Beginner's Guide to NationStates!

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[center][b][color=#ffd700][size=300]Beginner's Guide to NationStates![/size][/color][/b][/center]
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[center][b][url=#basics][color=#ffffff]Basics[/color][/url] [color=#ffffff]|[/color] [url=#gameplay][color=#ffffff]Gameplay[/color][/url] [color=#ffffff]|[/color] [url=#glossary][color=#ffffff]Glossary[/color][/url][/b][/center][tab=1][/tab][/background-block][/box]
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[anchor=basics][center][b][color=#ffffff][size=200]Basics[/size][/color][/b][/center][/anchor]
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[center][b][url=#welcome][color=#ffd700]Welcome[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#yournation][color=#ffd700]Your Nation[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#dpnotices][color=#ffd700]Notices[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#issues][color=#ffd700]Issues[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#telegrams][color=#ffd700]Telegrams[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#dossier][color=#ffd700]Dossier & Activity[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#settings][color=#ffd700]Settings[/color][/url][/b][/center][tab=1][/tab][/background-block]
[anchor=welcome][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Welcome to NationStates![/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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[b]Welcome to NationStates[/b], and to [b][region]Solidarity[/region][/b], the Frontier region of the [b][region]NSLeft[/region][/b] alliance. We hope you like it here!

This is a comprehensive guide for new players to learn pretty much everything there is to know about the game.

[b]You don't have to read this whole guide all at once (unless you want to!)[/b] You can just use this guide as a reference whenever you come across something new or you'd like to learn more about an aspect of the game.

It's perfectly okay to just start playing the game and interacting with other people in the community! Feel free to say hi on the [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/region=solidarity#rmb]Regional Message Board[/url] (RMB)[/b] and/or the [b][url=https://discord.gg/2CSY4ve]NSLeft Discord Server[/url][/b]!

And don't feel you have to rely only on this guide. As our region's name implies, members of [region]Solidarity[/region] are always happy to help.

Ready? Let's get cracking!
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[anchor=yournation][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Your Nation[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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One important thing right off the bat: You need to log into your nation at least once every [b]28 days[/b] (or 60 days if you have activated vacation mode, see Settings). Otherwise it will cease to exist (CTE), which means its population and other time-dependent stats will stop growing.

If your nation does CTE, you can recover it by logging back in, but you will find yourself refounded in a different region and will have to move back to your old region manually.

After a certain (very long) amount of time, your nation's name will be cleared for other people to use, and then you won't be able to recover it. Although, once you reach a certain population (1 billion), your nation name is reserved forever and can't be used by anyone else again.

Needless to say, you also can't recover your nation if you get banned from the site, so please make sure you follow the site's [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=legal]Terms of Service[/url][/b] and [b][url=https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=260044]Rules[/url][/b] at all times!

[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Overview[/b][/size][/color]

Your nation's [b]overview page[/b] can be accessed by clicking on the name/flag of your nation in the top left corner, and you can see other nations by clicking on their names, e.g. [nation]Kavamkao[/nation]. This contains the following information:

