Home Army Faction Bible

The Home Army Faction is primarily based off the actual Home Army resistance of WWII, Polish cavalry units during World War II, and various Eastern Bloc resistance movements during the Cold War. They are willing to go to almost any lengths to win their freedom, but will not cross any lines that imply them becoming like the Soviets, or the Allies.

## What They Want

**The HAF wants, above all else, a free and independent Eastern Europe.** This is the core of their existence, and can't be understated. The Home Army wants to see their respective countries free again, come hell or high water. It's why they're willing to face down Soviet tanks with horses and anti-tank rifles.

* **They will not betray their principles in pursuit of this.** It's important to remember that while the HAF is fighting a desperate fight, they still fight relatively conventionally. They only go after military targets, and will never target civilians if they can help it.
* **The HAF feels betrayed.** Like in the real world, many of the Eastern Europeans in Paradox were incensed that the Allies simply let the Russians have their countries, instead of pressing forward with the momentum gained in the last months. While they realize the Empire was a threat, the fact that the Allies gave up on Eastern Europe instead of even negotiating was a grave insult. This increasingly means that another potential group of Allied supporters is splintering away, albeit slowly and in incremental steps.

## What They Know

* The HAF knows about some of the Russians dirty secrets; they know that the Union is half-bankrupt and desperate for any economic boost. They also know the full extent of just how aged the Red Army really is now, having been fighting it daily.
* HAF leaders also know just how fragmented ACIN has become. While at first the nature of the organization meant that the Soviets or their patsies could never get between the Front and it's contacts, now the fact that ACIN is spread so widely means that the HAF are finally seeing the real cracks in the Allied lines.
* They don't, however, know about the Talon. Poland being a heavily Catholic nation, the Home Army doesn't question the many religious calling for Eastern European freedom. While many of these priests aren't part of the greater conspiracy, the Talon is hoping that a good old-fashioned insurrection will draw out members of the Cult. The Templars and Inquisition are just waiting for the conspiracy to give the order.
* Due to its size, the Home Army possesses a considerable amount of current world events;they partly know the struggles between the GIC and Green China, the formation of the Southern Contingent, and just how fractured the United States truly is (some of them are in fact joining the Freedom Guard in America). What they do know is rumors from captured Russians of bases in the tundra going missing suddenly and without a single survivor.

## Who They Are

* Home Army infantry are common men, passionate about their cause and willing to die if need be. They're city workers, country farmers, and the occasional soldier, Roma, gathering to fight for a free land in Eastern Europe.
* The cavalry are more gung-ho in their attitudes. The younger they are, the more brash they become. The more experienced, the more willing they are to take the smart risks and call things as they are.
* Reinforcements are actually nervous, both because of the value their vehicles hold to the HAF, and because of the fact that they're the most tempting targets on the field.
* The HAF all despise the Soviets, with a growing faction learning that the Allies are no angels either. Some are even advocating that the PFP break away from the Allied Nations entirely, becoming a truly independent force. While many leaders know that this would cut off funding and horses, the reality of the Allies' waning support is forcing them to at least consider the option.
* Finally, the Home Army's supporters are good men trying to help what they see as a good cause. Farmers will donate as much as they can, vets will confront riders for not treating their mounts properly, and local civilians will give small pieces of information such as troop patrols and the locations of enemy defenses.
* **BE CAREFUL WITH THE DUMB POLACK/DRUNK CZECH/OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN STEREOTYPES.** It might be tempting to break them out, but be warned that these might be seen as ridiculous. A resistance doesn't survive as long as the HAF does by continually perpetuating negative stereotypes about them people commonly hold.
* **BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL WITH THE ROMA/GYPSY STEREOTYPE.** The Roma are actually a distinct ethnic group, even if they weren't considered so at the time Paradox occurs. Be careful when writing them, as many old stereotypes about gypsys might seep in back accident.
* **Some of the Home Army are completely anti-communist.** This should go without saying, but it should be said anyway. Their hatred of communism is in the extreme, possibly even more so than the Americans or Allies. Communism is equatable to slavery in their eyes, and they will fight it until either they or it is dead.
	+ Emphasis on *some* here. It should be remembered that many of the leaders of the Hungarian Revolution are in fact communists, albeit those who were more liberal than their Stalinist counterparts that invaded them. As such, communists in the HAF try **very** hard to hide their political beliefs, and typically believe that Davidova hasn't done enough reforms for the greater USSR.

## How They Fight

* The HAF is a prime hit-and-run faction. As it's units are unsuited to any static defense, the Home Army must move around the field constantly, before the enemy can find and kill them. This means that the Home Army usually are fast in everything they do, including talking.
* They also use many tactics similar to other rebel groups in Paradox; sabotage, thievery, harassment, and hijacking all play a major role in the HAF's operations, as well as the unseen roles of city spies, backroom meetings, and kidnapping of Soviet soldiers.

## Can They Win?

Short answer: No. Even if the entire HAF joined up with all the other rebels in Poland, Hungary, the rest of Eastern Europe and launched a massive attack, they still wouldn't win against the entire Red Army, which would undoubtedly sweep in and crush any rebellion. Instead, the Home Army are firstly attempting to show the Soviets the mistakes they've made by occupying their homeland, evidenced by sabotaged factories, wrecked Soviet bases and charred ruins of Hammer tanks. Second, they are also trying to bring the fighting to the attention of the people in other Allied Nations, as well as any Slavic expatriates that will rally for them. The second part of this plan has worked, but the people in other Allied Nations are suspiciously closed minded about Eastern Europe right now, even when reports continue to come in about dead rebels, harassed civilians, and even greater Allied apathy. That's the most important thing to remember. The HAF is also fighting a political battle, and they're losing half of it.