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I don't have C4C yet, but from what I've read in another thread, the endgame is based on a presupposition that the only way a colony can succeed is to fight a successful war for independence. I don't view that as either historically accurate or good from a gameplay perspective.
There are actually at least three distinct endgame possibilities that can work well from the colonists' perspective.
1) Revolutionary Victory: The colony wins its independence through a military conflict with the motherland.
2) Commonwealth Victory: The colony negotiates a quasi-independent status. Its economic and military affairs remain intertwined with the motherland's, but it has autonomy over its internal affairs and the economic and military relationship is aimed at the common good of both nations rather than solely at the good of the motherland. This would be achieved through a combination of economic strength and successful diplomacy with the motherland.
3) Economic Victory: The colony grows its way out of second-class status by becoming almost as large and economically important as the original homeland. The colony remains part of the homeland, but its people and business enterprises now enjoy genuinely equal status. The role of diplomacy would be less direct than in a Commonwealth Victory, but efforts to negotiate reasonably fair economic treatment would have an impact on growth. I can't think of any precedents from the era of colonization in the real world for this type of situation. But if the colonies that founded the United States had not revolted, and especially if they had accepted England's offer of representation in parliament (which would presumably have grown as the colonies grew), it is entirely possible that they would eventually have reached that point.
The second and third victory conditions would come later in the game than if a colony revolts as soon as it becomes strong enough. In fact, it wouldn't be unrealistic for the game to stretch into the twentieth century before an economic victory takes place, especially if a player isn't very successful in trying to negotiate economic policies that are conducive to expansion.
That kind of extension of the game's time frame would require additional work, but could easily be the centerpiece of an expansion pack. Even when players pursue Revolutionary Victories, the extension to the time frame could give players the challenge of growing their new country into a true equal of the European powers. (Ideally, players would be able to choose whether they want a successful revolution to end the game or whether they want the game to continue beyond that point.)
There are actually at least three distinct endgame possibilities that can work well from the colonists' perspective.
1) Revolutionary Victory: The colony wins its independence through a military conflict with the motherland.
2) Commonwealth Victory: The colony negotiates a quasi-independent status. Its economic and military affairs remain intertwined with the motherland's, but it has autonomy over its internal affairs and the economic and military relationship is aimed at the common good of both nations rather than solely at the good of the motherland. This would be achieved through a combination of economic strength and successful diplomacy with the motherland.
3) Economic Victory: The colony grows its way out of second-class status by becoming almost as large and economically important as the original homeland. The colony remains part of the homeland, but its people and business enterprises now enjoy genuinely equal status. The role of diplomacy would be less direct than in a Commonwealth Victory, but efforts to negotiate reasonably fair economic treatment would have an impact on growth. I can't think of any precedents from the era of colonization in the real world for this type of situation. But if the colonies that founded the United States had not revolted, and especially if they had accepted England's offer of representation in parliament (which would presumably have grown as the colonies grew), it is entirely possible that they would eventually have reached that point.
The second and third victory conditions would come later in the game than if a colony revolts as soon as it becomes strong enough. In fact, it wouldn't be unrealistic for the game to stretch into the twentieth century before an economic victory takes place, especially if a player isn't very successful in trying to negotiate economic policies that are conducive to expansion.
That kind of extension of the game's time frame would require additional work, but could easily be the centerpiece of an expansion pack. Even when players pursue Revolutionary Victories, the extension to the time frame could give players the challenge of growing their new country into a true equal of the European powers. (Ideally, players would be able to choose whether they want a successful revolution to end the game or whether they want the game to continue beyond that point.)
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