Characters / Kaiserreich China

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Map of China in Kaiserreich (Full Size◊)

Qing Government

Flag of Qing

^{Flag of Beijing Government}

Official Name: Great Qing Empire, Republic of China (Zhili Republic Chinese reunification)

Common Name: Qing Government, Zhili Clique (Zhili coup), Beijing Governemnt (Zhili Republic)

Ruling Party: Hexie Shetuan^note The Harmony Association is a loose collection of Zhili bureaucrats, governors and hangers-on that represent Wu Peifu and Cao Kun's attempts to present a facade of democratic legitimacy in the Beijing Assembly. Officially they are a separate political party, completely divested from the military. Unofficially, however, most realise that the HA's sham democracy is little more than a half-hearted attempt to cover up the endemic corruption, inefficiency, and waste of the Zhili bureaucracy.

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

The Qing dynasty, overthrown and replaced by a warlord-dominated Republic of China, found itself restored by the Zhili clique warlords in a deal they made with the German Empire: in exchange for support that would help them seize Beijing and gain formal authority over China, Zhili would restore China to "proper" monarchism. A farcical monarchy was thus restored in Beijing, with a puppet Emperor ruling over an Empire of nominally compliant warlords.

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• The Alcoholic: Cao Kun, current President of Qing, mentor of Wu Peifu, and former President of the Republic of China, is an old, depressed raging alcoholic whose condition continues to deteriorate. He was betrayed in the Beijing coup and locked under house arrest for several years, during which his brother committed suicide, reducing him to a shell of his former self.
• Authority in Name Only: Qing is technically recognized as the legitimate government of China, ruling over every province from Xinjiang to Beijing. In reality, Qing's power barely extends beyond Zhili clique turf, with most of the other provinces being warlord territory, who respect the Beijing government out of convenience. Even Sun Chuanfang's LEP, technically Zhili territory, doesn't totally respect Wu Peifu's Beijing leadership, and the LEP soon collapses anyways.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: The Zhili Clique can be overthrown if it refuses to take a side in the collapse of the LEP.
• Godzilla Threshold: Mirroring the real life 1938 Yellow River Flood artificially created by Chiang's Nationalist Government (by destroying Yellow River dykes), Zhili strategists had developed the exact same plan as a last resort to hold off the invading Japanese, and the decision to implement it is unlocked through a focus in the military focus tree. Putting it into action in-game will cause heavy infrastructure damage to several provinces and incur huge stability penalties, but if the focus is done at peacetime, the government can evacuate the people in the target region beforehand and mitigate some of the penalties.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: If Qing doesn't back Nanjing during the LEP collapse (i.e. pro-Anqing Zhili puppet Qing, Manchu restored Qing, or Beijing government paths), the rulers of Qing/Zhili will eventually adopt an anti-concessionist stance and force the Peking-Kommission to leave.
• Our Presidents Are Different: In the Beijing Government path, Wu Peifu purges the Manchus and installs either scholar Hu Shih or diplomat Wellington Koo as the new president of a new Republic of China. Both presidents have liberal democratic beliefs, and legally both are elected through a democratic process, but both also know that they are really installed by Wu Peifu and are a puppet front of the Zhili clique.
• People's Republic of Tyranny: The Harmony Association's democracy is a sham controlled by the Zhili Clique.
• Puppet King: Wu Peifu rules Qing territory (more aptly Zhili clique territory with an imperial makeover) through Emperor Puyi and President Cao Kun.
• Puppet State: Downplayed. While independent for the most part, Puyi was indeed installed by Germany, and Germany still has a lot of say on matters of Qing governance through the Peking-Kommission. They're not a full German puppet state, but they are German-backed.
• Regime Change: The Qing monarchy was re-established by the Beiyang Government because of political pressure from the German Empire, whose intervention prevented the Kuomintang from overruning them.
• Take a Third Option: When given the choice between backing the LEP or the Anqing Clique, there is an option to refuse to support either. But doing so will lead to a possibly successful coup against the Zhili Clique.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Northern Zhili clique controlled by Wu Peifu (represented by "Qing" territory) and Southern Zhili clique controlled by Sun Chuanfang (represented by the LEP) are technically the same group, but Sun is very ambitious and resisted control from the central government. The two tolerate each other mainly because having a stronger Zhili clique means more power for both of them.

Aisin-Gioro Puyi

^{Puyi after Manchu restoration}

Role: Emperor^note Country Leader

Party: Hexie Shetuan^note The Harmony Association is a loose collection of Zhili bureaucrats, governors and hangers-on that represent Wu Peifu and Cao Kun's attempts to present a facade of democratic legitimacy in the Beijing Assembly. Officially they are a separate political party, completely divested from the military. Unofficially, however, most realise that the HA's sham democracy is little more than a half-hearted attempt to cover up the endemic corruption, inefficiency, and waste of the Zhili bureaucracy., Zongshe Dang^note The Zongshe Party - more commonly known as the 'Royalist Party' - is a group of Manchu nobles, Qing loyalists, and various Aisin Gioro princes. Opposed to Wu's Zhili Clique, they favour a return to Qing control over all of China. Unlike more radical factions, they are willing to tolerate warlords and some degree of factionalism - as long as they swear comple and utter loyalty to the Emperor. If in power, they would also allow elections, but in a German-style system where the Emperor would have ultimate say.
Paternal Autocrat Zongshe Party: The Zongshe Party - more commonly known as the 'Royalist Party' - is a group of Manchu nobles, Qing loyalists, and various Aisin Gioro princes. Opposed to Wu's Zhili Clique, they favour a return to Qing control over all of China. Unlike more radical factions, they are willing to tolerate warlords and some degree of factionalism - as long as they swear comple and utter loyalty to the Emperor. Now with power solidified the Assembly can be entirely ignored and all policy decisions are to be decided within the Imperial court by appropriate Ministerial oversight. (Successful Manchu coup), Xin Zhonghua Diguo Gaige Xiehue^note New Chinese Empire Reform Association: The NCERA, while using the name of a pre-Xinhai reformist group, is actually an alliance of two, more modern, reform groups. The first is the Rural Reconstruction Party (RRP), lead by Liang Shuming and the Harvard and Princeton educated J.C. 'Jimmy' Yen. Favouring rebuilding China from the ground-up, this group emphasises the value of the traditional Chinese village as the basic building block of society, rather than the warlords cliques that have dominated China for the last half-century. The second part of the coalition is a loose group of intellectuals inspired to the works of Kang Youwei, an ambitious reformer of the late Qing dynasty who advocated for a constitutional monarchy. Following the restoration of Puyi, his works have come back into prominence, and are popular among middle-class urban intellectuals. The NCERA want to see an end to warlords and foreign influence in China, and a return to a 'traditional' style of decentralised local rule.
Authoritarian Democrat NCERA: The NCERA, while using the name of a pre-Xinhai reformist group, is actually an alliance of two, more modern, reform groups. The first is the Rural Reconstruction Party (RRP), lead by Liang Shuming and the Harvard and Princeton educated J.C. 'Jimmy' Yen. Favouring rebuilding China from the ground-up, this group emphasises the value of the traditional Chinese village as the basic building block of society, rather than the warlords cliques that have dominated China for the last half-century. The second part of the coalition is a loose group of intellectuals inspired to the works of Kang Youwei, an ambitious reformer of the late Qing dynasty who advocated for a constitutional monarchy. With full reunification of the empire a new cascade of problems presents itself to the NCERA demanding a full reorganization of the Qing Empire from te bottom up. It will take years and properly managed implementation of policy, but with proper controlled oversight even the lowliest village will one day have a voice and place in China!, Qingnian Zhongguo Dang^note Young China Party: Inspired by the Young Turks, the YCP is comprised of officers at Baoding Military Academy and urban intellectuals alienated by the exclusivity and nepotism of the Zhili Clique. They advocate for the elimination of China's warlords and the establishment of a strong central government, as well as a nationalist agenda which focuses on the abolition of the special privileges and extraterritoriality enjoyed by foreign powers in China. While not necessarily in favour of Puyi and the Aisin-Gioro clan, they also realise they are the best chance at achieving their dream.
Paternal Autocrat YCP: Inspired by the Young Turks, the YCP is comprised of officers at Baoding Military Academy and urban intellectuals alienated by the exclusivity and nepotism of the Zhili Clique. They advocate for the elimination of China's warlords and the establishment of a strong central government, as well as a nationalist agenda which focuses on the abolition of the special privileges and extraterritoriality enjoyed by foreign powers in China. With all of China within their grasp the party can truly reshape the nation into a 20th century state, cutting any threads deemed unsuitable to the wider public., Zhonghua Daode Cishan Hui^note Chinese Morality and Charity Society (Yiguangdao backing)

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy (Zhili rule or YCP Emergency Government or NCERA Faux Elections or NCERA/YCP form 1940 coalition, YCP wins 1944 election), Social Conservatism (Successful Manchu coup or NCERA Emergency Government), Paternal Autocracy (Zongshe Emergency Government or Zongshe/YCP Faux Elections), Social Democracy (Legitimate Elections, NCERA keep/form Constitutional Front in 1944 elections)

The de jure ruler of the "Qing Empire", in reality a puppet installed by Zhili clique and their German backers.

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• 0% Approval Rating: The general population does not like Puyi and his restoration. Fortunately for him, most don't care that much to try to remove him, and actual powers reside in the Zhili clique, so most of the political fighting is directed at the Zhili clique instead.
• Allohistorical Allusion: Puyi's general status as a powerless puppet king living in a Gilded Cage is more or less how his time as a puppet king of Japan in Manchukuo went.
• Authority in Name Only: Puyi doesn't really have much power. For the past decade actual governance was done by the Zhili clique. As if that was not enough, Qing (Zhili clique territory) itself barely has control over the whole of China.
• The Coup: If Wu Peifu fails to intervene in the LEP collapse, a faction of Zhili generals will launch a coup with support from other warlord powers (Zhang Tianran, Qu Yingguang, or Yan Xishan) to remove Wu from power and install Puyi. If the coup is successful, Puyi will become the true Emperor of China, not shackled by the Zhili clique. If the coup fails, Wu will purge the Manchus from Zhili and make plans to institute a new republican regime.
• Internal Reformist: If the coup succeeds, Puyi will work with one of the three reformist parties (New Chinese Empire Reform Association, Young China Party, or Manchu Party) to form a government and reform the formerly Zhili-controlled Qing government.
• The Puppet Cuts His Strings: A successful Manchu Coup would allow Puyi to end Zhili rule and see his authority as Emperor restored.
• Puppet King: Puyi was installed by the Germans and controlled by the Zhili Clique. He was a powerless leader for almost a decade. If Zhang Tianran's Shandong conquers Beijing, he will forcibly re-install Puyi as the Emperor, and make him even more of a puppet than before.
• Rightful King Returns: Deconstructed. The restoration of the Qing dynasty was generally unpopular (there is a reason why they were overthrown in the first place), and the only reason Puyi was restored was so that he can be used as a pawn in the political games of Germany and Zhili clique. However, if he works hard enough, he might actually be able to become a good and legitimate Emperor of China, reconstructing the trope.
• Significant Wardrobe Shift: After a successful Manchu Restoration, Puyi's portrait will adorn his ceremonial military outfit, representing his effective return to power after cutting the strings of his Zhili puppet masters.

Wu Peifu

Role: Imperial Commissioner Plenipotentiary and Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army, Country Leader (Failed Manchu coup)

Party: Zhili Clique^note While most of the Zhili clique's political affairs are handled by the Harmony Association, the military wing of the clique still holds a fair bit of influence over political decisionmaking. They will never assume direct control and generally work with the Harmony Association, but occasional disagreements are not unheard of.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: While Wu Peifu is a highly superstitious man with weird beliefs like that the airplane was invented in the Warring States Period and the automobile was invented by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms Period, he is China's finest general.
• Cincinnatus: Zig-Zagged; in the Beijing Government path, Wu temporarily becomes the official leader of Zhili clique territory after the Manchus get purged, and forms a new republican government and lets the new president take over. However, while Wu does personally believe that he is personally unfit for officially ruling China as he's a "military man", he'll still be running the real show from the shadows.
• Irony: Wu Peifu is ideologically republican, but leads the monarchist Qing government.
• Just the First Citizen: Wu Peifu, the true ruler of China, is officially just the Imperial Commissioner of the Qing Empire.
• Realpolitik: Wu's ideal China is a republican one, without any foreign influences (which is why he rejected Sun Yat-sen, as he thought that Sun is too foreign-influenced). However, as a warlord, political pragmatism comes before ideology, so he works with Manchu remnants and German capitalists to strengthen his own political influence.
• Red Baron: Wu is nicknamed the Jade Marshal due to his stellar history as a strategist.

