A mod for Rise of Nations – Thrones and Patriots

USER MANUAL

Version 1.01

2

Table of Contents

A couple words before you start ............................................................................................................. 3

Installation Instructions ........................................................................................................................... 4

Playing the game ..................................................................................................................................... 5

New features: ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Known bugs and issues ........................................................................................................................ 7

The world of “A Wrong Turn” ................................................................................................................. 8

Catching up on History ........................................................................................................................ 8

Workers’ Republic of Vidalia ............................................................................................................. 30

Great Salviatia: .................................................................................................................................. 35

The Atlantic Federation ..................................................................................................................... 40

Celestial Empire of the Eternal Rising Sun ........................................................................................ 45

New Golden Horde ............................................................................................................................ 50

Caliphate of Jihadia ........................................................................................................................... 55

Transsahelian United Kingdom ......................................................................................................... 60

Bolivarian Republic ............................................................................................................................ 65

A few Wonders of the World ............................................................................................................ 70

World Map............................................................................................................................................. 74

Credits ................................................................................................................................................... 75

Creating the world of A Wrong Turn: ................................................................................................ 75

Designing the game: .......................................................................................................................... 76

Designing the opening movie: ........................................................................................................... 77

3

A couple words before you start

Hello, and welcome in ‘A Wrong Turn’ – A mod for Rise of Nations. You are about to discover the result of almost two years of hard work, and another of conception and designing.

We did our best to render the unique atmosphere of the ‘A Wrong Turn’ universe, and to give you the best gaming experience possible. The game was play-tested extensively before being released, but bugs probably remain. Should you stumble upon one, do not hesitate to report it, either on our ModDB homepage, or our email address: a_wrong_turn@rocketmail.com, or even our Facebook page and we will take care of it.

‘A Wrong Turn’ is much more than just a mod for an old RTS. It is a very deep alternate-history universe that becomes deeper and more intricate every day. In this manual, we will give you a quick peek of the background that we created: should you then share our passion for the world we are creating, you are more than welcome to join us in elaborating it on our wiki page:

http://ronwrongturn.wikia.com/wiki/A_Wrong_Turn_Wiki.

When playing this game, you will be further introduced to this world. It is our most sincere hope that you will like it, but be warned: ‘A Wrong Turn’ is a dark universe. Do not enter it looking for good guys and happy endings, for you will only find war, dictators and despair! If you find yourself easily offended by political incorrectness and bad taste in humour, it is better that you do not play ‘A Wrong Turn’ in the first place: in our game, child-soldiers are butchered by elite SS, suicide commandos and terrorist bombings exterminate cities and civilians alike. You will play as a fascist, a communist, an imperialist, a religious extremist, a mad king or a corrupt sunglasses-wearing general, but you will never play as a freedom fighter.

On the other hand, we did our best to include the coolest military units ever seen in the battlefields of the XX Century: Giant intercontinental bombers, super-heavy tanks and battleships the size of cities, rocket artillery, swarms of infantry, robot submarines, mad scientists, furtive assassins and stealth bombers, modern-day samurai, cyborg soldiers and flamethrower tanks… all of them are waiting your command to roll over the world!

We wish you a very pleasant gaming and hope to hear from you soon on one of our pages.

4

Installation Instructions

A Wrong Turn is not the usual mod for Rise of Nations, installing it will overwrite many of the game’s core files, and make playing the original game impossible.

Before installation, be sure to perform a full backup of your original Rise of Nations directory; or even better, to install A Wrong Turn over a copy of this directory. You will then treat A Wrong Turn as a game on its own.

Installing A Wrong Turn is a little bit tricky for the moment. We are working on an installer to make it easier in the future; but for now, please follow this walkthrough:

- If you haven’t done it already, download the 1.0 release and the 1.0.0.1 hotfix. They are available here : http://www.moddb.com/mods/a-wrong-turn/downloads

- Perform a full copy of your Rise of Nations directory. - In the new directory, empty the following folders :

o Rise of nations/tribes o Rise of nations/art/snow o Rise of nations/thrones and patriots/tribes o Rise of nations/thrones and patriots/snow

- Copy/paste the "Rise of Nations" folder provided in the installation pack over your new one. Overwrite every file when asked to.

- Copy/paste the files from the 1.0.0.1 hotfix over your A Wrong Turn folder. - Play the game!

5

Playing the game

Here is the first thing you need to know: A Wrong Turn only slightly alters the original Rise of Nations gameplay. Of course, the game is transformed, almost all units’ statistics have been rewritten and dozens of new ones included, but the core mechanisms of the game are unchanged. If you know how to play Rise of Nations, you will know how to play A Wrong Turn! Many things are new, however. Here is a list of the main features introduced by A Wrong Turn:

New features:

The wonders system: A Wrong Turn features a brand-new wonder system that allows the player to build only wonders related to his civilization, while conserving the “Wonder race” concept and its strategic importance. All wonders have generic names that match a given archetype, but a different look for each country. For example, the Pyramids are now called the "Monument to the Dead". When you play as the Federation, it's the Washinton Monument. When you play as Jihadia, it’s the Dome of the Rock. As the Transsahelian Kingdom, it is Lawrence Bananius' Mausoleum. But the Monument to the Dead can still be built be only one civ, so if Vidalia builds its Monument to the Dead, the Black Obelisk of Kronshtadt, you, as Salviatia, won't be able to build yours, the Battle of Steyr Memorial. This way, every nation has its own, entirely special 17 wonders, but the original, well-balanced system remains intact. Here is the list of the new wonders’ names. The bonuses they grant remain unaltered: Pyramids: Monument to the Dead Colossus: Great Statue Hanging Gardens: Experimental Laboratory Terracotta Army: Conscription Centre Coliseum: Cultural Centre Forbidden City: The Dictator's City Temple of Tikal: Deforestation Centre Angkor Wat: Industrial Complex

Porcelain Tower: Commercial Centre Jihadia’s Experimental Lab: the Centrifuge

Red Fort: Fortified Line complex of Bushehr. Statue of Liberty: Monument to Victory

6

Versailles: People's Palace Kremlin: The Dictator's Palace Taj Mahal: Central Bank Eiffel Tower: Oil Complex Space Program: Space Program Supercollider: Supercollider

The Federation’s Conscription Centre: the Pentagon

Experimental Units: In A Wrong Turn, every civilization has access not only to eight Unique Units, but also to a very special one, an ‘Experimental’ Unit. The Experimental Unit is the result of the most advanced and crazy military research project a country possesses. Extremely rare and powerful, Experimental Units can win battles and turn the tide of entire wars! The Experimental Unit can be built at the Experimental Laboratory wonder: this means only one civilization in the world will be able to field its own, unless the lab changes hands.

The Salviatian Experimental Unit: The Übersoldat.

Despite a long and difficult development, and the several

attempts of the Federal Agent Blaskowicz to stop the project,

the Übersoldat eventually became real. Half-machine, half-

man, it slowly walks around the battlefield, projectiles

bouncing over its mighty armour as it strikes down the enemies

of Salviatia. Thus we see the superiority of the machine over

flesh and blood!

The Ground Attack Plane: In A Wrong Turn, jet fighters lose their splash damage ability and thus become much more specialized in an air superiority role. To fill the gap thus created between the Jet Fighter and the Strategic Bomber, A Wrong Turn introduces this new air unit, available at the airport that plays the role of a light tactical bomber.

The Vidalian Ground Attack Plane

7

Unable to fire at air units and ineffective against buildings, the Ground Attack Plane is devastating against enemy troop concentrations: it is the perfect unit to exploit the local air superiority acquired by your fighters.

The Bolivarian Ground Attack Plane

The Future Technologies By comparison with the original Rise of Nations, A Wrong Turn has a lot more variety between the various units’ statistics. In order to preserve balance even in late-game, the four future technologies have been removed. You will have to fight to the end! The Population Limit As CPUs are more powerful now than they were when Rise of Nations was released, almost ten years ago, and great numbers add depth and an epic feeling to battles, in A Wrong Turn, the population cap has been increased to a maximum of 500.

Known bugs and issues

- The scenario editor crashes. This is due to the removal of the unused “tribes”

files. If you intend to use the scenario editor, you should first restore all the tribes files in your rise of nations/thrones and patriots/tribes folder. Beware, though, this will make the quick battle interface a lot less clear. Be especially careful not to assign one of the unmodified civilizations to any player!

- Lightning issues on some 3D Models. - Some units have wrong miniatures. - The new helicopter models do not have a proper rotor animation.

8

The world of “A Wrong Turn”

In this section, we will give you a quick introduction to the intricacies of the world and timeline of A Wrong Turn. After a brief lesson on the history of the world, we will look at each civilization individually; introducing its Unique Units and Wonders, as well as looking closer at its own background.

Catching up on History

The story of A Wrong Turn begins in the dawn of the XIX Century, and oddly enough, it begins in Japan. France’s defeat in the Napoleonic Wars left many soldiers of the former Imperial army stranded around the world, without a job or a future. While many of them went back to France and served in the new Royal Army, others went wandering the world, looking for a land of opportunity. At the beginning of the XIX century, Japan was this land. Thanks to their superior technology, it was easy for the group of European adventurers to take over Japan, but they knew very well that if they ever were to

stay in power in this country, they would have to blend into it. Marrying local families and joining the national elites, they gave Japan the scientific boost it needed to begin its regional ascension.

1819, the Arrival of the Foreign Adventurers in Japan.

With power divided into the Shogun dynasties, the Emperor’s power started to disappear, until it became little more than an honorific title: during the whole 19th Century, metis Shoguns and Samurai ran the country, modernising it in secret, and began to annex neighbouring nations. Korea was the first to fall, in 1862, followed by Manchuria in 1876. During the Chinese crisis of 1900, Japan prudently stayed in behind, secretly supporting the Chinese to get rid of the Western powers. The Russian-Japanese war of 1905 sounded like a general rehearsal of what was to come, and blessed the Shoguns with confidence. When the time came of the Great European War, Japan felt that the time was right. Taking advantage of the weakness of France and Great Britain, it betrayed China and annexed it, eliminating the Chinese dynasty and the Mandarin rulers. From 1917 to 1929, the new Celestial Empire of the Rising Sun conquered all the former

9

western possessions in Asia, from India to Malaysia and Indonesia. Soon, it became the dominant power in East Asia, and its only rival left was the new-born Federation. Once again, the Empire waited for the right moment to strike, and that moment came during the 1936 war between the Federation and the Bolivarian Republic. Attacking by surprise and sinking the Federal Pacific Fleet, the Empire extended until Australia, before it was eventually stopped at the Battle of Tasmania. After a few years of stalemate, the 1939 treaty of Auckland enforced the conquests of the Empire, which had become an Asian superpower, and joined what became later known as the Great Perpetual World War.

“Rise of Asia”, a propaganda leaflet designed

to demoralise the western occupants of Asia

Meanwhile in Latin America… After more than a decade of civil war, Simon Bolivar managed to give life to his project of a united South American nation. In honour of the “founding father of the southern hemisphere”, the new-born country was called “Colombia”. At the New Granada Congress of 1832, the state was organised as a strong, centralised State, giving very important powers to President Bolivar. At the death of Simon Bolivar to tuberculosis in 1834, however, the Republic found itself left without a leader strong enough to fulfil his role. As the new president Domingo Caicedo went on his first official trip abroad, general Urdaneta took power in a military coup. Waging a merciless war against Brazil, he eventually achieved the full unity of the continent, however at a very high cost in human lives. To commemorate Simon Bolivar, the country was then renamed into the Bolivarian Republic.

Rafael Urdaneta, first President

of the Bolivarian Republic

As the years passed, the Republic became more and more authoritarian, until in 1908, the ruling general Diaz declared war on the United States to claim Mexico, Texas and the Caribbean Islands. The conflict that ensued bled the Republic for almost no territorial gains. By 1910, the Chixulub Treaty put an end to the war, and partitioned Mexico in two, leaving everybody eager for revenge. General Diaz’s failure owed him to be overthrown by his chief of staff, General Cabron. This was the first of

10

nine consecutive military coups, during what became later known as the “Year of the Nine Generals”. Eventually, the harshest left, General Tapioca, remained sole in power. A cunning military leader, he reinforced his leadership by conquering the Falklands Islands from Great Britain in a lightning war in June 1925.

General Alfonso Lope Ramirez Tapioca

As Tapioca reinforced his grip over the State, the Army and civil society, he felt confident enough to resume the war on what had then become the Atlantic Federation in April 1936: the modern Bolivarian Republic had just entered the Great Perpetual World War. 1914-1922: The Great War and its consequences As Europe entered the Great War, History followed the course we all know: Germany made progress on the Eastern front, and the war in France quickly turned into a stalemate of trench warfare. Then, details began to change. At the time, no-one noticed, but the consequences were to set the world ablaze. On the 7th of May 1915, the German submarine U-20, on patrol duty in the Atlantic Ocean, missed the liner RMS Lusitania by a few inches. In early February 1916, General Pétain, of the French army, got sick. A couple months later, when Germany launched its great Verdun offensive, he was replaced by General Nivelle. By March, France had lost the battle and the Germans were pushing through their lines. Forced to hasten their own offensive, the British suffered at the

Somme battle the most crushing setback of their history. Facing defeat, the British Expeditionary Corps pulled back from France. On the 16th of July 1916, the Wight Island Treaty put an end to the United Kingdom’s involvement in the war.

British officials signing the Wight Island Treaty.

By September 1917, France’s situation was dire. Following the Russian Revolution, Germany was entirely free to throw its full strength into the war, and the French Army was on the verge of collapsing. Desperate calls for help to the United States remained unanswered, as President Taft refused to commit itself to a war that

11

did not involve his country, and was even less keen to send soldiers in such a hopeless situation. In March 1918, at the battles of Epinal and Chateau-Thierry, the Germans broke the front. Political instability in France became unbearable, leftist politicians demanding capitulation, others willing to fight to the end, and some communists, inspired by the Russian Revolution, wishing the fall of the “bourgeois republic”. On the 11th of November 1918, France capitulated.

