Griffonian Empire

The **Griffonian Empire**, the Sick Bird of Griffonia, was once the greatest nation on the Griffonian continent. It spanned from the cossack lands of the Gryphian Host to the tundras of Northern Cloudbury, and at its peak, dominated the ancient kingdoms of Aquileia, Wingbardy, and Griffonstone.

When the Idol of Boreas was first wielded by Grover I against the armies of the Herzlanders, Aquileans, and Wingbardians, the entire continent feared his wrath. That fear was amplified even more when his vicious son Grover II took the wheel, and moved into the remaining independent nations on the continent.

However, 300 years after Grover I first took the idol, it is now lost, and with it, the glory of the Empire. Revolution and corruption have taken hold in every once-prosperous province of the Empire. Today, the Empire is left with nothing but a fraction of its former territory, now filled with dissatisfied nobles, angry commoners, and power-hungry rulers. The current Emperor, Grover V, is not expected to have long left until death claims his life, and with his only heir to the throne being underage, the Empire is soon to face crisis yet again.

Will internal conflict shatter the once-glorious Empire once and for all?

Or can imperial glory be reclaimed?

## Lore

### Grover I, the First Emperor

Since time immemorial, Griffons have fought for wealth and power, with no king or country strong enough to unite the others.

However, in 705 ALB, **Grover,** King of  Griffonstone used the ***Idol of Boreas***, an artifact of incredible power, to defeat the two most powerful Kingdoms on Griffonia -  Wingbardy and  Aquileia. After their submission, Grover claimed the title of Kaiser, or Emperor, which quickly prompted the rest of the continent to bend the knee. **Grover I,** as he would become known, had achieved the impossible and united the griffons under a single leader, creating a dynasty that would last 300 years.

However, Grover’s conquests were not over. He moved the capital to Griffenheim, a key position on the convergence of the Griffking river, and began looking North. When it became clear that Albert Plumenjar, the Duke of  Cloudbury, was in a vital position to unite the Northern duchies, Grover I supported him with arms. In 713 ALB, When Albert finally united the duchies in a short and decisive war, he bent the knee to Grover, leading to a mutually beneficial relationship that would leave the Empire with control over the North and a stepping stone into the  Kingdom of Vedina.

After his early conquests, Grover continued to secure the Griffonian continent for another 70 years. In 728 ALB, Grover founded the University of  Romau, a beacon of higher learning that attracted more and more griffons to his new Empire in search of a greater future. In later years, Romau would become a prosperous Imperial free city, and the University would continue to attract the sharpest minds in Griffonia. In 747 ALB, Grover crossed the Creeper Mountains, beginning his decisive Eastern campaign, where he crushed the  Principality of Lushi and associated  Prywhenian principalities.

Then, Grover moved into the lands of the Minotaurs, seizing their coastal states and creating the  County of Cyanolisia. Grover I’s ambitions were not sated, and so he moved further east. The Zaphzian cossacks were reformed into the  Gryphian Host, a loyal march to the Empire, and 4 years later, Grover I’s mercenaries sacked  Jezeragrad, his first main attack against pony forces in the East. In 783 ALB, Grover I founded Nova Griffonia on the continent of Equus, beginning his first Equusian conflict against the  Polar Bear and  Penguin natives.

### Grover II, The Warmonger

In 785 ALB, Grover I died. Grover II, the new Emperor, was met with much skepticism from the Griffonian populace, especially the particularly rebellious Kingdom of Aquilea, which rebelled against Grover only a day after his coronation. At the same time, forces led by the ponies of  Nimbusia invaded the Gryphian Host, seeking to undo the efforts of Grover I’s eastern campaigns.

However, Grover II was much more of a capable commander than his enemies believed. He crushed the Aquilean rebellion and left most of the country in ashes as his feudal Imperial Army marched through the Aquilean countryside. Rumor has it he beat the Aquilean king to death with his own claws and took his third child, Giselda Discret as his bride, marrying her in the Aquilean Temple of Arcturius, which was a ruin due to Grover II’s brutal war. Despite the circumstances surrounding their marriage, Giselda proved to be a capable wife, and while Grover II was out on his conquests, Giselda Discret made his enemies disappear.

Shortly after that, the armies of Nimbusia were crushed, and Grover II solidified himself as a capable military leader and Emperor.

Grover II, occupied with administration of the empire, passed rulership of Griffonstone and the Idol of Boreas to his brother Guto, who faithfully guarded it. This arrangement split the family, creating two royal lines descended from Grover II and Guto.

Grover II, after his early military victories, would begin a campaign in the East that surpassed his fathers. He took over  Asterion, subjugated  Sicameon, and sanctioned the first Eternal Crusades against the Eastern ponies. These crusades consumed the next 40 years of his reign, and he died in one of them against a simple Nimbusian foot soldier.

### Grover III, The Unifier

It is said that while Grover I and II conquered the Empire, Grover III truly made it whole.

Grover III is credited for the stabilization of the Empire following the numerous wars in the East and South. The new Emperor established and revitalized a strong, centralized Imperial army, ensured the loyalty of his new subject lords, who had begun to grow angry and weary at Herzlander rule. Largely considered to be one of the best Grovers, Grover III was scarred from his father's military experiences at a young age and began a prosperous and peaceful reign - although many who disagreed with him or grew too powerful were simply disposed of...

