History Main / FactionCalculus

* ''VideoGame/EndWar'': Spetsnaz Guard Brigades (Powerhouse), Joint Strike Force (Balanced), European Federation Enforcer Corps (Subversive).

* ''VideoGame/DawnOfTheTiberiumAge'' ({{crossover}} [[GameMod mod]] between ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn'' and ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' for ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun''): GDI (Balanced), Nod (Subversive), Allies (Cannons) and Soviets (Powerhouse).

* ''VideoGame/TheBattleForMiddleEarth'': Dwarves and Isengard fit Powerhouse, with mighty shock troops and hefty upgrades that take time. Goblins fit Subversive, focusing on fast-moving cheap infantry and enhanced maneuverability. Elves fit Cannon, due to their archery focus and powerful ranged upgrades. Men of the West and Angmar both generally end up as Balanced, with versatile troop layouts (though they go about it in very different ways; Men are very tactically basic and easy to learn while Angmar is all about wacky specialized units to deal with anything). Finally, Mordor's cheap orc armies, needless to say, fit them into the Horde.

* '''[[WeakButSkilled Subversive]]''' - Speed and Number. Subversive armies consist of a large number of weaker units. While they are weaker with equal numbers, they compensate this with bigger numbers, lower cost and fast production. They can thus quickly create a massive army to overwhelm their opponents. When their units have abilities, it's generally some kind of summoning ability or taking control of enemy units, so that they can further enhance their number advantage. Their fast production and low costs also allow them to quickly adapt in case things aren't going in their favour. A Subversive faction is usually the other faction, along with the Powerhouse, to be present in a two-factions scenario.

* '''Cannons''' - The offensive extreme of the Powerhouse. They rely on high offensive abilities, at the expense of their defensive abilities that are quite limited. As a result, they generally can't handle other forces head-on, and they instead use a combination of burst damage hit-and-run tactics, striking at their opponent's vulnerable supply lines, harassing, support units and artillery, leaving traps, or otherwise "cheating" to get the upper hand. They are not particularly strong or weak at any part of the game; it's all about the technique and producing the right units. Cannons will typically be the fourth faction in a four-factions scenario.
* '''The Horde''' - An extreme version of the Subversive. Relying on large numbers of weak, easily massed units to overwhelm enemies through sheer numbers. Unlikely to have any strategy beyond changing the types of units they mass to best combat the enemy. Probably not using many special powers, but if they do it'll be abilities that make them stronger. The Horde is generally the fifth faction in a five-factions scenario.

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'': Protoss (Powerhouse) focus upon durable units with fewer numbers, combined with spell caster assistance, but also have a stealth attack with Dark Templar assassins, and Zerg (Subversive) rely upon a properly balanced mix of great numbers, with one main spell caster later in the game; the Zerg overlords are both a troop transport and supply cap increaser, allowing very liberal use of sneak attacks. Terrans (Balanced) stand in the middle, with GlassCannon units who all use ranged attacks, and perform sneak attacks with Vulture bikes who can set up minefields and kill worker units very quickly, along with imposing Siege Tank lines that can eradicate entire armies in a few salvos, as well as swarms of Marines that rip enemies apart in a stim- and bullet-filled frenzy

** Throughout the series, the general rule is that the Soviet Union is a Powerhouse while the Allied Nations are Subversive, although this dynamic is reversed in the seas, where the Allied surface fleet is more powerful than the Soviets and their reliance on submarines; the disparity is far more glaring in the first game, while the second game makes it far more even.

* Throughout the series, the general rule is that the Soviet Union is a Powerhouse while the Allied Nations are Subversive, although this dynamic is reversed in the seas, where the Allied surface fleet is more powerful than the Soviets and their reliance on submarines; the disparity is far more glaring in the first game, while the second game makes it far more even.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2: Yuri's Revenge'' adds Yuri, whose forces are typically weaker than either, but have a variety of incredibly cheap tricks such as mind control. Meanwhile, the Allies gain two powerful new brute force units in the Battle Fortress and Guardian GI that allow them to function as a more balanced faction in the middle of Yuri's treachery and the Soviet's brutality. So it is Soviets (Powerhouse), Allies (Balanced), Yuri (Subversive).

