High rebel threat...

[Reckoner]

So I'm having a really hard time with the rebels. They keep setting fire to my most important buildings (cigar factory, textile factory), and I keep loosing money. This (-) far from losing my mind as well.

This happens every five minutes: Medium rebel theat. High rebel threat. They attack the building, now it's on fire and even though the fire department is literally right next to it, the building sometimes burn to the ground and I have to pay a lot to rebuild it. Needless to say, my trade routes are not looking good.

The happiness level is about 45, and none of the factions really hate me (capitalists dislike me the most, about 40 of them think I'm OK, so it's not that bad). Great relationship with axes and 50 with the allies. I should add that I'm struggling my way through the Cold war atm, and I don't have a lot of money (like 100k, will seek help regarding that in a different post).

After some googling I've tried a variety of different things, like adding a bunch of watchtowers surrounding the factories. When that didn't work, I demolished them and started increasing the liberty all around. I read that military buildings are only helpful in regards of superpower invasions, and not at all effective when it comes to rebels? I tried the Garrison thing for a while (guerilla patrol) with underwhelming effects,

Rebels rebel when their needs are not met, right? I just can't understand what I'm doing to upset them this much.

Some people suggested that this was a liberty problem (too low), some suggested you needed to spam the area with military strength, and some said this was a bug. What is your opinion/experience and solution? This is really ruining the fun for me.

Thank you kindly :)

[MarkJerue]

Eight thoughts that may help!

1. The Tropican happiness level only has been when compared to Caribbean happiness. The higher Caribbean happiness is, the more upset Tropicans will be. They'll expect at least Caribbean happiness levels.

2. Just because the average happiness level is 45 doesn't mean all Tropicans are at exactly 45 happiness. it's very possible you have Tropicans in one area or wealth demographic who are quite upset with your rule.

3. Certain edicts & constitution options heavily increase rebel spawn rates.

4. There's a major difference between GUERRILLAS and REBELS. Guerrillas will set fire to buildings & avoid direct conflict. Rebels will attack the palace & buildings to try to overthrow your rule. It sounds like you are having a guerrilla problem.

5. In later eras, the setting-fire-to-buildings and guerrillas-everywhere issues are easier to handle. Your fire stations will get helicopters to extinguish fires instantly and you can use drone strikes & amnesty to eliminate guerrillas.

6. Worst-case scenario you can build a courthouse & arrest all of your guerrillas.

7. Having any specifically-upset factions will greatly increase rebel spawn rates.

8. Forbidding Tropicans from leaving the island can result in more rebels.

[Twelvefield]

Those eight thoughts are pure gold!

There is a possibility that you have a bug, but much more likely you mismanaged something and it's gotten out of hand. You can go through the lists of your least happy Tropicans and look at their thoughts and roles. That should tell you what you missed. As far as #7, if you bribe the faction leader, you may buy some peace.

It's possible that your economy falls into a death spiral. If you've gone past the point of no return you might have to go back to a previous save. Even so, looking at the individual Tropicans, you can learn their thoughts and what to avoid in the future.

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by MarkJerue:

Eight thoughts that may help!

1. The Tropican happiness level only has been when compared to Caribbean happiness. The higher Caribbean happiness is, the more upset Tropicans will be. They'll expect at least Caribbean happiness levels.

2. Just because the average happiness level is 45 doesn't mean all Tropicans are at exactly 45 happiness. it's very possible you have Tropicans in one area or wealth demographic who are quite upset with your rule.

3. Certain edicts & constitution options heavily increase rebel spawn rates.

4. There's a major difference between GUERRILLAS and REBELS. Guerrillas will set fire to buildings & avoid direct conflict. Rebels will attack the palace & buildings to try to overthrow your rule. It sounds like you are having a guerrilla problem.

5. In later eras, the setting-fire-to-buildings and guerrillas-everywhere issues are easier to handle. Your fire stations will get helicopters to extinguish fires instantly and you can use drone strikes & amnesty to eliminate guerrillas.

