FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions Updated February 16, 2010)
What is the United States of Earth all about?
The United States of Earth is Social Movement wrapped in an Internet Super-nation with members on every continent. The Citizens of the U.S.E. create their own Regime or Empires complete with politics, armies, warfare, espionage, Intelligence, strife and mayhem. Here at the U.S.E. you are master of your own world and your own Nation complete with banners and leaders as well as a whole new way at looking at strategic war gaming. Here we combine quantifying Intelligence (Knowledge Section and trivia) with the 'community activist' in you (Community and Polling sections) along with your skills and knowledge in the Arts of War. Whatever your focus or likes are, in the U.S.E. you can exploit those interests in your own way and in relation to others. You can start a Union and collect dues, you can create a bank, or a massive army and conquer your neighbors or even the world. All of this in what is already being called the most realistic war and strategy game in existence. Fill out the details of your Empire on your Regime page and start setting policy issues such as taxation and much more. On the social front we are organizers of Tea Party and Town Hall meetings all over the United States. It is the mission of the U.S.E. to awaken the people of the United States to the destructive policies of the Federal government. These policies are bringing America to decay and ruin in the next few years and we are on a patriotic mission to awaken as many people as possible while providing the coolest war game out there.
What are the ways that I can make points in Knowledge or for each type of battle?
You can get points in many ways here at the United States of Earth. In all sections and for all attacks there are various ways and you can see a whole page with exactly how many points for each attack and for every section of the site by clicking
http://www.usofearth.com/gamingpoints.php
How can I stop another player from launching Protest Riot attacks on my Empire?
The only way to prevent a successful attack against you with Protest/Riots is to have superior community points than your attacker. If your attacker is a free player then it is even easier, just join one of the Unions here - http://usofearth.com/community.php Being a member of a Union gives you the support of Labor and we all know how important that is. When it comes to Protests and Riots it is who you know in this world and if you know no one at all, join a Union and any attack against you by Protest /Riot will fail and your attacker will be told that you are more of a man of the people than he is, giving you the win. Exception to this rule: If a Made player is attacking you there isn't a union anywhere that can help you. What matters then is your individual amount of community points, nothing else as they are members of the U.S. of E Workers Union which uses their collective strength to protect from individualized protest/riots. While allowing their own individual points only to matter in attacks. Therefore add up community points and you can stop even a made player.
Can you explain Maps to me I am lost?
When you first join the United States of Earth you should read the Welcome or Introduction page. It is important that you choose a color of your regime so you can find yourself on the group of 3 maps that you will see when you click Action Station. To change the color click Regime page on top of site and choose personal settings on left. With the maps 3 of them are called a Prefecture, which is merely 3 counties. In your welcome letter it tells you which county you are located in. You may want to choose the color pink at first since very rarely do players use that just so you know where you are. You can later change the color. When you have the 3 maps in front of you click the first one, let it load. In fact always let maps load before clicking on any districts (the smaller divisions of which you control one as a starting point). If you do not maps may seem distorted. Just click county again if this happens or prefecture and let them load.
On the map I see a lot of Fs Ms and Hs what do these mean?
F stands for fortifications If you see an F this means that the player that controls that district has built a fortification, which helps in defending it against attack. You can build them as well by clicking attack on Action station then on clicking the defense tab. We are about to have 3 levels of fortifications starting with buildings. This will make defending much easier and strategy far more important to play. The game is almost in Beta once time and buildings are completed. M is for Militia Defense Initiative and this means that the commander in control of that district has increased defenses via the MDI explained below. H is for Home District of that player, which means you cannot Blitzkrieg that district.
How do I add community points?
http://usofearth.com/endorsements.php Jump over to the poll section and vote or endorse various links and answers. Every answer is a vote. Only in the polls can you only vote once, but for the top lists where there are long lists of answers for you to vote on, you may like many or even all of the entries. Each vote gets you one community point. You may also comment on any links or photos in the community section. Each adds another point to your total. You can add 10 pts for submitting links to community by clicking 'submit a new item' on top of page. Another way to add community points is to do the mass point projects as well as videos at http://usofearth.com/community/ In addition to these (which can bring significant community points) you can add links and make comments in the community section. All add points to your total. The friendlier you are and the more you explore, the more of a man or woman of the people you shall be.