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn'': Global Defence Initiative (Powerhouse) and Brotherhood of Nod (Subversive) - A rare example of the good guys being the Powerhouse.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'':
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'': Soviets (Powerhouse) and Allies (Subversive). Although this dynamic is reversed in the seas, where the Allied surface fleet is more powerful than the Soviets and their reliance on submarines.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2: Yuri's Revenge'': Adds Yuri, whose forces are typically weaker than either, but have a variety of incredibly cheap tricks such as mind control. Meanwhile, the Allies gain two powerful new brute force units in the Battle Fortress and Guardian GI that allow them to function as a more balanced faction in the middle of Yuri's treachery and the Soviet's brutality. So it is Soviets (Powerhouse), Allies (Balanced), Yuri (Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'': GDI (Powerhouse), Scrin (Balanced), to Nod (Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'': [[PlayingWithATrope It's somewhat complicated here]]. The Empire Of The Rising Sun has the weakest units, making them the Subversive faction. The Allies are Balanced, with a strong, straightforward army and powerful force multipliers. Soviets are Powerhouse, as usual. However, this is only for ground-based combat. In the air, the Allies are Powerhouse, the Soviets are Balanced, and the Empire is Subversive, while on the water the Allies are the Subversive, the Soviets are Balanced, and the Empire is Powerhouse.

* The four military doctrines in ''[[VideoGame/HeartsOfIron Hearts of Iron IV]]'' represent these, and (barring [[GoodBadBugs glitches), each nation can choose only one doctrine, and each offers two branching paths for further specialization.

* ''VideoGame/MightyParty'' subverts this trope in a similar was as Trading Card Games. Although there are three clearly defines factions of units: Order (Powerhouse), Nature (Subversive), and Chaos (Balanced), majority of player prefer to use in PvP a unit pack that combines units from two or three factions. Although a warband army consisting of units frome a sole faction can be easily buffed, it has almost always a specific vulnurabilities that can be exploited by the opponent.

** Principality of Hungary: When the tribal alliance of Hungarian tribes arrived to the Panonian plane, the could not match existing empires in number nor technological level, but they excelled at the use of horsemen in mobile warfare. The following decades of conflict were dominated by Byzantine Empire (Powerhouse), Principality of Hungary (Subversive), and Frankish kingdoms (Balanced).

[[AC:Real Life]]
* The concept of Assymetric werfare, usually in the form of conflict between the standing professional army (Powerhouse) and the resistance movement militia with a better knowledge of local terrain (Subversive).
* In the past, it usually occured in wars between two empires originating in different geographical conditions. Firstly, the empire that was sending troops further away was often in number of troops they can send, leading to preference of quality over quantity. Secondly, different climates and different social structures favoured different composition of armies and their equipment.
**
** Mongolia

* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'':Protoss (Powerhouse) focus upon durable units with fewer numbers, combined with spell caster assistance, but also have a stealth attack with Dark Templar assassins, and Zerg (Subversive) rely upon a properly balanced mix of great numbers, with one main spell caster later in the game; the Zerg overlords are both a troop transport and supply cap increaser, allowing very liberal use of sneak attacks. Terrans (Balanced) stand in the middle, with GlassCannon units who all use ranged attacks, and perform sneak attacks with Vulture bikes who can set up minefields and kill worker units very quickly, along with imposing Siege Tank lines that can eradicate entire armies in a few salvos, as well as swarms of Marines that rip enemies apart in a stim- and bullet-filled frenzy

* ''VideoGame/Stronghold'': series of games provides a number of examples of playing with this trope:

* ''Ultimate General: Civil War'' Union (Powerhouse) and Confederates (Subversive). The Union outnumbers and outguns the Confederacy, but the latter has better trained, and as a result, coordinated forces.

