History Main / PoliticalStrategyGame

*
''VideoGame/PresidentElect'' (1981) is purely a U.S. presidential election simulator. It covers the period from 1960 to 1988 and allows a significant amount of customization.
*
''VideoGame/RepublicTheRevolution'' (2003) puts you in the shoes of a young activist from a fictional [[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag post-Soviet]] [[{{Ruritania}} Eastern European]] [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny republic]] who forms his own political party to topple the corrupt and reactionary government. To do so, he recruits additional activists from [[ClassAndLevelSystem all walks of life]] and assigns them (and himself) to carry out "actions" in the game world[[note]]which consists of three progressively larger cities, each subdivided into multiple districts[[/note]], e.g. investigating a city district (or spreading misinformation), campaigning for popular support of his cause (or sabotaging that of rival parties), or even attacking other parties' functionaries (or protecting his own). Having popular support in a district over time nets you different amounts of three types of political capital (Force, Influence, and Wealth), which correspond to three core ideologies[[note]]roughly: nationalist, social-democratic, and neoliberal, respectively[[/note]] and which you spend to launch actions, as well as story events[[note]]so for a specific action, you need both an activist who has the required ability and sufficient resources[[/note]]. The game has three [[AlignmentBasedEndings ideology-based endings]]: a MilitaryCoup (Force), a VelvetRevolution (Influence), or a forced resignation of the incumbent PresidentEvil, followed by his assassination (Wealth).

''Video Game/PresidentElect'' (1981) is purely a U.S. presidential election simulator. It covers the period from 1960 to 1988 and allows a significant amount of customization.

* ''VideoGame/RepublicTheRevolution'' (2003) puts you in the shoes of a young activist from a fictional [[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag post-Soviet]] [[{{Ruritania}} Eastern European]] [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny republic]] who forms his own political party to topple the corrupt and reactionary government. To do so, he recruits additional activists from [[ClassAndLevelSystem all walks of life]] and assigns them (and himself) to carry out "actions" in the game world[[note]]which consists of three progressively larger cities, each subdivided into multiple districts[[/note]], e.g. investigating a city district (or spreading misinformation), campaigning for popular support of his cause (or sabotaging that of rival parties), or even attacking other parties' functionaries (or protecting his own). Having popular support in a district over time nets you different amounts of three types of political capital (Force, Influence, and Wealth), which correspond to three core ideologies[[note]]roughly: nationalist, social-democratic, and neoliberal, respectively[[/note]] and which you spend to launch actions, as well as story events[[note]]so for a specific action, you need both an activist who has the required ability and sufficient resources[[/note]]. The game has three [[AlignmentBasedEndings ideology-based endings]]: a MilitaryCoup (Force), a VelvetRevolution (Influence), or a forced resignation of the incumbent PresidentEvil, followed by his assassination (Wealth).

* ''VideoGame/TheNewOrderLastDaysofEurope'' is an AlternateHistoryNaziVictory mod for the grand strategy game ''VideoGame/HeartsOfIronIV''. Despite being a mod for a grand strategy game that had only a secondary focus on political management, TNO puts the political management to the forefront, with many different and unique political simulation mechanics for many nations.

* ''VideoGame/TheNewOrderLastDaysOfEurope'' is an AlternateHistoryNaziVictory mod for the grand strategy game ''VideoGame/HeartsOfIronIV''. Despite being a mod for a grand strategy game that had only a secondary focus on political management, TNO puts the political management to the forefront, with many different and unique political simulation mechanics for many nations.

* ''VideoGame/TheNewOrderLastDaysOfEurope'' is an AlternateHistoryNaziVictory mod for the grand strategy game ''VideoGame/HeartsOfIron4''. Despite being a mod for a grand strategy game that had only a secondary focus on political management, TNO puts the political management to the forefront, with many different and unique political simulation mechanics for many nations.

* In a [[GovernmentProcedural Government Sim]], they already are in a position power and negotiate policies and spin intrigues to ''remain'' there. In other words, their goal is to maintain their legitimacy while undermining that of the opposition.

Owing to the {{Strategy Game}}s' historical origins in WarGaming, most of them revolve around territorial or resource conflict, even when combat is not the sole focus (e.g. in settlement {{Simulation Game}}s and FourX). By contrast, games that simulate political conflict over influence and ideology tend to deemphasize or even to penalize armed combat. Two subgenres can generally be distinguished:

* [[ElectionDayEpisode Political Campaign Sim]], where players engage in political battle to ''come'' to power (whether through election or revolution), and
* [[GovernmentProcedural Government Sim]], where they already are in power and negotiate policies and spin intrigues to ''remain'' there.

