The best strategy games that let you buy elections

in the world of Political video gamesYou never want to leave anything to chance. Whether part of a faction within the confines of the Space Empire or a leader trying to lead the Banana Republic into a golden age of prosperity, you'd be wise to use all the assets at your disposal to ensure the election goes your way. It's just a good strategy, and many games explore this aspect of government in their own unique, fun ways.

Be it through money, influence, or good old-fashioned blackmail, these strategy games show electoral maneuvers from different angles, with all sorts of advantages and consequences applied to going down this path. Let's highlight some games that make this concept a central part of their gameplay loop.

We've gone with fewer entries here, as we'll be highlighting different approaches to similar games. Also, while these three are great, there are many other great games that use similar mechanics.

Tropico 6

Viva Tropico! Viva El Presidente!

• It is directly asked if you want to rig the election.

• Don't want to take the risk? Not even an election.

Under the guidance of El Presidente, Tropico is sure to prosper and reach heights that no other island has ever experienced, whether in the Caribbean, Asia, or the Mediterranean. Of course, there may be occasional hiccups like mass famine or financial crisis, but those are just chapters of struggle that will make the ultimate glory all the sweeter. Frankly, the citizens of Tropico should be grateful that they have such a benevolent, strong, handsome and humble leader.

Now, indeed, El Presidente doesn't even bother to hold elections, and such an act results in unnecessary public humiliation of his political opponents. El Presidente, after all, is the definition of type. However, if it becomes necessary to go down this route, there is really no reason to leave the decision entirely in the hands of the people. Don't get it wrong, El Presidente loves and respects all of his children, but he also understands that everyone makes mistakes, and they may accidentally vote for someone else. These things happen; Therefore, it is in Tropico's interest that he authorizes slight 'clerical adjustments' to the ballot boxes, purely as a safety net for the inevitable errors of voters.

Rigging an election leaves a permanent scar on the population that lowers your approval rating (and you're not guaranteed to win), and the next election will be significantly harder. Fortunately, you can just trigger martial law to avoid a second election. It is for the good of the people.

Endless space 2

The power of dust

• Depending on the type of government, you can influence or directly elect the winner of the election

• It also depends on the faction; Let's go with Lumeris for this one

Endless space 2 A highly complex sci-fi 4X strategy game that emphasizes the political and social upheavals that arise from an empire that stretches beyond the stars. Now, depending on the empire, government type and faction, elections play out in different ways. For the sake of this entry, let's stick with it Lumeris factionBecause they are among the most likely to seek to buy elections. Unlike other factions driven by ideologies, Lumeris is entirely business-oriented, its existence revolving around business networks and ensuring financial dominance.

There are seven political parties in the game, all of which have unique ideologies, preferences, and government types. Right at the start, the Lumeris faction is allied with the Pacifist Party, which makes sense since the latter values ​​trade. However, for true dominance, I recommend aligning with industrialists, as they are a better fit for your gameplay strategy. If you manage to bring industrialists into the government, it will help increase productivity by reducing costs. You can colonize a planet and build factories faster than if any other government is playing (although a religious party can work just as well).

Actual rigging of elections is straightforward (at least, by standards Endless space 2). You use the main currency of “dust”, to bankroll your chosen faction, allowing you to basically overwhelm any other competitors through sheer overexposure. Now, here's a bit of a catch, because winning an election and significantly increasing your wealth production can cause inflation, which in the future can lead to bribes, I mean “elections” becoming more expensive.

Crusader Kings 3

Show them your way with gold or threats

• Differs from empire to empire because they have different succession voting systems

• Feudal and royal electives will be concentrated

in Crusader Kings 3You are always thinking about the future. Succession is the name of the game, and you want to make sure that your power is transferred to your successor rather than going to some other vassal who has picked up steam with the people. For this entry, let's just focus Feudal and royal electiveBecause in those results leaving the entire field to a single candidate chosen by voteAnd votes are cast by vassals rather than the population as a whole. In other systems, the land is often divided between your children, so it's a completely different matter.

As emperor of the Roman Empire, even though there is no 100% guarantee that you will have the result you want, there are some ways you can manipulate the election to increase the odds of your favorite candidate winning. If you have a segment where powerful voters don't want to vote for your candidate, you can simply target his weaknesses. Basically, send them a gift as a small incentive, and they'll eventually see things your way. The argument is more convincing when presented with gold.

Alternatively, blackmail is always an option. If you hate the idea of ​​enriching voters who actively despise you, spend that money on spies, allowing you to learn information you can use against them. If you have the “Truth is Relative” perk, and the detective doesn't find any real sordid secrets, you can also use a fabricated hook.