[list][*][b]Banner[/b] – A photo (or several photos in rotation) that help set the "vibe" for your nation page – see [url=#settings][i][color=#ed1c24]Settings[/color][/i][/url].
[*][b]Flag[/b] – This is the flag you have either chosen or uploaded. You can edit this in [url=#settings][i][color=#ed1c24]Settings[/color][/i][/url].
[*][b]Classification[/b] – e.g. "People's Republic". You can also edit this in Settings. While you're new, you are limited to a pre-selected list, but once your nation reaches a population of 500 million, you'll be able to write in a custom one.
[*][b]Nation name[/b] – This is the name you picked for your nation. It is not possible to change your nation's name, but there's no rule against having multiple nations, so you can always start a new one!
[*][b]Category[/b] – e.g. "Democratic Socialists". There are 27 categories in NationStates, based on your nation's Civil Rights (liberal vs conservative), Economic Freedom (socialist vs capitalist), and Political Freedom (democracy vs dictatorship). More on these in the [url=#issues][i][color=#ed1c24]Issues[/color][/i][/url] section.
[*][b]Motto[/b] – The motto you chose for your nation. This, again, can be edited in Settings.
[*][b]Headline stats[/b] – There are 3 headline stats - Civil Rights, Economy, and Political Freedom. Economy is not the same as Economic Freedom: it's possible to have a booming socialist economy or a failing capitalist one. However, nations that start out socialist also start out with weak economies while capitalist nations start out with strong ones. Don't worry, you can improve your economy by addressing [url=#issues][i][color=#ed1c24]Issues[/color][/i][/url]!
[*][b]Region[/b] – This tells you which region a nation is in. It also shows icons indicating any administrative powers they have in their region (e.g. Border Control) – you can hover over these to find out what they mean.
[*][b]Influence[/b] – This shows you a nation's regional influence stat. You can find out more about this in the [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url] section of this guide. This box also tells you if they have a regional officer title (e.g. Security Officer)
[*][b]Infobox[/b] – On the right of the screen, you will see an infobox with the following information:
[list][*]Population – Your population grows over time, and there is no way for you to influence this. For a good guide on how this works, click here: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1092495]How Population Works[/url][/b].
[*]Currency & National Animal – You can change these in your Settings.
[*]Capital – Unlockable via an Issue which you become eligible to receive once your population hits 250 million.
[*]Leader – Unlockable immediately once your population reaches 750 million.
[*]National Religion – Unlockable immediately once your population reaches 1 billion.
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[*][b]Description[/b] – This is generated by the game based on your statistics, policies, and the specific Issues you have recently addressed.
[*][b]Trophies[/b] – Trophies are based on your stats - you get a trophy if you're in the top 10% (green), 5% (bronze) or 1% (gold) of nations in the world for that stat. There are also special trophies to indicate the site's Admins/Moderators, authors of Issues or World Assembly resolutions (see [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url]), people who have purchased Postmaster-General (see Telegrams) and those who have encountered Easter Egg Issues.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Subpages[/b][/size][/color]

Apart from the overview, nation pages have other [b]subpages[/b] which you can reach by clicking on the icons immediately underneath the headline stats. These are:
[list][*][b]Factbook[/b] – This section is where you can publish "lore" (in-character/roleplaying info) about your nation. You can either put everything in a single Factbook, or make several, in which case they'll show up as a list.
[*][b]Dispatches[/b] – Dispatches are pages like this one. Factbooks are actually a type of dispatch, so dispatches can either contain in-character or out-of-character news and info. Regions can pin dispatches to point players towards them.
[*][b]Policies[/b] – This section tells you the various policies a nation has implemented, which can be changed by addressing Issues. A list can be found here: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=920115]NationStates Policies[/url][/b].
[*][b]People[/b] – A bit of a misnomer, this page just shows you a pie chart of the leading causes of death in your nation, which are based on your stats.
[*][b]Government[/b] – Pie chart of your government's expenditure, which is also based on your stats.
[*][b]Economy[/b] – Pie chart of the sectors of your economy (Government, State-owned Industry, Private Industry, Black Market). Again, this is based on your stats.
[*][b]Rank[/b] – A useful table showing you how your stats compare to other nations in the game in general, and in your region specifically.
[*][b]Trend[/b] – Line graphs showing your stats over time. By default, it shows your headline stats. You can switch between different stats (ranging from Authoritarianism to Youth Rebelliousness) in the top right corner.
[*][b]Cards[/b] – Shows you the collectible trading cards a nation has. More on this in [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url].
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For an overview of the different types of [b]formatting[/b] you can apply to your factbooks and dispatches, please see: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=330837]The Complete List of NSCodes[/url][/b].

