Algeria

Algeria is a country in North Africa, bordered by Morocco and Western Sahara to the west, Tunisia and Libya to the east, and Mali, Niger, and Mauritania to the south. It is the largest country in Africa by land area. The game starts in the year 2000, shortly after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika came to power following the devastating Black Decade — a civil war between the military-backed government and Islamist insurgents that lasted throughout the 1990s and killed over 200,000 people. Algeria begins as a Regional Power with significant oil and gas revenues, a powerful military establishment, and deep internal tensions between reformists, the entrenched security state known as le Pouvoir, and a restless civil society.

Basic Information

Factories

Algeria starts with 9 Factories; 5 Civilian Industries, 3 Military Industries, 1 Naval Dockyard, and 3 Office Sectors.

Economy

Algeria starts with $20 Billions in the Treasury, $161 Billions in Debt, and $1 Billions in International Investments. GDP per capita is $8,786 and overall productivity is 785.

Military

Algeria starts with 15 Divisions organized around the Armée Nationale Populaire (ANP). The army fields two Armoured Divisions, two Mechanised Infantry Divisions, one Airborne Division, one Republican Guard Brigade, one Armoured Brigade, four Mechanized Infantry Brigades, and four Independent Infantry Battalions. The navy consists of eleven vessels including Kilo-class submarines, Koni and Nanuchka corvettes, and the domestically built Djebel Chenoua-class corvettes. Notable starting commanders include Ahmed Gaïd Salah, Smain Lamari, Mohamed Mediène, and Mohamed Lamari.

Resource

Oil 53, Steel 40, Aluminium 16, Rubber 7, Chromium 6, Tungsten 3

Diplomacy

Algeria guarantees Western Sahara and maintains influence across the Maghreb and Sahel, with active influence targets in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Senegal, and Guinea. Algeria is a member of the Arab League and the African Union. Algeria embargoes Israel at game start.

Initial Government

Reformists Outlook　(FLN) 44.7% Elections Enabled

Domestic Situation

• Religion: Sunni
• Economic Cycle: Stable Growth
• Corruption Level: Unrestrained Corruption
• Internal Factions
  • The Military (ANP/DRS)
  • Fossil Fuel Industry (Sonatrach)
  • Industrial Conglomerates (CEVITAL)

Initial National Spirits

• Legacy of the Independence War

  • Ideological drift defense bonus from the FLN’s revolutionary heritage

• Hybrid Military Governance

  • The military holds partial control over civilian institutions, modifying construction speed and workforce factors

• The Black Decade

  • Stability and political power penalties reflecting the trauma of the 1991–1999 civil war

• Recovering from the Civil War

  • Economic and manpower penalties from post-war reconstruction needs

• Kabylia Unrest

  • Reflects ongoing Berber cultural tensions in the Kabylie region

• Resource Curse

  • Economic overdependence on hydrocarbon exports penalizes industrial diversification

• Decline of Tourism

  • Civil war legacy reduces service sector income

• Sahara Expansion Stage 5

  • Desertification modifier affecting agricultural productivity in southern states

• Destroyed Agriculture

  • Post-civil war rural devastation penalizing food production

• Corrupt Military

  • ANP officer corps patronage networks reduce military efficiency

• Corruption Network

  • Governance-wide corruption penalizing political power gain

• French Influence

  • Represents France’s cultural and economic footprint in post-colonial Algeria

• Moroccan Rivalry

  • Starting tension with Morocco over Western Sahara and regional leadership

• Constitution of 1996

  • A dynamic modifier with adjustable variables controlling stability, political power, ideology drift defense, research speed, influence defense, productivity, and population growth

• Youth Radicalization

  • Post-civil war radicalization among the young population

Unique National Features

Ban on the GSPC and the FIS Return

Reflecting Algeria’s political reality, the GSPC — the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat — is banned at game start due to its role in the civil war terrorism campaign.

The FIS — the Front Islamique du Salut — was historically dissolved by the military following the annulled 1991 elections. In-game it can be brought back as a player choice through specific focus tree paths and events. This represents the unresolved question of political Islam in Algeria and is one of the most consequential decisions the player can make regarding the country’s political direction.

