Democratic Strategy for beating people in campaign mode.....

from PolMach Forums
Not sure how well this would work online, but I have used this tactic to lead to several decisive victories (now on TR in campaign mode).

Start out with a candidate who is very high in charisma and fundraising ability, but lacks military experience, religious, and experience. Intelligence too. I am not sure who would fit this, I use a custom character. In real life would translate to a younger politician probably, but someone who has integrity, etc. Anyways, build up your HQs to the max in the key states, Cali Texas NY Florida and if you have time PA. Dont do anything else, just this. Move your POs to the state where you plan to move next. Also, raise funds if you get a chance, especially in Cali. Build up these key states, and try to set up HQs in all the key states. If you have time left before the VP is selected, get a web guy, and build up tv ads in one state on the big issues. By now you should be raking in the money, so try to get some political capital.

Now get someone who has a lot of experience as a VP. I always go with Clinton. Now spend a few turns getting political capital, and get the endorsements. The big ones you need are (in order of importance): the world one, the union one, and the environment one. This should solidify your states you have, a open up the smaller ones. From this point, just play normally, and build a ton of national TV ads. This has worked perfectly for me.
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Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top
It always seems that when I play with people like Taft and Ford (as well as Grant)...beating them is hard without a U.S. Chamber of Business. I understand why it is so important to Taft (being in that chamber as well), but why Grant and Ford. Why is it so powerful???
Otherwise, I will try your strategy. Thanks for the tips.

BTW: How do you unlock Democratic Candidates
BTW: I see what you meant for 'tips' in my Grant forum...thanks...
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top
Hasn't worked at all for me...he ends up winning 45 out of the 50 states..come on, that is crazy....new strategy...
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from PolMach Forums Top
dem candidates unlocked via republican campaign mode.

well, try the strat again. i got it to work all the way up to nixon, where it failed miserably. basically, right when you selected clinton or whoever as VP, get the Union, Environment, and World one. That secures Ohio/PA/Mich/Ill, Cali/Wash, and then the rest. Just make sure you secure the big states, and dont let him get too far ahead.
Reply #4 from PolMach Forums Top
I was leading in all the big states except for Michigan and Ohio (because Ulysses S. Grant is from that area). I had great leads in California, New York, Texas, Florida, and PA. But, he was leading every single other state on the board because I was focusing too heavily on the big states. You directed me to do this. The Union, Environment, and the World one did squat for me....all it did was raise my lead by 1 point in Texas. Meanwhile, Grant got the Chamber of Busines & Women one and all the other states went for him...he spent something like $10 million while I ended up spending $20 million. I raised a lot but it kept on going down. It doesn't work...
Reply #5 from PolMach Forums Top
did you get illinois NJ and MA? thats 48 democratic electoral votes, then add to that 165 from those 5 states you mention, and thats 213. now all you need is the environment states like washington, oregon or the job states like iowa michigan. also, put your VP in West VA, gets a ton of awareness points.
Reply #6 from PolMach Forums Top
Nope. I was focusing too much on Cali, N.Y., Texas, and Florida as you've told me to.
He had leads almost 15-30% more than I had, and ended up winning. I tied with him in MA during the last week of campaigning, and he ended up winning it anyway. It was hard to get Iowa/Michigan because he had big leads and since Grant was from Ohio, he took most of the surronding states even by not laying a hand on them. It happens with me when I'm playing Bill Clinton against him. I end up getting LA, OK, and TN (but after, I end up losing them...)
I haven't played in a while, and I'm planning to soon.
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
Just tried it again...didn't work. I was leading up to week 30 until he made a comeback. I only did the endorsements you directed me to. They did nothing. The Environmentalists only increased polls in Oregon in which I didn't really care for. I upgraded all of my headquarters and actually had a lot more money ($10.3 million). I was really doing good in the first 30 weeks. He got every single endorsement except the Environmentalists & World one. He took the Union before I could. By week 35, Florida, Michigan, Texas, N.Y., Maryland, and N.J. were all tied. He had over 40% in the polls. I was losing badly. I finished the game. He had over 300 electoral votes. I had under 100. (or something like that). It was most likely because of all those endorsements. What should I do???? Do you know anyone else who has suggestions for me??
Reply #8 from PolMach Forums Top
First of all, you should never stockpile funds unless you're trying to buy something. 10.3 million sitting in your bank at the end of the turn is 9.3 million wasted. Try making TV ads on the key issues in marginal states. My favourites are the Environment, More Jobs and Capital Punishment. Just go ape with them in one state, being careful to put a pair of webmasters in first to limit ongoing costs. If you make it half-half positive-negative on one issue then the opponent will slowly see their ratings go down on that issue everywhere whilst yours go up. The earlier you get these ads started, the more effect they'll have. Focus on the states that are predominately Democrat and make sure you're the first to smother the airwaves with your view on their favourite issues. If you can dominate in the top 3 issues nationally you're looking good for a win.
Reply #9 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay...I will try that...
Reply #10 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay...I have successfully beaten Ulysses S. Grant. The one thing that your 'tips' and 'strategy' is missing is the states you should win & also the endorsements. The U.S. Chamber of Business proves to be a very strong endorsement when you are playing against somebody like Taft or Grant. I am going to play against Richard Nixon now, and if you have any tips, they would be greatly appreciated....
Reply #11 from PolMach Forums Top
I am going to play against Richard Nixon now, and if you have any tips, they would be greatly appreciated....


