effect · add_threat

Hands-On Usage

add_threat is commonly used in events or decisions to simulate the impact of a nation's aggressive actions on global affairs. Examples include annexing smaller nations, breaking treaties, or launching surprise attacks—adding threat values to the aggressor state triggers other nations to form counter-alliances or accelerates entry into war. It can also apply punitive threat to the player upon focus completion, enhancing the sense of diplomatic pressure through narrative context.

# After a nation declares war, add threat to that nation via hidden_effect
hidden_effect = {
    add_threat = 5
}

Synergy

• [has_added_tension_amount](/wiki/trigger/has_added_tension_amount): Checks whether accumulated threat has reached a threshold. Combined with add_threat, this creates a closed-loop logic for "trigger event when threat exceeds limit."
• [add_war_support](/wiki/effect/add_war_support): As the aggressor's threat rises, threatened neighboring nations typically gain war support bonuses simultaneously. Together, these effects simulate international backlash.
• [create_wargoal](/wiki/effect/create_wargoal): High threat is typically accompanied by the generation of war goals. Placing both commands in the same option recreates the historical process of "aggressors accumulating pretexts before declaring war."
• [add_opinion_modifier](/wiki/effect/add_opinion_modifier): After threat increases, simultaneously reduce other nations' opinion toward the aggressor, making diplomatic penalties multidimensional rather than limited to threat values alone.

Common Pitfalls

1. Incorrect scope usage: add_threat only works in COUNTRY scope. Inexperienced modders sometimes call it within owned_state or unit_leader sub-blocks, causing silent errors or the effect to fail silently. Always ensure the call occurs within a country scope.
2. Negative values cannot zero out threat: Passing negative numbers does not reduce threat below 0, and the game has a natural decay mechanism anyway. To quickly eliminate threat, use dedicated threat-reduction methods rather than simply passing negative values; otherwise, the numerical behavior will deviate from expectations.