On the pages of other nations, you'll also see a [b]Challenge[/b] tab. This is a minigame, which is discussed in the [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url] section.
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[anchor=dpnotices][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Notices[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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[b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=notices]Notices[/url][/b] are like the notifications feed you might know from social media sites like Facebook or Instagram.

You can [b]change[/b] which types of notifications you want to receive in Settings: simply scroll to the bottom, and next to "Notices" click on "[url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=subscriptions]Subscriptions[/url]".

We would recommend [b]turning off[/b] notices for [b]Issues and Telegrams[/b], because when you have an unanswered Issue or Telegram, a notification badge is displayed on the Issue/Telegram tab anyway, so receiving redundant notices can be annoying because you might think something exciting has happened!

Those other "exciting things" you can get a notice for are:
[list][*]World Assembly endorsements (and un-endorsements) – see [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url].
[*]Gaining banners - see Settings.
[*]Gaining trophies for your stats.
[*]Gaining or losing policies.
[*]Sending/selling and receiving/buying trading cards – see [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url].
[*]Responses or tags you receive on your Regional Message Board (RMB).
[*]When your nation is linked in a dispatch, one of your own dispatches is pinned by a region, or someone links one of your dispatches in an RMB post.
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If you have embassy control in a region, you'll also get notifications about embassy requests/withdrawals for that region.

All of the above can be toggled on or off in Settings.
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[anchor=issues][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Issues[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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[b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dilemmas]Issues[/url][/b] are considered by some to be the core of the NationStates game. Answering issues affects your nation's [b]stats[/b] and [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=920115]policies[/url][/b], and is the only way to do so.

At the beginning, you will receive issues very frequently. This frequency decreases as you answer more issues until you reach the standard issue frequency of 6 hours. If this is still too much for you, you can reduce the issue frequency in your Settings to either 12 hours, 24 hours, or 48 hours between each issue.

Which issues you receive is more or less random, but there are different types of issues:

[list][*]General issues (most issues on NationStates), which any nation can get (though some options might only be shown if the nation fulfill certain conditions).
[*]Population-based issues, which are only unlocked when your nation reaches a certain population. For example, the issue that lets you edit your capital in Settings.
[*]Linked issues, which are either a chain of events, or just dependent on a specific option you have selected to address a previous issue.
[*]Stats-based issues, including issues based on your nations category or policies.
[*]Special issues, including Easter Egg issues and ones which have special effects like making your nation resign from the World Assembly (WA) – for more on the WA, see [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url].[/list]

Every time you answer an issue, you also have the chance of getting a pack of five virtual [b]trading cards[/b]. More details on this can be found in [url=#gameplay][i][color=#ed1c24]Gameplay[/color][/i][/url].
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Stats[/b][/size][/color]

Your stats can be found on the [b]Trend[/b] tab of your nation page. There, you can see how each stat has changed over time, and how each individual stat compares to other nations overall, and nations in your region specifically. Use the dropdown menu in the top right corner to switch between different stats.

Your Civil Rights (also known as Personal Freedom), Economic Freedom and Political Freedom stats also influence your nation's [b]category[/b] as follows:

[img]https://i.imgur.com/F76EbLZ.png[/img]

[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Consequences[/b][/size][/color]

Sometimes, issues affect your [b]stats[/b] in ways that you maybe didn't expect, or even institute a [b]policy[/b] you didn't mean to have.

Many players consider these [b]unintended consequences[/b] part of the [b]fun[/b] of NationStates, and having accidental policies or non-ideal statistics can add a greater element of [b]challenge[/b] to the game.

However, if you're a "minmaxer" (i.e. you want to fine tune your nation's stats to suit your ideas or lore), there is a page that can tell you what effects the different choices for each issue are likely to have: [url=http://www.mwq.dds.nl/ns/results/]NationStates issue results[/url].
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[anchor=telegrams][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Telegrams[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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[b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=telegrams]Telegrams[/url][/b] are the [b]direct messaging system[/b] of NationStates.

