Solar Empire



It is our darkest hour. The enemies of Equestria, the scourge of ponykind, these beast-like insectoids have invaded our homeland, burned down our cities and have slaughtered thousands upon thousands of innocents. They will not stop until every last foal has perished from this world. I have tried, desperately, to hold them back, but the lines are failing. My ponies are losing hope. With every day, the Changelings take another step towards Canterlot.

But I am not done yet. Through every means necessary, I will push these abominable monsters back to their hellish tundra. No longer will we lose our soil to the enemy! No longer will our foals be slaughtered! No longer shall the Glory of the Sun shine down upon these insectoid scum! Ponies of Equestria, take up your banners, rise in the glory of a new day, and push the enemy back! Forward! Forward unto Dawn!

Daybreaker's Origin - The Great War
After Luna´s redemption and the defeat of Queen Chrysalis during the Canterlot incursion, Equestria believed that peace had been restored at last. However, disasters continued. Tirek destroyed swathes of the Equestrian countryside in a cataclysmic conflict with Twilight Sparkle. The Storm King invaded, and briefly occupied Canterlot. War intensified amongst the Griffons, Kingdom of Olenia fell to a tyrant king, and  Changeling Lands incursions on the border grew bolder as Queen Chrysalis planned her revenge.

Ponies began to demand action, and Celestia pushed herself for her failures to protect her ponies. The outbreak of full-blown war signaled a complete failure of past leadership. New decisions, hard decisions, had to be made in order to win this war. Not surprisingly many opposed these decisions, but many more ponies flocked to those who promised tough measures. Those close to the Princess worried she might be turning into something worse. Princess Luna grew concerned and tried to help, but Celestia refused. As the situation on the frontlines became critical and the Changeling war machine rampaged through northern Equestria, Princess Celestia broke. Unleashing all her power and announcing a new militaristic turn, she faced Equestria as Daybreaker. Her new power stopped the changeling army in its track and turned the tides of war. Opposition to her radical policies faltered as she delivered victory after victory. Those who advocated moderation began to be attacked as traitors who sought defeat.

With the front stabilized, Daybreaker returned to her throne and prepared her reign over a new Equestria. An Equestria that would never be threatened again.

Daybreaker's Origin (Alternate) - The Civil War
Celestia's hard choices against the Changelings brought victory and many supporters. Celestia grew distant from her previous friends, ever more obsessed with victory and future threats to Equestria, both from without and within. A confrontation with Luna over Celestia's choices exploded as a furious Celestia rejected Luna's authority, transformed into Daybreaker and crowned herself sole Empress. The resulting battle forced Luna to withdraw, fleeing with her moderate supporters to Manehatten. A new war started just shortly after one ended - the Civil War. The Crystal Empire,  Commonwealth of New Mareland, and the far-flung reaches of Equestria were torn apart - would they stay loyal to the new Empire or would they join Luna in her rebellion for harmony?

Forming the Solar Empire
Celestia must ascend to Daybreaker to form the Solar Empire. Please see Equestria Secrets#Daybreaker and The Solar Empire.

Starting Situation
The Solar Empire starts with Daybreaker's ascension. All the standard maluses, including Stagnation of Harmony and Magic of Friendship, are removed. Buffs such as Alicorn Sisters and Home of Ponykind also get removed. Other buffs acquired from the focus tree are generally kept.

This triggers a number of changes - some advisors will become unavailable under a Solar government, as well as generals, departing in protest. Depending on Daybreaker's ascension path, Solar Empire may be at peace or war. Typically Daybreaker will ascend during a Civil War with the Lunar Empire or the War against the Changelings.

All military units will be inherited unless it is in a civil war.

Peacetime Ascension  - Shocked by the sudden ascension, harmonists will band together to launch a civil war - under Luna if she remains, or under Republicans if she does not. The relative strength of the two sides will depend on Daybreaker's Supremacy support. All puppets or faction members will receive options on who to support or to stay neutral (New Mareland cannot remain neutral). Daybreaker will receive Harmonic resistance immediately.

Wartime Ascension (Against Lunar Empire) - Faced with yet another authoritarian alicorn, nations will receive a new opportunity to pick sides - Daybreaker, neutrality, or Nightmare Moon, even if they were already fighting for one side (New Mareland cannot remain neutral). When the war ends, all nations will get another opportunity to break away, and Daybreaker will be plagued with Harmonic Resistance.

Wartime Ascension (Not against Lunar Empire) - Although her ascension will trouble many, countries on the Solar Empire's side will not act, preferring to fight until the war is over. Luna will flee Equestria. Once it is done, all countries will get options to break free and Daybreaker will be plagued with Harmonic Resistance.