* ''[[VideoGame/WarCraft Warcraft III]]'': Human Alliance, Orcish Horde, Undead Scourge, Night Elf Sentinels are Balanced, Powerhouse, Subversive, and Cannon respectively for the most part. However, things are a bit different when air units are involved, Orcs and Undeads being basically swapped: Undeads are air Powerhouse with frost wyrms being a huge, costly and powerful late game unit, Orcs are air Subversive with wyverns being a cheaper middle game unit that you want to mass and use for hit-and-run tactics, and bat riders being a subversive unit. Humans are still Balanced (Griffins are a powerhouse-like unit, flying machines and dragonhawks riders are subversive-like units), Night elves are still the Cannons (chimeras are very powerful and destructive, but can't attack air units and are easy to kill relative to their cost).

* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'' has the three Affinities: Purity (Powerhouse), Supremacy (Balanced), Harmony(Subversive). Purity is stronger when immobile and on the defensive, as well as in general slugging matches, Supremacy is highly mobile, works best when all their units are in groups with each other and more offensively oriented, while Harmony favours using the terrain, and natural fauna to their advantage, but lose strength when in clustered battles.

* ''[[VideoGame/JeffWaynesWarOfTheWorlds Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds]]: Powerhouse Martians coming in heavily armed tripods Vs Subversive Humans using weaker tanks and armed cars cranked out in greater numbers.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has this in the form of it's Color Wheel, with Green being the Powerhouse, White, then Red, then Black, and finally Blue as the most Subversive color. While you can technically play multiple colors (and some decks do actually play two), the fact that each color requires it's own form of mana encourages you to treat colors as their own individual factions.

* '''[[UnskilledButStrong Powerhouse]]''' - Power and Efficiency. Powerhouse armies typically consist of powerful units with great durability and attack power. Pound for pound, Dollar for Dollar, their forces are flat out stronger than their opponents and in a head-on meatgrinder, they'll come out on top. What abilities they do have tend to be things like {{Herd Hitting Attack}}s, temporary power-ups, healing, [[WeHaveReserves economic advantages]], and other things that make them even harder to beat head on, or a few tools oriented towards forcing their opponents to fight them head on. However, since their units and upgrades cost a lot, it takes them a lot of time to build a proper army, making them more vulnerable to strategies involving early-game rushes, or constant harassment, since it prevents them from developing properly. The Powerhouse has a weaker early game, but a stronger late game, so their strategy will generally consist of focusing on defence for a while, until they can bring their strong units. A Powerhouse faction is very likely to be one of the two available choices in a two-factions scenario.
* '''[[WeakButSkilled Subversive]]''' - Speed and Number. Subversive armies consist of a large number of weaker units. While they are weaker with equal numbers, they compensate this with bigger numbers, lower cost and fast production. They can thus quickly create a massive army to overwhelm their opponents. When their units have abilities, it's generally some kind of summoning ability or taking control of enemy units, so that they can further enhance their number advantage. Their fast production and low costs also allow them to quickly adapt in case things aren't going in their favour. However, they tend to be weaker in the later game phases, and, as a result, they will generally want to end the game as fast as possible, before their opponent can become too threatening. A Subversive faction is usually the other faction, along with the Powerhouse, to be present in a two-factions scenario.