In 854, on the year of his coronation, Grover III restored democratic rights in Sicameon on the condition that they pledged full loyalty to the Empire - but in 862, he murdered Kihai de Kissau, the first Prince to unify both Brodfeld and Sydia, who was growing too powerful for the Empire's tastes. Perhaps it could be said that these were his only major foreign policy adventures before his death in 914, after sixty years of peace, prosperity, and Imperial glory.

### Grover IV, The Glutton

Historians are deeply divided on their views about Grover IV, the fourth Emperor of all Griffons.

His supporters believe his reign to be a continuation of the peace and prosperity of Grover III's, with the Empire largely staying out of foreign conflicts and participating in industrial and social reforms. He was an extremely competent administrator who expanded the centralization and modernization policies of his predecessor. He was adored by the commoners for his expansive reforms of the Imperial economic system, and was believed to have halted major Republican revolution efforts until, his supporters say, the corrupt administration of Grover V reverted his reforms.

His critics view him as the Emperor that destroyed the Empire and begun its downward spiral into decay and revolution. He was socially inept and utterly uncharismatic, and the nobles despised him for his pro-commoner and anti-nobility reforms. He was a glutton and famously loved chocolate, and historians generally agree that this is what led to his stroke and death in 970 ALB. He was known to be brutally honest, so much so that he had almost no allies among the nobility.

However history may speak of Grover IV, all agree he died in 970 ALB - and that was one of the acts that truly shattered the Empire.

### Grover V, The Weak

Grover V, the sickly ten-year-old son of Grover IV, became the new Emperor in 970 ALB, just 8 years before the Republican Revolution shattered his country. His distant relative, Guto VI, was to be the regent, but bad went to worse, as a monstrous cyclops attacked Griffonstone, slew Guto VI and stole the Idol of Boreas.

As Grover's regency dragged on, however, corruption, decadence, and mismanagement reigned as nobles attempted to use their power for personal gain. The nobles were accused of the assassination of the Wingbardian King in 972 ALB, leading to Wingbardy's secession and the subsequent Aquileian declaration of independence by King Gerad Discret. Grover IV's reforms were rolled back, and the commoners rioted for their restoration. The proud bureaucracy was left to decay, and the Empire's role in preserving the peace faded as nobles and kingdoms feuded more and more openly.

Chaos, mismanagement, and conspiracy converged in 978 ALB, as hundreds of thousands of commoners marched on Imperial Palace. While the Emperor managed to escape to the countryside unharmed with the help of the loyal Archon Eros VII, most if not all of Grover V's regency was lynched. An Imperial Officer named Kemerskai, along with many other mutinous officers, declared his loyalty to the revolution and proclaimed himself President-Marshal of the new (and short-lived)  Griffonian Republic.

### The Current State of the Empire

The  Griffonian Republic was short-lived, falling to a counter-revolution in 979 ALB. The republican loyalists fled to the north, led by Kemerskai, and the nobility restored the young Emperor **Grover V** to the throne, but the revolution had taken its toll on the Griffonian people.

Despite the Imperial restoration, the damage had already been done, as much of the country was in utter chaos. Out of the many lords, princes, and kings of Griffonia, only those in the Imperial Heartlands remained loyal to the young Emperor - and even that could be considered a stretch, as they maintained almost complete autonomy from the capital.

The lands of the former Empire descended into an orgy of violence, bloodshed and destruction for nearly thirty years, as local powers rushed to fill the vacuum and attempt to create their own empires and kingdoms. Civil wars, border conflicts, widespread banditry, and the clash of kings and lords led to millions upon millions dead, uncountable amounts of orphans, and complete economic and societal collapse.

The chaos has begun to calm, as borders have settled and war-weary griffons return to their farmsteads, if only to avoid starvation. Scholars predict that soon a new wave of centralization and wars are to be expected in coming years, as the most powerful recovering states snap up local neighbours and formalize a post-Empire world.

The old Empire the world once knew is now long dead. The sickly Grover V is growing old and seems set to repeat his father's tragedy, as his son is still too young to rule.

Hoping to avoid another disastrous regency, the powers of the Empire are determined to unite behind a single regent with the powers of an Emperor. The three orders of Archons are sure to press the claim of **Archon Eros VII** of Boreas, backed by popular mandate, while the powerful nobility would prefer **Duchess Gabriela,** Grover's cousin and closest and most trusted friendto ensure an orderly transition that prefers the status quo in the recovery while allowing limited reforms.

Despite the Empire's sad state, the idea of a united Griffonia still resonates deep within the hearts of every griffon. Be wary, for there are many who will fight tooth and nail to make sure that the dream of a united Griffonia comes to pass once more, but there are many more who shall ensure this dream remains just that - a dream...

## Gameplay

The Griffonian Empire is a powerful nation located on the Griffonian continent, at the center of the *Herzland* region. It is a focus tree driven nation with the possibility to conquer and core large amounts of territory on Griffonia, and would very likely become a regional power in early- to mid-game, and a world class superpower by mid- to late-game.

The Griffonian Empire is almost entirely driven by conquest; it does not have a peaceful route, and nearly every nation on Griffonia would sooner or later have to face off with the Empire.