15th of March 1917: German troops storming

French positions at Chateau-Thierry

In March 1919, the German Empire merged with a weakened Austria-Hungary by the Dresden Treaty. During the Unity Parade in Vienna, Kaiser Wilhelm II was assassinated by a young German communist. Their party forbidden, the Spartakists went underground. The Kaiser’s successor, Kronprinz Wilhelm III, happened to be a terrible state leader. Frivolous and careless, he triggered a growing discontent in the highest spheres of the Army and the administration. In November 1919, the military factories of the Ruhr began closing down, and Krupp fired most of its staff. Many demobilised soldiers found themselves with no jobs and no resources, but the Kronprinz refused to negotiate with the trade unions. On the 3rd of December, the coal miners of Bochum went on strike, demanding higher salaries. The only answer of Wilhelm III was to have the Totenkopf Hussars charge the crowd, killing 34 and wounding hundreds.

Kronprinz Wilhelm wearing the

Uniform of the Totenkopf Hussars

The next years saw the crisis get only worse. Factories closed all across Europe, Great Britain shut its borders with the continent, and discontent grew up in the cities. On the 6th of January 1921, the crowd tried to storm the palace of the Kronprinz in Berlin. Fearing that the communists would take advantage of the unrest to take over, Feld-Marshalls Hindenburg and Ludendorff decided a coup. Their ill-prepared attempt went on in complete mayhem, several gunshots were heard and a dozen people killed, including Feld-Marshall Hindenburg, the Kronprinz and his family. On

12

the 14th of January, Ludendorff proclaimed himself “Supreme Regent of the Empire” and promised the return to stability within two months. However, Ludendorff’s attempt at restoring the State’s authority in Europe was impeded by the suspicions of regicide cast upon his head. Eventually, he lost the support of the people, the administration, and even the army. On the 8th of December, the communists made their move. Karl Liebknecht declared: “In front of the vacancy of the bourgeois power, the working masses can and must take on their destiny. What succeeded in Russia will succeed in Europe.” and called for a general insurrection.

Feld-Marshall Erich Ludendorff

It wasn’t long before the communist insurrection spread all over Europe like wildfire. Red flags and barricades appeared in all the capital cities, under the passive eyes of local police forces, which saw this uprising favourable against the German occupants. Overwhelmed by the events, Ludendorff did not order his troops to fire at the rioters until January 1922, and by then, it was too late. Half the soldiers refused to obey and joined the rioters, making the situation even more out of the control of what was left of the German authorities. The year 1922 was a year of complete and utter anarchy in Western Europe, as organised bands and free corps scavenged the countryside and fought each other in chimeric attempts to restore order, production stopped entirely and economy collapsed. But a much greater danger was slowly rising from the East… The Vidalist Revolution In 1916, as the Great War was turning into a disaster for Tsarist Russia, political turmoil grew, and communists prepared themselves for Revolution. Amongst dozens of tiny groups in the Russian revolutionary left wing, one was led by a Jewish junior officer in the Baltic Fleet, Lev Abramovich Vidaliev, in favour of a very hard communism relying on urban proletariat and soldiers. Very active amongst the garrisoned sailors of Petrograd, they planned on striking in December 1917.

A group of Russian Vidalists in Petrograd.

13

After the February Revolution, as the military situation was growing worse, all the communists were preparing to take over. On its way from Switzerland, Vladimir Lenin’s train to Petrograd was destroyed in a violent explosion, killing everyone on board. Disorganised, the Bolsheviks were forced to reschedule their coup to early 1918, but they were outrun. On the 8th of December, Vidalist sailors stormed the Winter Palace and took over the city of Petrograd. As the majority of the other communist leaders joined them, the Vidalists gathered strength and began negotiations with Germany to enforce an immediate peace at any cost. The newly rallied Trotsky was sent to meet with German diplomats, and on the 6th of January 1918, the Brest-Litovsk Treaty brought back peace to Russia. The Vidalist insurrection spread to Moscow and other major cities, but the Russian Army’s staff declared its opposition to this “Peace of cowards” and announced its intention to “put an end to the vidalist grim joke”: it was the beginning of the Russian Civil War.

Vidalist cavalry – Ukraine, January 1921.

From February 1918 to December 1921, the Civil War raged in Russia and Ukraine, and the ferocity and discipline of the Vidalists slowly prevailed over the

white generals. Without any help from the defeated Western Allies, they were vanquished one after one, until the Vidalists find themselves the sole masters of Western Russia. On the 8th of December 1921, the Civil War was officially ended by the proclamation of the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets.

Trotsky inspects a unit of the Vidalist Red Army

14

Deciding to ignore the reconquest of Siberia for the time being, Vidaliev and the Political Committee of the Vidalist Revolutionary Workers’ Party chose to grasp the opportunity of the European civil war to make to old dream of the Worldwide Revolution come true. In the years 1921 to 1925, the stranded and exhausted Vidalist forces were reorganised into the Workers’ Red Army, and the First Industrial Plan equipped them with new weapons. 1923-1926: Europe in flames As Western Europe descended into anarchy, many felt the need for a new leadership and a new ideology. In January 1923, in the Stalag of Greifswald, a German officer called Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat bonded with several of his prisoners. Agreeing for the need to unite Europe against the communist threat, they formed a political group name Vorwärts! (“Forward!” in German), thus initiating a process that would eventually change the world. Including young men and junior officers from all over Europe, they moved together to the neighbouring city of Hamburg, where they settled down and began their political activism. Amongst them, the Italian Benito Mussolini, the French André Rémoire, the Belgian Maxime Delrouel; soon rejoined by the Norwegian Quisling, the Czech Rys-Rozsévac and the Hungarian Ferenc Szalasi. During the year 1923, the group’s propaganda spread through Hamburg, quickly seducing the city’s traders and demobilised soldiers with its aggressive rhetoric, and by the end of the year, Vorwärts! numbered more than 20.000 members, and 100.000 subscribers to its newspaper. In October, as the movement grew in numbers and popularity, street fighting with communist militants led to the foundation of a paramilitary force known as the Vorwärts SturmBatallion, or VSB. Enjoying the support of many former soldiers and equipped with Norwegian weapons bought by Vidkun Quisling, the VSB quickly forced its opponents out of Hamburg, which earned the reputation of being “the only safe city in Europe”.

Following this success, Vorwärts! spread through European cities, especially in France and Italy, as the founding members of the movement created local units in their home countries. Slowly, the communists began to lose ground. On the 11th of November 1924, the first international congress of Vorwärts! was held in Geneva. It established a formal structure to coordinate the

A VSB squad in Dresden in January 1924.

15

actions of the various national units, and reaffirm the will of Vorwärts! to create a new pan-European State. During the closing ceremony, a bombing killed 22 people and wounded 85. Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat blamed the “Vidalist communist barbarians” for the attack. At the same time, the Workers’ Armed Forces gathered in high alert at the border of the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets. On the 22nd of March 1925, upon receiving the code signal “Red Dawn”, the Workers’ Armed Forces unleashed themselves upon defenceless Europe. The day after, the attack was unanimously condemned by every political force in Europe, except the communists. Nevertheless, the first weeks of the war saw an unprecedented victory streak for the battle-hardened Vidalists, as no remaining army could match their sheers numbers and recklessness. The Polish Army was dislocated in Danzig on the 3rd of April, and cities fell one after another: Konigsberg, Chisinau, Warsaw, Bucharest, Krakow, and Sofia on the 6th of May.

A Red Guard unit – Bucharest, may 1925.

As the Red Army reached Central Europe, resistance began to organise. Belgrade and Budapest fell only by mid-June, after fierce fighting, and in the North, remnants of the German and the Polish army entrenched themselves behind the Oder river and, reinforced by local Salviatist militias, they managed to hold their ground against the Vidalists. On the 10th of June, Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat published the manifesto of the Vorwärts! movement in a book entitled Unsere Kampf (Our Fight). It was concluded by a dramatic call for union of the “European Race” against the invasion of “Barbarians from the East”. In July, Bratislava and Sarajevo fell to the Vidalist onslaught, and the Workers’ Armed Forces began to push towards Prague and Vienna, which they reached by mid-August. This unprecedented threat greatly boosted the already increasing popularity of Vorwärts! in Europe, as the movement seemed to be the only one able to save the continent from being entirely conquered

16

by the Communists. In Denmark, Sweden and Norway, as in the rest of Europe, Vorwärts! became the dominant political force. On the 10th of September 1925, after a three-week siege, the Workers’ Armed Forces broke through the front at Vienna. As what was left of the Austrian Army retreated toward Bavaria, the Vidalists carried on westwards, and soon reached the border of Switzerland. The country mobilised its army

while claiming its neutrality in the conflict. Polish soldiers at the Oder line.

However, on the 25th of September, Vidalist artillery bombed the small frontier town of Klosters, thus pushing the Swiss to enter the war. Reacting to the attack, Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat denounced an “unprecedented violation of the rules of war”, as

his movement was spreading through Switzerland. The Swiss government proposed to France, Germany, Italy and other States of “Community of the Free Nations of Europe”. On the 7th of October, the CFNE became a reality with the adhesion of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Temporary flag of the CFNE

On the 4th of October, at the Battle of Innsbruck, the Swiss Army confronted forward elements of the Workers’ Armed Forces. After a fierce battle, the Vidalists decided a tactical retreat to protect their exposed northern flank. However, it was already too late: on the 10th October, near the Austrian city of Steyr, the retreating Vidalists were flanked from the North by Austrian and German forces, from the South by Italian Vorwärts! volunteers, and were hard-pressed on their rear guard by the advancing Swiss. The retreat turned into a rout, and the entire vidalist front in Central Europe collapsed. To this day, the 10th of October is commemorated in Salviatia as “Das Wunder von Steyr”, the Miracle of Steyr. Within a few days, the Red Army was removed from Prague and Vienna. For the first time, troops from all across Europe, in particular French and German volunteers, fought side-by-side under the Salviatist flag. “Now, Europe is not afraid anymore, because it is strong and united. We shall prevail together, under the banner of Vorwärts!” proudly stated Von Salviat. On the 19th of October, the leader of the

17

Workers’ Armed Forces Leo Trotsky was assassinated in his headquarters in Krakow, thus adding to the growing disorganisation and panic in the Vidalist ranks. On the 21st, Sweden, Norway and Denmark entered the war against the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets. As the situation seemed dire for the Communists, the Red Navy’s Baltic Fleet caught the Norwegian fleet by surprise in the Gulf of Parnu and sank it, giving a great morale boost to the worn-out Vidalist troops. In the end of November, a crisis meeting was held in Petrograd. After heated discussions, General Tukhachevsky was appointed at the head of the Workers’ Armed Forces, replacing General Voroshilov. His duty, as stated by comrade Vidaliev, was “To put an end to the anarchy sweeping the Red Army, re-establish a stable front line, and resume general offensive by spring 1926.”

“Long live the Red Fleet, vanguard of

the Revolution” – A Vidalist poster

The Red Navy’s Baltic Fleet leaving Petrograd to fight

the Norwegian navy. 23rd of October 1925

As Tukhachevsky was vigorously reorganising the Workers’ Armed Forces and firing several incompetent officers, the European coalition army drove the Red Army back to Warsaw, Bratislava and Sarajevo, where Tukhatchevsky managed to set up a defence line and had the Workers’ Armed Forces entrench until the new-born industry of the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets could supply them with enough tanks and airplanes to “crush the reactionary scum under proletarian steel”. In the meantime, taking advantage of the relative stabilisation of the military situation, the Salviatists held a joint congress of Vorwärts! – CFNE in Geneva on the 15th of December. Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat was appointed “Supreme leader of Vorwärts! – Europa” and received full powers to negotiate peace with the Vidalists. On Christmas 1925, diplomats from both sides met in war-torn Bratislava, where a truce had been enforced by Vidalist General Chapaev. The negotiations began unsuccessfully because of the Italians’ very high demands and of the sensitive issue of

18

Poland. On the 31st of December, the Vidalist diplomats, led by Vyatcheslav Molotov, organised a New Year’s Eve celebration. Vodka flowing freely, the European negotiators eventually agreed to a partition of Poland, and signed the treaty prepared by Molotov.

The early flag of the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets.

The Bratislava Treaty was acclaimed in Vidalist Russia, but deeply divided the CFNE. Some deemed it much too favourable to the Vidalists, especially the betrayed Poles. Mussolini demanded its immediate abrogation and a renewed fighting “Until the Vidalist traitors were brought to their knees”, but Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat called for restraint and realism. On the 4th of January 1926, the CNFE officials decided to put that issue to a vote between them: the moderate camp led by Von Salviat prevailed and the treaty was considered ratified. A few hours later, outrunning every other member of the CNFE, Vorwärts! broke the news all across Europe. Immediately, the streets burst into joy, and Von Salviat was acclaimed the “The saviour of Europe”. From the 5th to the 20th of January, he went on a triumphant tour of the European capitals. His popularity and Vorwärts! were at their climax. On January 6th, the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets also ratified the treaty, hailed by Vidaliev as “A historic moment for people’s friendship in all of Europe.” Two days later, the Bratislava Treaty was enforced, and the Red Army began pulling back to the newly established border. For the first time since 1914, Europe was at peace. 1926-1927: A new order is born On the 30th of January 1926, to celebrate its third year of existence, Vorwärts! – Europa organised a huge congress in Vienna. Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat exposed his plans to “turn the CNFE from an empty shell to a true united European nation, able to make peace prevail” thanks to a Constitution based on the “Constitutional Project for a New Europe” described in Unsere Kampf. From February to September, post-

19

war elections were held in all Europe, and brought Vorwärts! to power everywhere. The Communist Parties, accused of having destabilizing Europe and supported the Vidalist aggression, were all forbidden.

The Vienna Congress.

