Baltimare Republic



The Baltimare Republic is a breakaway nation that appears during the Lunar Civil War. Under the leadership of Comrade Delicious, the worker ponies drove the Nightmare Moon supporters out of Baltimare and the surrounding regions, and declared the Baltimare Republic.

However the Nightmare Moon supporters have reorganized themselves into the Disciples of the Night under the command of Commander Stars Whirl. The newly independent Republic must prepare itself for the oncoming battle, before the dream of communism in the South-East is snuffed out.

Lore
While Stalliongrad was the birthplace of the communist revolution it was not the only place where socialism had support. When Caramel Mark's radical new ideology spread it particularly found popularity in the Baltimare region. During the Winter Revolution, many in Baltimare were sympathetic to the revolutionaries in Stalliongrad and mass protests occurred against Equestria's war effort.

Since then many in Baltimare had hoped for a similar revolution in Equestria. While that did not come the Lunar Civil War has given the opportunity for their own revolution. During the Lunar Civil War Baltimare was initially seized by supporters of Nightmare Moon after the mayor, Ash Moustache welcomed them, seeking stability. However the city was openly hostile to the batponies, and soon the left-wing and all liberal-minded forces took arms under the leadership of Comrade Delicious, banished the guards of Nightmare Moon from the region and proclaimed the Baltimare Republic. A temporary parliament was formed to oversee the transition of power.

However, the newly independent republic finds itself in danger as the Nightmare Moon supporters have reorganized themselves into the Disciples of the Night under the command of Commander Stars Whirl. Will the Baltimare Republic live through the civil war or will it end as many other attempts of self-government during such conflicts, when one of the major forces prevails over the other?

War in the South


The Baltimare Republic is centered in South East Equestria. It starts with the states of Baltimare, Kululu Forest, Duskway, Hayseed Swamps, and Moonlight Shore under its control. 9 divisions with 4 infantry battalions and 3 divisions with 4 pegasi battalions each will spawn shortly after starting.

The first concern is the Disciples of the Night who will declare war shortly after starting. They have 35 divisions but are also fighting the Celestial State and  Aztlan Free State.

Focus on micromanaging your troops and cut the enemy divisions off from supply. Don't overstretch your units and remember to raise militia units whenever you can as they are dirt cheap and are good for encirclements and defending. Try to balance between your gains by taking equal Disciple and Aztlan territories to avoid an overstretched army.

If Aztlan capitulates first, then you can completely focus on dealing with the Disciples. If the opposite happens, then you should deal with Aztlan first. The Celestial State is more prone to easy encirclements, and Aztlan can capitulate you much faster.

Aftermath of the War in the South
Once the War in the South is won you will inevitably have to deal with the victor in the Lunar Civil War.

If the Lunar Empire wins then they will attack the Baltimare Republic once they do War Plan Green, whether it be through aiding the Disciples or attacking directly.

If Equestria wins then once they do the United Equestria focus they will unlock a set of decisions to demand the reintegration of the breakaway states including the Baltimare Republic or else they will declare war. Accepting will cause you to become a puppet, however, AI Equestria will never integrate a player.

If the Lunar Empire or Equestria declares war on the Baltimare Republic or vice versa then the Baltimare Republic will get an event to call Stalliongrad in its war.

The Confederation of Southern States may gain a wargoal on you, depending on which path they take.

The Changeling Lands are also a threat, albeit a distant one. They will have to fight their way through Equestria and/or the Lunar Empire first, which should give you plenty of time to prepare a defense.

Wartime Focus Tree
The Baltimare Republic begins with a wartime focus tree, which is split into two sides; a libertarian socialist side and an state socialist side. Taking a focus from either side will bypass the corresponding focus from the other, preventing the player from taking two corresponding focuses, but allowing the player to take individual focuses from both sides. They also both remove the two negative national spirits you start out with, "Military Disarray" and "Economic Chaos".

Importantly, the player's choice of focuses in the wartime focus tree will impact the influence of libertarian socialists and state socialists. On the decisions menu, the player can see the current influence of both factions, starting at 50% for both. Taking a focus from either side will boost the influence of the respective side. The relative influences of the two factions when the war ends determines which political path the player will go down in the future.

Please note that any national spirits from one side of the tree will be removed if you go radical for the other side once you win the war (AKA if you go anarchist later, then all state socialist spirits will be removed). Therefore if you plan on going complete libertarian or state socialist, you should only do focuses from that side of the tree.

The middle path is something you must go down to complete the tree, and includes events that will inflict severe opinion maluses from Equestria, the Lunar Empire and all the other breakaway states. The final focus, To the Barricades!, gives your army a buff for 180 days.

Proper Focus Tree
After defeating all three other factions of the War in the South, the Baltimare Republic will declare the South-Eastern Socialist Republic (SESR), and begin their focus tree proper. The SESR will begin organizing their first elections, and the two most promising candidates are Golden Delicious and Cricket Chafer.

The political path the SESR goes down is dependent on the popularities of the libertarian and state socialists when the war ended. The libertarian socialists are represented by the anarchist CAN (Confederation of Anarchists - Nonpartisan) and the syndicalist TER (Trades of Equestria for Reform), while the state socialists are represented by the communist PON (Ponies' Organization of the Nation) and the totalitarian IU (Internal Unity).

