Confederation of Southern States



A secessionist state born from the chaos of the Equestrian civil war, the southern ponies must now decide how to move forward. Will they become the shining beacon of democracy on this war-torn continent, just like many in the confederation dream? Or will their freedom be once again usurped by forces who would claim their land as their own?

Lore
United from the toils of the Civil War, the Confederation of Southern States has unilaterally declared it's secession from the Equestrian heartland. The nation has claimed to believe in the rights of its constituent states and ponies within them as well as supporting the values of Equestrian democracy.

However all is not well for the young republic, as various different factions strive for power, from the remaining Equestrian loyalists who disobey every order and law, to Rockfeller and his bussinesspony backers, and there still remains the question of what to do with the buffalos.

They have declared the important frontier trade city, Appleloosa, as their new capital.

Declaring their independence under J.D. Neighvis, the leader of the Coltlumbia party, mainly known for it's advocation for Southern independence, the secessionist state will have to navigate both forming a military and political turmoil if they wish to preserve their freedom in the storm that is the Equestrian Civil War.

The Buffalo Question
For centuries, the stubborn Buffalo Chiefdom of the south have resisted Equestrian expansionism into the arid interior of southwestern Equestria. In recent times land disputes between Equestrian frontiersmen and the buffalo tribes led to an explosion of racial tensions between the two species. However, with the assistance of The Element Bearers, an uneasy settlement was made between the two parties which so far has allowed for relatively peaceful coexistence with the buffalo. As of the current situation, the buffalo have been known to be sitting idly on top of a massive untapped oil well, and have shown a newfound fervor to maintain independence since the start of the Civil War, even retaking some of their lost territories. Now the Confederation must make a choice on how to resolve the issue of these stubborn tribals and what their fate will be in the new southern states. Friends or foes?

The Northern War
War rages in the north between supporters of Celestia and Luna. Though the outcome may be of great importance to the fate of the States, they do not have the power from their starting position to intervene in the conflict.

The State of the Nation
At its inception, the Confederation is made up of people disgruntled with the overreaching and in their eyes, inadequate or misrepresenting influence of the Canterlot government. The first task of the new state is to decide how their country should be run, whoever assumes this position will also have to contend with the issue of the lack of a centralized military and the generally undeveloped Southern economy, balancing needed prosperity with the constant threat of either Celestia or Nightmare Moon deciding they want their wayward province back.

Gameplay and Strategy
With our newly declared independence, various problems within the confederation will need to be addressed.

Loyalist Disobedience
As soon as the Confederacy was formed, loyalists to Equestria immediately started pushing for reintegration into the heartland. While electable later on, for all other parties they will be a constant thorn in the side of the country until they are dealt with. The higher the percentage of celestial loyalists, the greater the debuff will be on the nation. This number can go up and down depending on choices made in events.

There is, however, a way to remove this problem. Hiring Burning Banner as an advisor will allow you to take a repeatable decision to lower the number of celestial loyalists, eventually getting rid of them completely.

Confederate Constitution Convention
The first matter at hoof is to create a new, fair constitution for the Confederation. However, various issues and topics are bound to rise during it's making, and various sides have different ideas as to how to approach them.


 * Amendment 1:On the status of sympathizers with foreign Sovereigns.

This amendment would make it illegal to propose or advocate, that the Confederation be placed as a subject under foreign ruler.


 * Add the amendment - Royalism will be made illegal, and cannot exercise political power. Royalist will lose 5% influence and you will lose 5% stability. Blocks the royalist path.
 * Refuse the amendment - Royalist will be able to exercise political power. Royalist gain 5% influence.

The amendment would make it possible for anypony to own private firearms. However, many pointed out that allowing the enemies of the state to acquire firearms in this fragile political environment would be a bad move, and that it instead be changed, so that only those proven trustworthy and loyal be allowed to own firearms.
 * Amendment 2:On the right to private ownership of firearms.


