You Could've Had It All - How to Save Sordland as a Socialist in Suzerain 3.0.9 [DEFINITIVE EDITION]

Do you find yourself getting completely wrecked by coups, assassination attempts, and crises, all for the terrible crime of loving the Sordish people so much? Do you feel that recent updates have made balancing the budget and achieving economic recovery impossible? Do you sympathize with the plight of the working class? Well, then this guide is for you!

In this guide, you will find the tools needed to have it all - yes, you can still pretty much have it all in Suzerain. You can achieve strong democratic reforms with a robust economy, all without corruption, and while taking down the oligarchs and marginalizing the Old Guard AND STILL win reelection. Look no further for a no-compromises, socialist manifesto. Sordland will thank you for it.

UPDATED - 3.0.9 (2/22/25): Definitive revolutionary guide, better than ever, now with alternative pathways. I hope you enjoy!

What We'll Achieve Together

With this guide, you can achieve the following:

• Early economic recovery (just after reforms)
  
• Very strong mixed/socialist economy with both Jewel of the East and Silicon Valley synergies
  
• Radical constitutional reforms with articles 6/7 changes
  
• Balanced budget (1 budget by reelection)
  
• Full Bludish reconciliation
  
• Sordish independence and neutrality (no alliances necessary)
  
• Hawker impeached, Soll jailed, Lileas defeated, ergo, Old Guard still decimated
  
• Full nationalization and Oligarchs prosecuted
  
• Robust welfare system (education and healthcare reforms)
  
• Women's rights (Women's Liberation Act signed)
  
• Insanely high public opinion across the entire political spectrum
  
• Reelection for a second term!

All of this can be had with:

• No corruption
  
• No coups
  
• No war
  
• No crises
  
• No privatization
  
• No assassination attempts
  
• Survive an assassination attempt
  
• No (serious) compromises

General Strategies

Suzerain is a VERY complex game where even the smallest dialogue decisions can impact the success or failure of our plans. You must do your best to observe the following general guidelines:

• Always, ALWAYS be very polite and diplomatic with everybody whenever possible, even with your enemies, but judge your audience. You can (and should) act more conservative around conservatives, more militaristic around the generals, more socialist around the left-wingers, etc. Always try to acknowledge people's thoughts and contributions and try not to pick sides too strongly when you don't have to.
  
• Likewise, no name-calling or ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on your opponents; focus on unity, overcoming our differences, and on your administration's achievements and vision. This rule also holds true for reelection speeches and interviews.
  
• Similarly, don't be so forthcoming about your real intentions. You don't have to always announce your plans before you make them; do not, for example, announce your intentions to take down the Old Guard or the Oligarchs until the time comes. Pretend you are something of a closet communist, so deep in the closet in fact that you are able to convince even yourself that you aren't a die-hard Sordish Socialist (you are).
  
• Take every opportunity you can to give speeches and give yourself exposure. Play your cards right and practically every ceremony or opportunity to speak publicly will boost your public opinion (or the opinion of certain key constituents, e.g., the Bluds).
  
• Never give Rumburg a reason that might justify its aggression. Always pick the diplomatic option, accept the whistleblower, and always pin blame on Rumburg for its aggression while calling for peace; make it clear that Sordland is the victim and only wants peace. This is especially crucial during the Alliance of Nations summit. If you play this off right, Rumburg will be sanctioned and war prevented. That is, unless you want to go to war, which you absolutely can using this guide save for a few modifications (see below)!

Important Notes

• Regarding prologue choices: Not all of the choices I went with are optimal, some were for rp. It remains unclear which if any choices would be especially optimal, as testing has yielded mixed results as to the efficacy of certain options. As far as we can tell, poor is strong for bonus public opinion (and socialist rp). History isn't so useful in our case although it could help with trade in theory; economics might give extra budget tolerance or economic development score, possibly only if combined with student council (which on its own may do nothing). The rest of the options which I chose can be quite useful. It is especially important that we campaign for Alphonso and then ask him to step down nicely, as this will make him more willing to negotiate with us during the Gasom meeting and allow us to bargain for better working conditions, which makes for a sick speech afterwards when we go out to speak to the protesters at Gasom. I doubt tweaking other options would make a substantial difference; feel free to rp as you like and test out other combos!
  
