Lore

Aggressive, deceptive, and loyal to their hive, changelings are insectoid pony-like creatures.

Changeling Nursery Hive.

All changelings possess unique shape-shifting magic. It enables them to shift form, voice, and even size with stunning rapidity and accuracy. They use this ability to fool their victims and drain their love, which is essential for their survival.

Recent pony scholars have discovered that changelings are more insectoid than mammalian due to hatching from eggs as larvae in collective hives. But beyond that - how their hives work, the role of queens in their society, how they acquire love, and how they think are up to the imagination as any travel to their territory will meet an almost certain demise.

The Changeling Forces, led by Queen Chrysalis, advances on Canterlot.

Fortunately for their neighbors, their militarism and aggression caused them to spend far more time fighting each other than outsiders, allowing Olenia and Equestria to outmatch isolated incursions.

But all of that changed in 982 ALB, when the ambitious Queen Chrysalis of Vesalipolis united the Changeling Hives under one banner, the first time in history for a Queen to do so. And in 1002, she led the hives on a bold mission into the heart of Equestria.

The Siege of Canterlot

In 1002 ALB Queen Chrysalis kidnapped and took the form of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, gaining access to the highest levels of government, and using her status as the fiance of Equestria's Captain of Guard, Shining Armor to drain his love. Only the last-minute discovery by Twilight Sparkle (also Shining Armor's brother) compromised the plan.

Chrysalis's true form is revealed in Canterlot, with the brainwashed Captain of Guard Shining Armor in tow.

Despite being discovered, Chrysalis had been able to feast on so much love that she used her overflowing magic to defeat Princess Celestia and prevent the Elements of Harmony from wielding their power, summoning her hive to occupy Canterlot and feast.

What followed was one of the most chaotic battles the ponies of Equestria had ever experienced as the changeling swarm descended upon the ancient city. The vastly outgunned and outnumbered Equestrian Royal Guard units mounted a desperate resistance on the streets. It seemed that all hope was lost.

It was only when the real Cadance, freed by Twilight, turned the love collected on her behalf against Chrysalis, and freed Captain Shining Armor. He was able to quickly repower Canterlot's powerful magical shielding. In one fell swoop, the Changelings were repulsed from the pony capital.

Twilight Sparkle and her gunner, Pinkie Pie, engage changeling doppelgangers with high powered unicorn combat magic. The techniques here would become inspiration for the development of dedicated mage companies.

This battle was the first true wake-up call for Equestria, and would begin to spark tentative interest in military preparedness and practice. Even the Elements of Harmony were forced to engage in combat to succeed.

The New Hive

This defeat brought Chrysalis to the brink of a breakdown. With this failure, the hives once again fractured and split. But instead of giving up, she nursed this grudge into a relentless drive to take revenge against Equestria. And in 1006, she finally reunited the hives under her banner.

Olenian scouts and seers begin to report strange sightings - changeling hives that had ceased their internal squabbles, instead building and working together. More organised, more numerous border raids led by increasingly professional forces. The changelings had always been an industrial, technological race, but recent weaponry showed unprecedented advances over their southern neighbours. The modern Changeling Military now features the most developed Army and Air Force in the world.

With these tools at her disposal, the Changelings hope to overcome their enemies with ease, so long as they can keep this technological advantage.

Dissenting Voices

Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot cost the changelings heavily. The defeat was quickly followed by dissatisfaction with her standing as leader. A strong Queen brought food and victory to the Hive. Chrysalis had proven herself weak. Acting promptly, Chrysalis moved quickly to purge high ranking dissenters, especially amongst her powerful generals. However, Chrysalis cannot be everywhere, and the whispers continue. One such changeling has begun to spoke beyond a whisper. Thorax, a dissenting drone, has been suggesting a new possibility for this industrial world - why not trade with willing Olenians for love and sign a non-aggression pact with Equestria? This would guarantee both food and safety for the hives.

A Second War

The Queen knows that her young, unified Nation is not yet ready to take on the ponies, though. She must bide her time and focus on further development and expansion before she can truly grasp for revenge.

Luckily, opportunity presents itself with a valid and easy target for conquest. The Kingdom of Olenia to the south is in political turmoil and is militarily weak. In such a crippled state, it would be more than easy to walk in and seize the land for themselves. The deer might just be the first ones to feel the combined might and fury of the Changelings

Soon, the ponies shall tremble, and the Changelings will reign supreme!

National Focus

Changeling Lands Focus Tree

Main article: Changeling Lands national focus tree/scriptoutput

The Changeling Lands focus tree consists of seven separate trees:

An industry + Olenia/Polar Bear expansion tree, under Thoraxian Betrayal/Destroy Thoraxian Resistance
An Army Reorganization tree, under Finalize Reorganization
An Army tree, under Vitalise The Heer
An Air Force tree, under Reform The Luftwaffe
A Navy tree, under Promote Mimic to Hivesadmiral/Promote Lysander to Hivesadmiral
An Equestrian conquest expansion tree, under Plan "Alicorn Sunset"
The post-Equestrian defeat tree, under Pax Chrysalia

At the start, only the industry + Olenia/Polar Bear conquest tree and the Army Reorganization tree are available. All other trees are locked.

The Army, Air Force, and Navy Trees are unlocked when the Army Reorganization tree is completed.
The Equestrian conquest tree is unlocked when Olenia has capitulated to the Changelings, or if Equestria goes to war with the Changelings before the that.
The Pax Chrysalia tree is unlocked when Equestria has capitulated.

Industry + Olenia/Polar Bear Conquest Tree

The first tree begins with consolidating the hives under Chrysalis' leadership, leading into the industry tree which contains both research slots, as well as war goals and subsequent investment into Olenia and the Polar Bears. Dealing with Olenia is required to unlock the war goal tree.

Army Reorganization Tree

The Army Reorganization tree gradually weakens and eventually replaces the Reorganization in the Armed Forces national spirit with a positive national spirit. The final choice between Changeling School of War and Griffon School of War grants the replaced national spirit different bonuses; the Changeling school focuses on offensive bonuses, while the Griffon school focuses on defensive bonuses.

Army/Navy/Air Force Trees

The military trees can not be started until the Army Reorganization tree is finished and either the Changeling or Griffon School of War is chosen. Each tree focuses on bonuses to its respective section, giving equipment, research bonuses and national spirits.

Equestria Conquest Tree

The war goal tree mainly focuses on the inevitable war with Equestria. Lead the Armies is the central focus of this tree: it takes 100 days to complete, cannot be cancelled manually, and when it completes, Changelings Lands will automatically declare war on Equestria. If Equestria collapsed into Civil War, then the focus will have the Changelings declare war on all Civil War participants and secessionists in addition to Equestria.

Many focuses like Death or Dishonor can only be taken once the war begins, and give wartime spirits which can aid a player's advance.

Once at war with Equestria, the Infiltrate Equestria focus can be used to send spies into Equestria. This will unlock an espionage operation which, if successful, will give Equestria a negative National Spirit. This cannot be removed quickly by the Equestrian player without very large expenditures of PP (150 for a 1.5 year removal time, 300 for a 200 day time, 500 for a 150 day time).

Whilst the idea is active, Changelings can also take Spies in High Places, which gives the Changelings another espionage operation. If the operation is successful, the Changelings will gain the National Spirit Spy Network, granting (Daily PP Gain +0.15, Research Speed +5.00%, Own operative detection chance offest: -0.25%).

After Equestria, there are also secondary war goals on Stalliongrad and Nova Griffonia which can be taken at any time, and later ones on the Penguins and Yaks which are only available after Equestria has capitulated.

Pax Chrysalia Focus Tree

The Changeling Pax Chrysalia Tree

While the Equestrian armies may have been felled by the Changeling war machine, the struggles of the Heer are not over yet. For even as celebrations ring back in the hives, the civilian populace continues to rebel against their occupiers, and the Harmonic Resistance is an ever-present thorn in the regime. Queen Chrysalis has proclaimed the Pax Chrysalia, but the changelings who guard their newfound territories know that the true war is anything but over.

Once Equestria has capitulated and you own all its former territories, the Changeling Lands shift into its second phase of gameplay. This part is drastically different from the first, focusing less on warfare and more on consolidation and suppression. There is no nation to send your armies into here: correct decision making and preparation is key.

The focus tree can be roughly split into six areas:

Love harvesting (The Liebessammeldienst)
Industrial expansion (Minions for the Queen)
Resistance suppression (Rule of the High Tower)
Occupation consolidation (Triumph of the Hives)
The Coronation (Jewel in the Crown)
The situation in the Everfree Forest (Subjugate the Everfree)

A smart idea is to not focus on one or two of these branches alone, and instead do strategic focuses that you need at that moment. The player's main goal in this focus tree is to collect points to unlock the Occupation Consolidation decisions and weaken the Anti-Changeling Insurgency national spirit, and collect a variety of other national spirits and mechanics that can make the occupation easier.

Love Harvesting

This section of the focus tree focuses on the Love Harvest and Consumption mechanics (detailed above). Focuses in this focus tree branch grant extra Erots of love, and improve the efficiency of Love extraction and consumption.

Industrial Expansion

The industrial part of the Pax Chrysalia tree is rather small, and despite what most would assume it isn't centered around more factories in the hives. Instead, this branch of the tree increases the amount of industry that the hives can use from their conquered Equestrian territory, including a new occupation law that gives more resources at the cost of increased garrisons, as well as state modifiers and national spirits that increase production.

Resistance Suppression

As the title indicates, this branch is focused on suppressing the Harmonic Resistance across Equestria. A substantial amount of points needed to deal with the insurgency can be located in these focuses, which also give increases to compliance, decreases to resistance, and national spirits relating to both. Multiple hidden technologies are also researched in these focuses which provide bonuses to suppression.

Occupation Consolidation

Though some of the effects of this branch will most likely be unable to be taken advantage of immediately after you complete them, they provide very important and substantial buffs for when you are able to use them. These include dynamic modifiers based off of compliance in Equestria, military research bonuses and a national spirit which can help lower the resistance problem as long as you have the extra garrisons to afford it.

Arguably the most important focuses here are Regional Commissariats and Prep the Siedlungsplan.

