How to Fund All Ministries? A Guide for Early Game Budget Management of Sordland

Early game budget management guide for Suzerain version 3.0, as the old comprehensive budget guide is quite outdated (pre-2.0).

This guide provides information for an "opening strategy" of the game that helps with both budget and economy, to fully recover every sector of Sordland without any major crisis.

Math First, or What is the Trade War Trigger

The basis of our opening is, well, mathematics.

• At the beginning of Turn 1, the Government Budget (thereafter GB) is 8.
  (Note: In the 2.0 version, the GB begins with 7, while in the 3.0 version it begins with 8.)
  
• At the end of Turn 3, the budget meeting event happens.
  
• In the middle of Turn 4, you can change tax rates. The usual recommended outcome is raising taxes for big corporations (+2 GB).
  
• Around the end of Turn 4, you will meet with Clara about whether education should be privatized. This education meeting is a checkpoint for government budget - If your GB is at or above -7 right after this event, in Turn 5, the Superpower Trade War event won't trigger and won't damage your economy.

Note: It used to be widely believed that, to avoid a Trade War, you need to pick Economics and Student Council in the Prologue, which will supposedly raise the Trade War check from -7 to -8. Then, if you are at or above -8 at the beginning of Turn 5, the Trade War won't happen.
However, after some tests, it appears that the actual Trade War check is -7 GB for the Turn 4 education meeting. If the GB is at or above -7 right after the meeting, the Trade War won't happen; the Economics/Student Council are not the deciding factors here.
In addition, if you go below -7 after this event (spending on the Gruni investment), the Trade War will still not trigger since the checkpoint has already been passed.

• In short, between the beginning of Turn 1 and the Turn 4 Trade War checkpoint, you have a total GB bandwidth of 8+7+2=17 GB.
  
• Fund all ministries cost 3×4=12 GB, which means there is still a 5 GB leeway. (If you count Gruni investment in, then that's a 5-6 GB leeway.)

That is to say, you can fund all four ministries without huge sacrifices or tanking the economy.

What if I Don't Want to Fund All 4 Ministries?

Of course! You can always save at least a +3 GB and spend it elsewhere in the early game. This guide prepares you for the maximum budget savings towards the goal of funding all ministries, and you may certainly sacrifice at least one ministry to have more leeway.

• Maintain the Military budget or even decrease it (still respect the military unless you would like to be coup'd) if you don't aim at going to war.
  
• Maintain the Education budget (don't decrease it, though) if you don't aim at Electronic synergy.
  
• Maintain the Law & Enforcement budget (don't decrease it, though) if you decide to do nothing against Oligarchs or the Old Guard.
  
• Don't touch the Health budget. People hate it and the pandemic could become really problematic.

Prologue Choices

Study Economics or History

• Economics can still help to mitigate some negative effects of necessary economic policies. History can mitigate some negative modifiers of your past choices on trade.

Vote for Alphonso, Campaign for Alphonso, and Advise Alphonso to step down

• Stand with Alphonso long enough, he will be friendly with you, and during the Gasom negotiations with Alphonso (Turn 3), you can get the best negotiation deal out of it - which is very beneficial to the budget, economy, welfare, and popularity.

Promise Relaxed Immigration

• There is literally no downside with this policy; it just boosts the economy - the codex and ministers all imply that Sordland was a popular immigration country even before Anton came into office. Sordland has a global GDP rank of 16th, after all.

General Tips

Consistent Economy

• If promise market economy, go market; if promise planned economy, go national; or at least, become mixed economy. A consistent economy will give you benefits along the way, and you'd better stick to your plan from the very beginning.

Ease Unrest

• The death of Bernard Circas marks the beginning of Anton's term with massive unrest, and it hurt the economy significantly. Visit affected towns in person, attend Bernard Circas's funeral, and don't ban either Red Youth or Young Sords unless roleplaying. Fund the Law & Enforcement will also decrease unrest.

Budget Red Line

• Never go below -10 GB, it can cause a massive debt crisis. Never hoard money and refuse to invest, going above +7 GB at the end of Turn 4 will cause the Black Tuesday event, and your economy will never recover from that.

Turn by Turn Options (Pre-Trade War Check)

From Turn 1 to Turn 4.

Turn 1

First Megaproject (-1 GB plus -2/-1 GB): Situational.

• H-1 Highway only improves Agnland, and you can turn Agnland into a green status without it. Not really worth it.
  
• L-1 Railway has a more potent boost, helps you stay on the good side of the oligarchs without caving in to their demands, and has much better synergies later. But it leads to a very specific combo - the Conriat IC and Electronics combo - while you can also turn everything green without L-1.
  
• Enable the project itself costs -1 GB.
  
• In Turn 2, you are going to pick companies for the project.
  
  • SSC costs 1 GB in a planned economy, while requiring another 1 GB or delaying the project.
    