  
• Regarding reelection: If you want to stay in the USP, following this guide should work! If you want to leave the USP, enacting De-Sollinization instead of amnesty and/or changing the party platform to socialist should do the trick and get you kicked out so you can form your own party. Otherwise, switch party focus to campaigning after reforms and feel free to spend your last personal wealth on the campaign when Lucian asks. You'll have so much public opinion in this guide that it shouldn't matter either way!
  
  
• Regarding vice president picks: Picking Gloria is the most advisable if you decide not to stick with Petr. If we're nice to Lucian and beat him at chess, he will not betray us. Gloria could help with conservatives as well as women voters, but the conservative vote will be so lost to us that this probably doesn't matter surprisingly holds up a little bit in this run, making her a solid pick. Keeping Petr will require we tank our public opinion far too much to be viable is completely viable in this run, as nationalizing HoS allows us to weather the scandal quite alright if we choose not to shoulder the blame and just blame Rumburg (never pin the blame on Petr if you have any heart). Albin is (still) just lame and corrupt.
  
  
• Regarding foreign aid/investment: You can obtain both CSP and ATO investment if you want (Yugoslavia strategy) by first accepting ATO aid and then becoming super commie (as in this guide) AND allying Valgsland (which may lose you 1 budget due to Lespia sanctions). This is the only way. However, recent testing suggests that it is only possible to obtain one industrial synergy and one infrastructure synergy at a time, meaning one cannot obtain (in theory) both a military and an agricultural synergy by accepting both investments. Furthermore, there appears to be an order of priority to synergies like so: Agriculture > Automotive > Electronics > Military. This means that if we take CSP investment, our investment into electronics/silicon valley will not count towards the broader economy even if we receive the news notification for it. Unless you really want to rp accepting both investments and don't care about maximizing economic potential, this strategy isn't all that great. It is for this reason we opt in this guide for just accepting ATO aid/investment, as we want to go for silicon valley and the military investment will not override it, whereas CSP agriculture investment would. Furthermore, by not allying Valgsland, we are able to stick more strictly to our goal of neutrality and also avoid pissing of Lespia for no reason; you do not need an alliance, after all, unless you want to go to war (again, see below for details). Philosophically speaking, we are playing friendly with the west to our own benefit, to subsidize our weakest industry (military), while we can just as well get along with the CSP and its members (like Valgsland) because we're already so left!
  
  
• Regarding trialing Soll and articles 6/7 changes: It is impossible to do both. Gloria demands we give up revoking member of honor privileges no matter what in order to get the changes passed. Without her support, we lose the entire party and the reforms go down in a ball of fire. This raises in our case a serious questions about justice. Would justice to the Bluds be better accomplished by enshrining their rights in the constitution, or by going after Soll? I think that the former is of greater importance.
  