Balance of Power System

Algeria features the Balance of Power system representing the struggle between le Pouvoir — the entrenched military-security establishment — and le Peuple, the popular and reformist forces.

Moving toward The Generals’ Republic (shifting to the right) strengthens the military establishment. If the military side becomes dominant enough, the Deep State Coup event chain begins, eventually installing a military junta.

Moving toward The People’s Republic (shifting to the left) builds protest momentum. Once the reformist side reaches sufficient dominance, the Breaking Point triggers, starting the democratic transition event chain.

There are several ways to shift the Balance of Power:

• Taking national focuses that increase or decrease the value
• Choosing certain options in events
• Cabinet minister appointments
• The Hirak protest chain

The Deep State System

Algeria tracks the power of le Pouvoir through a variable that grows passively over time and through political choices. As the deep state’s influence crosses key thresholds, events fire that offer the player increasingly difficult choices about conceding or resisting military authority. If the variable reaches its maximum, the deep state coup fires and Algeria becomes a military junta.

Taking focuses or making decisions that strengthen civilian institutions can slow or freeze the variable’s growth entirely.

The Cabinet System

Algeria features a dynamic cabinet tracking the loyalty and military alignment of key ministers across the positions of Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Intelligence Chief, and Interior Minister. Each appointment carries different tradeoffs between loyalty, stability, and deep state influence.

When ministers become disloyal, a cabinet crisis event fires. The deep state can also apply direct pressure on the cabinet if its influence grows sufficiently while civilian control is weak.

The Ethnic System

Algeria’s multi-ethnic population is tracked through a satisfaction system covering Arabs, Kabyles, Chaouis, Tuaregs, and Mozabites. Satisfaction decays monthly and is affected by policy choices, focus completions, and events.

If Kabyle satisfaction falls far enough, a crisis event fires requiring the player to either suppress the uprising or make concessions. In extreme cases the player faces a binary choice between granting independence to Kabylia or triggering a civil war. Similarly, historically low Mozabite satisfaction after 2013 can trigger the Ghardaia Clashes event.

The Hirak Protest System

Beginning in 2019, or earlier if the Balance of Power shifts sufficiently toward the reformists, a nationwide protest mechanic can activate. Once active, protests spread across Algerian states weekly, each wave pushing the Balance of Power further. The movement has an exhaustion variable — as protests tire, each week is less likely to produce new unrest, and the movement can eventually collapse if not sustained.

The Bouteflika Sequence

A historical event chain tracks Bouteflika’s declining health and the political crisis of 2019. Following his stroke in 2013, his health crisis focus branch unlocks. If Hirak momentum is strong enough by April 2019, Bouteflika resigns, triggering an interim presidency and then the December 2019 election. Depending on circumstances, the player may face a choice between historical successors or, if the Hirak path was pursued aggressively, a selection of democratic opposition leaders.

Western Sahara and the Casablanca Accords

Algeria guarantees Western Sahara at game start and is the primary patron of the Sahrawi cause. A dedicated focus chain allows Algeria to broker a peace settlement between Morocco and Western Sahara. The player chooses from four possible outcomes: Moroccan annexation, Western Saharan autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, full independence, or Mauritanian annexation. Each outcome requires negotiating with the participants, who may accept or leave the conference.

National Focus

Le Pouvoir Branch

The establishment path. Strengthens the FLN, the military, and the DRS. Focuses here consolidate security services, expand Sonatrach’s dominance, and deepen military governance. Taking this branch increases deep state influence and shifts the Balance of Power toward the military. The endgame focuses formalize military rule and pursue a fortress Algeria strategy.

Hirak and Opposition Branches

The reform paths. Represent either the 2019 popular uprising or an opposition government. Focuses here reduce deep state power, build Hirak momentum, and shift the Balance of Power toward le Peuple. Endgame focuses lead to a constitutional convention and a new democratic republic.

Civil Concord and Islamist Branches

Two mutually exclusive paths. The Civil Concord path continues Bouteflika’s amnesty program and pursues controlled reconciliation with former militants. The Islamist branch splits further into moderate Islamism inspired by the Turkish model, radical jihadism supporting GSPC and AQIM, a full Caliphate path with Sharia courts and Grand Mufti rule, and an alt-history Al-Andalus path pursuing Algerian expansion into Iberia.