 * Add the amendment - The proposal passes without alteration. Gain 5% base stability and 50 political power. Unlocks "The Right To Bear Arms" Army path.
 * Amend the amendment - The amendment passes with alteration. Lose 10% base stability and 50 political power. Unlocks "The National Security Act" Army path.

This amendment will make all previous regulations set in place by the Canterlot administration irrelevant. However, there are voices calling for at least some of them to be left in place, to allow a balanced economy. Some of the more extreme ones have called for the amendment to be scrapped entirely and for the regulations to stay as they were.
 * Amendment 3:On the continuity of prior state laws in the new Republic.


 * Add the amendment - Royalist will gain 10% influence. Will unlock the "No Regulations, No Limits" economy path.
 * Alter the amendment - Royalist will gain 5% influence. Lose 30 political power. Gains national spirit "Moderate Regulation", which grants +0.10 political power cost, 3% consumer goods and +5% construction speed. Unlocks "The Sober Middle Ground" economy path.
 * Scrap the amendment - Lose 5% stability and 50 political power. Gains national spirit "Heavy Regulation", which grants +0.15 political power cost, 6% consumer goods and +10% construction speed. Unlocks the "Top-Down Regulation" economy path.

National Focus


The Confederation's focus tree consists of four major components at the start: a political tree, an army tree, a economic tree, and a small air and navy tree. Each political path is associated with an additional more advanced political tree, which is unlocked and revealed underneath the original political tree after the First Elections are completed.

Initially, all trees are locked save for the political tree. Starting the first focus "Confederate Constitutional Convention" will launch the constitutional convention events seen above. Finishing the focus will unlock all other trees.

The First Election
There are three major parties that can win the first Confederate election. The royalist Equestrian Sun Party, the neutral pro-independence Coltlumbia Party, and the harmonist pro-Independence Harmony-Unity Party. The Equestrian Sun Party will not be available if they are banned in Amendment 1.

For the Republic
With the Harmony-Unity Party winning the elections, the South will keep good relations with its former homeland while remaining an independent state in the world. The Harmony Independence path allows you to create a faction quickly in your political tree, the Republican Confederacy. You can invite Las Pegasus and certain victors from the South-East war, once the conflict has concluded into your faction, and gain bonuses from them if they accept. Another branch allows you to choose between aiding Equestria in their war by sending guns and volunteers, or staying out of their conflicts entirely granting bonuses to your attack and defense on core territory. The last branch will open once either Equestria has won the civil war or the Lunar Empire has won and gone benevolent, which can give bonuses and a guarantee if they accept.

O Ubi Campi Felici
The Coltlumbia Party, the fathers of independence have won the elections. Guiding the Confederacy to a new path free from any other nation, it is time for the southerners to know liberty and freedom.

After dealing with Rockfeller and the Harmonists, the Coltlumbia party has three options in terms of diplomacy. Keep Your Hooves To Yourself, an isolationist path with no diplomatic interaction and powerful buffs that should make any potential invasions into your land difficult. Extend The Confederation, which creates the Equestrian Confederacy faction and invites Las Pegasus and certain South-East nations, as well as positive national spirits to everyone who joins the faction. And Manifesting Destiny, the expansion path which allows you to seize the Rockville strip and take Las Pegasus, annex the South-East from whoever is left and core the states of Stableside, Baltimare and Tenochtitlan, and fight the United Dragon Isles.

Loyal to the Queen
Braeburn and the loyalist Equestrian Sun Party have won the elections, signaling a return to Equestria and the upholding of Harmony. How they will aid their former homeland, however, remains to be seen. Loyal to the Queen has two options: the first has Equestria annex you and end the game, and the second will have Equestria puppet you and will most likely call you into whatever war they may be fighting at the moment, usually against the Lunar Empire. The tree is short but gives substantial buffs geared towards winning the war fighting alongside your overlord.

Once the civil war is over, the other section is decided by what happened to Equestria. Should they have won the civil war, you get even more buffs that eventually result in breaking free from Equestria but remaining in the United Ponies Alliance. The two nations will be friends until the end of time, with the South being a loyal ally to the Princess.