Fengtian Government

Official Name: Fengtian Government, Republic of China (Chinese reunification)

Puppet State: Manchurian People's Federation (Socialist), Republic of Manchuria (Democratic), Manchurian State (Authoritarian), State of Manchuria (Japan)

Ruling Party: Guangfuxi^note Recovery League: A loose association of fallen generals, governors, bureaucrats, and politicians without any strong ideological affiliation, most of whom find themselves in Fengtian because there are few other places where they might hold any semblance of power. Easily bribed and tempted, they often serve to promote the interests of whoever is willing to pay, and consequently the 'league' is highly splintered despite controlling a large portion of the Assembly, lacking the political will to act decisively.

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

The Republic of China, "replaced" by the Qing monarchy in the Zhili-sponsored Xuantong Restoration, was "restored" by Zhili's rivaling Fengtian clique after Fengtian narrowly survived the Zhili-Fengtian Wars thanks to Japanese aid. Though securing a temporary peace from an armistice, the Fengtian Government is adamantly against the Zhili-Qing government in Beijing, and renewed conflict over Beijing seems inevitable.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: Fengtian is a Japanese puppet state (or at least a Japanese-aligned) state on the Northeastern Provinces of China. Just like Manchukuo in real life.
• Good Republic, Evil Empire: The Fengtian Government (of the Republic of China) characterizes itself as the "Good Republic", and the Qing Empire centered at Beijing as the "Evil Empire". The truth is more nuanced, and both sides are actually Mirroring Factions, with both being warlord cliques that puppet nominally democratic governments (and given the same ideological grouping - Authoritarian Democracy).
• Hereditary Republic: While it claims to be the heir to the Republic of China, the real rulers of the Fengtian Government are a warlord clique under the leadership of Zhang Zuolin, who in turn is subject to the "benevolent" oversight of the Empire of Japan.
• Irony: Manchukuo in real life was a Japanese-installed puppet state with Puyi as a puppet king, while the rest of China was a Han-led Republic. In Kaiserreich, Manchuria is now a Han-led Republic, while the rest of China is a puppet state of Germany, with Puyi as a puppet king. Doubly ironic is that the restored Qing has no access to Manchuria, the homeland of the Manchu people that formed the Qing dynasty.
• Peace Conference: After defeating Qing, Fengtian can launch a National Reunification Conference to bring Fengtian allies into the fold, and also to negotiate with Southern Republican factions (mainly the Federalists, though the KMT can support Fengtian if they were utterly wiped out) and possibly unite with them peacefully. If the conference is unsuccessful, or if Fengtian decides against the conference, then they will have to subjugate and reunite the rest of China militarily.
• People's Republic of Tyranny: Fengtian claims to be a democratic republic but it is in fact a puppet state under Japanese influence and controlled by a military clique.
  • The Republic of Manchuria is also noted to be one if formed.
• Puppet State:
  • Downplayed at game start. Fengtian is independent but Japanese-backed, with Japanese influence mainly coming in the form of economic management through the Mantetsu.
  • If Fengtian goes down the "Unification by Subjugation" path after conquering Beijing, Zhang Zuolin will step down and try to put his son Zhang Xueliang in charge. Japan can choose to meddle in the affairs, attempting to assassinate Zhang Zuolin and put the submissive Yang Yuting in charge of Fengtian, pointing the country down a pro-Japanese path. Fengtian will join the Co-Prosperity Sphere, join the Yen Bloc, and eventually become a virtual puppet of Japan, getting renamed to "Reformed Government of China", which was the name of a Chinese collaborationist puppet state during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
• The Remnant: The Fengtian Government is made up of remnants from the Beiyang government, who were exiled following the Qing restoration.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: While definitely a part of the Japanese sphere, Fengtian-Japanese relations are not exactly stable. This can be seen by their relationship at game start; Fengtian is guaranteed by Japan, but isn't in the Co-Prosperity Sphere. Depending on Japan and Fengtian's actions throughout the game, Fengtian-Japanese relations can improve to the point where Fengtian joins the Co-Prosperity Sphere (to the detriment of Fengtian legitimacy), or deteriorate to the point where Fengtian declares war on the Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Zhang Zuolin

Role: Country Leader, Second in Command (Zhang Xueliang cabinet)

Party: Guangfuxi^note Recovery League: A loose association of fallen generals, governors, bureaucrats, and politicians without any strong ideological affiliation, most of whom find themselves in Fengtian because there are few other places where they might hold any semblance of power. Easily bribed and tempted, they often serve to promote the interests of whoever is willing to pay, and consequently the 'league' is highly splintered despite controlling a large portion of the Assembly, lacking the political will to act decisively.

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• Assassination Attempt: When he tries to pass his leadership down to Zhang Xueliang, Yang Yuting and his Japanese-aligned Shikan Clique will attempt an assassination on Zhang Zuolin and try to seize power.
• Politically Incorrect Hero: For a certain value of "hero" (Since he isn't much different from the Qing he despises), but Zuolin is quite skeptical towards universal suffrage, viewing that as "non Confucian values". Can be downplayed if his Peace Conference goes well as he eventually gives the female population voting rights and (limited) participation in politics for the general population.
• Rags to Riches: Zhang Zuolin started off as a poor and uneducated bandit in rural China before rising up to become one of the most powerful warlords in China, and he can go even higher from there.
• Red Baron: The Old Marshal.

Zhang Xueliang

^{Zhang as a General}

Role: Country Leader (Zhang Zuolin succession)

Party: Zhanghui^note Zhang Clique: A collection of loyalists and generals, the Zhang Clique holds no specific ideology beyond promoting the furtherance of the Grand Marshal's political powers. While making pretences to democracy, Zhang's supporters are not committed to republican ideals, and promote them only for their utility."

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

Zhang Xueliang is Zhang Zuolin's son, and a possible successor to his father.

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• Addled Addict: Even moreso than his father, Zhang is a massive opium addict to the point where it's an embarrassment to even the Fengtian Clique, whose general staff is already full of addicts.
• Meet the New Boss: Very little changes from the rule of one Zhang to another.
• Puppet King: When his father Zhang Zuolin begins his push to unify China, he resigns to allow Zhang Xueliang to run the country as a gesture towards constitutionalists. Zhang Zuolin remains as head of government and control over the army, and with Fengtian's government system (a military dictatorship), Xueliang's addictions, and Zuolin's title of Marshal, it's pretty clear who has the real power.
• Red Baron: The Young Marshal, son of the Old Marshal.

Yang Yuting

Role: Country Leader (Japanese puppet state)

Party: Concordia Association

Ideology: Market Liberalism

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• The Quisling: Yuting is the leading figure of Japanese collaboration.
• Regime Change: Japan will install Yuting as leader of Fengtian if the Republic fails to break away from the Japanese sphere.

Fu Shuangying

Role: Country Leader (Authoritarian puppet state)

Party: Huanghanui^note Imperial Han Society, Shikan Clique (Puppet state)

Ideology: National Populism, Paternal Autocracy, Authoritarian Democracy (Puppet state)

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• The Quisling: Fu Shuangying is the puppet leader for a Manchuria conquered by an authoritarian regime.

Zhao Xinbo

Role: Country Leader (Democratic puppet state)

Party: Manchuria Democratic League

Ideology: Social Democracy, Social Liberalism, Market Liberalism, Social Conservatism

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• Les Collaborateurs: Zhao Xinbo is initially a pro-Japanese collaborator, albeit a minor one. He can become a much more important collaborator for whichever country puppets Manchuria.
• Corrupt Politician: As leader of Manchuria he shamelessly embezzles money from the treasury.
• Opportunistic Bastard: Despite his pro-Japanese stance, he won't hesitate to jump ship in order to become leader of Manchuria.
• The Quisling: He is the leader of Manchuria if puppeted by a democratic regime, and an eager collaborator.
• Red Baron: The "Midwife of Manchuria" for his role of the foundation of the Republic.

Guan Xiangying

Role: Chairman^note Country Leader (Socialist puppet state)

Party: Kuomintang, Northeastern Syndicalist Party, Socialist Party of Manchuria

Ideology: Radical Socialism, Syndicalism, Totalism

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• The Quisling: Guan Xiangying is the puppet leader for a Manchuria conquered by a socialist regime.
• Rebel Leader: Guan Xiangying is a leader of the underground Chinese Syndicalist Party, engaged in a guerilla with Fengtian and Japan.

Shandong Clique

Official Name: Shandong Clique, Shangqing Tianguo (Yiguandao), New Qing Empire (Yiguandao, Chinese reunification)

Ruling Party: Zhang Pai^note Zhang Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

A Fengtian-aligned warlord clique that has recognized Qing authority due to pressure from the German garrison in Qingdao. Ruled by the infamous Zhang Zongchang, Zhang competes for influence with the Qing-aligned Qu Yingguang and local religious leader Zhang Tianran.

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• Army of Thieves and Whores: Almost all of Zongchang's generals have some form of criminal record or another. Many are former bandits, others are murderers and serial arsonists, the two Japanese mercenaries he has are disgraced samurai also with criminal backgrounds, and the only general that doesn't have a criminal record is a drug addict.
• The Coup: Either Zhang Tianran or Qu Yingguang can overthrow Zhang Zongchang.
• Grave Robbing: Zhang Zongchang's greedy (and somewhat crazy) subordinate Sun Dianying will attempt to rob the graves of old Chinese Emperors and Empresses to further his own wealth. His actions will outrage the Qing government, who can do nothing but watch.
• Let No Crisis Go to Waste: Both Zhang Zongchang and Zhang Tianran can "intervene" in the LEP war to grab land from the LEP.
• Mêlée à Trois: The Shandong Clique, Yiguandao, and the Society for Restoring Benevolence all want to end the other two to secure their rule over the Shandong province.
• Wretched Hive: Zhang Zongchang's rule has turned Shandong into a mess, with his opium dealings, brutal generals, and awful leadership creating a province with rampant crime and violence.

Zhang Zongchang

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Zhang Pai^note Zhang Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The infamously corrupt, despotic, and comically eccentric Fengtian-aligned warlord of Shandong. Loyal to Zhang Zuolin, he currently maintains a precarious state of neutrality between Zhili and Fengtian due to political pressure.

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• Addled Addict: Zhang Zongchang is a massive opium addict, which could explain his wacky antics.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: While he is completely bonkers, Zongchang is a capable general and has had many successes in the past.
• Cloudcuckoolander: Zongchang is very eccentric and unpredictable, and gives no respect to anyone or anybody. This gave him an infamous but also fearsome reputation, and also gave him several like-minded followers.
• Getting High on Their Own Supply: Zongchang deals drugs through Shandong, and is also a drug addict himself.
• Red Baron: The Dogmeat General, refering to his gambling addiction and also for eating dog meat.

Zhang Tianran

Role: Country Leader (Coup), Political Advisor (Qing, Successful Manchu coup backer)

Party: Yiguandao Hui^note Yiguandao Society

Ideology: National Populism

The leader of the Yiguandao, a Shandong-based millenarian religion syncretizing elements of traditional Chinese religions. Popular among the peasantry, and supported by some peasant militia converts, Yiguandao is politically influential in Shandong. The group subscribes to an "idiosyncratic" vision of Qing monarchism, and vehemently rejects warlordism.

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• Bad Guys Do the Dirty Work: Qing and Shangqing have some aligned interests, and Qing can use Shangqing to defeat all the foreign influences in Southern China before having Shangqing submit to Qing and annexing all of Southern China.
• Drugs Are Bad: Zhang Tianran immediately ends the opium dealings in Shandong after rising to power.
• Non-Indicative Name: The Yiguandao is National Populist In Name Only. It doesn't fit at all with the pseudofascist or ultranationalist paths that other countries have for their national populists - the Yiguandao is a whole different beast onto itself. The developers have admitted that the Yiguandao doesn't really fit National Populist, but they basically have nowhere else to put it.
• The Theocracy: Zhang Tianran's Shangqing Tianguo is a theocracy built around Yiguandao.
• Warrior Monk: Zhang Tianran has militias dedicated to Yiguandao, and new military units formed after his ascension to power will all be fully dedicated to the teachings of Yiguandao.