You can get telegrams from NationStates itself (such as if you're in the World Assembly and a World Assembly Resolution passes, or if you are ejected from a region), and these telegrams can't be turned off.

Mass telegrams can also be sent by other players. You can reduce the amount of different types of mass telegrams you receive from different regions, or even turn them off completely, by clicking on [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=tgsettings]Preferences[/url][/b] in the Telegrams tab.

Of course, you can also send and receive individual telegrams, which cannot be limited or turned off. If someone is [b]spamming[/b] you or [b]being abusive[/b], please [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=help]report it to the site moderators[/url][/b]!

By default, you can only store [b]20 telegrams[/b] in a folder at a time, and you can't create custom folders.

You can purchase upgrades that increase or remove such limits by heading to the [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=store]store[/url][/b]! This helps support the site's upkeep.

Unlike sending individual telegrams, sending mass telegrams requires [b]stamps[/b], which can also be purchased in the store. If you want to support Solidarity's recruitment efforts, you might want to consider gifting stamps to [nation]Kavamkao[/nation], but [u]please only do so if you're absolutely sure you have the money to spare[/u]!
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[anchor=dossier][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Dossier & Activity[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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You can save nations and regions of interest to your [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dossier]Dossier[/url][/b] to keep track of them. You could use this to keep track of people you know, and/or any other nations you might create in addition to your main nation.

The [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=activity/view=dossier]Activity[/url][/b] tab defaults to the Dossier view to help you keep tabs on happenings in the nations and regions in your dossier.

From there, you can also select other options, to see happenings e.g. in your region or the whole world. You can also filter for certain types of happenings on the top right.
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[anchor=settings][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Settings[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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In your [url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=settings]Settings[/url], you can change:
[list][*]Key attributes of your nation (like its motto or currency).
[*]Your account settings (like email and password).
[*]The theme (appearance) of the site.
[*]Banners and various gameplay settings, discussed below in more depth.[/list]

You can change your flag either by selecting one of the default flags, or by uploading a custom flag. If you like, you can also add a ripple effect to your flag from here!
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Banners[/b][/size][/color]

You can [b]unlock[/b] banners based on things like population, stats, and issue responses, kind of like [i]achievements[/i] you might be familiar with from other games.

By default, NationStates will randomly rotate through all your banners while someone is looking at your nation's overview page.

On the [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=banners]banner settings page[/url][/b], you can turn specific banners [b]on[/b] or [b]off[/b], and/or to set one as your [b]primary banner[/b], which will be the first banner shown when someone loads your nation's page. With more population you also unlock the ability to upload custom banners.

Much like achievements in other games, NS doesn't show you banners you haven't unlocked yet, but if you want to spoil the surprise, you can take a look at [url=https://nsindex.net/wiki/National_banners]this page[/url] (last updated 2021) or [url=http://zehos.com/relay/n/nationstates.net/banners.html]this one[/url] (last updated 2023). The "criteria" listed on these pages are exactly as stated on NationStates, so they don't always tell you exactly what you have to do to earn the banner.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Gameplay settings[/b][/size][/color]

As mentioned above, you can reduce the issue frequency down to 12, 24, or even 48 hours between issues.

You can also turn on [b]vacation mode[/b], which will turn off receiving issues completely, and allows you to log in only once every 60 days instead of 28 before your nation ceases to exist.

Finally, you can choose [b]not to receive trading cards[/b] from answering issues, if that's not a side of gameplay you're interested in. However, a good alternative is to simply gift any cards you receive to others who do collect them - some regions have "card solidarity" programmes for this purpose.
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[anchor=gameplay][center][b][color=#ffffff][size=200]Gameplay[/size][/color][/b][/center][/anchor]
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[center][b][url=#introduction][color=#ffd700]Introduction[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#regions][color=#ffd700]Regions[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#worldassembly][color=#ffd700]World Assembly[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#raidingdefending][color=#ffd700]Raiding/Defending[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#cards][color=#ffd700]Cards[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#nationchallenge][color=#ffd700]Nation Challenge[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#events][color=#ffd700]Events[/color][/url] [color=#ffd700]|[/color] [url=#roleplay][color=#ffd700]Roleplay[/color][/url][/b][/center][tab=1][/tab][/background-block]
[anchor=introduction][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Introduction[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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Now that you know the basics of how to manage your nation, it's time to expand your horizons!