How do I stop another player from launching Hack Attacks on me?
In knowledge section http://usofearth.com/knowledge.php every correct answer gets you 1 knowledge point. Every incorrect answer takes one point away from your total. The more knowledgeable you are the better off you are in this world. If someone attacking you is a free player, all you need to do for protection is to join one of the hacker groups. They offer you the hacker protection you need and no matter how many points an attacker has, his attacks will never be able to go against your computer systems as your protections is the sum value of all of the members of your hacker group. Exception: If it is a made player who also joined the U.S. of Earth Hacker Imperium, then you are out of luck. That Hacker group is founded on the belief that everyone should stand on their own two feet. Only your own knowledge points matter up against any member of the Imperium, whether they are a paying or a free member.
Starting up What's the easiest way?
When you join read your welcome letter. If you neglected to go to your regime page and click personal settings. From that page you will see Welcome, if you click that you can read your welcome letter with important info on it. After this when you have chosen your color and name of your empire which you can change anytime, it is time to click the action station if you are here for battle and empire building. If you are here for trivia then click Knowledge or Art of War on top of site. You get 1 pt for each question answered in knowledge an art of war sections. Plus 10 for submitting questions. if you are focused on the war game click resources and train your troops with your starting 2500 pts. You will get 2500 pts to start game and 100 pts more per turn (turns are every 24 hrs) for each controlled district. With buildings coming up pts are going to be a precious item so spend wisely and extort and blackmail wisely as well.
On Action Station what does TECK PACK and HAMP stand for?
T.E.C.K. = Troops (total number you have), Experience, Community and Knowledge, P.A.C.K. = Points, Art of War, Challenges, Karma and H.A.M.P. is Humor, Allied Troops, Morale and Politics.
How do I add photos to my Regime page or community section as other do?
Click Community link on top of site and on the right there will be a button that says download free script. This script allows you to right click on any photo and make it live on your regime page or community. After you download you will need to right-click on a photo then choose USOFE Post Photo. Then a box appears asking you where you want photo to appear. If you click just the location and enter it will appear but you may also add text to describe or a title if you please. WARNING: Please be sure to right click on photos on your own websites or other sites that do not frown upon you hot-linking their material. Failure to comply may cause website webmasters to get upset, even though this feature usually gives them some traffic from our site.
How do I add Knowledge points? Hop over to the Knowledge Section
http://usofearth.com/knowledge.php and answer questions. Each question answered adds one point. Each question submitted to the collective and accepted will get you 10 points. There are also mass knowledge point projects that can offer you significant points that any member can answer and explore. Made members can also accrue 15 points for each question they approve for use on the site. If yo uare a made member contact Central Command from your Regiem page and tell us you want to approve of questions that have been submitted.
How are attack results decided?
Attack results are decided by multiple factors. The most important factor is the size of your forces in the battle. 1000 attacking troops will always beat 50 troops, as an example. This isn't Sparta! But like in the real world combat isn't merely decided by the largest military forces. If this were true all of history would be changed. Even in modern society Israel has always been badly outnumbered but luckily for them, and you intelligence matters. Of the following factors each can be enhanced by specific types of events in war. An example that can be understood easily is morale. Morale can be supercharged for a defender or attacker when they won large victories in a row. This might amaze an attacker when they attack a district with 0 regular troops in it defending and only the 200 DTs. The Militia (from 500-2000)can be 'in the zone' as we call it and be super charged and be able to even defeat an army 10 times it's size while defending. The main other factors thrown in that can affect the outcome of any battle are:
How we achieve these results are bonuses that are added in secret amounts that can change the result of a battle, especially if the troop sizes are close. All of the factors combined can be a massive advantage to any player. So much so that you could see a major upset in such a situation where one player is outnumbered greatly but the other wins on every other factor. Then... you could say This is Sparta!