Qu Yingguang

Role: Field Marshal, Governor^note Country Leader (Coup), Political Advisor (Qing, Successful Manchu coup backer)

Party: Guiren Hui^note Society of Restoring Benevolence

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• Only Sane Man: Between a drug-addicted warlord and a cult leader, Qu Yingguang is the sanest out of the three leader options in Shandong.
• The Remnant: Qu Yingguang could be considered to be this to the Anhui Clique with his affiliation with the Anfu Club and personal ties to Duan Qirui. Downplayed in how such an allegiance to the Anhui Clique does not really play much into his content.

Shanxi Clique

^{Flag of the Republic of China (Feng)}

Official Name: Shanxi Government, Zhongyuan Government^note Central Plains Government (Unification path), Republic of China (Chinese reunification)

Ruling Party: Yan Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The territory of opportunistic Shanxi warlord Yan Xishan, which has recognized Qing authority after military defeat in the Fourth Zhili-Fengtian War. Yan's clique also competes for influence with the KMT-aligned forces of the Guominjun, which the clique has absorbed after the Northern Expedition was crushed by German intervention.

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• I Fight for the Strongest Side!: Shanxi will join with whatever faction works towards their interests (the Zhili Clique, Fengtian Clique, R-KMT, or National Protection Alliance for Yan Xishan, Federalists, R-KMT, or L-KMT for Feng Yuxiang), or even try to declare themselves the actual government if an opportunity arises.

Yan Xishan

Role: Governor^note Country Leader, Chief of Army (Qing, Successful Manchu coup backer)

Party: Yan Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Small Role, Big Impact: If Qing falls to chaos and a coup is attempted on Wu Peifu, Yan can lend support to the coup in exchange for promises of reforming the monarchy. The coup support majorly impacts one of the biggest factions in China, and Yan would have a say in the new Qing politics due to his support.
• Opportunistic Bastard: Perhaps the most opportunistic warlord in China, Yan is willing to support any faction outside of the L-KMT or Federalists. Most of the time he supports the Zhili, as they're the closest and most powerful in the region, but should they fall all bets are off.
• The Usurper: Yan is a member of the Zhili Clique on paper, but if he sees an opportunity he can declare a rival government in Shanxi and take Beijing.

Feng Yuxiang

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Power struggle victory), Country Leader (Chinese reunification)

Party: Guominjun^note National Army, National Revolutionary Party

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• Chummy Commies: Feng Yuxiang's personal beliefs are a strange mix of Christianity and socialism, he associates with the leftist faction of the KMT as a result.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: Feng Yuxiang is a Chinese nationalist in the style of the KMT, and despite being a Christian and reorganizing the army and state in a more modern and western-inspired way, he always seeks the end goal of creating a strong china without foreign influence.
• Red Baron: The Christian General, emphasizing his faith.

Sichuan Clique

Official Name: Sichuan Military Government, Zhili Clique (Zhili remnant), Chongqing Government (Zhili remnant, unification path), Republic of China (Chinese reunification), Chongqing Federal Government (Federalist remnant), United Provinces of China (Federalist Chinese reunification)

Party: Wubei Xi^note The Armament Department enjoyed a half decade of prestige after Yang Sen was recognised as the legitimate ruler of Sichuan by the Zhili Clique, but the bold and cunning general slowly witnessed his grip slip away. The Yunnan Clique's invasion of his province was the last straw which corroded his authority, putting much of Sichuan back in the hands of warlords and radicals. The Armament Department was forced to adapt to these disastrous circumstances and reluctantly invited several of these key warlords to join the government.
Yang since then strove to rebuild his authority over Sichuan, Jan, but faced great resistance from the newly emboldened warlords, as well as opportunists within his own clique such as the Confucian general Liu Cunhou and the leader of the bandit suppression army, Tian Songyao. Much of the department doubts if Yang can maintain this moribund, decentralised government much longer. His generals eagerly hope he will at last reign in the warlords, or finally give up and make way for more aggressive leader like Cunhou. Without a firebrand like him to egg them on however, the generals may very well fall back in line behind Yang.

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

The Sichuan province, formerly the site of multiple conflicting sub-warlord cliques, was unified under Wu Peifu's ally Yang Sen after the advent of the Zhili hegemony. Despite nominal unification, Sichuan is still embroiled in warlord conflict, and is desperately hanging onto the stabilizing thread of Zhili hegemony.

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• Civil War: The Sichuanese Civil War will erupt between the warlords of the province after the collapse of the LEP.
• The Famine: A drought in March 1936 will plunge the Sichuan province into a massive famine (which happened in reality). As the LEP collapses around the same time, this forces the warlords of the province (who are beginning to turn on each other and collapsing the province into a civil war) to manage it by themselves, causing massive troubles for everyone.
• Mêlée à Trois: There are four major warlord factions in Sichuan (though one is massively weakened): Armament Department, Industrial Corps, Baoding Department, and Officer Department. The former three are currently in a shaky alliance, which shatters when the LEP collapses and the Industrial Corps backstabs the others in an attempt to gain power.
• The Remnant: Sichuan, if under the right warlord, can host loyalists to the Zhili Clique (if under the Armament Department) or remnants of the Federalists (if under a pro-Federalist warlord) after they are overthrown in their respective powerbase.

Liu Cunhou

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Armament victory, successful coup)

Party: Wubei Xi^note Armament Department: In the wake of Yang Sen's sudden, unfortunate death, coupled with the rapid disintegration of the Armament Department's political rivals, a massive power vacuum emerged in Sichuan Province. The position of leadership was swiftly filled by a popular, charismatic figure among the Armament Department's generals, the zealous Confucian and chaotic rabble rouser Liu Cunhou.
Liu has in many ways turned Sichuan's greatest weakness, its factional disputes and decentralised government, into his own greatest strength. By bribing, threatening, extorting and executing those generals who have questioned his authority, he has filled much of the province with loyal yes men and greedy opportunists, who will I gladly manage their own fiefs and maximise the province's overall profit through completely unscrupulous measures. While this Whilst this chaotic confederation of warlords is functioning for the moment, some of Liu's colleagues quietly doubt if it can hold on for the foreseeable future. However few dare to bring this up to his face and none have ever done so twice.

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• 0% Approval Rating: As governor he is hated for being basically a bandit and a tyrant extorting the people and keeping power through violent repression.
• The Coup: Liu Cunhou will dispose of Yang Sen to take power for himself alone.

Chen Jiongming

Role: Country Leader (Baoding/Officer shelters Federalist remnant)

Party: Public Interest Party^note The Zhongguo Zhigongdang, or China Zhi Gong Party (Public Interest Party of China) is the main political party of the Federalist movement in China. Founded in 1925, the party united disillusioned Kuomintang politicians and Overseas Chinese (especially Freemasons of the Hongmen), calling for the reform of the Republic of China into a proper federal state and multiparty democracy. While these hopes were quickly dashed by the Qing Restoration, they remain a significant force, albeit banned in Qing/Zhili-controlled lands for their explicit republicanism. Their platform, outside of federalism and republican democracy, espouses progressive social and political views from land and education reform to elected assemblies for all government levels.

Ideology: Social Democracy

See his entry in the Liangguang Clique folder.

Yunnan Clique

Official Name: Yunnan Government, Kunming National Government (R-KMT unification path), Nanzhao Autonomy (L-KMT puppet state), National Revolutionary Government (L-KMT unification path)

Party: Jing Guo Dian Jun^note Army of National Pacification: Tang Jiyao has ruled Yunnan for decades, somehow managing to endure and outlast his own bouts of incompetence, numerous internal rebellions and countless failed military expeditions. In some ways, his diligence and his ambitious nature is quite respectable. His officer corps is loyal to him, even if they question some of his political and military decisions. Yet as the balance of power in China continues to change, it remains to be seen if Tang Jiyao can change with it, or if he will return to his old warmongering, overconfident ways.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

A republican-aligned warlord clique who has recognized Qing authority due to military defeats, ruled by the ambitious but increasingly unpopular warlord Tang Jiyao. It currently hosts a large contingent of KMT National Revolutionary Army remnants, which the clique accepted (as a part of an internal power struggle) after the failure of the Northern Expedition. As Tang's followers increasingly lose faith in him, the tangled allegiances of Yunnan's armies gradually unravel, laying the seed for a massive, multi-sided power struggle.

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• Enemy Mine: Tang Jiyao's personal clique and the NRA forces are not friends in the slightest, but are forced to collaborate inside Yunnan since both sides hate the Zhili-controlled Qing government more.
• Mêlée à Trois: If Tang Jiyao tries to invade Hunan immediately after the LEP collapses, he will get couped by Long Yun, and the Yunnan clique collapses in on itself. A four-way power struggle begins between Long Yun, Yunnan clique general Hu Ruoyu, and the KMT-associated generals Zhu Peide and Lu Han.
• The Remnant: A large portion of KMT's National Revolutionary Army is holed up in Yunnan, and represent the remnants of Chiang's right-wing KMT.

Tang Jiyao

^{Tang as a Civilian}

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Jing Guo Dian Jun^note Army of National Pacification: Tang Jiyao has ruled Yunnan for decades, somehow managing to endure and outlast his own bouts of incompetence, numerous internal rebellions and countless failed military expeditions. In some ways, his diligence and his ambitious nature is quite respectable. His officer corps is loyal to him, even if they question some of his political and military decisions. Yet as the balance of power in China continues to change, it remains to be seen if Tang Jiyao can change with it, or if he will return to his old warmongering, overconfident ways.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Ambition Is Evil: Tang is too ambitious for his own good. If he maintains power, he might choose to expand into Indochina, start the National Protection Alliance to launch a second National Protection War and overthrow Qing, or even declare himself King. The last one of course, does not sit well with his large base of republican-minded subordinates.
• Heel–Face Turn: While Tang Jiyao starts out as an ambitious warlord, he has a chance to redeem himself by genuinely backing Chen Jiongming's democratic federalist movement and begin reforms on Yunnan. If he doesn't betray the Federalists mid-way and stays with Chen to the end, he has a chance to lead a party in the democratic United Provinces of China and get democratically elected as leader of China.
• Opportunistic Bastard: Tang supports the Federalists only because a federalist system would allow him much power as governor of the province.
  • If Tang is denied the Public Interest Party ticket for the United Provinces of China elections, Tang can switch to run for the Democratic Constitutionalist Party if it backs his candidacy.
• Significant Wardrobe Shift: If he becomes President of the United Provinces of China, Tang's portrait will show him wearing a civilian suit.
• Too Dumb to Live:
  • Declaring himself King in China's most republican province results in him being overthrown and executed by Long Yun shortly afterwards.
  • When the LEP collapses, Tang wants to invade Hunan to take Zhenyuan. However, Yunnan was in a lot of economic trouble in 1936, and he has a very weak grip over his clique. If he immediately declares his ambitions to invade Hunan, Long Yun will coup him and execute Tang. He even mocks Long Yun as a coward when Long Yun sends his ultimatum.

Long Yun

^{Long as a General}

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Long Yun coups Tang)

Party: Jing Guo Dian Jun^note Army of National Pacification: Long Yun emerged as the only man capable of quelling the falling out between the various factions of the Army of National Pacification. Even meant having to turn on his own brother, he undertook the necessary measures to entrench his administration in Kunming and hold the city. Now that the dust has settled after this period of brief civil war, it remains to be seen if this young, ambitious Yi General has what it takes to rebuild Yunnan. Long Yun had often dreamed of one day surpassing Tang Jiyao, and now he finally has a chance to do just so.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Civil War: Soon after his coup, Long Yun will have to face a civil war inside Yunnan, as many different warlord generals try to seize power from him.
• The Coup: Long Yun can launch a coup on the unpopular Tang Jiyao to seize power, after Tang Jiyao completely alienates all of his generals by declaring war on Hunan.
• Red Baron: The Dragon of Yunnan.

