Stalliongrad



Stalliongrad is a new but rapidly developing nation. 12 years ago, facing neglect from the Equestria government during a famine, it rose up and declared its independence, establishing with it an entirely new system of government in the process; socialism.

Despite robust industrial development, the famine issue has not been resolved and its leadership often finds itself deadlocked. Collectivization is incomplete and the problems grow worse by the day. The situation has lead to some even considering turning to their former overlords in Equestria for aid.

In a world seeking inspiration, will Stalliongrad overcome its difficulties and make the dreams of socialism a reality? Or will this experiment be destroyed, or even betrayed, before it could even truly begin?

Growing Dissent
The Equestrian Severyana region had been one of the centers of industrialization in Equestria thanks to its rich natural resources. However, its populace always felt mistreated, especially among the lower classes. The situation turned dismal in year 991 ALB, when weather mismanagement by pegasi led to food shortages and economic turmoil. The Equestrian businesses, who's newfound wealth came from the recent industrialization refused to lower food prices, further worsening the situation. Civil unrest grew, leading some ponies to question the basis of the Harmonic system.

Steel Stallion was one such pony. He drew on the ideas of an old pony scholar, Caramel Marks, who argued the need and theory for a new kind of worker's state where everypony would be given equal opportunities and everypony would receive everything according to their needs. Steel Stallion quickly rose to become leader of this revolutionary movement.

The Spark of Revolution
In 995 ALB, the Equestrian Guard responded with unprecedented violence to the growing revolutionary movement. Enraged ponies took to the streets in bloody battle, routing the guard, an event that became known as the December Revolution, proclaiming their independence as a state. The surrounding countryside flocked to the cause, until the state was in full rebellion.

The Equestrian Guard moved in full strength to crush the uprising, and a brutal grinding week of combat ensued.

Princess Celestia, appalled by the violence and spiraling disaster, withdrew all Equestrian forces and fired the Captain of the Guard, effectively conceding to the revolutionaries. A peace treaty was signed with limited Equestrian recognition of the new state. Shortly afterwards Steel Stallion died of illness and the capital of the region - Princessyn, was renamed to Stalliongrad in his honour.

With Steel Stallion dead, the revolution elected ponies to a Supreme Soviet (Supreme Council) - a committee of representatives of the workers. Two ponies and their ideas came to dominate the Soviet - Altidiya Revoltsova and Vasiliy Pentsushenko.

But the hardest work - turning a poverty, famine stricken state into a new nation with an untested political ideology - remained.

A New State
To the surprise of many, Stalliongrad saw success after success - industrial output began to surge, the military grew, equipping tanks, planes and a respectable navy, and scientists kept Stalliongrad at the head of modern progress.

All of this was bitterly ironic, though, for repeated agricultural collectivization efforts failed to resolve Stalliongrad's food shortage - the very reason for the revolution.

Soon, cooperation on the Supreme Soviet began to fail. Hard work turned to competition, debate turned to deadlock, and shared ideology turned to polarised factions. Altidiya and Vasiliy's factions found themselves in unproductive stalemate, and by 1004 ALB the stunning progress of Stalliongrad had ground to a halt. Now, almost nothing can be accomplished without heavy debate.

One thing is certain. If Stalliongrad is to survive and prosper as a nation, the deadlock must be solved.

Starting Situation
Stalliongrad appears poor - a struggling Communist nation dealing with the effects of failed collectivization. In fact, it is potentially one of the strongest nations in the game, thanks to an advanced starting army, plenty of war goals, advanced starting tech, a whopping 6 research slots, and very generous focuses trees granting large industrial and military bonuses.

Armed Forces
The Stalliongradian Army consists of 44k deployed ponies in 9 divisions: including 1 pegasi division, 1 motorized division, 1 small and underequipped light tank brigade, 2 mediocre infantry divisions and 4 small militia brigades. These values may not impress, but thanks to a strong industrial base and respectable amount of availabe ponypower, Stalliongrad can expand its army substantially and quickly.

The Stalliongradian Navy consists of 2 Battleships, 8 LIght Cruisers and 12 Destroyers. With 5 dockyards and Level II Destroyers and Submarines researched, Stalliongrad can easily expand its navy.

