Equestria has suffered through it's first war in over a thousand years. The ponies overcame Chrysalis and her changeling swarm, but only through a desperate alliance with communist Stalliongrad. Now, with a fragile peace under looming threats, the ponies of Equestria call into question the leadership of the alicorn sisters. Celestia has a difficult decision before her. What will she do?
Based on the Hearts of Iron IV mod, Equestria at War. All characters mentioned are from the show or the mod.
Also for a Equestria at War contest.
Chapters (1)
"Equestria turn Fascist!"
Read the headline of a Stalliongrad newspaper.
As someone who likes going down the Fascist path when playing as Equestria, I enjoyed this. An entertaining look into Celestia's train of thought in the instants leading up to her transformation, and it's also great to see Luna also transforming alongside her sister instead of simply... disappearing, or something, like she's done every time I play.
Gotta say tho, I've never actually ENDED the war against the Changelings as Celestia. The first time, she turned when the Changelings had overrun two thirds of Equestria and were besieging Canterlot and Ponyvile; her transformation allowed me to turn the tide and win the war (plus Stalliongrad sending me like 50 divisions all at once as expeditionary forces; that helped too). The second time, I had almost won the war (it was far easier this time around) when she suddenly transformed.
8868206
I haven't seen Daybreaker in game yet. This was literally a dream of what I want to happen in my current Celestia's Equestria game.
I played as Harmony as I could while building up my army for the inevitable war with the changelings, and I had just finished "Ask Stalliongrad for help" days before Chrysalis declared war, and they said yes, joining the war immediately. Even then, we were pushed back, slowly at first, but much more rapidly as the size of the line grew and my troops simply couldn't cover all of it.
Then Stalliongrad made an amphibious assault into former Olenia, and with no changelings to stop them they made great progress. I was finally able to make some semblance of a stand at Canterlot and Las Pegasus, and the Crystal Empire was actually holding it's own (thanks to Field Marshall Blueblood and the Equestrian troops there), but the entire south was lost and they had encircled Canterlot.
Then Chrysalis abdicated because Stalliongrad and the Equestrian and Crystal Empire troops had taken all of the Changeling Hive.
In the aftermath, I formed Olenia as an Equestrian puppet under Queen Velvet, but the changelings were a Stalliongrad puppet. And while the entire continent except for White Storm is in the pony alliance, I'm getting frustrated because of that stupid communism growth effect that a Harmonious Equestria has absolutely no way to counter. If I keep playing the honest way, I.E. what real Celestia would do, eventually I will probably succumb to Communist revolution.
Yay.
8869188
Yeah, playing as Harmony can be fun, but it WILL be frustrating in the long run. In the first playthrough, I tried to play Harmony, but unlike you, I didn't even manage to mount a stand. The Changelings just broke through like the Wehrmacht against the French. Vanhoover? Taken by sea en masse and I couldn't break their defense. Tall Tales? Fell a couple of weeks into the war, leaving my entire Third Army (led by Soarin) encircled and cut out from supply. That fallback line you can build through a national focus? That one actually managed to resist a few days, but there's only so much 30- or 40-something divisions can do against almost the entire Changeling army. Stalliongrad and New Mareland did try to make amphibious landings in Olennia, but they were quickly defeated everytime. Desperate, I pulled back what remained of my army to form a circle around Canterlot and Ponyvile. For some reason, the Crystal Empire managed to hold on even without Equestrian troops. Probably Stalliongrad helping them instead of me, damn commies (?).
Meanwhile, the Fall of Vanhoover, the Fall of Los Pegasus and the Fall of Pretty-Much-Every-Other-Place-in-Western-and-Southern-Equestria-Sweet-Celestia-What-Drugs-Are-These-Bugs-On led to widespread unrest, a defeatist press and lessened war support. That made me lose my patience, so I censored the press, started drafting as much people/many ponies as I could, and spent my entire political power in war propaganda.
Eventually, just as Canterlot was about to be encircled, Celestia turns into Daybreaker and decides to lead the armies personally (most OP Field Marshall ever), and like two or three in-game hours later, Stalliongrad sends me 50 divisions as expeditionary forces. I managed to stop the Changelling advance, stabilize the frontline, push them out of Equestria and win the war.
However, since I did all of that with Stalliongrad's army, THEY puppeted both Olenia AND the Changelings (at least the part that wasn't annexed by Yakyakistan). Which sucked.
Also the Crystal Empire declared independence. Which also sucked.
The second time, I just went full fascist from day one, stripped the ponies of all their liberties, censored the press, promised full retribution against the invading bugs, and everything else. I also heavily built up my armed forces for the war, keeping them as modernized as I could. And I also heavily fortified the frontline. This time, they didn't even manage to land in Vanhoover.
Also, by this point I had FINALLY realized that building up infrastructure in certain states increases resource extraction, so... Well, that helped a lot. In my defense, I hadn't played HoI4 in like a year.