Why can other players attack a district even if I have that district surrounded by my own?
In the aftermath of global revolution district borders are easily penetrated, especially by members of your own military. After all, although you command your own Empire or Regime, you are still a soldier of the United States of Earth. Your flags may be different but your uniforms are the same. As such we have a virtual open border world where you can march or travel to any district in any one Prefecture (3 counties together). The logic behind this is virtually anywhere on earth you can get to if you had 24hrs. there are no exceptions. Made forces can travel faster (usually 50% faster or more) as they will get priority on all C130 and other transport vehicles and convoys.
I don't understand blitzkriegs please explain?
A Blitzkrieg is currently the only way to take over a district. Since we are all one happy military at war with itself globally, the victor in a blitzkrieg (attacker only)will assimilate the loser troops into his own Army. That is the survivors of that Blitzkrieg. This is unlike all other war games or scenarios in existence. We will also have another attack style when buildings are started early 2010 called Conquest in which all buildings are destroyed in a target district, unlike the Blitzkrieg where they will remain standing for the new commander and all surviving troops will join the victorious attacking commander. Note: Militia or District troops in a target district that is taken in a Blitzkrieg do not join your army. They return to civilian life and their homes.
How do I read the charts on the action station?
If you click Text you can see what each letter stands for. The T is total troops that you have not currently on duty (in a blitzkrieg). This figure will include district troops for Made players soon since they have access to use and attack with them. They are present in all districts always and replenish. These are the same as light troops or reservists. Made members who lose them in battle may not get them replenished as Made members also have control over their District Troops and use them in offensive operations.
Why are there only Light Medium and Heavy Troops available for combat?
In the aftermath of the great war and revolution many EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) weapons were used which destroyed most industry and technology on earth. Slowly mankind is rebuilding and soon you will be able to build manufacturing centers that allow you to build tanks, attack drones, anti-aircraft batteries and more. (Tentative start date for buildings is February 15, 2010). Also an additional restriction is a player must control at least 10 districts combined in order to build a MFG center or Factory.
When are the paid positions going to begin?
The United States of Earth is currently in Alpha release. High alpha you can call it and on November 1st the 1st battalion Organization Page was released to all Made members. (update. Battalion I II and III are released). On it they can see how they stand up against all other made members in Knowledge, community,challenges, points, wins, losses, art of war and more. The top players for the positions listed here - http://usofearth.com/payratedetails.php The pay rates will become active when just 100 members are made and on that list. You can make a set bonus for as long as you are on top of whatever category you do the best in. Each battalion will have a maximum of 1000 members but payouts begin with just 100. If you are a made player contact Central Command from your Regime page and ask for your Battalion Page so you can compare yourself in the rankings for the bonus payments.
I don't understand the challenge section, how does this work?
The challenge section is under Construction until March 15, 2010. After that point you will be able to challenge opponents in the scenarios such as 2011 Obama's Coup Fails, Bush's Ambush, the Bronx Brawl as well as off site games such as chess and others that can be verified by a third party.
I want to be able to see what the size of the forces that are trying to take over a district, when or how can I do this?
An Intelligence service has formed made up from the old CIA and NSA as well as the U.N. and now defunct N.A.U. Intel (North American Union). These services are able to be able to give members detailed Intel reports (with details and accuracy depending on the service you are with. Some will cost more in points than others, just like Unions and Hacker Groups). The reports can detail incoming forces attempting to take over your territory. Members of the NSA and CIA will get the most accurate info just like in the real world. See Intel link on your Action Station.
Why can't I get more than 1000 recruits per turn, my empire should grant me thousands per turn?
As of January, 2009 the max any on player can get is 1000 recruits in addition to their start up troops. This will change with the introduction of buildings the first week of February of 2010. From then on your recruits will be entirely up to you as you will build your own Recruitment Centers (3 levels to start with) allowing you to gain more forces by far than what you can currently accrue. Empires can also win contests sponsored by other Empires and win massive armies to command. See Contest page on your Action Station.
Where am I on a map and how do maps work?