  
• Regarding Bergia centralization/autonomy and the EPA: The economic impact of centralization/autonomy is MASSIVE. One of the conditions to pass the article 6/7 changes is to set the EPA back to 10% and/or give up on autonomy in favor of the status quo or centralization. If we set the EPA back after repealing, Gasom crashes and burns, going bankrupt in the midst of an already precarious economic climate. We can mitigate this by starting of with 49% instead, but we will profit less (-2 budget total) and we will not have a Gasom boom, making it harder to recover all regions (green). This can of course still be done (see strat below), but we end up with a weaker economy overall and have to give up on our dreams of silicon valley and jewel of the east synergies. Keeping the EPA repealed of course compromises energy independence, though I imagine a better regulatory system (apart from a flat percentage restriction) could be implemented in a second term to combat this. The economic effects of the Gasom boom for the country are immense; consider it a just "redistribution" of foreign capital. Instead, I favor giving centralization of Bergia to Gloria which, in all honesty, may be a better move after some consideration. First, a centralized Bergia is better for the local economy and therefore better for the Bluds. Second, we still achieve Bludish reconciliation, especially since they have been granted full constitutional rights (alongside all ethnic and religious groups). Although, the BFF aren't entirely convinced, most of the Bludish people are, and I imagine, therefore, that they can either be dealt with easily in a second term or will fade out peacefully. Third, it promotes in general Bludish participation and integration in the state. I think we achieve the best of both worlds this way.

Budget Guide (Abridged Walkthrough)

Below is a shortened version of the longer guide below, in case you just want a quicker reference for budget decisions.

PLEASE NOTE: many decisions can take multiple turns/events for the budget changes to take effect. If the budget doesn't change immediately after a decision, give it some time. Don't panic!

• Prologue choices: poor, history, join protests, join Red Youth, debate club, support Monica, sacrifice family time for work, vote Soll, escort refugees back, work in USP for good of country, back Soll take his deal and vote for him, campaign for Alphonso, ask Alphonso to step down, promise reforms.
  
• Promote planned economy (start 8 budget, 1 personal wealth)
  
• 1st megaproject - L-1 (SSC) (6 budget)
  
• Skip stimulus
  
• Tourism act - Sign (5 budget)
  
• Gasom - full invest (3 budget)
  
• GREEN act - Sign (2 budget)
  
• Repeal EPA (!)
  
• Increase all budgets except defund military (-5 budget)
  
• Worker's rights - Sign (-6 budget)
  
• Regional investment – Lorren (-8 budget)
  
• Increase taxes for Corps, lower for Medium & Small businesses (-7 budget)
  
• Keep education in state-control and reform
  
• Gruni investment - Crops (-8 budget)
  
• Trade war will not happen!
  
• Superpower aid - ATO (-6 budget)
  
• Wehlen trade (negotiate contribution) (-4 budget)
  
• Agnolia trade – take bad deal; don’t ally (-5 budget)
  
• 2nd megaproject (SSC) – Benfi (for Jewel of the East) or Morna (for slightly stronger eco) (-8 budget)
  
• Keep healthcare in state control and focus on improving rural care quality
  
• Bank reinforcement act - Sign (for Silicon Valley synergy) (-9 budget)
  
• Sell Gasom's 2/3 shares for very high returns (+6) due to Gasom boom (-3 budget)
  
• Nationalize BOTH Bergia Steel and HoS (-5 budget)
  
• CRUCIAL: Switch to economic focus after reforms as this will ensure economic recovery just after our reelection speech No longer needed, just have fun campaigning!
  
• L-1 complete! Praise Symon for being best boi and let him ride the choo choo with you 😊 Consider just taking the credit yourself, as both Symon and Gus are gonna be done with us after this one :(
  
• Decrees - AT LEAST Fair trade commission (for tax efficient economy later) and VAT (for more cash) (-3 budget)
  
• Trade with Valgsland and recognize Heljisland for extra money (no alliance necessary) (0 budget)
  
• Less smoke bill - Veto (assembly passes it anyways later)
  
• Healthcare spending - state of the art medical school
  
• Accept CSP’s agriculture investment See note above. We take ATO military investment now in this run instead!
  
• Skip industrial expansion (to avoid debt crisis/afford WLA) Invest in electronics for Silicon Valley synergy! (-2 budget)
  
• Centralize Bergia (better eco, get to maintain EPA repeal needed for Gasom boom, and still reconcile with the Bluds; just don't let Lileas try to finish off the BFF!!!) (-3 budget)
  
• Sign Women’s Liberation Act (-4 budget, will hurt economically but we’ll make it!)
  