### Starting Situation

The Griffonian Empire is a landlocked but powerful nation situated in the heart of the Herzland region. All the nations in the Herzland region ( Barony of Angriver,  County of Bronzehill,  Grand Duchy of Feathisia,  Greifenmarschen,  Katerin Principality,  Free City of Romau,  Strawberry Duchy,  Yale Rectorate), plus  Sunstriker Clan in Northern Griffonia, start out as vassals of the Empire. The Empire also leads the Reichspakt faction, which consists of itself and its vassals.

The Empire starts with 15 divisions, consisting of:

* 11 Imperial Guard Divisions (6 inf + support artillery and engineers)
* 2 Imperial Knights (6 knights + recon company)
* 1 Panzer Division (3 light tanks + 2 motorized infantry)
* 1 Panzergrenadier Division (3 light tanks + 4 motorized infantry + engineers, support artillery and recon company)

The full army consists of a total of 360 Light tanks and almost 100k ponypower deployed. The Empire also begins with 40 bombers and 60 fighters.

The Panzergrenadier Division is the Changeling attaché; it cannot be edited or trained. When the Changelings recall their attaché, the division will demobilize and their template will be deleted.

The Empire has the best starting industry in the Herzland region, with 8 military factories and 10 civilian factories. The Empire also has *Developed Science Base* and *Outdated Industrial Sector* as its starting societal development levels. The Empire's starting national spirits grant some mild debuffs, but overall the Empire is still easily the strongest nation in the Herzland region.

### Threats and Opportunities

As a conquest-driven nation, the Empire has many enemies and few friends.

#### Within Herzland

The Empire's initial vassals within the Herzland all have their own goals and allegiances, and it is inevitable that Herzland will become divided after the ascension of the new Regent. Each of the Herzland vassals will begin their own political developments, and many different situations may emerge during this time.

Vassals of the Empire may secede depending on the new leader, and the Empire will eventually have to go to war with the seceded vassals to reunite the Herzland. Vassals may even receive war goals on the Empire to topple the Empire and attempt to institute their rule over Herzland.

* County of Bronzehill: Bronzehill will always remain a vassal of the Empire initially. However, their chosen political path may allow them to secede from the Empire afterwards.
	+ If the Archon is the regent, they may choose to back the Duchess, signing mutual guarantees with the Strawberry Duchy and removing their vassal status from the Empire. They may also stay loyal and remain with the Archon.
	+ If the Duchess is the regent, they can not take the Archon focus. However, remaining loyal and siding with the Duchess is still available.
	+ Regardless of the Regent, they may reject the Regent and form their own regency, removing their vassal status from the Emprie.

* Yale Rectorate:
	+ Remains if Archon, secedes if Duchess. Will also secede for either regent in certain paths.
* Barony of Angriver:
	+ If the Baron remains in power, then Angriver will remain loyal to the Empire if the Archon becomes the Regent, and will secede if the Duchess became the regent.
	+ If the Baron was overthrown, then Angriver will always secede.

* Grand Duchy of Feathisia:
	+ Remains if Duchess, secedes if Archon.
	+ Feathisia will secede if it collapses into a civil war.
* Strawberry Duchy: Remains if Duchess, secedes if Archon. Will secede if *The Prelate of Osnabeak* focus is taken.

* Greifenmarschen: Always secedes.
* Katerin Principality: Always secedes.
* Free City of Romau: Always secedes.
	+ If Romau became Supremacist after the event "The Battle for Romau", they will rejoin the Archon's Empire and become a vassal again.
	+ If it went Non-Aligned, they can rejoin the Duchess' Empire and become a vassal again as well.
	+ If Romau is in the Empire's faction, then it will not be annexed by the Empire during the Herzland reunification tree. Instead, it will remain a loyal ally of the Empire, and will attempt expansion through diplomacy with their overlord, requesting the states of Greater Romau from the Empire.