Regional Commissariats unlocks a new occupation law of the same name, which can be used when the average resistance for an occupied country is <30%, and the average compliance is >30%. When implemented, the occupation law grants:
- Local Resources: +10%
- Local Factories: +15%
- Resistance Target: -25%
- Resistance Decay Speed: +25%
- Damage to Garrisons: -50%
- Required Garrisons: -50%
- Daily Compliance Gain: +0.005%
Prep the Siedlungsplan unlocks the Siedlungsplan Expansionism decisions (detailed above). These decisions allow the colonized states to rapidly become free of resistance and grant access to much more of the state's ponypower.

The Coronation

While not technically locked behind the other branches, the Coronation is usually the branch done last as to start it you need Equestria to be on the Regional Commissariat occupation law. The focuses within entirely focus on the state of Canterlot in preparation for Chrysalis' coronation as Empress Regnant of Canterlot and Equestria, and provide quite a few state modifiers to the capital of former Equestria. Should everything go well, the failure and humiliation of 1002 will finally be avenged, and the Pax Chrysalia will usher in a new age for the Changeling race for the next thousand years!

Everfree Forest

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

The starting situation of the Everfree Forest.

About one and a half years into the Pax Chrysalia, the event "Retreat from the Everfree" will be triggered. Monster and partisan attacks originating from the Everfree Forest rises sharply, and the Heer garrissoning the area is forced to retreat. This spawns a nation named Everfree Forest on the states of Everfree Forest and Castle of the Two Sisters. Everfree Forest is a Detached Country, meaning that the Changelings cannot interact with it diplomatically. The focus tree Subjugate the Everfree will be unlocked, and the descriptions of focuses in this branch will be unredacted.

If Subjugate the Everfree is not taken, the event "The Everfree in Anarchy" will be triggered approximately two months later. If the focus is taken, then the event will be triggered when the focus is progressing (meaning that it happens sooner). Either way, the Everfree Forest reveals its true form: Zecora's Resistance. It will gain a dozen divisions and declare war on the Changelings.

Under the leadership of witch doctor Zecora, magic-using partisans engage in hit-and-run tactics against Changeling troops, monsters run wild across the forest, and the forest itself expands at an exponential rate, rolling over everything in its path and turning its interior into an infinitely dense jungle of death. The Changelings estimate that they have under two months to contain the Everfree Forest before the Heer completely loses control over central Equestria.

War with the Everfree

The Everfree Forest is not a nation that the player can just send tanks or infantry in to capitulate. The Everfree Forest's inherent terrain trait already puts enormous maluses on divisions inside the forest, but under Zecora, the Everfree Forest gains a new state trait: The Everfree Forest Rampant, an enormous malus that grants:

Air Mission Efficiency: -150%
Air Accidents Chance: +150%
Division Speed: -150%
Division Attack: -150%
Division Defense: -150%
Division Attrition: --REDACTED--
Organisation Regain: -150%
Chance to Get Sick: +150%

In practise, sending any division into the forest causes them to instantly lose all organization and die when any of Zecora's divisions touches them. Zecora's divisions are also unaffected by the maluses put on by the magically-empowered Everfree Forest, since Zecora has the national spirit Everfree Resistance, which grants:

Everfree Resistance

Division Organization: +25%

Reconnaissance: +25%

Division Recovery Rate: +25%

Surrender Limit: +25%

War Support: +25%

Division Attack: +25%

Division Defense: +25%

Negates all maluses from the Everfree Forest.

In addition, Zecora also receives the +25% Division Defense on core territory bonus from the Everfree Forest terrain trait.

Additionally, the rapid growth of the forest is represented with a special game mechanic: after the war starts, once every day, a number of provinces (tiles) next to the states controlled by the Everfree Forest will immediately come under control of the forest, and these provinces will also gain the Everfree Forest terrain trait (though not The Everfree Forest Rampant state trait). It is highly recommended to station divisions on every tile next to the Everfree Forest before the war begins to surround and cut off their expansion.

Containing the Everfree

In order to contain the growth of the Everfree so the Changelings can even have a chance to root out Zecora's resistance, the Changelings plans to use every military asset and advanced technology they have to crush the magical menace.

The containment of the Everfree Forest is tracked with a Mission named Taming the Forest. The mission lasts 60 days, and if failed, the Everfree Forest will overrun the Changeling forces and force them to withdraw. If it is successfully executed, the Changelings will stop the Everfree Forest's growth, giving them a chance to move in and root out the partisans.

Completing Taming the Forest requires the following prerequisites:

The Changelings must have full control of Canterlot
The focuses Fall Grün, Fall Gelb, and Fall Rot must be completed.
Either the decision Operation Durchbruch or Operation Fernauf (which are revealed alongside Taming the Forest) must be completed.
No aspect of the Changelings' strategy must be compromised; when the Fall Grün, Fall Gelb, and Fall Rot focuses are completed, each one will trigger an event with two choices, and each of these three events has one choice that will compromise the strategy and make Taming the Forest impossible.

The detailed prerequisites and effects of the focuses and decisions mentioned in Taming the Forest are as follows:

Focuses:

Fall Grün: The Changelings will mass deploy carnivorous moss spores as a defoliant to eat up the forest. Requires the technology Magical Munitions from the Changeling racial tech tree to either be researched or being researched.
- In the event triggered by this focus, industrialist Finicus Vesali informs Generalmajor Jachs that the strain of moss spores currently used by the Heer is a weaker strain, and Finicus has a stronger strain.
- Choosing to stick to the original strain will compromise the strategy, while choosing to switch to the better strain will not.
Fall Gelb: The Changelings will detonate a nuclear weapon in the Everfree Forest. Requires the technology Atomic Research from the electronics tech tree to either be researched or being researched.
- In the event triggered by this focus, Queen Chrysalis makes an order to shift the target of the nuclear weapon away from their original target, the Castle of the Two Sisters, so the castle can be preserved.
- Choosing to change the target will compromise the strategy, while choosing to strike the original target will not.
Fall Rot: The Changelings will begin an enormous firebombing campaign to burn up the forest. Requires at least 400 fighters, 400 strategic bombers and 800 tactical bombers in deployment.
- In the event triggered by this focus, Finicus makes a request to Jachs to scale back the firebombing campaign to preserve parts of the forest for future scientific study. Jachs rebuffs him by saying that the Heer's only goal is to stop the forest by any means necessary.
- Choosing to side with Finicus and scaling back the firebombing campaign will compromise the strategy, while choosing to side with Jachs and not scale back the campaign it will not.

Decisions:

Operation Durchbruch: The Changelings will launch an armored spearhead with armored trains and tanks. Requires the focus The Panzerzugkorps to have been completed. Costs 30 Command Power, 25 PP, and 14 days to complete.
Operation Fernauf: The Changelings will launch a special scouting operation with elite special forces regiments. Requires the focus Jagdkommando Brigades to have been completed. Costs 30 Command Power, 25 PP, and 14 days to complete.

Defeating the Everfree

When Taming the Forest is completed, the forest will fail to hold up against the relentless Changeling assault and stop its spread, losing its ability to spread every day and the The Everfree Forest Rampant state trait. However, the war isn't over yet, and Zecora's partisans will make their last stand, spawning a large amount of divisions for the country.

In order to finally achieve victory over the partisans, however, the Changelings must occupy every single tile of both the Everfree and the Castle of the Two Sisters at once. Both states will constantly come back under control of the resistance, so garrisoning the whole state is the only way to maintain 100% occupation. Once that is done, Zecora's Resistance will capitulate and be automatically annexed back into the Changeling Lands. It will also give one Resistance Suppression point.

Defeated by the Everfree

The expanded Everfree Forest, should the Changelings fail to defeat it in time.

If Taming the Forest is not completed after 60 days, Zecora's resistance will automatically annex Ponyville, Summerdale, Froggy Bottom Bogg, and Rambling Rock Ridge, sign a white peace with the Changelings, and return to being Everfree Forest. Since the Everfree Forest is a detached nation, the Changelings will no longer be able to interact with it and attempt to defeat it again.

Spoiler end.

Technology

Army	Naval	Air	Tech / Industry
Primitive Weapons Muzzle-loaders Breech-Loaded Rifles Bolt-Action Rifles Truck Basic Armored Car Support Equipment Engineer Company I Recon Company I Military Police I Civilian train Pre-Industrial Artillery Artillery Anti-Air Anti-Tank With No Step Back Early Tank Development 1005 Light 1007 Light 1005 Medium 1005 Heavy Converted Tractor Engines Welded Armour Without No Step Back Early Tank L. Tank I L. Tank II H. Tank I	Modernised Coastal Submarine Fleet Submarine Designated Landing barges With Man the Guns: Torpedo Boat Destroyer Hydrophone Basic Depth Charge Enlarged Destroyer Scout and Armoured Cruisers Improved Airplane catapult Escort and Upgunned Cruisers Basic Cruiser Armor Scheme Inclined Belt Armor Scheme Fast Battleships and Dreadnoughts Long range battleships Deck Conversions Naval Gunnery Basic Light Battery Basic Medium Battery Basic Heavy Battery Basic Torpedo Improved Ship Torpedo Launcher Contact Mine Minelaying Submarine Without Man the Guns: Torpedo Boat Destroyer Enlarged Destroyer Scout Cruiser Escort Cruiser Late Armoured Cruiser Upgunned Cruiser Fast Battleship Late Dreadnought Long-Range Battleship Flat Deck Cruiser Hippogrifian-Style Carrier	With By Blood Alone: Early Small Airframe Basic Small Airframe Early Medium Airframe Basic Medium Airframe Aerial Bombs Aerial Photo Reconnaissance Dedicated Aircraft Machine Guns Dedicated Aircraft Engines Applied Wartime Construction Experience Without By Blood Alone: Early Fighter Basic Fighter Early Bomber	Central Fire Control Organised Fuel Storage Synthetic Material Experiments Systemised Naphtha Refineries
Doctrine			Racial
Mobile Warfare	Trade Interdiction	None	Jagers I

