NationStates

Ministry of Education

Fact time!

''(An attempt to write something for SC's Collapse AU in a way of HOI4 page description) Baltic Civil War is a conflict, which can break out after SC has started to go towards collapse, and first regions have already seceded. (As Tom's failure is basically a prerequisite, the civil war will not break out, if SC manages to stabilize, and player will have a different tree, with none of the factions rising up, but story rather taking place through events) After all regions receive an event about collapse/fall of Neo Washington, the Baltic Region's player will get a new initial tree with four choices. Each of the focuses in the branch will strengthen the faction player has chosen - either in amount of land, amount of units, equipment, or multiple. After you finish the last focus for your side in the intial political tree, the civil war will break out. If you try to delay it by doing focus in either military, or industrial tree, an event would fire after the amount of days for your side's last political focus would have passed, which will automatically force the civil war. So, industrial and military stuff is recommended to be done before the SC's collapse events start to fire. If a foreign power declares war to one of the factions while civil war is still raging on, all factions will sign temporary truce until the war ends. Thundercross faction is one of the hardest, as even after your victory you will receive about Christian uprisings in both cities, and countryside. While most will be defeated by police, army, and special units, in some places the government will be overwhelmed by rebels, and fail to hold the local area.''

Three main power struggle :

Vaps Movement (Lutherans): A ''status quo'' party (In SC'S terms), which was in charge before the civil war. Normally starts off with territories of Estonia, and parts of Latvia. Although start off with less units than Catholics, more of them are well equipped, and there aren't much equipment shortages, and can request supplies from protestant regions like Finland. It has the ''Neopagan partisans'' national spirit maluses, which affect construction speed, attrition, division attack strength, and so on. Those maluses can be removed through taking several focuses in Lutheran political tree, which will also unlock decisions which deal with lowering the levels of resistance through using political power. Operations can either fail or succeed, and outcome will increase the drop, or rise of the insurgents. You have a bit of edge over other factions in terms of navy, and air force, which you can use to gain air superiority, or pull off naval landings to take ports, as one of the Catholic faction's focuses ''Smuggle through the arms'' requires it to control a port. After the war, you can choose between branches ''Reaffirming stance on atheism'', or ''loosen the iron leash'', but most of the other stuff focuses on reaffirming the status quo, and dealing with socialists. On foreign policy, you can either side with SC's central remnants by ''Loyal till the end'', creating a Tom's enclave in the continent, or be more assertive, and pick ''Forge our own path'', which further allows to pick alliances. Overall, doesn't have much opportunity for expansion in foreign tree, asides from reconquest of Prussia and claiming Belarus, but several neighbors can declare war through their foreign policy tree, which gives you chance to annex them if you are good at micromanaging units and strategy.

Iron Wolves (Catholics): The more radical faction, which normally starts in Lithuania, parts of Poland, Kaliningrad, sliver of northwest Belarus, and parts of Latvia. Similarly to Lutherans, they get the ''neopagan partisans'' maluses as well, and can get rid of them (or fail) in a similar way. Overall the strongest faction in terms of numbers, albeit some of the militia units have low organization, and it is lacking supply equipment, and laser rifles at the start of the war. The wartime focuses will focus on fortifying some of the cities, and securing support from Catholic nations, and perhaps even the Holy Social Republic - SC's Italy. It can also sabotage factories in enemy's core territories by decisions, which cost political power. While letting enemies to fall into meatgrinder is also an option, you can also simply push, as you are stronger than the other factions at the beginning. After it wins the civil war, it can begin stabilizing its rule by focuses as ''Crush the neopagan scourge'', ''Agents between the Protestants'', ''Religious Unity'', and so on. Its political tree will give additional war support, and stability as well, and will deal with the trade unions, and few democrats still lingering around. The last focus ''Born under the Vytis'' will unlock the decision to proclaim the ''Grand Republic of Balts''. Unlike some of the other civil war factions, it has a bit more expansionist options, with getting a wargoal on Eastern Commonwealth under the ''Preemptive Strike'' focus. However, you also have an option to instead seek deeper ties with the Eastern Commonwealth (Poland), and even join the Catholic Concordat. (A faction, which can be formed by Social Holy Republic of Italy in its tree)