#### Beyond Herzland

* Griffonian Republic: The democratic pretender to the Empire. The Republic is a major opponent to the Empire, but is quite weak when taken on individually. The Empire will typically gain a war goal on the Republic before they can ally with other nations such as Aquileia. Take them down swiftly.
	+ If the Republic has a civil war that ended with the revolting National Republican Army being victorious, and the monarchist Claus Rosewing then takes power and restores the Duchy of Cloudbury, then Cloudbury has a chance to join the Reichspakt through their focus "Bend The Knee".
* Skyfall Trade Federation: Skyfall is a very factory rich nation with a strong fleet and will considerably boost your power. They can join Harmonist Aquileia, or even host the Archon should he be exiled due to his opponents taking power.
	+ If the Empire (or the Empire's successor) annexes Skyfall, Skyfall's navy will be transferred to the Empire, granting a major naval power boost.
* Kingdom of Aquileia: The first true challenger to the Empire. Aquileia is a powerful nation that can receive lots of core territories and many allies, and will eventually get a war goal on the Empire itself through their focus tree.
	+ If Aquileia proper reunites the nation during the Second Aquileian Revolution, their focus tree will let them go on an expansionist conquest into the many states between Herzland and Aquileia, and core their territories.
	+ If Aquileia is Harmonist, they can form the Entente with Skyfall and the Griffonian Republic. Smaller countries between Aquileia and Herzland might also decide to join Aquileia's faction during Aquileia's reconquests.
	+ If Aquileia proper does *not* reunite the nation during the Second Aquileian Revolution (i.e. the vassal states of Aquileia manages to defeat Aquileia itself, regardless if Aquileia proper is Non-Aligned or Harmonist), then the resulting state will have a generic focus tree and no way to expand itself. Western Griffonia would thus remain divided and an easy target to the Empire's conquests.
		- The Empire can help to set up this situation by sending lots of volunteers to Aquileia's enemies during the Second Aquileian Revolution.
* Griffon Liberation Army: This Communist state will likely overextend early on, and you (and  Wingbardy) will be offered a chance to invade as soon as they attempt to take  Kingdom of Griffonstone. Overpower their growing forces quickly to gain a good source of industry and deny it to  Wingbardy. Should you neighbour Wingbardy whilst both at war with Prywhen, you will receive an option to declare war on Wingbardy immediately.
* Kingdom of Wingbardy: The strongest rival to the Empire on the continent. The Karthinian Pact is a respectably strong faction, and Supremacist Wingbardy will have many opportunities to gain more core territories and add more states to the Karthinian Pact. Gaining power through expansion faster than they can match you will ensure your victory.
* River Republic: The River Republic is the leader of the River Coalition. While the normal paths for the Griffonian Empire does not directly cross paths with the Coalition, expansions undertaken by Coalition member states into the Griffking river basin ( Ordensstaat Hellquill and  County of Longsword) and the Evi Valley ( Kingdom of Brodfeld,  Principality of Lushi,  Gryphian Host, and  Free Towns of Gryphus) will result in the Coalition spreading into the paths of the Empire's conquest.

### Succeeding the Griffonian Empire

Almost all Griffon nations on Griffonia can unlock a decision to declare themselves the successor to the Griffonian Empire if they are fully independent, control Griffenheim, and the Empire does not exist anymore.

When the decision is taken, the Empire's successor state will receive cores on the original core states of the Empire, and receive the ability to integrate and core all states in Herzland. The nation will also be renamed to a name more suitable for a new continental power (monarchist nations are likely to claim the mantle of the Griffonian Empire, while Republican nations would likely rename themselves to Griffonian Republic).

Some specific political paths in a number of nations will unlock additional political focus branches in their focus tree should they take the decision to succeed the Empire. The nations that can do so include:

* Barony of Angriver
* County of Bronzehill
* Grand Duchy of Feathisia
* Greifenmarschen
* Katerin Principality
* Free City of Romau
* Strawberry Duchy
* Yale Rectorate

In addition, the  Griffonian Republic,  Socialist Republic of Skynavia, and the  Kingdom of Aquileia have conquering Griffenheim as a prerequesite for unlocking more advanced branches of political focuses in their focus tree, though they do not use the decision to declare themselves the successor of the Empire.

Nations in the Herzland region have "Unite the Herzlands" instead of "Become the successor to the Griffonian Empire" as their decision. Gameplay-wise, the two decisions are identical.

### Feathisia's Proposal

If Duchess Gabriela is the Regent, at some point later in the game Grand Duke Gerlach of the  Grand Duchy of Feathisia may offer a marriage proposal to Duchess Gabriela. Accepting will cause Feathisia to annex both  Strawberry Duchy and  **Griffonian Empire**, ending the game.

### Emperor Grover VI

Should you have brought the Griffonian Empire through its struggles, the new Emperor, Grover VI, will ascend to the throne in the year 1021.

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

## Focus Tree

The Griffonian Empire's focus tree consists of five branches: an industrial tree, a political/expansion tree, an army tree, a navy tree, and an air force tree.

At the start, the entire focus tree is locked. The expansion tree is unlocked when Emperor Grover V dies.

### Death of the Emperor

Soon after the game starts, the player will get an event about the Emperor touring his various vassals. This will give a boost to political power and stability. About a month later, though, the Emperor will fall ill, immediately losing that political power and stability. The Emperor will die in March of 1007, after a total of 72 days from the start of the year.

After the Emperor dies,  Sunstriker Clan will break free, their bandit agreement with the Emperor having ended. The Regency Council will convene to elect a regent for the underage Grover VI. This immediately finishes the first focus in the focus tree, "The Emperor is Dead".

There are two prospective candidates for the Regent of Grover VI: **Archon Eros VII** (Supremacist), the faithful Archon of Boreas and anti-noble populist, and **Duchess Gabriella Eagleclaw** (Non-Aligned), cousin to Grover V and Duchess of the Strawberry Duchy. A choice needs to be made.

The first decision immediately locks you in for one of the candidates. *The Council of Three* will lead to the Archon, while *The Old Guard* will lead to the Duchess. Following that, both paths have 6 focuses to complete (taking a total of 170 days) before the Regent is elected. These focuses trigger events that give stability, war support, political power, and either Supremacist or Non-Aligned support depending on the choice of Regent. Both paths have a mutual focus: *Die Kleine Sauberung*, which will purge the military for 280 days.

After completing the 6 focuses, the Regency Council will elect either the Archon or the Duchess, unlocking the empire's industrial focuses.