In November, while spreading rumours of a possible new Vidalist attack, Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat launched a pan-European referendum in order to create a “Great European State, united under the banner of Vorwärts!”. As fear grew rampant in Europe, the figure of the “Saviour of Europe” became reassuring for the terrified masses, and all the European countries enforced the Constitution. On the 7th of December 1926, the CFNE was dissolved, and replaced by a new State: Great Salviatia was born. At the same time, in Vidalist Russia, the Vidalist Revolutionary Workers’ Party found itself sole master of a territory going from Warsaw to the Ural and began establishing the “Workers’ Socialist Order” in it. Former elites were brutally removed from power and replaced by local communists; a political police was created to be “The sword and shield” of the Revolution”, and became known as the “Red Guard of Vidalists”, or KGV. Acclaimed as the “Hero of the Revolution”, Vidaliev rode the country, greeted with great popular enthusiasm for restoring peace and erasing the consequences of the 1917 Brest-Litovsk Treaty. However, the lessons from the European War were still to be drawn. The first shot came from the army, with General Tukhachevsky publishing a long column in Vidalskaya Pravda entitled “Why we lost the war”. He blamed the lack of a true war industry in the country, the incompetence of the chain of command, and most of all, the lack of effectiveness of the administration and the State. On the 23rd of May 1926, several high-ranking Party members called for a “New state, worthier of the greatness of the Free Motherland of Workers and Soldiers.” A commission from the Party was appointed to draw the frame of this new structure. On the 8th of December 1926, to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the December Revolution, the Workers’ Republic of Vidalist Soviets was reorganised into

20

the Workers’ Republic of Vidalia. “Hero of the Revolution” and “Flawless leader of the working masses”, comrade Vidaliev became the head of the new state, and received the honorary title of “Great Leader Vidal”. The birth of the Atlantic Federation In 1912, on its way to a pre-electoral meeting, the candidate from the Democratic Party Woodrow Wilson died in a car accident. His substitute, Thomas Marshall, subsequently lost the election to William Howard Taft.

An isolationist, Taft refused to commit the United States into the Great War, and America remained neutral for the duration of the conflict. As the war in Europe turned to the advantage of Germany, Great Britain withdrew from it. Weakened by this defeat, the British Prime Minister

Woodrow Wilson’s death in a car accident. Lloyd George was forced to resign. His successor, Bonar Law, was decided to keep the United Kingdom away from the political mayhem that was rising on the continent. However, the 1919 closing of Britain’s borders dealt a severe blow to the already flickering British economy, and recession soon struck, spreading quickly to America as its exportations to Europe disappeared. In 1919, as unemployment grew, riots began in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. With the police being overwhelmed, and the Army broken by the defeat in France, troops were recalled from the Empire to help restore order. Left defenceless, the British colonies in Asia were quickly annexed by the Empire of the Rising Sun, and its African possessions soon took their independence. The loss of the Falkland Islands to the Bolivarian Republic in 1925 completed the collapsing of the former British Empire, and alimented discontent even further. In 1926, as economy was sinking into crisis, the Gold Standard system collapsed in turn, triggering a spiral of inflation in Britain and America. However, the end of the 1920’s saw an improvement of the situation. As Europe went back at peace, the new-born Great Salviatia took a huge loan from American banks. High demand coming from the continent helped restore the exportations, and it seemed that the crisis was over. Funds from the United States flooded Great Britain, and the American Dollar became so widespread that the Pound, whose value

21

was continuously dropping, was almost not used anymore. Following this economic improvement, social unrest began to calm down. Then, on the 24th of October 1929, Great Salviatia declared that it would refuse to pay the debts it had taken. This terrible event triggered an unprecedented financial crisis, with almost every bank in America going bankrupt, and the British economy, that was just beginning to recover, crumbling once again. Irish and Scottish separatism grew stronger and riots resumed all across the country. In reaction, a part of the population began to feel that the choice to stay away from Europe was responsible for the dire situation of the United Kingdom, and created the British Union of Salviatists (BUS), under the leadership of Sir Oswald Mosley.

Rioters in Belfast – June 1932

In April 1931, King George V suddenly died of apoplexy, leaving the crown to his son, Edward VIII. Considering that in such a troubled time, it was the King’s duty to take over the management of the State’s affairs; Edward directly opposed the

government, who was trying to reinforce the cooperation with America, by issuing several statements in favour of Great Salviatia. Despite the scandal, the new King persisted in his way, and made his first official visit in Geneva, where he received “Full support” from Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat to “bring a happy ending to this dire crisis.”

King Edward visiting Great Salviatia.

Such an attitude, however, alienated the King from his people, who felt it as an act of treason, but Edward remained deaf to the growing discontent. When it became known, in October 1932, that he had been trying to appoint Oswald Mosley as Prime Minister, the scandal was so huge that some began to openly talk about the end of the Monarchy. The Times printed a vehement editorial entitled Whore, Whore, Whore! written by the liberal thinker Remus Berthonnow, denouncing both the royal authority, the attempts to bring Britain closer to Salviatia and the recently discovered marriage plans of Edward VIII.

22

Meanwhile, in Scotland in Ireland, riots and unrest turned into an open civil war as the IRA took control of Belfast and Dublin in early 1933. As Great Britain descended into anarchy, its neighbours began to take interest in its fate, and quickly chose sides.

Seeing in the British Civil War an opportunity to resume the Worldwide Revolution ideal it has failed to achieve in Europe, Vidalia offered its support to the Irish and Scottish independence partisans. “It is the duty of our Free Motherland”, stated Great Leader Vidal, “to support the claim for liberty coming from the peoples oppressed by a reactionary monarchy”.

Eamon De Valera, Irish nationalist

leader, and suspected KGV agent.

Aiming to extend to what seemed like a natural part of its territory; Great Salviatia already had allies in the persons of King Edward VIII and Oswald Mosley. “The British monarchy”, declared Franz-Heinrich Von Salviat, “is one of Europe’s oldest and most respected traditions. Great Salviatia will always side with those who fight to preserve their nation from foreign meddling.”

Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Salviatists.

Finally, America could not afford to lose its last commercial partner and ally in Europe. “King Edward has clearly become a grave threat to the friendship between our nations, and made clear that Republic is the only solution for Great Britain”, declared President Harding. Enjoying this open support from America, British liberals published their manifesto, For an Atlantic Federation, in which they called for the end of monarchy and an economic and political union with America and Canada. The crisis between those three camps lasted for months, before the United States made a radical move that took both Salviatia and Vidalia by surprise: they sent their army across the Atlantic and occupied the British Isles in a few days, without

23

encountering any resistance from the British Army, siding with the Liberal government. Outraged by the situation, but unwilling to engage into a new armed conflict, Salvitia and Vidalia issued statements condemning this “act of blatant imperialism”, but could do little more, as the Americans and the British Republicans eliminated all opposition. By July 1934, the nationalist insurgents had been crushed, and Edward VIII abdicated. Clement Davies, leader of the Liberal Party, was appointed head of the new Republic of Great Britain, and made cooperation with the United States his top priority. In September 1934, the Ottawa Treaty was signed between America, Canada and the Republic of Great Britain. It set the ground for the future Federation, with the creation of a Council of the Atlantic that was to supervise and coordinate economic and social policies. A few days later, the British Pound was officially abandoned in favour of the US Dollar. Although the Pound has nearly disappeared from the everyday life of the Britons for years, this symbol triggered a strong wave of discontent, and the crowd went back on the streets. On the 3rd of October, a huge demonstration was led by Oswald Mosley in a last attempt to reject the American influence over Great Britain, but a ferocious repression by the army killed several hundred demonstrators, including Mosley himself, thus beheading the British nationalist movement.

Clement Davies, main artisan of the

British adhesion to the Atlantic Federation

On the 27th of October 1934, the political process was complete: Great Britain, Canada and the United States signed the Treaty of Baltimore, which created the Atlantic Federation. Soon, they were joined by Australia and New Zealand, concerned with the growing threat of the Empire of the Rising Sun. To overcome the economic crisis, the government of the Atlantic Federation was entrusted to a Federal Council of high-ranking political, military and economic leaders of the member countries. It was to be replaced by an elected parliament after the situation was back to normal, but the 1936 war against the Bolivarian Republic, followed by several years of conflict with the Empire of the Rising prolonged its existence until today.

24

1917-1921: The rebirth of the Golden Horde The Russian Civil War saw many forces opposing to the prevailing Vidalists. Although defeat united them under the generic name of “White Generals”, there was as little unity amongst them as there could possibly be. Some, like Admiral Kolchak, were loyal to the February Government of Alexander Kerensky, others, like General Wrangel, sought to restore the Monarchy, some others, like Ataman Dutov or Hetman Skoropadsky, were nationalist leaders, a few were little more than bandits in uniforms, and one of them claimed to be the reincarnation of Genghis Khan. This man, Baron Roman Maximilian Von Ungern-Sternberg, also known as “The Mad Baron”, of “The Bloody Baron”, was a former Imperial Army officer, who had taken up arms in Siberia against the Vidalist Revolution. As the Vidalists forces were prevailing in Western Russia, most of the white generals fled abroad, but Ungern-Sternberg refused to abandon the fight. Convinced to be the moral successor of the greatest conqueror ever to live, he decided to restore Mongolia to the former glory of Genghis Khan.

Roman Von Ungern-Sternberg

With the Empire of the Rising Sun busy absorbing the former British colonies, and Vidalia waging a war in Europe, Ungern-Sternberg managed, against all odds, to affirm his authority over Siberia. A cunning tactician and a true visionary, he inspired a fanatic loyalty to his men, and in December 1919, his armies reached Urga, capital of Mongolia. There, he was appointed Great Khan of the Mongols by Bogdo Khan, a weakened leader under the influence of the Japanese, who thought he could use Ungern as a tool to regain his power.

Bogdo Khan, ruler of Mongolia,

who made Ungern-Sternberg the

Great Khan of the Mongols

Riding over Siberia at the head of his dreaded Asiatic Cavalry Army, Ungern Khan united and submitted the peoples to his banner. By August 1920, his dream of a united Siberia had become a reality. Feeling that the situation was getting out of

25

control, Bogdo Khan tried to get rid of Ungern-Sternberg, but it was too late. His military successes had made him a living god amongst his troops and the peoples of Siberia and Central Asia. When Bogdo Khan disappeared in suspicious circumstances, he was little mourned, and Ungern Khan was left as the undisputed master of the New Golden Horde he proclaimed on the 4th of October 1920. Surprisingly Ungern Khan proved to be a good peacetime leader, building a modern industry to exploit the riches of Siberia, restoring the Transsiberian railway, and establishing a strong state, with its capital, New Saraï, set on the banks of Lake Baikal. However, Ungern was a warrior, and believed it was time to take his people with him and to conquer the world. Peace could only exist as a way to prepare for war, and on the fifth anniversary of the New Golden Horde, on October 4 1925, he marched his troops westwards, to Vidalia. What was once nothing more than a cold desert ridden by a few warring tribes had become a tidal wave threatening to swallow the world, and its neighbours Vidalia and the Empire of the Rising Sun had neglected their chance to stop it in time: for the upcoming decades, both countries would have to deal with this everlasting threat on their borders.

Units of the Asiatic Cavalry Army of

Ungern Khan riding in Siberia, circa 1923.

26

Religious renewal in the Middle East The Ottoman Empire, amongst the winners of the Great War, emerged out of the conflict as the dominant power in the Middle East, with the British and the French rulership out of the region. As the State’s authority was strengthened, the revolutionary movement known as the “Young Turks” that had been gaining in importance amongst young, ambitious officers, found itself on the wane. Reformers lost ground everywhere, as the old Empire had proved to be much more efficient than they claimed, and conservators regained their former importance. Feeling that their situation would be only worsening in the upcoming years, and refusing to let go of their ambitions, a group of officers led by General Mustafa Kemal attempted a coup in 1919. However, with little support from the rest of the army and the civil

society, the attempt failed. Kemal was convicted with felony and executed, and in the years 1919 to 1921, as the Young Turks were hunted down and their movement dismantled, the Clergy regained its importance around Sultan Mehmet VI.

Mustafa Kemal and his fellow officers

soon before their ill-fated coup.

Sultan Mehmet VL, artisan of the religious

renewal of the Ottoman Empire.

As a reaction to Kemal’s well-known atheism and will to modernise the country to western standards, the religious feeling became much stronger both in the cities, the countryside, the army and the administration. After the death of Mehmet VI, his successor, Abdulmecid II, an extremely religious person, decided to restore the country to its former state of defender of the one true faith. Soon, persecutions began against the heathens. From 1922 to 1924, Christians and Jews were quickly exterminated, without

Abdulmecid LL

27

any reaction from Europe, plunged into civil war, and in October 1924, the persecutions extended to the Shi’ites. However, the Ottoman Empire was not the only religious power at the time, and their moves against the Shi’ites triggered a shift in power in the neighbouring Persia. Abandoned by the British and hated for not preventing the massacres of Shiites in Ottoman lands, the Qajar dynasty was toppled in a popular uprising in April 1925. The new-born Islamic Republic of Iran immediately launched a war against the Ottomans, in an effort to force them to cease persecution of their brethren. After two months of fierce combat, the conflict quickly reached a stalemate, and both sides entrenched, in a grim repetition of the last stages of the Great War.

Persian and Ottoman soldiers during the 1925 Middle East Conflict.

In September 1927, after years of fruitless combat, corporal Khaled Saïd Nasr Al-Assad, a combat engineer from the Imperial Ottoman Army's Arab Pioneers, was hit in the head by shrapnel. Given only weeks to live, he regained consciousness in 4 days in front of his stupefied doctors, claiming he had had visions of the Prophet and Archangel Gabriel. Proclaiming himself an imam, he started preaching of the end of the "war between the brothers" and warned of a coming "holy war against western pagans and infidels". Preaching throughout the Arab peninsula and Iraq, the new imam happened to be a very convincing orator, and his sermons and debates went right to the hearts of both the exhausted crowds and the deeply religious governments. On 23 October 1928, the Baghdad Treaty put an end to the war and declared that "All Muslims must live in eternal peace and harmony, and not shed each

28

other’s' blood". Spontaneous fraternisations happened all along the front line, and demonstrations of joy in all the major cities. For the first time since the Battle of Karbala, Muslims were now a brotherhood united. On the 1st of November, a fire devastated the Hagia Sofia killing 430 and setting a good quarter of Istanbul ablaze. After a short inquiry, the Armenian activist Naïman Karaboudjian was found guilty, trialled and executed. Popular unrest and religious intolerance feed the Second Armenian Genocide, sealing the reconciliation of the former enemies.

