The situation in 2000
Latvia broke away in 1987 and fought until the Soviet collapse of 1988. In the Union and the euro, outside the Defence Union, Andris Skele's Riga booms on credit while Latgale's Russian speakers listen to Moscow.
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The Baltic War
When Lithuania declared independence on 11 March 1987, Latvia followed within days. The Baltic states fought beside Ukraine and Belarus until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1988. Free, and now in the European Union and the euro, Latvia still lives on Russia's doorstep - with NATO gone and only Brussels to call on.
Ideologies and leaders
In power on 1 January 2000: Andris Skele (People's Party). Every leader below can come to power in TND, through the elections, coups and roads of its focus tree.
Democratic
In power, 2000 Andris Skele
Conservatism
People's Party
Einars Repše
Conservatism
Valdis Dombrovskis
Conservatism
Jānis Jurkāns
Social Democracy
Nils Ušakovs
Social Democracy
Communist
Alfreds Rubiks
Marxist-Leninist
Socialist Party of Latvia
Fascist
Maris Grinblats
Fascism
For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK
Roberts Zīle
Fascism
Non-Aligned
Vaira Vike-Freiberga
Centrism
Independent
The focus tree
Latvia's own tree has 150 focuses. It opens with The Šķēle Government, The Ventspils Terminal, The Violet Passports, The President's House, The National Alliance, For Human Rights in a United Latvia and more. By kind: political (86), historical (49), industry (42), army xp (22). Taking every focus, one after another, would take about 28 years - the roads are exclusive, so a playthrough sees only part of it.
Drag to pan, Ctrl + scroll to zoom, click a focus for its description and rewards. Focus names in the guides below jump to it.
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Path guides
How to reach each of Latvia's roads. The same guides are in game, as free decisions in the Latvia Path Guide category.
The 2002 Saeima Election
How Latvia's politics begin:
- Play the Šķēle government, then take and . No focus is tied to a date.
- Election night is an event: New Era (Einars Repše) or (the Russian-speakers' alliance). There are no primaries.
- Take the winner's first focus. The loser's road disappears.
- New Era ends in : Unity (Valdis Dombrovskis) or the National Alliance (For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK).
With historical focuses on, the AI elects New Era and then builds Unity.
Unity
The historical road:
- Elect New Era, finish its trunk, and at pick Unity.
- , the Parex rescue and carry Latvia through the crash without leaving the euro; the riot at the Saeima tests it.
- , and bring the non-citizens in. prepares for Russia.
- The road ends in .
The National Alliance
The hard line:
- Elect New Era and pick the National Alliance at .
- , a harder citizenship test and the Repatriation Fund; the President and the Constitutional Court can stop the language amendment.
- and the Eastern Border fence and garrison Latgale. Moscow's opinion of us falls with every step.
- The road ends in .
Harmony
The Russian-speakers' road:
- Elect .
- gives the non-citizens citizenship (the President may force a referendum on it). Then choose or .
- reopen the Ventspils pipeline and bring cheap gas. and bring in Nils Ušakovs.
- Then choose: (towards , which closes the Defence Union to us) or ().
Choices in the Shared Branches
The choices that exclude each other outside politics:
Energy: a share of the Visaginas reactor, or an LNG terminal. The army: conscription, or a professional army.
Russia: talk to Moscow, or count on nobody.
(its leader decides) once Latvia can join; its battalion and the Eastern Flank need membership.
Inside the European Union, Latvia uses the shared European Recovery branch for the 2008 crash; outside it, its own.
Mechanics
How Latvia's own systems work. In game: the Latvia: Mechanic Guide decisions.
Russia's Gathering of the Lands
Russia wants back what it lost in 1988, one land at a time: Ukraine's east and Crimea, Belarus, Kaliningrad, Transnistria, Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Narva, Latgale, a corridor through Lithuania and northern Kazakhstan.
The steps, at least a year apart: Compatriots (our stability falls), the Gas Weapon (give in, or hold out and risk an Energy Crisis), Little Green Men (Russia gains claims and our state is destabilised) and finally a Referendum or Union Treaty. A referendum or union is only accepted by a land that is weak, at war with Russia or gave in to the gas weapon: keep your stability up and do not give in.
Demands: once Russia's track has reached the gas weapon it can demand one state at a time. Cede it, refuse (Russia gains a war goal) or appeal to the West, which backs you with a guarantee or makes you give way.
Russian Provocation is your shield: every Russian step raises it. At 25 the West sanctions Russia; at 50 every land Russia wants is guaranteed by the West; at 75 a Russian war lets the Defence Union or NATO intervene.
Gas: if Russia cuts you off you suffer an Energy Crisis (consumer goods up, stability and factory output down). The Energy Security decisions - Emergency Rationing, Fill the Storage, Reverse Flow From the West, , Nuclear and Coal - lift it over months. Prepare before the cut, not after.