NationStates has a variety of gameplay mechanics that involve interacting with [b]other nations[/b], which will be detailed in this section.
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[anchor=regions][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Regions[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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Every nation in NationStates is part of a region. Regions tend to have different types of regional governments, rules/laws, values, cultures, and traditions.

In other words, in many ways they can be thought of as being like real-world countries in terms of how individual players contribute to their regions.

The main ways in which individual players interact within regions are through the region's [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/region=solidarity#rmb]Regional Message Board[/url] (RMB)[/b] on the site, as well as off-site facilities like [b][url=https://discord.gg/2CSY4ve]Discord Servers[/url][/b] and [b]self-hosted forums[/b] (e.g. [url=https://tcb.red/]The Communist Bloc forums[/url]).

Governors, World Assembly Delegates, and other regional officers can do various things like edit the region's [b]World Factbook Entry (WFE)[/b] (the description on the region page), pin or unpin dispatches, suppress posts, eject and/or ban nations from the region, send mass telegrams, and open and close embassies with other regions. Embassies indicate that members of one region can post on the RMB of the other, and vice versa. Some of these actions, like ejecting/banning nations, costs the relevant nation some of their [b]regional influence[/b].

Regions are principally divided into user-created regions (created by users, as the name implies), and game-created regions which exist in the game by default to fulfill certain purposes.
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There are three different types of [b]user-created regions (UCRs)[/b] in NationStates:

[list][*][b]Frontiers[/b] like [b][region]Solidarity[/region][/b], where power over the region is held by the World Assembly Delegate (the nation with the most World Assembly Endorsements in the region). New nations (like you) can spawn here!
[*][b]Strongholds[/b] like [b][region]The Leftist Assembly[/region][/b], where power over the region is held by a Governor (initially the region's Founder) who appoints their own successors. New nations [u]can't[/u] spawn in these.
[*][b]Legacy Regions[/b] like [b][region]The Communist Bloc[/region][/b], where the Governor is a Founder who has ceased to exist, so power is held by the World Assembly Delegate (like in a Frontier), but new nations cannot spawn (like in a Stronghold).
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Legacy Regions and Strongholds can transition to become Frontiers, and Frontiers can transition to become Strongholds, but this process takes time and can be stopped by the World Assembly (see the [url=#worldassembly][i][color=#ed1c24]World Assembly[/color][/i][/url] section below).
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Then there are the [b]game-created regions (GCRs)[/b]. Since GCRs don't have founders or governors, they function like frontiers, but they also have unique mechanics depending on their type:
[list][*][b]Feeders[/b] like [region]The East Pacific[/region]. These are the regions where all new nations formerly spawned (before Frontiers were introduced to the game).
[*][b]Sinkers[/b] like [region]Osiris[/region]. If your nation ceases to exist and you restore it, it will be restored in one of these.
[*][b]Catchers[/b], currently only [region]The Rejected Realms[/region]. If your nation is ejected or banned from a region, it will be moved here.
[*][b]Warzones[/b] like [region]Warzone Asia[/region]. These are founderless regions which can't be password-protected - see [url=#raidingdefending][i][color=#ed1c24]Raiding/Defending[/color][/i][/url] below for why that matters.
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Unless you are in a Stronghold, it is vital for your region's security (see [url=#raidingdefending][i][color=#ed1c24]Raiding/Defending[/color][/i][/url]) that you [b]join the World Assembly[/b] and [b]endorse your region's World Assembly delegate[/b], which is a convenient segué to...
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[anchor=worldassembly][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]The World Assembly[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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The [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=un]World Assembly[/url] (WA)[/b] is an analogue to the real-world United Nations: nations debate and vote on [b]proposals[/b] in the [b]General Assembly[/b] (which is broadly focused on [b]roleplay[/b]) and the [b]Security Council[/b] (which focuses more on [b]gameplay[/b]).