Turkish and Persian officers attending the

execution of Armenian “terrorists”

On the 13th of February 1929, under popular pressure, the Ottoman Empire and the Iranian Islamic Republic were both dissolved in favour of Al-Assad, who enjoyed the support of the people, the Clergy and the military of both countries. Shortly after the abdication of Abdulmecid II, Al-Assad proclaimed the restoration of the Caliphate, and took the title of Grand Caliph. On the 24th of February 1929, the Caliphate of Jihadia was officially born. 1929-1937: It’s time for Africa The 1929 crisis dealt a fatal blow to the British Empire. With general bankrupts and civil war menacing, the United Kingdom was forced to withdraw its troops and its

funds from its colonies. Abandoned to themselves, the former British possessions in Asia were quickly seized by the Empire of the Rising Sun; but with the disappearance of France, there was not colonial power left in Africa to claim the British possessions on the black continent. At first, the Colonial administration managed to hold together the remnants of the Empire, but as money lacked more and more, discontent grew amongst the native population. Eventually, the African National Front, a political party founded by the Oxford-educated lawyer Lawrence Bananius militated for formal independence for Africa, and began openly organising an uprising, in plain sight of the helpless colonists.

Lawrence Bananius, founder of the ANF

29

On the 1st of June 1930, a day that went into History as “Black Sunday”, or “Black Sun Day”, the insurrection began. Over two weeks, native population rose against the leftovers of their former colonial masters, massacring more than ten thousand British, French and Portuguese colonists. Only in South Africa, the Boers, backed up with a Salviatian expeditionary force, managed to stay in power. Everywhere else, as riots succeeded to riots, no-one could stop the cycle of violence that had started.

Violent repression of the ANF riots

in Salviatist South Africa

Soon, it became evident that even the ANF had no control whatsoever over the rebellion it had triggered. It wasn’t long before the rioters turned against each other, resuming tribal wars that were believed to be long-forgotten. As Great Britain was, as Europe had been before, Africa went into complete and utter anarchy. Following the example of Salviatia, many foreign powers seized the opportunity to establish puppet states and new colonies all along the coasts of the continent, while Central Africa was dividing into multiple warring kingdoms, with Lawrence Bananius at the head of one of them. As the dream of a united Africa seemed lost, in April 1937, a plague started to strike. It spread like wildfire, killing millions of people, without any cure being capable of stopping it. Miraculously, Bananius’ lands and people were spared, as his scientists came up within days with a cure to the disease. One by one, defeated by the virus more surely than by any army, the kingdoms of Africa pledged their allegiance to King Bananius, and on the 23rd of August 1937, the Timbuktu Treaty, signed between the four major kingdoms and the Atlantic Federation, who thereby forfeited its colonies in central Africa, gave birth to the United Transsahelian Kingdom. After a short vote of his peers, Lawrence Bananius was appointed King of the Kings of Africa

Lawrence L, King of the Kings of Africa, on his coronation day.

30

Workers’ Republic of Vidalia

“Long live the Worker’s Republic of Vidalia, Free Motherland of the Workers and the Soldiers!”

Capital city: Vidalopol National anthem: Vidalyanka Official Language: Russian Head of State: Great Leader Vidal Currency: Vidalian Credit

Population: 645 721 012 GDP per inhabitant: unknown Political system: Democratic Vidalism

A totalitarian communist state, the Workers’ Republic of Vidalia is arguably the toughest of the world’s dictatorships. Although Vidalia has a constitution, nothing functions the way it is supposed to. Instead, power is confiscated by a nightmarish, intricate State structure with no clearly defined roles. No-one can tell the precise difference between the Party and the administration, nor what exactly the KGV is: simultaneously a Political Police, counter-intelligence agency, intelligence service and paramilitary force, without any legal existence. No-one knows who stands at his head: is it the Party’s Premier, the Head of Staff of the Armed Forces or the Admiral of the Fleet? Is it Great Leader Vidal himself? Or is it even a fifth, unknown person? Does the KGV even have a leader? Is Great Leader Vidal alive? All those questions remain without an answer, as only one thing is certain: the State functions, issues orders, and crushes mercilessly those who oppose it. Society in Vidalia is tightly controlled in all its aspects. The bourgeois concept of a private life is banned, and only the idea of the greater good is an acceptable concern. This has repercussions in the everyday life: there are no personal cars in Vidalia, only trains, buses and tramways. Cash does not exist, as every citizen owns an account at the Central Bank of Vidalopol. When buying anything, from a pack of cigarettes to a train ticket, the State Store responsible for the sale fills out paperwork and sends it to the bank. It is said that under Vidalopol are hundreds of miles of underground galleries filled

31

with every minute of the life of every single citizen of Vidalia ever to live, in the form of an account of everything he ever bought. Vidalia was built on the ideal of worldwide revolution and still believes it is the State’s mission to bring the joys of communism to their oppressed comrades all around the world, hence a strong implication in the international politics and conflicts, especially in Africa, and the development of a very strong navy to the detriment of the air force.

Being the world’s first industrial power, Vidalia heavily relies on mechanized warfare, and the backbone of the Worker’s Armed Forces is formed by endless waves of tanks and artillery. “Tacticians do not win wars”, says a Vidalian proverb. “Calculators do.” With every move planned ahead years in advance in a Plan of epic proportions, the only thing to do to achieve victory is to throw enough steel in a battle, until it is won

by the sheers laws of mathematics. In game: The entire gameplay of Vidalia is organised around one idea: build tanks! With industrial bonuses, a very cheap Main Battle Tank unit and little competition in the allocation of metal and oil, you should be able to make the tank your main frontline unit and keep the infantry in a support role. The Vidalian navy is perhaps the best in the world, with both a fearsome attack submarine to achieve sea superiority and a near-indestructible battleship to exploit this superiority. On the other hand, Vidalia’s People’s Air Defence is definitely the worst. A terrible fighter, the I-57 can only protect your cities from bombers, and occasionally achieve local superiority, but definitely not win the war in the air. Without any

32

strategic bomber, you will have to rely on other means to win sieges, but fortunately, Vidalia enjoys an artillery unit combining great statistics with a very affordable price. Near the seashores, you can also rely on naval artillery and support from your carrier-borne aviation. Unique Units: Akula-Class Attack Submarine:

The biggest submarine ever designed, this undersea monster is the Red Fleet’s workhorse in obtaining superiority in sea. Being much more resistant and dealing more damage than the standard Attack Submarine, the Akula has one major drawback: its very high cost in oil places it in direct competition with the LV-43, and if your industry is not efficient enough, you might end up with very difficult

choices to make. Atomic Battleship:

Nothing less than the game’s most powerful surface ship, the Atomic Battleship is a huge bombardment unit. Once the seas secured by the submarines, the Atomic Battleship devastates the shoreline, striking down buildings and units alike. It is so powerful it can even be used as a sea-to-sea combat unit, to sink cruisers and aircraft carriers. However, such might has one major setback: the

Atomic Battleship is also the most expensive unit in the game. Building a single one is a difficult decision that must be carefully weighted, and losing it is a disaster with terrible implications for the rest of the game. Knowing when and when not to deploy an Atomic Battleship is a Vidalian Admiral’s main skill. Naval Infantry:

An elite infantry unit, the Naval Infantry plays the role of a support unit for your tank forces. Very good in defensive situations and close-quarter combat, Marines can hold their ground against any opponent, and move in the wake of your tanks to capture and hold cities and strategic positions. Beware, though: as a support unit, Naval Infantry lacks cost-efficiency, and should never become your main combat force.

33

I-57 Jet Fighter: Behold the worst aircraft in the world! Slow, fragile and under-gunned, there is nothing the I-57 does well, except falling down. With a low cost and a short flying range, it can be used in protection of cities and wonders, when enemy bombers lack the proper fighter support, and in very large numbers, can sometimes achieve local air superiority for a few minutes to support a land assault. Whenever possible,

the I-57 should be replaced by all available counterparts: mobile anti-aircraft guns, or naval aviation. LV-43:

Neither very good nor very bad, the LV-43 Main Battle Tank does not shine by any of its aspects. Its major asset is its low cost, and fast construction time. In addition to the industrial bonuses enjoyed by Vidalia, this means you can field epic numbers of this tank in a very short amount of time. The LV-43 is the backbone of your armies, produced in the thousands by tanks factories and immediately thrown into the fray. Don’t care too much about their survival, just keep building

them and sending them to the front until the enemy collapses. And he will collapse first, for no-one can withstand an attrition war with Vidalia! Vidal’s Organs:

Without a Strategic Bomber available, Vidalia has to rely on artillery to flatten enemy cities. This is the role of the BM-30, or “Vidal’s Organs” as they are nicknamed. Cost-efficient and devastating against troops and buildings alike, Vidal’s Organs should be your second concern right after the production of LV-43. Make sure to always keep a good number of them behind your front lines, slowly taking down the enemy

forces held in place by your tanks, and flattening defences and cities for your infantry to capture.

34

V-68 Gunship: A big and sturdy Attack Helicopter, the V-68 can take a lot of punishment before going down, which allows him to operate even without support from the People’s Air Defence. Equipped with cluster rockets more efficient against light troops and citizens, it is very good at launching raids into enemy territory and taking down citizens to harm your opponent’s economy.

Zvezdochka Mobile Anti-aircraft gun:

When you play as Vidalia, the sky is your enemy, hence the importance of this the last element in a triangle formed by LV-43, Vidal’s Organ, and the Zvezdochka. Short-ranged, but very cheap, this mobile AA can be built in large numbers and lay down covering fire over your ground forces. With enough Zvezdochka around your tanks, you will make sure that the enemy’s air force will suffer from the attrition war too, and no-one beats Vidalia in an attrition war!

Overall strategy: The entire Vidalian strategy can be summed up in one single sentence: keep the tanks coming! Let your opponent slowly wear himself out by throwing all he’s got at your forces, and gather your strength behind the front line: you can afford to build reserve armies even while continually reinforcing your front. If your lines are broken, don’t panic and don’t weaken your other fronts to fill the gap: harass the enemy with planes and gunships, wait for attrition to do its devastating effect and slowly push him back. Be patient, and wait for the inevitable weakness to appear: then launch multiple attacks and steamroll your adversary. If necessary, repeat the manoeuver several times. Time is your best ally: carefully plan your moves, always make sure that your industry is up to the task, and whenever possible, always prefer waiting over rushing. Remember that as the battle continues, you grow stronger and your opponent weaker, and repeat after me, “no-one beats Vidalia in an attrition war!”

35

Great Salviatia:

“A Dream for everyone.”

Capital city: Franz-Heinrich-Stadt National anthem: Arise Fatherland! Official language: German Head of State: Great Supreme Salviat Currency: Franzmark

Population: 452 992 681 GDP per inhabitant: $20,000 Political system: National-Salviatism

A fascist union of European peoples, Great Salviatia is a major military power and a very influent actor of international relationships. Much like its neighbour and eternal enemy Vidalia, Salviatia is a totalitarian state that keeps a constant control over its population. According to an old saying, “there are as many different polices in Salviatia as there are words in the dictionary”. Counter-intelligence services, political police, Party members and the administration perform an everyday watch of the society, to root out impure elements as soon as possible. Indeed, since it was born, the Salviatian State has justified its existence by a war against a continually threatening world, and most of all, against the enemy inside. The communists, the Jews, the capitalists, the Gypsies, the Muslims… there always is a rotten apple to track down and eliminate, always people feeding the concentration camps ; there always is an example to show, of how the traitors die. In reaction, the population lives in an enthusiastic cult of the State, the Party and the Army, that they see as their protectors against a terrifying world.

“Salvitism of Vidalism?”

A Salviatist propaganda leaflet.

At first, the Salviatian military was divided in two, the Army, or Wehrmacht, on one side, and the Party’s paramilitary units, heir of the former VSB, the SalvStaffeln, or SS. Because of the lack of efficiency of such a structure, the two structures are

36

now coordinated by a Supreme Command, under direct supervision of the Great Supreme Salviat. Hardened by decades of war, the Salviatians are fearsome adversaries. Their land army is probably the best-equipped and the most professional in the world, with a quality standard unmatched by any of its counterparts, either in equipment,

weaponry, morale or efficiency of the chain of command.

SS-Truppen storming an enemy position.

The Salviatian mastering of combined-arms warfare is unmatched by any other army in the world, and their infamous Blitzkrieg tactic has brought many adversaries to their knees. The Salviatische Luftwaffe is also perhaps the best air force in the world, combining the extremely advanced design of its aircraft and the amazing skill of its pilots.

Hans Kreuzstahl, living legend of the Luftwaffe In game: When it comes to Salviatia, one word comes to mind: quality. As a Salviatian commander, you will enjoy a wide range of extremely powerful units, from the submarine to the jet fighter, the main battle tank and the artillery. In their given roles, every one of them is arguably the best in the world. However, all of them will come at a very high cost, which will make each unnecessary loss catastrophic: with the exception of Salvjugends, no unit from your army is expendable. Salviatia has a remarkable land army and an outstanding Luftwaffe, but a somehow weak navy. Its units are heavily specialised and cannot achieve victory on their own, but a diversified Salviatian army is almost unstoppable, and will make short work of any opposition. On the other hand, Salviatia lacks economic bonuses to cover the already high cost of such powerful units, and will have trouble dealing with a prolonged war.

37

Unique Units: Wotan Heavy Artillery:

The ultimate siege weapon, this fearsome gun can take down any fortification in minutes. Its ability to strike from a very long range makes it priceless in artillery battles and siege warfare, forcing your opponent to leave his positions to dislodge your gun positions or to stay in place and take your fire. It is hence perfect to lure the enemy into moving inside your own territory and trap him.

Horten Ho-XV:

The Horten is a monster of a bomber. With its extremely long range and devastating payload, it can strike almost everywhere on the map and devastate cities in the blink of an eye. Despite its low speed, its endurance allows him to fly without a lot of fighter support, but beware of its very high cost. Every loss will be a severe blow to your air force and your economy!

Kaiserstiger: The Kaiserstiger is your Main Battle Tank. Altough expensive and somewhat slow, it offers an unbeatable balance of range, armour and firepower. No conventional tank can beat the Kaiserstiger in one to one combat, and it should be the spearhead of your assaults, punching holes in the enemy lines for your forces to move in.

