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George @ BattleGoat

BattleGoat Studios
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May 20, 2005
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  • Hearts of Iron III
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One of the defining factors of post-World War II events was the way the world changed in terms of sovereignty. At the end of 1949, Africa had 4 independent countries. The remaining areas had all been claimed by European powers. This same pattern could be found in other areas of the world. Starting in the 15th century, the colonial empires spread their influence around the globe but by 1949 their grip had begun to weaken. Some regions had received a taste of independence during the war when retreating forces created moments of self determination. At other times, one side would encourage regions held by the other to resist by suggesting that independence could be the outcome. These actions would inevitably lead to what came to be known as decolonization.

In game terms, a colony is another region on the map with some specific conditions applied. Colonies are assigned to their metropole (colonizing region) and cannot act independently of them. When a player opens diplomatic negotiations from Spanish Guinea, they are immediately presented with Spain. As with any region, they have their own population, industries and garrisons though colonies have no standing armed forces. They can even begin research or expand their industries if they posses sufficient resources. Colonies are not playable regions and the AI acts as the administrative leader in the colony on behalf of the metropole. Players interact with colonies in one of two ways, either as the metropole - often referred to as the parent - or as another nation.

Interacting with the colony of another region is generally done for the purpose of affecting the relationship between the parent and the colony. Some of the new diplomacy options can be used to decreasing colonial unrest. A US player might work to discourage independence in places such as Kuwait or Tunisia. And of course the reverse will likely be a popular tactic, such as encouraging Cypriot independence or arming the Algerian opposition. Just don't get caught doing it.

As a colonial parent, the interactions are somewhat different. Direct diplomacy with your own colony is allowed although it is not a negotiation. Colonies will accept all offers from their parent regardless of value and will even pass along surpluses at regular intervals. This means a profitable colony is worth keeping within your control as it will fund your national goals. Colonies will also adopt the same cabinet priorities as their parent region causing them to be governed in a similar fashion.

The advantage to the game of the new colonies system is also that it provides points of conflict. As a colony is a separate region, war can be declared without engaging the parent region. While in most cases this will incur the wrath of the parent region, some colonies have historical grievances or ownership disputes make these attacks less politically charged and in some cases, the parent will simply have no further interest in the colony for whatever reason. Colonies that become independent are also a prime candidate of interest for the Super Powers, as each tries to expand their Sphere of Influence into all regions of the world.

Overall, we are very excited to have this feature added to the Supreme Ruler Cold War world.

- Chris Latour, BattleGoat Studios.

Colony1.JPG
Colony2.JPG
Colony3.JPG
 
Looks interesting. So is there a specific way to ensure that when you fund an independence movement it will be friendly to you? Will it have the ideology of your country when it secedes?
 
As with all good independence movements, there is no guarantee it will be friendly to anyone in particular once it gains its freedom, though funding and supporting it will help to encourage that outcome.

Newly independent regions are also more susceptible to military coups and other turmoil, which could easily change a region's ideology very quickly.
 
As a related matter to decolonization, as the decreased control over key natural resources by former colonial powers might encourage exploitation of natural resources at home, has the amount of exploitable natural resources in the world finally been decreased to a closer to RL level? Perhaps been made depleteable? Have you ensured that the AI becomes more economically progressive by building facilities and having a basic understanding of simple macroecnomic factors instead of being obsessed with balancing their budget with massive tax increases and cutting their production of important export products?


Have you implemented this?:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jordan-Saudi_Arabia_Land_Exchange.gif
 
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Soviet republics ARE NOT COLONIES. In fact it was Soviet Union who actually create this republics with the borders we know today. I like the fact that playing as USA you can somehow influence on USSR so to break it apart. But at the same time there should be same possibility by playing USSR to break apart of USA. Other way it's not interesting and not fair. It reminds me "one way" road sign.
 
This feature will add a lot of depth to the game. Nice!
 
Yes it was already known that soviet republics will be colonies, but I agree with maxriga, for coherence it should also be possible to break the USA. This way doesn't seem fair, the SU player will have to care about keeping the unity of his homeland, while the USA will not. The USA player will be able to play around, and try to break the SU, but the soviet player will not be able to do the same. Both countries were/are federations, and the SU is not Russia, the SU is the SU. The game is making you play Russia, and its colonies, instead of playing the USSR as it was, and that doesn't seem right. From a gameplay prespective I think it's fun to have SSR as colonies, but then you should also split the USA into regions, and make it possible to break too.
 
...This way doesn't seem fair, the SU player will have to care about keeping the unity of his homeland, while the USA will not...
And the SU player will be able to exploit the colonies counting on their initial superiority in numbers to retain them.

And there is a key difference that the SSRs had no choice in joining the federation, it was forced upon them to my understanding.

In any case, can be modded. Of the "Vanilla" version, this works best.
 
And the SU player will be able to exploit the colonies counting on their initial superiority in numbers to retain them.

And there is a key difference that the SSRs had no choice in joining the federation, it was forced upon them to my understanding.

In any case, can be modded. Of the "Vanilla" version, this works best.

Ehh... come on man, that's pretty biased. US States tried to leave the union once and look how that turned out... both were federations, both wouldn't let themselves be fractured. It may well be great for gameplay and balance, but it's not historically accurate.

Having said all of that, gameplay should always come first so I have no big problems with this.
 
And the SU player will be able to exploit the colonies counting on their initial superiority in numbers to retain them.

What does it mean? It looks to me that the USA has an advantage right there, because their territory does not face the risk to break appart. So even if you can make the most out of your colonies, the USA has all the resources of their own territory guaranteed since game start. It feels like I'm playing Russia instead of the SU, that's what bothers me.

And there is a key difference that the SSRs had no choice in joining the federation, it was forced upon them to my understanding.

You can also make the case that communism was forced to Russia too. There were also communists in the original SSRs, and they also wanted a federation, not only the russian communists. By that reasoning you can even consider Russia a colony of the SU! The Baltic states and Moldova can be considered colonies, but with the original republics also being colonies I don't agree.

Of the "Vanilla" version, this works best.

If you say so I believe you. I can check my own scenarios once the game is released.
 
Ehh... come on man, that's pretty biased. US States tried to leave the union once and look how that turned out... both were federations, both wouldn't let themselves be fractured. It may well be great for gameplay and balance, but it's not historically accurate.

I'd say there's a difference between the southern states wanting to withdraw and the Baltic countries being annexed...
 
I'd say there's a difference between the southern states wanting to withdraw and the Baltic countries being annexed...

Definitely, but do you think any US states would have been allowed leave the US during the cold war? No, they wouldn't, just as Ukraine and Belarus wouldn't have been allowed leave the USSR. The difference is that the USSR was dominated by one of its constituent republics, the US wasn't. So, like I said, for gameplay purposes this may well be the best option.
 
Definitely, but do you think any US states would have been allowed leave the US during the cold war? No, they wouldn't, just as Ukraine and Belarus wouldn't have been allowed leave the USSR. The difference is that the USSR was dominated by one of its constituent republics, the US wasn't. So, like I said, for gameplay purposes this may well be the best option.

I think the point by the developers is that it would have been very unlikely for one of the states in the US to try and break lose, while it wouldn't be that strange for some of the Soviet states to try and break free?
 
I think the point by the developers is that it would have been very unlikely for one of the states in the US to try and break lose, while it wouldn't be that strange for some of the Soviet states to try and break free?

Possibly that is the intention, yes, but I note Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia are not colonies of Serbia, Catalonia is not a colony of Spain and Northern Ireland is not a colony of the UK...