Crystal Empire



Before the Darkness
Their origins unknown, the prosperous Crystal Ponies lived in the lands of the Crystal Empire for centuries. Primarily Earth Ponies, these unique ponies sparkle and refract the magical lights of the crystals that abound in their lands.

Everything changed when the shadowy Umbrum attacked. They burned their crystal homes, preyed on them and crushed their hopes. However, Amore, a pony of love and optimism, discovered the Crystal Heart, a crystal gem of immense magical power. She projected her positive energy into it and with the power of the heart, the Umbrum were banished deep beneath the Empire. Amore was crowned as the first Princess of the Crystal Empire and became a wise and benevolent ruler. The power of the Crystal Heart kept the ponies safe and even warmed the local climate, making it more temperate and hospitable.

When a dragon stole the Crystal Heart, Celestia and Luna recovered it, thus establishing friendly relations between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. The first Crystal Fair was held to celebrate the event and became an annual festivity afterwards.

The King of All Monsters
The Umbrum plotted their escape and came up with a devious plan. They put a shadow pony inside the shell of a young earth pony, which allowed him to resist the Crystal Heart’s love, and sent him to the surface. The weak colt was found by patrolling guards, lying unconscious in the snow, with no knowledge of how he got there. The only thing he said was ”Sombra”, so that became his name.

He was sent to an orphanage. While there, Sombra met an eccentric and optimistic unicorn named Radiant Hope. They grew up together and became close friends, while other ponies avoided and mocked them. When Hope and Sombra visited the famed Crystal Heart, they saw visions in its reflections. Hope saw she would become a princess; Sombra saw he would become a monster. He hid this revelation from her and feared it would become true.

The two looked forward to the Crystal Fair, but when it arrived, Sombra became bed-ridden and ill. This pattern repeated year after year, but always Radiant would remain by his side. One year Sombra's pony shell was nearly destroyed, his shadowy insides leaking out of it, but Hope cast a healing spell in desperation and saved his life. She gained her cutie mark and was soon invited to the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns.

Sombra feared the visions were becoming a reality; Hope would become a Princess and he would become a monster. He fled in terror to the frozen wastes, where he soon found a red Umbrum crystal. The crystal spoke to him and revealed his origin and purpose: It was his duty to save his people from imprisonment.Sombra embraced his true self and his destiny. He returned to Crystal City, went to the Crystal Heart and attempted to steal it so his people would be free, but Princess Amore intervened. She tried to reason with him, but revealed that she had known of Sombra's vision and his pains whenever a Fair was held yet had done nothing, which enraged Sombra. He turned her into stone and shattered her into a thousand pieces, never to be rebuilt. Hope, witnessing this, fled to Equestria. Sombra became King and Tyrant of the Crystal Empire. He ruled over the crystal ponies with an iron hoof and enslaved the populace who had mocked and alienated him in his youth. He planned to release his people from their prisons, but before that plan could come to fruition, Radiant Hope had warned Celestia and Luna of his rise to power. The two Princesses arrived and banished him into the Frozen North. Vengeful, Sombra cursed the Crystal Empire, and it vanished with him. Hope was the only crystal pony left and she became a student of Celestia. She regretted betraying her only friend, left Equestria and travelled to the Frozen North where Sombra had gone. There, she found the same Umbrum crystal that Sombra had found, and moved to live among the Umbrum, who kept her from aging.

The Return
Over a thousand years later, in 1002 ALB, Luna and Celestia's banishment spell faded and the Crystal Empire returned, King Sombra with it. Celestia sent her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and the other wielders of the Elements of Harmony, to aid Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armour in defending the Empire. Sombra, in shadowy, body-less form, attempted to assault the Crystal City. Twilight Sparkle and her dragon Spike managed to recover the Crystal Heart and used it destroy Sombra and banish him to Limbo. This deed made Spike into a hero of the Empire.

Soon after Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (Cadance), possibly related to the Princess Amore of old, became the ruler of the Crystal Empire with her husband Shining Armour. Most crystal ponies welcomed the Equestrian rulers, but not all. Some were resentful of the new Equestrian influence in the ancient nation, and wanted to be ruled by one of their own. These ponies were a minority, however, and for the most part Cadance's rule has been uncontested.

Growth and Modernity
Close ties were formed with Equestria and thanks to it the Empire was rapidly brought into the modern age. Crystal City became a center of industry while the bountiful crystal mines in the Frozen North were reopened. Work remains to be done, as the snowy plains of the Empire remain poorly populated and underdeveloped.

Cadance and Shining Armour had a daughter, Flurry Heart, who was the first alicorn to be born in over a millennium. With the Crystal Heart safe and secure and with the economy booming, the future looks bright for the Empire.

However, in the shadows, a cult has formed, led by a mysterious unicorn mare. The cult plans to bring back the King, who could restore the Empire's independence and its former, dark, glory. Whether they succeed is uncertain, but if they do, the Empire could be plunged into a new, dark age...

National Focus


The Crystal Empire has a slow opening, and its focuses are weak given the size of the nation, but the Crystal Empire has the advantage of fewer maluses - Sombra Scare and Equestrian Overlord. The true disadvantage for a Crystal player is the industrial capacity provided to its overlord, Equestria.