### Reforming the Empire

Regardless of the path, the regent must reform the Empire to prepare for the reconquest of the shattered Empire. This section of the focus tree grants bonuses across the board.

In this section of the focus tree, the eight center focuses (**Deal With the Bureaucrats** branch, **Support of the Reichsarmee**, **Entschlossenheit**, **Establish the Industrierat** and **Prepare for War**) are shared between the Archon and the Duchess. The rest of the focuses are path-exclusive.

Notable foci:

* **Deal With the Bureaucrats**: Removes Bloated Bureaucracy negative national spirit.
* **Start a Literacy Campaign**: Gradually reduces illiteracy level.

### Reuniting the Herzland

After the Empire finishes its reforms, the next step is to reunite the Herzland region under the rule of Griffenheim. Vassals that remained loyal to Griffenheim will be reintegrated, while vassals who seceded must be reconquered.

**Reward The Faithful** (for the Archon) and **Unite the Nation** (for the Duchess) will reach out to vassals still loyal to the Empire's rule, and request to reintegrate them. The vassals will likely accept if they're AI-controlled; those that don't will receive an annex war goal.

It should be noted that the  Free City of Romau cannot be integrated with the aformentioned focuses.

After reintegrating whatever vassals that can be reintegrated, the next step is to militarily reconquer the ones that seceded from the very beginning. There will be eight individual focuses that each makes the Empire declare war on a single country in Herzland. It is likely that some alliances between former vassals would have formed during this time, and the Empire should take out the more isolated and weaker former vassals first to gain a boost of industry before moving on to the stronger ones.

The four final focuses unlocks the ability for the Empire to use the Integration occupation law on conquered Herzland states and core these states once the average compliance of the states reaches 40%.

### The Rising Empire

Now that the Empire has united Herzland, the Empire's next goal is to reconquer their lost territories. Importantly, the focus **The Rising Empire** proclaims to Empire to be resurgent; many other countries on Griffonia have the Empire's proclamation of resurgence (or another country's unification of the Herzland) as a prerequisite for their focuses that lets them attack the Empire.

In this section of the focus tree, the Griffonian Empire will receive an extremely generous set of annex war goals on many countries on Griffonia, along with cores on the conquered territories. The Empire will become immensely powerful by the end of the conquests.

This section of the focus tree is divided into five groups of four focuses each (plus a few individual focuses targeting individual nations). Each of the five groups is focused on one general region in Griffonia; the first focus in each of the five groups of focuses grants war goals on almost all countries in that region. The final focuses in each of the five groups allows the conquered territories to be occupied with the Integration law and cored when their compliance reaches over 40%.

The following focuses grant war goals on the following nations:

* **Under a Clear Sky**:  Skyfall Trade Federation (Skyfall immediately becomes available for integration and coring when the Empire conquers it, and the Skyfall navy will be transferred as well)
* **Reclaim the North**:  Griffonian Republic,  Haukland,  Socialist Republic of Skynavia,  Sunstriker Clan
	+ **Grover I's Only Mistake**:  Kingdom of Vedina
* **Reclaim Central Griffonia**:  House Avian,  Blackrock's Bandits,  House Eyrie,  House Erie,  Kingdom of Griffonstone,  Barony of Rumare
* **Deal With the Despots of Aquileia**:  County of Greifwald,  Township of Fezera,  Duchy of Rila,  Republic of Tarrin,  Marquisate of Westkeep,  Kingdom of Aquileia,  Duchy of Vinovia,  Barony of Pridea,  County of Adelart,  Pomovarra,  City of Flowena
* **A Lesson in Humility**:  Barony of Arantiga,  County of Francistria,  Duchy of Talouse,  Kingdom of Wingbardy,  Falcorian Queendom,  Federated Parishes of Sicameon,  County of Cyanolisia
	+ **Restore the Kingdom**: Puppet war goal on  Republic of Asterion (the Empire cannot core Asterion)
* **Reclaim the Frontier**:  Ordensstaat Hellquill,  County of Longsword,  Griffon Liberation Army,  Kingdom of Brodfeld,  Free Towns of Gryphus,  Gryphian Host,  Principality of Lushi
* **Reclaim Our Colony**:  Nova Griffonia,  Griffon Frontier (Claims, not cores)

### Emperor Grover VI's Tree

With the Empire most likely unified by now and the new Emperor Grover VI crowned, the country will be wracked with student protests, which will tank your stability and war support, as well as increasing support for harmony and communism. You will also load in a new tree to replace your old conquest and political one.

There are two main paths in the focus tree. The first involves hearing the protestors out, and implementing true reforms to the Empire. While you will have a hit to your recruitable population, it gives superior stability bonuses and will allow you to hold the first ever elections between the Harmonist *Volksfront* and the Non-Aligned *Kaiserpartei.* The other path will have you break up the protests by force, and putting in token reforms to keep the Empire stable. While not as radical as the other path, you still get some good stability bonuses from it, and ends with Grover VI appointing a new head of government to help deal in matters of state.

Both branches, however, have to take the central branch to finish the tree, which will have some very noticeable effects. These include locking your laws to Free Trade and Civilian Economy, as well as either Volunteer Only or Limited Conscription. This means that you will most likely not be waging war again anytime soon, though in your position why would you need to?

