Tropico 6: Every Faction In The Game, Explained

In the political simulation game Tropico 6, players are in charge of the government of a Caribbean island. They can rule however they see fit, ranging from a benevolent leader to one with an iron fist. Tropico 6 moves from the Colonial Era all the way to Modern Times, and as time progresses new factions will emerge.

RELATED: Beginner Tips For Tropico 6

Each faction encourages a different ruling style, and they often will oppose one another. They each come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks. Players can either rule how they want to see the world, or experiment and try on a new set of Presidente clothes. Ultimately, it's all up to them.

Updated April 6, 2022 by Jason Van Duine: With the release of Tropico 6 on next-gen consoles, there will now be a whole new batch of players beginning their rule over the fictional Caribbean island. In Tropico 6, the factions are the key to success; progression is impossible without appealing to one side or another. Each with its advantages and disadvantages, policies and ideologies, knowing the ins and outs of each faction can help players progress from the Colonial Age to the Modern Times of Tropico 6 knowing which factions will best appeal to the desired Tropico state for each player.

Revolutionaries

Essentially the tutorial faction, the Revolutionaries is the first faction to emerge in the game. Since they're used as an introduction for the player, they're also among the simplest to understand. Coming out of the Colonial Era, the Revolutionaries hate anything to do with colonial tyranny. Instead, they fight for Tropico to be a free and independent nation. Throughout the Colonial Era, the Revolutionaries will provide a series of missions for the player to complete. Apart from increased support, each mission will reward the player with 10 revolutionary immigrants, $2,000, and a random blueprint.

It's necessary for the player to cooperate with the Revolutionaries in order to progress through Tropico 6. They'll have a mandate from The Crown, the foreign power ruling Tropico, which eventually runs out and results in a game over. Technically, The Crown is its own faction, though it is impossible to progress through the game by siding with them. Players can complete demands from The Crown in order to extend the mandate, but they'll soon be forced to work with the Revolutionaries to declare Tropico an independent nation.

Capitalists

Like other games in the Tropico series, other factions will start to come into play. After the Colonial Era, four new factions will emerge in the game. The first of these is the Capitalists. As a moral opponent of Communism, Capitalists in Tropico 6 care about one thing and one thing only: money. Generating income is the primary driving force for Capitalists, and they'll reject anything if cash isn't the motivation.

For this reason, they enjoy buildings with high-profit margins and tools that will increase the government income while also decreasing labor costs. Buildings include banks, mansions, fast food joints, shopping malls, yacht clubs, offices, golf courses, and tourism buildings. Capitalists will also like police stations while in Live and Let Live work mode, and fire stations while in Building Inspection work mode. They dislike welfare and investment, especially if there isn't a monetary benefit. The effect of their Ultimatum is the Financial Crisis. This cuts export prices by half, doubles the cost of everything, and cuts the Broker's conversion rates in half.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Voting Rights: Wealthy Citizens Vote
Labor Policy: Happy Childhood
Ecology: Energy Efficient
Media Independence: Sponsored Content
Healthcare: Paid Healthcare
Global Market Economy: Free Trade

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Healthcare: Hybrid System
Global Market Economy: Protectionism

Liked Edicts

Caribbean Trade Pact Association
No Free Lunch
Church Fee
Right to Arms

Disliked Edicts

Free Wheels
Health Tax

Communists

From the World Wars era and onward, the Communists emerge as a response to Capitalists. Inspired by the revolutionary ideas of Karl Marx, Communists prefer that all government institutions be made available to the public. They don't like it, however, when the government creates tools that clearly benefit the rich and oppress the poor.

Communists don't like buildings designed solely for the rich. Instead, players should invest in building basic necessities such as schools, hospitals, and bunkhouses. Communists go on strike for their Ultimatum. Only people working at fire stations and the military are unaffected by the strike.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Labor Policy: Early Retirement
Religion and State: Atheist State
Emigration: Love It or Leave It
Media Independence: State-Controlled Media
Personal Rights: Total Surveillance
Healthcare: Single-Payer System
Global Market Economy: Protectionism

Disliked Constitutional Stance

Voting Rights: Wealthy Citizens Vote
Labor Policy: A Life's Work
Religion and State: Theocracy
Media Independence: Sponsored Content
Healthcare: Paid Healthcare

Liked Edicts

Free Wheels
Food for the People
Agricultural Subsidies
Wealth Tax
Free Housing

Disliked Edicts

No Free Lunch
Building Permit

Militarists

Players who want to build up a strong military presence on Tropico should look towards the Militarists. The Militarists only care about building a strong military and have a strong focus on discipline, uniformity, and strength.

Anything that strengthens the government and security is fantastic for Militarists, even if it comes at the cost of personal liberties. Anything with a focus on welfare, education, or the environment is looked down upon. Obviously, any building relating to the military will help with this faction. These buildings can include weapons factories, military buildings, raid buildings, apartments, and hospitals. Recreational buildings such as movie theaters, nightclubs, and roller coasters will help too, as odd as it may seem. Upon failing their Ultimatum, a coup will occur.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Armed Forces: Professional Soldiers
Separation of Powers: No Separation

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Armed Forces: Pacifist State

Liked Edicts

Martial Law
Military Police
Bells To Bullets

Disliked Edicts

No Disliked Edicts

Religious

The primary enemy of the Militarists is the Religious faction. Instead of war, they intend to promote peace and welfare, as well as a sense of tradition. So long as the government continues on the path of peace, the Religious will have good relations with Tropico.

Players should focus on helping the poor and honoring religious values while avoiding anything that supports an extravagant lifestyle and progressive thinking. The Religious faction will help with this by providing a Religious minister for the departments of Education and the Interior. Education will cause students to shift their political views in favor of the Religious faction and reduce their effectiveness by 10%. Interior will cause criminals and rebels to have a 10% chance of losing their role after visiting religious buildings.