* '''[[UnskilledButStrong Powerhouse]]''' - Power and Efficiency. Powerhouse armies typically consist of powerful units with great durability and attack power. Pound for pound, Dollar for Dollar, their forces are flat out stronger than their opponents and in a head-on meatgrinder, they'll come out on top. What abilities they do have tend to be things like {{Herd Hitting Attack}}s, temporary power-ups, healing, [[WeHaveReserves economic advantages]], and other things that make them even harder to beat head on, or a few tools oriented towards forcing their opponents to fight them head on. However, since their units and upgrades cost a lot, it takes them a lot of time to build a proper army, making them more vulnerable to strategies involving early-game rushes, or constant harass, since it prevents them from developing properly. The Powerhouse have a weaker early game, but a stronger late game, so their strategy will generally consist in focusing on defence for a while, until they can bring their strong units. Powerhouse faction is very likely to be one of the two available choices in a two-factions scenario.
* '''[[WeakButSkilled Subversive]]''' - Speed and Number. Subversive armies consist of a large number of weaker units. While they are weaker with equal numbers, they compensate this with bigger numbers, lower cost and fast production. They can thus quickly create a massive army to overwhelm their opponents. When their units have abilities, it's generally some kind of summoning abilities or taking control of enemy units, so that they can further enhance their number advantage. Their fast production and low costs also allows them to quickly adapt in case things aren't going in their favour. However, they tend to be weaker in the later game phases, and as a result, they will generally want to end the game as fast as possible, before their opponent can become too threatening. Subversive faction is usually the other faction, along with Powerhouse, to be present in a two-factions scenario.
* '''Balanced''' - The Balanced, as suggested by its name, is a balance middle ground between the Subversive and Powerhouse, and probably the immediate third faction to be added in a three-factions scenario. The Jack-Of-All-Stats, Master-Of-None faction, typically relying on their versatility to match and counter other factions as needed. In games with more factions, they're liable to lean towards the MagicKnight side, relying on their special abilities to get an edge up on enemies. Balance faction tends to be good at every part of the game.
* '''Cannons''' - The offensive extreme of the Powerhouse. They rely on high offensive abilities, at the expense of their defensive abilities that are quite limited. As a result, they generally can't handle other forces head-on, and they instead use a combination of burst damage Hit-and-run tactics, striking at their opponent's vulnerable supply lines, harassing, support units, and artillery, leaving traps, or otherwise "cheating" to get the upper hand. They are not particularly strong or weak at any part of the game, it's all about the technique and producing the right units. Cannons will typically be the fourth faction in a four-factions scenario.

At six of more factions, there are no established rules. At least one of the five archetypes will present two variations.

The contrast between the different playstyles allows for a more varied game than strictly CosmeticallyDifferentSides and mirror matches. However, simply making one faction slightly stronger but slower than the next rarely adds enough assymetry once enough factions are involved, so developers often turn to giving each faction a gimmick of some sort, such as long range or large numbers as is shown in ACommanderIsYou.

* ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'' has the three Affinities: Purity(Powerhouse), to Supremacy, to Harmony(Subversive). Purity is stronger when immobile and on the defensive, as well as in general slugging matches, Supremacy is highly mobile, works best when all their units are in groups with eachother and more offensively oriented, while Harmony favors using the terrain, and natural fauna to their advantage, but lose strength when in clustered battles.

* ''VideoGame/{{Achron}}'' Vecgir(Powerhouse), to CESO, to Grekim(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/ActOfWar: Direct Action'': United States Army (Powerhouse), Consortium, to Task Force Talon(Subversive).

* ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'': Tainted Coil(Powerhouse), to Ironheade, to Drowning Doom (Subversive). There ''is'' a fourth faction, Lionwhyte's Hair Metal Militia, but they're just a PaletteSwap of Ironheade for the early campaign before the other factions are introduced.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn'': Global Defence Initiative(Powerhouse) to Brotherhood of Nod(Subversive) - A rare example of the good guys being the Powerhouse.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'': Soviets (Powerhouse) to Allies (Subversive). Although this dynamic is reversed in the seas, where the Allied surface fleet is more powerful than the Soviets and their reliance on submarines.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2: Yuri's Revenge'': Adds Yuri, whose forces are typically weaker than either, but have a variety of incredibly cheap tricks such as mind control. Meanwhile, the Allies gain two powerful new brute force units in the Battle Fortress and Guardian GI that allow them to function as a more balanced faction in the middle of Yuri's treachery and the Soviet's brutality.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'': GDI (Powerhouse), to Scrin, to Nod (Subversive)

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals'': China (Powerhouse), to the US, to GLA (Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes'': Wehrmacht (Powerhouse) to United States Of America (Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars'':Celareons(Powerhouse) to Terran Empire, to Mantis(Subversive)
* ''VideoGame/DarkReign'': JDA/Imperium (Powerhouse) to Sprawlers/Freedom Guard (Subversive)
* ''VideoGame/DuneII'', ''Dune 2000'' and ''VideoGame/EmperorBattleForDune'': Harkonnen(Powerhouse), to Atreides, to Ordos(Subversive).