Designers, concerns and theorists

Tank Designers
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Aurelia Armoury	Heavy Tank Designer	None	Armor Research Speed: +15% Armor technology: Hard attack: +5% Armor: +5% Armored Car: Hard attack: +5% Armor: +5%	150
Carapace Motors	Mobile Tank Designer	None	Armor Research Speed: +15% Armor technology: Max Speed: +5% Reliability: +10% Armored Car: Max Speed: +5% Reliability: +10%	150
KLA Arsenal	Medium Tank Designer	None	Armor Research Speed: +15% Armor technology: Soft attack: +5% Reliability: +5% Armored Car: Soft attack: +5% Reliability: +5%	150

Ship Designers
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Eiskaltenseen	Celestial Sea Fleet Designer	None	Naval Research Speed: +15% Carrier: HP: +10% Armor: +50% Capital Ships: Armor: +10% Heavy Attack: +10%	150
NG Shipyards	Raiding Fleet Designer	None	Naval Research Speed: +15% Carrier: Surface Visibility: −10% Max Speed: +10% Capital Ships: Surface Visibility: −10% Max Speed: +10% Heavy Attack: −10% Screens: Surface Visibility: −10% Max Speed: +10% Submarine: Surface Visibility: −10% Sub Visibility: −10% Max Speed: +10%	150

Aircraft Designers
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Svarm Aircraft	Light Aircraft Designer	None	Air Research Speed: +15% Small Airframe: Agility: +10% Max Speed: +10% Carrier Fighter Airframe: Agility: +10% Max Speed: +10%	150
Vespidae	CAS Designer	None	Air Research Speed: +15% Close Air Support Airframe: Ground Attack: +10% Reliability: +10% Carrier CAS Airframe: Ground Attack: +10% Reliability: +10%	150
United Wing Association	Medium Aircraft Designer	None	Air Research Speed: +15% Heavy Fighter Airframe: Reliability: +20% Medium Airframe: Reliability: +20% Scout Plane Airframe: Reliability: +20%	150
Fagus Vraksis Aeronautics	Heavy Aircraft Designer	None	Air Research Speed: +15% Large Airframe: Strat. Bombing: +10% Transport Plane: Range: +10%	150
KLA Bureau	Naval Aircraft Designer	None	Air Research Speed: +15% Naval Bomber Airframe: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10% Carrier Naval Bomber Airframe: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10% Carrier Fighter Airframe: Range: +10% Agility: +10% Carrier CAS Airframe: Range: +10% Naval Attack: +10%	150

Materiel Designers
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Eiskaltenseen Artillery	Artillery Designer	None	Artillery Research Speed: +15%	150
Nidhogg Industries	Infantry Equipment Designer	None	Weapons and Equipment Research Speed: +15%	150
OCA	Motorized Equipment Designer	None	Motorization Research Speed: +15% Motorized Rocket Artillery Research Speed: +50%	150

Industrial Concerns
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Main Hive Industries	Industrial Concern	None	Industrial Research Speed: +15%	150
Mayfly Electronics	Electronics Concern	None	Electronics Research Speed: +15%	150

Theorists
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Trimmel	Blitzkrieg Theorist	Does not have chief of army Trimmel	Mobile Warfare Doctrine Cost: −15% Armor technology: Max Speed: +10%	150
Slypha	Close Air Support Proponent	None	Battlefield Support Doctrine Cost: −15%	150
Glaive	Air Warfare Theorist	None	Air Doctrine Cost: −10%	100
Fylifa	Nuclear Scientist	None	Nuclear Research Speed: +15%	100
Legus	Rocket Scientist	None	Rocket Research Speed: +15% See description: Dr. Legus, B.Sc., B.A.Sc., M.Eng., Sc.D.	100

Politics

National spirits

Canterlot Defeat

Daily Political Power Gain: -0.20
Stability: +3.50%
War Support: +5.00%
Ideology drift defense: +45.0%
Damage to Garrisons: -5.00%
Required Garrisons: -5%

Despite ending in failure, Chrysalis came tantalisingly close to capturing Canterlot and control over Equestria. 5 years later, Canterlot Defeat still leaves its marks on the changeling society. Queen's government used it to cultivate hatred towards Equestria and ponies. However there are still changelings that doubt the competence of the Queen and her government.

Political Divisions

Daily Political Power Gain: -0.50
Recruitable Population: -0.70%
Consumer Goods Factories: 5.0%
Stability: -20.00%
War Support: -20.00%
Cannot train units, disband units, or edit unit templates.

While the changelings share the same goals, there are disagreements as to how they should be achieved. This may lead to future conflicts within the nation.

Changeling-Griffonian Attache

Army Experience Gain: +0.03 daily
Maximum Command Power Increase: -20
Land Doctrine Cost: +3%
Armor Research Speed: +6%

A Changeling military mission is present in the Griffonian Empire. Their designs are, in general, improving the quality of Imperial Tanks. Thanks to this, the designs are seeing much practical use throughout the Empire, giving the Changelings feedback on their design, an arrangement practical for both nations.

Reorganization in the Armed Forces

Daily Political Power Gain: -0.15
Army Experience Gain: +0.02 daily
Naval Experience Gain: +0.02 daily
Air Experience Gain: +0.02 daily
Navy Organization: -10%
Training time: +10.00%
Planning Speed: -10.0%
Bad Weather Penalty: +10.00%
Maximum Command Power Increase: -30
High Command Cost: +30%
Army Chief Cost: +30%
Navy Chief Cost: +30%
Air Chief Cost: +30%

The changeling military structure is undergoing significant reforms as it abandons the old style of warfare, based on mass swarm attacks, and adopts heavy mechanised and aerial support. Chief proponent of this modernisation is Hivesmarschall Trimmel, supported by Queen Chrysalis and aided by the Griffonian attaché.

Pre-Emptive War Bonds

Consumer Goods Factories: -5%
Construction speed: +15.00%

As we are gearing up for looming conquests, Queen Chrysalis has decided to sell war bonds before the war formally starts. This will let us rapidly industrialize and get an edge on our future enemies.

Will be removed 31 December 1007.

Political parties

Political parties
Name	Ideology		Leader	Popularity
Queen's Leadership		Autocracy Supremacy	Queen Chrysalis	74%
Thoraxian Party		Benevolent Absolutism Harmony	Thorax	6%
Communist Coalition		Equestrian Socialism Communism	Gold Muffin	15%
Military Junta		Military Government Non-Aligned	Hivesmarschall Synovial	5%

Leaders

Starting leaders
Leader	Leader		Ideology and party		Traits	Description	Comes to power by
Queen Chrysalis		Autocracy Supremacy Queen's Leadership	Warmonger AI Modifier: Focus on Offense: +50% AI Modifier: Focus on Peace: −15%	Ruler and despot of the Changeling Hives, Queen Chrysalis was the first of her race to unite them under one banner. From her hatching in 930, she has proven to be an exceptional individual. Being the only child of the dead Queen of Vesalipolis, she was raised with extreme care and given best possible education, which made her spoiled and arrogant, but also intelligent, determined and firm. She was crowned in 945 and fended off an attack from Vraks with her army. Soon after, the Vesalipolis-Ditrysium axis was formed, and it would be the embryo for united Changeling Lands. Under her leadership, other hive queens either joined her voluntarily or were forced into submission. She became the sole absolute ruler of her species in 988, but her ambitions only continued to grow. She plotted to coup and invade Equestria, and executed her plans in 1002. Chrysalis herself replaced Princess Cadence and had fooled nearly everyone, and had even bested Princess Celestia. It was by mere fluke that her victory was snatched away from her grasp and her people banished to the frozen North. Clearly infiltration alone is not enough to reclaim what is rightfully hers, and Chrysalis recognises the need of a powerful and modern military. Any opposition and protest to her despotic reign is swiftly crushed as she prepares to redeem her honour, or die trying.
Thorax		Benevolent Absolutism Harmony Thoraxian Party	None	An outcast among the Hives, Thorax is one of the first supporters of Harmony among the changelings. His belief that love can be obtained with friendship and peaceful trading with their neighbours has been slowly catching on among the despondent drones, who feel their lives are being thrown away in pursuit of militaristic expansion. Nonetheless, Thorax's ideas are a minority in the Hives and he is mostly despised by the Hive Queens, who see his vision as detrimental to the changelings as whole. That has changed after the Changelings' defeat in the Great War, and now Thorax leads the reformed nation into a bright future, hoping to show the world that they're not all monsters.
Gold Muffin		Equestrian Socialism Communism Communist Coalition	None	None
Hivesmarschall Synovial		Military Government Non-Aligned Military Junta	None	None
Post-1007 leaders [may contain spoilers]
Leader	Leader		Ideology and party		Traits	Description	Comes to power by
Keisarinna Velvet Jelzek		Benevolent Absolutism Harmony Thoraxian Party	None	Queen Velvet, the only child of King Aldar II, is respected and beloved by the deer of Olenia.