  • Taurus costs 0 GB in either market or planned economy, while requiring another 1 GB or delaying the project.
    
  • Underhall always costs 2 GB and will deliver on time.
• And if you skipped the 1st Megaproject, the 2nd one will be cheaper or even free (see below).
  
• If you decide to build the megaproject anyway, always pick L-1.

Turn 2

Economic Relief Act (-2 GB): Situational.

• Stimulus Checks give you less unrest and higher popularity, and may further help pass constitutional reforms - Conservatives like it (in Sordland, "Conservative" means "Sollist").
  
• Business Bailouts give you friendlier oligarchs while lowering your popularity. Note that Hegel absolutely hates this and will not give you the good Valgsland trade deal.
  
• However, you can still fix the economy without spending lots of money this early. Rejecting the plan is unpopular and will cause a negative modifier ("Monetary Inaction"), but once the general economy goes into recovery, the modifier will disappear.

Tourism and Cultural Preservation Act (-1 GB): Recommended.

• This act will lead to a significant economic boost and synergies afterward. Note that you still need to fix the crime and unrest issues through funding the Law & Enforcement.

Turn 3

Full Gasom Investment (-2 GB): Recommended.

• Supporting Alphonso in the Prologue, and here he will agree to provide Gasom workers with housing, healthcare, and education, once you promised to invest in Gasom. You can then face the protesters - they love what you have negotiated! - and leave peacefully.
  
• This outcome will solve the protest outside, increase welfare, increase popularity, and full Sordish investment in Gasom will pay itself down the road.

G.R.E.E.N. Act (-1 GB): Not Recommended.

• It costs money, hurts Gruni, harms tourism in the long run, and also contributes to the energy crisis later on since Sordland is now producing less coal.

Energy Protection Act: Raise to 49%.

• Better for the economy, and helps with the Gasom share income later. Repealing the act entirely, on the other hand, can cause an Energy Crisis event.

Budget Meeting (-? GB)

• At this point, if you made the recommended investments above while skipping one or two situational spendings, you can afford to fund all ministries at the end of Turn 3 without going below -10 GB.

Turn 4

Worker Rights Act (-1 GB): Recommended, although......

• Significantly reduces unrest and is very popular. Helps welfare and the economy.
  
• On the other hand, if you want a free 2nd Megaproject in market economy, reject it. Or just for RP purposes. If you play your cards right, the economy will eventually be strong enough to negate the issue.

Regional Investment (-2 GB): Very Situational.

• Only required for specific combos, and you can turn all the regions into green without it.

Tax Changes: +2 GB result Highly Recommended.

• Better raising taxes for big corporations (+2 GB), which gives enough income to stay the nation afloat. Oligarchs dislike it, but this alone will not break your relationship with them.
  
• Raising taxes for small businesses just gives +1 GB, not really worth it. Raising taxes for both yields +3 GB while leaving your economy in a sorry state.

Education Privatization (+1 GB): Depends.

• Obviously, you should avoid touching education in a planned economy run.
  
• Privatizing it gives decent revenue, and if you already fund the Education Ministry beforehand, the privatization damage can be kept to a minimum. It also hurts Conservatives less than privatized Health.
  
• Keep GB above -7 here, and the Trade War will be avoided.

Gruni Plan: Invest in Mechanization (-1 GB).

• Mechanization is the best way to help Gruni here.

Turn by Turn Options (Post-Trade War Check)

• Between Turn 4 and Turn 9, you can run with a GB deficit if it is at or above -10.
  
• At the beginning of Turn 9, there is an event in which Anton finds himself at home alone, and Franc will have a phone call with him.
  
• This event is the Debt Crisis checkpoint; however, it does not have a fixed GB trigger. If you are at or above -4 GB with a healthy economy (the Great Sordish Recovery), the Debt Crisis won't happen.
  
• Even if you are lower than -4 GB, as long as you are at or above -10 GB and have the Central Bank Reinforcement Act signed (it mitigates the Debt Crisis), the Debt Crisis is recoverable.

In short, your budget goal between Turn 4 and Turn 9 is to maintain GB above -10, or raise GB towards positive as much as possible. That means a lot of privatizations, trades, and other revenue collection methods that can increase GB.

Turn 5

Superpowers Offering Financial Aid (+2 GB): Depends.

• If East-Leaning, accepts CSP aid, which is an agricultural aid and helps with agricultural synergy.
  
• If West-Leaning, accept ATO aid, which is military aid and supports military synergy.
  
• If you promised to be neutral, reject it and tighten your belt for a while.

Trade with Agnolia (-1/+0 GB): Highly Recommended.

• It always improves Agnland.
  
• Note that the +0 good deal locks you out of Valgsland trade (+2 GB).