* ''VideoGame/{{Earth2150}}'': Eurasian Dynasty(Powerhouse), to United Civilised States, to Lunar Corporation(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/EndOfNations'': Liberation Front(Powerhouse) to Shadow Revolution(Subversive).
** Or alternatively, if commander classes are counted as as separate factions: Spartan (Powerhouse) to Patriot, to Wraith, to Phantom(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/EndWar'': Spetsnaz Guard Brigades(Powerhouse), to Joint Strike Force, to European Federation Enforcer Corps(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/GroundControl'': Crayven Corporation(Powerhouse) to Order Of The New Dawn(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/MetalFatigue'': Mil-Agro(Powerhouse), to Rimtech, to Neuropa(Subversive)
* ''VideoGame/{{Paraworld}}'': Tries to break this by having two "typical" factions, the Norsemen (powerhouse) and Dustriders (subversive), but then try to alter the mix by having a "stealthy" team, the Dragon Clan. However, stealth doesn't work too well when you're leading a big honking army.
* ''VideoGame/RiseOfLegends'': Cuotl(Powerhouse), to Vinci, to Alin(Subversive). Each faction features [[CosmeticallyDifferentSides units and buildings with the same basic uses and functions which are appropriated to the art style of their civilisation]], but they each have unique abilities not specific to any one unit and {{Hero Unit}}s have their sets of abilities, which are not mirrored by their counterparts in the other factions.
* ''VideoGame/{{SWINE}}'': Pigs (Powerhouse) to Rabbits (Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' has the Trader Emergency Coalition(Powerhouse) to Vasari Empire to Advent(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'':Protoss (powerhouse) focus upon durable units with fewer numbers, combined with spell caster assistance, but also have a stealth attack with Dark Templar assassins, and Zerg (subversive) rely upon a properly balanced mix of great numbers, with one main spell caster later in the game; the Zerg overlords are both a troop transport and supply cap increaser, allowing very liberal use of sneak attacks. Terrans stand in the middle, with GlassCannon units who all use ranged attacks, and perform sneak attacks with Vulture bikes who can set up minefields and kill worker units very quickly, along with imposing Siege Tank lines that can eradicate entire armies in a few salvos, as well as swarms of Marines that rip enemies apart in a stim- and bullet-filled frenzy

** Galactic Empire (Powerhouse) to Rebel Alliance (Subversive).

* ''VideoGame/SupremeCommander'' has the United Earth Federation(Powerhouse), to Aeon Illuminate, to Cybran Nation(Subversive), though all sides tactics boil down to ZergRush eventually.* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'': CORE (Powerhouse) to ARM (Subversive), although [[SeparateButIdentical the differences are fairly small]].
* ''Ultimate General: Civil War'' Union (Powerhouse) to Confederates (Subversive). The Union outnumbers and outguns the Conefederacy, but the latter has better trained, and as a result, coordinated forces.
* ''VideoGame/UniverseAtWar'': Hierarchy(Powerhouse), to Masari, to Novus(Subversive).
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftII'': While Humans and Orcs at the lower end of the TechTree are CosmeticallyDifferentSides, advanced units differ enough to require different strategies. Orcs are more of a powerhouse, relying on Bloodlusted Ogre Magi, while Humans rely on subversive but powerful spells such as Invisibility, Blizzard and Exorcism.
* ''VideoGame/WorldInConflict'': United States Of America, Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics, North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Here, though, the differences are much smaller then in other games - most units and supports are exactly the same on either side, and many more only have subtle differences. What little differences there are makes Soviets the Subversive, US Powerhouse, and NATO Balanced (NATO uses a mix of units and supports from the other two factions).