If Equestria fell against its enemies, whether it be against the Lunar Empire or against the  Changeling Lands, you will instead begin preparing for war against whoever defeated them. Bonuses include increases to your conscription and economic laws, forming a faction and inviting all the breakaways including New Mareland and the Crystal Empire, and either a major bonus to fighting on core territory or seizing the Rockville Strip before finally gaining the war goal on whoever owns Canterlot.

Rockfeller in Command
Once the Coltlumbia Party has won the election, Rockfeller can begin his coup to take over the country in the decisions tab. However, it will require preparation to succedd, in the form of ensuring that the Right to Bear Arms is restricted to the Loyal in the Second Amendment and either Control the Press, Bribe the Senators or ensure that there are no restrictions on the Barons' power in the Third Amendment which are all done via events. When the time is right, Rockfeller will coup leadership of the Coltlumbia Party and make the South a true haven of freedom and riches.

After he stabilizes the political situation by dealing with his enemies, Rockfeller has four main sections for his various goals: ensure the continued existence of the south, conquer Las Pegasus and the Southeast, and create the "Golden Horseshoe" idea in Zebrica. Ensuring the safety of the South includes bonuses in defensive combat against both the Lunar Empire and Equestria, fort lines, and an offer of oil to the Changeling Lands in exchange for a guarantee, which will also mean the Changelings will not declare on you in the Great War. The second and third sections allow you to seize the Rockville Strip and Las Pegasus, as well as the Southeast for their respective paths. Finally, to start your adventures in Zebrica you must be at peace and either the Civil War must still be raging or a Changeling Lands which has guaranteed your independence must have won. It will eventually allow you to start a set of decisions which will periodically grant factories and ponypower.

The Buffalo In The Room
Once one of the political parties have been elected, they can try to solve the Buffalo Question, unlocking the other side of the political tree. There are three paths to deal with the Buffalos:


 * Manifest Destiny: Gain a war goal on the Buffalo Chiefdom, and core their territories. This is the only path available for a Supremacy Confederation.
 * Dictate Terms: Offer the Buffalo Chiefdom a deal. If they accept (the AI-controlled Chiefdom will always accept), the Confederation will annex but not core the Chiefdom. This path also grants the "Buffalo Code Talkers" national spirit, giving +5% research speed and +5% encryption.
 * Fraternity and Peace: Offer the Buffalo Chiefdom a deal. If they accept (the AI-controlled Chiefdom will always accept), the Confederation puppets the Chiefdom. If they refuse, the Confederation gets a puppet war goal. This path also grants the "Multicultural Army" national spirit, giving +5% organization and +2% recruitable non-core population. It is the only path the Equestrian Sun Party can take.

Completing either of the three paths remove the "The Buffalo Question" negative spirit.

The Southern Economy
Depending on the choice made in Amendment 3, one of three economy paths will be unlocked.

For the central block of focuses (excluding the agriculture and oil paths to the sides), all three path grants 2x 100% industry research bonuses, 4 civilian factories and 5 military factories, and 2 additional research slots. Differences between the paths include:


 * No Regulations, No Limits: Grants an electronics research bonus, 4 infrastructure in eastern Confederation, and Colt Arms design company.
 * The Sober Middle Ground: Grants an excavation research bonus, 4 infrastructure in western and eastern Confederation for a total of 8, and both Colt Arms and Rearington design companies.
 * Top-Down Regulation: Grants a construction research bonus, 4 infrastructure in western Confederation, and Rearington design company.


 * Physiocracy

Located to the left side of the central block of economy focuses, this side path focuses on Southern agriculture, and has two sides.


 * The Apple Barons: Exclusive to "No Regulations, No Limits". Loyalists become 5% more popular, -10% stability, -5% consumer good factories, +5% recruitable population factor, +0.10 daily political power gain.
 * Pioneer Farming: Exclusive to "The Sober Middle Ground" and "Top-Down Regulation". Loyalists become 5% less popular, +10% base stability, +200,000 ponypower, 8 building slots, and 100 political power.

