- Sponsor benefit: Gain a free Technology for every 10 virtues developed.
When the Eurozone collapsed after the Great Mistake, Franco-Iberia emerged to fill the gap the European Union left behind. Now this transnational empire spans much of the area around the Mediterranean, regarding itself as the cultural guardian of the best of Western civilization. Its prosperity made it a beacon for refugees, and its sagacious social policies meant that it continued to grow and develop while other Colonies struggled to regain what they had once held. Now home to many of the great minds of the age, Franco-Iberia views the Seeding as the next logical step in the process of leading the world by example. The Rock of Gibraltar, it is said, is the border of the solar system; Franco-Iberia is ready to continue beyond the end of this Old Earth.
Playstyle
Who is afraid of dignified, elderly Élodie? Sensible leaders. Sane people. The observant. Élodie may not look like a fierce opponent, but her quiet style of governance is more effective than you might realize at first glance. Her ability to pursue virtues (and get free technology periodically) ensures that she has a flexible nation that reaps many bonuses from any direction she takes. The Franco-Iberian European Union can go in many directions, as the match dictates. Free tech can be chosen from anywhere on the tree that is available, high culture leads to similar flexibility, and Élodie's interest in energy lets her buy whatever she can't build directly.
Don't let Élodie build quickly off on her own. This is a critical way to lose your game, even if you are well on your way to a perfect domination ending. "Ah, she just got her Mind Flower. We're cool for a while." No, you aren't.
Treat the Franco-Iberian European Union with the respect it deserves. They aren't a rampaging force that you must defend against, but they'll have energy to spare, a military of decent standing, and no overt weaknesses. They're a tough nut to crack. Make sure to pressure them long before you think that you need to. Use spies to get information and wealth from them, and then join another nation when they're interested in going after Élodie. Your goal isn't just to get land; it's to knock her down a few pegs before she gets so tough that it's "not worth going after her."
So how do you win with the Franco-Iberian European Union? Patience. Beeline toward research that gets you Culture as quickly as possible. The free techs that you gain are so far apart that they're helpful without being mission-critical. Instead, it's the virtues themselves that are your big draw. Pick a direction that you want, and push hard with your virtues to make it happen. The Franco-Iberian European Union can be a military power, a peaceful expansionist, a researcher, or whatever else you need. That is very nice in a multiplayer game, when enemies won't be sure what to make of you. Use that. Don't be the opponent they're expecting. Switch categories of virtues after you've gotten what you need in the early game, and either heat up your military if your neighbors look soft or become a quiet building powerhouse if everyone else starts fighting things out.
Élodie
- Strengths: Culture, Energy
- Weaknesses: Health, Science
Known only as Élodie, she traces her bloodline to the aristocrats of France and Italy. In her mid-60s, Élodie is elegant, well spoken, and aristocratic; she is polite but reserved when dealing with those she perceives as social inferiors and gracious with her "equals." She is chic and elegant in dress and coiffure, adding her own stylish touches to even the most mundane and pragmatic wear, like a spaceship jumpsuit. However, left to her own tastes, she would tend to favor the latest styles and have an extensive wardrobe, changing her clothes frequently to suit the situation. Élodie is multilingual, with the affectation of dropping words and phrases from the Romance languages into her dialogue no matter which tongue she is speaking. Élodie is slightly flamboyant in her mannerisms and gestures, akin to the nobility of old Europe. Well educated and sophisticated, she also tends to allude to works of great art and literature in her conversation, with the occasional bon mot. Velvet with a hint of steel, Élodie strives to be admired, as well as respected, by other leaders[el] but she will settle for feared if necessity dictates.
Long wealthy, Élodie's lineage traces back to the nobility and privileged elite of France and Italy a millennia before the Great Mistake. Her family's prestige and influence was not, however, based on its peerage but rather on the immense fortune it had amassed over the previous two centuries from its holdings in agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. Opportunities since the Great Mistake have made it even richer. Its pharmaceutical operations were critical during the "super bug" pandemic after the Great Mistake, and the family farms, orchards, and vineyards in Portugal, France, Sicily, and Greece remained relatively untouched by the fallout, providing ample income from food production.
Born in Europe's foremost fertility and maternity clinic in Braga, Élodie was her parents' only child. Raised in luxury along the Cote d'Azur and Costa del Sol, Élodie became a media darling as a teen, although she was not always portrayed in a flattering light. Reaching maturity, she parlayed that exposure and her experience with the press into a platform for her politics and cultural cachet. Although raised in the Catholic traditions of the New Papacy, Élodie professed to follow no specific religion. She was, however, a staunch monotheist and brought her faith into all her dealings.
Accused by her detractors as an isolationist and a European elitist, Élodie certainly possessed a famously acerbic tongue and quick wit. A strong believer in the value of the Western cultural tradition, she believed that it was up to the educated European elite to guide the masses for their betterment, ensuring the survival of high culture. The best way to do this on Earth was the independence and sustainability of the new Union. More vital, in Élodie's view, was to ensure that Franco-Iberia planted colonies off-world.
When Franco-Iberia announced its plans to launch a "Seeding," Élodie used her considerable influence and family connections to get her name on the short list for command. Using her media savvy, she managed to get the mass media's backing, making her a popular choice among the citizenry of the Union despite her age. Beyond the operational matters (and Élodie had a knack for choosing able lieutenants), she also personally oversaw the construction of the Canon, the definitive collection of Western art, letters, and music that became the template for inclusion in the cultural banks of other Seeding projects. Hence, when the colony ship set out, it not only carried people and technology from Franco-Iberia but also some of old Europe's great art works and schematics for duplicating many of Europe's great architectural wonders. Élodie's new colony was designed not only to prosper but also to look good doing so.