With this mod it's possible to found defensive alliances, called federations.
For now there are these 12 federations:

1. Continental federations:
   
   • African Federation
     
   • Asian Federation
     
   • European Federation
     
   • North American Federation
     
   • Oceanic Federation
     
   • South American Federation
2. Religious federations:
   
   • Christian Federation
     
   • Muslim Federation
     
   • Jewish Federation
3. Ideological federations:
   
   • Communist Federation
     
   • Fascist Federation
     
   • Capitalist Federation

How do federations work?

• every federation can be founded by using national decisions
  
• every federation can be joined and left by using diplomatic actions in the diplomacy tab of its leader
  
• every federation has its own authority points and its own leader
  
• every federation has 8 reforms to enact
  
• every federation has up to 5 electors that will elect the next leader
  
  
• if a federation is attacked, every member becomes a subject of the leader for a very short time, so that all members are called to arms
  
  • if the attacker is in the same religion group as the defender and the attacked country is in a religious federation, this system won't be used and the war will be fought as every normal war
• war can't be declared on a country that is a member in the same federation
  
• neighbor countries of federation members, which aren't in the same federation, will get a Dismantle Federation casus belli against all members of that federation
  
• subject nations and the emperor of the HRE will be excluded from federations, if they aren't the leader, they aren't an elector, there is no Federation War at the moment, the 7th reform of that federation was not enacted so far and (for vassals) if the overlord is not a member of that federation

Federations are founded by using national decisions.
For the decision to found a federation to appear, you need to:

• be NOT the emperor of the HRE
  
• be NOT a subject nation
  
• have your capital at the specific continent (continental federations only)
  
• be in the specific religion group (religious federations only)
  
• have the specific ideology (ideological federations only)*
  
• have a smaller army size than or an equal army size as any neighbor country
  
• be at peace
  
• have positive prestige
  
• be the defender of faith and NOT be excommunicated (Christian Federation only)
  
• be the defender of faith (Muslim Federation only)
  
• have at least an specific amount of total development depending on the year (European Federation only):
  
  • 2-199 (Date/Years): 60 (Development)
    
  • 200-349: 70
    
  • 350-599: 100
    
  • 600-899: 150
    
  • 900-999: 250
    
  • 1000-1299: 100
    
  • 1300-1599: 150
    
  • 1600-1799: 200
    
  • 1800-1870: 250
    
  • 1871-1949: 1500
    
  • 1950-1999: 1000
    
  • from 2000: 400

AI countries will found federations, if they meet the requirements mentioned above and have a bigger army size than 15 as well as own at least 3 cities/provinces.

Founding a federation will have the following effects:

• You become the leader of the federation til your ruler's death
  
• You receive the "federation leader" modifier
  
• Other countries can join that federation

If a federation was founded, it is possible to join that federation, if you:

• are NOT the emperor of the HRE
  
• are NOT a subject nation
  
• either:
  
  • have your capital at the specific continent OR
    
  • have an alliance with the current leader of the federation OR
    
  • are a neighbor country of any member of that federation
• have a positive opinion of the leader and the leader has an opinion of at least +20 about you
  
• are at peace
  
• have discovered the leader's country
  
• either:
  
  • have the same rival as the leader OR
    
  • have an alliance with the leader (does not count for the American federations) OR
    
  • if the leader of the specific federation has an opinion of at least +100 about you (does not count for the American federations) OR
    
  • have a neighbor country that has a bigger army than you and has an overlord/hostile/domineering attitude towards you OR
    
  • have no neighbors at all and your capital is at the specific continent
• have positive prestige
  
• are NEITHER the rival NOR the enemy of a member of the federation
  
• are in the specific religion group (religious federations only)
  
• have the specific ideology (ideological federations only)*
  
• have less than a specific max amount of total development depending on the year and if you have not/ or have the leader's culture (European Federation only):
  
  • 2-199 (Date/Year): 26 (has NOT the leader's culture) / 51 (has the leader's culture)
    
  • 200-349: 31 / 61
    
  • 350-599: 41 / 81 (OR is West Rome/Byzanine Empire, if the other one isn't a member)
    
  • 600-899: 51 / 101
    
  • 900-999: 61 / 121
    
  • 1000-1299: 41 / 81
    
  • 1300-1599: 51 / 101
    
  • 1600-1799: 51 / 151
    
  • 1800-1870: 61 / 151
    
  • 1871-1949: 501 / 1501
    
  • 1950-1999: 351 / 801
    
  • from 2000: no limit

AI countries will join federations, if they meet the requirements above and have an army size below 70 (til 1600) and don't have 6 or more alliances.

Joining a federation will have the following effects:

• The federation's authority increases by 3
  
• You receive the "federation member" modifier

The max amount of members per federation is limited to 10 til 1500 and after that to 20.




You can leave a federation, if you are a member of it and you are at peace.

AI countries will leave a federation, if they aren't an elector and have an army size equal to or bigger than 80 (befor 1600) or if they have an opinion of -50 or worse about the leader or the leader has an opinion of -50 or worse about them.