Salvjugend:

A cheap anti-tank infantry, the Salvjugend are best used as an emergency response to enemy breakthroughs. You can gather dozens of them in no-time at any Barracks and throw them at the attacker. They will earn you enough time to muster an actual counter-attack and push back the enemy.

38

Messerschmitt-462 “Sperling”: This outstanding jet fighter is the unit that will earn you air superiority in all circumstances. Its high attack does wonders in defensive situations, and thanks to its excellent speed, it also performs well as an escort fighter, capable of clearing the skies in front of your bombers. With two of them free for each airport built, you should be able to deploy an imposing Luftwaffe and chase all enemy aircraft from the skies. The Sperling is your workhorse, defending your cities,

escorting your bombers and supporting your ground attack planes with an impressive efficiency. SS-Truppen:

This is your frontline infantry. The SS are few in numbers, but make up for it with their superior training and equipment. Long-ranged, powerful and resistant, they are a good, polyvalent infantry that will perform well in any situation. As usual with Salviatian units, their might is balanced by a relatively high cost, and SS-Truppen should never be engaged in pointless fights.

Arado-Gotha 655F “Stürmer”:

The Stürmer is a specialised ground attack plane. Unlike its counterparts from other air forces, it has the ability to ignore armour: in addition to its better attack, this makes the Stürmer the ultimate tank hunter, striking from the skies with complete impunity. It should always accompany your assault, taking out artillery and tank formations before your own tanks rush forward for the kill. Just remember that as a

ground attack plane, the Stürmer is extremely vulnerable to enemy fighters, and should never take off without proper air support from your Sperlings.

39

Type XLV U-Boot: Your only naval asset, the U-Boot takes advantage of his very long range to pick his targets before they are even aware of his presence. If micromanaged intensively, the U-Boot can easily threaten the superiority of much more powerful navies, but its cost in oil will probably stop you from building enough to rule the seas. You should keep it as a disturbance unit, taking down targets of opportunity such as merchant ships, transports and even the occasional aircraft

carrier. Thanks to the U-Boot, your opponent will never be safe. Overall strategy: The key to Salviatian gameplay is to use every asset to its maximum. You are given specialised units that excel in the respective fields, but come at an expensive cost. Hence, they should be carefully managed, support each other permanently, and they will form an invincible force. Every unit used where it does not belong is a waste of precious resources you will not get back. Carefully choosing the moment to attack is crucial. As a Salviatian general, Blitzkrieg is your ultimate goal: you cannot afford stalemates and attrition wars; but neither can you recover from a failed offensive: you must shoot first, and you must shoot a deadly blow. Balance well the time you will take to bring together your army and your air force, strike without warning as soon as you are ready, concentrate all your strength on one point and break your enemy with one swift strike. Remember to trust your units: they are the best in the world at what they do, if you send them at the right place and the right time, they will get the job done. The Salviatian army is indeed difficult to master, but it is also rewarding: well-handled, no-one can stand against it!

40

The Atlantic Federation

“God is a citizen too!”

Capital city: Ottawa National anthem: A Good day to die Official language: English Head of State: President John H. Eden Currency: US Dollar

Population: 422 331 210 GDP per inhabitant: $28,000 Political system: Federal Republic

By its very nature, the Atlantic Federation is a paradox. Born of the union of the last democratic countries in the world, it soon threw those very principles out the window as one crisis succeeded another, to become what can now only be called a hidden dictatorship. Democratic institutions exist in the Atlantic Federation: an elected Senate and a President represents its citizens and rules the country. However, both of them are toppled by the Federal Council, an emergency structure established to deal with the economic and political crisis of the 1930’s, and whose existence never ended since then: the Bolivarian wars succeeded the crisis, and were replaced by the First Pacific Ocean Conflict, then by the War of the Atlantic, the Red Fear… one crisis chased another, and the Federal Council became and remained the true siege of power in the Federation. Its members are senior officers, lobbyists, representatives of the Church and the industry, high-ranking businessmen and politicians… the council chooses its own members in a completely arbitrary process, without any interference from civil society. Threatened in its way of life by all its neighbours, the Federal society is extremely conservative: religion and morale play a major role, a strict segregationist policy separates white and coloured people in every aspect of their lives, and devious ideologies are strictly forbidden.

41

To keep the people quiet and satisfied, the Federation opted for a “bread and games” policy: widespread mass-media, whose owners incidentally happen to be members of the Federal Council, feed the citizens with continuous entertainment, interrupted only by terrifying news about the rest of the world, thus legitimating further the direct rule of the Council over the country.

“Federal Network”, the live information

broadcast of the Federal Council

It is firmly believed by its leaders and people that the Atlantic Federation has a manifest destiny to bring Christian faith, democracy and capitalism to the rest of the world. This belief is not only cosmetic; it also dictates every move of the Federation as an international power, and their military doctrine as well. Although direct threats to its integrity are few, the Federation constantly fights its foes, and has developed a large and balanced army, able to bring the fight to the enemy in all circumstances, whether by land, by sea or by air. Its war industry is second only to Vidalia in efficiency, but the first in the world for its quality over price ratio, and produces reliable and powerful war machines to shower the world with bombs and with the Federal Way of life. In game: Balance is the number one asset of the Federation. With your Unique Units equally distributed between land, air and sea, you will be able to quickly adapt yourself to every situation. The Federation does not shine in any particular type of combat, but it is bad at none. A solid infantry makes for good defensive capabilities, a good Main Battle Tank allows a Federal General to gather an effective assault force, Strategic Bombers and fighters can take the fight to the air, and a powerful navy will also allow you to claim the seas as yours. With a fair set of military, scientific and economic bonuses, the Federation can support either a boom or a rush-based gameplay with the same efficiency. It is up to the player to decide: either way, he will not be disappointed.

42

Unique Units: B-52 Strategic Bomber:

This is probably the most useful Bomber in the game. Significantly cheaper than any of its counterparts, it enjoys a much better range, and is extremely versatile: with its powerful bombs, it is as dangerous to ground units as it is to buildings and cities, and can be used both as a tactical and a strategic bomber. With two free B-52s at each new airbase, you will be able to set up huge raids deep in your enemy’s territory and cripple its economy, industry and research, giving you

the upper hand in the later stages of the game. Mac-Carthy class Destroyer:

The mainstay of your navy, this ship does everything a Missile Cruiser does, and it does better for a lower cost! Do not make the mistake of confusing it with a sea-superiority ship, however. In one-on-one combat, it will still lose to a battleship, and even a submarine. Field it in large numbers, keep it in defence of your carriers, and it should work wonders.

F-15 Jet Fighter:

The F-15 is your air superiority fighter. It is cheaper and more resilient that all its adversaries, and will earn you the advantage of both quality and quantity. Build it in large numbers and use it all over the frontline to force your enemy to split his own air force and overwhelm him.

43

Humvee: The Humvee might be the exception to the rule that the Federation’s units are both less expensive and more resilient than their counterparts. A bit fragile, but very fast, it is the perfect weapon to set up raids against the enemy’s economy or to harass his forces.

Mobile Infantry: Mobile Infantry is probably the best defensive unit in the game: In addition to its increased armour, its ability to entrench automatically after being idle for five seconds is priceless. Not only will it allow you to set up defensive positions in the blink of an eye, it also makes “MI’s” excellent at holding beachheads and repelling counterattacks.

M1 Main Battle Tank:

The M1 is the typical Federal unit: cheaper than the standard Main Battle Tank, and with a better survivability thanks to its improved armour. It should be used in all the situations where you would deploy tanks. Either on its own as the spearhead of an attacking force, or as a support unit for your infantry, it will do well.

Nuclear Aircraft Carrier: This is the instrument of your domination over the seas! Its health bonus is appreciable, and will help it escape the occasional submarine on the prowl, but that is not its main asset: with both a lower cost and ramping cost, you will be able to mass-produce them and deploy a very powerful naval aviation. This will support both your land, air and sea operations, and give you outstanding power projection capacities.

44

Task Force Delta: These elite commandos are the third element of your power projection, along with B-52s and Nuclear Aircraft Carriers. With their improved survivability, they can operate for a very long time behind enemy lines, but their biggest asset is their higher Mana, that allows them to be constantly threatening to your opponent. Thanks to their radar-jamming ability, they will also work wonders when teamed with massive B-52 raids, to disable the enemy’s air defence.

Overall Strategy When playing as the Federation, you must be ready to change your battle plans anytime: if plan A did not work, don’t bother trying again, try something entirely different. As a Federal General, you don’t have a specific weakness, but you don’t have a specific strength either; so you must make your enemy’s weak point your strong one and force him into a fight he cannot win: if he’s good on sea, go air power with B-52s and F-15s, if he starts producing too much fighters, go land power and swarm him with M1 and Mobile Infantry. If you find yourself stuck in an attrition war, set up strategic raids with your bombers and Special Forces; and in a movement battle your Humvees will give you the edge. When facing elite troops, outnumber them; when facing cheap cannon-fodder, outgun them. Knowing how to turn every situation to your advantage and forcing your opponent to fight on his weak points is the key to successfully leading the armies of the Federation. Your good economy and war industry will forgive mistakes, but don’t stick to your guns if you see they don’t work. Always be prepared to try something else until you’ve discovered your enemy’s weakness. Whatever it is, you will always have an available asset to exploit it!

45

Celestial Empire of the Eternal Rising Sun

“Honour, Empire, Sacrifice.”

Capital city: Tentai Zu National anthem: The Rising Sun Banner Official language: Japanese Head of State: Divine Emperor Showa Currency: Yen

Population: 2 014 463 129 GDP per inhabitant: $430 (Japanese archipelago: $33,000) Political system: Empire

The Empire of the Rising Sun is the country with the most heterogeneous population in the world. A colonial power by its very nature, it has conquered most of Asia by force and keeps its peoples in a state of semi-slavery. The gap is therefore huge between the exceedingly rich Japanese archipelago, home of the most fortunate citizens of the Empire, where luxury goods from all over the Empire flow freely and thriving cities rival in beauty, dynamism, culture and wealth ; and the so-called “outer colonies”, whose standard of living often borders on post-medieval. Living either in giant slums or in isolated villages, most of the Empire’s subjects’ only contact with the Imperial power is the drafting campaigns that cross the countryside once a year and take away half the grown-up men for the Army. Higher education is reserved to the children of Japanese families, although elementary schools all over the Empire indoctrinate the masses with the superiority of Japanese culture and way of life, and the great honour it is to serve such a fine civilisation. The Imperial Administration is a feudal one, with colonial districts being attributed to a shogun from a noble Japanese family. On his lands, the Governor is almighty, and his elder son represents him at the Shogun Assembly in Tentai Zu, the true site of power in the Empire. On very rare occasions, a subject of the Empire from the Outer Colonies can be rewarded for his acts of bravery with Japanese citizenship, and after a few generations, his descendant may in turn found a noble family and receive the title of Samurai, or even Shogun. Even though such an honour is extremely rare and has happened only a dozen times in the entire history of the Empire, this perspective is the best of the motivations for the oppressed subjects of Asia, who work harder and harder in the hope to be noticed by their masters.

46

Similarly, the yearly drafting tours are expected with great impatience by every peasant in the Empire, and those chosen to serve make the pride of their families. Little do they know what truly awaits them in the Imperial Army, for the inequalities between the Japanese lords and their subjects are even stronger there than they are in the civil society. Recruits are given a couple days of basic training, issued a weapon and a uniform, and then thrown into the fray with complete disregard for their lives, their numbers making up for their almost null combat efficiency. Behind them, the Samurai officers go to battle in the most advanced war machines ever designed, relying on the superiority of their noble blood and their unmatched technology to crush their enemies. No country in the world can rival with the Rising Sun’s technological achievements. Their army includes weapon systems that the rest of the world’s engineers can hardly understand, much less design and put into production: artificial intelligence, stealth planes, laser-guided bombs, thrust vectoring or reactive armour plating are just a few examples of the scientific advance of Imperial Military engineering. In game: In A Wrong Turn, the Empire of the Rising Sun offers a striking contrast between the most powerful and expensive technology in the game, and the worst and cheapest available infantry. However, because of their very high cost and production time, these ultimate weapons will only be available in limited numbers, and should be used wisely to make the most out of their amazing abilities. On the other hand, to hold back the enemy, your infantry can be endlessly sacrificed in front of the enemy until you are ready to strike. With three seaborne Unique Units, the Empire of the Rising Sun is a major naval power, able to wipe out even the most powerful adversary. The discount it enjoys on aircraft carriers also comes in handy to build a powerful naval aviation. Finally, your jet fighters and bombers are the most advanced in the world. Used wisely, they should achieve air superiority whenever necessary, and might well constitute the best air force a general could ever dream of.

47

Unique Units: G8M5 “Akuma” Stealth Bomber:

Arguably the most impressive achievement of the Rising Sun’s scientists, this marvel of engineering is totally immune to anti-air defences! Insanely fast, it can outrun all but the best of the fighters, and strike everywhere in enemy territory with almost complete impunity. Unfortunately, the Akuma is also nearly twice as expensive as the standard Strategic Bomber, and also a lot more fragile: unless it manages to run away, it cannot survive being intercepted by a

fighter: never send an Akuma on a mission without making sure that the skies are clear. Dragon Super-heavy tank:

The Dragon is nothing less than the most powerful tank ever. Every single one of its shots can pulverise any adversary, and it takes dozens of tanks to bring it down. Beware, though, not to get overconfident and send it unsupported. Even though it is unbelievably powerful, it has a very long recharge time, and can easily be swarmed by a determined enemy. Cheap anti-

tank units are the nemesis of the Dragon, and you should never allow them to get near it. Keep it supported, behind your front line, micro-manage it carefully and have it take out key targets one by one. Nothing can withstand being targeted by a Dragon! Hinode Command Ship:

The main asset of this unusual battleship is not its battle capacities. Even though the Hinode is a superb combat unit capable of getting the upper hand in almost any duel, its greater capacity lies in its amazing line of sight. With a Hinode in your fleet, you can spot and engage the enemy before he even knows you were there, and will always be one step ahead in naval combat. There is no need to build

dozens of them, for you have access to more efficient ways of taking control of the seas; but it is a unit you should always keep around.

