netherlands	Jutland Peninsula	Zaihelsussen
Netherlands	North Sea	Adam Filhult
Netherlands	North Sea	Coeckebacker
Netherlands	North Sea	Cornelius Brock
Netherlands	North Sea	Ernest Lopez
Netherlands	North Sea	Guido Benso
Netherlands	North Sea	Harphenal
Netherlands	North Sea	Jan Effelstein
Netherlands	North Sea	Johann Mauritz
Netherlands	North Sea	Juan Elserack
Netherlands	North Sea	Nyenlode
Netherlands	North Sea	Oeuflertoil
Netherlands	North Sea	Peter Nuits
Netherlands	North Sea	Phraphen
Netherlands	North Sea	Raielsen
Netherlands	North Sea	Remy Lucent
Netherlands	North Sea	Rufevel
Netherlands	North Sea	Suedel
Netherlands	North Sea	Watterson
Netherlands	North Sea	Whenhook
Netherlands	Norwegian Sea	Edmund Harvey
Netherlands	Norwegian Sea	Jan Josten
Netherlands	Southern Britain Island	Adrian Jussen
Netherlands	Southern Britain Island	Camillo
Netherlands	Southern Britain Island	Peter Pott
Netherlands	Ligurian Sea	Camilo Stephano
Ottoman	Black Sea	Al Vezas
Ottoman	Black Sea	Amir Hussein
Ottoman	Black Sea	Darla Suin
Ottoman	Black Sea	Esu Sidra
Ottoman	Black Sea	Iscar Jassar
Ottoman	Black Sea	Rahman Ali
Ottoman	Black Sea	Salim Goude
Ottoman	Black Sea	Saliph Leith
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Chemas Rice
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Garzie Kemal
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Jaharn Salim(?)
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Jocca da Silva
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Kara Lumlur
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Muhiddin
Ottoman	East Mediterranean Sea	Mulad Leith
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Horrace Destalde
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Lyono
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Salvadore
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Sarid Azar
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Volg Ali
Ottoman	Tyrrhenian Sea	Wisson Kyfe
Portugal	East Mediterranean Sea	Aphonso Paiva
Portugal	East Mediterranean Sea	Pedro Covillian
Portugal	Bay of Biscay	George Meneses
Portugal	Lisbon	Alphonso Aveilo
Portugal	Lisbon	Antonio Louie
Portugal	Lisbon	Cavario
Portugal	Lisbon	Christobal Lavero
Portugal	Lisbon	De Lares
Portugal	Lisbon	De Mafla
Portugal	Lisbon	Diego Sousa
Portugal	Lisbon	Diogo Ortiz
Portugal	Lisbon	Domingo Manana
Portugal	Lisbon	Don Lawrence
Portugal	Lisbon	Enrico Marioni
Portugal	Lisbon	Estevan Gomez
Portugal	Lisbon	Garcia de Souza
Portugal	Lisbon	Gaspal
Portugal	Lisbon	Gaspal de Lemos
Portugal	Lisbon	Hernan Pinto
Portugal	Lisbon	Iris Corea
Portugal	Lisbon	Joann Castro
Portugal	Lisbon	Juan de Gallay
Portugal	Lisbon	Leon Ferero
Portugal	Lisbon	Lewis Floyce
Portugal	Lisbon	Luis de Firero
Portugal	Lisbon	Miguel Lear
Portugal	Lisbon	Raphael Cerlan
Portugal	Lisbon	Ropo Fereira
Portugal	Madeira	Andrade
Portugal	Madeira	Estraite
Portugal	Madeira	Garcia Alvares
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Alvaro Daman
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Caruberyo
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Diego Corea
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Garcia Enriques
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Pedro de Souza
Portugal	Strait of Gibraltar	Qutino
Spain	East Mediterranean Sea	Francisco Herez
Spain	East Mediterranean Sea	Jorje Spira
Spain	Ionian Sea	Alvelart
Spain	Ionian Sea	Anders Duello
Spain	Ionian Sea	Castigio
Spain	Ionian Sea	Corte Leal
Spain	Ionian Sea	De La Leina
Spain	Ionian Sea	Diego Nicuesa
Spain	Ionian Sea	Florece Valdez
Spain	Ionian Sea	Frei Bellanga
Spain	Ionian Sea	Jill de Lorca
Spain	Ionian Sea	Juan Acosta
Spain	Ionian Sea	Juan De Ricarde
Spain	Ionian Sea	Molina
Spain	Ionian Sea	Pedro Corea
Spain	Ionian Sea	Worthenator
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Garci Algin
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Tripio Salazar
Spain	North Sea	Lawrence Aldana
Spain	North Sea	Miguel Herez
Spain	North Sea	Visualobos
Spain	Balearic Islands	Alonso de Leiba
Spain	Balearic Islands	Alonso de Rosa
Spain	Balearic Islands	Bustamante
Spain	Balearic Islands	Carcisanno
Spain	Balearic Islands	Estevan Ortega
Spain	Balearic Islands	Gomez Lascon
Spain	Balearic Islands	Hugo Mongata
Spain	Balearic Islands	Javier
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan Blanco
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan de Aguado
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan de Aqurio
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan De La Cosa
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan Grihalva
Spain	Balearic Islands	Juan Santander
Spain	Balearic Islands	Lewis de Morina
Spain	Balearic Islands	Lewis Mendousa
Spain	Balearic Islands	Lope Chanka
Spain	Balearic Islands	Medina Sydonia
Spain	Balearic Islands	Mendouza
Spain	Balearic Islands	Monteho
Spain	Balearic Islands	Pedro de Camboa
Spain	Balearic Islands	Pedro de Leon
Spain	Balearic Islands	Tome de Sousa
Spain	Balearic Islands	Valvidia
Spain	Balearic Islands	Vincent Valberde
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Alonso de Lugo
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Antrade
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Bartholemew Colon
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Christobal Guera
Spain	Ligurian Sea	De Valencia
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Diego Galiego