Just go to each state building HQs (awareness is key)--at least one level-3. Buy political capital each turn. You should have maybe 70-100 political capital units available. Wait until the last minute (like week 32,33) to buy up any remaining endorsements--doesn't matter what. That will shift the public awareness on the issues to those, and what do you know--you support them. Buy up smear merchants and spin doctors and intimidators with all the remaining capital (only two per turn, however). Put them in close states and they will do their work. A webmaster and movie director in the level-3 HQ state is powerful. Start buying TV ads promoting issues you are popular with. In the level-3 HQ you can choose from tons of issues. Pick a couple that are further down the list but still have a national appeal (like Social Security or more jobs). Place as many ads as you can afford and have stamina for. Eventually your issues will supplant your opponents issues at the top of the national agenda. You may not win the popular vote, but the electoral vote is all that matters, as we all know.

All of this is pretty vague, I'm sure. There's really not much to this game. I have easily beaten the early campaigns like Clark, Rice, Arnold, Carter by not even moving my candidate. Just build up political capital and nab all the endorsements available at the same time late in the game (week 32, 33, or 34). The map will change from one color to the next before your eyes. Then you sit back and run TV ads until you run out of stamina and money. If you don't sweep, you will certainly dominate.
Reply #12 from PolMach Forums Top
Well, whoever the computer chooses will have an amazing impact on their game. Right now I'm playing as John Edwards facing Reagan (Level 8?). I tried it two times, and Reagan chose Washington and Lincoln, and I lost horribly on both. The fact is, if you are having a hard time beating a person, try again, because this time, they may be choosing a worse VP.

An example of the Power of VP. I also played the Democratic Campaign with Nixon. Right now i'm on LBJ, but I just defeated both Gore and Clinton. Gore chose T. Jefferson as his VP, and gave me a run for my money leaving me with a slight win by a margin of about 290-250. However, on Clinton (which is supposed to be a harder difficultly level), he chose Wesley Clark, letting me cruise to an easy victory of 370-170.

Otherwise, general tactics and strategies are shown above. The computer likes to concentrate on swing states. (which I guess is realistic). You should really concentrate on the states that have more democrats than republicans. Don't go campaigning in Texas or the Midwest unless you like wasting your time, but concentrate on major swing states like PA, OH, IN, FL (gets harder to hold on to). Don't go spending massive energy on CA. What I basically did was visit it a few times and plop a Smear Merchant, and it cemented into approval ratings of 49D-44R, despite numerous attempts by the opponent to take it back.
Reply #13 from PolMach Forums Top
Well, I recently beat Mr. Nixon, and he was hard as a rock. Wouldn't budge...was very competitive in the advertisment field. Actually, in this campaign advertisements helped me out a great deal. Once I pulled out an advertisement saying that my opponent opposed freedom of speech Washington State, Oregon, PA, NJ, and Maryland would all turn Democratic...but he would come back at me. It was a good race, and I ended up winning Florida even after what polls said...which was the key to winning me the election. I pulled in all the endorsements---even though I didn't believe in some of them. Oh well. Whatever gets you votes...

Anyone have any tips at all on beating Reagan???
Reply #14 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay, beating Reagan was the hardest thing to think possibly. I need help beating this guy. I lost. I won only Calfiornia, Texas, and Florida and it was surprising I won MA and Oregon. They didn't really help me win. I only got about 100-some electoral votes, and received all the others. First of all, his home state is Tampico, Illinois and they say he is from California. I have to work extra hard to get California, and by the time I do, he has all the endorsements. It seems he has invisible pools of money coming in, and he doesn't even need to fundraise. He can campaign in New York, and Texas and then get an endorsement. Come on. That isn't real.... I'm not really trying to make it a bother, but I want to know anyway I can to beat this extremely powerful guy.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
Reagan's pretty tough. I had 2 very tight contests with him before I finally got him. I don't remember who's next because I haven't played in a while, but whoever the next opponent was, he was easier. I got stuck on George Washington. The man was impossible to beat, at least with the candidate I was using (Sullivan).

I eventually used a strategy very similar to the one that was proposed several strings up that you had trouble implementing. The building lots of HQs early on and collecting money. I have found that it makes it possible to compete with the upper level Replublicans late in the game. Otherwise, you lose the money battle so badly, you get swept in the end. You can't compete with so many television ads that money affords. But even with this strategy, Washington outspends me a bunch and out-political capitals me a little.

I guess the one thing I'd add to the "strategy" is that while you're building your HQs, bank a little political capital at the same time and start getting those endorsements. B/c if you don't, he will. Also, build up at least 2 HQs to level 3 in big states at the very beginning of the game to take full advantage of how much money they generate over the length of the game. Don't be afraid to sit early in the game and just bank political capital.

Good luck.
Reply #16 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay. I will try it some time...