48

Karitori Rocket Artillery: The Karitori is a devastating rocket launcher. Thanks to its extremely long range, short reload time and high splash damage, it is able to fire unending salvos of devastating rockets on the enemy’s forces. Karitoris are even more powerful when teamed with Dragon tanks: while the Dragons take out the enemy’s elite units, the Karitoris make short work of its infantry and allow the tanks to focus on the high-danger targets with no risk of being swarmed.

Asian Recruits:

A very weak infantry, the Asian Recruits are the exact opposite of your war machines: the cheapest and worst in the world. Without even a ramping cost, you can produce them endlessly without worrying about harming your economy. In high numbers, they can fulfil almost any task that does not require them to actually kill their targets: capturing cities, keeping the enemy away from your valuable armour, or, if entrenched, hold on a position

long enough for you to counter-attack. Never hesitate to sacrifice them: that is what they are made for. Ryu Fighter-Bomber:

The Ryu is the most devastating weapon in the arsenal of the Imperial Navy. Much better than any other jet fighter-bomber, it almost does not suffer from its high cost, for every aircraft carrier comes with an already full squadron of these killing machines. No ship can withstand an attack by Ryus: a single one of them is able to sink a battleship in a couple hits; several can take down an entire fleet in instants. Make

sure that your carriers are safe, and unleash them upon your enemies!

49

A9M5 “Tora” Jet Fighter: Faster, better and more resistant than the standard Jet Fighter, the Tora is an outstanding air superiority weapon. With the exception of the Salviatian Sperling, no enemy plane can compete with it in dogfight, and thanks to its superior protection, it can endure ground to air fire with a good survivability, making it both a frontline and an escort fighter. Whatever situation it faces, the Tora will never let you down.

Utsubo pocket submarine:

This might well be the most annoying unit in A Wrong Turn: cheap, fast and hard-hitting, this little submarine can be deployed in great numbers and launch raids against the enemy’s surface ships without too much concern for its survival: let them inflict as much damage as possible and they will probably make themselves cost-efficient. However, the Utsubo has one major setback: when on

its own, it is utterly blind, unable to spot its enemies, much less engage them. You should always keep them within the detection radius of your Hinode, otherwise your fearsome ship hunter will become a useless piece of metal. Because of that, the Ustubo is best used as a forward defence unit, hitting by surprise enemy ships when they move to engage your fleet. Overall strategy: As a General of the Rising Sun, your main concern is to know when to deploy your advanced technology, and when not to. Your armour and air force are devastating and can crush all opposition, but there are few of them and they cannot be everywhere. You will have two available options: either go for an attrition war, relying on your Asian Recruits to hold the enemy in place while your war machines destroy them, slowly wearing him down as you continuously renew the human shield you have set up in front of your tanks; or go for a movement war, keeping the enemy busy all along the frontline with your infantry and concentrating your armoured assets in one point to deliver a blow so powerful that the enemy will instantly collapse. Either way, don’t forget that your units are the most expensive in the game, and make sure that they reach their full potential by operating in synergy all the time.

50

New Golden Horde

“Sons of the Khan!”

Capital city: New Sarai National anthem: none Official language: Mongol Head of State: unknown Currency: 7.62mm bullet

Population: 150 024 192 GDP per inhabitant: $1300 (estimate) Political system: tribalism

Once a mighty united land, the New Golden Horde now is but the shadow of the great empire it once was. After the death of Ungern Khan, his lieutenants quarrelled over his succession, and the lands he had conquered split in warring tribes. Nowadays, two Khans are in competition for the title of Great Khan of the Golden Horde: in the South, Sarba Khan imposed his law over the capital of New Sarai and the Trans-Siberian railway, controlling all land communications between Europe and Asia and the major part of Siberia’s cities. His rival, Nash-Dey Khan, rules over the frozen lands of central Siberia, where lie enormous deposits of oil and precious metals and the heavy industrial facilities built in the times of Ungern Khan. Finally, at the very north of Siberian steppes, on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, is a savage, lawless tribal area, home of bloodthirsty pirates, warriors and raiders. Divided and weakened, the lands of the Golden Horde could seem like an easy target for its powerful neighbours Vidalia and the Empire of the Rising Sun, but actually, neither of them truly wishes for this area to disappear. Both countries have conflicting claims over Siberia, Vidalia claiming them as its rightful heritage of the Russian Empire, and the Rising Sun as belonging to its great project of uniting the peoples of Asia over its banner. Should the Horde disappear, this issue would have to be settled, probably in an all-out total war that neither of them can really afford. It is more convenient for everybody to keep Siberia an anarchistic buffer zone between them. Hence the New Golden Horde has become a playground for spies and agents from all over the world: KGV operatives try to keep the mongols divided, and at the same time to turn them against the Rising Sun, Salviatian and Federal spies arm the warriors of the Horde, while competing against each other to lead them to war against Vidalia and the Empire, Jihadian missionaries spread the Holy Word to revive the religious feeling of the once-Muslim Central Asia and Imperial Ninjas negotiate in secret with Sarba Khan to keep the Trans-Siberian open, as the Rising Sun desperately needs the oil it buys from Nash-Dey Khan.

51

Despite all this division and disorder, the heritage of Ungern Khan is all but lost: above all their quarrels, Siberians are now one people, and share many traditions. They are organised in an original caste system, with the men fulfilling the role of warriors, women running the industry and the economy and agriculture being dedicated to captured slaves, feeding the others castes in the harsh conditions of Siberia. A feudal society, each Siberian is under the authority of a tribe leader, depending himself of a more important war chief in a standard pyramid-like structure with the two Khans at its summit, and the supreme position of Great Khan being empty since the death of Ungern Khan. Political struggle to reunite the former empire of Ungern Khan is the main occupation of the two khanates: both ultimately aim at marching again at the conquest of the world, like true sons of the Khan should. Twice during the reign of Ungern Khan, the Horde had marched united against its adversaries: once in 1938, Vidalian forces stopped them only a few miles away from New Moscow; the other time in 1957, when Imperial China almost entirely fell into the hands of the Horde. With Vidalia and the Empire waging merciless wars against Salviatia, Jihadia and the Federation, the day of the next war is dreaded all over the world, for no-one knows what could stop the onslaught of the New Golden Horde… In game: The Horde’s warriors are raiders, almost entirely relying on cavalry and light armour to outrun and outmanoeuvre their adversaries. With the New Golden Horde, you are given command of the fastest army in the game, both to build and to manoeuver. There is no infantry in the New Golden Horde, only a variety of specialised light vehicles: it is a raid army; capable of surprising the enemy with a rush of armoured cars, helicopters and horse riders and pulling back in an instant should it run into too strong an opponent. Fast and hard-hitting units are the trademark of the Horde, and can inflict a lot of damage in a very short amount of time. However, their major setback is their fragility. Very few of the Horde’s unit can endure as much punishment as they can inflict, and an organised resistance can make short work of them. It is an “all or nothing” army, extremely powerful but difficult to master as well.

52

Unique Units: Alman:

A reconnaissance unit, this airship is very fragile and will probably not last long in combat, but this is not its main purpose. With its extremely good line of sight, it is the perfect tool to scout before your army, spot enemy positions and decide where and when to strike. Once the battle has begun, do not bother too much to keep your Almans alive: they are cheap and easily replaced, and your attention will be more

needed elsewhere. A small, but important piece of your strategy, this is a helpful addition to your army. Araaman:

This convertible aircraft is the Horde’s equivalent to the Attack Helicopter. Its original design makes for a speed far superior to any helicopter, at the cost of a short set-up time for it to be operational. Almost twice as powerful in combat as the standard Attack Helicopter, it should be used as a tank hunter, taking down from the skies your enemy’s heavy armour.

Chotgor:

The land equivalent to the Araaman, the Chotgor is a fearsome tank hunter, trading survivability for speed and firepower. Take advantage of this to flank enemy tanks and hit them on the rear. As the others Horde’s units, it is much faster than the average infantryman it replaces: use this asset to outmanoeuvre your enemy and strike where you’re not expected.

53

Keshiks: Those riders are the closest thing you have to frontline infantry, and they should form the bulk of your forces. Much faster than your enemy’s infantry and able to fire while moving, they are however short-ranged, but their speed easily makes up for this setback. With their good attack, they can take out the enemy’s anti-tank infantry to open the way for your light armour and capture cities after the battle.

Khan Baar:

The Khan Baar is a somewhat weaker Main Battle Tank than most of its counterparts. It comes at a low price and is quickly produced, but it is rather slow and will probably hold back the rest of your forces. It is better use as a mobile bunker in defensive situations, when your attacking adversary is not expecting to meet any opposition from heavy tanks. An unusual unit, the exact opposite of the rest of your army, the Khan Baar is a good weapon to

surprise your adversary. Marzan:

If you don’t want to be held back by cumbersome howitzers, this is probably going to be your main siege weapon. As all flamethrowers, the Marzan is great at destroying redoubts and bunkers and taking out entrenched infantry; but it does not suffer from the major setbacks of the standard flamethrower: it is fast and well-armoured, and can endure some damage as it moves into position. Do not hesitate to

field this unit in large numbers if you don’t want the enemy fortifications to slow down your assaults.

54

Mogoi: The Horde’s closest equivalent to a machinegun, the Mogoi is fast enough to go on raids with the rest of your forces. Apart from that should be used as a standard machinegun, but it is better focused on your enemy’s anti-tank infantry, that can seriously harm your entirely mechanized forces.

Shurga:

Perhaps the most efficient Armoured Cavalry in game, the Shurga is the mainstay of the Horde. They are devastating against infantry, and will make short work of all unarmoured enemy units. As for every Auto Plant built you get free Shurgas, you can set up an imposing force in a very short amount of time. Make sure you never find yourself short of this unit!

Overall Strategy: When playing as the New Golden Horde, you are given command of the world’s fastest units. Without any infantry to hold you back, you can deploy and redeploy your army in a matter of minutes. With the noticeable exception of the Khan Baar, all your units share this common theme: fast, hard-hitting, fragile and rather expensive. In battle, you can destroy your enemy in a matter of seconds, and be destroyed just as quick: winning will require a very accurate and effective micro-management, so that all your units focus their fire on their specific targets. Strategically speaking, that means you should never get into a fight you are not absolutely certain to win. Fortunately, with the amazing mobility of your forces, you can dictate your conditions to your enemy. Do not hesitate to retreat, and should you find yourself defending your territory, harass the attacking army and set up diversion attacks, in one word, never give up the initiative. In attack, speed and surprise are your best allies: try not to run into your enemy’s defences but to force him to disorganize his forces to meet your assault in your own terms. You have the speed and reconnaissance units to always stay one step ahead: If you play well, your enemy will be defeated before he even understood he was under attack!

55

Caliphate of Jihadia

“God is great and Muhammad is his prophet.”

Capital city: Baghdad National anthem: Allah is huge Official language: Arabic Head of State: Caliph Ben Kalish Ezab Currency: Dinar

Population: 680 329 123 GDP per inhabitant: $1550 Political system: Divine right monarchy

A deeply religious country, Jihadia lives by one rule and one rule only: the laws of Islam and the Prophet. The Caliph is almighty in the State, as its decisions are inspired to him by God, who made him his lieutenant on earth. Hence, the Caliph can never fail or be wrong, and anyone disagreeing or going against his will is in fact opposing the will of God himself, and is a blind heathen that must be brought to light, or a wilful heretic that must be punished. This doctrine has deep repercussions in the organisation of the State and the everyday life in Jihadia. The Church plays a key role, even greater than in the Federation, for religion is not only a guideline; it dictates every aspect of the social and political life in the country. The Imams and koranic assemblies are the guides of every community, managing their thoughts and actions and rooting away heresy at the first sight of deviation from the Holy words, with the most radical measures. Death by stoning is inflicted to all those who spread or believe in the lies of the heathens and the Great Satan, and the Sharia rules every minute of a man’s life. The Jihadists are adepts of a radical understanding of the Koran; their society does not tolerate other religions, and the social status of women is probably the worst in the world, with death penalty being the common punishment for not wearing the Islamic veil, or hijab. For men, not sporting a beard is also considered an insult to the Prophet and is punishable by death as well. The political and administrative structure of Jihadia adheres to this logic as well: the State – in the strictest meaning of the word – is confined to everyday administration and is widely toppled by the Church’s hierarchy, which defines the orientations of both the domestic and foreign policy. At the head of both structures stands the Caliph, ruler of Jihadia and Commander of the Faithful, thus adding to the complicated intricacies of power in Jihadia. In the army as well, the chain of command is double, with the warrior-priests often superseding the officers on the frontlines and in the headquarters. While this

56

has a somehow negative effect on the strategic efficiency of the Holy Army, its men’s morale and spirit of sacrifice are unmatched by any other force in the world. A Jihadian soldier, confident in any circumstances in the righteousness of his cause, will literally fight to the death, knowing that he will be rewarded for his actions in the next life. Being located at the intersection of many warring countries and empires, the Caliphate is subject to permanent wars and invasions, and has a hard time setting up a decent war industry. Most of its machinery is old and outdated, but the fierce mujahideens make up for this lack of heavy weaponry by using and reproducing as many captured ordnance as they can and in extreme situations, by setting up devastating suicide attacks. In game: Jihadia is an infantry army, heavily relying on non-conventional warfare to defeat its adversaries. Somehow weak vehicles are compensated by a cost-effective and battle-hardened infantry, with a wide range of polyvalent weapons: whatever threat you are confronted to, your mujahideens will be up to the challenge. Many Jihadian units enjoy a superior range than their enemy counterparts, allowing a cunning general to set up ambushes and strike from afar at a disorganised enemy. Suicide and camouflaged units will allow you to strike deep inside the enemy’s territory and force him to immobilize valuable military assets defending his own cities rather than attacking yours. You also have cheap, expendable units available: never hesitate to throw them at the enemy to slow him down, or when attacking, to cover the advance of more valuable units. Playing as Jihadia, you receive a bonus on wealth production, and more significantly, you get a second capital city, allowing you to lose one without too much damage, and to use tactical retreat as a valid strategy in case you are invaded. It is a middle-game civilisation, capable of building a good, balanced army and to surprise its opponent with unconventional tactics and units, disorganising its economy and forcing him to always split his forces.