'''Party time! 'The Crystal Empire is eager to make up for 1000 years of missed parties, with a whopping five ''festivity based focuses at the tree start. Crystal Strength - This path leads to a traditional industrial segment, with civilian factories, research bonuses and a research slot. Proceeding further down the path will lead to unusual bonuses, including free factory repair, racial magic bonuses and a very strong bonus to nuclear tech allowing for an early game rush for nukes. End path segments are not available under communist / Sombra's rule.
 * Winter Solstice (49d) - will bypass if not completed by the end of the year. It will not fire immediately but will grant 250PP at the date of the Winter Solstice.
 * Equestria Games (35d) - must be completed before Equestria completes the Friendship Games focus, which they usually take first. By contributing to the preparations the Crystal Empire will receive 16PP benefit (possibly a bug). Generally not worth taking.
 * Crystalling Anniversary (49d) - will give a small increase in political power (0.05 daily) and 5% Stability. It can be taken at any time
 * Crystal Fair (49d) - Will request Equestrian support to host the Crystal Fair, which will cost Equestria PP. If accepted the Crystal Empire will gain 300PP. Prerequisite for Past Glory.
 * Grand Festival (70d) - will give a short term boost to PP gain and construction. Once this is approx 60% through the Sombra Club will immediately trigger, if it has not done so already. Prerequisite for Past Glory.

Military Expansion - A standard military path, though lacking in Doctrine research (this is found on the Status Quo path). Most focuses can't be taken until war starts or is being threatened. Remember to take the fort building focus at the time you are actually building forts. Most focuses are not available under Communism / Sombra's rule.

Mech / Medicine / Princess - These three focuses can be accessed either via the Crystal Strength or the Military Expansion tree, and provide some good tech for a high-quality army, including the ability to get good heavy tanks and field hospitals early on. These focuses are not available under Communism / Sombra's rule

Status Quo - This path will focus on maintaining the Harmonic government. The second focus, Mi Amore Family, unlocks a decision to remove the Sombra Scare malus. The central path is open to both sides, and increases industry, research and military, including 2 bonuses to land doctrine and 5 volunteer divisions of 6 brigades each. After resolving the status of the Crystal Empire under Equestria, it also gives an extra research slot and infrastructure (most of which ends up built in Equestria). The table below shows benefits of the mutually exclusive choices, Subordination and Referendum for Independence.

Regardless of choice Princess Mi Amore Cadenza gains Princess of Ponies ( stability, daily political power) and the popularity of the Harmonic party is increased by 15%.

New Order - this path will lead to Crystal Empire becoming Communist under a left wing coalition led by the Red Crystal Workers Party. The focus Democratic Coalition will trigger elections. If the Communist support is higher than 50%, Communists will peacefully take power, else a civil war will begin. Either way, the Royal Family and Crystal Heart ideas will be removed. After some time Stalliongrad may propose a union. If this is accepted Stalliongrad will receive the option to puppet or annex Crystal Ponies Republic.
 * Visit to Stalliongrad will give an agreement with Stalliongrad. This will provide army experience, military factory construction speed for 2 years, as well as enabling the military theorist Wild Veteran. Further research agreements with Stalliongrad will provide armor and industry bonuses.
 * The rest of the Communist tree includes nothing of particular note, with no great bonuses - general research, stability, output, and recruitable population are available. The final item, Socialist Union of Equestria, will attempt to invite the 3 communist nations (New Equality Country, Equestria, Stalliongrad) to be annexed by the Crystal Ponies Republic, although a positive answer is mostly up to chance.

Strategy
The recently returned Crystal Empire starts as an integrated puppet to Equestria. As such, the country's industrial and military capacities are very low. Unless playing a supporting role for an Equestrian player, to adequately prepare for the inevitable Changeling invasion, Crystal Strength and Status Quo - Referendum for Independence paths should be rushed to give you the necessary production for building a decent border army.

Crystal Empire starts with 9 divisions divided into 4 poorly manned Royal Guard divisions and 5 decently equipped regular infantry for a total of 52.5k ponypower deployed. They also have a small air wing consisting of 43 early fighters.

One strategy is to use the Crystal Empire's terrain to your advantage. Since most of your factories will come from completing national foci, you could focus your construction on building infrastructure and level 6 forts at the Changeling-Crystal border. The AI refrains from attacking level 4 and higher forts, thus creating a pocket from which to encircle the invading Changeling forces. The focus No Step On Our Snieg can help with this by giving some temporary fort construction speed bonuses.

Note that under an independence path, there is no obligation to defend Equestria from the changelings, however, the nations are stronger together, and Equestria falling will make a solo war against the Changelings extremely difficult. A Communist leaning Crystal Empire may want to align with Stalliongrad, either backstabbing Equestria during the Changeling war, or assisting it and then setting up for the potential war against Equestria afterwards.

Of course, the Crystal player could instead return Sombra, leading to an expansionist, aggressive path that will bring war with Equestria. For further details see Imperium Crystale.

