Uniting Austria: Strategies For Kaiserreich Success

In the Kaiserreich alternate history mod for Hearts of Iron 4 and Darkest Hour, Austria is a constituency of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which also includes the Crowns of Bohemia, Hungary, and Illyria. The Austrian Empire, which includes territory in modern-day Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, has a complex history of cultural, class, and ideological divisions. Following the Weltkrieg, these divisions became more apparent, and the nobility of the Hungarian side of the Empire blocked Kaiser Karl's attempts to reform the multinational Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the 1920s, tensions boiled over into revolts and separatist movements, particularly in Bohemia, Galicia-Lodomeria, and Croatia. However, by granting leadership of the Croatian insurrection to the Crown of Illyria, the Habsburgs were able to unify the South Slavs under Croatian leadership and loyal to Austria. To unite all of Austria in Kaiserreich, players suggest inviting all puppets to the Ausgleich, agreeing to land autonomy requests from minorities, and siding with them over Hungary. This will likely lead to a civil war with Hungary, after which players can embrace pluralism and reform the empire.

Favour the Crownlands over Hungary

To unite all of Austria in Kaiserreich, one strategy is to favour the Crownlands over Hungary during the 1937 Ausgleich. This will lead to the Hungarian delegates storming out and potentially a civil war with Hungary if they refuse an ultimatum issued by Austria. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Inviting the Puppets and Ejecting Hungary

Invite all your puppets to the Ausgleich and eject the Hungarian representative when they give a speech demanding reparations. When Hungary asks for reparations, remind them that they pay lower taxes.

Siding with the Other Minorities

When other minorities in the Empire, such as the Slovaks, Galicians, or Romanians, ask for autonomy, agree to their demands and side with them over Hungary. This will likely lead to Hungary's refusal to accept your demands and their departure from the Ausgleich.

Invading Hungary

After Hungary leaves, you will have the option to invade them. Once you have defeated and capitulated Hungary, you will need to make decisions about restoring autonomy to the occupied lands.

Embrace Pluralism or End Dualism

If you restore autonomy, you can embrace pluralism, which is the only path that truly unites the country and grants cores on all the states. If you do not restore autonomy, you will have to fight your puppets and the Belgrade Pact simultaneously, and you will not gain cores.

Promising Territory

To further favour the Crownlands, promise them territory that is currently part of Hungary. This will anger Hungary and cause them to demand changes. Do not bend to their will, and instead, proceed to reform the empire.

Reforming the Empire

Either Hungary concedes defeat and allows reforms, or they start a civil war. If a civil war breaks out, invite all your puppets and push into Hungary. After winning the civil war, deliver on your promises and reform the empire.

By following these steps, you can unite all of Austria in Kaiserreich while favouring the Crownlands over Hungary.

Issue an ultimatum to Hungary

To unite all of Austria in the Kaiserreich universe, one of the possible strategies is to issue an ultimatum to Hungary. This strategy is part of the "Danubian Federation" path, which can be chosen after the 1936 election, where the popularity of the Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei is higher than the Christlichsoziale.

• During the 1937 Ausgleich, favour the Crownlands over Hungary, which will likely result in the Hungarian delegates storming out. This sets the stage for issuing an ultimatum.
• Issue an ultimatum to Hungary, citing reasons such as their suppression of peaceful protests or other justifications. The ultimatum should include demands that Hungary is unlikely to accept, similar to the approach taken by Austria-Hungary against Serbia in the July Crisis of 1914.
• If Hungary refuses the ultimatum, this will lead to a civil war. It is important to be prepared for this eventuality and have a strategy in place to defeat Hungary militarily.
• Once Hungary has been defeated in the civil war, release Hungary and the other new Crownlands. This will unlock the Pluralism tree, which allows for the formation of the Danubian Federation and the unification of all of Austria.

It is worth noting that this path can be challenging and risky, as it involves confrontation and potential conflict with Hungary. Therefore, careful consideration and planning are necessary before issuing an ultimatum.

Don't release Hungary after winning the civil war

To unite all of Austria in the Kaiserreich alternate history mod for Hearts of Iron 4 and Darkest Hour, players must navigate complex diplomatic and political manoeuvring, especially regarding the relationship between Austria and Hungary within the Dual Monarchy. Here is a guide on how to unite Austria without releasing Hungary after winning the civil war:

The Ausgleich Conference

The key moment in uniting Austria is the 1937 Ausgleich, a conference where the various factions within the Dual Monarchy negotiate their demands. The player, as Austria, must carefully navigate these negotiations to shape the future of the empire. During the Ausgleich, it is essential to favour the Crownlands (the various constituent parts of the empire) over Hungary. Agree to the demands of the Crownlands, such as granting them greater autonomy and promising them territory currently held by Hungary. This will anger the Hungarian delegates, who will likely storm out of the negotiations.

