Pre-War Policies

In GT:TCW, you are given the option to change the setup of a campaign before you start playing. This is done through choosing 3 pre-war policies that dictate the exact starting situation of the USA and CSA. Depending upon the selected policies, the strategic situation of the war can change dramatically. By default, anytime the campaign selection screen is loaded it will reset to the "historic" options, which are a set of 3 policies per nation that give a somewhat historical starting position to both sides, but a "Random" or custom selection can be applied too, which allows for alternate history scenarios.

The effects of pre-war policies vary widely in target and scale, and while most are wholly positive, some offer slight boosts to the opposing side too. Some affect a single state, others affect all slave states, free states or the states of a particular side. There are policies that lead to different population numbers, economy sizes, trade volumes or weapon availability. Certain pre-war policies are prerequisites to fully pursue a policy chain during the campaign, and others can radically change the lay-out of the land, affecting railroad coverage or altering recruit numbers.

## Union Pre-War Policies

### Historical Policies

These 3 pre-war policies are the default ones used by the game when you leave the policy selection on historical. The guarantee Kansas joining the union, more recruits in Union states and better industry as well as a small bonus to military experience, although the Confederacy also receives this experience bonus.

#### Kansas a Free State

In May 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act created new territories. Abolitionists in the North encourage anti slavery Free-Soilers to move into Kansas to create a new free state. As northern influence in Kansas is increased, confrontations with southern pro-slavery Border Ruffians escalates into bitter fighting, named "Bleeding Kansas" in 1856. The widely reported conflict unifies the citizens of the free states in their resentment felt towards the institution of slavery.

* +5 USA support in all **free states**
* +25 USA support in **Kansas**

#### Industrialization

Policies in the North take full advantage of the industrial revolution at hand. With private companies investing in this expansion; new railroads are laid and profits from industry soar. The prosperity and prospect of jobs increases the number of immigrants from Europe into northern states. This steady flood of humanity increases the population of the North fast. Many of the immigrants are of catholic faith, and willing to work for lower wages than the Americans. This creates religious unrest and tensions between nationalities, reducing northern unity.

* +20% population in **USA states**
* -5 national morale for **USA**
* additional **railroads** built in northern states
* higher starting level for **heavy industries**
* *required for **level III-IV Industrialization** policies*

#### Indian Wars

Following the forced relocation of Native Americans from East of the Mississippi in the 1830s, known as the "Trail of Tears", Northern policies towards the natives changed, at least in principle. With further Western expansion, the agreements made with the natives are quickly forgotten and fighting continues. In these Indian Wars the U.S. military and especially junior officers gain some experience, while the settlers fulfill the "Manifest Destiny". For the natives, though, this means continuous loss of life and land, reaching the level of genocide among many tribes.

* +5 military experience for **USA & CSA**
* +5 national morale for **USA**

### Alternative Policies

The other policies available to the Union offer a mix of weakening the Confederacy, either directly or indirectly, improving some states or unlocking some of the higher level policies during the campaign.

#### Underground Railroad

An Underground Railroad, organized and run by abolitionists, helps fugitive slaves to escape capture and get to the safety of free states, Canada, or Mexico. While such help had been organized since colonial times, recently northern officials have turned a blind eye to the activity, encouraging further routes and safe houses to be established all over northern states. By 1860 thousands are helped each month. The available workforce of slaves in the slave states is reduced annually, increasing costs of production in the South.

* -10% initial slave workforce in **CSA states**
* -5% slave workforce per year in **CSA states**

#### Go West!

A mass movement of Free-Soiler pioneers to the West coast states is encouraged throughout the 1850s. With political and financial support, the amount of settlers increases rapidly, and Union support within the new states remains high. When the Civil War erupts, these states are willing to provide a substantial number of fighting regiments to bolster the Union ranks.

* +25 USA support in **California and Oregon**
* +20% population in **California and Oregon**
* Recruitment allowed in **California and Oregon**
* +100% trade capacity for **Santa Fe and Oregon Trails**

#### Support Abolitionism

By December 1859, Hard-line abolitionists have gained substantial political support from Republicans. This encourages people to act against slavery. Following John Brown's failed raid in Harper's Ferry, and his execution for treason, the movement gains momentum and southern sympathies in northern states are greatly reduced.