57

Unique Units: Imam:

An unusual unit, the Imam is built at the Temple rather than in a military structure. Being deprived of fighting abilities, its usefulness lies in its capacity to convert enemy units to your cause by showing them the errors of their way, thus freeing your spies for their other tasks, such as planting and removing informers. As you would do with a spy, it is advisable to focus the Imam on key, expensive enemy units, such as heavy tanks, generals or artillery.

Katyusha:

An effective artillery, the Katyusha is especially devastating against massed infantry and lightly armoured units. Thanks to its very low cost, you can produce it in large numbers, making the Katyusha a decisive asset in an attrition war. Resources spent on this unit are never wasted, but remember that should you have opted for a hit-and-run strategy, its set up time may slow you down and force you to leave them behind.

Allah’s Martyrs:

Your own emergency anti-tank infantry. Much like Salviatia’s Salvjugend, Allah’s Martyrs are made for one thing only: stop the enemy tanks, at the expense of their own life if needed. With their good contact attack and their high speed, they will pose an immediate threat to an enemy army. This makes them a very effective diversion, or a great human shield as well, for your enemy cannot afford to ignore them: it will not take him

long, but he will have to slaughter them. Putting to good use the precious time the Martyrs will have earned you is only up to you!

58

Mujahideens: Those fierce soldiers are your main infantry unit. They combine an affordable price and a good attack, making them an all-round, balanced and cost-effective infantry, capable of holding its ground against anything the enemy will throw at them.

Mujahideens with RPG:

When equipped with the vidalian-designed RPG grenade launcher, mujahideens become superb tank hunters. They enjoy both a good attack and a long range, and can decimate the enemy’s armour with ease.

Mujahideens with Stinger:

A very unpleasant surprise for your enemy, mujahideens with stingers are your mainstream AA unit. Although somehow shorter-ranged than the Mobile AA Missile, they are a just as powerful and a lot cheaper. Specifically, they do not cost any gold, but instead a small amount of metal, allowing you to save your wealth for other specialised units.

Suicide ship:

Another nasty surprise! Jihadia cannot produce attack submarines, but instead receive suicide ships. Because of its resemblance with a civilian freighter, your enemy may not recognize it before it’s too late, a mistake he will sorely regret. Indeed, the suicide ship, although by its very nature a one-shot weapon, is devastating against capital ships such as battleships and aircraft carriers. Even if you find yourself chased out of the sea, keep up

producing those, and maintain your opponent under constant pressure.

59

Terrorist: The last and sneakiest weapon in your arsenal of unconventional warfare, Terrorists are sabotage units, designed to infiltrate your enemy’s territory and wreak havoc in his cities. Because of their low health, they will probably never survive an encounter with an enemy’s military unit, so you should produce as many as you can before the fight starts, and use them as disruption weapons, for example delaying or stopping the

construction of a wonder, or destroying your enemy’s economic facilities. They require a bit more micro-managing than strategic bombing raids, but they can do the same job for a much more affordable cost, and even if you do not achieve air superiority. Overall strategy: There are two aspects in the forces of Jihadia. The first one is a rather efficient land army, based on relatively cheap and good long-ranged combat unit. This army is an infantry-based one, able to quickly adapt to any opposing force. Mujahideens are the backbone of this army: they form a solid and versatile infantry force, capable of setting up a tough defence in all circumstances. When attacking, on the other hand, the Caliphate’s army finds itself a little short on powerful breakthrough units such as shock infantry, tanks or fast-moving vehicles. This is where the second and much more significant aspect of your forces comes in. As a Jihadian general, you have access to an incredible variety of unconventional units to support your army. Imams can convert units to your side, Suicide ships can keep the enemy off your coasts, Allah’s Martyrs can cripple a tank formation and Terrorists can disorganise your enemy’s economy, prevent him from building wonders and prepare the ground for your army’s offensive. All of them will always distract your enemy from his goals, force him to split his forces and push him to an inevitable mistake. Depending on your situation, you will need some of those special assets more than others. Do not hesitate to focus on those that are the most adapted to your situation and to let go of the others; but also never forget that those unconventional units are designed to support your army, and not the opposite. Terrorists, Allah’s Martyrs, Imams and Suicide ships cannot win wars by themselves, and should not become your main fighting force. Knowing how to balance your regular army and unconventional units, and how to pick the right men for the right task is key to the Jihadian gameplay. Once you have mastered this skill, your relatively mediocre army will be able to take down any adversary!

60

Transsahelian United Kingdom

“Peace through strength”

Capital city: Kampala National anthem: Our Father Official language: Swahili Head of State: King of Kings James I Currency: Guinea

Population: 532 657 802 GDP per inhabitant: $550 Political system: Monarchy

Originally nothing more than a patchwork of African tribes, the Transsahelian United Kingdom exists by the will of one man: King of Kings Lawrence Bananius, founding father of what is now known as the Great United Transsahelian Tribe. A harsh, but wise leader, Lawrence I created a State that, albeit emphasising the ended domination of the white colonists over Africa, was built by the western standards, with a modern administration and a strong tendency to centralisation. At Lawrence’s death, his only son, James, rose to the throne, and quickly earned himself a nickname: the Mad King. A degenerate person, James I founded his authority on utter terror, and his advisers, as well as his people, live in the constant fear of their monarch’s mental instability. He declares wars, dictates organised famines, genocides, building of insane monuments and cities at his will, promotes, demotes and sentences to death according to only his passions and whims. Under King James’ rule, the State’s centralisation has been widely weakened, and more and more power goes to war chiefs and tribal leaders. However, all those regional rulers know that they got their power from their King, and would never dare taking a stand against him. Despite the fact that local potentates are the basis of the Transsahelian army, James I keeps under his direct command an elite unit of Royal Guards. These fanatically loyal soldiers are both the King’s bodyguard and his eyes and ears in the country, punishing with utmost harshness any attempt at betraying him. Those convicted with felony are made example of, being thrown to lions in front of their peers during grim travesties of the ancient Roman circus games. Kept in line by the iron fist of the Mad King, the different tribes of the United Transsahelian Kingdom are bound to pay a tribute in men to contribute to the King’s

61

Army. With little to no uniformity between provinces and tribes along the Kingdom, the Transsahelian army is extremely heterogeneous, but nevertheless efficient. The Transsahelians’ widespread use of paramilitary units and child-soldiers has somehow earned them contempt from “civilised” officers, who consider them to be little more than barbarians, but even they have to acknowledge the efficiency of the Transsahelian army. It is renowned for its great versatility and the variety of the soldiers it fields. When planning a battle against the Transsahelians, no general can tell if he should prepare for an armoured assault, swarms of infantry, elite soldiers, an imposing air force, or an improbable mix of all the above, combining into a surprising, but very efficient military machine. In game: There is no real general line defining the Transsahelian army in A Wrong Turn. It has every kind of units available, from cheap cannon-fodder to elite infantry, from outstanding assault planes to long-range battle tanks and deadly hand-to-hand assassins. Some of these units are extremely cheap, others are very expensive; some favour speed over protection, others are slow and powerful. Whatever your favourite style of gameplay is, the Transsahelians can be adapted to it. Unlike the Atlantic Federation, however, whose polyvalence relies on balanced units, the Transsahelian Kingdom’s adaptability depends on a variety of highly specialised ones. Combined differently, they can either form a fast-moving raiding army or a slow turtling one; focus on close or long-ranged combat, favour quality or quantity. In the process of building such an army, you will be supported by very important economic bonuses: your trade is particularly effective and will bring you a lot more gold than your adversaries can gather. This will allow you to support a large number of those specialised units that constitute the strength of your forces. Unique Units: Child-soldiers:

This is the first of the three frontline infantry units available to you. Child-soldiers are very cheap and fast to produce, but are really terrible in combat. Do not expect them to be more than cannon-fodder, but this is a role they fulfil perfectly, with great numbers and a low ramping cost. Should you choose to use them as the bulk of your army, you are sure to always outnumber your enemy.

62

Royal Guard: The exact opposite of Child-Soldiers, Royal Guards are one of the best infantry available in A Wrong Turn. By comparison to standard infantry, those men shine by almost all their aspects: they have very good attack, health and armour statistics, and an insanely long range, allowing them to get the upper hand against all but the very best adversaries. They have a high cost in food and gold, though, and if you consider making them the core of your army, then you should make sure

that your economy is up for the task. If not, you can also choose to use them as a support unit, staying behind the frontline and taking out from afar the enemy’s own elite units. Foreign Mercenaries:

Your third and last option of frontline infantry, Foreign Mercenaries are the best balanced of the three. Their statistics are medium, but their true specificity lies in their cost. Foreign Mercenaries have no cost in food, wood or metal, and instead will cost you a large amount of wealth. Furthermore, they are created almost instantly. This makes them an outstanding emergency unit: should you find yourself in a crisis, you

can sell all your resources and field instantly a huge force of this good, all-around infantry. Mwuaji:

Yet another infantry unit, but the Mwuaji is definitely not a frontline soldier. Thanks to its stealth and high speed, it can sneak behind enemy lines and act as a disruption unit, but unlike some equivalent units available to the other armies, the Mwuaji has the high attack and health stats to be engaged in an actual fight and survive. Hence it can also be used tactically to take out key targets during a battle: Generals, supply trucks, artillery… everything that hides behind the front is a

prey for the Mwuaji.

63

MN Nyuki tactical bomber: A much better version of the standard Ground Attack Plane, the Nyuki surpasses its rivals both by its attack and its resilience. Thanks to its high splash damage ability, it is also even better against grouped enemies, but still very efficient as a tank hunter. If you manage to secure air superiority, the Nyuki can devastate any enemy force and clear the way for your own land army.

Bedouin raiders:

The Bedouin raiders are a cheaper alternative to the armoured cavalry. Although somehow weaker, then enjoy a better range, allowing them to perform hit-and-run attacks. They also are significantly cheaper, requiring half as much food to build, and gold instead of oil. This means you will be able to save your precious oil for other units, and instead spend gold, that you should have available in large quantities.

Simba ambush tank:

The Simba is a specialised battle tank, trading protection for speed, range, and most of all, the ability to be cloaked after being idle for a few seconds. Combined together, these three assets make for a great defensive unit, capable of being redeployed quickly and catching the enemy in deadly ambushes. However, this also means that your Simba will not be as good at forming the spearhead of an assault as a more conventional battle tank: use it wisely.

64

Swala: This armoured cavalry is the perfect complement to your Simba tanks. With its good health and attack, it can protect it from incoming fire while keeping infantry away from it, and its long range allows you to form a homogeneous battle group, moving fast and striking from afar.

Overall strategy: The Transsahelian are by nature an unbalanced force, lacking a real polyvalent mainstay unit to rely on. As a Transsahelian general, it will be your job to create balance when composing your army and choosing which units to use as the bulk of your forces and which to keep as a support force. Your tactical possibilities are wide open: do not hesitate to change them if your first choice does not work. Much like the Atlantic Federation, you can adapt yourself to pretty much anything your opponent will throw at you, but with two major differences : first, the Transsahelian are a land power, offering little to no options in air and sea warfare, but a huge spectrum of possibilities when building your land army. Second, unlike the Federal Army, your force will consist of extremely specialised units, and will require a lot more micro-management. Your economy is also unbalanced, relying heavily on wealth production, the resource most of your units will require, and for which you receive good collection bonuses. Do not hesitate to emphasize it a lot: should you find yourself short of other resources, you will be able to buy them with your abundant gold. Knowing how to manage this permanent imbalance is the main skill of a good Transsahelian general. It is a difficult task, offering many mistakes opportunities, but when truly mastered, you will be able set up an effective economy and a truly devastating and polyvalent army.

65

Bolivarian Republic

“God, Fatherland and prosperity”

Capital city: Tapiocapolis National anthem: Arriba Tapioca! Official language: Spanish Head of State: General Andrea Pitaluga Currency: Piaster

Population: 604 352 047 GDP per inhabitant: $6000 Political system: Republic

Since the first military coup that removed president Caicedo from office in the early years of the Bolivarian Republic, the country has known nothing but a continuous military oligarchy. If, at the beginning of the XX Century, General Tapioca managed to bring a certain political stability to the country, he also turned what was by then merely a very authoritarian regime into a ferocious dictatorship. Since that time, power has been confiscated by a handful of high-ranking officers, succeeding each other according to a completely opaque process, and no-one can tell if the current head of state, General Andrea Domingo Carlos Pitaluga, overthrew is predecessor or took his succession after an organised political struggle. The narrow border separating the State and the Army and the complete lack of communication from the government makes it almost impossible for a foreign witness to understand the political life of the Bolivarian Republic. Only one thing about it is certain: elections do not play a role in it. The civil society is indeed completely separated from politics, elections being postponed indefinitely and all activists arrested, imprisoned, tortured, then sentenced to death by firing squad after a mock trial – or never heard of again. After a decade of turmoil, unrest and riots, society has accommodated this fact, and apart from a few idealists on the run, no-one is involved into restoring the democratic nature of the State as planned by its Constitution. This grasp of the military over the country is helped by their total control on

66

the mass-media, which feed the people with a balanced cocktail of fear of the outside and examples of repression of the enemy inside. Thanks to its full control of the country’s life, the Bolivarian Army is the top priority of the State. Since the very birth of the Republic, it has been engaged in a merciless rivalry with the American, and then Federal Army over control of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea and islands. This everlasting dispute has been arbitrated dozens of times by various treaties and conferences, but no diplomacy can solve this issue, for the two countries’ claims over those territories simply conflict too much to be settled peacefully. This endless war in Latin America has hardened the men of the Fuerzas Armadas to a point that no conventional training could ever have achieved: nowadays, the Bolivarian Army may not be the best-equipped or possess the best tanks and aircrafts, but no army in the world can compare with the quality of its soldiers. Years of fighting men and nature alike in one of the least hospitable places on earth, the Amazonian rainforest, have made each one of them a true veteran. Favouring close-quarter over long-range combat, the Fuerzas Armadas have no equal in setting up ambushes and trapping its enemy, and the denser the terrain, the more dangerous they get. In game: The forces of the Bolivarian Republic have two main themes: the first is an outstanding infantry force, as playing as the Bolivarians will give you access to the very best infantry units in A Wrong Turn; the second is flamethrowers. The Bolivarians enjoy several units equipped with this fearsome close-range weapon, and can make short work of any enemy infantry and fortification in moments. Additionally, all your infantry unique units have the ability to become cloaked when staying immobile, thus giving you a great tactical advantage over your enemy, especially in defence. This exceptional close-ranged infantry force unfortunately comes with two setbacks: these units tend to be expensive, and will easily be outnumbered, and your army badly lacks good heavy units such as tanks and artillery. Thanks to the resources they get for every enemy unit killed, the Bolivarians are a great raid civilisation; able to take the upper hand very early in the game; but managing the late game is another challenge.

