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Thanks for uploading the Reference Manual. It did help me to understand the game's history a bit more, even though some of the guesses I made turned out to be completely wrong (I always assumed there was a 'unholy alliance' between Leonard Flores and Farsante). Oh well.

Perfect. Many thanks to Geezer!

I cannot believe I once tried to play the game without these informations...

[Geezer]

[MonsignorGabriel]

I downloaded this game along with Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator, and it's amazing how the two seem related to the other. However, Hidden Agenda is definitely meatier, customizable and more interactive, but significantly more difficult than Conflict. I can't seem to figure out how to do things correctly so that everyone is at least relatively happy and the economy isn't in the toilet. This game kicked my ass 7 more times before I gave up.

It's sad, really, because I got really into it.

[Borodin]

Originally Posted by MonsignorGabriel

I downloaded this game along with Conflict: Middle East Political Simulator, and it's amazing how the two seem related to the other. However, Hidden Agenda is definitely meatier, customizable and more interactive, but significantly more difficult than Conflict. I can't seem to figure out how to do things correctly so that everyone is at least relatively happy and the economy isn't in the toilet. This game kicked my ass 7 more times before I gave up.

It's sad, really, because I got really into it.

For what it's worth, my suggestion is to make your foreign policy conservative, and your domestic policy liberal. Suck up to the US. That's worked for me, though I know there are other strategies that will do as well.

[Japo]

I only played once. I tried to be centrist, and when I thought I had stabilized things enough I called elections, then the death squads from the Farsante appeared out of nowhere and assassinated every leftist candidate. These were powerless to defend themselves, because I had cracked down on the leftist guerrillas much harder simply because they were very active while the Farsante death squads had been apparently sleeping, until I called elections.

I think this game pushes you into cultivating one of the violent sides and bind your fortune to theirs and end up a dictator. The initial status quo heavily favors the right, although with your all-mighty powers as provisional president you can end up as Fidel Castro and crush them if you want. I suppose there must be a happy ending when you manage to hold some frigging elections, but it must be very hard and I gave up.

Originally Posted by Japo

I only played once. I tried to be centrist, and when I thought I had stabilized things enough I called elections, then the death squads from the Farsante appeared out of nowhere and assassinated every leftist candidate. These were powerless to defend themselves, because I had cracked down on the leftist guerrillas much harder simply because they were very active while the Farsante death squads had been apparently sleeping, until I called elections.

I think this game pushes you into cultivating one of the violent sides and bind your fortune to theirs and end up a dictator. The initial status quo heavily favors the right, although with your all-mighty powers as provisional president you can end up as Fidel Castro and crush them if you want. I suppose there must be a happy ending when you manage to hold some frigging elections, but it must be very hard and I gave up.

Holding elections just mean the leftists and the rightists start killing each other for the chance to rig them. The election events are nice, but usually, if you want a semi-prosperous country, just don't bother holding them. There's no way a fair election could be held in Chimerica, so why bother?

You are right though that the game wants you to align with one of the violent sides; the developer has stated that the current arrangement at the start of the game, where the Army is divided, would only be temporary and it's up to you to decide what to do.

Also, a few days ago, I refused to implement the State of Emergency, thereby encouraging the 'reactos' to strike and occupy one city. I was forced to form a power-sharing agreement, since I was afraid that the human rights violations in the State of Emergency would spook European nations. This game is depressing.

[MonsignorGabriel]

Originally Posted by Borodin

For what it's worth, my suggestion is to make your foreign policy conservative, and your domestic policy liberal. Suck up to the US. That's worked for me, though I know there are other strategies that will do as well.

So, put the conservatives in the External Affairs and Defense offices and the liberals elsewhere?

How did your play through go?