| 德克萨斯 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 政府类型 | Democracy |
| 执政党 | Democratic Party (Liberal) |
| 首都 | Austin (ID 133) |
| 人口 | 16.01 thousand |
| 主体民族 | Texan |
| 被接受民族 | Mexican |
| 识字率 | 36.8 % |
| 国家价值观 | Liberty |
| 科研学派 | Traditional Academia |
| 地位 | Civilized Nation |
Texas is in the interesting position of being either a very good starter state for a completely new player learning the ropes before jumping into the larger, but still forgiving 
USA. It can also be a tremendous challenge for the experienced player looking for a new and difficult scenario.
Initial Position
Texas starts the game in a precarious position between a great power (USA), that wishes to annex its' territiory and a secondary power in Mexico that it is already at war with, with the survival of Texas at stake. Policy and Tech-wise, Texas looks like a little USA, and is one land tech ahead of 
Mexico. Texas starts with a single army containing one 
cavalry, one 
artillery, and one 
guard unit and is led by a general that has +6 to defense.
A few days after game start, Texas gets an event, Raiding the garrisons, that stockpiles goods and cash, allowing them to run a deficit throughout the war.
Defeating Mexico
Any Texas game that wants to get past 1840 is going to have to win the war of independence. There are three ways to go about this.
Easy Route
On day 1, garrison your troops in the Alamo (San Antonio) and have them sit there. Then use the two diplomatic points you start the game with to increase US relations. The easiest way to win this war is to let the US intervene, and sitting in San Antonio means that Texas will be able to get a few small prestige points when the much larger armies of Mexican irregulars break upon the walls of your fortress, advanced combined arms army, and +6 defense general. It also means that the Mexicans will eventually ride around and occupy Lubbock.
By default, the US wants desperately to intervene and will do so at the first opportunity, BUT they can only do so if A) Texas has not added any wargoals, not even the reconquest of cores, and B) Texas is losing by 1% warscore or more. This is often the route that gets taken by accident when a poor (or even moderately talented) player loses the army and leaves Texas completely open to Mexican assault.
Historic Route
Historically, Texas won the war through mobility and surprise and without direct US intervention, though it was fairly unlikely at the time and even less likely in Victoria 2. With HoD, Texas can win simply by not losing. Attack the smallest Mexican stacks, prevent any occupations, and make sure to let your armies reinforce between battles. You can stave off US intervention by never losing a territory and winning most battles, but the only way to guarantee the US doesn't get involved is to add a wargoal, probably the acquisition of your cores down to the Rio Grande. Historically, this was more than General Houston could manage and the war ended in a white peace with the Mexican dictator Santa Anna captured at San Jacinto and signed papers that gave Texas the land they claimed.
Ambitious Route
Extremely skilled players may want to try adding your cores as a wargoal, then allying with either the US or the 
USCA and calling them to war. It will take a number of years just to get the diplomatic points required the improved relations and alliance offer, and the US will often not accept even at a full 200 relations before they sphere you.
After the War
Historical (Easy) Route
By the time the war has ended Texas will either have been sphered by the US or is nearly there. In actual history, annexation was first proposed in 1837 and finally accepted in 1845. Annexation is as easy as checking off the decision, but Texas should first consider if it intends to outlaw or allow slavery, and with HoD if they want to first try to use the flashpoint to pick up her cores (though the inevitable manifest destiny war will allow America to take them in a few years anyway). After annexation, you are playing as the USA, so go check out that country guide.
Independent Routes
A substantially more difficult route is to remain completely independent for the entire game. Texas has fewer than 15,000 people at game start, and being squished between the USA and Mexico radically cuts down on diplomatic options.
Economy
Texas has three provinces producing 
cattle (or 5 if the remaining Mexican cores has been taken) and a 
sulphur mine. Coupled with the tiny population, this means your income is measured in pence, not pounds. Maxing out tariffs is going to help out less than it should because most of your trade will be with the US, who will keep you sphered for most of the game.
At the close of the Mexican war, Texas also faces the dilemma of what to do with her army. On one hand, it is a fairly advanced army better than anything Texas will be able to field for decades. On the other, it is 9,000 people in a nation of 15,000 already teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
Techs that focus particularly on cattle and sulphur (Practical Steam Engine, Market Structure, Clean Coal) will help more than the more general industry/commerce techs.
Conquest Options
Once her economy is established, or at least strong enough to field an army and a few transport ships, Texas is in a fine position to carve out a small Caribbean empire.
Reclaiming your cores
With HoD, there is a new national focus called increase tensions. This focus is not placed in your own territory, but rather in El Paso or Laredo. After tensions get to 100%, and if there are no other crises worldwide, the great powers will be called in. Note that as of HoD 3.01, which side the great powers take can be hard to understand, and the US will often side with Mexico even if the are at war with Mexico, Texan allies, and the Texan sphere leader.
The Mexican-American War
When Texas is independent, USA cannot take the decision manifest destiny, and it does not gain cores cores out to the Pacific Ocean. USA is however likely to attack Mexico anyway. This is a great time to begin justifying a war against Mexico, because in the few months it will take to get the CB it should become clear which way the war is going. If Mexico is losing, go in and take a neighboring state. Chihuahua is fairly wealthy, while conquering south down the coast will allow you another naval base to increase naval supply limits. With the ticking war score, it is only necessary to occupy the state you want and then keep the Mexicans out of it for two years.
If you do get dragged into America's war, adding wargoals on to that is dangerous, since the US is under no obligation to press your goals at peacetime.
The Civil War
If the CSA forms small and weak, picking off Louisiana is completely doable, and for the ambitious or lucky Mississippi is not out of reach. Just make sure you get your piece before the USA declares peace.
If the CSA forms unusually large and strong, it may be worth taking the decision to remove yourself from the US sphere, either for its own sake or to add an acquire state wargoal on the US.
Caribbean Islands
Texas should remain alert to the wars of 
France, 
Spain and the 
United Kingdom. If one of them gets bogged down in a major conflict, taking a few of their Caribbean possessions should be rather easy.
Haiti, the USCA, Panama, Uruguay
If the USCA breaks up, if 
Haiti remains unsphered, or if 
Colombia has a weak military these are all great targets for a Texas that kept the military she starts the game with (and has built three transport ships). These are targets for the times when the opportunities described above aren't panning out. Uruguay will often remain without allies and makes a good stepping stone into South America and West Africa. An ambitious player can annex Uruguay early for a naval foothold in South America.