67

Aviso:

This light ship replaces the Missile Cruiser in your naval forces. By comparison to its bigger cousin, it is a lot faster, but also much more fragile. However, it also enjoys a better attack, and a lower cost. The Aviso is a great submarine hunter, able to close in on its prey and destroy it very quickly, but don’t worry too much about its survival. Your attention would better be focused

elsewhere, and a lost Aviso is easily replaced. TP-27 “Caiman” Flamethrower Tank:

The Caiman tank is the pride of the Fuerzas Armadas and one of the most efficient weapons in your arsenal! It combines the terrifying effects of a flamethrower with the resistance of a tank to come up with an extremely powerful anti-infantry and anti-building weapon. Every time you set up an attack, the Caiman should form its spearhead, clearing the way for your infantry. Beware,

though, that the enemy will probably focus his fire on it, so make sure you always have enough of them to survive the enemy’s anti-tank weapons. “Fénix” anti-tank missile:

As the Bolivarians, you do not have access to a special Main Battle Tank, and your Attack Helicopter is not an actual combat unit (see below). Fortunately, the Fénix makes up for these lacks. For a slightly higher cost than the standard anti-tank missile, it offers a better attack and a considerably increased range. Furthermore, its camouflage ability allows you to trap enemy tanks

in ambushes and strike them from the back. This is your main anti-armour weapon, so make sure you always keep a good number of these outstanding tank hunters in your army.

68

Guardia Nacional:

The Guardia Nacional is your main infantry unit, and also the best in the world in this role. With excellent attack and defence stats, combined with good armour and a better speed, their only setback lies in their short range. However, this minor flaw is widely compensated by the impressive combat abilities of these battle-hardened guerrilla fighters and their stealth ability. This unit is the bulk of your forces, no enemy infantry can stand against it, and you should

build as many as you can. Incendiaros:

The Incendiaros are an infantry flamethrower unit. They are even weaker than the standard flamethrower, but also more powerful and a lot faster. Keeping them alive is not your top priority, just throw them at the enemy’s infantry and let them inflict as many damage as possible before they succumb. Their low cost allows for a quick replacement, so losing this unit is by no means a disaster. As with the rest of your infantry, don’t forget to take advantage of their camouflage ability!

FA-73/3 “Libertador” long-range jet fighter:

The Libertador is an unusual fighter: it is significantly slower and weaker than its counterparts, and does not fare very well in dogfight, but it compensates this weakness with better armour, high health, and more importantly, a much greater autonomy. This makes the Libertador the perfect escort fighter, able to actually accompany your bombers all the way into enemy territory. The increased fly time can also be used as a valuable asset in air combat: just wait until the

enemy’s fighters run out of fuel, then scramble your Libertadors and hunt them down without any risk! This is a particularly sneaky tactic, that requires a very good timing, but it can make your humble jet fighter the king of the skies over even the best air forces in the world…

69

HR-15 “Loro” Pathfinder Helicopter: The Loro is significantly weaker than all its counterparts, for it’s actually not a true combat unit. Though it has a limited ability to hunt down tanks and submarines, other units can perform that task a lot better. The Loro’s main asset lies in its line of sight, which allows you to explore the map and spot the enemy long before the battle. Combined with your units’ camouflage, this can give you a significant tactical advantage: you will always know where the

enemy is, while he will never be sure of the location and composition of your forces until the fight begins. Hardened Veteran:

There are two ways of considering this unit. The first is to see it as an upgraded commando, capable of fighting back, but losing its sniper and bomb planting special abilities. In this role, your Veteran will be better used to harass the enemy’s isolated buildings and units: forward production facilities, strolling supply trucks, artillery, and other targets of opportunity. The second use of the Hardened Veteran is as a support unit alongside your other forces. In

that role, the Veteran will demand a lot less micro-management than in the first one, but his ability to plant bombs might be of less use. However, its remarkable battle skills will be just as useful, and its survivability will greatly increase. It all depends on whether you are looking for a disruption unit or for a power boost to your infantry spearhead. In any case, the Hardened Veteran is an investment worth considering. Overall strategy: The Bolivarians are an elite infantry army, which will reward aggressive players. Put your economic bonuses to good use by raiding your enemy as soon as possible: every unit you kill hinders his development and accelerates yours. Thanks to the free infantry units you get for each barracks built, you should be able to set up a strike force very fast and seize the initiative. Begin deploying AT missiles and flamethrowers very early, to try and prevent your enemy from fielding too many vehicles, as you will have difficulties fighting back tanks. Should you be forced to defend yourself, your main asset will be your camouflaged units: they should allow you to surprise and destroy the enemy. As a Bolivarian general, you should always strive to remain one step ahead. Your fearsome infantry will take care of the rest!

70

A few Wonders of the World

As we covered it previously, A Wrong Turn features many brand-new wonders, all of them being specifically related to one particular playable country. With 17 wonders for each of the eight countries in the game, this brings us to a total of 136 new wonders. Presenting them all would require dozens of pages and does not belong in the manual, but this section will introduce some of the most important, either by their unique design, their historical significance, or the aspect of their related country that they highlight. The Glass Pyramid of Steyr – Salviatian Monument to the Dead

The 1925 Battle of Steyr is commemorated in Salviatia as one of the most important events in modern history. On this day, for the first time, an allied European army inflicted a terrible defeat to the Vidalist Red Army and stopped its assault westwards. On the tenth anniversary of the battle, as Salviatia had just finished rebuilding a war-torn Europe, this pyramid was erected as a memorial to those fallen in defence of the

European Fatherland against the Vidalist barbarians. Located in the middle of a sandstone courtyard, the Glass Pyramid is plunged into a religious silence, and is a place of quiet meditation over the greatness of the European race. The Palacio Presidencial of Tapiocapolis – Bolivarian Dictator’s Palace

This is the dreaded place in which resides all the power in the Bolivarian Republic. No-one can tell exactly what happens inside of those grey walls, for no civilian is allowed inside the Palacio Presidencial. The inner courtyard is nicknamed “El Patio del Fusillamentio”, which roughly translates as “Death by firing squad courtyard”. When a coup occurs and the former head of state is

71

overthrown, it is customary for his successor to have him shot in this courtyard, precisely at noon. The punctuality of the Palacio’s dedicated firing squad is so well-known that the neighbouring residents have become used to reset their watches every time they hear gunshots coming from inside. The Cubist Tank Factory of Tankograd – Vidalian Industrial Complex

The Vidalist Revolution was not only a political one, it extended to every aspect of the former Russian society, including culture and art. The new art, propaganda stated, was not only to completely overthrow the bourgeois artistic sense; it was also to show the superiority of the proletarian way of life. “Art is not to be confined in museum for only capitalists to see”, declared Great Leader Vidal in 1928. “Art must be patent in the everyday life and make it free and beautiful”. It was this motto that inspired

the construction of a cubist tank factory in the newly founded city of Tankograd. The most revolutionary artists, such as V. Mayakovski and the Spanish painter in exile P. Picasso worked together to come up with this design. Even today, the Cubist Tank Factory stands in the middle of the city, as a reminder that proletarian art is useful art. Sphinx Replica of Addis-Ababa – Transsahelian Central Bank

King James I is fascinated by ancient cultures, and his inclinations, however brief, often result in the entire country changing its appearance. This Sphinx Replica is the only thing that remains of one of these passions: ancient Egypt. For a few years, the Mad King took the title of Pharaoh, and tried to instate a cult of Osiris in his lands. He soon moved on to ancient Greece, but not before having built

this huge replica of the Sphinx of Gizeh, under which his personal treasury is preserved in a labyrinth of tunnels and secret rooms. It is said that no-one, not even James himself, remembers how to get to the treasure room.

72

World-Dragon of Nagoya – Rising Sun’s Monument to Victory This monument of one of the Empire’s most revered relics. It dates back to the early years of the New Era, soon after the European Adventurers had joined the Japanese and began the Rising Sun’s irresistible expansion thorough Asia. It was built soon before the invasion and annexation of Korea, for all the warriors to bow in front of it and remember their mission to conquer the world in the name of their glorious race. For every new

territorial gain, a new part of the globe is coloured in red by the victorious Shogun during a solemn ceremony. It is also there that defeated nobles commit the Japanese ritual suicide (seppuku) after erasing from the World-Dragon the land they have shamefully lost.

The Fortress of Jalalabad – Jihadia’s fortified line

The arid mountains of former Iraq are riddled with old castles and fortresses dating from all the wars and feuds that have shaken these lands since the middle ages. Most of them lie abandoned, but some have been rehabilitated by the armies of the Caliphate. Deep inside the lands of the Pashtun is such a fortress. Ethnic rivalries have always plagued the

Caliphate, and the Pashtun warriors are probably the least pacified amongst the Jihadian peoples. It took several civil wars to bring them to reason, and to this day, the presence of this fortress reminds them that, like all the Faithful, they are submitted to the authority of the Caliph.

73

The Temple of Trials – The Horde’s Conscription Centre If nowadays, most of the Horde’s warriors are merely opportunist raiders who swore allegiance to a local warlord, back in the times of Ungern Khan, when the New Golden Horde stood united, it took more to become a Keshik than just grabbing a rifle and jumping on the back of a horse. Every 100 days, the young men aspiring to join the Khan’s army were gathered at the bottom of this sacred pyramid and fought

each other, two by two, so that only those blessed by the gods survived and joined the Horde in its conquest of the world. Nowadays, the Temple of Trials is inside the territory of Nash-Dey, Khan of the North, and even though the tradition has somehow declined, once a year, Nash-Dey’s personal bodyguards fight each other on the top of the Temple, to bring upon themselves the spirit of Ungern Khan. Eden Ranch – Atlantic Federation’s Dictator’s City

President John Henry Eden may be a puppet of the Federal Council, but he is nevertheless very popular in the population, that has kept electing him for more than fifteen years. Every Tuesday night, he addresses the nation from his ranch in Texas, and his grave, appeasing voice speaking of the grandeur and manifest destiny of the Atlantic

Federation comforts his fellow citizens, terrified by the news of war, hunger and terrorism in the world. These broadcasts are so essential to the morale of the people of the Federation, that they are retransmitted no only through the Federal Network, but also through all the military channels, so that the soldiers of the Federal Army, both at home and overseas, stay confident that their cause, God willing, shall prevail.

74

World Map

75

Credits

Creating the world of A Wrong Turn:

Creators: Léo Vidal-Giraud François Salviat Julien Debusne Additional designing & compiling data: VelvetClaw (Rise of Nations Heaven community) Support and additional data: Ethan Hurndell Super7700 (Rise of Nations Heaven community) English translation: Léo Vidal-Giraud Ethan Hurndell Special thanks to: Professor François-Charles Mougel, from the University of Bordeaux-IV, for his invaluable input on the Atlantic Federation’s history. Aurélia Taillon, for her advices during the designing of the Empire of the Rising Sun. VelvetClaw, for setting up our wiki website.

76

Designing the game:

XML Programming: Léo Vidal-Giraud 2D artwork: François Salviat Léo Vidal-Giraud Julien Debusne VelvetClaw 3D artwork and animation: Léo Vidal-Giraud Sound engineering: François Salviat Playtesting: Julien Debusne Arthur Marquis Pierre Simonnet Samuel Longuet Ethan Hurndell Léo Vidal-Giraud François Salviat Special Thanks : Uthum (Rise of Nations Heaven Community) for allowing us to use his BM-30, Su-25, Paladin, 2S19 and Mi-28 models. Wadis10 (Rise of Nations Heaven Community) for introducing us to the wondrous world of 3D Studio Max. VelvetClaw for keeping us going with his enthusiasm when we felt like giving up. All our friends and families in France and in Russia for expressing their interest in our work and enduring our cryptic conversations about alternate history! Big Huge Games for creating a great and mod-friendly game.

77

Designing the opening movie:

Data research: Léo Vidal-Giraud François Salviat Julien Debusne Video editing and compiling: Léo Vidal-Giraud François Salviat Special effects: Léo Vidal-Giraud Movies used (in order of appearance): Battle of Britain, Chris Hamilton, 1969 (Great Britain) The Hunt for Red October, John Mac Tiernan, 1990 (USA) Lord of War, Andrew Nichol, 2005 (USA) Stalingrad, Yuri Ozerov, 1989 (USSR) The last King of Scotland, Kevin Macdonald, 2006 (Great Britain) Blood Diamond, Edward Zwick, 2006 (USA) Mars Attacks! Tim Burton, 1996 (USA) Starship Troopers, Paul Verhoeven, 1997 (USA) Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, Edward Neumeier, 2008 (USA) Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola, 1979 (USA) Top Gun, Tony Scott, 1986 (USA) Predator, John Mac Tiernan, 1987 (USA) Letters from Iwo Jima, Clint Easwood, 2006 (USA) Rambo III, Peter MacDonald, 1988 (USA) The Good, the Bad, the Weird, Kim Jee-Woon, 2008 (Korea) Charlie Wilson’s War, Mike Nichols, 2007 (USA, Germany) OSS 117, Le Caire, nid d’espions, Michel Hazanavicius, 2006 (France) Special Thanks: Adobe Systems for designing a great software suite. The Pirate Bay for allowing us to obtain the aforementioned great software suite.