To join the World Assembly, head to its [url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=un]page[/url] and click on the button at the top of the page, [b]Apply to join[/b]. An e-mail will be sent to you, and you will need to click the link in the email to complete your application.

[b]You can only have one nation in the World Assembly[/b] at any given time [b]or you will be permanently banned[/b]. We recommend using the same email address for all your nations because then you will get a warning if you try to join the WA when you already have another nation in the WA that you forgot about, so this will prevent you from doing it by accident.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Endorsements[/b][/size][/color]

Once you are in the World Assembly, you can [b]endorse[/b] other nations in your region. As outlined in the [url=#regions][i][color=#ed1c24]Regions[/color][/i][/url] section (and this is discussed in further detail in [url=#raidingdefending][i][color=#ed1c24]Raiding/Defending[/color][/i][/url]), you should probably [b]endorse your region's World Assembly delegate[/b] and [b]Regional Officers[/b].

But pay attention, your region may have an [b]endorsement cap (endocap)[/b] for security, which may be different for different nations depending on certain conditions. You should always try to make sure that any nation you are endorsing is not over the region's endocap, and keep an eye on your own endorsements too to make sure you don't go over it! Many regions zealously enforce their endocaps by ejecting violators.

Whichever nation in a region happens to have the most endorsements is made the [b]World Assembly Delegate (WAD)[/b] for that region at one of the two daily updates which occur at 00:00 (midnight) and 12:00 (noon) Pacific Standard Time.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Submitting Proposals[/b][/size][/color]

Any nation which has received 2 or more endorsements from other nations may submit proposals to the General Assembly and Security Council. 6% of [u]all[/u] World Assembly Delegates in the game have to approve a proposal before a vote can be held on it, and there is a time limit for the proposal to achieve this threshold.

It is good practice to discuss any proposals you would like to submit with your region, and to undergo a drafting process in the [b][url=https://forum.nationstates.net/]NationStates Forum[/url][/b]. If you don't do this, it's very unlikely your proposal will pass, or even make it to vote.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]Voting[/b][/size][/color]

When a proposal is voted on, there are effectively two sets of votes counted:
[list][*]World Assembly Delegates get as many votes as they have endorsements, i.e. a WAD with 500 endorsements will get 500 votes.
[*]Each individual nation which [i]isn't[/i] a World Assembly Delegate gets 1 vote.
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Theoretically, a region with 100 World Assembly nations who all endorse their delegate would therefore get 200 votes, whereas if only 25 of them endorse their delegate, the region would only get 125 votes, so endorsing the delegate is important for the region's relative "power" in the World Assembly. This is another reason why endorsing the WAD is important.

On the flipside, this is also why regions often issue voting recommendations. Again, if a region of 100 WA nations with 100 WAD endorsements all votes the same way, that will be 200 votes for or against the resolution. Whereas, if the WAD votes one way but individual nations are split 50:50, the region is only contributing 150 votes for/against and 50 votes to the opposite camp.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]The General Assembly[/b][/size][/color]

General Assembly proposals are essentially international laws which mostly affect roleplay, e.g. legal standards and declarations of rights. There are 13 different categories of proposals (some of which even have subcategories) depending on the subject matter. You can find out more about these in [b][url=https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=159348]NationStates Forum thread[/url][/b].

Existing resolutions cannot be amended, they can only be repealed, so to improve existing resolutions they need to be repealed first and then replaced with an improved resolution.
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[color=#ed1c24][size=120][b]The Security Council[/b][/size][/color]

Security Council proposals come in 5 different categories. The first does nothing in terms of gameplay: Declarations simply express the Security Council's opinion on something and are mostly roleplay-related or humorous.