Trade with Wehlen (+2 GB in Turn 6): Highly Recommended.

• It always improves Bergia if you only partially participate in Bear Trap.
  
• Note that any deal with Wehlen locks you out of the good Lespia trade deal - but the +2 GB income is too good to pass.

Turn 6

Second Megaproject (-2 GB plus -1/+0 GB): This is a MUST.

• The project itself costs -2 GB, then picking a company may cost an extra 1 GB or free.
  
  • If skipped the 1st, then 2nd will cost 1 GB.
    
  • If not skipping the 1st and pick SSC for 2nd, it will cost 1 GB.
    
  • If in planned economy, skipped the 1st, and pick SSC which is state-owned, the 2nd will be free.
    
  • If in market economy, rejecting the Worker Rights Act, and pick Taurus for 2nd, it will also be free.
• Choose whatever project you like depending on different situations and strategies (see the Appendix below for possible combos).
  
• Note: If skipped the 1st (which can improve infrastructure), it would be better to pick the Benfi Airport or Morna Port as the 2nd, as these are enough to turn infrastructure green.
  If the 1st was skipped and you are going for Sarna or Conriat for the 2nd, the red infrastructure negative modifier will hurt the outcome.

Central Bank Reinforcement Act (-1 GB): Another MUST.

• It synergizes with Gruni, the Electronics industrial expansion, and also helps with debt.

Healthcare Privatization (+1 GB): Depends.

• Obviously, you should avoid touching healthcare in a planned economy run.
  
• Privatizing it gives you decent revenue, and if you already fund the Health Ministry beforehand, the privatization damage can be kept to a minimum. Note that the Conservatives absolutely hate privatization of Health and this will tank their support.

Gasom Shares: Sell 1/3 share for +2 GB later this turn and +2 GB in Turn 8 (When EPA is 49%).

• The Gasom shares return is the bread and butter of mid-late game income.
  
• Always sell 1/3, as selling 2/3 gives the same amount of GB and harms energy prices and the economy afterward.
  
• If EPA was repealed before, 2/3 of shares sold will give you +6 GB and then result in an Energy Crisis event that burns -2 GB. You need to trade with Wehlen (they provide you with oil) and make the regional investment in Lorren (Lorren produces coal) to deal with it, which still costs.

Turn 7

Privatization (-2/-1/+0/+2 GB): Depends.

• If market/mixed, privatize the majority share (+2 GB) or fully privatize Nedam while keeping SSC intact (+2 GB).
  Conservative support will be lower but not entirely against you (Gloria Tory's red line is the complete privatization of Health and SSC, but not Education and Nedam).
  
• If planned, keep the status quo (+0 GB), or only nationalize one of them (-1 GB), or nationalize both (-2 GB).
  To be honest, in a planned run, just keep the status quo (it costs nothing and does not count towards inconsistency) or nationalize Bergia Steel. It costs less, and businesses will be worried but not leave the country; Tusk hates you, but Koronti always has the better deal.

Turn 8 and Beyond

All the Taxation Decrees and Bills: Recommended for raising GB towards positive.

• Value Added Tax +2 GB, Less Smoke Bill +1 GB, Alcohol Tax +1 GB, Luxury Tax +2 GB. You need those revenues to help with the late-game debt crisis and/or the Women's Liberation Act.
  
• If you have played your cards right with bills, the 2nd megaproject, and industrial expansion, the Sordish Economic Recovery event will trigger in Turn 9.
  
• If you are at 0 or above GB in late Turn 9, you can also afford either the housing or unemployment funding project, and if having a GB surplus, you can also afford the Citizens' Mobility Act; all those spendings help with your popularity.

Some Example Openings

Opening 1

• Skip 1st Megaproject (8)
  
• Skip Relief Act (8) - Sign Tourism Act (7)
  
• Fully invest Gasom (5) - Veto GREEN Act (5) - Fund all ministries (or less) (-7)
  
• Sign the Worker Rights Act (-8) - Skip Regional Investment (-8) - Raise Taxes (-6) - Keep Education Nationalized (-6) - Pass the Trade War check - Gruni Mechanization (-7)
  
• Collecting revenues from there.

Opening 2

• Build L-1 Railway (6)
  
• Skip Relief Act (6) - Veto Tourism Act (6)
  
• Fully invest Gasom (4) - Veto GREEN Act (4) - Fund all ministries (or less) (-8)
  
• Veto the Worker Rights Act (-8) - Skip Regional Investment (-8) - Raise Taxes (-6) - Education Privatized (-5) - Pass the Trade War check - Gruni Mechanization (-6)
  
• Collecting revenues from there.

Fund 3 Ministries rather than 4

• Fund 3 ministries instead of 4 will provide you with extra budget bandwidth regarding the 1st Megaproject or Relief Act, depending on what you deem to be most important.