Field Marshal Daybreaker
If the Solar Empire starts at war, Daybreaker will become a field marshal for 140 days if losing badly, or 80 days if not so. Daybreaker has the Supernova trait, which gives absurd bonuses to military strength and the player should make the best use possible of this, especially if they had previously been on the defensive.


 * Supernova
 * Experience Gain:
 * Army Attack:
 * Army Defence:
 * Army Organisational Recovery Rate:
 * Army Speed:
 * Reinforce Rate:
 * Heat Attrition:
 * Supply Consumption:

End of the Civil War
If Solar Empire was in a civil empire against either the Harmonists or the Lunar Empire, they may take the End of the Civil War focus - this will give the opportunity to demand the return of all prior subjects. Unite Equestria will then gain war goals anyone holding Equestrian cores.

Harmonic Resistance
If Daybreaker ascended whilst at war with an external foe, Harmonic Resistance will appear after the war ends. Otherwise, Harmonic Resistance will appear immediately.

Harmonic Resistance has 3 levels, and will worsen over time. Once level 3 is reached, and Democratic support is >30%, a civil war will be triggered after 240 days.

* The times given below are indicative, as they are mean time to happen. Picking the extreme God-Empress path will speed up the rate at which resistance grows. Picking the kinder Empress Protector branch will slow it.

To remove Harmonic Resistance takes several steps
 * Complete the relevant focus in the political tree. This will take different lengths of time depending on the path. Extreme paths are faster - Freedom from Fear (469d) / Firm but Fair (399d) / Imperial Inquisition (273d)
 * This will unlock Infiltrate the resistance, a decision that costs 70PP and takes 70 days.
 * This will unlock decisions to reduce resistance. The final level of reduction will remove the Harmonic Resistance permanently.

National Focus
The Solar Empire inherits most of its industrial tree from Equestria, with bonuses preserved. However, there are several new trees. Many Solar focuses, events and bonuses are gated behind the new political tree, which requires the player to choose what kind of leader Daybreaker shall be.

New Political Tree
The political path offers 3 choices for Daybreaker's rule -
 * Empress-Protector - The "good" option - Daybreaker rules to protect Equestria - Peace through Strength and Conquest.
 * Empress-Mother - The "neutral" option - The Ponies of Equestria are like children. They must be protected, disciplined and always watched over. Daybreaker is their loving mother, maternal and stern. Note the 2 sets of focuses on the sides of this path are mutually exclusive to one another.
 * God-Empress - The "evil" option - Daybreaker is a God, to be worshipped. The Empire exists to serve her and the glory of the Sun. Sacrifices must be made for her protection.

After the completion of one of the 3 paths, the focuses to gain annex war goals on every other nation on the Equestrian continent become available, allowing you to hold a complete hegemony over all Equus.

The complete bonuses for each path are listed below.

The Ascension of Twilight Sparkle
With the ascension of Daybreaker, Twilight Sparkle (if she is not ruling the Crystal Empire) will attempt to flee to a Harmonic Equestria (if it exists), then the Crystal Empire. She will almost always fail, though success is far more likely if Daybreaker ascends at peace.

When Twilight is captured she may be converted into a loyal follower of Daybreaker by the Ascension focus.

She provides many bonuses as an advisor and can be appointed to rule the Crystal Empire if it is conquered by Daybreaker. Such an appointment will give the Crystal Empire a new Solar tree.

Industrial Branch
Remains relatively unchanged save for cosmetic differences. However an extra research slot is available at the end of the magical technology branch.

A Harmonic Crystal Empire will gain the option to break away from Equestria. If this occurs it will unlock a new focus Subjugate Crystal Ponies. This will send a diplomatic demand to the Crystal Empire. The events will be significantly different depending on the current status of Twilight Sparkle.

Military Branches
Army - the land forces branch is locked until Daybreaker can determine the loyalty of her generals. Choosing to redeem them costs 400 PP but allows you to keep everyone, while doing a purge will give 150 PP and remove a general from the roster. Afterward new generals and military high command will be unlocked, most notably field marshal Sunset Shimmer. Standard bonuses to specific land doctrines and equipment follow, but the Mage Army branch is notable for giving a smaller bonus to land doctrine research, however it gives an edge in magical research and production of magical infantry equipment.

Naval - offers a choice between focusing on battleships and Fleet in Being doctrine or carriers and Base Strike doctrine. Imperial Marines gives a bonus to marine research and transport models.

Aviation - gives the option between focusing on air superiority or strategic bombing. Finishes with bonuses to jet technology, rocketry and nuclear research.

Staff and Designers
Political Advisers Tank Designer

Ship Designer

Aircraft Designer

Materiel Designer

Industrial Concern

Theorist

Chief of Army

Chief of Navy

Chief of Air Force

Military High Command

Economy
All laws, economic ideas, factories, resources etc are inherited from Equestria