The last focus, *A New Empire For A New Age* will finally remove the *Student Protests* national spirit.

### Industrial Tree

The Griffonian industrial tree is small compared to the conquest tree but still relatively strong, giving notable bonuses with some of the later focuses requiring the Herzland and Skyfall to have been reintegrated. It can also only be started once a regent has been chosen. The beginning focuses will unlock alternate design companies for use, as well as 22 extra steel in your starting territory should you need it. Subsequent foci will require parts or even the entirety of the Herzland to be conquered, with the exception of the far right branch which can be taken at any time and grants a research slot. The bottom of the central segment will require control over the Skyfall Trade Federation, and the last focus will improve your industry and production for a year.

### Army Tree

The ground forces tree of the Griffonian Empire is decently sized, being large enough to most likely carry you throughout all your conquests. It will require you to either gain the support of or reform the Reichsarmee to begin. It can be generally split into three branches, with only a few foci intersecting the branches. The first branch gives a small bonus to recruitable population, as well as research bonuses to infantry equipment and artillery, eventually transitioning to doctrine bonuses and general stat buffs. The right branch mostly has bonuses to motorized and tanks, along with 3 free tank divisions.

The middle branch is unique, and going down it requires the **Changeling-Griffonian Attache** to still be active. It will give a few positive national spirits to both you and the Changeling Lands, mostly from decisions you unlock after the first focus. Some bonuses will eventually be removed when the attache is recalled, but the majority of them will remain as long as you can take them beforehand.

### Navy Tree

The naval tree, as one would assume, can only be started once the Griffonian Empire owns a port province, usually Rottendedam from Feathisia, which is also required. The first focus is unique, though, in that to replace the Skyfallian navy that was stolen long ago, the Empire creates a completely new Kaiserliche Marine from scratch. This will take a year and negatively effect your economy, but once it is finished you will be given a new free naval fleet and can continue the focus tree.

The two main mutually exclusive focuses involve a choice on how you want your navy to function: either producing more ships at the cost of reliability or vice versa. Fleet in Being or Base Strike are the two doctrines with bonuses available to you, and alongside bonuses to researching ship types you will also gain national spirit relating to convoys, dockyard construction and dockyard production.

### Air Force Tree

Just like the army tree, the air force expansion tree requires you to have completed *Support of the Reichsarmee* or *Reform the Reichsarmee* depending on which path you went down. After choosing between Battlefield Support and Strategic Destruction as your doctrines, you can get multiple research bonuses to further doctrine research, as well as bonuses to nuclear and rocket technology. Another thing to note is that for every focus on the side branches for a specific type of aircraft, you will get the first plane version (Fighter I, Heavy Fighter I, etc) for free.

## Alternate Path - The Lord Protector

Spoilers below, we recommend these are best experienced in game before reading

When either of the regents begins to purge the military via the focus "Die Kleine Säuberung", Oberstleutnant **Ferdinand Dawnclaw** gathers his forces and launches the Barrack Revolt, a military coup against the Imperial government. Ferdinand was a patriot to the Empire, but in his eyes, the Empire in its current state is way too weak. He believes that the Empire, headed by a weak child surrounded by corrupt nobles, will eventually collapse unless radical changes are introduced. Thus, he launches his coup to save the Empire from itself.

If Ferdinand's Barrack Revolt fails, Ferdinand will be captured and executed for treason, allowing the Regent's rule to progress smoothly. But should he succeed, Ferdinand will seize control of the Imperial palace and declare himself Lord Protector of the Empire in a radio address. He announces the formation of a new government, one that will clear out the Empire's rot and bring it to new heights.

The negative national spirit Bloated Bureaucracy will be removed during the coup event, which also promotes General Ferdinand Dawnclaw to Field Marshal.

Ferdinand sees the child Emperor as an powerless puppet, and an obstacle to the rejuvenation of the Empire. After much deliberation, Ferdinand decides commit to his plans, and ***kills Grover VI***. The national spirit *Grover VI* will be removed, and general Benito will be killed.

Ferdinand's act causes a massive outrage across all of the Imperial Heartlands, causing *all* of the Empire's vassals to secede and collapsing the Empire itself into total anarchy. Following the above events, Ferdinand's political tree appears, replacing the normal political tree (the industrial and military trees will be maintained). The Empire will gain a new negative national spirit:

Die Anarchie
Political Power Gain: **-50%**
Recruitable Population Factor: **-40%**
Stability: **-20%**
War Support: **-15%**
 County of Bronzehill will unlock their **First Grief, Then Anger** branch of the focus tree, replacing their normal political focus tree.

RdNR (Regierung der Nationalen Rettung)

**Warmonger**
* AI Modifier: Focus on Offense: **+50.0%**
* AI Modifier: Focus on Peace: **-15.0%**

### Dear Boreas, Everything Is On Fire

Ferdinand's actions have plunged the Empire into total anarchy, and his newly-formed Regierung der Nationalen Rettung is barely organized. Ferdinand's first act is to end the anarchy by force and consolidate his rule over what remains of the Empire. Dissenters will be shot, rebels will be hung, and anybody that dares to oppose Ferdinand will be ruthlessly purged.

The focuses in this section of the focus tree are very short, taking only 20 days each to finish. Each focus grants an event that rewards some stability and other small benefits.