The next two are cosmetic:

[list][*]Commendations give regions a Commendation badge which is displayed on the region page.
[*]Condemnations give regions a Condemnation badge which is displayed on the region page.
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It's worth noting that many condemned regions consider their condemnation badge a mark of pride, so many consider this more of a roleplay than gameplay related mechanic.

However, the Security Council also has two other types of proposals which have significant gameplay effects:

[list][*][b]Liberations[/b] stop or prevent regions from being password-protected.
[*][b]Injunctions[/b] prevent regions from transitioning between being a Stronghold or Frontier (or from a Legacy Region to a Frontier).
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For more in-depth information on all of these, see [b][url=https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=159348]NationStates Forum thread[/url][/b].
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[anchor=raidingdefending][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Raiding/Defending[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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Regions where executive power is held by whoever happens to be the World Assembly Delegate (like GCRs, Frontiers, and Legacy Regions – see [url=#regions][i][color=#ed1c24]Regions[/color][/i][/url] above) can be [b]raided[/b] by groups of players through a concerted effort of moving in a puppet nation shortly before one of the twice-daily updates, resigning from the World Assembly on their main nation, joining on their puppet nation, and then all endorsing one of themselves, who will then replace the existing WAD if they manage to outnumber their endorsements. (This means larger regions are generally harder to raid than smaller ones.)

If this is successful, the raiders can either just choose to deface the region's WFE (description) and leave messages on the RMB, which is called [b]tag raiding[/b], or they can [b]eject[/b] existing members (termed [b]natives[/b]) and password-protect the region to prevent members from rejoining it, eventually leaving it empty and under their control (especially if they also leave the region to first cease to exist, and then refound the region to give their puppet permanent executive control as a Stronghold).

On the other side of that coin, players can [b]defend[/b] regions when they are being raided, by moving in and essentially doing the opposite: endorsing the existing WAD to prevent the raider candidate from usurping the delegacy.

This side of gameplay is referred to as [b]Raiding/Defending (R/D)[/b]. Since this is the closest analogue NationStates has to military conflict, any roleplay that takes place around R/D often uses military language, and regions who aren't focussed on R/D alone but nonetheless participate in it often call its group of raiders/defenders the [b]regional military[/b].

Some regions are exclusively based around raiding, others exclusively around defending, while others will engage in both or neither. A good example of a region which both raids and defends is [b][region]NSLeft[/region][/b]'s member region [b][region]The Communist Bloc[/region][/b], which frequently raids fascist regions, but will also defend leftist regions against raiders.

This is only a brief overview and there are many more nuances to R/D gameplay, such as the finer points of influence costs, or [b]quorum raiding[/b] which seeks to influence the World Assembly, but these are outside the scope of this Beginner's Guide.

If this is something you are interested in, consider reaching out to a region which has the tag "Raider", "Defender", or "Independent", which are the three main [b]alignments[/b] for regions involved in R/D gameplay. (Within NSLeft, as mentioned above, The Communist Bloc is probably your best option).
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[anchor=cards][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Cards[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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Every time you answer an issue, there is a 20% chance of getting a pack of 5 [b]trading cards[/b]. They have different likelihoods of spawning depending on their [b]rarity[/b]: common, uncommon, rare, ultra rare, epic, or legendary.

Cards can be [b]junked[/b] for their face value to generate [b]bank[/b], which is needed both to [b]buy[/b] cards and for the transaction fee to [b]gift[/b] cards to other players. Bank can also be generated by [b]selling[/b] cards.

If you want to take part in this side of gameplay, it is important that you [b]open packs[/b] as soon as you find them (you will see this at the bottom of the issue results page), as your nation can only store up to [b]9[/b] unopened packs at a time (or [b]18[/b] if you are a site supporter).