The [[SmallReferencePools most common historical settings]] are, [[WriteWhatYouKnow of course]], UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates (and {{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s thereof), followed by generic {{Banana Republic}}s, the ([[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag former]]) UsefulNotes/SovietUnion, and UsefulNotes/TheRomanRepublic.

* '''Popular support''' is a indicator of how much sway a given player holds within the simulated constituency. It has different gameplay functions in Campaign and Government Sims: the former usually tie it to the victory condition (the player with the most support wins), while in the latter, they function more like HitPoints (if your support drops below certain threshold as a result of your or other players' actions, {{you lose|AtZeroTrust}}).

Ultimately, political strategies are about ''managing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest conflict of interest]]'': your power (resource) comes from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_principal_problem representing the interests of others]], whether they are individual voter demographics, special interests like domestic lobbies and foreign [=NGOs=], or rival players, all of whom impose contradictory restrictions on how you can spend that power. The tension comes from maneuvering around these restrictions to maintain existing support while also expanding it.

* When playing the Woodland Alliance in ''TabletopGame/{{Root}}'' (2018), the gameplay approaches political strategy (whereas [[AsymmetricMultiplayer other factions]] play more of a WarGame on the same board). Ideologically, the Alliance represents a populist reaction to the ongoing exploitation the forest by and armed conflict between bigger factions, so it gains victory points by spreading civil unrest throughout the map, with the end goal of a popular uprising. Popular support is thus represented by Unrest tokens, which are purchased using one of two types of political capital: Clout (represented by Supporter cards) and Force (reprented by Warrior meeples). Supporter cards are slowly accrued by drawing from a common deck and playing them from hand, or from other players who move their troops into regions with Unrest tokens or suppress said unrest with violence -- this represents the growing popular outrage. Warrior meeples can be used normally for battle against other factions, but they also can be converted into Unrest tokens, as they represent not so much soldiers as seasoned revolutionaries. Finally, supporter cards can also be spent on local uprisings that not only produce new warriors and strongholds, but also clear ''all'' enemy forces and infrastructure from the region, showcasing the terrifying power of a popular revolt.

* The ''Geo-Political Simulator'' series, consisting of ''Commander in Chief'' (2008), ''VideoGame/RulersOfNations'' (2010), ''Masters of the World'' (2013), and ''Power & Revolution'' (2016), puts you in the shoes of a head of state of a real-world country and tasks you with managing its internal and foreign policies, while avoiding being [[YouLoseAtZeroTrust voted out of office]], [[MilitaryCoup overthrown by your own military]], being conquered by another country, etc.

* ''VideoGame/OstalgieTheBerlinWall'' (2018)Puts the player in control of several socialist states during the end of the cold war

* A [[SignatureStyle lot of]] Creator/ParadoxInteractive's games include sophisticated simulations of historical politics:

Owing to the {{Strategy Game}}s' historical origins in WarGaming, most of them revolve around territorial or resource conflict, even when combat is not the sole focus (e.g. in settlement {{Simulation Game}}s and FourX). By contrast, games that simulate political conflict over influence and ideology (usually in the context of a [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies Western liberal-capitalist democracy]]) tend to deemphasize or even to penalize armed combat. Two subgenres can be distinguished:

* [[ElectionDayEpisode Campaign Sim]], where players engage in political battle to ''come'' to power (whether through election or revolution), and

Owing to the {{Strategy Game}}s' historical origins in WarGaming, most of them revolve around territorial or resource conflict, even when combat is not the sole focus (e.g. in settlement {{Simulation Game}}s and FourX). By contrast, games that simulate political conflict over influence and ideology (usually in the context of an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies Western liberal-capitalist democracy]]) tend to deemphasize or even to penalize armed combat. Two subgenres can be distinguished:

Owing to the {{Strategy Game}}s' historical origins in WarGaming, most of them revolve around territorial or resource conflict, even when combat is not the sole focus (e.g. in settlement {{Simulation Game}}s and FourX). By contrast, games that simulate political conflict over influence and/or ideology (usually in the context of an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies occidental liberal-capitalist democracy]]) tend to deemphasize or even to penalize armed combat. Two subgenres can be broadly distinguished: in a [[ElectionDayEpisode Campaign Sim]], players engage in political battle to ''come'' to power (whether through election or revolution), while in a [[GovernmentProcedural Government Sim]], they already are in power and negotiate policies and spin intrigues to ''remain'' there. The [[SmallReferencePools most common historical settings]] are, [[WriteWhatYouKnow of course]], UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates (and {{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s thereof), followed by generic {{Banana Republic}}s, the ([[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag former]]) UsefulNotes/SovietUnion, and UsefulNotes/TheRomanRepublic. Political strategies often have some or all of following gameplay features:

* ''VideoGame/YesYourGrace'' (2020) puts the player in the shoes of a young medieval king who is tasked with managing the foreign and domestic politics of his kingdom.