Lu Han

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Lu Han coups Long)

Party: Jing Guo Dian Jun^note Army of National Pacification: The rebels would never say their ambitions over Tang's office were out of jealousy, but rather due to a strong belief that the Yunnan Clique was going down a dangerous path and needed a new leader to save it. Despite this, it's been an open secret the officer corps has feuded with Tang for over a decade. Neither side had previously dared to openly attack the other, but it seems the recent disaster of a military venture finally provoked them to strike first.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• The Coup: Lu Han can take power by overthrowing his cousin Long Yun.

Zhu Peide

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Civil war victory)

Party: Guomin Geming Jun Di San Jun^note Third National Revolutionary Army: Whilst the NRA distinguished itself in battle and its generals became renowned throughout China for their strategies, it simply couldn't endure the grueling halt of the Northern Expedition followed by the German Intervention. Now reduced to a shell of its former self, exiled to Yunnan, the NRA remains cautious of both Tang Jiyao's stern, autocratic government, as well as the new socialist direction that the KMT has embraced. The repeated conflicts between Tang's beliefs, versus the NRA's own progressive republicanism have prevented the NRA from ever being properly integrated into Yunnan's military, leaving them dangerously autonomous, loyal only in name to the man who once granted them refuge.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Cult of Personality: Zhu Peide will create one around himself by taking the focus Cult of Personality.

Zhu De

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Zhu intervenes in the Yunnan Civil War)

Party: Zhongguo Nonggong Minzhudang^note Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party: Like so many other squabbling leftist movements in China, the CPWDP emerged from the power vacuum created by the collapse of the Kuomintang. Ostensibly modelled after the farmers' and workers' parties of Europe and America, the CPWDP is headed by Chinese intellectuals who have studied in European universities, and even in me new the new Syndicalist nations. Whilst they reject syndicalist doctrines, they also acknowledge the limitations and failures the old Kuomintang's moderates, thus pledging to build a platform that can synthesise socialist ideas with a functioning administrative, economic and political system.

Ideology: Radical Socialism

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• Cincinnatus: After ending the civil war, Zhu De will step down and hand the governorship to Zhang Bojun.
• Retired Badass: Zhu De is a retired teacher at the Yunnan Military Academy, and a very capable general. If the Yunnan conflict goes on for too long, he'll come out of retirement, gather an army, and curb-stomp all the other petty warlords in Yunnan to return order to the province. Then he'll voluntarily cede power to a KMT leader, because he's not interested in politics.

Ma Clique

Official Name: Ma Family Military Clique, Huijang Autonomy (KMT puppet state)

Party: Tianshui Military Administration

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

Three politically aligned warlord cliques of Hui Chinese generals ruling over Qinghai, Gansu and Ningxia. Though their individual members have differing outlooks and allegiances, the Ma cliques had respected the nationalist governments of both the Beiyang Republic and the Qing Empire, and saw themselves as the protectors of Northwest China. As Tibet and Mongolia slips from Chinese control, the Ma cliques aims to restore Chinese rule over the rogue provinces and pacify Northwest China.

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• Clashing Cousins: Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin are cousins and rivals.
• The Family That Slays Together: Ma Clique generals all come from a few related Ma families, with many being cousins of each other.
• Patriotic Fervor: The Ma Clique is very nationalist, and can go to war with Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang to bring back what they see as "rogue provinces" back under Chinese leadership.
• Planet of Steves: All warlords of the Ma Clique are Muslims and have the surname Ma (a Chinese rendering of Muhammad).
• Succession Crisis: The death of clique leader Ma Fuxiang in 1936, combined with the collapse of the Zhili hegemony, will trigger a round of power struggles in the Ma Clique.

Ma Hongkui

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Post-Northwestern War)

Party: Tianshui Military Administration

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• The Purge: Ma Hongkui brutally purged Feng Yuxiang's Brigade of Guominjun after the latter betrayed Ma Fuxiang.

League of Eight Provinces & LEP Collapse

League of Eight Provinces

Official Name: League of Eight Provinces, Nanjing Clique (LEP collapse), League of Southeast Provinces (League War victory)

Ruling Party: Nanjing Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The League of Eight Provinces is the domain of Sun Chuanfang, the Nanjing-based leader of the Southern Zhili clique. Originally the League of Five Provinces, Sun seized KMT provinces after the failed Northern Expedition to form the League of Eight Provinces. The ambitious Sun Chuanfang has exploited Wu's reluctance for concessions to make exploitative deals with Germany, leasing out port cities for arms and capital. This has enriched Sun massively, but also created deep resenments from locals, which may soon come back to haunt him.

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• Corrupt Bureaucrat: The LEP is a vast kleptocracy, with corruption on almost every level. The exclusive German economic exploitation allowed the corrupt leadership to swindle even more money for themselves, and crimes organized by corrupt officials is rampant.
• Enemy Civil War: When the League collapses, the Anqing Clique and the Nanjing Clique, both sub-cliques within the Zhili Clique, declare war on each other. Both of their leaders, Chen Tiaoyuan of Anqing and Qi Xieyuan of Nanjing, consider the other one to be a traitor.
• Fun with Acronyms: The name of the German administration for Sun Chuanfang's leased ports is AOG, or Aufsichtsrat der Ostasiatische Generalverwaltung (Supervisory Board of the East Asian General Administration). It's an Overly Long Name, and is purely made just so that it can share the same acronym with its predecessor, the Allgemeine Ostasien-Gesellschaft.
• Les Collaborateurs: The Qing government has token German influence through the Nanking Kommission, but the Nanjing Clique is where Germany really earns its money. Sun Chuanfang has spent years selling railways, economic influence, and exclusive leases on coastal Chinese cities to Germany through the AOG trade organization. This has made Sun and his inner circle fantastically wealthy and at the same time earned massive resentment from huge swaths of the Chinese population. In game terms, the Nanjing government gets construction and factory output bonuses in exchange for sending a percentage of civilian factories and extra trade to German East Asia.
• Mêlée à Trois: The collapse of the LEP will start a war between Anqing Clique, Nanjing Clique, Left Kuomintang, and Shandong Clique (if Zhang Zongchang or Zhang Tianran is in charge there). All four of them will fight with each other until only one remains in control of the coastal provinces from Shandong to Fujian; the only case where two of them don't go to war are if Anqing and Zhang Zongchang's Shandong are both Fengtian-aligned.
• Puppet State: Thanks to Sun Chuanfang's collaboration, Germany has even more power in Southern China than in the North, through their Nanking-Kommission. The Nanjing Clique is even more explicitly a German collaborator faction, being led by a warlord that collaborated with Japan in real life.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: AOG's decision to buy out several rail lines in China causes a massive unrest in the LEP, which causes the assassination of Sun Chuanfang, collapses the LEP, and shakes up the power dynamic in China so much that it literally triggers a period of renewed active warfare after a decade of relative peace following the Shanghai Conference.

Sun Chuanfang

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Nanjing Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The ruthless, ambitious, and corrupt leader of the Southern Zhili clique. Sun Chuanfang's German connections had made him one of the most powerful men in China, but also made him a lot of enemies, which may soon bring him and his empire to a swift end.

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• 0% Approval Rating: Sun Chuanfang's decision to lease out territory to the Germans made him massively unpopular among the people, which is what eventually led to his death and the subsequent collapse of his League.
• Allohistorical Allusion: Sun lives past his real-life assassination by a few months, before getting assassinated in almost the same way.
• Decapitated Army: The League had already been a very loosely unified confederation, unified only because there's a man with a very big army at the top. With Sun's death, the resultant power vacuum instantly collapses the League.
• Lame Last Words: Sun's last words were him complaining about his breakfast, before he succumbed to his wounds.
• Plot-Triggering Death: Sun's inevitable assassination collapses the League of Eight Provinces, and also completely shakes up the power dynamic across China, allowing all sides to enact their plans and begin a new round of power struggle.
• The Quisling: Sun Chuanfang is far more willing to work with the Germans than Wu Peifu is, and was responsible for leasing coastal cities to Germany and creating the AOG.
• Red Baron: The Smiling Tiger.
• The Starscream: Sun's long-term goal is to usurp the rule of Wu Peifu's Northern Zhili and possibly control all of China for himself. Unfortunately, the LEP's collapse cut that short.
• We Hardly Knew Ye: Sun is inevitably assassinated in February 1936, just two months into the game.

Qi Xieyuan

Role: Governor^note Country Leader (Sun Chuanfang succession)

Party: Nanjing Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Allohistorical Allusion: Qi Xieyuan in real life worked in the Japanese collaborationist government of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In Kaiserreich, large parts of Qi's tree involves him expanding German collaboration, basically selling out to Germany.
• Cult of Personality: One of his later focuses (after he pacifies the original five provinces of the League of Five Provinces) involves building a cult of personality around him.
• Meet the New Boss: Like his predecessor Sun Chuanfang, Qi Xieyuan cares only about his own power.
• The Quisling: Qi Xieyuan will scale up German collaboration, selling out even more of China to secure more power for him and his clique.

Anqing Clique

Official Name: Anqing Clique

Ruling Party: Anqing Clique^note In the years after the Zhili triumph and the ostensible reformation of the empire, there were opportunities aplenty for ambitious young commanders to forge some new disunity from what was meant to be a glorious restoration. Chen Tiaoyuan was one such, and over the past decade he has set about building a base of power from the city of Anqing and the province of Anhui he governs. This historically agricultural, but recently industrialising, province would be the perfect stage from which he rallied support — support from the unlikeliest of places.
The leftist rebels he suppressed turned to him as an alternative to what they saw as doomed revolt; officers shoved aside in Sun Chuanfang's administration saw in him an opportunity for advancement; nationalists wishing to cast out the oppressors joined him, sensing in him a strong will and proud heart.
Perhaps some of them were even right in seeing what they did in Chen — but it's ultimately become irrelevant, as he can hardly back down now. Like it or not, Chen Tiaoyuan is a symbol of national pride and a form of anti-imperialism more stable, less radical, than the Kuomintang's shouts from the south. During the 1932 Shanghai Uprising, he chose to keep his troops at home against the wishes of League-Marshal Sun, whom he was meant to serve. The Northern Zhili have maintained a more positive view of him ever since, hoping to sow discord amongst their southern competitors.
Now this 'Anqing Clique' must break from the legacies of exploitative warlords and foreigners alike, and journey forward to build a better China. Whatever that looks like.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The Anhui province under Anqing-based governor Chen Tiaoyuan is subordinate to the League of Eight Provinces, but disagrees strongly with Sun Chuanfang's German dealings and his callousness against civilians. When Sun dies, and Qi Xieyuan takes control of Nanjing, Chen declare war on Nanjing, accusing Qi of ordering Sun's assassination. Aiming to pacify Southern China like Sun, Chen has connections in both Zhili and Fengtian, and his allegiance may prove critical in the outcome of the Zhi-Feng rivalry.

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• Occupiers Out of Our Country: The Anqing clique is strongly motivated by their support for the Anti-Concessions Movement, and they desire to overthrow the foreign concessions that are occupying Chinese land.
• One-Steve Limit: The base territory of the Anqing clique corresponds to the province of Anhui; the clique isn't called "Anhui Clique" because for one it contrasts Qi Xieyuan's Nanjing Clique (as both cliques are sub-factions of the Zhili clique, based in different cities), and also because there already is an Anhui clique, which the Anqing clique isn't related to at all.

Chen Tiaoyuan

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Anqing Clique

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy (Pro-Qing), Paternal Autocracy (Pro-Fengtian)

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• Defector from Decadence: If Wu Peifu does not back the Anqing Clique, Chen Tiaoyuan will use his Fengtian connections to align himself with the Fengtian Government, and fully reject the anachronistic, pro-German Qing monarchy. Similarly, if Fengtian supports Zhang Zongchang, he can switch his allegiance to the Federalists.
• Red Baron: Referred to as The Dice-Roller General in the Anqing Clique's starting focus. This likely refers to the series of opportunistic career moves that Chen made over the course of his military career.

Hunan Clique

Official Name: Hunan Clique

Ruling Party: Hunan Federalists

Ideology: Social Conservatism

The warlords of Hunan are broadly autonomous, with each pursuing their own agendas and alignments within the greater China. It is currently ruled by Zhao Hengti, a self-proclaimed Federalist with Zhili connections, who had been forcibly annexed into Sun Chuanfang's League. However, he has a rival in the form of Tang Shengzhi, an NRA-aligned general who briefly ruled the province during the Northern Expedition.