Long story short, the Changelings destroyed themselves trying -and failing- to penetrate the frontline fortline (?), and once I went on the offensive, I destroyed them easily. Celestia turned into Daybreaker shortly before the end of the war for some reason, and I used the Solar Empire's National Tree to conquer the entire continent, and, because alliances, also the Aquilian (?) Republic and the southern Griffonian Empire. T'was pretty fun.
Also, Twilight kidnapped Flurry Heart to force the Crystal Empire to submit, they did, then suddenly became independent again, and then I massacred and annexed them in a lighting war. T'was really fun.
Sorry for the long comment, I just realized just how much I wrote D:
8870720
Yeah, I only realized that thing about infrastructure about 6 months before Chrysalis invaded, but I had built it up all over the place anyway, so that wasn't TWILIGHT DID WHAT-NOW?
Apparently, I need to play a Daybreaker game. I haven't even seen her yet, and I'm not quite sure how to do it. I suspect it's along the line of Focus with 'Remove the Magic of Friendship' and you just pick all the ruthless options.
First, though, I need to conquer the Griffon empire with Nightmare Moon, and before that, see how my Fascist River Federation turns out. Somehow, I have the Imperial City and half of what the Griffon Empire usually becomes. Thanks, Wingbardy?
8871523
As far as I understand, it's all about picking all the ruthless options. I did remove the Magic of Friendship, but I honestly don't know if it's a prerequisite for the Daybreaker event or not. It probably is, though; I don't see a fascist, warmongering Equestria with "Magic of Friendship" as a national spirit.
I've been meaning to play as Nightmare Moon, the Griffon Empire and the River Federation for a while now. I already did Starlight's communist revolution (unified all the pony nations through diplomacy and National Focuses) and a playthrough as Stalliongrad (helped Equestria win the Great War and puppeted Olennia. Later, Equestria started a civil war in Olennia in favour of Queen Velvet, I deployed my entire army to support my Puppet and help them win the war quickly... And Equestria directly intervened in the war and conquered me like it was nopony's business since my entire army was half a continent away. I had completely forgotten that Equestria could do that thanks to their National Focuses. I did nuke Canterlot, Ponyville, Cloudsdale and Manehattan a couple of times; didn't help me survive, tho).
Also yeah, Twilight did that. Pretty cool event chain, that one.
An excellent little look at the terrible power rationalisation and rhetoric.
That said after my first try at being nice and Harmonious as Equestria resulted in a communist civil war and Stalliongrad invading I can well understand Celestia being somewhat miffed.
8929062
Thanks. I'll be the first to admit that it could be a whole lot better, but I really liked the idea of Celestia convincing herself that 'good is nice' just isn't going to work anymore.
I quite enjoyed your story. Although I have no familiarity with the game mod on which this world is based, the characterization and development were intriguing. It's always nice to see what I personally consider to be the best type of villain—individuals who perform dark actions not out of petty revenge or a mindless love of destruction, but because their inner hurt has caused them to think they're vilest actions are actually heroic.
9032978
Considering the state of the world after winning the war, one could easily argue this is the best course in order to keep ponies in something resembling happy life.
The rest of the world is on the tail end of being conquered by Fascist Griffons and there is a massive undead invasion looming on the horizon.
9032978
The base game is a World War II Alternate History Map game, and the mod is Earth replaced by what basically amounts to the developer's version of Equus. The story that you play through is relatively simple - On the other continent (ruled predominantly by griffons) there is civil war and independance movements causing chaos, and on the Equestrian continent, the Changelings militarise and eventually declare war on Equestria, unless Celestia declares a preemptive war. It's a really fun game, and the mod, while unfinished, is excellently made.
Great work setting the tone for the piece, managing to keep Celestia's actions both revolting and understandable at the same time.
9196305
"Riverland update" is here and got it after just 10 hours after release and I had fan playing as the changlings to the east. as well as Farbrook that always falls to fascism -_-
9281986
I'll have to take a look at that this week.
Yikes... If only you could have both Daybreaker AND Nightmare Moon at the same time
I have to ask though... How would MARESOC react to this declaration?
9979029
Dunno. I kinda imagine the Daybreaker government having a super elite noblity/military and as long as you never act out against them, like in Equestria remains fairly free and extremely safe.
However, not particularly 'Big Brother', and pretty hostile to communism (or at least Stalliongrad).
Have to admit, that was pretty fuckin' sweet. :D
Ah Yes. Stack the buffs of the Lunar Empire and the Solar Empire together. Brilliant. All the world shall know the GLORIOUS HARMONY!
Meanwhile in some unimportant corner of some unimportant town Twilight is panicking.
Who’s the third prisoner? The first two were Sombra and Chrysalis.
I have a bad feeling about this...
*stocks up on suncream*
I wonder how Twilight will react to this.
Good story!
I enjoyed reading it.
10755603
Maybe Radiant Hope? Or maybe just a random Background Pony.
10424949
"I say the world must learn of our peaceful ways. By force!"
HARMONY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.