• Children for the future - Sign (-5 budget)
  
• Human Dignity – Veto (bad for economy and the people)
  
• Minority rights act - Sign (needed to make Bergia green!)
  
• Alcohol & Luxury taxes (veto and let assembly pass to save public opinion) (-2 budget)
  
• Do not fund youth groups
  
• Tax efficient economy (-1 budget)
  
• Great Sordish Recovery, take MFI loan to balance the budget! (1 budget)

The Full Run - Part 1

1. Prologue choices: poor, history, join protests, join Red Youth, debate club, support Monica, sacrifice family time for work, vote Soll, escort refugees back, work in USP for good of country, back Soll take his deal and vote for him, campaign for Alphonso, ask Alphonso to step down, promise reforms
2. Promote planned economy (start 8 budget, 1 personal wealth)
3. Also: Remain neutral, relaxed immigration, law agenda
4. First speech: Current situation, stand together, rewrite constitution, change today, raise fist
5. Talk with Koronti over the phone, but turn down meeting
6. Campaign Finance Bill - Veto (anti-democratic)
7. 1st megaproject - L-1 (7 budget)
8. Invest in Arcasian stocks (0 personal wealth)
9. Reporter at inaugural ball: Work with everyone, welcome comment, yes
10. Reminder: Be as diplomatic and polite as possible in all meetings; never let your real intentions show if you can help it
11. Visit affected towns in person
12. Take Tusk bribe, ask for more (2 personal wealth; give ALL OF IT it to Serge later and live; it ain't corruption, it's just owning the rich)
13. Skip stimulus (it's ineffective, bourgeois policy anyways...)
14. L-1 to SSC (6 budget)
15. Attend funeral, let Red Youth in, speech: true comrade, unified Sordland, hatred begets hatred, they did not let us sing our songs, moment of silence, a morgna ves cor.
16. Condemn Rumburg embassy closure (do not close embassy!)
17. Tourism Act - Sign (5 budget)
18. Give money to Serge (0 personal wealth)
19. Solo invest in GASOM (3 budget)
20. ALSO: Convince Alphonso to improve living conditions of its workers, raise blue collar wages (the state is responsible for the rest!)
21. Confront protesters: hard-working employees, united by a common goal, understand skepticism, understand concerns, hard negotiations, vital step, positive impact, flash red youth card, dialogue has only started, common goals
22. Don't ban youth groups (for human rights)
23. GREEN Act - Sign (2 budget)
24. Reforms: Limit vetoes, impeachment by assembly/court, confidence vote for ministers, 8% election threshold, do not change decrees, term limits, impeachment of justices, and either remove MoH completely or just immunity (we give this up to Gloria later in exchange for the election threshold; we will not be able to keep it anyway if we go for article 6/7 changes, see notes above)
25. Repeal EPA
26. Refuse (politely) Tusk's second deal
27. Increase all budgets except defund military (-5 budget)
28. Worker's rights - Sign (-6 budget)
29. Law budget - Fund justice and form ACP (set them on the Old Guard for now to start building our case and pressure them, flipping at least 1 judge; we might capitalize on this info next term)
30. Regional investment – Lorren (needed for Gasom boom; -8 budget)
31. Increase taxes for Corps, lower for Medium & Small businesses (-7 budget)
32. Fire SSC managers and replace them (likely doesn't matter).
33. Keep education in state-control, go forward with reform. For the school visit, be polite and diplomatic, but not overly patriotic. Feel free to make comments in support of education reform; just DO NOT take down the portrait of Soll as this could anger the public. I complimented it instead.
34. Gruni investment - Crops for yummy GMOs (optional; -8 budget)
35. Bargain with Gloria for her support by giving up MoH and by kicking Monica off the Benfi speaking list (don't worry, she'll speak up later anyways).
36. Beat Lucian at chess: White, king's gambit, defend pawn, unleash rook, Rizian fork, back rank, decoy queen
37. Be sure to get Albin on your side by slyly offering him a cabinet position, then agreeing to his demand for VP (without technically promising it); ignore him later and pick someone actually competent. Don't feel bad, he deserves it
38. Party reform speech: Brother and sisters, people of Sordland, survival of party, ask for votes.
39. Trade war will not happen!
40. Religious Harmony Bill - Veto (bad for Bluds and for democracy)
41. Arcasian stocks pay off (2 personal wealth)
42. Superpower aid - ATO (-6 budget)
43. Keep immigration relaxed
44. Invest in FC Anrica and turn them into world champions, because we only ever use our personal wealth for the good of the country! (0 personal wealth, +2 returns little by little later on)
45. Support Monica when she interrupts at the Benfi festival
46. Wehlen trade - Close borders, don't participate in Bear Trap (needed for Gasom boom; -4 budget)
47. Agnolia trade – take bad deal; don’t ally or recognize Heljisland (technically optional; -5 budget)
48. Assembly reform speech: Brothers and sisters, assembly overshadowed, democratic era, branches of government, unity, Sordland great again, ladies and gentlemen, new era, future together, poem, destiny, God, spring, dark. Ask to speak, Mr. Ricter rest assured, I expect your support, Mr. Kibener cooperate with everyone, change, I expect your support
49. Remove conscription and salute
50. 2nd megaproject – Benfi (or Morna) with SSC (-7 budget)
51. Nia’s plan for semi-autonomous zone (for now...)
52. Keep healthcare in state control, focus on improving rural care quality
53. Bank reinforcement act - Sign (-8 budget)