If the libertarian or state socialists have an overwhelming popularity over the other (popularity of one side is >64%), than the elections will be ended by the CAN or the IU, forcing the player down their path. Otherwise, an election event will fire, where either Golden Delicious' TER or Cricket Chafer's PON get elected based on who has the majority support. All four paths eventually lead to getting rid of "Lunar Remnants" and "Native Resistance", two negative national spirits you gain when the SESR is formed.

CAN's Revolution
On the day of the scheduled election, masked militants from the anarchist CAN raids voting stations and government buildings across the country, and began overthrowing government institutions. In just a few days, the anarchists completely dismantle the SESR and proclaim the creation of the anarchist Free South-East. The anarchists seek to utterly erase statism and monarchism, and will create communes for natives but hunt down the monarchist thestrals.

The Free South-East has law restrictions to ensure a fully anarchist society. This means that you can never go above Volunteer Only as a conscription law, go below Free Trade, or go above Partial Mobilization as an economy law. All state socialist national spirits gained during the wartime focus tree will also be removed.

One of the early focuses, Erase Statism, will inflict a -25% political power gain debuff, severely damaging all PP gain. Though it is lessened as you continue down the political focus tree, keep that in mind for if you need any PP intensive projects. The last focus, Suffer no State to Live, gives a war goal on the Confederation of Southern States, and will allow you to core their territories once you annex them.

TER Triumphant
Golden Delicious' TER is elected to power. A staunch syndicalist, he seeks to decentralize power to the communes, unions, and people, though not on the scale of his allies, CAN. In dealing with the natives and thestrals, the TER accepts both groups but makes them second-class citizens.

His tree gives nice, round bonuses, with Expand Union Membership giving +10% to factory and dockyard output, Industrial Unions granting the research slot, and Support Unions Abroad unlocking decisions to support unions in various nearby countries. Each decision costs 50 political power and takes 30 days, and once finished a general strike will occur, causing absolute havoc on that country's industry for a while. However, they will get an option to gain a wargoal on you, so choose your targets carefully.

PON Triumphant
Cricket Chafer's PON is elected to power. Being a firm Stallionist, he immediately begins reorganizing the country into a classic Stalliongradian Democratic Centralist system, and will seek a closer relationship with Stalliongrad. The PON will peacefully resolve tensions with the thestrals, while the natives are pushed to be reeducated out of their savage ways.

The highlights of the tree are Student Exchange with Stalliongrad to join a research group with them, University Towns for the research slot, and the final focus Trust in Stalliongrad, which can result in mutual guarantees between the two nations.

IU's Coup
On the day of the election, an unknown assailant assassinates Golden Delicious. TER support plummets, and Cricket Chafer is elected. However, soon after, Chafer announces that he would step down and retire, after there had been an attempt on his life. He announces that the PON would form a coalition with IU, and police chief Lavender Berry assumes "temporary" control over the government. Berry proceeds to purge the government and the military, arresting anarcho-syndicalists and PON members, leaving IU as the sole party in control. Berry then assumes emergency powers in the name of stability, giving him full control over all of the SESR and renaming it to the South-East State.

In power, Lavender Berry creates an immensely totalitarian country with no democracy, no media freedom, no freedom of movement, and mass political repression. Berry's solution to deal with thestral and native dissent is to firebomb the jungles and massacre anyone that dares to oppose him.

Similarly to CAN's anarchist laws, the IU sets their own to ensure the perpetual safety of the state, along with removing any libertarian socialist national spirits in effect. Laws will go to Extensive Conscription, Closed Economy and War Economy, and all of those laws can be changed except for Closed Economy, which is permanent.

Weaken The Parliament will grant +20% political power gain at the cost of -10% stability, Establish New Ministries grants the research slot and three new political advisors, and Fortify The Border adds two forts on every province bordering a neighbor.

The final focus, Glory To The South-East!, starts a civil war inside the South-East State with the Children of Ahuizotl.

Economy Trees
The branches of the economy trees the player can go down are dependent on the political path taken. All economic paths eventually get rid of "Economic Underdevelopment", a third negative national spirit.


 * Continue Collectivization: Libertarian Socialists
 * To Each According To Need: CAN
 * To Each According To Contribution: TER


 * Continue Nationalization: State Socialists
 * A Limited Market Economy: PON
 * Economic Autarky: IU


 * The central branch in both economic trees (Worker Cooperatives for Continue Collectivization, Twenty-Year Plan for Continue Nationalization) is shared between both factions of the tree.

Military Trees
The branches of the military trees the player can go down are dependent on the political path taken.


 * A Decentralized Militia: Libertarian Socialists
 * Labor Union Militia, Repurpose Mail Planes, and Militia Air Support are shared between both CAN and TER. All four focuses to their left (Everypony Armed And Ready) (Mass Assault Doctrine) are CAN exclusive, all four focuses to their right (Armoury Of The Revolution) (Superior Firepower Doctrine) are TER exclusive.
 * A Centralized Army: State Socialists
 * Empower The MIS, Heavy Aircraft Development, and Death From Above are shared between both PON and IU. All four focuses to their left (Stalliongradian Doctrine) (Mobile Warfare Doctrine) are PON exclusive, all four focuses to their right (Department Of War Planning) (Grand Battleplan Doctrine) are IU exclusive.


 * Integrate Coltjun Militia: Shared between all paths.

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