Civil War

After the Ausgleich, Hungary will likely demand changes to the agreements made. It is crucial to stand firm and not bend to their will. This will lead to a civil war with Hungary. To win the civil war, invite all your puppets (the other Crownlands) to join your side and push into Hungarian territory.

Uniting the Empire

Once you have defeated Hungary, you have two main paths to unite the empire: the "End Dualism" route or the "Embrace Pluralism" path.

End Dualism

If you choose to "End Dualism," you will need to fight a second civil war against the remaining Crownlands, as they will not accept your rule willingly. This path is more challenging, as you will be fighting multiple enemies at once, and you will not gain cores on all the states.

Embrace Pluralism

The "Embrace Pluralism" path is the only way to truly unite the country and gain cores on all the states. To unlock this path, you must release Hungary and the other new Crownlands after winning the civil war. This will unlock the Pluralism tree, allowing you to form the Danubian Federation or the United States of Greater Austria, depending on the outcome of the 1936 election.

In conclusion, while it is possible to unite all of Austria in Kaiserreich without releasing Hungary, it is important to note that doing so will lead to a more challenging game experience, as you will need to fight a second civil war against your former puppets. The "Embrace Pluralism" path, which requires releasing Hungary, is the more straightforward route to uniting the empire and becoming a powerful force in Europe.

Invite all puppets to the Ausgleich

To unite all of Austria in *Kaiserreich*, inviting all puppets to the Ausgleich is a crucial step. Here's a detailed guide on how to navigate this process:

Inviting the Puppets to the Ausgleich:

• Make sure you invite all the puppets, including Hungary, to the Ausgleich negotiations. This is a critical step towards unifying all of Austria.
• During the negotiations, it is essential to favour the Crownlands over Hungary. This approach will lead to Hungarian delegates storming out or even conflict breaking out.
• When Hungary asks for reparations, respond with something along the lines of, "that's why you pay less in taxes now." This response will help justify your position.

Addressing the Puppets' Demands:

• When other puppets, such as the Slovaks, Galicians, or Romanians, ask for autonomy, it is vital to agree and side with them over Hungary. This show of support will be a decisive factor in the negotiations.
• You can promise them territory that is currently part of Hungary. This will further aggravate Hungary and push them towards leaving the Ausgleich.

Dealing with Hungary's Reaction:

• Hungary will likely get mad and demand changes. At this point, it is important not to bend to their will. Stay firm and continue to side with the other puppets.
• If Hungary concedes defeat and allows reforms, you can move forward without a civil war. However, if they don't, a civil war may break out, or you can choose to back down, although this will hinder the federalization process.

Post-Ausgleich Actions:

• After the Ausgleich, it's time to deliver on your promises and reform the empire. This may involve making changes to the governance structure and territory allocation.
• If a civil war breaks out with Hungary, invite all your puppets to join you in pushing into Hungary. With their combined strength, the civil war can be won relatively easily.
• Once you have Hungary's land in your hands, you can proceed to reform the empire and unite all of Austria.

Political Pathways:

Depending on the political party in power during this process, the united Austria can take different forms:

• Social Democrats (SocDem): Danubian Federation.
• Social Conservatives (SocCon): United States of Greater Austria.

Agree to land autonomy for minorities

Agreeing to land autonomy for minorities is a key step in uniting all of Austria in Kaiserreich. This step is particularly important in addressing the demands of minorities such as the Slovaks, Galicians, and Romanians, who seek autonomy from Hungary. By siding with these minorities and granting their requests for autonomy, you can trigger Hungary's refusal and subsequent exit from the union, providing an opportunity to invade and restore autonomy to the occupied lands. This path, known as "Embrace Pluralism," is the only way to truly unite the country and gain cores on all the states.

• Invite all your puppets to the Ausgleich and ensure that Hungary is not compromised. This will likely lead to Hungarian delegates storming out or conflict breaking out.
• When minorities, such as the Slovaks, Galicians, or Romanians, request autonomy, agree to their demands and side with them over Hungary.
• After Hungary leaves the union, invade and defeat them in battle.
• Once you have capitulated Hungary, you will have the option to restore autonomy to the occupied lands. Accept this option to embrace pluralism and unite all of Austria.
• Embrace Pluralism will lead you down a path where you can form either the Danubian Federation (Social Democrat) or the United States of Greater Austria (Social Conservative), depending on the popularity of the political parties during the 1936 election.

By agreeing to land autonomy for minorities, you not only address the demands of these groups but also weaken Hungary's position, making it easier to unite all of Austria under a federalized system that embraces pluralism and recognizes the rights of diverse ethnic groups within the empire.

Frequently asked questions