6. Worst-case scenario you can build a courthouse & arrest all of your guerrillas.

7. Having any specifically-upset factions will greatly increase rebel spawn rates.

8. Forbidding Tropicans from leaving the island can result in more rebels.

Thank you for answering! I will spam the "intimidate neighbours" raid then. And go for the "Love it or leave it" option in the constitution.
About arresting them - doesn't that increase the likelihood of their family members turning rebel? Would you recommend the asylum instead?

About edicts - do you know which ones are the most important to avoid in my situation?

And how am I supposed to keep everyone happy? Nothing is below 40, isn't that enough?Should I say yes to every faction demand, even if they're asking for opera houses when my whole population is poor, or when they're asking for the nuclear program and I don't have a lot of money and generally don't see a need for electricity yet?

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

Those eight thoughts are pure gold!

There is a possibility that you have a bug, but much more likely you mismanaged something and it's gotten out of hand. You can go through the lists of your least happy Tropicans and look at their thoughts and roles. That should tell you what you missed. As far as #7, if you bribe the faction leader, you may buy some peace.

It's possible that your economy falls into a death spiral. If you've gone past the point of no return you might have to go back to a previous save. Even so, looking at the individual Tropicans, you can learn their thoughts and what to avoid in the future.

Yeah, my economy is doing great in the Colonal era thanks to rum, and doing OK in the world wars thanks to boats, cloth and cigars. But something happens during the Cold war and I keep losing both income (currently primarily because of these fire starting guys) and popularity, so I become desperate and give in to Free wheels and Tax cut, but it doesn't cut it. Also I'm not sure I'm producing the right goods. I usually destroy the rum destillieries in WW because nobody seem to want it, and I worry about losing money. Boats didn't seem to make as much profit during the Cold war either. Should I foucus more on plantations? Also, how many of each shipyard/cigar factory/textile factory?

Another thing I've been wondering: Do you guys prolong every era to make as much money as possible? Like postponing the final tasks (kind of funny when it says Cold war era and the year is 2023).

[Satsuki's Bidet]

You need to raise liberty. It's easy to forget about (I know I often forget) just build newspapers, radio stations and tv stations is the easiest way. Liberty is the stat that determines if an unhappy person becomes a rebel. You can have good average happiness and political standings but if liberty is low each of the unhappy people will have a higher chance of going rogue.

Military kinda of sucks in T6. They often are too slow to response to rebel attacks and really nothing can stop guerrillas atm even spamming towers. I often go pacifist state in any mission that doesn't require it.

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by The Duke:

You need to raise liberty. It's easy to forget about (I know I often forget) just build newspapers, radio stations and tv stations is the easiest way. Liberty is the stat that determines if an unhappy person becomes a rebel. You can have good average happiness and political standings but if liberty is low each of the unhappy people will have a higher chance of going rogue.

Military kinda of sucks in T6. They often are too slow to response to rebel attacks and really nothing can stop guerrillas atm even spamming towers. I often go pacifist state in any mission that doesn't require it.

Yeah, that makes sense. Just started a new game, focusing more on peoples happiness and liberty and it's looking up :) But I must say I'm a little disappointed about the military and how hard it is to be a cruel dictator in this game. Seems you have to please everyone.

[TVMAN]

Yeah low liberty is a huge millstone around your neck in this game compared to previous games. It really punishes you if you try to go the dictatorial route and endlessly spawns rebels in response to stuff like spamming watchtowers and switching your broadcasters to propaganda.

On top of that, the typical ways you'd deal with rebels in previous games are practically useless now, and stuff like the "reduce rebels" commando raid does practically nothing to stem the tide. You're better off focusing on things that increase liberty instead.

[oceantreader]

Originally posted by MarkJerue:

Eight thoughts that may help!

1. The Tropican happiness level only has been when compared to Caribbean happiness. The higher Caribbean happiness is, the more upset Tropicans will be. They'll expect at least Caribbean happiness levels.

I don't get it. Who are tropicans and who are caribbeans?

[Satsuki's Bidet]

it's just other islands off screen but in universe. Like the various missions where you in competion with them or where other people come from when they immirgration to your island., etc