Thundrecross (Neo-pagans): Unlike other factions, they only spawn if their side in the focus tree is picked (Picking one of the four paths in Unified Baltic Region tree will make you start as the faction, which you picked, when the civil war breaks out. Prussian Restorationists aren't in the tree at the beginning, they secede from Catholics through an event.), as otherwise most of their territory will go to Protestants, but some - to Catholics. They are one of the least popular factions, due of their neo-paganism in particular. In this case, Protestants start off only with Estonia, which will make the fight in north a bit easier, as they aren't as strong. Although Catholic faction starts a bit weaker too, they still are powerful, and will be your main enemy. While Black Cats aren't too strong at the start, they can request supplies and volunteers from ''Belarus Proper'' through decisions and focuses, so you must also not wait too long. Overall fight on their own, although can get volunteer units from some nations in focus tree. After you have won the civil war, the first issue you will deal with is the ''matter of the Christianity'' focus. You have two, mutually exclusive focus choices - ''pull it out gently'', or ''rip it off violently''. First one transforms the society gradually, and while is a safer path, it involves compromises with the churches, and will create a weird hybrid system in the end. Second is more radical path, with hits in stability and political power gain, and leaders start to prepare for war, with focuses such as ''allies within atheist ranks'', ''forts in the hotspots'', etc. After some time, three Christian revolts will rise up, all three led by their Archbishops. Luteran and Orthodox revolt is the easiest one to beat, but Catholic - the hardest. However, overall it shouldn't be too impossible for a good player. ''Restore the Romuva Church'', and ''Done away with cross'' (Which unlocks a decision to blow up the Hill of Crosses) can be taken after the civil war. Overall, not much paths for expansionism, asides from reconquering the Prussian Revivalists, and getting a wargoal on Belarus.

Other factions:

Black Cat Baltic Branch (Orthodox Christian): A branch of the Black Cats (Belorussian regional form of The Party, in charge of Belorussian region of Ruthen-Ukrainian Union) in northwest Belarus, following the order of Belarusian Central Council (or Rada). Their goals are different from the major three faction ones - they want to break off from the region completely, and join Rutheno-Ukrainian Union instead. Normally AI starts off with parts of northwest Belarus (With all of it, if controlled by player). Overall one of the hardest factions to play as, as starts with significantly less manpower, factories, and divisions. It doesn't have a tree for region's unification, but it can carve out puppet governments, and even annex some land in victory scenario. Its foreign policy tree starts with a focus to join the Rutheno-Ukrainian faction, and the ''Matter of the Eastern Commonwealth'', which unlocks the focuses of staging the Belo-Ukrainian revolt in southwest Belarus and western Ukraine. After completing the last focus in this section - ''Lit the fire'', an uprising will start in Eastern Commonwealth after a few weeks, and it will auto-declare war to the faction. If Warsaw is taken, and/or country is more than 50% towards capitulation, player will get an event of Eastern Commonwealth offering surrender, which can be either declined, or accepted. If accepted, Belo-Ukrainian revolt will automatically take all its cores (the territory mentioned before), and will receive a small tree, which will focus on initial rebuilding and preparation stage for unification. After the last focus ''Our work is finished'', all Rutheno-Ukrainian region's members will get an event ''the reunion'', where its territory will be split between region's members. Shortly after that, Baltic Black Cat branch joins ''Belarus proper'' as well, and tagswitch happens, in order for player to be able to continue the game. After that, direction of Belarus is up to player.

Prussian Revivalists: A faction, which spawns a few days after the civil war has started, splitting away from Catholics. It is led by a bunch of militarists, ''community defense'' units, and... a couple of linguists. You don't start at war with other nations, so your political tree will be a tad different - first, you will need to do the focuses ''cement the party'', and ''purge the 5th columns'', in order to get rid from one of the maluses, which reduce political power gain, and stability. After that, a new tree section will open, with first focus being ''revitalizing the language'' - with focuses such as ''Dig into the catechism'', ''scour the town names'', ''Elbing Vocabulary'', ''study the ancient texts'', ''secure support from church'' and so on. In other words, it is a more story and event driven nation. After finishing the focus ''Reforging our identity'', the name will change to ''New Prussian Republic''. Focuses further down the tree will focus on teaching the language in schools, and overall introduction of New Prussian customs (based on recreations of Old, Baltic Prussian traditions). Overall, gameplay is very defense-based, and while you will not get any war goals in the tree, you will still get focuses for more war support, and recruitable population (''Dēiws, galban nusā tāutā'', a.k.a ''God, help our land'', ''Karjaūsnā gazāi'', a.k.a ''war gasses''), as all three civil war factions will get war goals to integrate you back after the civil war ends. In foreign affair section, you will have few choices - either ''splendid neutrality'', which will put you down to isolationist path, or ''picking a side'', which will give an option to either sign an alliance with Catholic faction (Lithuania), or Eastern Commonwealth (Poland). If successful, you could have a revived New Baltic Prussian language and culture. (Yotvingians, Galindians, and others are still gone, tho)

