Griffon Frontier



Living in the Frontier has never been an easy task. Suffering from years upon years of corruption within the government, powerful clans of bandits, and near-complete lack of funds from the government at Weter, the Frontier has been on its last legs for as long as anygriff can remember.

Governor Muck, the current leader of the Frontier, has set forth plans to revitalize the North and to finally turn the Frontier into a proper Griffonian province. However, with the reluctance of the Weter government in investing in the state, it would be a true miracle if Muck ever manages to scrape together the funds for such a project. And with increasing pressure from the local bandit clans that rule the countryside, for how long the North will stay under Weter's yoke is a mystery.

A Frontier Land
Nova Griffonia was founded in the 9th century by the powerful Griffonian Empire. The faraway location was a success and gained a reputation as a haven of freethinking and independence from the stagnancy of the Empire. Lively towns sprang up, and griffons fanned out further afield, looking to stake their claim in this rugged and mostly untouched land. Despite the ambition of settlers, the mountainous frontier to the north remained sparsely inhabited. Unimportant and difficult to police, the region was dubbed a territory of Nova Griffonia, lacking the rights or funding of statehood. The territory was administered from Frosthill, a city at the feet of the mountains. There, a local governor and token garrison kept the city mostly under control, allowing Nova Griffonia to safely ignore the region. This state of affairs would continue for nearly a century, and the Griffon Frontier gained a romanticised reputation for rugged frontier independence. A place of rough folks, rough lives and rough justice.

Rough Times
Somewhat ironically, the independent frontier was among the first to feel the effects of the weakening Griffonian Empire. Trade fell, even as the Empire suppressed growing unrest by shipping exiles and dissidents to Nova Griffonia. Griffons fled into the frontier, looking for an escape from the growing poverty in the cities or a safe haven from which to plot insurrection. Slim pickings grew slimmer and life grew tougher.

Breaking Point
The frontier is in chaos. The notorious outlaw Virgil and his bandit gangs grow increasingly bold, Redtail and his Communists plot, and somehow there are cannibal tribes now. Governor Muck sits atop a paralysed government, corrupt and overwhelmed, desperately pleading for assistance from Nova Griffonia. Perhaps the seriousness of the situation will prompt aid. Or perhaps not.

Gameplay and National Focus
The Griffon Frontier is a tiny, weak nation, and a dependency of Nova Griffonia. It must either conquer Nova Griffonia or be inevitably assimilated by it. Conquest will put the frontier into a stronger position, able to exert meaningful influence on the world stage.

Integration or Independence
The journey begins by asking Nova Griffonia for funds to fight the problems plaguing the nation, the largest problems being poor industry and science bases, Virgil’s bandits, cannibal clans and Redtail’s rebels.

If Nova Griffonia grants the funds, Griffonian Funding, Governor Muck and the colonial administration will be able to begin stabilizing the frontier's situation by connecting the scattered towns and villages all over the frontier, begin industrialization of the frontier, import weapons, assemble a force of bounty hunters to replace the corrupt and useless police force, deal with the cannibals, extract iron from the mountains, reassert control of the Frontier by hunting down Virgil and Redtail and finally applying for statehood into Nova Griffonia. Completing this focus will integrate the frontier into Nova Griffonia and your game will end.

However, this is extremely unlikely - Up a Creek Without a Paddle - Nova Griffonia almost always refuses the request. Without funds, the Frontier will descend into anarchy. Governor Muck and the colonial administration will no longer be able to control the situation and will be forced to flee to Weter. Virgil and his raiders will take advantage of the situation by seizing control of the frontier and will rename the Griffon Frontier to Virgilia. He will begin befriending the cannibals and communists, construct roads to connect the far north with Frosthill, import rifles to defend against the threat of Nova Griffonia, bring his raiders into the army, strengthen the arms trade, sell smuggled alcohol and declare victory as his stabilized country has broken free from the chains of Nova Griffonia.

Because Virgilia is a bandit country, you can conduct raids on your neighbours via the decisions tab. Raiding costs 25 political power. If your raid succeeds you gain 2 loot and can decide whether to convert that loot into increased base stability and war support or ponypower. Each decision to convert the spoils costs 2 loot. You can have a maximum amount of 6 loot from raids. If you lose a raid you won't gain any loot, you'll lose base stability, base war support, and political power.