Political Advisors

Political Advisors
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Greeneyed	Prince of Terror	None	Non-Core Ponypower: +2% Foreign subversive activities efficiency: −30% Damage to Garrisons: −25%	150
Silver Sheckels	Captain of Industry	None	Civilian Factory construction speed: +10% Infrastructure construction speed: +10% Railway construction speed: +10% Refinery construction speed: +10%	150
Commoragh	War Industrialist	None	AI Modifier: Focus on War Production: +10% Military Factory construction speed: +10% Dockyard construction speed: +10% Fuel Silo construction speed: +10%	150
Queen Helvia	Queen of Ditrysium	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	Naval Experience Gain: +0.02 Amphibious Invasion Speed: +10% Dockyard Output: +15% Economy Laws Cost: −10% Unlocks a decision to recall a skilled admiral. See description: The young queen of the thriving port hive of Ditrysium is interested in commercial expansion and increase of naval production. While Ditrysium was the first major hive to ally Vesalipolis, Helvia is not as fond of Chrysalis as her predecessor. The debacle of 1002 eventually led to communist sailors rioting in Ditrysium and Chrysalis crushed the resistance personally without asking Helvia. However, she is pragmatic and knows maintaining good relations with Vesalipolis is ultimately a positive thing.	150
Queen Aurantia	Queen of Lyctida	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	Factory Repair Speed: +5% Infrastructure construction speed: +5% Railway construction speed: +5% Civilian Factory construction speed: +2.5% See description: The aging queen of the industrial hive-city of Lyctida is able to provide resources and lumber for our railroads and military equipment. Ever since Chrysalis lead her alliance to save Lyctida from marauding deer zealots, she has been her most loyal supporter. She always strives to earn Chrysalis' favour, but she in turn sees Aurantia as a useful and reliable pawn until she eventually dies from old age.	150
Queen Yaria	Queen of Soryth	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	Magic Research Speed: +5% Research Speed: +2% See description: Queen of the largest northern hive of Soryth, which lies on the shore of the Key Lake. The Key Lake is known for its concentration of magical energy. Magic helped changelings of Soryth to survive harsh northern weather for generations. Queen Yaria believes that thorough study of magical abilities of crystals is vital for future success of the changeling nation. She is one of the queens who joined Chrysalis voluntarily and genuinely believes she can lead their race to greatness. In her eyes, changelings have the same potential for magic abilities as unicorns, if they only develop it enough.	150
Queen Argynnis	Queen of Vraks	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	Production Efficiency Retention: +5% Civilian to Military Factory conversion cost: −5% Military Factory construction speed: +2.5% See description: The martial hive of Vraks has always had a tenuous relationship with Vesalipolis, at best. The two had for centuries engaged in skirmishes and raids before Vraks attacked the other hive with full force but was repelled by Chrysalis and her allies from Ditrysium. In 971 Chrysalis struck back with an expanded alliance and crushed Vraks, whose Queen committed suicide rather than face Chrysalis' wrath. Her oldest hatchling, Argynnis, thus became Queen. She holds no grudge against Chrysalis and recognizes her might, but never skips an opportunity to make a mocking, sarcastic comment if she fails.	150
Vaspier Orn Kladisium	The Great Imperial Nobody	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	With La Résistance DLC: Operative slots: +2 Own operative detection chance factor: −15% Enemy operative detection chance factor: +10% Agency upgrade time: −5% Without La Résistance DLC: Subversive activities cost: −15% Foreign subversive activities efficiency: −15% Ideology drift defense: +20% Resistance Target: −5% Own operative detection chance factor: −15% Enemy operative detection chance factor: +10% See description: Initially born in one of the most rural areas of the Changeling hivelands near the Gorak hive, Vaspier has become a key figure of the Changeling administration, even if no one knows it. Sent to gain a higher education by his family after he showed a quick mind from an early age, Vaspier soon became involved with his nation's political struggles. He was one of the changelings who signed on quickly to Chrysalis' bid to unite the hives, and served as her intel gatherer from that point on. From this position, he built the Changeling intelligence agency, VOPS, into a force to be reckoned with. It was, in fact, his hoof that guided the operation of Chrysalis' first attack on Canterlot. That failure damaged his reputation, and since then, he has worked even harder to make himself useful to his Queen. And in this, he has succeeded. The VOPS is the most secretive intelligence agency around, and it is from this that his nickname derives.	150

Economy

Laws and Development

Laws and Development
Conscription Law	Trade Law	Economy Law
Volunteer Only Recruitable Population: 1.50%	Limited Exports Construction Speed: +5.00% Research Speed: +1.00% Factory Output: +5.00% Dockyard Output: +5.00% Resources to Market: +25% Trade deal opinion factor: -30.00% Civilian intelligence to others: +10.0% Navy intelligence to others: +5.0%	Early Mobilization Industrial Research Speed: +2% Consumer Goods Factories: 30.0% Fuel Gain per Oil: -25.00% Infrastructure construction speed: +5.00% Military Factory construction speed: -10.00% Civilian Factory construction speed: -10.00%
Scientific Development	Society Development	Illiteracy
Developed Science Base No penalties	Modern Society No penalties	Negligible Illiteracy No penalties
Poverty	Race
Negligible Poverty No penalties	Changeling Uses Changeling Racial Tree

Industry and Resources

Factories
Military Factories	Naval Dockyards	Civilian Factories	Fuel Silos	Synthetic Refineries
14	10	21 (-10)	1	1

Numbers in red indicate the number of civilian factories required to produce consumer goods, based on economy laws and the total number of military and civilian factories, rounded up.

Resources
Oil	Aluminum	Rubber	Tungsten	Steel	Chromium	Crystal
33 (-8)	12 (-3)	3 (-1)	22 (-6)	32 (-8)	0	19 (-5)

Numbers in red indicate how many resources are reserved for export due to trade laws.

Military

Army

Army
	Type	No.
	Infanterie Division	7
	Queen's Guard	1
	Jager Division	4
	Grenzinfanterie	5
	Panzer Division	3
	Motorisierte Infanterie	5
	Total divisions	25
	Ponypower used	196.90k

When the No Step Back expansion is enabled the Changeling Lands gain the army command spirits "Embrace the Future" and "Motorization Drive"

Field Marshal
Field Marshal	Traits	Description	Skills	Race
Field Marshal Trimmel	Panzer Marshal An unparalleled expert with Tanks and Mechanised forces. Armor speed: +5% Armor Attack: +5% Armor Defense: +5% Motorized Attack: +5% Mechanized Attack: +5% Politically Connected This leader has political connections which has smoothed the way for his career. Perhaps too quickly. Leader Experience Gain: −10% Promotion Cost: −50% Organizer Able to plan and organize the movement of large armies. Planning Speed: +10%	See description: Born: 17 May, 973 in Gardis Rank: Hivesmarschall Biography: Born to a low level administrator of the Hive of Gardis, Trimmel Eugen Heydrich Zu Gardis has always been destined for service to the state. Second born to his parents, he was generally viewed as the spare and allowed to choose his education as he saw fit, whereas his older sister was groomed for inheriting their dynastic position. Thus with such freedom in choice Trimmel chose the one thing he excelled at: War. At age 18 Trimmel joined the local 124th Infantry Regiment as an ensign, in 992 he was moved to begin studying at the Officer Cadet School in Vesalipolis. He graduated in November 993 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in January the following year where he was posted to various locations in Equestria after being assigned to 46th Infiltrator Brigade. Serving with distinction in the Winter Revolution of Stalliongrad along with the rest of the Changelings supporting the nascent communist revolt, his first combat experience was on 22 December 995 as a platoon commander near Severokholm, when – catching the Equestrian Royal Guard garrison unprepared – Hauptmann Trimmel and three of his infiltrators opened fire on them without ordering the rest of his platoon forward. For his actions throughout the Winter Revolution, Trimmel was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class alongside the medals his Severyana persona had acquired such as the Medal "For the Defence of Petershoof" and Medal "For Battle Merit". Shortly before the end of the conflict he falsified his persona's and infiltrator platoon's death in service to Stalliongrad and returned to the Changeling Lands to be promoted to Oberst and quickly being reassigned back to Equestria to take take over another disguise as an agent in the Equestrian General Staff for the invasion of Equestria in 1002. Whilst his actions severely hampered Equestria's capabilities to respond to Chrysalis' lighting assault on the capital, failure was nonetheless tasted that day. Upon the demotion of Hivemarshall Synovial, Trimmel received his position from Chrysalis as one Oberst who had 'not failed her miserably'. Since then he has reformed the military to adopt his and Chrysalis' image of fast and heavy hitting mobile military force capable of crushing all those who oppose the Changelings. Portrait By: Scroup	Level 5 Attack: 5 Defense: 4 Planning: 4 Logistics: 3	Changeling