"Physiocracy" itself grants 2x 100% research bonus for early Earth Pony Sapper and Excavation technologies, and normal excavation technologies.


 * Pumped a Lot of 'pane in Junction

Located to the right side of the central bloc of economy focuses, this side path focuses on Southern oil, and has two sides.


 * Support the Barons: Exclusive to "No Regulations, No Limits". Loyalists become 5% more popular, 1x 100% research bonus for Excavation Technologies, and 24 oil production.
 * Break Up the Racket: Exclusive to "The Sober Middle Ground" and "Top-Down Regulation". Loyalists become 5% less popular, 1x 100% research bonus for Synthetic Resources, 1x 100% research bonus for Rubber Processing, 12 rubber production and 12 chromium production.

"Desert Reserves" is shared between both paths, and grants 24 oil production.

"Pumped a Lot of 'pane in Junction" itself grants 1x 100% research bonus for Excavation Technologies and Synthetic Resources.

Grand Army of the Confederacy
There are three mutually exclusive options for a new Field Marshal (who will also become a Chief of Army option), each corresponding to a path in the Army tree.
 * Field Marshal


 * Stewed Apple: 2x 100% research bonus for Reconnaissance Company, national spirit Probing Attacks (Infantry Equipment Breakthrough +5%), 2x 100% research bonus for RADAR, Encryption, and Decryption, and 1x 100% research bonus for Armor technology. Apple as Chief of Army grants +15.0% division speed.
 * Trotbert E. Neigh: National spirit "Seize The Initiative" (Divisions speed +7.50%), national spirit "Experienced Trench-Diggers" (Entrenchment speed +10.0%, max entrenchment +1.0), national spirit "Neigh's Great Recruitment Drive" (Recruitable population 2.00%), and national spirit "Loyal To The Marse" (Division organization +5.0%). Neigh as Chief of Army grants +12.0% division recovery rate.
 * Stone Wall: 2x 100% research bonus for AT and AA, national spirit "Fire Discipline" (Infantry equipment soft attack +10%, Artillery soft attack +5%), +5.0% division defense, and 2x 100% research bonus for Field Hospitals. Stone Wall as Chief of Army grants +15.00% division defense.

Depending on the choice made in Amendment 2, either "The Right To Bear Arms" (far left branch of the Army tree) or "The National Security Act" path (far right branch of the Army tree) is unlocked. Each branch has two mutually exclusive sub-branches, each corresponding to one land doctrine.
 * Land Doctrine


 * The Right To Bear Arms: Unlocked if Amendment 2 is not altered. This path offers +10% Infantry Equipment reliability and 1x 100% research bonuses for Armor Technology.
 * Rely On Numbers (Mass Assault): 2x 100% research bonus for Mass Assault land doctrine, 2x 100% research bonus for Infantry Weapons.
 * Old Rebel Yell (Mobile Warfare): 2x 100% research bonus for Mobile Warfare land doctrine, 1x 100% research bonus for both Motorized and Infantry Weapons.
 * The National Security Act: Unlocked if Amendment 2 is altered so that only the loyal are granted firearms. This path offers +0.10 daily political power gain and 2x 100% research bonuses for Magical Technology. There are two sub-branches in this path:
 * Gunsmoke (Superior Firepower): 2x 100% research bonus for Superior Firepower land doctrine, 2x 100% research bonus for Support Artillery.
 * Southern Redoubts (Grand Battleplan): 2x 100% research bonus for Grand Battleplan land doctrine, 2x 100% research bonus for Engineers Technology.

The final focus in the Army tree grants 2x 100% Land Doctrine research bonus.

Air and Sea
The air and navy tree is rather simple, granting research bonuses, military structures, and supportive national spirits.

Technology
The technologies available at the beginning of the civil war are the same as Equestria. See Equestria

National Spirits
{| class="article-table"