ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
There is code to convert territories to minor countries. I have looked at it in passing though I have not validated it. I am not sure how you conquer one if these things, since they do not have a capital or factory. Perhaps that is in the code too.
That sounds right... they become like countries... and then you have to capture every port to conquer them. Or, if they have no ports, control every hex is the rule I believe