Generals
General	Traits	Description	Skills	Race
General Actia Pagala	Love Addiction This changeling is addicted to love essence. It makes them stronger, but the excess of it damages their mental skills. Non-Combat Out of Supply Penalties: −10% Division Organization: −5% Chance to get wounded in combat: −25% Planning: −1	None	Level 4 Attack: 5 Defense: 6 Planning: 1 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Azure Lore	Passionate Inspires their troops to follow them anywhere and often leads the charge personally. Division Speed: +5% Division Attack: +3% Chance to get wounded in combat: +50%	None	Level 2 Attack: 2 Defense: 1 Planning: 1 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Carolina Phymata	Promising Leader This leader has proven to be a quick learner. Leader Experience Gain: +25%	See description: Born: 13 October, 984 in Vesalipolis Rank: Oberst Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 2 Attack: 2 Defense: 1 Planning: 1 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Cimex	Old Guard While not the most brilliant officer, he is unlikely to cause trouble. Leader Experience Gain: −25% Max Entrenchment: +1	See description: Born: 2 December, 946 in Vesalipolis Rank: Generalleutnant Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 3 Attack: 2 Defense: 4 Planning: 2 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Cinctus Araxis	Cautious Takes their time and plans carefully. Planning Speed: −20% Chance to get wounded in combat: −50%	See description: Born: 14 February, 981 in Vesalipolis Rank: Oberst Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 2 Attack: 2 Defense: 1 Planning: 1 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Elvir Roland	Reckless A good officer needs to lead from the front. Planning Speed: +20% Chance to get wounded in combat: +50% Armor Officer Trained as an armor officer. Panzer Leader experience factor: +100% Panzer Leader A natural with Tanks and Mechanized forces. Armor speed: +5% Armor Attack: +16% Desert Fox Entirely at home when fighting in a Desert. Desert: Movement: +5% Attack: +10% Defense: +10%	None	Level 3 Attack: 3 Defense: 2 Planning: 3 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Epargy Clarus	Winter Specialist Possesses an intuitive understanding of the difficulties of fighting in Cold conditions. Winter Attrition: −50%	None	Level 2 Attack: 3 Defense: 2 Planning: 1 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Hermis Thysbe	Brilliant Strategist A natural born strategist that is able to adapt to the dynamics of the battlefield. Attack: +1 Planning: +1 Politically Connected This leader has political connections which has smoothed the way for his career. Perhaps too quickly. Leader Experience Gain: −10% Promotion Cost: −50%	See description: Born: 31 August, 962 in Vesalipolis Rank: Generalleutnant Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 4 Attack: 4 Defense: 3 Planning: 5 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Lacin Cardo	Harsh Leader Discipline is necessary to lead an army, but some leaders take it a bit too far. Division Recovery Rate: −10% Attack: +1 Queen's Guard While all changelings are naturally adept in subterfuge and deception, the Queen's Guard understand the truth of war, battles are won by the merciless application of overwhelming force. Their combat doctrine dictates that any battle where their capacity to fight and willingness to die exceeds that of their enemy is a battle already won — everything else is merely a matter of time and attrition. Leader Experience Gain: −25% Division Recovery Rate: +5% Division Defense on core territory: +5% Infantry Attack: +10% Infantry Defense: −5% General Max Army Size: −20	See description: Born: 12th of March 962 Rank: Generalkapitän Biography: Born into a military family, Lacin Cardo joined the Queen's Guard the day he was old enough. He rose rapidly through the ranks, and was assigned as part of the first attache to the Griffonian Empire. To Lacin, the empire was an eye opener, and he developed a deep fascination with its military and history. While his deep understanding of the empire as well as his zeal served Chrysalis well, his obsession only grew, and in the end she transferred him back to Vesalipolis before it could go too far. Returning home, Lacin was put in charge of modernising the Queen's Guard and integrating them into the new changeling army. He's a zealot who is convinced of the changelings' right to dominance, and he has distinguished himself by a contempt for all those he deems as weak to a point where even among other changelings, he is seen as a hardliner. He is convinced that the changeling hives can become equal to or even superior to the Griffonan empire, and that force is the key. Portrait By: Flake	Level 4 Attack: 7 Defense: 1 Planning: 3 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Larynx	Infantry Officer Trained as an infantry officer. Infantry Leader experience factor: +100%	None	Level 3 Attack: 3 Defense: 3 Planning: 1 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Lascor Erebidae	Engineer Adept in the arts of crossing rivers and constructing field fortifications. River: Attack: +5% Fort: Attack: +10%	See description: Born: 18 November, 978 in Volistad Rank: Generalmajor Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 3 Attack: 2 Defense: 5 Planning: 2 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Latro Mactans	Urban Assault Specialist An expert in Fighting In Someone's House and Causing Havoc In People's Streets. Urban: Movement: +5% Attack: +10% Defense: +10%	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 3 Planning: 1 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Limacus Uptrich	Inflexible Strategist Skilled but stubborn. A good enough plan can survive contact with the enemy. Defense: +1 Logistics: +1 Infantry Leader Skilled at leading infantry in combat. Infantry Defense: +13%	See description: Born: 26 July, 953 in Ditrysium Rank: Generalmajor Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 3 Attack: 1 Defense: 3 Planning: 3 Logistics: 5	Changeling
General Lunason	Cautious Takes their time and plans carefully. Planning Speed: −20% Chance to get wounded in combat: −50% Artillery Leader Skilled at directing artillery in combat. Artillery Defense: +10% Mountaineer An excellent climber and skilled at Mountain warfare. Mountain: Movement: +5% Attack: +10% Defense: +10%	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 1 Planning: 4 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Manti Ligiosa	Career Officer Dedicated to the life as an officer, with ambitions to match. Promotion Cost: −25%	None	Level 2 Attack: 3 Defense: 1 Planning: 2 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Narcys Murx	Reckless A good officer needs to lead from the front. Planning Speed: +20% Chance to get wounded in combat: +50% Harsh Leader Discipline is necessary to lead an army, but some leaders take it a bit too far. Division Recovery Rate: −10% Attack: +1	See description: Born: 2 April, 981 in Vraks Rank: Generalmajor Biography: TBD Portrait By: Scroup	Level 3 Attack: 6 Defense: 1 Planning: 2 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Oecan Fultoni	Media Personality This general will go out of his way to talk to the media and will always try to be in the limelight. Army reassignment duration: +100% Fortress Buster Assaulting a Fort holds no terror for this officer. Fort: Attack: +15%	None	Level 3 Attack: 3 Defense: 2 Planning: 2 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Opteris	Ranger Rangers lead the way, especially when it involves fighting in Forests. Forest: Movement: +5% Attack: +10% Defense: +10%	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 2 Planning: 2 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Osteitis	None	None	Level 2 Attack: 2 Defense: 2 Planning: 2 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Pharynx	Armor Officer Trained as an armor officer. Panzer Leader experience factor: +100%	None	Level 4 Attack: 4 Defense: 3 Planning: 3 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Qwiksis	Talented Coordinator Leadership means picking good soldiers and helping them do their best. Division Speed: +5% Division Organization: +3% Army reassignment duration: +100%	None	Level 2 Attack: 3 Defense: 2 Planning: 1 Logistics: 1	Changeling
General Sooty	Bearer of Artillery Never drop a crate! Artillery Attack: +15% Artillery Officer Trained as an artillery officer. Artillery Leader experience factor: +100%	None	Level 3 Attack: 2 Defense: 4 Planning: 2 Logistics: 2	Polar Bear
General Tetti Rhombi	Bleeding Heart Doesn't like killing. Division Attrition: −10% Experienced soldier losses: −5%	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 2 Planning: 1 Logistics: 3	Changeling
General Thiefio Bit	Reckless A good officer needs to lead from the front. Planning Speed: +20% Chance to get wounded in combat: +50% Trickster Doing the unexpected in combat can give you a large advantage. Reconnaissance: +25%	None	Level 2 Attack: 2 Defense: 2 Planning: 1 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Vect	Armor Officer Trained as an armor officer. Panzer Leader experience factor: +100% Communist Sympathizer Supporter of the communist cause.	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 1 Planning: 3 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Venyx	Organizer Able to plan and organize the movement of large armies. Planning Speed: +10% Winter Specialist Possesses an intuitive understanding of the difficulties of fighting in Cold conditions. Winter Attrition: −50%	None	Level 2 Attack: 1 Defense: 1 Planning: 3 Logistics: 2	Changeling
General Zellix	Infantry Officer Trained as an infantry officer. Infantry Leader experience factor: +100% Engineer Adept in the arts of crossing rivers and constructing field fortifications. River: Attack: +5% Fort: Attack: +10% Urban Assault Specialist An expert in Fighting In Someone's House and Causing Havoc In People's Streets. Urban: Movement: +5% Attack: +10% Defense: +10%	None	Level 1 Attack: 1 Defense: 1 Planning: 1 Logistics: 1	Changeling

Division composition list

Division composition list
Division	Name list	Support companies	Combat battalions
Infanterie Division	Infantry Divisions	Artillery, Recon, Engineer	7x Infantry
Queen's Guards	Queen's Guard Divisions	Artillery, Recon, Engineer	4x Infantry
Jager Divison	Light Infantry Divisions	Artillery, Recon, Engineer	7x Jagers
Grenzinfanterie	Rear-Echelon Divisions		4x Pegasi
Panzer Division	Panzer Divisions	Engineer, Artillery, Motorized Recon	3x Light Tank, 4x Motorized Infantry
Motorisierte Division	Motorized Divisions	Engineer, Artillery, Motorized Recon	8x Motorized Infantry

Tank Variants list

Tank Variants list (With No Step Back)
Name	Chassis	Suspension	Armor^?	Engine^?	Main Armament	Turret	Special Features
Panzer II Ausf. A	Improved Light Tank	Clawbeak	Riveted 2	Gasoline 3	Automatic Cannon	Three Pony Turret	Radio I
Panzer III Ausf. A	Basic Medium Tank	Bogie	Welded 0	Gasoline 2	Small Cannon	Three Pony Turret	Radio I, Smoke Launchers, Additional Machineguns
Panzer I Ausf. A	Basic Light Tank	Clawbeak	Riveted 1	Gasoline 5	Heavy Machine Gun	One Pony Turret	Radio I
A7V*	Early Medium Tank	Bogie	Riveted 3	Gasoline 4	Small Cannon	Medium Fixed Superstructure	Additional Machineguns
Leichttraktor*	Early Light Tank	Clawbeak	Riveted 2	Gasoline 2	Small Cannon	Three Pony Turret	Radio I
* marks a variant as "outdated".

Navy

Navy
	Type	No.
	Battleship	1
	Battlecruiser	4
	Heavy Cruiser	6
	Light Cruiser	16
	Destroyer	34
	Submarine	24
	Total ships	65
	Ponypower used	54.27k

When the No Step Back expansion is enabled the Changeling Lands gains the navy command spirit "Surface Raiders"

Admirals
Admiral	Traits	Description	Skills	Race
Admiral Lysander	Superior Tactician A master of Fleet Positioning. Positioning: +25%	See description: Born: TBA Rank: Generaladmiral Biography: As Commander of the Kriegsmarine's Surface Fleet, Lysander enjoys the control of the biggest ships the Kriegsmarine can muster. He believes that all parts of the fleet must work in tandem, and that one decisive battle can turn the tide of the sea war. He finds Mimic's ideas of hit-and-run tactics irritating, and over time they have become harsh rivals. Portrait By: Neither	Level 3 Attack: 2 Defense: 3 Maneuvering: 1 Coordination: 1	Changeling
Admiral Mimic	Sea Wolf The Sea Wolf is particularly skilled in Convoy Raiding Submarine Attack: +20%	See description: Born: TBA Rank: Generaladmiral Biography: The Commander of the Kriegsmarine's Submarine Fleet, Mimic has always believed firmly in the idea that the changeling fleet must behave as the changelings themselves, being able to strike quickly and vanish into the fog before any counterattack can be mounted. Her doctrinal rivalry with Generaladmiral Lysander has developed into a personal feud, and the two have become bitter political opponents. Portrait By: Scroup	Level 3 Attack: 3 Defense: 2 Maneuvering: 1 Coordination: 1	Changeling