Taking on Nova Griffonia
With Virgil seizing power, Nova Griffonia will receive an option to declare on the newly christened "Virgilia". Leaving the border poorly guarded will tempt the AI to attack. Should it not attack, or should Virgilia hold against Nova Griffonia's attack long enough to force a white peace, Virgilia will be left in peace to build up for a future war against Nova Griffonia. However, it is possible to win the initial war of independence, which will allow Griffon Frontier to expand quickly and strongly.

The War of Independence
Defeating Nova Griffonia in a reconquest war is the quickest and easiest method to overcome them. To guarantee that Nova Griffonia declares a reconquest war, ensure that no divisions are placed on the border.

When Virgil takes control, the player will have 2 divisions to Nova Griffonia’s 7-10. However, by taking the focuses Virgilia can generate 8 mountaineer divisions, making the Virgilia superior to Nova Griffonia in military power. The focus Down the Mountain should be taken first because it generates the most divisions. Then the other division generating foci, On the Properties of Long Pork and An Alliance with Redtail should be taken. With a few microed encirclements, Virgilia's military advantage can easily lead to total victory in the war and the complete annexation of Nova Griffonia by the player. Though remember that Stalliongrad sometimes decides to declare war and puppet Nova Griffonia. This could stop your campaign in its tracks as winning a war against the combined force of Nova Griffonia and Stalliongrad is nigh impossible. So keep an eye on Stalliongrad and if you feel like they're up to something, don't waste your time and begin launching an invasion into Nova Griffonia as fast as possible.

Two months into the war, Nova Griffonia will offer a white peace. Naturally, if the player is winning they should decline.

No War this Year Then
Being at peace is its own challenge, as the industrially and technologically superior Nova Griffonia will have time to consolidate. This ultimately culminates in a tough war where victory will rely on good use of allies, or exploitation of Nova Griffonian decisions.

There are 2 routes for building up, a Communist one with Redtail, and a Supremacy one with Virgil. A decision will pop up a few months after taking the Victory! focus, forcing a choice between the 2 leaders. The bonuses are shown below. * L and R refer to the mutually exclusive bonuses from the Cannibal Autonomy and Civilise the Cannibals paths respectively

Virgil's Bandits - Going with Virgil provides more manpower and extracted resources but retains significant industrial penalties and 10% longer research times until Nova Griffonia is annexed. It also provides significant division attack and defence bonuses. It also often leads to a faction invite from the Griffonian Empire, but by the time Nova Griffonia has declared war on the frontier, the Empire will likely be mired in a war of their own. Furthermore, they are unlikely to provide meaningful support as they are across an ocean.

Redtail's Communists - Redtail removes industrial and research penalties quicker and completely removes them but provides slightly less manpower. Virgilia is renamed to the Western Griffonian Union. Siding with Redtail’s communists the WGU to join a faction with Stalliongrad which shares a land border with Nova Griffonia, making them highly likely to join the GFF in a war. As Stalliongrad can provide immediate support, siding with Redtail will have the highest likelihood of success.

No matter who the player decides to side with for building up, the best opportunity to strike at Nova Griffonia is when they declare war on a weaker neighbour like the yaks or penguins (non-Harmonic Nova Griffonia only). Ensure that the Frontier has a war goal on Nova Griffonia ready (Burn Weter to the Ground or The Long March to Weter)

Beyond Nova Griffonia
Once the player has triumphed against Nova Griffonia in one way or another, they will functionally replace Nova Griffonia as the dominant North Equestrian power. From here, the player can leverage allies in the Griffonian Empire or Stalliongrad to expand their territory and eventually dominate the world.

If Virgil is leader, all penalties to industry and technology are removed. This paired with combat bonuses from National Ideas makes Virgilia independently potent. However, to take on Equestria will involve assisting the Griffonian Empire until it becomes a force able to threaten Equestria.

If Redtail is leader, more factories can be gained, but apart from some additional division recovery, the player and Stalliongrad will likely need to take on the United Ponies Federation alone.

Despite the challenges, the Frontier has become a power that cannot be ignored. It is now the Griffon Frontier's time to shine and take on the world.

Staff and Designers
Political Advisors

Tank Designer

Ship Designer

Aircraft Designer

Materiel Designer

Industrial Concern

Theorist Chief of Army

Chief of Navy

Chief of Airforce