Once again, there is much more to this side of gameplay than can be covered in a Beginner's Guide, so for more information, read [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1301085]The Comprehensive Guide to NationStates Cards[/url][/b].
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[anchor=nationchallenge][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Nation Challenge[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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[b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=challenge]Nation Challenge[/url][/b] is a minigame based on comparing your nation's stats against the stats of another nation.

Your starting level in any challenge match is determined by the number of stat trophies your nation has at the time, and can be increased by winning matches which generates [b]championship points[/b], up to a maximum bonus of +25 levels.

Detailed numbers and further information can be found here: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1492691]How Does Challenges[/url][/b].
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[anchor=events][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Events[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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Certain mechanics only exist within the game at certain times, which NationStates calls [b]Events[/b]. At present, there are two different events which occur regularly:

[list][*][b]N-Day[/b], which adds a nuclear wargame where nations join factions and nuke (or defend) one another. For detailed information on this, see: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=874170]N-Day: What You Need to Know[/url][/b]. This event happens [b]twice a year[/b] around February and August.
[*][b]Z-Day[/b], which adds a zombie apocalypse, where nations choose either to help survivors or embrace the horde. For detailed information on this, see: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=711327]Z-day[/url][/b]. This event happens [b]once a year[/b] around Halloween.[/list]
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[anchor=roleplay][color=#ed1c24][size=150][b]Roleplay[/b][/size][/color][/anchor]

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The most basic aspect of [b]roleplay (RP)[/b] lies in establishing the lore of your nation (see also: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=414401]Guide to Role-Playing[/url][/b]), which many players do even if they don't wish to engage in interactive roleplay with other players.

In the so called [b]in-character (IC)[/b] sections of the NationStates forum (e.g. the [url=#worldassembly][i][color=#ed1c24]World Assembly[/color][/i][/url] section), and in certain regional venues (depending on the region's approach to roleplay), you are encouraged to roleplay as a [b]character[/b] or [b]persona[/b], usually a diplomat representing your nation, or a regional politician.

A good introduction to this can be found here: [b][url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=213568]Roleplay 101[/url][/b]. Please note that it is generally [b]not acceptable[/b] to play a character in posts on the RMB or in non-roleplay-specific channels of a regional Discord or Forum, without (1) marking/spoilering the interaction as an RP interaction and (2) making sure that anyone you are specifically interacting with [b]consents to participating in RP with you[/b].
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[anchor=glossary][center][b][color=#ffffff][size=200]Glossary[/size][/color][/b][/center][/anchor]
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Here is a useful categorised list of commonly used abbreviations/slang terms which you will come across in your interactions with other members of [region]Solidarity[/region]/[region]NSLeft[/region] and the [url=https://forum.nationstates.net/]NationStates Forum[/url]:

[b][u]General[/u][/b]

[b]NS[/b] = NationStates
[b]RMB[/b] = Regional Message Board
[b]RO[/b] = Regional Officer
[b]WA[/b] = World Assembly
[b]WAD[/b] = World Assembly Delegate
[b]GA[/b] = General Assembly
[b]SC[/b] = Security Council
[b]RP[/b] = roleplay
[b]GP[/b] = gameplay
[b]IC[/b] = in character
[b]OOC[/b] = out of character
[b]R/D[/b] = raiding/defending
[b]puppets[/b] = additional nations other than a player's main nation
[b]territories[/b] = "extra" regions used by a main region for certain purposes

[b][u]Regions[/u][/b]

[b]T(N/S/E/W)P[/b] = The North/South/East/West Pacific (the "Feeders", see Regions)
[b]TRR[/b] = The Rejected Realms
[b]TCB[/b] = [region]The Communist Bloc[/region]
[b]TLA[/b] = [region]The Leftist Assembly[/region]
[b]SLU[/b] = [region]The Social Liberal Union[/region]
[b]TI[/b] = [region]The Internationale[/region]
[b]NK[/b] = [region]North Korea[/region]
[b]ANA[/b] = [region]Anarchy[/region]

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