The Nomad Camps overran my city before I could put up proper defenses. Is there any comeback from this defeat? I assume so, since the game lets me keep playing, but they make it very obvious you can't succeed while a vassal.

Assuming the mission allows you to, the only way to undo your vassal status is to defeat a Nomad Camps invasion. Ideally, you'd be militarily strong enough to stop paying tribute, encourage the Nomads Camps to attack you, and crush the invading force.

surviving a military attack against your city. might be able to attack them and undo it also. walls and towers can help :D even if its just slowing them down while you get in place to defend.


alternatively. restart and get your econmy set up quicker so you can bribe them to go away

Happy to see that this worked- I built up my army and then egged them on until they attacked (twice in one year!), but I fought them off, and now they send me money. I feared I would have to attack their city and win to not be a vassal, and I have never (yet) succeeded at that.

best advice i can give for attacking is max army, send everything. but that causes them to rebel if you win and be super weak if you lose. but with some ewll placed walls and towers it should be fine.

you can also send in spies to hit military supplies but spying is pretty meh.