Leaving a federation will have the following effects:

• The federation's authority decreases by 3
  
• The leader gets an opinion of -100 (+5 yearly) about you
  
  • Joining the federation again is only possible again, if that opinion is decayed
• You lose all bonuses the membership has given you
  
• If you were an elector, you lose the status of an elector and the leader has to appoint a new one

If a federation was founded, it can be dismanteled by countries that aren't a member of that federation and:

• control the capital of the leader
  
• control the capitals of the members
  
• are in an offensive war with the federation
  
• if the 7th reform of the federation wasn't enacted so far

AI countries will always dismantle federations, if they meet the requirements.

Dismantling a federation will have the following effects:

• The specific federation can't be founded again
  
• All members are excluded from the federation and lose the bonuses
  
• You gain 15 prestige

The leader of a federation is elected by (max) 5 electors. If there are not enough electors, the federation's authority is decreasing by 1 every year (not enough means: if there are 2 members in a federation, there needs to be 1 elector; if there are 3 members in a federation, there needs to be 2 electors; etc.).
The leader has to enact a decision to make random members to electors (won't make himself to an elector though). This decision can only be enacted, if there are not enough electors (and there are at least two members in the federation, who aren't an elector) and he is at peace.

Electors that are controlled by human players can change their vote every month by using a national decision.
AI electors give points to every other member, simliar to the HRE electors. The country that receives the most points is elected. What situation gives how many points is explained in the decisions' description, which shows the election outcome.
If any other elector votes for an AI elector, he is the leader or he gave all other members less than 0 points, he will vote for himself.


For AI electors there are 4 elections per year (in: January, April, July and October).

AI electors won't vote (most of the time) for countries that:

• are ruled by a regency council
  
• are their enemies or rivals
  
• have a hostile or domineering attitude towards them (and vise versa)
  
• aren't a member of the specific federation

If there is a Federation War (lasts 10 days after the federation members were called to arms), the current leader gets reelected, if its ruler dies.
If there are no electors, a random member gets elected.

There is a decision (not enactable) that shows the electors of your federation and which country they vote for.



If you are the leader of a federation, you can kick members out of the federation.

For the specific diplomatic action to be visible:

• the seventh reform of your federation needs to be not enacted yet
  
• the country needs to be a member of the federation

Further more this is needed to use the diplomatic action:

• federal authority is at least 10
  
• you are at peace
  
• the country is a member of the federation and:
  
  • is not a subject country
    
  • is at peace
    
  • is either NOT an elector OR is an elector and your opinion about him is less than -50

If you use the diplomatic action, the country will leave the federation and you will lose 10 federal authority

AI will only do this, if there are at least 5 members in the federation. AI won't kick members that are currently elected by any elector. AI will only kick members about which they have an opinion of less than 0 (and the other way around), if the member is not an elector, or less than -50, if the member is an elector. AI can only kick one member per year.




Every federation has the same 8 reforms to enact. For a reform to be allowed to enact, at least 50% of the members have to back the reform.

1. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • yearly prestige: +0.20
       
     • yearly legitimacy / republican tradition / devotion: +0.20
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • yearly prestige: +0.10
       
     • yearly legitimacy / republican tradition / devotion: +0.10
   
   
2. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • tolerance of own religion: +1.5
       
     • missionary strength: +1.0%
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • tolerance of own religion: +0.5
       
     • missionary strength: +0.5%
   
   
3. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • development cost: -20.0%
       
     • stability cost modifier: -20.0%
       
     • yearly increase of federal authority: +0.50
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • development cost: -10.0%
       
     • stability cost modifier: -10.0%
   
   
4. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • land force limit modifier: +10.0%
       
     • land maintenance modifier: -10.0%
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • land force limit modifier: +5.0%
       
     • land maintenance modifier: -5.0%
   
   
5. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • national tax modifier: +10.0%
       
     • diplomatic reputation: +1.00
       
     • Diplomats: +1
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • diplomatic relations: +1
       
     • national tax modifier: +5.0%
       
     • yearly inflation reduction: +0.10
   
   
6. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 60 Federal Authority (there need to be at least 2 members in the federation)
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • yearly prestige: +0.30
       
     • stability cost modifier: -10.0%
       
     • yearly increase of federal authority: +0.50
       
       
     • the leader title gets inheritable
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • stability cost modifier: -5.0%
       
     • yearly prestige: +0.15
       
     • land force limit modifier: +10.0%
       
     • land maintenance modifier: -5.0%
   
   
7. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 70 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • Missionaries: +1
       
     • Merchants: +1
       
     • diplomatic relations: +19
       
       
     • every member that backs the reform becomes a vassal of the leader, every member that doesn't back the reform leaves the federation and the leader receives claims on their provinces
   • Effects for the members:
     
     • Merchants: +1
       
     • diplomatic reputation: +1.00
       
     • diplomatic relations: +1
   
   
8. Reform:
   
   • Cost: 80 Federal Authority
     
   • Effects for the leader:
     
     • Diplomats: +1
       
     • Merchants: +1
       
     • missionary strength: +0.5%
       
     • yearly prestige: +0.25
       
     • yearly legitimacy: +0.15
       
     • development cost: -10.0%
       
       
     • the leader loses all other bonuses of the federation
       
       
     • every member (vassal of the leader) gets integrated into the leader's country (may take a while)
       