The Full Run - Part 2

53. Give Benfi/Morna project to SSC (-9 budget)
54. Build more rural schools, mandate evolution but allow creationism
55. Sell Gasom's 2/3 shares for very high (+6) returns (-3 budget)
56. Lobby for 1 personal wealth (alternatively, lobbying for 2 could ensure a historic result, but this would either require we skip FC Anrica investment or choose middle class/rich background)
57. Make joint statement with PFJP pointing out inherent discrimination in the constitution (needed to trigger article 6/7 reform meeting with the Bluds)
58. Accept Bludish representation meeting and agree with their plans. When you meet with Gloria for article 6/7 reforms, be diplomatic and reveal the info you have on the BFF. When she lists her demands, press her on abandoning the autonomous zone and offer to centralize Bergia instead. Then press her on the EPA repeal demand and negotiate maintaining repealed EPA in exchange for agreeing to arrest Ejall and continue with the centralization plan instead. When you talk to Ricter, call his cowardly bluff and do not give in to his demands. He will back down!
59. Refuse to listen to Koronti’s deal (tell him "stop" when it comes up). ♥♥♥♥ 'em, we'll make our own media bias!
60. Nationalize BOTH Bergia Steel and HoS (-5 budget)
61. Unified Language Act - Veto (obvi)
62. Remain calm and ask Gloria to speed up the voting. Reforms pass!
63. Ally PFJP (ensures NFP gets 3rd place in elections, will help other legislation get through too, but consider skipping if you want to form your own party as you probably won't need it)
64. Accept Rumburg whistle blower! (needed to get Rumburg sanctioned)
65. Be confident and polite at the movie premier, respectful towards Soll
66. Begin trade negotiations with Valgsland only, NOT with Lespia.
67. Attend Dasturnity ceremony: scepter left, altar right, kneel, sword right, hand scepter to priest, pass sword to disciple. Again, be respectful!
68. Be nice to Franc but send him to United Contana (good for CSP relations and brainwashing!)
69. 7 (!) justices support reforms after we convince Edmonds and promise Heron the new position (which we will of course completely ignore with no consequences). Send Lucian to Heron to make the deal. Here's how to convince Edmonds: stand up for handshake, good to see you, let Edmonds order first, order salad, what's the situation, what do you think, do you not approve, balance of power, can't do a lot, I thought you would agree, transparency, we have to be together in this, judiciary should not have legislative powers, I am no Malenyevist, don't be, judicial review, limits of power, can't silence, not easy to get impeached, stay silent
70. Switch to campaign focus after reforms to boost public opinion and focus on constitution victory and also move to impeach Justice Hawker. Shift ACP against the Oligarchs, since we can now take care of Old Guard power effectively by political means. Cucking Hawker and the supreme court is basically a deathblow against the Old Guard, especially if we go on to beat Lileas either in the primary or as a new party for reelection. Also DO NOT let Lileas finish off the BFF when she asks; it won't work without the secret police (SSP) which we definitely will not be giving her
71. Post-reform speech: Brothers and sisters, the future, two years ago, fall of monarchy, participation of all, change Sordland forever, new term limits, supreme court, election threshold, future successes, birthright, golden years, revolutionary phrase, future is in our hands, vision, challenge ourselves, A'Morgna Ves Core!
72. L-1 complete! Speech: People of Sordland, we kept our promise, economic growth, new jobs, personal responsibility. Let Lucian ride the train with you, and consider spending your last personal wealth on campaign events too when Lucian asks!!!