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Zhao Hengti

^{Zhao as a Field Marshal}

Role: Field Marshal, Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Hunan Federalists, Zhao Clique (Sham Democracy)

Ideology: Social Conservatism, Authoritarian Democracy (Sham Democracy)

Zhao Hengti, a Hunan native, is the governor of Hunan since 1920. He was couped by Tang Shengzhi before the Northern Expedition, but returned to power after its failure. A self-proclaimed Federalist, but also a close friend of Wu Peifu, Zhao may see fit to join either the Federalists or Zhili with his connections.

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• Bait-and-Switch Tyrant: Inverted if Zhao decides to rig the elections, renouncing his democratic aspirations and switching his ideology to Authoritarian Democracy.
• Conflicting Loyalty: Zhao Hengti has both Zhili and Federalist connections; the former due to his personal friendship with Wu Peifu, the latter due to his ideology. He may either join the Zhili faction or the Federalist faction, usually depending on who comes to him first.

Tang Shengzhi

Role: Military Commander, Governor^note Country Leader (Elections or Military takeover)

Party: Buddhisisation Society

Ideology: Social Democracy

Tang Shengzhi, nicknamed "Buddhist General", is a Hunanese general associated with the NRA. Removed from the position for ten years, Tang Shengzhi now has a chance to come back in the midst of the LEP's collapse.

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• The Exile: Tang was forced into exile after the failure of the Northern Expedition but will return for the elections or to lead the mutiny against Zhao.
• The Mutiny: If Zhao renounces his constitutionalist project, elements of the military will revolt and if successful will bring Tang to power.
• Red Baron: The Buddhist General, emphsizing his commitment to his faith.
• Warrior Monk: As the "Buddhist General", Tang Shengzhi wants to create an army with buddhist beliefs.

Cheng Qian

Role: Military Commander, Governor^note Country Leader (Elections)

Party: Cheng Clique

Ideology: Social liberalism

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• The Exile: Like Tang, Cheng was forced into exile by the failure of the Northern Expedition, fighting in Fujian until he returns to Hunan for the elections.
• The Remnant: Cheng Qian is the leader of the remnants of the Kuomintang in Hunan.

Liangguang Clique

^{Flag of the Guangzhou Federal Government/United Provinces of China}

^{Flag of the Liangguang People's Government}

^{Flag of the Liangguang Military Government}

^{Flag of the Liangguang Merchant Corps/Guangdong Clique}

Official Name: Liangguang Clique

Federalist (Chen Jiongming): Guangzhou Federal Government (Unification path), United Provinces of China (Chinese reunification)

Left-KMT (Chen Mingshu): Liangguang People's Government, Guangzhou People's Government (Unification path), Liangguang (Joins L-KMT alliance)

Right-KMT (Li Zongren): Liangguang Military Government, Guangzhou Nationalist Government (Unification path), Republic of China (Chinese reunification)

Old Guangxi Clique (Ma Ji): Guangxi Clique, Nanning Government (Unification path)

Merchants' Corps (Chen Lianbo): Guangdong Clique, Guangzhou Government (Unification path)

Ruling Party: Grand Republican League^note The Gonghe Datongmeng (Grand Republican League) was founded in 1928 as an alliance of Chen Jiongming, representing the federalist Zhigongdang, and Duan Qirui, representing the by-then defunct Republic of China and Anhui Clique, a coalition of of republicans. While the League attracted fairly little attention, it became Chen's formal coalition in the Guangdong Provincial Assembly. The league is wide and unwieldy, containing federalists of all colours, Kuomintang remnants, business and gentry interests, and even syndicalists. With the collapse of the League, the coalition is on the verge of collapse as they barely share a common platform in maintaining stability in Guangdong, let alone republicanism.

Ideology: Social Liberalism

The Liangguang Clique is a union of the Guangdong and Guangxi cliques under Chen Jiongming and Lu Rongting, who were overthrown in the Northern Expedition and developed an alliance in their exile. Restored under Sun Chuanfang's League after the KMT's collapse, the League's own collapse finally gives Liangguang its full autonomy. Chen Jiongming has a vision of a federalist Republican China, but he has many obstacles in front of him, including a succession crisis in Guangxi, a power struggle in Guangdong, and a new Guangdong-Guangxi War.

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• Civil War: The Guangdong-Guangxi War is essentially one.
• The Federation: Chen Jiongmin and the Federalists want to create a unified federalist and democratic China.

Chen Jiongming

^{Chen as a Field Marshal}

^{Chen as a LKMT General}

Role: Field Marshal, Governor-General^note Country Leader

Party: Grand Republican League^note The Gonghe Datongmeng (Grand Republican League) was founded in 1928 as an alliance of Chen Jiongming, representing the federalist Zhigongdang, and Duan Qirui, representing the by-then defunct Republic of China and Anhui Clique, a coalition of republicans. While the League attracted fairly little attention, it became Chen's formal coalition in the Guangdong Provincial Assembly. The league is wide and unwieldy, containing federalists of all colours, Kuomintang remnants, business and gentry interests, and even syndicalists. With the collapse of the League, the coalition is on the verge of collapse as they barely share a common platform in maintaining stability in Guangdong, let alone republicanism., Public Interest Party^note The Zhongguo Zhigongdang, or China Zhi Gong Party (Public Interest Party of China) is the main political party of the Federalist movement in China. Founded in 1925, the party united disillusioned Kuomintang politicians and Overseas Chinese (especially Freemasons of the Hongmen), calling for the reform of the Republic of China into a proper federal state and multiparty democracy. While these hopes were quickly dashed by the Qing Restoration, they remain a significant force, albeit banned in Qing/Zhili-controlled lands for their explicit republicanism. Their platform, outside of federalism and republican democracy, espouses progressive social and political views from land and education reform to elected assemblies for all government levels. (Post-Guangdong-Guangxi Wars)

Ideology: Social Liberalism, Social Democracy (Post-Guangdong-Guangxi Wars)

The Governor-General of Liangguang and the leader of the local Grand Republican League, Chen Jiongming is an idealist desiring to apply American-styled democratic federalism to China. However, his provincial decentraization was accused of being pro-warlord and rejected by the centralist KMT, sparking violent conflicts between Chen and Dr. Sun. Now in control of Guangdong again, Chen sees his best chance to reunify China under Federalism.

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• Action Politician: Chen Jiongmin is Governor-General and also a Field Marshal in Liangguang's army.
• Assassination Attempt: If Guangdong defeats Li Zongren's invasion, Ma Ji will attempt to assassinate Chen Jiongming (after helping Guangdong defeating Li Zongren) and then invade Guangdong himself. If Chen dies in the assassination, then Chen Lianbo or Chen Mingshu can be elected to the lead Guangdong.
• Cincinnatus: After uniting China under the United Provinces of China, Chen steps down to let democracy take its course, as he considers himself to be a provisional leader.
• The Exile: If Chen Jiongming is overthrown due to either Chen Mingshu's coup or defeat in the Guangdong-Guangxi War, and Sichuan is not controlled by a Federalist-aligned warlord to accept him, he will flee to Hong Kong. The Legation Cities will get an event on him, though he cannot take power again.
• Hero with Bad Publicity: Chen endorses democratic federalism. However, the KMT hates him because he betrayed Sun Yat-sen due to differences between Chen and Sun's ideologies.^note Furthermore, he shelled Sun's residence in 1922, causing Sun's wife, Song Qingling, to miscarry.
• Realpolitik: A big challenge of Chen Jiongming's federalist movement is that many of its supporters are corrupt and power-hungry regional warlords like Tang Jiyao who support federalism as a ruse to hold on to their power. Chen Jiongming can either accept them and compromise his ideals, or reject them and hurt his political influence.

Tang Jiyao

Role: Country Leader (UPC elections)

Party: Public Interest Party^note The Zhongguo Zhigongdang, or China Zhi Gong Party (Public Interest Party of China) is the main political party of the Federalist movement in China. Founded in 1925, the party united disillusioned Kuomintang politicians and Overseas Chinese (especially Freemasons of the Hongmen), calling for the reform of the Republic of China into a proper federal state and multiparty democracy. While these hopes were quickly dashed by the Qing Restoration, they remain a significant force, albeit banned in Qing/Zhili-controlled lands for their explicit republicanism. Their platform, outside of federalism and republican democracy, espouses progressive social and political views from land and education reform to elected assemblies for all government levels. (PIP Candidate), Democratic Constitutional Party (DCP Candidate)

Ideology: Social Liberalism (PIP Candidate), Social Conservatism (DCP Candidate)

See his entry in the Yunnan Clique folder.

Chen Lianbo

^{Chen as a General}

Role: Military Commander, Country Leader (Guangdong-Guangxi War, Merchants' Corps takeover)

Party: Merchants' Public Safety Organisation^note The Guangzhou Yueshang Gongan Weichihui, or Merchant Corps for short, is the armed militia under the control of the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1912, the businessmen of the city organised and funded their own self-defence capabilities as the province descended into warlordism and banditry. The Merchant Corps rose up against the Kuomintang in 1924, convinced that they were spreading syndicalism, but were utterly crushed. Chen Lianbo, its leader from the beginning, fled to Hong Kong, only returning after the failed Northern Expedition. As part of Chen Jiongming's coalition, the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce and its paramilitary represent business interests in the province, their anti-union stance forcing the coalition to water-down progressive legislation, creating great tension.

Ideology: Market Liberalism

The head of the Merchants' Corps in Guangzhou, Chen Lianbo represents the interests of the merchants in Guangdong.

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• The Coup: Chen Lianbo takes power in the Merchants' Corps takeover.

Chen Mingshu

^{Chen as a General}

^{Chen as a LKMT General}

Role: Military Commander, Country Leader (Guangdong-Guangxi War, KMT takeover)

Party: Productive People's Party^note The Nationalist Party of China was once a revolutionary force about to guide China towards modernity and liberty- only to be stopped at the Yangtze. The Northern Expedition may have failed, but the KMT remains underground and a powerful force in Liangguang. Chen Mingshu's Productive People's Party serves as a front for the remnants of the National Revolutionary's Fourth Army and the region's social-democratic politicians of the Party. Wang Jingwei's faction of the Central Committee, however, is quite weak, most of the members in Liangguang favouring Song Qingling's Populists., Zhōngguó guómíndăng línshí xíngdòng wěiyuánhuì^note The Provisional Action Committee was formed during the League War by those who supported Song Qingling and distrusted the authoritarian nature of the returned Central Committee led by Wang Jingwei. Believing in the notion of achieving total socialism by the workers and the peasantry, the PAC draws its name from its desire for the Kuomintang to take action as a revolutionary vanguard with the masses gaining revolutionary consciousness and taking action as well. They have emerged as an opposition party to the Kuomintang's right-wing dominated government. (Unification path, L-KMT was defeated)

Ideology: Radical Socialism

A former KMT member, Chen Mingshu leads the Productive People's Party, a front of KMT remnants in the Guangdong democracy. Though still loyal to the KMT, Chen Mingshu supports Song Qingling's Minquan faction of the KMT, and distrusts Wang Jingwei's Central Committee, and this conflict may boil over into an outright violent power struggle.

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• The Coup: When Li Zongren invades Guangxi, Chen Mingshu can decide to avoid further bloodshed by deposing Chen Jiongming and establish KMT rule over Liangguang.
• Conflicting Loyalty: Chen Mingshu has allegiances to both the KMT and Chen Jiongming's Guangdong democracy. When Li Zongren invades Guangdong, he can choose to stay with the KMT and coup Chen Jiongming, or he can choose to stay with Chen Jiongming and denounce Li Zongren's R-KMT as just another warlord clique.
• Rebellious Rebel: Chen Mingshu can decide to denounce Wang Jingwei's KMT and declare war on them (just like Li Zongren can), as his democratic ideals conflict with those of Wang Jingwei. This is somewhat of a parallel to the Fujian rebellion he led in OTL, where he rebelled against Chiang Kai-shek.
• You Are in Command Now: If the Left Kuomintang was wiped out by someone else, and Chen Mingshu leads Liangguang, he can take up the leadership of the Left Kuomintang, and literally tag switch to the Left KMT tag. The transition is quite messy gameplay-wise, as almost everything Liangguang had will be deleted and replaced whatever Left KMT had before their capitulation.

