Coups????

[Jtha49]

Is there anyway to find the rat b*stards who decided to start a coup against me?  I tried watching the fight but all I could see was two flags on fire, I used the muerte cheat on a coulple soilders but I don't know which side they were on? Please help.

[Junta_Joe]

At coup time, freeze the game. Go to the almanac and locate all of your soldiers and generals. Look at each one personally. By the way, that flame marker is a "rat b*stard" indicator. Look at their profiles too. Kill the ones with high leadership values and ones that are strongly in one of your disfavored factions. Kill the flamed ones too.

Hire some outside help. Raise the pay. Get the cops involved. They can arrest coup members with an arrest edict.

[Mr.P]

As an addition to Joe's post you might want to consider arrest Generals first, as they are quite expensive to replace and can easily be released after the coup has been crush, then 'nudged' back into their old jobs.

Remember eliminate edicts are useless when a coup is underway, so arrests are an easy way to reduce the numbers opposing you. They can always be released after the coup is over and shot.

To avoid coups all together purge your armed forces every few years. It always helps to have fresh blood, if you know what I mean!

[Junta_Joe]

Saves on paying out those pesky pension plans too.  

[Jtha49]

So when a military coup starts I dont have any soldiers on my side or what? I'm still confused sorry  

[Junta_Joe]

The forces you have are split. Some loyalists (those w/flags over their heads or nothing), coup supporters (flames over their heads), and loyalist cowards (chickens over their heads).

As I said before, freeze the game. Fire everyone with a chicken or flame over their head. Issue arrest warrants for all with flames (you must have a prison). Hire outside help to fill all new open slots. Unpause the game. Let everything develop for a few months. Then repeat process as new hires chicken out or rebel themselves. Keep this up until coup fades or Raul hands you an oar to paddle with.

Should you survive, look to the reasons for the coup. Most likely pay. You must pay a soldier at least 1 peso more per month than any other high school worker. I recommend 2 pesos so you can pay your cops one more than the rest. You must pay the generals also 2+ more pesos than any other college worker. I generally go 3 here. You should also look into their housing and entertainment situation. This is why the new army base is handy.

Good luck.

[Jtha49]

Cool I completley understand now thanks....I did what you suggested and it worked great.

[Jtha49]

Sorry I was just wondering if another known reason for coups is: if I start out with 1 Armory and 1 guard tower then develop the whole rest of the island up to about 250 people with no more military buildings?  This is all I can figure I'm doing to pi$% off militants, I build police stations rather than guards and my soldiers are usually around 4 or 3 per 250 tropicans.

[Lowpriest]

The military is a great way of life for Tropicans.  Typically, you pay these people well and they in turn keep the Island safe for your pleasure, errr, I mean the good of all.  Yeah, that is it.  I would start with the armory, a guard tower and as you go, add more towers and such.  Placement is also important.  You could just be nice and make the Island wonderful for all.  What fun would that be though?  

[Junta_Joe]

Coups are caused by a number of factors. Build up enough irritation points and off they go.

Factors:

Pay (this is the real biggie)
Housing quality
Entertainment opportunities
Opinion of militant faction
Amount of government control
General happiness of soldiers
Leadership/bravery qualities of soldiers

As you noticed, the opinion of the militant faction is counted in. That faction would love a high ratio of soldiers in the population. I do not believe, however, that this factor is the sole cause of your problem. Only the pay problem has the ability to set them off as a single cause.

My advice is to study Mr. P's posts on the subject throughout this Strategy board. He is our resident expert on military matters. In no time you'll learn to grind those peons under the heel of your jackboot.

[El_Diablo]

To avoid coups I prefer to:
1) Keep the soldiers and generals well paid
2) Ensure they have quality housing with low rent!
3) Pubs and cabarets near armories and guard posts are very helpful.

With regards to the low rent in #2:
 To house my soldiers and generals I will build a house or luxury home
and set the initial rent skyhigh to keep out the undesirables.  Once a
soldier or general moves in I will lower the rent steadily to increase the
tenant's hapiness.

[Jtha49]

Right on you people are awesome, and a great help.  I shall be a iron fisted ...er, uh, a better leader in no time thanks!

[thomas_arsenal]

The militarists- If you have a cabaret, good pay for the soldiers/generals and the faction leader happy they will be sooo easy to please!  

[MadDog]

Greetings,

I just 'invented' great way of avoiding coups!  
Find the most dissatisfied general and bribe him once or twice. He'll become happier, and together with big pay danger of coup is lesser in no time.

[thomas_arsenal]

bribery= the key to all problems  

(usually)

[Jtha49]

thanks for the overwhelming support I am in no fear of coups now nor will I ever be...

[Lowpriest]

Ahh...shades of Edi Amine.  

[Coconut Kid]

Coups are caused by a number of factors. Build up enough irritation points and off they go.

Factors:

Pay (this is the real biggie) [probably not so big]
Housing quality
Entertainment opportunities
Opinion of militant Militarist Faction [Leader]
Amount of government control
General happiness of soldiers
Leadership/bravery qualities of soldiers

As you notice, the opinion of the militant militarist faction is counted in. That faction would love a high ratio of soldiers in the population. I do not believe, however, that this factor is the sole cause of your problem. Only the pay problem has the ability to set them off as a single cause.  ...

I disagree. I believe the Militarist Faction Leader is the one who really has the go\no go on Coups. His attitude is much more important than the pay levels for the generals and soldiers. Bribe him often and otherwise coddle him.