73. Nominate most experienced judge to the supreme court
74. Decrees - Fair trade commission (for tax efficient economy), VAT tax, amnesty. (-3 budget)
75. Centralize Bergia (-4 budget)
76. Trade with Valgsland and optionally recognize Heljisland for extra money (no alliance necessary; if you don't recognize Heljisland you'll end with 0 budget instead) (-1 budget)
77. Be nice to Petr ☹ (focus blame on Rumburg if you want to keep him around, otherwise shoulder the blame; either way public approval will be fine since we have media bias through nationalizing HoS)
78. Allow formation of Women’s right commission (agree with everything).
79. Don’t transfer gendarmerie (don’t piss of Iosef; can’t trust Lileas with anything, easy choice)
80. Mandate vaccines to prevent COVID
81. Less smoke bill - Veto (0 budget, after next turn as assembly forces it through for us, saving public opinion)
82. Healthcare spending - State of the art school
83. Attend Aschraf, no convoy, give moving speech: shake hand and raise, take a candle (NOT RED), light torch together, brothers and sisters, Watani Aschraf, one of you, hatred, same before God, black mark, don't have anyone but each other, Yollak Bluderat, just duty, hug him. Bludish reconciliation achieved!
84. Accept ATO military investment (feel less bad about defunding the military!)
85. Invest in electronics (-2 budget)
86. Sign Women’s Liberation Act (-4 budget, will hurt economically but we’ll make it!)
87. Answer Franc’s call; crisis successfully avoided!
88. Children for the future - Sign (-5 budget)
89. Human Dignity – Veto (bad for economy and not a good look except to conservatives)
90. Minority rights act - Sign (green Bergia here we come!)
91. Alcohol & Luxury taxes, veto and allow assembly to override to save public opinion (-2 budget)
92. Do not fund youth groups
93. Be sure to respond diplomatically as always to Rumburg’s aggression, feel free to have a military parade if you like (should make the military happy at least)
94. Economy recovers and we gain one budget from tax efficient economy (-1 budget)
95. Reelection campaign speech: Victory is close banner, brothers and sisters, tested, Rayne administration, re-election, Sordish citizens, implementation, Sordish corporations, USP remains strong, we will not lose, bright new era, new dawn, A'Morgna Wes Cor, FC Anrica.
96. Be sure to give FC Anrica an inspiring locker room speech to win the world cup: hello everybody, millions are proud of you, match is a celebration, inspired millions, no regerts, extraordinary team, Anrican warriors, eye to eye
97. Great Sordish Recovery, take MFI loan to balance the budget! (1 budget)
98. TV interview: increasingly aggressive, I hope not, I hope she does, I hope so, all the evidence, it's all nonsense, to some extent, not involved but Valgsland has the right to intervene, peacekeeping force, it breaks my heart, sure, enjoyed it very much
99. Alliance of Nations: Again, focus always on peace and all of Rumburg’s aggression, reveal whistleblower info and be nice to the Alliance of Nations and you should get their support; Rumburg will be sanctioned and there will be no war. My choices: thank you, Sordland remains committed, united world, dangers of divisions, unite under this charter, address, deeply saddened, have to admit, no way involved, peace, peace but threatened by Rumburg, diplomatic, evidence, militant groups, more evidence, Mr. Hailstone, duty, thank you, stand for rights, long live unity and peace, peace, thank you
100. USP Primaries and reelection: If you’ve done all I have the primary is a guaranteed loss is actually pretty chill. If you'd rather form your own party, see the notes above. Otherwise, just have a good time on the campaign trail!