Notable foci:

* **And a Noose For the Commanders**: Generals Elias Bronzetail and Erich Ebonwing will be executed.
* **With a Message**: An assassination attempt will be made on Archon Eros; the attempt will always fail.
* **'Retire' Eros**: Can only be taken if the  Skyfall Trade Federation isn't Supremacist (i.e. led by Archon Eros in exile); Archon Eros will be personally killed by Ferdinand. The national spirit Archonate of Boreas will also be removed.
* **Long Live the Lord Protector!**: The national spirit *Die Anarchie* will be removed. The Society Development level will be increased.

### Long Live the Lord Protector!

With the anarchy pacified, Ferdinand prepares to gear up the Empire for total war.

Notable foci:

* **Educate the People**: Gradually reduces illiteracy level.
* **The War Economy**: Changes the economy law to War Economy, and locks down the options to just War Economy or Total Mobilization.
* **No Place For Cowards**: Changes the conscription law to Limited Conscription.

### Operation: Herzschmerz

With the Empire remilitarized, Ferdinand prepares to reunify Herzland in one fell swoop, in a massive war known as **Operation: Herzschmerz**.

Instead of having individual focuses for individual vassals to declare war on, Ferdinand has only a single focus: **Operation: Herzschmerz**. Upon finishing Operation: Herzschmerz, the Griffonian Empire will declare war on **all** of its former vassals simultaneously. The Empire cannot manually justify war goals before Operation: Herzschmerz is complete, meaning that the Empire cannot declare war on the vassals individually.

The lack of any allies, plus the simultaneous war declaration against eight powerful countries that surround the Empire, makes the war invariably extremely difficult; an AI-controlled Empire is almost guaranteed to be quickly crushed during Operation: Herzschmerz. To tackle Operation: Herzschmerz, micromanagement is extremely necessary. Focus on capitulating one vassal at a time while defending on all the other fronts. Train low-width divisions to fill up the frontline's gaps and provide more micro-encirclement opportunities. Exploit the fact that not all vassals are in a single faction (and thus don't share supply lines) to create encirclement pockets along borders.

It is possible to delay taking Operation: Herzschmerz to strenghten the Empire some more, though it is almost guaranteed that the combined growth of the vassals will outstrip the Empire's own. However, delaying Operation: Herzschmerz may present another opportunity; one or more vassals may decide to declare war on the Empire first. This provides a chance to divide and conquer the vassals in more manageable chunks instead of all at once.

### The Reich Rises

Ferdinand has reconquered the Herzland, but he is not even close to completing his grand plans to realize the glories of the Empire. The flag of the Griffonian Empire shall be raised across all of Griffonia. As with the normal expansion tree, the focus **The Reich Rises** proclaims to Empire to be resurgent.

Ferdinand's final conquest section of the tree is mostly the same as the normal regents' conquest trees, consisting of groups of four focuses that grant war goals on entire regions of Griffonia and allows them to be cored. However, instead of going to war to reclaim Nova Griffonia, Ferdinand tries to expand the Griffonian Empire into the Riverlands, and gets war goals on Riverland countries instead.

The following focuses grant war goals on the following nations:

* **Into the Land of Traitors**:  Griffonian Republic,  Haukland,  Socialist Republic of Skynavia,  Sunstriker Clan
	+ **The Virgin Lands of Vedina**:  Kingdom of Vedina
* **The Home of Griffonkind**:  House Avian,  Blackrock's Bandits,  House Eyrie,  House Erie,  Kingdom of Griffonstone,  Barony of Rumare
* **Towards the West**:  Skyfall Trade Federation,  County of Greifwald,  Township of Fezera,  Duchy of Rila,  Marquisate of Westkeep,  Kingdom of Aquileia,  Duchy of Vinovia,  Barony of Pridea,  County of Adelart,  Pomovarra,  City of Flowena
* **The Southern War**:  Barony of Arantiga,  County of Francistria,  Duchy of Talouse,  Kingdom of Wingbardy,  Falcorian Queendom,  Federated Parishes of Sicameon,  County of Cyanolisia
	+ **The Conquest of Asterion**: Puppet war goal on  Republic of Asterion (the Empire cannot core Asterion)
* **Reclaim the Frontier**:  Ordensstaat Hellquill,  County of Longsword,  Griffon Liberation Army,  Kingdom of Brodfeld,  Free Towns of Gryphus,  Gryphian Host,  Principality of Lushi
* **Operation: Grover II**:  Firtree Villages,  Watertowns,  Farbrook,  Diamond Mountain,  Bakaran Republic,  Deponya,  Lake City,  River Republic,  Kingdom of Wittenland,  Nimbusia,  Pònaidhean,  Barrad Magocracy,  Kása Free State,  Austurland

Notable foci:

* **A Noose For the President-Marshal**: President-Marshal Kemerskai will be executed.
* **Kosakenland**: A puppet state known as Reichskommissariat Kosakenland will be released on the former states of the  Gryphian Host
	+ Reichskommissariat Kosakenland has some unique focuses relating to its interactions with the Empire.
* **Establish the Reichskommissariats**: Multiple puppet states will be released in the Riverlands.