Naval units list

Naval units list (With Man the Guns)
Type	Class	Hull	Engine	# No.	# No.	Design note
BC	Chrysalis	Long Range Battleship	Heavy II	2	2	4x Heavy Battery II, Anti-Air I, Anti-Air II, Fire Control I, Secondary Battery II, Battlecruiser Armor II
BC	Dread*	Long Range Battleship	Heavy II	2		3x Heavy Battery II, Anti-Air I, Fire Control I, 1x Secondary Battery I, Battlecruiser Armor II, Floatplane Catapult I
BB	Queen*	Macawian-Style Battleship Hull	Heavy I	1		1x Heavy Battery II, 2x Anti-Air I, Fire Control I, 2x Secondary Battery I, Battleship Armor I
CA	Mandible	Escort and Upgunned Cruiser	Cruiser II	4	1	3x Heavy Cruiser Battery II, Anti-Air I, Anti-Air II, Fire Control I, Torpedo Launcher I
CA	Fibula*	Escort and Upgunned Cruiser	Cruiser II	2		Heavy Cruiser Battery II, Anti-Air I, Anti-Air II, Hydrophones I, 3x Floatplane Catapult I
CL	Kladisium*	Escort and Upgunned Cruiser	Cruiser II	4	2	2x Light Cruiser Battery II, Anti-Air II, Hydrophones I, Cruiser Armor II, 3x Floatplane Catapult I
CL	Antax	Escort and Upgunned Cruiser	Cruiser II	1	1	3x Light Cruiser Battery II, Anti-Air I, Anti-Air II, Fire Control I, Torpedo Launcher I
CL	Sezemoid*	Scout and Armored Cruiser	Cruiser II	11		Light Cruiser Battery II, Anti-Air I, Fire Control I, 3x Minelaying Rail
DD	Antagonist	Enlarged Destroyer	Light II	10		Light Battery II, Anti-Air I, Fire Control I, 2x Torpedo Launcher I, Depth Charge I
DD	Modiolus*	Enlarged Destroyer	Light II	11		Light Battery II, Anti-Air I, Fire Control I, 2x Torpedo Launcher I, Minelaying Rail
DD	Type 991*	Torpedo Boat Destroyer	Light I	13		Light Battery II, Anti-Air I, Torpedo Launcher I, Minelaying Rail
SS	Type VII	Fleet Submarine	Submarine II	3		2x Torpedo Tubes II
SS	Type II*	Modernised Coastal	Submarine I	14		2x Torpedo Tubes I
SS	Type IX	Cruiser Submarine	Submarine II		8	3x Torpedo Tubes II
* marks a variant as "outdated". Ship type terminology: CV - Carrier BB - Battleship BC -Battlecruiser CA - Heavy cruiser CL - Light cruiser DD - Destroyer SS - Submarine

Air

Air Force
	Type	No.
	Close air support
	Fighter	295
	Naval bomber
	Heavy fighter
	Tactical bomber	100
	Transport plane
	Total planes	395
	Ponypower used	11.30k

Aces
Ace	Modifiers	Plane types
Scolytidae 'Graf Bubi' Argostrosi	Max Air Speed: +8% Air Attack: +10% Agility: +15%	Fighters and Interceptors
Phyllodon 'Sky Terror' Hartling	Max Air Speed: +8% Air Attack: +10% Agility: +15%	Fighters and Interceptors

Intelligence

Operative
Operative	Traits	Description	Skills	Race
Operative Spiracles	Manipulator This operative is an expert at manipulation, giving them a supply of middlemen to make up for their inability to transform. Unfortunately, being stuck as a changeling makes them the clear suspect if an information leak is found. Root Out Resistance mission effects: +20% Enemy intel network strength gain: −10% Own operative detection chance factor: +100% Enemy operative detection chance factor: +10% Enemy operative capture chance: +10% Seducer This Operative has shown an aptitude to get into people's heads - sometimes via the bedroom. Own operative detection chance factor: −20% Infiltration effectiveness: +25% Infiltration risk: −25%	See description: Born: April 4th, 979 Cover Identity: Holiday Biography Spiracles was the smallest and weakest of her many siblings. She was a subpar flyer, was unable to learn to transform her appearance, and was found to have a phobia of extremely loud noise. In spite of this, she endeavored to serve her country any way she could, and was eventually placed in a psychological warfare group called the Special Ambassadors for her prodigious skill at emotional manipulation sans-disguise, an already-rare ability for changelings. She rose through the ranks at lightning speed due to this talent and the organization's rapidly-changing purpose, until it solidified in the form it is in today with her as the highest-ranking field officer. She has written much literature on improving interrogation training and methods, for common soldier and secret police alike and has earned an honorary four-year degree in psychology. Now, she stands as living proof that no matter who you are, the Changeling Lands can find a use for you in its quest for domination.	Level 1	Changeling

Military staff

Chiefs of Army
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Pharynx	Army Maneuver (Expert)	None	Division Speed: +10% Army Experience Gain: +0.30	100 20
Argostrosi	Army Offense (Expert)	None	Army Experience Gain: +0.30 Division Attack: +10% AI Modifier: Focus on Offense: +15%	100 20
Eberron	Army Organization (Expert)	None	Army Experience Gain: +0.30 Division Organization: +8%	100 20
Replica	Army Reformer (Expert)	None	Army Experience Gain: +0.30 Army Experience Gain: +10% AI Modifier: Focus on Military Advancements: +10%	100 20

Chiefs of Navy
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Mimic	Commerce Raiding (Genius)	None	Naval Experience Gain: +0.40 Convoy Raiding Efficiency: +20%	200 10
Lysander	Decisive Battle (Expert)	None	Naval Experience Gain: +0.30 Capital Ship Attack: +10% Capital Ship Armor: +10% Screen Attack: +10% Screen Defense: +10%	100 20

Chiefs of Airforce
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Apantesis	Ground Support (Expert)	None	Air Experience Gain: +0.30 Air Superiority: +10%	100 20
Cercyonis	All-Weather (Expert)	None	Air Experience Gain: +0.30 Bad Weather Penalty: −20%	100 20
Mantis	Air Reformer (Expert)	None	Air Experience Gain: +0.30 Air Experience Gain: +10% AI Modifier: Focus on Aviation: +10%	100 20

Military High Command
Name	Trait	Requirement	Effect	Cost
Elvir Roland	Armor (Expert)	Current ruling party is Supremacist.	Armor Division Attack: +10% Armor Division Defense: +10%	100 20
Thysbe	Infantry (Specialist)	None	Infantry Division Attack: +5% Infantry Division Defense: +10%	50 30
Dedicated General	Army Regrouping (Expert)	None	Division Recovery Rate: +8%	100 20
Lycosidae	Artillery (Specialist)	None	Artillery Attack: +10% Artillery Defense: +5%	50 30
Danaus	Army Logistics (Expert)	None	Division Attrition: −8%	100 20

Strategies and guides

Starting Situation

Political - The Changelings start with the most technologically advanced nation on the planet, with established tank, air and naval forces. Their focuses allow for rapid buildup of their already respectable military base, and they have options for war with both the Polar Bear Communities, which provides bonuses to the Changelings for little effort, and Olenia, which provides more factories and needed resources very early in the game. However, this power will be needed to challenge Equestria, the Changeling's ultimate target. With the largest industrial base in the game but crippling peacetime maluses, Equestria will close the gap as it rearms.

Army - Changelings start with a very strong army that can arguably defeat any force on the planet in a straight fight, and the advanced templates will save a lot of army experience. This includes 6 smaller garrison divisions, 7 infantry divisions, 4 jaegers (light infantry divisions), 5 motorized infantry divisions and 3 light tank divisions, for a total of 190k deployed ponypower, 2.7k motorized and 540 tanks. Apart from the garrison divisions, all forces are fully equipped with standard support (engineers, recon, artillery).

Airforce - Changelings start with 255 Fighter I, 110 Early Fighter, 100 Early Bomber, and two fighter aces, putting them on a solid foundation for expansion.

Navy - Changelings start with 4 Battlecruisers, 1 Battleship, 34 Destroyers, 6 Heavy Cruisers, 16 Light Cruisers and 24 Submarines. They are very advanced in their technology (1007 models for all ship classes aside from Carriers). However, they will still likely struggle against the Equestrian Navy, which starts with two Carriers already deployed and Naval Bomber I tech researched.

However the true strength of the Changeling Navy comes with their completely unique ship model: the Cruiser Submarine. These submarines have a base maximum range of 7000 kilometers, which can be further increased by adding fuel tanks. With these improvements, the player will be able to attack convoys on the eastern coast of Equus and even near the western coast Griffonia. This can effectively cut Equestria off from the precious aluminium deposits in New Mareland, severely hurting their capability to produce aircraft and support equipment.

Gameplay Mechanics

Changeling Demilitarization

If changelings are liberated by Equestria, they will enforce demilitarization on the nation. Changelings will become a puppet, with 0 ponypower, the Disarmed Nation law and set to Civilian Economy. Changelings will not be able to change these restrictions unless remilitarized by their overlord.

Changeling Protectorates

All nations on the continent of Equus have cosmetic localization for being a changeling puppet. However, in addition to this, the Changelings can release portions of Equestrian territory as protectorates. Each protectorate receives all changeling territory. The five potential regions are as follows.

Manehattan Protectorate
Austral Protectorate
Appleloosian Protectorate
Severyana Protectorate
Crystal Protectorate

If the Manehattan Protectorate wasn't formed in two months after Equestria's capitulation, the Equestrian Liberation Front will spawn in Eastern Equestria and declare war on the Changelings. The player will receive the event "Unrest in the East" soon after Equestria's defeat warning about this fact.

When forming the Manehattan Protectorate, an event will be triggered asking if the player wants to play as Manehattan.

A good part of Griffonia also have decisions available to form changeling regional puppets if you are able to conquer them. There are currently seven decisions available.

Herzland Protectorate
Western Griffonia Protectorate
Verenia Protectorate
Griffonstone Protectorate
Southern Griffonia Protectorate
Evi Valley Protectorate
Karthin Protectorate

Sombra and Nightmare Moon

Should Sombra emerge in the Crystal Empire he may seek to create a faction with the Lunar Empire and/or Changelings. He may also propose marriage to Chrysalis, though this has no gameplay benefits other than improved relations between the two countries.

A Sombra-Chrysalis marriage isn't the only crack shipping available to the Changelings either. Can you find the other two?

The Changeling-Griffonian Attache

Two Changeling generals are present in the Griffonian Empire, providing national spirits to both the Griffonian Empire and the Changeling Lands. These attaches can be recalled via decision or will be automatically recalled during the Lead The Armies focus. If they are feeling charitable, the Griffonian Empire may send some gifts with the returning attaches. One attaché, Thranx, has other plans, however...