Ma Ji

Role: Military Commander, Governor of Guangxi (Lu passes away), Country Leader (Guangdong-Guangxi War, Old Guangxi Clique victory)

Party: Guangxi Clique^note Often called the Old Guangxi Clique to differ it from Li Zongren's own Clique, the Guangxi Clique represents one of the most powerful warlords of the Republican era, Lu Rongting. They are little more than a militarist provincial government which is interdependent with the Guangdong government for protection and support. Its large army is at the centre of everything while the Clique's culture is surprisingly pluralistic, collecting many of Guangxi's ethnic minorities with little discrimination.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

Lu Rongting's adopted son and the successor to his leadership in the Guangxi clique. He shares his father's views of regionalism and pluralism.

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• Meet the New Boss: Ma Ji is a fairly typical regional warlord and seeks to uphold the legacy of his predecessor Lu Rongting.
• Plunder: Ma Ji can launch border raids into neighboring provinces. If the raids are successful, he will earn extra political power.

Li Zongren

^{Li as a LKMT General}

Role: Military Commander, Country Leader (Guangdong-Guangxi War, New Guangxi Clique victory)

Party: New Guangxi Clique^note Li Zongren's New Guangxi Clique briefly ruled during the Northern Expedition, where the National Revolutionary Army's Seventh Army distinguished itself despite the campaign's failure. The New Guangxi Clique represents the Kuomintang's militarist right-wing, believing in the NRA's supremacy and the importance of Sun Yat-sen's First and Second Stages of Revolution: Overthrowing the old system by force and the army's interim rule of China., Whampoa Clique^note During his leadership as the headmaster of Whampoa Military Academy, the late Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek created a cult following amongst his right-wing students. They are also heavily influenced by the right-wing ideologue of the Kuomintang, Dai Jitao and are considered to be the far-right of the Kuomintang. With the empowerment of the right-wing of the Kuomintang organisation, the Whampoa Clique finds itself growing in strength daily as more and more radical students fall to the lure of its militaristic tone of revolution. (Political Tutelage continues and Chen Brothers joined R-KMT)

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy, Paternal Autocracy (Political Tutelage continues and Chen Brothers joined R-KMT)

Li Zongren is a former Guangxi clique general who swore allegiance to the KMT, and was one of the most skilled generals in the NRA. After the KMT collapsed, Li Zongren retreated into Yunnan, and has been rebuilding forces to retake Guangxi. He opposes Wang Jingwei's Left-KMT Central Committee, and is the unofficial leader of the right-wing KMT remnants.

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• Cult of Personality: A "Cult of the Generalissimo" will be created for Li Zongren by his government.
• The Usurper: As the unofficial head of the Right-KMT, Li Zongren has no love for Wang Jingwei's Left-KMT dominated Central Committee. As such, he wants to form his own Central Committee and eventually usurp Wang Jingwei's leadership.

Left Kuomintang

^{Flag of the National Revolutionary Government/Republic of China}

Official Name: MinGan Insurgency (League War), National Revolutionary Government (End of the First Repatriated Congress), Republic of China (Chinese reunification), People's Communes of China (Syndicalist puppet state)

Ruling Party: Central Committee of the Kuomintang^note After the failure of the Northern Expedition, the Kuomintang Central Executive Committee formed a government in exile in Paris. Led by Wang Jingwei as their party chairman and president of the so-called Republic, they have successfully secured the cont continued recognition of their hosts in the Internationale. In that time, the Reorganised Comrades Association - a group founded by supporters of Wang Jingwei (albeit without Wang's direct participation) has consolidated their grip over the party apparatus.
That being said, their singular rule over the Kuomintang has been challenged over the last decade or so. The Min Gan insurgency has created its own parallel government, while many liberal members of the movement have based themselves in Hawaii. Still, a fracture has been avoided thanks to Wang's careful diplomacy, and in this new revolution he has at last been given an opportunity to free his homeland.

Ideology: Radical Socialism

Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang was supposed to bring down the warlord-dominated Beiyang government in Northern Expedition, but instead found itself struck down by German imperialists, who feared the Syndicalist-supported leftist wings of the KMT. Fragmented but not extinguished, the Left-KMT reorganized themselves in the mountains of Jiangxi and Fujian under Dr. Sun's wife Song Qingling, forming the "MinGan Insurgency" under the noses of Sun Chuanfang's dogs. Gathering support from the Chinese proletariat, the restored KMT aims to topple the rule of the warlords and create a truly free and independent China.

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• Allohistorical Allusion:
  • The L-KMT uprising in the MinGan Zone mirrors the OTL Jiangxi–Fujian Soviet.
  • The Kuomintang in general takes the place of the CPC in real life as the main socialist political force in China, having a much stronger left wing faction.
• Civil War: The Kuomintang can undergo a civil war between rival factions.
• Government in Exile: Since the KMT was crushed following the failure of the Northern Expedition by German-backed forces in the 1920s, the Central Committee of the Kuomintang formed a government in exile headquartered in Paris while other remnants took refuge in the United States or in Socialist India. At game start the Left Kuomintang has no land of its own or core territory until the collapse of League of Eight Provinces gives it the chance to return home.
• The Remnant: When the Northern Expedition collapsed, several things happened to the Kuomintang:
  • A large faction of the KMT Central Committee escaped abroad, either to Paris or Hawaii. The biggest faction is led by Wang Jingwei, located in France.
  • A big portion of the National Revolutionary Army escaped into Tang Jiyao's Yunnan, and stopped taking orders from Wang Jingwei's Central Committee. They represent the split-off remnants of the right-wing faction of the KMT.
  • A section of Left KMT troops and some of the Central Committee escaped into Southern Fujian, and went underground. They started waging a guerrilla war against Qing/Zhili forces.
• La Résistance: The Left-KMT guerrillas in the MinGan Zone are a force of resistance against Qing/Zhili rule.

Wang Jingwei

Role: Chairman^note Country Leader

Party: Central Committee of the Kuomintang^note After the failure of the Northern Expedition, the Kuomintang Central Executive Committee formed a government tin exile in Paris. Led by Wang Jingwei as their party chairman and president of the so-called Republic, they have successfully secured the cont continued recognition of their hosts in the Internationale. In that time, the Reorganised Comrades Association - a group founded by supporters of Wang Jingwei (albeit without Wang's direct participation) has consolidated their grip over the party apparatus.
That being said, their singular rule over the Kuomintang has been challenged over the last decade or so. The Min Gan insurgency has created its own parallel government, while many liberal members of the movement have based themselves in Hawaii. Still, a fracture has been avoided thanks to Wang's careful diplomacy, and in this new revolution he has at last been given an opportunity to free his homeland., Reorganised Comrades Association of the Kuomintang^note Zhongguo Guomindang gaizu tongzhi hui: When the Kuomintang's left-wing dominated Central Committee fled to Europe following the end of the Northern Expedition, most left-wingers joined the Kuomintang Reorganised Comrades Association (RCA). The RCA, led primarily by Chen Gongbo, but including the closest friends and followers of Wang Jingwei - believes that if the revolution is to be saved, it must be reorganised in the same spirit of 1924. The Kuomintang, in their eyes, must be purged of its excess democratic and reactionary forces; only then will China achieve her national revolution.
Once a secret faction amongst the Chinese expatriate community in Europe, with the return of the Central Committee, the RCA has emerged as one of the Kuomintang's two major political parties. They adhere to a model of strict leadership (seeing the Kuomintang as the vanguard of the socialist revolution) and a party for the peasantry, workers, and petite bourgeoisie. They hold warm and cordial ties with the Third Internationale, and many RCA members also hold relations with the Radical wing of the Chinese Syndicalist Party. Nonetheless, it is a movement that sees the Chinese Nationalist cause as not just one for China but also one for the entirety of Asia. The RCA runs on a platform that China is the socialist vanguard, spreading the revolution far and wide and liberating the oppressed peoples of Asia from the chains of imperialism. The RCA consists of two wings - the Radical wing led by Chen Gongbo and a Moderate wing led by Gu Mengyu - with their views differing over issues such as the nature of class struggle or land reform. (End of the First Rapatriated Congress), Residence Faction of the Kuomintang (Wang stays)

Ideology: Radical Socialism

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• Historical Hero Upgrade: Because of the completely different circumstances around the world, Wang Jingwei did not turn to the right-wing and does not get a chance to collaborate with the Axis and be remembered as the arch-Hanjian. The worst he can do in Kaiserreich instead is instituting an authoritarian socialist, but still ultimately nationalist and non-collaborationist government.
• The Remnant: If the KMT was utterly destroyed, but the Federalists triumphed, Wang Jingwei will lead the KMT remnants to negotiate with the new government and find a seat in the new political spectrum.

Song Qingling

Role: Chairwoman^note Country Leader (Wang ousted)

Party: MinGan Provisional Government^note While many fled the nation in wake of the Northern Expedition's collapse, there have been many who chose to stay behind with the people and go underground to resist the oppression of the Zhili clique. Initially led by Marshal Li Jishen and operating with networks flowing in and out of Shanghai, the defeat of the 1932 uprising forced them to retreat southwards to the Jiangxi-Fujian area.
In the mountains, Song Qingling, Deng Yanda and others published the "Declaration to the Revolutionary People in China and the World", announcing the formation of the Provisional Action Committee of the Kuomintang to autonomously manage the guerilla zone. This, combined with weakening communications with Wang's government in exile, has created a certain independence within MinGan cadres, even as the movement has reunited again. Although for now the Kuomintang leadership have made a show of getting along and indeed plenty have freely came and went from MinGan and Paris throughout the years, some strains have begun to show., Provisional Action Committee of the Kuomintang^note Zhongguo Guomindang linshi xingdong weiyuanhu: The Provisional Action Committee was formed during the League War by those who supported Song Qingling in the MinGan Provisional Government and distrusted the authoritarian nature of the returned Central Committee led by Wang Jingwei. Believing in the notion of achieving total socialism by the workers and the peasantry, the PAC draws its name from its desire for the Kuomintang to take action as a revolutionary vanguard with the masses gaining revolutionary consciousness and taking action as well.
The main ideological facets of the PAC is a total social revolution through democratic land reform to reward the land to those who till it, the installation of local self-governments as a result, and the necessity for China to adopt a method of "National Capitalism" to transition China from a feudal society into a socialist one. While some members of the PAC view the Third Internationale's extension into China as a potential threat to the native revolution practised in China, the PAC nonetheless has shown a willingness to work with members of the Orthodox Faction of the Chinese Syndicalist Party as well an equally beneficial relationship with the World Society. As one of the two major political cliques in the Kuomintang, the PAC seeks to enlighten the masses of China and transform the Chinese proletariat into a force of revolutionary change to entirely defeat the warlords, expel the imperialists, and fulfil the dream of Sun Yat-sen. (End of the First Rapatriated Congress), Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang^note Zhongguo Guomindang gemingweiyuanhui: The Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang is the natural successor of the former Provisional Action Committee with many of its leading members, the founding members of the former PAC. In accordance with the "guanxi" system of connections and leadership - many of the members of the Kuomintang's Revolutionary Committee are familiar with one another and, in most cases, are even long time comrades such as Deng Yanda and Huang Qixiang. In accordance with the ideals of PAC, the Revolutionary Committee believes that the goal of the Chinese Revolution is to implement socialism and democracy at a direct level - however, it believes that this process is gradual and that a revolutionary committee is needed to allow the revolution to naturally progress.
Following the defeat of the former Chairman Wang Jingwei and his Reorganised Comrades Association, the Revolutionary Committee has assumed de facto full control of the Party, and it is often linked with the Whampoa Military Academy Revolutionary Classmates Association - with many of its leaders holding dual membership in both organisations. (Wang ousted)

Ideology: Social Democracy, Radical Socialism (Wang ousted)

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• Rebel Leader: Song Qingling is the leader of the KMT insurgents of the MinGan Zone.