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', the three major enemy mercenary groups are set up like this, with the Blood Pack as Powerhouses, the Blue Suns in the middle, and the Eclipse as Subversive.
* ''Videogame/PlanetSide'': New Conglomerate(Powerhouse), to Terran Republic, to Vanu Sovereignty(Subversive) although this only matters for vehicles and a few unique weapons. The NC have the toughest, heaviest hitting vehicles, the TR's are faster, weaker, but make up for it with [[MoreDakka volume of fire]], and the Vanu tend towards using their hover technology and the maneuverability granted by it, along with cheap, gimmicky weapons.

* ''[[VideoGame/WarCraft Warcraft III]]'': Human Alliance, Orcish Horde, Undead Scourge, Night Elf Sentinels are Balanced, Powerhouse, Subversive, and Cannon respectively.

** This is true considering that these four decks are all based after the actual factions themselves in both the video games as well as the books. The Nilfgaardian Empire (Powerhouse) consumed its southern neighbors and is threatening to consume the Northern Kingdoms. Meanwhile, the Northern Kingdoms (Balanced) spend most of their time waging war with each other than uniting against the larger Nilfgaardian Empire. The Scoia'tael (Cannons) are elven and dwarven guerrillas who wage war with the Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaardian Empire's respective human populations. And, the Wild Hunt (Subversive, and what the Monster deck is based after) threatens to spread the white frost across both the Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaardian Empire, while chasing down Ciri for her powerful magic.

At the core of Faction Calculus are two sides.

* '''[[UnskilledButStrong Powerhouse]]''' - Power and Efficiency. Powerhouse armies typically consist of powerful units with great durability and attack power. Pound for pound, Dollar for Dollar, their forces are flat out stronger than their opponents and in a head-on meatgrinder, they'll come out on top. What abilities they do have tend to be things like {{Herd Hitting Attack}}s, temporary power-ups, healing, [[WeHaveReserves economic advantages]], and other things that make them even harder to beat head on, or a few tools oriented towards forcing their opponents to fight them head on.
* '''[[WeakButSkilled Subversive]]''' - Speed and Technique. Subversive armies can't handle Powerhouses head-on, at least not without a bigger army that would cost more resources and end up wasting them. Instead, Subversive forces use a combination of burst damage HitAndRunTactics, striking at their opponent's vulnerable supply lines, support units, and artillery, leaving traps, or otherwise "cheating" to get the upper hand.

The contrast between the two playstyles allows for a more varied game than strictly CosmeticallyDifferentSides and mirror matches. The Subversive player will have to play around the Powerhouse's greater power using his techniques, while the Powerhouse needs to predict and counter the tricks and traps of the Subversive player's forces to bring his strength to bear.

Mechanics aren't necessarily exclusive to either Powerhouse or Subversive factions, and very few factions are ''purely'' 100% Powerhouse or Subversive. For example, long-ranged units can be used to harass enemies, or grouped together in large clumps where all of them can fire on an enemy to overpower them.

Every faction in a game exists somewhere in between these two extremes, either leaning towards straightforward brute force, or misdirection and dirty fighting. However, simply making one faction slightly stronger but slower than the next rarely adds enough assymetry once enough factions are involved, so developers often turn to giving each faction a gimmick of some sort, such as long range or large numbers as is shown in ACommanderIsYou.

[[labelnote:Minor historical footnote, if you got linked here referring to something besides "Powerhouse" and "Subversive"]]Some links to this page refer to a previous version of this page, which had a further 3 subfactions: "Cannons", GlassCannon as a faction, "Balanced", the midpoint between Subversive and Powerhouse, and "Horde", any faction which purely favors a ZergRush. As all of these now fall under ACommanderIsYou, please fix such links.[[/labelnote]]