The Stalliongradian Airforce is one of the biggest in the world with 170 early fighers, 100 early bombers deployed. Stalliongrad also has a single fighter ace.

Politics
Stalliongrad's earliest focus will be resolving its leadership crisis, incomplete industrialisation, and food shortages. Players should be careful of which leaders they pick as they can accidentally lock themselves into unfavourable paths.

Stalliongrad has several considerations once these have been solved.
 * Equestria - is a potential target for invasion or ally against the changelings. It may be able to guarantee select nations in the north from Stalliongrad invasions, however usually it will do almost nothing to hamper aggressive expansion.
 * Changeling Lands - is one of the biggest threats for Stalliongrad, as they will likely be unstoppable if they take Equestria. Allying with Equestria will make things very difficult for a Changeling AI or player.
 * Northern Equestria - Nova Griffonia,  Yakyakistan,  Jaki-Clan and  Kingdom of Pingland are all relatively weak and offer little threat to Stalliongrad, making them ideal targets for expansion.
 * Communist Assimilation - Stalliongrad has the ability to faction or integrate most nations on Equus should they turn Communist, allowing for fast more peaceful expansion.
 * Tech advantage - With a good tech base, tank research bonuses and armour production from day one, Stalliongrad is extremely favourable for a tank focused military doctrine, or other high tech high IC strategy.

National Focus
Stalliongrad has a large, powerful focus tree, including generous industry, research, and military bonuses, as well as assertive options for actions on the world station, but the leadership deadlock must be resolved to access it.

Resolving the Leadership Crisis
The focus starts with the palace, which unlocks building the Soviet Palace - this decision chain is long but it can provide strong bonuses to Political Power - or it can be scrapped partway through, providing steel and civilian factories in proportion to the progress at the cost of stability.

The next two choices are between Vasily and Altidiya's proposals. Altidiya supports a propagandist, militaristic approach, and Vasily supports industrial and infrastructure investments. Depending on the choices different resolutions are available
 * Industrial Relocation (Vasiliy) vs Propaganda (Altidiya)
 * Railway innovation (Vasiliy) vs Stalliongrad Tank Factories (Altidiya)
 * Support both of Vasiliy's proposals - Vasily Prevails OR Compromise
 * Support Vasiliy once and Altidiya once - All options available.
 * Support both Altidiya's proposals - Altidiya Prevails OR Compromise

Vasiliy Prevails (Party Cleansing)
If Vasiliy prevails, he will be elected General Secretary, but Altidiya will refuse to stand down from her position. For defying the rules of the Soviet, Altidiya and her followers will be ejected from the Soviet. Vasiliy will then call a new election for General Secretary. ''The player will lose Cogwheel Ponyarchuk (Infantry Expert / General), Kors Relux (Army Reform Expert), Comrade Ivan (Air Reform Expert), and Dark Wing (Smooth Talking Charmer). The player will be unable to elect Dark Wing as General Secretary.''

Altidiya Prevails (Vote Altidiya)
If Altidiya prevails, events will come to a head and Altidiya's faction will demote Vasiliy, then seize the Soviet by force, sending members of Vasiliy's faction fleeing for their lives. ''The player will lose Gold Muffin (Popular Figurehead), Sinister Serov (Demagogue / Ideological Crusader), Vasiliy Pantsushenko (Captain of Industry), Spike Spiegel (War Industrialist) and Nestor Lunin (Military Theorist / General). The player will be unable to elect Sinister Serov or Vasiliy as General Secretary, locking them into the Dark Wing Path.''

Compromise
If the player elects to compromise, Vasiliy will agree to continue to support the Soviet if their Ten Conditions are implemented. These conditions limit the power of the Supreme Soviet and its ability to abuse that power. On successfully compromising, the leadership crisis will be resolved. ''No ponies will exit the government. The player will be able to select all candidates for General Secretary.''

The General Secretary Election
Regardless of how the leadership deadlock is resolved, Altidiya will soon retire due to declining health. This will happen even if Altidiya prevails. Therefore, a new General Secretary must be chosen.

A comparison of the benefits of the two key trees are shown below.