Kabylia and Amazigh Branch

Deals with the Black Spring and Berber cultural rights. The player chooses between a conciliation path recognizing Tamazight and eventually completing cultural integration, a repression path crushing the uprising and enforcing Arabization, or an autonomy path that can lead to a federal Algeria. A separate Tamazgha path allows pan-Amazigh expansionism across North Africa.

Economy Branch

Covers domestic industrialization and international investment. Sub-branches include the automobile industry with partnerships with Renault, Peugeot, Hyundai, Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes; an energy branch splitting between oil maximization and renewables; major infrastructure including the East-West highway and Algiers metro expansion; a space programme from ALSAT satellites through to human spaceflight; and an agricultural modernization branch.

Military Branch

Three service trees for the Army, Air Force, and Navy, plus special forces and a nuclear sub-branch. The army tree covers mechanization, doctrine choices, and officer training. The air force and navy trees cover procurement and modernization. The nuclear branch connects to a full event chain involving Chinese and Indian assistance, IAEA negotiations, potential US sanctions, and the option to pursue full weapons development.

Foreign Policy Branch

Covers the Morocco question, Sahel interventions, Western Sahara brokerage, and three major alignment paths: Open to the West leading potentially to NATO partnership, Open to the East aligning with Russia and China and joining BRICS, and Non-Aligned Revival revivifying the Non-Aligned Movement and seeking a UN Security Council seat. An Arab World branch covers Palestinian support and an Islamic Coalition faction. An African Union branch covers pan-African defense and economic integration.

Q&A

How does the Balance of Power work?

The Balance of Power starts at the center. It shifts through focus choices, event options, and cabinet appointments. Warning events fire as the balance approaches its extremes. At maximum military dominance a coup event fires; at maximum popular dominance a democratic transition fires. Each of these outcome events offers two options — accepting the new order, or triggering a civil war. To maintain the starting system, avoid pushing the balance too far in either direction.

How do I prevent the Deep State Coup?

Keep the deep state influence variable from reaching its maximum. The most effective methods are appointing civilian or reformist cabinet ministers, completing focuses that freeze the variable’s growth, and spending political power to appease the generals when pressure events fire. Once the variable reaches the coup threshold it begins firing weekly — act before that point.

How do I trigger the Hirak and the democratic transition?

The Hirak begins when its trigger event fires, gated by the absence of the protests-ongoing flag. Once active, the protest system builds the Balance of Power toward the reformist side. After Bouteflika’s health crisis in 2013 and his resignation in April 2019, the transition chain leads to the Tebboune election or, if Hirak momentum is strong enough, a democratic opposition leader selection event.

How do I deal with Kabylie?

Kabyle satisfaction starts low and decays monthly. Complete the Kabylia and Amazigh focus branch early to raise it. Avoid hardline interior minister appointments. If satisfaction falls to a crisis level, an event fires — the conciliatory option is costly but prevents the unrest flag from being set. If the flag is set and satisfaction collapses entirely, you must choose between releasing Kabylia as an independent state or triggering a civil war.

How do I handle the Sonatrach Scandal?

The scandal event fires automatically after 2013 if you have completed the relevant FLN or opposition focuses. Investigating hits stability and oil industry opinion but grants political power. Covering it up avoids the immediate pain but increases corruption and accelerates the Hirak awakening event.

How do I remove the Moroccan Rivalry?

The Casablanca Accords focus chain is the primary path — brokering any peace plan outcome removes the rivalry. The Foreign Policy branch also includes a direct normalization path through confidence-building measures and reopening borders that does not require a Western Sahara settlement.

How do I start the Nuclear Program?

Complete the military branch up to the nuclear sub-focuses. A request to China for reactor technology initiates the chain, which proceeds through enrichment, missile procurement, and eventually a choice between IAEA negotiations to lift sanctions or full withdrawal from the NPT and weapons development.

What is the Tamazgha path?

The Tamazgha path is an alt-history pan-Amazigh expansionist route unlocked through the Kabylia and Amazigh branch. It allows Algeria to invite neighboring Berber-populated regions into a confederation and pursue territorial claims across North Africa, including Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, and Morocco’s Rif region.