* ''VideoGame/YesYourGrace'' features the player trying to run a kingdom and managed the foreign and domestic politics of the kingdom.

Ultimately, political strategies are about ''managing the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest conflict of interest]]'': your power (resource) comes from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal-agent_problem representing the interests of others]], whether they are individual voter demographics, special interests like domestic lobbies and foreign [=NGOs=], or rival players, all of whom impose contradictory restrictions on how you can spend that power. The tension comes from maneuvering around these restrictions to maintain existing support while also expanding it.

Ultimately, political strategies are about ''managing the conflict of interest'': your power (resource) comes from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal-agent_problem representing the interests of others]], whether they are individual voter demographics, special interests like domestic lobbies and foreign [=NGOs=], or rival players, all of whom impose contradictory restrictions on how you can spend that power. The tension comes from maneuvering around these restrictions to maintain existing support while also expanding it.

Ultimately, political strategies are about ''managing the conflict of interest'': your power (resource) comes from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal%E2%80%93agent_problem representing the interests of others]], whether they are individual voter demographics, special interests like domestic lobbies and foreign [=NGOs=], or rival players, all of whom impose contradictory restrictions on how you can spend that power. The tension comes from maneuvering around these restrictions to maintain existing support while also expanding it.

Ultimately, political strategies are about ''managing the conflict of interest'': your power (resource) comes from representing the interests of others, whether they are individual voter demographics, special interests like domestic lobbies and foreign [=NGOs=], or rival players, all of whom impose contradictory restrictions on how you can spend that power. The tension comes from maneuvering around these restrictions to maintain existing support while also expanding it.

* When playing the Woodland Alliance in ''TabletopGame/{{Root}}'', the gameplay approaches political strategy (whereas [[AsymmetricMultiplayer other factions]] play more of a WarGame on the same board). Ideologically, the Alliance represents a populist reaction to the ongoing exploitation the forest by and armed conflict between bigger factions, so it gains victory points by spreading civil unrest throughout the map, with the end goal of a popular uprising. Popular support is thus represented by Unrest tokens, which are purchased using one of two types of political capital: Clout (represented by Supporter cards) and Force (reprented by warrior meeples). Supporter cards are slowly accrued by drawing from a common deck and playing them from hand, or from other players who move their troops into regions with Unrest tokens or suppress said unrest with violence -- this represents the growing popular outrage. Warrior meeples can be used normally for battle against other factions, but they also can be converted into Unrest tokens, as they represent not so much soldiers as seasoned revolutionaries. Finally, supporter cards can also be spent on local uprisings that not only produce new warriors and strongholds, but also clear ''all'' enemy forces and infrastructure from the region, showcasing the terrifying power of a popular revolt.

Owing to the {{Strategy Game}}s' historical origins in WarGaming, most of them revolve around territorial or resource conflict, even when combat is not the sole focus (e.g. in settlement {{Simulation Game}}s and FourX). By contrast, games that simulate political conflict over influence and/or ideology (usually in the context of an [[UsefulNotes/PoliticalIdeologies occidental liberal-capitalist democracy]]) tend to deemphasize or even to penalize armed combat. Two subgenres can be broadly distinguished: in a [[ElectionDayEpisode Campaign Sim]], players engage in political battle to ''come'' to power (whether through election or revolution), while in a [[GovernmentProcedural Government Sim]], they already are in power and negotiate policies and spin intrigues to ''remain'' there. The most popular settings are ({{Fantasy Counterpart Culture}}s of) the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates ([[WriteWhatYouKnow natch]]), generic {{Banana Republic}}s, and, occasionally, the ([[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag former]]) UsefulNotes/SovietUnion or even UsefulNotes/TheRomanRepublic. Political strategies often have some or all of following gameplay features:

* ''VideoGame/{{Dictator}}'' (1982) by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Priestley Don Priestley]] is probably the UrExample of Government Sim in video games. The player assumes the role of eponymous dictator of a fictional equatorial BananaRepublic named Ritimba during the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, who must balance the influence of the three Ritimban social classes (the armed forces, the impoverished peasants, and wealthy landowners), [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters guerilla insurgents]], the rival BananaRepublic of Leftoto, his own SecretPolice, and, of course, the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates and the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Each in-game month, one of these factions presents the player with a randomized current issue, and depending on the player's response, their influence and [[AllianceMeter opinion of the dictator]] goes up or down. While the game is theoretically {{endless|Game}}, the player will inevitably run out of money to fulfill forthcoming requests with, sparking either a CivilWar or an AssassinationAttempt, which may or may not end the game, depending on the current balance of powers. The "good" ending requires the dictator to flee the country before he is assassinated or executed, with the [[ScoringPoints final score]] determined by how much money he has managed to transfer to his SwissBankAccount while in power.