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Melthiol Diaz
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Montessinos
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Ortiz Letes
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Pelaronso Aguile
Spain	Ligurian Sea	Suarez Lendon
Spain	Lisbon	Garcia Obiedo
Spain	Lisbon	Martin Balboa
Spain	Lisbon	Miguel Cervantes
Spain	Lisbon	Miguel de Ocendo
Spain	Lisbon	Pedro de Valdez
Spain	Lisbon	Siesa de Leon
Spain	Lisbon	Vertendona
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Bartholemew Ormead
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Juan Cartahena
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Juan de Sumaraga
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Malcos De Nisa
Spain	NE Atlantic Ocean	Miguel De Lodas
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Albaro Mesquita
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Alonso Mendosa
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Balboa Orlead
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Bobadija
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Carlos Ezekiel
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Diego Arana
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Diego Ordaz
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Gaspal Espinosa
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Hernando de Torre
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Juan de Medina
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Juan Escante
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Juan Gaetanno
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Juan Nino
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Lawrenso Pinto
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Pedro Navario
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Pernar Royora
Spain	Strait of Gibraltar	Simon Linares
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Andrea Giege
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Antonio Morga
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Eloriaga
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Encine
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Escobert
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Hernando Ruque
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Juan de Silva
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Kintero
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Lewis de Torres
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Oleriana
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Philippe Sarmaset
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Ponce de Leon
Spain	Tyrrhenian Sea	Rodrigo Toriana
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Barbarigo
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Callapha
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Enzo Regioni
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Ettore Spinora
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Federici
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Frederigo Nani
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Gianettino
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Grimani
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Malatesta
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Nicholo Stephano
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Santa Fedora
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Soranso
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Valtimer
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Veratsano
Venice	Adriatic Sea	Vernier
Venice	East Mediterranean Sea	Eudicives
Venice	East Mediterranean Sea	Gonzaga
Venice	East Mediterranean Sea	Silvio Portia
Venice	Ionian Sea	Alessander
Venice	Ionian Sea	Caspal Bruni
Venice	Ionian Sea	Coronna
Venice	Ionian Sea	Gaspal Bruni
Venice	Ionian Sea	Nicholao Napoles
Venice	Ionian Sea	Paolo Githrie
Venice	Ionian Sea	Visellis
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Andrea Doria
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Baptista
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Batista Imora
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Caldoch
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Fontarossa
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Giovanni
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Michail de Cleo
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Miranda Verde
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Pietro Conte
Venice	Ligurian Sea	Tonio Roche
Venice	Tyrrhenian Sea	Torgo Grimani

Summing it up

In order to defect to another nation that is stronger than your current you will need to be in good standing with them.

• The easiest way to gain favor with a nation is by having an aide with Correspondence skill to the nation you want to defect into.
• When your status with the nation reaches Trusted, or Affection, talking to the NPC that lets you invest will have an option to Defect.
• When you defect you will lose fame.

Defecting to a weaker nation is the same basic method.

• You need to be in neutral standing with the nation.
• Using correspondence can help if you are currently hostile.
• After defecting you will lose fame of each type (Less than a major country would require).

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