Spoiler end.
## Technology

* **Mountain Infantry I**
* **Engineer Company I**
* **Recon Company I**
* **Artillery I**
* **Anti Tank I**
* **Light Cruiser I**
* **Battlecruiser I**
* **Submarine I**
* **Transport Ships**
* **Early Bomber**
 * **None**
* **We Can Fly?!**

## Politics

### National spirits

* Stability: **-15.00%**
* Construction Speed: **-10.00%**
* Research Speed: **-30.00%**

   **Reichsarmee** | * Army Experience Gain: **+0.02** daily
* Daily Command Power Gain: **+0.05**
* Maximum Command Power Increase: **+10**
* Land Doctrine Research Speed: **+10%**

   **Changeling-Griffonian Attache** | * Armor speed: **+3.0%**
* Armor Division Attack: **+3.0%**
* Land Doctrine Research Speed: **+3%**
* Armor Research Speed: **+6%**

   **Archonate of Boreas** | * Daily Political Power Gain: **+0.05**
* Consumer Goods Factories: **-2.0%**
* Daily Supremacy Support: **+0.01**

Griffenheim has been the seat of the Archon of Boreas for the past three hundred years, and as such the Archon exerts quite a bit of influence in the local politics. Little goes on in the city without the Archon knowing about it.

### Staff and Designers

**Political Advisor**

**Tank Designers**

* Light Tank: Hard Attack **+5%**
* Armor Max Speed: **+5%**
* Armor Reliability: **+10%**
 Arcturien Automobile
* Medium Tank: Breakthrough: **+5%**
* Armor Reliability: **+5%**
* Armor Soft Attack: **+5%**

**Ship Designers**

* Carrier Armor: **+5%**
* Carrier AA: **+5%**
* Carrier Visibility: **-5%**

Battleship / Battlecruiser
* Naval Firepower: **+5%**
* Fire Range: **+3%**
 Kraken Schiffsbau

Heavy Cruiser / Light Cruiser
* Armor: **+5%**
* Anti-Air: **+7%**
* Visibility: **-5%**
* Max Speed: **+5%**
 Alligator Flottenbau
* Destroyer Cost: **-5%**
* Submarine Cost: **-7%**

**Aircraft Designer**

* **Fighter** Agility: **+10%**
* **Fighter** Max Speed: **+10%**
* **Carrier Fighter** Agility: **+10%**
* **Carrier Fighter** Max Speed: **+10%**
 Eule Fluggesellschaft
* **Heavy Fighter** Reliability: **+20%**
* **Tactical Bomber** Reliability: **+20%**
 Greif Flugzeuge
* **Strategic Bomber** Strategic Bombing: **+10%**

**Materiel Designer**

* Infantry Equipment Breakthrough: **+5%**
 Blautal Waffenhauser
* Infantry Equipment Defense: **+5%**
 Lowenstein
* Motorized Defense: **+5%**
 Helheim Kannonen
* Towed Artillery Soft Attack: **+5%**

**Industrial Concern**

 Blautronik
 Stolz Bohren
* Refinery Construction Speed: **+5.0%**

**Theorist**

**Chief of Army**

**Chief of Navy**

* Capital Ship Armor: **+10.0%**
* Screen Attack: **+10.0%**
* Screen Defense: **+10.0%**
 Cornelius Raincrest
* Navy Carrier Air Targetting Factor: **+3.0%**
* Navy Carrier Air Agility Factor: **+3.0%**
 Karl Stormfeather
* Submarine Defence: **+5.00**

**Chief of Airforce**

 Fritz Ebonbeak
* Air Superiority Defense: **+3.0%**
* Air Superiority Agility: **+3.0%**
 Theodor Mistfeather
* Air Paradrop Defence Factor: **+5.0%**
* Air Paradrop Agility Factor: **+5.0%**

**Military High Command**

## Economy

### Laws and Development

  Volunteer Only

* Recruitable Population: **1.50%**

* Construction Speed: **+10.00%**
* Research Speed: **+5.00%**
* Factory Output: **+10.00%**
* Dockyard Output: **+10.00%**
* Resources to Market: **+50%**
* Civilian intelligence to others: **+20.0%**
* Navy intelligence to others: **+10.0%**

* Industrial Research Speed: **+3%**
* Electronics Research Speed: **+2%**
* Consumer Goods Factories: **35.0%**
* Military to Civilian Factory conversion cost: **+30.00%**
* Civilian to Military Factory conversion cost: **+30.00%**
* Fuel Gain per Oil: **-40.00%**
* Fuel Capacity: **-25.00%**
* **Infrastructure** construction speed: **+10.00%**
* **Military Factory** construction speed: **-30.00%**
* **Civilian Factory** construction speed: **-30.00%**
 Scientific Development
  Developed Science Base

* No penalties

* Resource Gain Efficiency: **-10.00%**
* Construction Speed: **-10.00%**
* Research Speed: **-10.00%**
* Factory Output: **-10.00%**
* Dockyard Output: **-10.00%**

* Construction Speed: **-10.00%**
 Poverty
  Negligible Poverty

* No penalties

* Uses Griffon Racial Tree

### Industry and Resources

**Without Vassals**

Factories

Resources*\**
 0

**With Vassals**

Factories

Resources*\**
 14