Appendix: Investment Combos for Fixing Economy

Update: Please refer to this great guide by u/Emmettmcglynn on Reddit about all the synergies currently in the game (ver. 3.0.9). Follow the instructions and witness economy recovery in Sordland.

The L1-Conriat combo is the "Greater Holsord" synergy in this post.

Final Remarks

Massive thanks to the Third Republic guide by @uyou1won, which gave me the idea of an early-game budget management guide based on funding all ministries.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3103507832

Also many thanks to the old (now semi-outdated) budget management guide by @Apples - it had a good run!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2484945764

[Shizo Casual]

3.1 beta Rail Way/Conriat Combo still working like a champ. But if you're Plan Econ, you need a UC Aid and Maintain Military(Prevent Coup).

[Gaffate]

It is important to note that if you pick Taurus for 1st megaproject and veto worker's rights act, the workers will go on strike and force you to spend -2 instead of -1 to not delay it. So if you plan to veto worker's rights act, the other 2 choices are better, otherwise Taurus is always better to spend less money.

[QuanTom_22]

As I said I tried both and results are the same. If you lower tax for small and medium buisnesses this will add another, green multiplayer, with refers that small buisness start to growth, but this can *not* negete penalty that you gain if you make oligarhs some tax (so they fire ~ 20% of their workers if I remember description of this modifier right).

Maybe this will set the difference if you make tax rise but didn't sign worker's bill, but my point that mine playtroughth went almost the same (I even made a much better trade deals for run where i didn't do economic relief), and economy trend were a bit lower than in first run.

To ky point, I signed worker's bill both times, make an 1+2 megaprojects both, etc

[skywalker]

@QuanTom_22

Howewer, as I said before I went an two different runs, and main difference between the two is that at first I applyed economic relief plan (buisness bailouts) and then tax increase for large corp, witch give me yelow (not red!) modifyer 'large corporations tax increase' (notice the difference — not cut in their size, an increase to tax)

Did you increase only on large corps?
Have you tried small business tax increase?

[QuanTom_22]

Also you could mention an option of 'kiss my gas' achievment run
It requires you to fully invest in gasom (-2GB), repeal EPA entirely, then sell 2/3 shards of gasom (-2 + 6 = 4 GB), then try to make last minutes constitution change witch will angry USP and they will demand returning back EPA at 10%.
Agree with their demand and you get an achievement.
I heard that energy crisys (witch burns 1 GB) after that might be avoidable by ingesting in lorren + whellen deal
So you just end with an +1/+2 compared to safe EPA 49%. But there are problems cause gasom will be not in good position, so need to be checking, but seems like an interesting idea

[QuanTom_22]

So. I think this should be mentioned by the guide, and, apparently make some sense.
I mean, option to make economic releaf act (-2 GB) and then raise tax (+2 GB) at the end will result in no budget deficit there, while improving unemployment.
And in case where there aren't economic relief plan, this too makes sense - like we just got an 'free' +2 GB, this money need to came somewhere from! And 'cause we don't inwest it in buisnesses give us this +2 GB at the cost of their workers (by fiering a lot of them).

I still don't know wil the other option of economic relief get the same result (cause it won't invest directly in buisness, but maybe too will negate an minuses to tax rise), and I will check it in the next run.

Will be glad to hear opinion and some info (if you have that)

[QuanTom_22]

Howewer, as I said before I went an two different runs, and main difference between the two is that at first I applyed economic relief plan (buisness bailouts) and then tax increase for large corp, witch give me yelow (not red!) modifyer 'large corporations tax increase' (notice the difference — not cut in their size, an increase to tax), and the game respond as well, - this will NOT make unemployment situation worse, at the end I've got 'ideal' 2% unemployment.

[QuanTom_22]

I have some suggestions to this guide that inspired by my first two runs.
Apparantly, tax increase for large corporation it is bad decition *on it's own*, because it would give you red modifyer "large cut to big corporations", or something like that, this will push unemployment and powerty rate up to game start position (16% unemployment and i don't remember what poverty, but equal to starting), and even if you try to balance it and use "tax increase for large corporation, as well as tax cut for medium and small buisnesses', this still won't make situation any better! High unemployment will continue up to the end, lol.

[Myrga]

@eightroomsofelixir

Real quick question, when you say 'revoking the special status' does that mean that making Bergia autonomous also passes the check for making the region green or is that not possible?

Funding the ACP is basically a requirement for the run I'm trying to do (solo Rumburg war + socialist) so I obviously get the option for autonomy and I've been taking it whilst trying to get the run working economically so I'm curious. If not, can you revoke the special status and not make it autonomous under these conditions? I honestly haven't tried that yet.

[eightroomsofelixir]

@BirdPooMan - Yes, funding the Defense Ministry means you are prepared for this war.

@unman - Abolish the special zone is always better economically.