In games from the studio Paradox, players often replay real history. However, in Victoria 3, one can shape the world differently. MeinMMO author Schuhmann has become enamored with the new strategy game Victoria 3, which was released on October 25 on Steam. He is surprised by the opportunities the game offers to experience an alternative history.
After my fiasco on Saturday, when I accidentally led the economy of the USA into the abyss, I thought about starting a new game of Victoria 3 with the United States on Sunday and doing everything right.
My mistakes in focusing solely on the coal and steel industry were already evident in my article.
21 political fields form the bones of a nation
Victoria 3 is not just an economic simulation, but also a social simulator. There are 21 different political fields in which principles can be established:
- What trade policy do you follow? Do you impose tariffs or opt for free trade?
- Is there a state religion or do you grant freedom of belief?
- Should bureaucrats be appointed, are they hereditary rights or are they elected?
If the citizens are satisfied, they also accept political change
These 21 settings are ultimately the bones of every country: Every decision has advantages and disadvantages, and various interest groups in the game represent the respective direction:
- Intellectuals want a maximally liberal orientation – industrialists want that too, as long as it ensures their well-being
- The church and the rural population want everything to remain as it is
- The military is largely indifferent, as long as the military budget is adequate
- Socialists and unions want things that in 1836 in the USA, had not even been heard of, such as scandalous ideas of sick pay, worker protection laws, or the prohibition of child labor
Depending on how power is distributed in the country, one has either backing or headwind for political decisions, which are needed to transform society.
To see how Victoria 3 plays as a beginner, read here at GameStar.
If one overdoes it with the course, a revolution breaks out and states secede. Victoria 3 simulates historical unrest. The Civil War in the USA was ignited by the abolition of slavery. This is also a story that can be replayed in Victoria 3.
As one can imagine, it is much easier to change society when people are well-off:
- For instance, if one demands high taxes, the population radicalizes – Those who demand too high taxes and drive the economy against the wall will find their country collapsing around them.
- If one has low taxes and improves the standard of living, people are satisfied and will be loyal. Then one can politically maneuver almost as one wishes.
This time, wanting to feel like a wise and friendly president, I did everything to make society as liberal as possible. Not so easy in the USA in 1836, when slavery still prevailed.
In the first 20 years, as president of the USA, one is also busy repeatedly driving groups of Native Americans away and leading them to a designated reservation, essentially a ghetto, in the West: the Trail of Tears.
In my USA, that should be different:
- In terms of parties, I promoted capitalists who always want relaxation and intellectuals who want maximum freedom into government. I also promoted the