...And that's it! Congrats on reelection and on saving the people of Sordland!

Alternative Strategies

First, the changes necessary for a good 10% EPA/Bergia autonomy run:

• EPA 49%, -2 (optional, but repealing instead will bankrupt Gasom on this strat)
  
• REI (Rural Education Institutes) decree INSTEAD OF amnesty (sad), -1 (technically optional, but only if you build Sarna to recover Bergia and even then Sarna will get a -1 less synergy without REI)
  
• Skip industry investment, +2
  
• Either take CSP aid in the beginning OR ATO aid followed by allying Valgsland to receive both
  
• Take CSP Agriculture investment
  
• Skip either Gruni investment, or tourism bill, or maintain medium/small business tax, +1
  
• DO NOT skip Agnolia trade, as you will absolutely need it to recover Agnland

Other spending possibilities and their relative cost:

• FOR WAR: Maintain military + ally Valgsland, -2 (just follow Iosef's advice!)
  
• Free housing, -2
  
• No VAT tax, -2
  
• No MFI loan, -2
  
• REI decree, -1

How to easily afford the above possibilities: skip Agnolia trade (+1) and Gruni investment (+1) OR skip tourism bill (+1) and build Morna port (instead of Benfi; no point in Benfi without tourism bill). Be sure if you decide to skip tourism/build Morna that you maintain Gruni invest, otherwise Gruni will not recover. We do not need Agnland trade to recover Agnland if we have Gasom boom.

CAVEAT EMPTOR: Messing with the budget as presented in the guide in order to pursue alternate strategies such as the above might result in shenanigans, such as Beniweny getting so excited at the extra budget one turn that he runs a disability bill through the assembly which will absolutely ♥♥♥♥ up your balanced budget run whether you pass it or not (because the assembly probably will even if you veto it). This is the main reason I spent MORE in order to have to take the MFI loan in the end; when I tried to save more budget in order to avoid MFI, I ended up running into more bills and therefore more spending. You have been warned.

Checkmate

To make Symon proud, here are the end-game economic synergies and regional economies:

• Benfi, +3 OR Morna, +4
  
• Electronics, +4
  
• Jewel of the East (if Benfi, otherwise Morna/Port of Torp modifier) AND Silicon Valley
  
• Gasom boom (green energy prices, +1 to all regions), no EPA (foreign interference)
  
• Agnland, +4; Lorren, +2 (+4 if Morna); Gruni, +5 (+3 if Morna); Bergia, +4
  
• Total: +7/+8 (synergies)

Alternate (10% EPA/Bergia autonomy) route:

• Morna, +4 (for green infrastructure/public opinion bonus) OR Sarna, +5 (green production/better eco, but only +4 without REI)
  
• Agriculture, +1
  
• Morna/Port of Torp OR Sarna modifier
  
• No Gasom boom (yellow energy prices, -1 to all regions), EPA 10% (energy independence)
  
• Agnland, +2; Lorren, +1 (+2 with Morna); Gruni, +3; Bergia, +3 (+4 with Sarna)
  
• Total: +5/+6 (synergies)

Thanks a lot to the Suzerain Reddit community for a lot of inspiration and info that helped with the guide! Especially Sloth1262 and Catsland for synergies info.