Vasiliy Pentsushenko
Is a conventional, Communist industrialist. He has faith in the system and wishes to make it work, peacefully where possible. His path focuses on industrialisation and using Communist influence to convert other nations to join the Stalliongrad faction. This path includes the ability to join Equestria against the  Changeling Lands menace, or assist a Communist Civil War in Equestria. (Currently broken)

The Vasiliy path allows Stalliongrad to influence nations with a Communist ideology drift. If those countries attempt to remove it, Stalliongrad can gain a war goal against these nations. Should these countries go communist via influence, Stalliongrad can invite them to a faction.
 * Yakyakistan
 * Jaki-Clan
 * Nova Griffonia

Vasily can also intervene in a Nova Griffonian civil war in favor of the Communists.

Sinister Serov
Is aggressive and pragmatic. He is not above borrowing elements of capitalism to improve the Communist system, nor is he hesitant about using force to spread Communism. This tree is militaristic and provides focuses to conquer a variety of neighboring countries.

The Sinister path includes the following wargoals:
 * Nova Griffonia
 * Equestria
 * Changelings
 * Yakyakistan
 * Jaki-Clan
 * Kingdom of Pingland

Dark Wing
Believes the government is incompetent and has no reservations about approaching Equestria for aid to resolve the food crisis. If Altidiya has prevailed, the player will be forced into the Dark Wing path.''' If the tree is followed, it will resolve the food crisis, but will puppet Stalliongrad under Equestria, Stalliongrad will become Harmonic, and the tree will end. 'Fortunately this tree has an event that can escape to either the Vasiliy / Sinister trees (Hint - try to dispose of your opponents).''

Central Branch
The Central branch of the Stalliongrad tree, common to both the Vasiily and Sinister path, offers substantial industrial and resource bonuses, also leading to another research slot. Players seeking to rush should take the middle path of Aircraft Industry, Konzan Industry, and Petershoof Steel, which bypass having to do both branches.

Pioneers
The Pioneers tree has collection of strong political bonuses, supported with nice recruitable and research bonuses.


 * Daily PP
 * PP
 * Recruitable Population
 * Air, Armour, Electronics Research Time
 * Magic Research Time
 * Stability
 * War Support
 * Research Time

It also unlocks the New Factories branch, which provides another research slot and extremely attractive Consumer goods and  recruitable population.

Materialist Manifesto
The Materialist Manifesto continues the political branch, providing an attractive to research time, an extra research slot, removal of the Incomplete Industrialisation spirit, and 2x research bonuses for electronics.

The Palace
Completion of the palace requires repeated activation of the construction decisions. The progress they contribute to the palace depends on Stalliongrad's situation - the construction will progress fastest when the food shortage and incomplete industrialization are resolved.

When complete, the palace provides
 * Daily PP Gain
 * Stability
 * War Support

The palace can also be scrapped for substantial benefits as follows:
 * Not Started - 1 Civilian Factory, 3 Steel
 * L1 Construction Started - 2 Civilian Factory, 5 Steel
 * L2 Construction 1st - 2 Civilian Factory, 10 Steel
 * L2 Construction 2nd - 3 Civilian Factory, 15 Steel
 * L2 Construction 3rd - 4 Civilian Factory, 20 Steel
 * L2 Construction 4th - 4 Civilian Factory, 25 Steel

Trade Relations
The Crystal Empire,  Buffalo Chiefdom, and  Our Town can receive the bonus Trade Relationship with Stalliongrad. This will be strongest if the two countries are neighbours, and are weaker if there is a major war (Crystal Empire or Equestria at war), and worse still if the trading partners are occupied in a war.

Nations will lose this bonus when they are considered a major power.

War of the Two Sisters
During a Lunar Empire uprising within Equestria, Stalliongrad will get the option to creep south and retake their cores - Equestria or the Lunar Empire will be unable to respond. If Equestria has more than 50% capitulation progress against the Lunar Empire, it may call Stalliongrad to join the war. Stalliongrad can refuse or accept.

Misc

 * There are a variety of small speeches for each war, depending on the leader. They provide a small war support boost.
 * If food shortages last for more than ~2.5 years, Harmonist supporters will launch an uprising.