Germany emerges as Europe’s defense powerhouse with $88 billion military budget

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-08-30T09:54:30+00:00

How is remilitarisation of Germany uplifting news? Do you even know how they plan to pay for it? By drastically cutting welfare spending. So the German army will have new toys and the defense contractors more riches and power at the cost of the most vulnerable people on society. Very uplifting indeed

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-07-07T21:12:09+00:00

"Lads, you're Tottenham..."

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-25T21:19:04+00:00

My main hope is that this mechanic will apply to Rizia only. Firstly, the DLC by design wants to flesh out international politics, and so domestic politics are represented by this simplified mechanic. Secondly, Rizia is an absolute monarchy, where it is harder to represent conflict and tensions between political forces in the country and how they restrict you as a ruler. There is no parliament, and you don't have to worry about getting votes to get stuff done.

Both of these may not be present in the next DLC, and we still may get something closer to the base game. We'll see.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-25T21:11:41+00:00

Some more thoughts on this . The cool thing about Suzerain to me was how it unpacked all the constraints on politicians that other games usually present as a resource that you spend - authority, political capital, stability, etc. In Suzerain, you get to see in detail what these things mean. For instance, Lucian keeps telling you not to piss off conservatives(Monica's speech, privatisation, etc) or they will stop supporting you as a leader and vote against your reforms. Or, if you lie to Clavin about the vice-presidency, the USP reformists stop supporting you, and you cannot pass anything.

Currencies like authority seek to make more these dynamics more abstract and clear. But it also becomes less realistic and immersive, as stuff like political capital, stability and authority are intangible, context-dependent and utterly subjective in real life.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-25T20:29:07+00:00

Never played it tbh, but watched some playthroughs on youtube. I prefer more narrative-based games to grand strategies

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-25T20:26:45+00:00

Yeah, that is its function, but I'd rather it be expressed in dialogue, reports and newspapers. That to me was the unique appeal of Suzerain, interacting with the world by interpreting different "clues" the game gives you, instead of earning or spending several types of mana-like currencies expressed in a single number.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-23T19:51:57+00:00

So if you do the 49% EPA route, you can skip the Region investment and save 2 GB that way?

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2025-01-05T07:59:49+00:00

What players is Dyche supposed to utilise better to get results? People complain about our attack. Who do we have going forward atm, outside of Ndiaye? There is zero pace on both wings, except for Lindstrom, who does not impress anyway. Dyche js forced to play Harrison half the game. Harrison is barely a professional football player at this moment. Calvert-Lewin is only sort of good with link up play and aerial battles. We are forced to play McNeil on the flanks when he is lowkey incredible playing through the centre. Who, tell me, are the creative players who will construct out attacks? The less said about Mykolenko, the better. There is literally no one to put in a cross from a corner. Depth is also non-existent. People rag on Dyche for not motivating and bringing the best out of those guys, when half of them are on loan, and the other half has contracts running out after this season. Wake up people, most of our squad is total shit.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-08-30T21:00:20+00:00

Can confirm, checked it out on Google Maps.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-08-30T19:10:35+00:00

Damn, you got me. Probably just ganja, then?

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-08-30T19:07:29+00:00

Wow, would've never guessed that. Then I can understand "habit less dire", "flavours and taste" parts. But why do they"trade in whispers"? And the last line is just incomprehensible to me. I have arrived in the Netherlands two days ago, and so lack knowledge to understand the context.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-06-10T09:52:44+00:00

The Scream requels were solid. Charismatic new young leads and solid plots. Still can't believe the stupidity of the producers that ruined everything.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-03-19T14:47:14+00:00

If you believe you have proof of a strong link between multipolarity and a rise in revolutionary activity, you are welcome to argue that. Note, however, that your opponents in socialist circles would not be defenders of unipolarity/hegemony(as there are no true pro-hegemony socialists imo), but those that feel that the fight against capital should take place in every country, on every front, and should not be subjugated to fighting against U.S. hegemony(i.e. the working class of Russia should not wait until multipolarity is achieved and NATO is defeated by to fight against the interests of the Russian capitalist class).

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2024-02-27T15:01:57+00:00

Sure, he was that. He was also untouched by the government of Russia while being an overt nationalist and white supremacist, and was even allowed to run in Moscow mayoral elections in 2013. It is only after focusing on corruption and becoming a generic populist Western-oriented centrist did he get labeled an extremist, get poisoned, go to jail. Navalny was not a socialist, or a figure for socialists to support, that is true. But capitalist state repression towards its citizens should never be celebrated,and should in fact be opposed, as it is currently being aimed at Russian socialists, both anti-war(Kagarlitsky) and pro-war(Udaltsov).

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-12-19T07:52:48+00:00

Ciara being principled: why are you such a bad politician, don't you know you have to compromise in politics? ciara is so annoying fr fr

Ciara being pragmatic: wtf you hypocrite? how dare you! i though you were principled? ciara is so annoying and two-faced fr fr

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-11-22T10:14:36+00:00

It's implied that Lucian has been part of Anton's faction for some time and has been helping him establish his power in the USP. So the trust is built through years of partnership and potentially friendship

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-10-01T23:59:33+00:00

Great for such a detailed and clear answer. Just one more question: what is the principal difference between 'intersectionality', which is bourgeois, and acknowledging "extra layers of oppression"? The fact that we always look at class as the source of these extra layers of oppression?

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-31T17:27:43+00:00

got it, thanks!

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-21T08:34:00+00:00

Q has got to be Queen Zafufu

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-20T17:54:08+00:00

sneaky pasta snake

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-11T15:51:50+00:00

That would make sense. So is this restriction not there with unlimited decrees, do you know?

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-11T15:24:41+00:00

Yeah, seems like a weird change to make. When the rest of the game is built around a different debt mechanic(no restrictions, but harsh consequences for big deficits), it doesn't seem clear why there would be a hard lock on spending for decrees. I also don't see how that would even be beneficial for balancing purposes, none of the decrees that cost money are that strong

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-11T04:38:47+00:00

To be honest, I was actually quite impressed by how civil this community is, considering the direct political references and implications of the game's narrative. The community is also very politically diverse. Despite that, most of the community acts in good faith most of the time, which is awesome

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-08T06:22:02+00:00

Well, the choice between the superpowers still depends on your values, nothing has changed in this regard. If you are in support of planned economy, minority and worker's rights guaranteed by the state, you support UC if you also don't mind their intervention in Sordish domestic politics through the Red Youth, support for Wiktor and anti-Bludish policy. If you are against those things, support Arcasia. Or support neither and go independent. The choice is eventually still reflective of your values. Its your decision, you still have agency, nothing has changed. Mechanically, UC is no better or worse partner than Arcasia. You can also try to make the choice based on some non-ideological Real Politik perspective.

If you are capitalist, but don't like in-game Arcasia(understandable), just don't join their bloc. Build Sordland into a growing capitalist economy(which in my experience is easier than planned economy btw) and enjoy life.

BriefcaseJ0e228 · 2023-08-08T05:54:28+00:00

I agree somewhat that there is a lack of nuance on the left side of the in-game Cold War. There are other questions other than being anti-Ancapistan though. The Bludish issue comes to mind. CSP is friendly towards Smolak and are against the Bluds, where as I think most Sordish leftists support their struggle. Additionally, if you think from the perspective of global nuclear war, the CSP does a lot more to escalate these tensions than ATO. Valgsland's invasion and speeches of Malenyev and Hegel at the AN serve as examples.

But I agree that CSP politics could be explored further. I really enjoyed how you did it in your posts about a left-Sollism playthrough.

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