Hu Zongnan

Role: President^note Country Leader (KMT Civil War, CRS victory)

Party: China Revival Society^note Zhongguo Guomindang zhonghua fuxing she: The China Revival Society (CRS) is a clique formed by radical officers of the National Revolutionary Army and holds close ties with Dai Chunfeng's shadowy BIS or Juntong. Led primarily by Hu Zongnan, He Zhongshan, and Deng Wenyi, the CRS emerged as a new political faction following the First National Congress and is especially popular amongst the military's young guard.
Their ideology consists of a host of influences from far-right Savinkovism, Japanese Bushido, Maximist British economic planning, but the Sorelian necessity of revolutionary cleansing violence most inspires them. The CRS sees the complex bureaucratic nature of the Kuomintang to be the party's downfall and wishes to see the party purged of its democratic elements - with the end goal of a party led by a glorious dictator (the lingxu). From there, they envision China to be developed into a highly militarised and equal society with the notion and ideas of class struggle eradicated in favour of a complete totalitarian and socialist nation. They look to China's antiquity and its Confucian order of old as not elements of ancient history but rather a sense of halcyon tranquillity that will eventually be achieved under the rule of the benevolent lingxiu. If China is to be saved, if she is to be liberated, and if she is to become a respected mighty power once more - she will have to be reconstructed from the ground up.

Ideology: Totalism

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• The Coup: The Totalist path involves him launching a coup against the victorious KMT; after the KMT emerges victorious in China, if party radicalism is too high, a civil war between factions of the party will occur, with provisional president Sun Fo calling upon Hu's CRS to maintain order. If successful, the CRS then seizes control over the instruments of government.

Dai Chunfeng

Role: Political Advisor, Premier^note Second in Command (Hu cabinet)

Party: China Revival Society^note Zhongguo Guomindang zhonghua fuxing she: The China Revival Society (CRS) is a clique formed by radical officers of the National Revolutionary Army and holds close ties with Dai Chunfeng's shadowy BIS or Juntong. Led primarily by Hu Zongnan, He Zhongshan, and Deng Wenyi, the CRS emerged as a new political faction following the First National Congress and is especially popular amongst the military's young guard.
Their ideology consists of a host of influences from far-right Savinkovism, Japanese Bushido, Maximist British economic planning, but the Sorelian necessity of revolutionary cleansing violence most inspires them. The CRS sees the complex bureaucratic nature of the Kuomintang to be the party's downfall and wishes to see the party purged of its democratic elements - with the end goal of a party led by a glorious dictator (the lingxu). From there, they envision China to be developed into a highly militarised and equal society with the notion and ideas of class struggle eradicated in favour of a complete totalitarian and socialist nation. They look to China's antiquity and its Confucian order of old as not elements of ancient history but rather a sense of halcyon tranquillity that will eventually be achieved under the rule of the benevolent lingxiu. If China is to be saved, if she is to be liberated, and if she is to become a respected mighty power once more - she will have to be reconstructed from the ground up.

Ideology: Totalism

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• The Spymaster: Dai Chunfeng (a.k.a. Dai Li) is a potential leader of the KMT's intelligence network, forming the "Bureau of Investigation and Statistics," an outgrowth of his "League of Ten", if he is selected, or appointed head of the Ministry of State Security in case of a compromise with Zhon Enlai.

Xinjiang

Xinjiang Clique

Full Name: Xinjiang Clique, Xinjiang Autonomy (L-KMT puppet state)

Ruling Party: Dihua Governorship

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The remote Xinjiang province, populated by both Han Chinese and Turkic Uyghurs, is a region bubbling with sectarian tensions, but its pragmatic governor Yang Zengxin has currently put the violence in check. However, should the old and paranoid Yang leave his post, the ascent of his incompetent subordinates will certainly lead to the rapid unravling of the province's order, and the start of a bloody war in Xinjiang.

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• Allohistorical Allusion: The Kumul and Uyghur revolt in Kaiserreich happens in an identical fashion to real life, though in 1936 instead of 1931. Kaiserreich merely pushed the events' trigger (Jin Shuren taking power) further down a few years, with Yang Zengxin not getting assassinated in 1928.
• Civil War: The Xinjiang conflict is a local ethnic conflict between the Han-led Xinjiang clique, the more moderate Uyghur Kumul Khanate to the East, and the more radical Uyghur nationalists to the Southwest. All three factions want to kill the other two.
• Evil Versus Evil: All three sides in the Xinjiang conflict have a lot of autocratic and xenophobic tendencies. Ethnic violence and oppression are likely to be committed by all sides in the war.
• The Wild West: Xinjiang is the westernmost province of China, and is a place of lawlessness, cruelty, violence, and war.

Yang Zengxin

^{Yang as a General}

Role: Military Commander, Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Dihua Governorship

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}Ever since the Northern Expedition and proceeding German intervention, Yang Zengxin has been highly panicked and sickly with his old age. Spending most of his time hidden inside his home, he is hardly ever heading out due to fear of assassination or catching his last fateful disease. On top of remaining completely politically isolated within China, people don't know how much longer he will last in his current state, but he is certainly not in stable condition.

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• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When the LEP collapses, the paranoid Yang Zengxin flees Xinjiang with all of Xinjiang's money.

Jin Shuren

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Dihua Governorship

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• 0% Approval Rating: Jin Shuren's opening up of Han immigration, abolition of the Kumul Khanate, and doubling of local taxes resulted in the rebellion from the locals. His subordinates are also losing faith in him because it was his actions that put them in such a bad position.
• Crushing the Populace: If Jin Shuren wins out in the end, he'll double down on oppressing the locals to punish them for rebelling against him.
• Evil Colonialist: Jin Shuren will actively increase Han Chinese colonization of Xinjiang, ignoring the desires of the locals.
• Military Coup: After Yang Zengxin disappears, Jin Shuren and his army (that was supposed to pacify Mongolian bandits) march into the Xinjiang capital of Dihua and secures his position as the new leader of Xinjiang.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: While Yang Zengxin is no saint, Jin Shuren is much worse. Jin Shuren will exploit the locals, annex Kumul, and appoint his close friends to the new Hami administration, leading to widespread corruption and dissidence.

Sheng Shicai

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Dao-yin of Aksu

Ideology: Social Democracy

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• The Coup: If Jin Shuren's subordinates completely lose faith in him, they will defect to Sheng Shicai's powerbase, giving Sheng Shicai a chance to coup Jin Shuren.
• Historical Villain Downgrade: Without the Soviet Union and the communists, Sheng Shicai's Chronic Backstabbing Disorder is not portrayed in Kaiserreich, as Sheng doesn't get a chance to defect to the Soviets and back. He is loyal to the KMT from start to finish, though still as power-hungry as in real life.
• Nominal Hero: While Sheng is loyal to the KMT's cause, he is primarily motivated for his own own gain rather than the people's.
• The Purge: While relatively more libertarian among the multitude of evil leaders in Xinjiang, Sheng Shicai still has his own ambitions and many autocratic policies, and one of his moves is to purge his political enemies, much like in real life.
• Token Good Teammate: Sheng Shicai is the only man with some Republican ideals in a clique full of power-hungry autocrats (while still being a power-hungry autocrat himself). If he comes to power, he will liberalize and modernize Xinjiang somewhat while cracking down on the locals for power.

Ma Shaowu

Role: Governor^note Country Leader

Party: Dao-yin of Hotan

Ideology: Authoritarian Democracy

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• A Lighter Shade of Black: Ma Shaowu is a "moderate" leader in Xinjiang terms. His rule is repressive, but not as repressive as Jin Shuren's.
• Secret Police: Ma Shaowu's rule is based on isolating the locals from outside information, and to this end he will set up a secret police to suppress information and dissent.

Kumul Khanate

Official Name: Kumul Khanate, Hami Prefecture (Long Xielin), Xinjiang Administration (Fan Yaonan), Uyghur Republic (Khoja-Niyaz Haji), Hami Clique (Ma Zhongying)

Ruling Party: Nasir Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

A Turkic khanate lying on the eastern corner of Xinjiang, who had survived through the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China as a Chinese protectorate. Though a primitive monarchy, the Khanate acted as a stabilizing factor in Xinjiang, showing the possibility of peaceful Turkic self-rule respected by the Chinese. However, when Jin Shuren acts to abolish the khanate and Sinicize the territory, the enraged Kumulliks rise up in rebellion, firing off the first shot in the bloody Xinjiang War.

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• Internal Reformist: Nasīr is interested in reforming the Kumul Khanate and deal with the ugly autocratic legacy of his predecessor Maqsud.
• The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: The Kumul Revolt starts off with massacres of Han populations, and only gets worse from there.
• Revolving Door Revolution: If Kumul wins the war, they will need to assert their rule over all of Xinjiang, which is a difficult task. If things don't go so well, the government can get deposed and replaced by Uyghur nationalist Hoja-Niyaz, Han bureaucrat Fan Yaonan, or Hui warlord Ma Zhongying.

Khoja-Niyaz Haji

Role: Country Leader (Post-war power struggle victory)

Party: Hoja-Niyaz Clique

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Realpolitik: Niyaz is a Uyghur nationalist, but he's not a radically anti-Chinese one. He is willing to make some deals with major Chinese factions to secure his own rule.

Fan Yaonan

Role: Country Leader (Post-war power struggle victory)

Party: Dao-yin of Aksu (Xinjiang), Fan Clique (Kumul)

Ideology: Social Democracy

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• Full-Circle Revolution: Fan Yaonan will turn Xinjiang back to a Han-led administration and open it up for Han settlers.

Ma Zhongying

Role: Military Commander, Country Leader (Post-war power struggle victory)

Party: Zhongying Clique

Ideology: National Populism

A young, ambitious, and brutal ex-Ma Clique warlord. When the Kumul Revolt breaks out, he strikes a deal with Kumulik leader Yulbars Khan to lend his military support to the Kumuliks, having sensed an opportunity to expand his power.

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• Ambition Is Evil: Ma Zhongying has some very extreme ambitions, and wants to gain as much power as possible.
• Ax-Crazy: Ma Zhongying is a very violent man and seeks to assert his dominance through war and bloodshed.
• Black Sheep: Ma Zhongying was originally from the Ma Clique, but was expelled because he had extreme ambitions that led him to raid other Ma clique members. In addition, while the Ma Clique is already one of the more brutal warlord cliques in China, Ma Zhongying is considered one of the worst among them.
• Crushing the Populace: If Ma Zhongying comes to power, he will start a brutal conquest going from Mongolia to Tibet, crushing all locals who dare to oppose him in the way.
• Historical Villain Upgrade: Ma Zhongying's brutal incursion into Xinjiang in real life can at least be partially attributed to Chinese nationalism and KMT allegiances. In Kaiserreich, Ma Zhongying is not in the KMT, and doesn't care about Chinese nationalism at all. His conquests are entirely in service of his need for revenge and personal ambition.
• King of Thieves: Ma Zhongying is ultimately a brutal bandit who can seize power in Kumul's power vacuum.
• Psycho for Hire: After being expelled by the Ma Clique, Yulbars Khan, leader of the Kumul Revolt, recruits Ma Zhongying's clique for their cause. Ma Zhongying accepts because it gives him a good chance to expand his powers.
• Rape, Pillage, and Burn: Ma Zhongying is infamous for his raids and pillages on the Guominjun during his time in Gansu.
• Young and in Charge: Ma Zhongying is only 26 in 1936, making him one of the youngest warlords in China and earning him the nickname "The Child General".
• Young Conqueror: For such a young warlord (or perhaps because he's such a young warlord), Ma Zhongying is very ambitious and very violent, and wants to conquer as much territory as possible.

East Turkestan

Official Name: East Turkestan, People's Republic of East Turkestan (Socialist)

Party: Committee for National Revolution

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The Uyghur populations of Southern Xinjiang have always been more conservative, nationalistic, and anti-Chinese than the North. The schools established by the Young Turks in the region encouraged pan-Turkism, only increasing their radicalism. When news of Kumul's annexation and uprising reaches the South, unrest quickly spreads and soon boils into a violent rebellion. As the Southern administrator Ma Shaowu retreats to the North, the Uyghur Nationalist rebels quickly take over the South, leaving the Xinjiang clique to face a two-front war.