Army branches:

Lutherans - The navy, and air section is pretty short, due of need to import resources from other regions. However, while your wielded airforce and navy will be small, you will still be able to get some bonuses, and pick the preferred doctrine - for navy, you will have a choice between ''At the Coast's Defense'', which will give bonuses to coastal forts, gunboats, minesweepers and frigates, and will primarily make navy in defensive position. The other section ''High risk, big reward'' will instead focus on convoy raiding, by giving boosts to submarine technology. There will be also an option to ''expand the dockyards'', and ''Partially closed cities'', which will restrict the access to some coastal cities for navy training centers and fuel rod production. Airforce branch will be pretty similar, just with choosing between one of the air doctrines, and receiving bonuses for air warfare instead. ''The matter of production'' will let you pick, how the airforce will be produced - the ''Enthusiastic aviators'' will give more bonuses to dispersed industry (Airplanes and other aircraft provided by various companies), while ''Centralize production'' will give bonuses for concentrated industry. (A single megacompany for all of the aircraft). PTO-6 can be researched both as a patrol aircraft, or fighter. For ground forces, ''Picking the doctrine focus'' will unlock 4, mutually exclusive paths - ''Rain of the steel'' (Superior Firepower), ''Night Wolves'' (Mobile Warfare), ''Small force, but professional'' (Grand Battleplan), and ''Army with a state'' (Mass Assault). The focus ''A very foreign commander'' will add one of the SC's Britain's Generals stationed in the region before the conflict as a Field Marshall. ''Kunda Institute'' gives an additional research slot, and army experience gain modifier.

Catholics - In aviation branch, focus ''Dogfight primacy'' will set you on the Battlefield Support doctrine, while ''Bomb and Run Tactics'' will set you on the Strategic Destruction doctrine, and each will unlock an unique fighter/bomber model - either Dobi-IV for ''Battlefield Support'', or ANBO XI for ''Strategic Destruction''. (Although bearing the name of reconnaissance aircraft, in SC's timeline the XI model is a re-engineered bomber with blueprints being made before SC's collapse). In naval tree, ''Expand the Palanga Port'' will give 2 dockyards in the region, while ''Seaside Batteries'' will add a few Level 2 forts at the coast. The focus ''Faithful Army'' will reduce the strength damage taken during the ''Force Attack'' or ''Last Stand'' operations, but you will still be unable to retreat from the attack (force attack), and taking damage will still reduce the war support. The choices for doctrine are either the focuses ''Expand the Mandatory Service'' (Mass Assault), or ''Surgical Strike'' (Grand Battleplan). ''Open the Tauragė laser rifles factory'' gives 2 military factories, and a research speed increase for laser rifle technology. ''Power Armor Experiments'' will spawn a single brigade of power armored units with increased defense and attack modifier, but larger supply consumption. ''Pickups to Technicals'' will allow to research an unique variant of motorized unit with increased speed, lowered supply consumption, and increased defense at core territory, yet at cost of decreased attack strength.

Neopagans - Both navy and airforce tree are similarly small, but the Neopagans get an additional research speed gain, and unique models for submarine technology, like Seal-2 submarine model. The naval tree splits between choosing the doctrine - ''Legation of Curonian Vikings'', which will unlock Trade Interdiction, and give bonuses to convoy raiding, or ''Legacy of Sea Mother'', which unlocks the ''Fleet in being'' doctrine, and gives focuses for battleship research. For air tree, the focus ''Balanced airforce'' will unlock Operational Integrity doctrine, which will allow both regular bombardment and ground support, while ''Hit where it hurts'' will unlock the ''Strategic Destruction'' air doctrine, and will be more useful for destroying enemy's infrastructure/factories. In military tree, the ''Party's stormtroopers'' will give a new special forces template, along with increase of stability and war support bonuses. It also gives additional resistance suppression bonus in occupied Christian territories during a conflict. (Culture system comes into play) ''Tanks Thunder would be proud of'' will give research bonuses to medium tanks, and allowing to research the unique variant of them. ''Churches to boot camps'' will increase the recruitable population a bit, at a cost of war support and stability, however. ''Gather the Yankee Curriculum'' will open an extra research slot, and will increase the gain of army experience speed, and army training speed.