Media can help as well. Players can give citizens a 25% to convert with movie theaters on "In Nomini Angeli" work mode, newspapers on "The Word" mode, TV stations on "Pray TV" mode, and radio stations on "The Voice" mode. High school citizens will have a 50% chance if high school buildings are in "Parochial Education" mode. Obviously, religious buildings are preferred. Other buildings include residential buildings, circuses, groceries, clinics, customs offices, asylums, airports, childhood museums, and mausoleums. With their Ultimatum, citizens will lose experience when visiting religious buildings. Religious citizens will also set buildings on fire after visiting them.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Religion and State: Theocracy
Labor Policy: Happy Childhood
Armed Forces: Pacifist State
Healthcare: Single-Payer System
Personal Rights: Security Surveillance

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Marriage Rights: Open Marriage
Religion and State: Atheist State
Healthcare: Paid Healthcare
Personal Rights: Privacy Rights

Liked Edicts

Contraception Ban
Good Old Days

Disliked Edicts

Policy of Detente
Legalized Substance
Bells to Bullets
Church Fee

Industrialists

There are two new factions that emerge in the Cold War era of the game. The first is the Industrialists, who want nothing more than to turn Tropico into the best economy in the world. It doesn't matter what Industrialists have to do to achieve this goal. As long as the decision boosts the economy, Industrialists will be behind it.

Industrial-themed buildings work great here. These buildings include factories, industrial buildings, military buildings, media buildings, education buildings, tenements, garbage dumps, fire stations, power plants, automated mines, and factory ranches. Their Ultimatum is Maximum Exploitation. Industrial-themed buildings such as the power plant and nuclear power plant will double in pollution. Job quality for citizens is capped at 10, and those citizens will lose health and happiness every time they work.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Voting Rights: Wealthy Citizens Vote
Ecology: Economy First
Labor Policy: A Life's Work
Personal Rights: Security Surveillance
Global Market Economy: Protectionism

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Ecology: Zero Emission
Armed Forces: Pacifist State

Liked Edicts

Experimental Ground Treatment
Free Wheels
Right to Arms
Industrialization
Urban Development
Agricultural Development
Speedway
Sea Disposal

Disliked Edicts

Happy Meat
Mandatory Waste Sorting

Environmentalists

If the faction above doesn't sound eco-friendly, then players should turn to the Environmentalists. Also emerging from the Cold War, the Environmentalists focus on creating a green, energy-efficient Tropico. They hate the lack of ethics and resource exploitation imposed by the Industrialists.

Parks and energy-conserving buildings are preferred. Other buildings include garbage dumps, waste treatment facilities, botanical gardens, country houses, hydroponic plantations, bus garages, and metro stations. Snorkel Bay is also a helpful investment here. Failing their Ultimatum results in an Eco-Protest. Environmentalists will protest at any building too industrial for them.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Armed Forces: Pacifist State
Religion and State: Freedom of Religion
Ecology: Zero Emissions
Marriage Rights: Open Marriage

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Ecology: Economy First

Liked Edicts

Mandatory Waste Sorting
Happy Meat
Legalized Substances
Policy Detente

Disliked Edicts

Experimental Ground Treatment
Sea Disposal

Conservatives

After colonies, world wars, and cold wars, players finally make it to the Modern Times era. Here we find the modern fight between Conservatives and Intellectuals. Conservatives hate anything new and different. They want to hold on to the founding principles of Tropico and its tradition and culture. They will sacrifice personal liberties for security and defense, and to keep foreigners from entering Tropico.

Classic and nostalgic buildings are encouraged, while new and modern buildings should be avoided. These include country houses, guard towers, forts, fire stations, dungeons, prisons, taverns, theaters, cabarets, shopping malls, childhood museums, mausoleums, TV stations, nuclear programs, police buildings, stadiums, and security checkpoints. They will also appreciate immigration offices, but only if they are set to "Tropico First" mode. Conservatives force a Recalled Election for their Ultimatum, during which they will decrease the experience of non-conservative citizens when they meet inside buildings.

Liked Constitutional Stances

Armed Forces: Militia
Voting Rights: Open Ballot Elections
Religion and State: Freedom of Religion
Labor Policy: Early Retirement
Separation of Powers: No Separation
Media Independence: State-Controlled Media
Emigration: Love It or Leave It
Personal Rights: Total Surveillance
Healthcare: Hybrid System
Marriage Rights: Traditional Marriage
Global Market Economy: Protectionism

Disliked Constitutional Stances

Religion and State: Theocracy
Separation of Powers: True Separation
Personal Rights: Privacy Rights
Marriage Rights: Open Marriage

Liked Edicts

Military Police
Good Old Days
Contraception Ban
Right to Arms
Mandatory Siesta

Disliked Edicts

Cultural Diversity
Policy of Detente
Legalized Substance
Prohibition
Mandatory Waste Sorting
No Free Lunch

Intellectuals

Out with the old, in with the new. Players waiting to ditch tradition and make way for the future will want to side with the Intellectuals. They focus on education in hopes of pushing Tropico towards a new future. They primarily oppose Conservatives, but they also take a disliking towards Militarists and the Religious faction.

Any buildings that promote technology and peace will improve relations with Intellectuals. These include modern mansions and apartments, fish farms, hydroponic plantations, factory ranches, automated mines, education buildings, wind turbines, solar power plants, arcades, gourmet restaurants, museums of modern art, space programs, cyber operations centers, and waste treatment facilities. For their Ultimatum, Intellectuals will unleash a Hacking Attack. Players will lose all knowledge points and Swiss Bank Money. The tourist rating will drop to zero, buildings won't generate knowledge points, and the player will be unable to interact with the broker.