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• Enemy Mine: The Uyghur nationalists and the Kumul Khanate share the initial goal of trying to overthrow the rule of Jin Shuren. Their relations sour soon after however, as the Kumuliks want to restore the monarchic Kumul Khanate, while the Uyghur nationalists want to create a pan-Turkic Uyghur state. War eventually breaks out between the Kumuliks and the nationalists after the Xinjiang clique is defeated.
• Full-Circle Revolution: The radical Uyghur Nationalists will very likely establish an autocratic government following the Xinjiang War. Either the Bughra brothers will establish a fundamentalist Islamic emirate, or Uyghur general Timur Beg will establish a military dictatorship or a sham democracy. Their actual democracy path comes last and only happens if the former two are eliminated, and even this path has an Authoritarian Democracy sub-path.
• The Fundamentalist: The Bughra brothers are a group of radical nationalists and Islamic fundamentalists who have significant power in the rebellion. Should they triumph after the Uyghur Nationalist victory, they will create a fundamentalist Islamic emirate, and either purify the country of religious and ethnic impurities, or go on an expansionist pan-Turkic conquest. They are ideologically categorized as National Populists due to their radical nature.
• The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: The Uyghur Nationalists are far more radical than the Kumul Khanate, and very xenophobic.

Foreign Concessions

Legation Cities

Official Name: International Mandate for the Chinese Concessions

Ruling Party: The American Chamber of Commerce in the International Mandate^note The commercial arm of American influence in the Legation Cities, the Chamber of Commerce has an overriding mission to keep the ports open and the trade flowing in order to keep one of the USA's last good trading partners in business.

Ideology: Market Liberalism

An international mandate that governs former British concessions in China, with additional de facto control over the concessions' surrounding cities due to the provision of a large "neutral zone" around the concessions. It was created in the 1928 Shanghai Conference, where America mediated between Germany and Japan, who had been engaging in a violent scramble for Britain's Chinese concessions. The mandate precariously balances its existence on a thin line between the Great Powers' interests and rising Chinese nationalism.

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• Balance of Power: The Legation Cities are designed so that foreign powers, especially Germany and Japan, have a balanced influence over the cities. This balance is destabilized when the American Civil War breaks out, which can cause Germany or Japan to either have their influence ejected or becoming so influential that the Legation Cities become an extension of their interests.
• City of Spies: The Legation Cities are a bloodless battleground of German, Japanese, and Chinese nationalist interests, and secret wars of ideology and espionage happen beneath the peace on the surface.
• Corporate Conspiracy: Not explored in depth, but Legation agents stumble upon proof of a corporate insider trading scheme that leads, either directly or indirectly, and either unintentionally or intentionally, to the collapse of the German financial system that becomes Black Monday.
• The Neutral Zone: Each of the Legation Cities is surrounded by a thirty-mile neutral zone, where Chinese military forces are not allowed to enter.
• Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering: The Legation Council often fails to reach a consensus because the conflicting interests of the foreign nations.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: Leftist nationalists in the cities launched an uprising against the foreign powers in 1932. The uprising was ended with the help of the forces of League of Eight Provinces under the lead of Germany.
• Port Town: The Legation Cities consists of multiple foreign concessions on the Chinese coast, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Ningbo, Fuzhou, and Shantou.
• Truce Zone: Germany and Japan both have interests in the Legation Cities, but for the moment they lay down their arms and negotiate with diplomacy instead. The situation gets destabilised when the American Civil War begins, as the driving force behind the Legation Cities, and the de-facto leaders of the Legation Council, is the USA — it is possible for Legation Cities neutrality to be maintained, but the Legation Cities can also become a tool of Entente influence, German influence (which tends to lead to Japan being removed from the council) or Japanese influence (which tends to lead to Germany being removed from the council).
• The Triads and the Tongs: Chinese criminal syndicates, led by figures like Du Yuesheng and Zhang Xiaolin, have a significant amount of influence in the Legation Cities.

Former Qing Territory

Mongolia

^{Flag of Mongolia if Ungern secures power}

^{Flag of Mongolia under the Buddyn Zövlöl}

Official Name: Great Mongolian State, Mongolian Autonomy (KMT puppet state), Mongolian People's Republic (Socialist)

Ruling Party: Rossiyskaya Voyennaya Klika^note Russian Military Clique: Roman von Ungern-Sternberg successfully gained control of Mongolia in 1920, after he moved into Urga with his Asiatic Cavalry Division and successfully forced out the Chinese after getting the blessing of the Bogd Khan. After the death of the Bogd Khan in 1924, Ungern became regent of Mongolia, waiting for the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu to be found. In 1933 when he is born in Tibet, he moves to Mongolia and is installed as Khan, however Ungern continued his rule as regent until the child is deemed fit to rule. Ungern has created a cult of personality around himself, and has filled his military and government with his Russian allies and Mongolians who remain loyal to him.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

The formerly Qing-ruled Outer Mongolia declared its independence in the Xinhai Revolution. Coming under Republican Chinese occupation in 1919, the Chinese were expelled in 1920 when Mongolia found Russian support, headed by the eccentric White Russian warlord, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg. While the Whites consolidated their control of Russia, Ungern consolidated his in Mongolia. By 1936, Mongolia has retained its independence, but remains under the de facto rule of a foreign warlord, a situation that many seek to change.

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• A Child Shall Lead Them: Ungern, being a foreigner, is unable to unite Mongolia in spirit. The person that actually acts as the unifying figure and official ruler of Mongolia is the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, but he's 3 when the game begins, and thus subservient to whomever is in power. Whatever leader that comes to power will still have to respect the existence of the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu.
• We ARE Struggling Together: The Mongol Ardīn Nam has a lot of unsavory folks within its ranks, and its first leader Soliin Danzan can get backstabbed and replaced soon after the MAN comes to power.

Roman von Ungern-Sternberg

Role: Country Leader

Party: Rossiyskaya Voyennaya Klika^note Russian Military Clique: Roman von Ungern-Sternberg successfully gained control of Mongolia in 1920, after he moved into Urga with his Asiatic Cavalry Division and successfully forced out the Chinese after getting the blessing of the Bogd Khan. After the death of the Bogd Khan in 1924, Ungern became regent of Mongolia, waiting for the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu to be found. In 1933 when he is born in Tibet, he moves to Mongolia and is installed as Khan, however Ungern continued his rule as regent until the child is deemed fit to rule. Ungern has created a cult of personality around himself, and has filled his military and government with his Russian allies and Mongolians who remain loyal to him.

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

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• Aristocrats Are Evil: He is of Russian nobility, though by the game's start he's obviously long-forsaken it.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: His military power and sheer brutality towards his enemies are the only reasons why Ungern stays in power in Mongolia.
• Ax-Crazy: Ungern-Sternberg is a violent and unpredictable man prone who revels in warfare and slaughter and seeks and turns on allies on a whim.
• Beware the Silly Ones: No matter how insane he appears, he is still in charge of the entire country and doesn't hesitate to fulfill his ambitions with his army.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: To put it lightly, the Baron is a very eccentric man. However, he's still a skilled and ruthless military commander who didn't get where he is by luck alone.
• Cult of Personality: To keep Ungern in power, he can start a large propaganda campaign in Mongolia to promote a cult of personality around him, encouraging the locals to mythify him.
• Going Native: The "military officer goes rogue and starts ruling over the natives" model par excellence.
• Immigrant Patriotism: Ungern is a fierce pan-Mongolist and seeks to unite the Mongolians under one banner, even though he himself isn't of Mongolian extraction.
• Mighty Whitey: Ungern, in spite of being a German Russian, managed to secure independent Mongolia from the foreign threat and rules his new country with an iron fist.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, the appropriately named "Mad Baron of Mongolia".
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Let's see. He's a Baltic German that was born in Austria-Hungary and was a prominent Russian noble, served as a White General in the Russian Civil War, and now he leads Mongolia as a warlord and is ostensibly Buddhist. Quite a background.
• Realpolitik: While not a fan of Kerensky's republican government, he is aligned with his government at the start and can maintain friendly relations with non-socialist Russian governments, even if he would prefer a return to an absolute monarchy.
• Red Baron: He is known, like in real life, as the Mad Baron and the Bloody Baron.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: He can personally lead his army to the battle, and does it quite effectively.

7th Changkya Khutukhtu

Role: Country Leader

Party: Buddyn Zövlöl^note The Buddyn Zövlöl is a council of high up, influential Mongolian Buddhist figureheads. It is headed by the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu, one of the most important lamas in Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhism. Ever since the death of the Bogd Khan in 1924, the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu formed the group to secure Buddhist interests under the rule of Roman von Ungern-Sternberg. The 7th Changkya Khutukhtu has stated that the main point of the group is to make sure that when the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu (the spiritual leader of Mongolian Buddhism, the top ranking lama in Mongolia and the reincarnation of the Bogd Khan) is of age, Ungern will give up his role as regent and allow the true leader of Mongolia to take the reigns. However, many fear that Ungern will never give up his role, so the Buddyn Zövlöl are ready to take over, should the nation need it.

Ideology: National Populism

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• Defector from Decadence: After Roman von Ungern-Sternberg took the province of Xilingol from the Guominjun, the 7th Changkya Khutuktu declared his loyalty to him. However, in 1930, Ungern-Sternberg purged multiple high ranking lamas for a small peasant rebellion in Urga, causing massive uproar especially in the upper echelons. The 7th Changkya Khutukhtu therefore decided to form the Buddyn Zövlöl, a secretive group of high ranking lamas who lobbied for increased theocracy in Mongolian society, and can eventually seize power.
• The Fundamentalist: The Buddyn Zövlöl can either ban alternate religions, or allow them and try to reform them into something that fits with Buddhism.
• The Theocracy: Mongolia under the Buddyn Zövlöl is built entirely around Buddhist teachings.
• Warrior Monk: Buddyn Zövlöl will reform the Mongolian military into a force that fights for Buddhism.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: The Buddyn Zövlöl Buddhist extremists are certainly religiously extreme, but they do have the noble goal of trying to defend the Mongolian spirit against legitimate tyrants like Ungern. They will actually implement welfare policies to uplift the poor.

Tibet

^{Flag of the Sacred Union}

Official Name: Kingdom of Tibet, Sacred Union of Tibet (Roerich), Tibetan Autonomy (KMT puppet state)

Ruling Party: Traditionalists

Ideology: Paternal Autocracy

Tibet declared its independence from China under the 13th Dalai Lama in 1913, and has used the chaos in India and China to move in their army and claim areas with Tibetan populations. Their move into Xikang brought them into conflict with the strongly nationalist Ma Clique, who invaded Yushu in 1932 and occupied Yushu and Golmud. The death of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1933 brought 5th Reting Ripoche, Jamphel Yeshe Gyaltsen, as the regent of Tibet until a new Dalai Lama can be found. Regent Jamphel has very little influence however, and he acts as a figurehead to the chaotic government. With chaos within, and threats without, Tibet's future is an uncertain one.

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• Feudal Overlord: Tibet in 1936 still maintains its feudal society with a serf system.
• The Theocracy: Tibet is a theocratic country based on Tibetan Buddhism. Their head of state is supposed to be the Dalai Lama, who are religious leaders as well. However, the 13th Dalai Lama died in 1933, and currently the 5th Reting Ripoche, Jamphel Yeshe Gyaltsen, is serving as the regent.
• Warrior Monk: Tibet maintains a group of ultraconservative warrior monks who keeps peace in the countryside, known as the Dob-Dobs.

Nicholas Roerich

Role: Country Leader

Party: Sacred Union Party

Ideology: Totalism, Syndicalism

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• Going Native: Roerich is a Russian (of Baltic German descent) that can become the leader of a post-revolution Tibet.
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Roerich's background is just as, if not even more insane than Roman von Ungern-Sternberg. Roerich is a Russian Baltic German (coincidentally just like Sternberg) who became an artist and a mystic. In Kaiserreich, Roerich initially opposed Lenin due to his social conservatism, but after a meeting with Gandhi in the Bharatiya Commune and a trip to Tibet, he had a religious experience that made him snap back to a Lenin supporter and synthesize his spiritualism with socialism to create esoteric Leninism. He was then endorsed by Gandhi to create the Sacred Union party in Tibet, in order to lead a new Tibet that would be both socialist and Buddhist.
• Truth in Television: As batshit as "Esoteric Leninism" sounds, Nicholas in real life did synthesize Buddhism with Leninism, and even had plans for a massive Buddhist-Communist utopia in Central Asia, stretching across Siberia, Mongolia, and Tibet. His talks of "Mahatma Lenin" are real too.

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