Alternate Path - Return of the King
For a full discussion and detail on a Sombra led Crystal Empire, please visit Imperium Crystale

The Return of Sombra event chain is long. It will typically begin after about 3 months in the Crystal Empire - for the impatient player progressing through the Grand Festival focus will cause it to trigger instantly.

This will begin a minor "Choose Your Own Adventure" style event chain, as you play a normal Crystal Pony recruited by Sombra supporters to join their club. Different outcomes for you and your club in the post-Sombra world can be reached via the adventure.

The player may

For further information, including spoilers on the resurrection process, please see Imperium Crystale.
 * 1) Join the Club - and personally participate in the adventure to bring Sombra back.
 * 2) Support the Club - agree to support the club materially, which will skip all of the story content and eventually bring about Sombra's return.
 * 3) Report the Club - Join the club, and report it to the police after the first meeting, which will reduce the Sombra supporters malus.
 * 4) Decline the Invitation - the player will get multiple chances to decline, with the last being after the first meeting.

Alternate Path - Solar Puppet
When the Solar Empire forms, the Crystal Empire may remain with it, breakaway, or join the enemy (in a civil war). The chance of remaining is higher as an AI if Equestria has completed Crystal Empire focuses, or Crystal Empire has taken the subordination path. If the Crystal Empire remains it will become a puppet, but otherwise not change - it will stay Harmonic and will not be changed.

If the Crystal Empire does not join the Solar Empire, the Solar Empire may request puppeting after the civil war, or simply declare war to puppet. If this happens the Crystal Empire can be puppeted as Crystal Provinces which will grant a new Focus tree. It will also make the Inquisitor Sunrise Sparkle the new leader. Only being puppeted via war, releasing, or joining after having failed to support Solar Empire in the civil war will grant the focus tree.

This tree will strip most bonuses from the Mi Amore / Communist / Sombra trees, notably Blue Crystals (Free Repair) and the Crystal Heart (PP). However, it will maintain bonuses to Equestrian Integration, if the Crystal Empire took the Submission focus.

In general, the tree is quite powerful, and a Solar Empire player may gain a lot of benefits by keeping the puppet, especially due to the generous tech sharing bonuses.

Both paths share many bonuses, but tend to be larger on one side or the other.
 * The Show them The Light Tree (peaceful option) will give superior bonuses to stability, reinforce rate (+10%), Max Planning (15%), and Production Efficiency cap (10%). It will only be available under if the Solar Empire did not go God-Empress.

At the end of the tree, the Model Province focus will give Equestria the choice to annex the Crystal Provinces, or allow it to remain a puppet. This is a 50/50 chance.
 * The Burn the Sinners option will reduce population, but will give superior bonuses to recruitable population factor, division attack, research rate, war support, heat attrition, tech sharing bonus (75%), and PP gain. This will also enable kamikaze-style attacks (Banzai Charge and aircraft Kamikaze). It will also spawn magical units via the Inquisitorial Military Focus. It will only be available if the Solar Empire has chosen the God-Empress path.

Alternate Path - Lunar Puppet
When the Lunar Civil War starts, Crystal Empire may join the faction of Lunar Empire and fight Equestria on its side, stay neutral, or stay with Equestria. The chance of joining Luna is higher if Equestria has not completed Crystal Empire focuses, and Crystal Empire has not taken the subordination path. Later, Lunar Empire can tell the Crystal Empire to become its puppet and if the Crystal Empire agrees - it becomes a puppet, but if it refuses - it will stay Harmonic and will not be changed.

After a civil war, the Lunar Empire may request puppeting, and declare war to Crystal Empire if it refuses. But if it agrees - the Crystal Empire will be puppeted as the Moon Crystal Governorate which will grant a new Focus tree. Only being puppeted via war, releasing, or joining after having failed to support Lunar Empire in the civil war will grant the focus tree.

This tree will strip most bonuses from the Mi Amore / Communist / Sombra trees, notably Blue Crystals (Free Repair) and the Crystal Heart (PP).

In general, the tree is quite powerful, and a Lunar Empire player may gain a lot of benefits by keeping the puppet, especially due to the generous tech sharing, resourses, and construction bonuses.

Both paths share many bonuses, but tend to be larger on one side or the other.
 * The A Rare Priviledge (peaceful option) will give superior bonuses to stability and popularity of Supremancy, and Production Efficiency cap (10%). It will also spawn pegasus units via the Mixed Thestral-Pony Regiments focus. It will only be available if the Lunar Empire sent Rarity to govern the Empire.


 * The Nightfall option will reduce stability, exchange some generals, and mostly focused on improving relations with overlord, but will give lots of PP, superior bonuses to recruitable population factor, production cost of some equipment and war support. Also makes it possible to get the Modern Society Development level. This path will always be available.

At the end of the tree, the The Night's Embrace focus will give Lunar Empire the choice to annex the Crystal Governorate, or allow it to remain a puppet. It will mostly let the Governorate be its puppet, with higher change if CRY is led by a player.

Staff and Designers
Political Advisors

Tank Designers

Ship Designers

Aircraft Designer

Materiel Designers 

Industrial Concern

Theorists

Chief of Army

Chief of Navy

Chief of Airforce

Military High Command