New Mareland-Sponsored Resistance

After the changelings conquer Equestria, if New Mareland still exists and remained loyalist, a resistance to the changelings will spring up, leading to attacks on infrastructure, military factories, or civilian factories every so often.

The attacks are impossible to prevent, but by this point, the Changelings should have enough civilian factories to offset the attacks. The attacks will be permanently ended if New Mareland is conquered.

The Great Queen's Tower

Available from the start, The Great Queen's Tower is a set of two decisions focusing on the construction of Queen Chrysalis' tower at the center of Vesalipolis. Completing the construction of the tower gives a positive national spirit, and is a prerequisite to a branch of the Pax Chrysalia focus tree.

Decision	Prerequisites	Costs	Effects
Construction of the Tower	Current ruling party is Supremacy.	25 PP, use of 1 Civilian Factory for 70 days
Completion of the Tower	Current ruling party is Supremacy. Construction of the Tower needs to be completed 4 times.	50 PP, use of 2 Civilian Factories for 70 days	Gains National Spirit The Great Queen's Tower, which grants (Division Defense on core territory: +2.5%, Infrastructure construction speed: +2.5%, Civilian Factory construction speed: +2.5%). Political Power +200. Vesalipolis Add 1 Building Slots.

Pax Chrysalia Mechanics

The Greater Changelingia

After the Changelings conquer Equestria, two decisions will be unlocked where Queen Chrysalis can proclaim either Greater Changelingia or the Changeling Queendom. Taking these decisions will rename the country to the selected name, and only one of the two can be taken. Both decisions cost 50 PP and reward 150 PP.

Anti-Changeling Insurgency

Immediately after Equestria capitulates and the Changelings annex it, the Changelings will receive the Anti-Changeling Insurgency national spirit. The national spirit has four levels, going from worst to best: Utter Chaos, Widespread, Sporadic, and Contained. By default, Anti-Changeling Insurgency is on the Utter Chaos level, and grants the following:

Anti-Changeling Insurgency: Utter Chaos

Offensive War Penalty Stability Modifier: -40%

Resistance Target: +40%

Resistance Decay Speed: -40%

Compliance Growth Speed: -40%

Garrison Penetration Chance: +40%

Damage to Garrisons: +40%

Resistance Activity Chance: +40%

Maximum Compliance of Equestrian states under Changeling occupation will be capped at 40%.

Every time the level of the national spirit increases, all negative stats will weaken by 10%, while the Maximum Compliance stat will increase by 20%. The final Contained level of the national spirit has all negative stats at ±10% and no cap on Maximum Compliance.

In order to increase the level of the Anti-Changeling Insurgency national spirit, three decisions unlocked alongside the national spirit will have to be taken. These are:

Suppress the Resistance
Consolidate the Occupation
Promote Compliance & Collaboration

All three decisions have five stages, which must be completed before they are unlocked. These stages are represented by points, and all three decisions start with 0/5 points. These points are rewarded through national focuses and events scattered across the Pax Chrysalia focus tree. If the player is not careful in their decision-making, some points will be permanently lost, and the decisions will become impossible to unlock.

The decisions themselves, once unlocked, cost 25 PP and 14 days of -25% PP Gain to complete, and increase the Anti-Changeling Insurgency level by one upon completion.

Love Extraction & Consumption

The Love Harvest continuous focus.

Once the focus The Liebessammeldienst is complete, the Love extraction and consumption mechanics for the Changeling Lands will be unlocked.

Love, measured in Erots, is primarily acquired through the Changelings special continuous focus, The Love Harvest. The continuous focus steadily grants Erots of love at the cost of increasing resistance strength when it's active. Additional Erots of Love can be gained through the Supplementary Love Acquisition and Supplementary Love Synthesization decisions. Some events and focuses will also grant one-time Love bonuses.

Love can be used for completing national focuses, and for the love consumption decisions that grant temporary bonuses.

However, there is another string attached to this that you must keep a close eye on: The Battalion Cap. If you have more battalions and support companies than your cap allows, then your Love will slowly drain. The further your Love stockpiles dip into the negative, the worse the Love Deficit national spirit becomes, which will apply severe debuffs on your army.

The battalion cap depends on how many states you and your subjects own, and can also be increased later in the focus branch once the average resistance of Equestrian core states goes below 30%. The focuses in the Love extraction branch of the Pax Chrysalia focus tree will also make your Love harvesting methods more efficient as you progress.

Siedlungsplan Expansionism

All the states that can be colonized with the Siedlungsplan Expansionism decisions.

The focus Prep the Siedlungsplan unlocks decisions that allows the Changelings to colonize states in Northwestern Equestria and Crystal Empire. The prerequiesites for the decisions require the target colony state to have <20% Resistance, ≥40% Compliance, and either the Regional Commissariat or Local Police Force occupation law.

The decisions cost 70 PP and require 70 days to finish. Once complete, the colonized state will gain the "Settler-Colony" state modifier, which grants:

Local Non-Core Ponypower: +10%
Monthly Population: +50%
Resistance Target: -50%
Resistance Decay Speed: +50%
Damage to Garrisons: -50%
Recruitable Population: +50%
Daily Compliance Gain: +0.05%

Jäger-Einsatzgruppe

The button to deploy the Jäger-Einsatzgruppe divisions is present on the upper right corner of the state menu.

The focus Jagdkommando Brigades unlocks the ability to deploy Jäger-Einsatzgruppe rapid-response divisions anywhere in the Hegemony. These divisions can be used to suppress resistance or deployed as emergency units.

After the mechanic is unlocked, a button to deploy Jäger-Einsatzgruppe divisions will appear next to the state overlay. The deploy action can be used if the state is owned by either the Changeling Lands, a changeling puppet state, or a member of the Changeling Hegemony. It costs 15 command power and 15 political power to use the deploy action, and doing so will designate the state for a Jagdkommando dispatch and prepare 2 Jagdkommando-Einsatzgruppe divisions for dispatch.

After a state is selected for a Jagdkommando dispatch, another decision will be unlocked in the decision menu to dispatch the Jagdkommando unit to the selected state, which costs 5 political power. The time the dispatch decision takes to complete varies depending on the distance between the selected state and Vesalipolis; on Equus, the decisions take around 1 to 2.5 weeks to complete.

After the dispatch decision completes, 2 Jagdkommando-Einsatzgruppe divisions will spawn in the selected state, and the state's resistance level will decrease by 3%. The Jagdkommando-Einsatzgruppe divisions consist of 6 Jager battalions with Infiltrator, Recon, and Engineer support companies, and are fully equipped, have Seasoned experience, and Elite equipment priority.

The Changeling Lands have a total of 10 Jagdkommando-Einsatzgruppe divisions in reserve; the number decreases when the deploy action is taken, meaning that a total of five states can be designated for dispatch at one time.

Another decision in the decision screen will recall the Jagdkommando-Einsatzgruppe divisions back into reserve; it costs 25 PP and 7 days of -25% Daily Command Power Gain Multipler to take this decision, during which states cannot be selected for Jagdkommando deployment. When this decision completes, all deployed Jagdkommando divisions will despawn, all states designated for a Jagdkommando dispatch will lose their designation status, and the number of Jagdkommando divisions in reserve returns to 10.

One state can only be designated for one dispatch of 2 Jagdkommando divisions at one time.

Gameplay Walkthrough

A playthrough of the Changeling Lands has three main stages: pre-Great War, Great War, and post-Great War.

In the Pre-Great War stage, the Changelings build up their military and conquer the Kingdom of Olenia (and optionally the Polar Bear Communities) in order to prepare for their war with Equestria.
In the Great War stage, the Changelings declare war on Equestria, sparking the largest continental war on Equus.
In the Post-Great War stage, the Changelings triumph over Equestria, beginning the Pax Chrysalia focus tree and storyline, and can take further war goals to fully subjugate Equus.

Pre-Great War

Changelings open by completing the unification of the hives, by taking the Destroy Thoraxian Resistance Focus. This will also result in an audit of the VOPS, severely slowing down any expansion of the Changeling spy agency for half a year. Alternately, the Changelings can pursue a Harmonic Path, triggering a civil war, by taking Thoraxian Betrayal.

War Against Polar Bear Communities

Given the tight time constraints, taking the resource and industry poor Polar Bear Communities is difficult to justify. However, the focuses are fast and can provide helpful bonuses to Changeling industry and resources.

Envoy to Polar Bears will allow Changelings to demand the submission of the Polar Bears as a puppet, along with gifts of gold, resources, or land. Gold will give the Polar Bears a National Spirit that cedes +15% of Polar Bear Military and Civilian factories to the Changeling Lands for 1000 days. Resources will give the Polar Bears a National Spirit that provides +20% Resources to Market, +80% Extra trade to overlord, and -75% target trade cost to the Changeling Lands for 1000 days. 15 Steel production is also added to the Changeling state of Den. Given the weakness of Polar Bear industry, Resources is usually the better option. By contrast, the land is barren and worthless.

Should the Polar Bears refuse, the next focuses will unlock, allowing the Changelings to either directly go to war or start two border wars. Border war is the superior option, producing significantly less world tension and keeping the original bonuses demanded. By winning both border wars the Changelings will cause the Polar Bears to surrender.

War Against Olenia

Taking Olenia is the necessary prelude to the Equestrian invasion. The biggest risk is Equestria intervening on the side of Olenia. This can happen if Olenia chooses harmony and reaches the end of its tree (426 days + time to win the civil war if rushed) or if Equestria uses its tree to start a civil war in Olenia. After the civil war Equestria can guarantee Olenia (364 + time to win the civil war if rushed.)

Changelings can rush Olenia faster than this and so it is recommended to take Olenia early - it's industrial might will be helpful to the Changelings and the Olenian military is no match for the Changeling army.

Olenia can be puppeted or conquered with a focus - puppeting will usually be refused and allows Changelings to go to war with lower world tension. When the war starts a neutral Olenia will typically surrender by event well before capitulation.

Great War

Equestria - the ultimate goal for the changelings. Once the Lead the Armies focus is selected, Equestria will have 100 days notice to prepare for the invasion, during which time they can begin their military focuses.