* -10 CSA support in **USA states**

#### Enforce Neutrality Act

During the 1850s pro-slavery adventurers move to central and south America to capture new lands. The northern politicians take a strict stance against these operations in the spirit of the Neutrality Act of 1794. With captured southern filibusters being put on trial and sentenced, European sympathy towards the north increases considerably.

* -10 European intervention for **CSA**
* *required for the **level IV-V Diplomacy** policies*

#### Bread Basket

Throughout the 1850s northern policies support agriculture and migration to the Midwest. Farms expand and there are significant surpluses of crops, these are then sold to feed Europe, still recovering from the Crimean War. Prosperity increases Union support in the northern states and the cheap crops improve relations with Europe.

* +10 European relations for **USA**
* *required for the **level III-IV Agriculture** policies*

#### Security Measures

In March 1857 John B. Floyd became the Secretary of War, while in office he undertook efforts to bolster arsenals in the Southern states by transferring weapons from northern armories. However his actions were revealed and he was forced to resign in December 1860. After this, military officials increased security measures, slowing the movement of weapons to the South, and weapon stockpiles in the South are reduced. The abrupt crackdown also shocks the southern population, making some think twice about openly promoting secession.

* -5 national morale for **CSA**
* -50% weapon availability for **CSA**

#### Union Pacific Railroad

Following the Pacific Railroad Surveys of 1853-1855, northern politicians secure the funding to build a transcontinental railroad, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, all the way to Sacramento, California. By 1861 the work is finished in Utah and the railway greatly increases trade with California. With the increased prosperity, the United States credit rating, along with investment in railroads, is soaring, helped by experienced railroad construction laborers, mainly Chinese and Irish immigrants.

* +2 credit rating for **USA**
* +25% railroad transport capacity for **USA**
* +25 railroad construction speed for **USA**
* Union Pacific **railroad** built at game start
* control of the Pacific Coast trade for **USA**

## Confederacy Pre-War Policies

### Historical Policies

#### Old Dominion

* Capitol moved to **Richmond** from **Montgomery**
* **Union** morale -5
* **CSA** support in **Virginia**+10

#### King Cotton

* Support in all **Slave States** +5
* +20 **European Intervention**
* *required for Agriculture 3+4*

#### Alliance with the Natives

* +25% support of **CSA** in **Indian** **Territory**
* Recruitment of **Natives** there made possible
* # of **Native** **Volunteers** is doubled

### Alternative Policies

#### Kansas as a Slave State

* +25 Support in **Kansas**
* +5 Support in all **Slave States**
* **Kansas** becomes a **Slave State**

#### Slavery to the West

* **Arizona** and **New Mexico** territories +25% support
* Population +25%
* Recruitment allowed
* Trade Capacity to **Western** **States** doubled

#### Apostles of Disunion

* **Southern** Support +20
* **Northern** Support +10

#### Filibustering

* **Southern Military XP** +5
* **Cuban** recruitment enabled
* **Cuban** trade increased

#### Southern Industrialization

* Immigration to the **CSA** +20
* **National** **Morale** -5
* *required for Industry 3+4+the abolition of slavery*

#### Arms Agents

* +50% available weapons
* -5 **Union** morale
* **Springfield** production enabled

#### Southern Pacific

* Game will start with the **Southern** **Pacific** **Railroad** built
* **CSA** credit is+2
* **Railroad** capacity and construction +25%

## Notes

* *Due to the way that campaign set-up is done in the game's code, certain policies will affect slightly more or less states depending upon your chosen starting date. The developers are aware of this, but it is currently regarded as a minor issue. All policies whose effects are assigned based on state ownership will apply to different states in the Spring 1861 start date.*
* As CSA, if you want the capitol to be **Richmond** you MUST select "Old Dominion" as a starting policy otherwise **Montgomery** is your capitol.