Hidden Agenda

[Colon™]

Axi, you can find it at www.theunderdogs.org but the game is quite old and unlike most modern strategy games doesn't allow self-willed solutions to problems. (you'll see what I mean if you try the game)

Eternal, you require perserverance to succeed.

[SnowFire]

You can definitely win the elections fairly. I turned down US aid for my re-election campaign, and this was before all the opposition was killed afterward (not by me of course, I had been reduced to a powerless puppet while the military ruled the country).

[Eternal]

Pah. I've only played the game three times because it's only worth playing 3 times: Once as a Communist, once as a Fascist, and once ATTEMPTING to compromise, but inevitibly failing. It is a real pisser only having 3 members of each party, when there are 4 cabinet positions.

To attempt to answer your questions:

1) No

2) I think it's out of your control to stop your party influencing the elections. You can talk the talk and give the orders, but there will always be alledged cases of tampering. That doesn't mean you wouldn't win anyway though.

3) I really don't think you can win against them. You can stop them from advancing and make a little progress during the last few seasons.

4) You either allow your military to "protect" the land or not, and you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't here. That's really what the whole game is about.

[axi]

Where can I get Hidden Agenda? Give me a link! If there is no link and it isn't big, just send it to me! It sounds like one hell of a game!

[Colon™]

Nicolas, here’s my advice, don't be a zealot, set priorities, be patient and compromise. for instance, if you want create a communist country, don’t start a full scale land reform, break all relationships with US, kick out the right-wing of military, nationalise the marketing board and set in food prices all at once. Or at all.

If you intend to follow a left wing course, don’t fill in your govt exclusively with leftists, elect one or if possible more christen democrats at posts you think they’ll hurt your goals the least. A conservative would help fend off threats from that corner, but his opinions would be a pain in the **** and compromising on policies would be more effective to neutralise right-wing threats IMHO.
You should immediately tackle the food price problem, since support of the masses is important. The difficulty is that each solution brings up another problem, IIRC the best solution was to end with food stamps and subsidies to farmers. Pretty draconian and expensive but it improves nutrition and food production.
Don’t alienate the right-wing side of the military or US just yet, immediately putting on trial the deaths-squads isn’t very wise either. But over time, as you strengthen your position you should be able to kick them out.
Be gentle in your land reform, try to hurt the big landowners as little as possible. Selling state-owned estates is a good way to satisfy the campesinos without hitting the cotton producers.

It’s likely you won’t reach many of your goals, but that’s how politics, and indeed life, is.

[Nicolas]

I just downloaded hidden agenda from underdogs.org, and have a few questions for anyone whose played through it.

1) Is there any way to stop the death squads without causing my right-wing military commander to start a junta? Whenever I attempt to hold the death squad commander in jail and fully try him the military immediatly revolts.

2) Has anyone managed to fairly win the elections without either rigging them or killing the opposition?

3) Has anyone managed to fight and win against a junta by either of the miltary commanders?

4) Is there a way I can protect the poor farmers after giving them the cotton growing land they occupy without giving the leftist military commander increased power and forming militias?

Thanks.