The Equestrian border is typically fortified and has rivers along much of its length. Blitzkrieg and tank heavy tactics will help achieve breakthroughs.

The first months of the war are crucial and will usually determine the winner. No matter when the changelings attack, Equestria will start getting an advantage if the war drags on - the Changelings are in a battle against time. Thus, to win the war, the player must obtain a significant advantage in the first months of the conflict. This is especially since Equestria also has a significant degree of ponypower and a large industrial base.

However, due to its need to rearm, Equestria's actual army size would be similar, if not smaller, to that of the changelings. One possible strategy is for a changeling player to focus on encircling Equestrian divisions with tanks, motorized/mechanized and infantry, destroying enemy divisions that will deprive Equestria of its ability to hold its frontline, despite its ponypower advantage. Infantry divisions with high soft attack and piercing (created by having magic and standard infantry in a division template) would be essential to that end.

Timing Equestria

Equestria has two major thresholds for waking up its dormant war machine.

Change to Laws - Equestria can change its recruitment and economic laws at 15% World Tension or 15% War Support. This will only partially empower Equestria - it must still remove the Magic of Friendship and gain other benefits via the Emergency War Committee. This only happens if the Changeling player is attacking quite late.

Urgent War Committee will typically be unlocked by one of three ways.

The Changelings begin the Lead the Armies focus, which allows them to go to war with Equestria.
World Tension reaches >50% / War Support >40%
Equestria has a civil war

Given this, the Changeling player should pick an extreme - either an early attack, or late attack. A middle ground has the weaknesses of both and the strengths of neither.

Early Attack - Even without Emergency War Committee, Equestria will increase in power - building more military factories and equipment. Attacking early, with only small delays to take industrial or other powerful focuses, will hit the Equestrian military when it is still small and low tech.

The Changelings can attack as early as 807 days into the game (March 1009) plus however long it takes the player to conquer Olenia. Taking the research slots and hive industrialisation focuses will add 574 days to this time, and quickly grabbing the focuses for 2 civilian factories, 2 military factories and 18 Steel will add 140 days.

An Equestrian friendly Stalliongrad (that is, a Stalliongrad that elects Dark Wing or Vasily), or an Equestrian civil war, is best countered with an early attack.

Late Attack - Equestrian military production will allow the country to strengthen quickly from its early game weakness, but Equestria is hamstrung in the longer term by its low recruitable population and slow military factory production speed. A longer-term outlook on production and war preparation will allow the Changelings to produce a vast, technologically advanced army that greatly outnumbers the Equestrian forces. Should the longer path be chosen the Changelings have to carefully monitor Equestria - once World Tension is >50% or War Support is >40%, Equestria can increase recruitment, improve its economy, and start to close the gap.

An Equestrian hostile Stalliongrad (ie. elects Sinister Serov) is best paired a late attack, depriving Equestria of a powerful ally.

The Border

Unfortunately for the changelings, the border between the Changelings and Equestria is a respectable defensive position, with many rivers and other natural obstacles to cross. The front can be divided into 3 main parts:

The Vanhoover – Acornage Line

This is undoubtedly the most protected part of the border. A large river protects all provinces, so even with a significant advantage, the changelings will have to spend a long time breaking through - Often enough time for the Equestrian to reinforce the endangered provinces.

However, this section has one significant weakspot. The province highlighted on the screenshot borders 4 Changeling provinces. By attacking from four directions, the player can achieve 200 combat width and deploy 10 20 width divisions to fight at once. A force of this size, with a good general, full planning bonus and the buff from Force Attack can overwhelm almost any defence.

Note that shortly after the war starts, 5 units of jaegers may appear behind the enemy lines near Vanhoover, able to make a rush for the port or support border attacks, though a competent Equestrian player will anticipate this.

The Central Opening

This sector is most promising for the attacker. There is no river, all provinces are plains, avoiding defender terrain advantages, and Equestrian focuses do not give any forts to this area. There is a river two provinces behind the border, but if the player manages to obtain a quick breakthrough, they should be able to cross the river before the Equestrian divisions can reorganize after the initial defeat.

The Changeling – Crystal Border

This small sector of the front is protected by a small river. Any attack which comes here will be met with significant resistance from both Equestrian and Crystal units. One of the biggest problems with trying to achieve a breakthrough here is the forest area behind the river. It significantly slows down every possible offensive. Furthermore – eastern Crystal states have very low infrastructure levels, so high division attrition quickly becomes an issue.

On the flipside, the border here is also easy to hold, and the Crystal Empire has fairly low ponypower. Having an army of divisions just apply pressure (cautious execution of attack plan) will pin down Crystal Empire divisions, and free up divisions to sweep through Equestria.

Other Notes

The Commonwealth of New Mareland, should they remain loyalist, will immediately sign a truce with the Changelings when Equestria capitulates, preventing the Changelings from conquering them in the peace deal. After the war, loyalist New Mareland will host the Equestrian government-in-exile, fund resistance on Equus, and form an anti-Changeling faction and eventually declare war on the Changelings to restore Equestria. Loyalist New Mareland's existence is a massive headache on the side of Pax Chrysalia, as such, it is possible for you to take out New Mareland before finishing off Equestria. However, a supremist Wingbardy will also be able to deal with them for you, and the Manehattan Protectorate can eventually get a war goal as well if successful in their plans.

Post-Great War

Following the Great War, the Changelings will have conquered vast swathes of Equestrian territory, and needs to properly manage them and consolidate the occupation. Properly managing the occupation mechanics is quite challenging due to the Anti-Changeling Insurgency national spirit, and it is highly recommended to temporarily pause taking expansion focuses and focus on the Pax Chrysalia focus tree and use its mechanics to improve the status of the occupation. If the occupation is not managed properly, the amount of resistance in Equestria can become a massive drain on the Changelings' manpower and turn the country into a paper tiger.

For starters, every available protectorate should be released to minimize the amount of states the Changelings have to occupy. Military production should temporarily be refocused on producing the equipment for the garrisons over the deployed military, as having low garrison equipment will significantly weaken the occupation. Technology that strengthens garrisons (like infiltrators and military police) should be researched and equipped as soon as possible, before the war concludes even.

One important note is that the states of Everfree Forest and Castle of Two Sisters should always have a high level of occupation law even when the rest of the country had deescalated to more moderate occupation laws, as these two states have a special state modifier that greatly increases resistance on them, which can influence nearby states into having high resistance levels.

As an additional note, deployed units should always avoid the Everfree Forest and Castle of Two Sisters, as their special state modifier greatly increases attrition in them even in peacetime.

Once the occupation has been consolidated to a manageable level, the Changelings can consider taking the additional conquest focuses in their expansion focus tree to conquer all of the Equus continent.

Pax Chrysalia Storyline

Almost all the focuses in the Pax Chrysalia tree give events or event chains describing the Equestrian society under Changeling occupation. Most of the events focus on the five members of the Canterlot Commissariat: Canterlot's Governor Generalmajor Jachs, Generaloberstabsarzt Marsilio, Jachs' second-in-command Oberstleutnant Alcippe, industrialist Finicus Vesali, and Canterlot Guard Kommandant Second Wind.

Throughout a Pax Chrysalia playthrough, the player and the members of the Canterlot Commissariat will be forced to make decisions. The consequences of these decisions initially appear to be merely different mechanical benefits, but look closer, and a greater story unravels itself as consequences collide and create visible changes. The coronation of Queen Chrysalis will be a culimination of the player's decisions, but it is far from the true end of the story of Jachs and his compatriots.

The future of both the Changelings and the Ponies under Pax Chrysalia can be forever changed, should events align...

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

Of the many decisions that the player can make throughout Pax Chrysalia, some are particularly noteworthy.

Laying the groundwork for future Equestrian-Changeling scientific cooperation may prove useful.
Sometimes being light on the ponies has its own benefits, even if Chrysalis disagrees.
The caves under Canterlot hide many secrets, including some that many prefer to stay hidden.
While the Cornucopia Society is mysterious and seemingly nothing more than a drug den, special insights can sometimes come from unexpected places.
Second Wind is a key player to the future of the Pax Chrysalia: keeping him alive is a necessity.

There will be a choice. While it is your to make, some choices are less real then they appear. Some doors only open when others close, and the Everfree may be the key to unlocking a new path...

Spoiler end.

Alternate Path - The Thorax Path

Thorax's focus tree.

Taking the Thoraxian Betrayal focus will begin a civil war in the Changeling lands. The Harmonic leader Thorax has a new and different harmonic focus tree, aimed at aggressive promotion of harmony in Equestria and beyond.

Gallery

Changeling Lands
Changeling Lands
The Shapeshifters
	Tabber requires Javascript to function.
Ideology	Autocracy
Leader	Queen Chrysalis
Ruling party	Queen's Leadership (74%)
Population	36,880,240
Ponypower	85,260
Race	Changeling
Stability	54%
War support	40%
Factories	45
Capital	Vesalipolis
Continent	Northern Equus
Diplomacy	Leader of the Changeling Hegemony
Demonym	Changeling
Tag	CHN
Color	#3C4056

Country Card

Awards

Main article: Awards

Blitzkrieg

As the Changeling Lands, complete "Lead the Armies" focus and annex Canterlot state before 1010.

Deforestation Expert

As the Changeling Lands, defeat the Everfree Forest.

Occupation Is Magic

As the Changeling Lands, open the Generalmajor's desk drawer.

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Changeling Lands

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The Siege of Canterlot

The New Hive

Dissenting Voices

A Second War

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The Coronation

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Starting Situation

Gameplay Mechanics

Changeling Demilitarization

Changeling Protectorates

Sombra and Nightmare Moon

The Changeling-Griffonian Attache

New Mareland-Sponsored Resistance

The Great Queen's Tower

Pax Chrysalia Mechanics

The Greater Changelingia

Anti-Changeling Insurgency

Love Extraction & Consumption

Siedlungsplan Expansionism

Jäger-Einsatzgruppe

Gameplay Walkthrough

Pre-Great War

War Against Polar Bear Communities

War Against Olenia

Great War

Timing Equestria

The Border

Other Notes

Post-Great War

Pax Chrysalia Storyline

Alternate Path - The Thorax Path

Gallery

Awards