Orthodox Christians - In air tree, ''Reopen the Khozhevo Airport'' will give additional bonuses to airplane research, and add 30 ''MiG-40'' model airplanes in the stock (Outdated by SC's first world standards), and an additional Airborne Early Warning (AEW) radar for one region. ''No farm left unchecked'' will give additional A-2 agricultural aircraft as reconnaissance planes. ''Vituška's Paratroopers'' will spawn an additional paratrooper unit, and give bonus to cargo aircraft research. Due of not having access to the sea at the beginning, it doesn't have a naval tree, and if you get an access to sea and a port through manual conquests, you will have to build up your navy and doctrines manually, and most of the naval tech is going to be the generic Russian Empire's naval tech tree. (The former Silverheart's world's Superstate) ''Expand the Internal Troops'' in land military tree will give bonuses to military police units. (Internal Units are paramilitaries, which assist police during large riots, for an example) Overall, the lack of navy tree is compensated by more extensive land military tree. ''Rifles of the new age'' gives research speed boost to ''futuristic'' variants of rocket propelled grenade launchers, assault rifles, pistols, and other guns. ''Empower the Spetsnaz'' will give an additional organization boost to Paratrooper special force units, while ''Mechanical Brigades'' will give a research speed boost for motorized equipment and units. ''The first AI commander'' will give an android general with traits ''Career Officer'' (+10% Commander Experience Gain), and ''Cautious'' (-20% planning speed)

Prussian Revivalists - The naval tree is a bit larger than for other factions, and you can also choose, how to expand your navy between two focuses - ''Help from Swedish Dockyards'', or ''Help from German Dockyards'', as the resources of your country are too few to build a standing naval force. Both will give additional dockyards, and speed up battleship research speed, but one of them will give more civilian factories, if compared to the military factories of the other. ''Old Sailors to Captains'' will initially give a hit to army organization, but will increase the naval experience and decrease fuel consumption for ships. After taking the focus ''The Navy's been Rebuilt'', you will get a national spirit ''Renewal of Naval Traditions'', which will give further boosts to naval experience and research speed. The airforce tree is smaller in comparison, but Prussian Revivalists have a chance to pick the air doctrine with mutually exclusive focuses - ''The bombs of Perkūnas'' will unlock ''Strategic Destruction'' doctrine, and boost bomber research speed, while ''In defense of Kāpas'' will unlock ''Battlefield support'' doctrine, and give boosts to jet fighter research. For ground military, ''West Baltic Cipher'' will give encryption bonuses, and ''Our Own Tanks'' will unlock the ''Mobile Warfare'' doctrine, and give boosts to light tank research, including the unique light tank model ''Destroyer of the Teutons''. ''Formalize the Community Defense Units'' will give a manpower boost, and give a new militia template. Finally, ''Widewuto's Artilerījas Fabrīki'' lets you unlock the ''Superior firepower'' doctrine instead, and gives boost to PMT-Artillery research speed. (All factions can get at least 1 extra research slot)

Industrial trees: All factions will have to repair/expand the infrastructure, as conflict will have taken its toll. Prospecting for more resources is also something all factions will be able to do. Neopagans will be able to gain extra infrastructure in each state with ''Expand the countryside railways'', and extra military (and civilian) factories by ''State's Workshops''. Black Cats will be able to get extra oil by ''Dig Deeper'' focus, and ''Tactical Ballistic Missile Experiments'' will increase the research speed of rocket technology. Protestants can get increased factory output by focus ''Prototype of Fusion Reactor'', and focus ''Support the Woodcutter camps'' gives additional civilian factories. For Catholics, ''Partial Autarky'' is going to switch the trade law to ''Limited Exports'', and economy law to ''Partial Mobilization''. Focus ''Our Own Transport Industry'' gives additional consumer goods factories, and military factories. And at last, Prussian Revivalists can get more coastal infrastructure by focus "Pave the Roads for the Spit", and gain 10 more steel in Kaliningrad, along with 2 civilian factories by completing the focus "Create the Triton's Metallurg".

Tech trees: A lot of the tech, doctrine, industry tool, unit, support, and special force research is generic (Especially things like power armor, old Empire's AK-47, tanks, and laser rifles, along with futuristic variants of JAK, IL, TU, and Mi-2), as most of it is not produced on spot, or even made there, but instead brought from more industrial and resource-rich regions. However, all factions have a few unique tech and transport in the tree they can research - for example, Neopagan faction can research VEF-21 jet, while Protestants can research Kalev-2 guided missile submarine, based on blueprints provided by the Megastates before civil war. Catholic faction can research Vytis-4 submachine laser gun, and albeit it consumes quite a significant amount of microfusion cells, it is still a force to not mess around with. Black Cats can research BRDM-4, an amphibious armoured patrol car, with an option to switch to fission power, if solar power runs out. Prussian Revivalists start off with ''Community Unit'' special forces researched, with increased soft attack, and organization bonuses. Although not as powerful when facing enemies on their own, they can support the regular forces well, especially in defensive war.