       
     • country will change to a federal nation with its own ideas (you can choose, whether you want to adopt them or keep your current ideas)

If you are a member and not the leader of a federation, you will receive these bonuses:

• diplomatic reputation +1

If you are the leader of a federation, you will receive these bonuses:

• diplomatic reputation +1
  
• global tax modifier +25%
  
• land army maintenance -5%

If you are the former leader of a federation, you will receive these bonuses:

• diplomatic reputation +0.5
  
• monthly tax income + ca. 2 ducats

Country ideas for continental federations:

• Start bonuses:
  
  • diplomatic reputation +2
    
  • advisor cost -25%
• End bonuses:
  
  • spy offence +25%

1. Federal Army:
   
   • land army maintenance -10%
     
   • land force limit +10%
2. Federal Navy:
   
   • navy maintenance -10%
     
   • naval force limit +10%
3. Society Integration:
   
   • global unrest -1
     
   • years of nationalism -5
4. Expansion:
   
   • core creation cost -25%
5. Trade Power:
   
   • global trade power +10%
     
   • global province trade power modifier 10%
6. Supply from new provinces:
   
   • global manpower modifier +15%
     
   • manpower recovery speed +20%
7. Federal constitution:
   
   • yearly corruption -0.05
     
   • inflation reduction +0.15

Country ideas for religious federations:

• Start bonuses:
  
  • diplomatic reputation +1
    
  • tolerance of own faith +1
• End bonuses:
  
  • church power modifier +50%
    
  • yearly papal influence +3
    
  • yearly corruption -0.025

1. Profession of faith:
   
   • tolerance of own faith +5
     
   • tolerance of heathen faith -3
     
   • tolerance of heretic faith -2
2. Federal missionaries:
   
   • global missionary strength +0.5%
     
   • missionaries +1
3. Religious supremacy:
   
   • global unrest -1
     
   • yearly prestige +0.5
4. Holy War:
   
   • global manpower modifier +20%
     
   • manpower recovery speed +20%
     
     
   • enables casus belli against countries with other faith
     
   • enables casus belli against neighbor countries with same faith and smaller army than yours
5. Improved supply:
   
   • reinforce speed +25%
     
   • siege ability +20%
6. God given ruler:
   
   • yearly legitimacy +0.25
     
   • yearly republican tradition +0.25
     
   • yearly devotion +1
7. Unified faith:
   
   • religious unity +50%

Country ideas for ideological federations:

• Start bonuses:
  
  • spy defence +25%
    
  • yearly prestige +0.25
• End bonuses:
  
  • diplomatic annexation cost -15%

1. Fight of the ideologies:
   
   • land morale +10%
     
   • global manpower modifier +15%
2. Conscription:
   
   • infantry cost -20%
     
   • cavalry cost -20%
     
   • artillery cost -20%
3. Centralist policy:
   
   • global unrest -1
     
   • global autonomy change -0.10
4. Domestic propaganda:
   
   • yearly legitimacy (equivalent) +1
5. Economic policy:
   
   • production efficiency +15%
6. Cultural alignment:
   
   • culture conversion cost -25%
     
   • number of allowed accepted cultures -2
7. Foreign policy propaganda:
   
   • improve relation modifier +20%

It's also possible to found the Pan-American Federation - which is a federal country. You can adopt new ideas as well after doing that:

• Start bonuses:
  
  • diplomatic reputation +2
    
  • spy offence +30%
• End bonuses:
  
  • land force limit +50%

1. Cheap, but efficient:
   
   • land army maintenance -20%
     
   • free leader pool +2
2. Pan-American Navy:
   
   • navy maintenance -20%
     
   • naval force limit +20%
3. Society integration:
   
   • global unrest -1.5
     
   • stability cost modifer -15%
4. Expansion:
   
   • core creation cost -30%
     
   • years of nationalism -5
5. Trade power:
   
   • global trade power +15%
     
   • global province trade power +15%
6. Supply from new provinces:
   
   • global manpower modifier +20%
     
   • manpower recovery speed +25%
7. Counter-espionage Department:
   
   • yearly corruption -0.05
     
   • global spy defence +50%

_______________________________________
* There are currently three ideologies that have their own federations: Communism, Fascism and Capitalism. For a country to be counted as following one of these, it has to be not the revolution target. Further more:
A country counts as Communist, if it has one of these government types/reformes:

• Peasants Republic
  
• Communist Government

A country counts as Fascist, if it has one of these government types:

• Fascist Government
  
• Military Government
  
• Republican Dictatorship

A country counts as Capitalist, if it has one of these government types:

• Administrative Monarchy
  
• Constitutional Monarchy
  
• Merchant Republic / Reform
  
• Oligarchic Republic / Reform
  
• Administrative Republic
  
• Constitutional Republic
  
• Bureaucratic Despotism
  
• English Monarchy
  
• Trading City
  
• Dutch Republic
  
• American Republic
  
• Federal Republic