[The Coffee]

@Saltlord_I As far as I know, particular bills don't really impact whether the court supports reforms or not. I also pass GREEN in this run.

I just tried testing your theory, and you're right about setting the ACP on the Old Guard not really making a difference for the vote! With Garaci it's a 7-5 regardless of ACP pressure or not; interestingly said pressure gets mentioned whether or not you've set the ACP on the Old Guard. However, it doesn't seem as though setting the ACP on the oligarchs from the beginning allows you to arrest them, unfortunately, although it does give you that additional dialogue option you mentioned. I think the only way to get them on full nationalization is either to use the secret police and forgo ACP or join ATO and have Arcasia extradite them.

Setting ACP on something other than oligarchs early is more of an RP decision in this case, I suppose.

[Saltlord_l]

Just in case it somehow matters (because suzerain is so intricate) I also decided not to enact the GREEN act, could that have somehow been a deciding factor in the court vote? Did everything else to the guide even the history major.

[Saltlord_l]

I got a comment that the ACP was putting pressure on the court despite not sicing them on the old guard and yes I did it with articles 6/7 changed. I comfortably passed the court 7-5, even anticipating losing a justice on edmonds side with her comment about how the articles changes really shakes the centrists really not sure why or how I kept the third centrist judge. In the nationalization scene my Rayne was able to make a point about creating a case on the Oligarchs already with the ACP to put them away for life but I havnt completed the run yet so I cant comfirm, will though when I do!

[The Coffee]

@Saltlord_I This could work! Have you tested this theory with article 6/7 changes? That seems to make passing the supreme court more difficult/lose you 1 vote.

No capital flight occurs regardless of when you tell the ACP to go after the oligarchs, however. I had no capital flight in this run (ACP freezes their assets).

I believe the oligarchs still flee the country (after nationalizing both companies) even if you set the ACP on them earlier, but it has been a while since I have tested this. Capital flight is still avoided even when they leave the country if the ACP was already investigating them. If that's still the case, then the first ACP decision wouldn't matter either way, only that you make sure you set them on the oligarchs after voting if they're not already on their trail. Otherwise, if an early ACP on oligarchs move could ensure that the oligarchs DO get arrested, that'd be a pretty sick new strat! I'll have to try it out and see.

[The Coffee]

@Bubba_Duece Did you convince Edmonds and bribe Garaci? With article 6/7 changes, you do need the Garaci bribe from what I recall.

[Saltlord_l]

Not really sure why you need to sic the ACP on the Old Guard when you can still when the constitution vote in the court with the reformist vote and the centrist vote + Heron. Plus then you can arrest the Oligarchs and prevent capital flight. Im pretty sure you only need the Old Guard investigated if your doing a dictator constitution since you lack the reformist vote and the pressure gets you your final 6th vote.

[Bubba_Duece]

@The Coffee I appreciate your help. I won the GNA vote without impeachment of judges but the court vote failed.

[The Coffee]

@pash I opted to keep Petr. There's no downside (with media bias) and he's generally popular with everyone due to his charisma, which helps you get re-elected. Lucian doesn't help at all; he's really where he should be at as a strategist rather than as VP.

Gloria helps a bit with women and conservatives; Albin sucks but probably helps with reformists (which you don't need help with anyway). Petr is the best pick! Gloria is okay though.

[pash]

Hey btw, did you keep Petr as your VP or replace him with Lucian?

[The Coffee]

@Bubba_Duece No worries, and glad you're liking the guide!

You definitely want to allow impeachment of justices so you can replace Hawker since he's a corrupt old guard. I think this might also be a redline for Ricter's support, but I'm not 100% certain.