When you are a free player you start off in what we call a Prefecture, which is 3 counties randomly generated from actual counties that are used. We call them free Prefectures. For free players there is no connection to the real world where the Made players are, although the same maps are used. When a Battalion of Made players reaches 400 members they are giving an additional territory on a real world map to battle it out with other made players. Stats do not change and the only difference is on the additional Prefecture that they are placed in all members they face off against are Made players. If you are a free player you may request to have an additional Prefecture made available to you at any time but you must control at least 10 districts before being granted the request.
What is a Made Player and Why should I become one? See Made Player Advantages for more info.
A Made player is one that is no longer playing for free. Although you can play the game forever as a free player, in order to win contests and get a set salary you must be a paying or 'made ' player. Other advantages of Made players include: A Union and Hacker Group specifically for you that you can join and get the benefits of 'collective' defense against the Protest/Riot and Net/Info attacks, while at the same time be able to attack anyone playing anywhere guaranteeing that only your individual points are what matters in the attack. Basically if you are a Made player you can be assured that the only people who can Protest/Riot against you or Net/Info attack against you have superior points in community and knowledge sections and are also Made players. There are many other benefits including the ability to start your own bank, union and much more. A Made Benefits page is being prepared and will be posted and linked to from this FAQ page. One final note - Made members help us keep the site going and spreading the word. They of course have the loyalty of Central Command and as each new feature is unrolled, such as time by the end of this week, they benefit. One important advantage of Made players is the immediate use of DT's (district troops) as well a larger Militia troop via the MDI (Militia Defense Initiative). A member can give themselves literally 2,000 extra troops to defend simply by being a Made player. You can convert your account to Made status by clicking change membership on your Regime page. See Made Player Advantages for more details as to the many exhaustive benefits you will enjoy. Benefits are many and even include a full office support with voicemail and even patched calls where Central Command plays your office.
How does a Protest/Riot attack work?
A Protest/Riot is a special attack that is based on your community points. You do not need troops for this attack. Just click the attack and it occurs. These are points that you as a member of the United States of Earth accrue in the community section by posting comments, links, videos or by voting in the Polling section top right of site. The more community points you get, the more of a 'man or woman of the people you are'. If you attack someone with superior community points, you lose. If you are a free player and want others to stop attacking you you can join a Union, which collectively will prevent anyone from Protesting/Rioting against you other than Made players. The made or paying players who join the U.S. of Earth Workers Union have the advantage of using the collective for defending but individual community points for Protest/Riots.
How does a Net/Info attack work?
Everything said above for the Protest/Riot applies to the Net/Info attack, except the Net/Info is geared towards the Knowledge section, complete with a Hacker group for Made members.
Is it cheating to gang up on another player?
No of course not. Any player and any group of players can direct their military forces under their command in any way they please. Cheating to us is using a hacker tool or getting troops or territory in an illegal way and then using those troops for ill gain to hurt others. Normally we reward those who report bugs but this means you report the error and not act on it.
If I join the Militia will all of my districts have Militia protection?
Yes all districts will be covered. Even the districts you take after you join or renew the Militia for your Empire.
How does a Blitzkrieg work? Is this the only way to take over territory in the regular game?
This is the way to go if you want to surround and pound the enemy. A win here nets you 100 points, possession of the entire surrounded and demoralized army in the district you Blitzkrieg against, plus 50 experience points.
Beware, if the defender loses the results will be devastating as the defender will lose all surviving troops to the invading commander. Winning a Blitzkrieg results in you getting the district as well as all that follows by controlling any district. Blitzkriegs can be almost a 2 day event if the trooper attacked is not on duty and is able to regroup with allies or his/her own troops. 20 Politics points are also awarded to attacker if a negotiation ensues that is accepted by the attacked player. The member who agrees to terms that are forced on them get 1 politics points.
CAUTION: If you go to Blitzkrieg any district your forces are committed and cannot be used again until the Blitzkrieg is finalized. This can take up to 24 hrs as the defender has that time if not online to respond. If no response a default win goes to the attacker.
What are the politics of the United States of Earth?
The Founders the United States of Earth are rabid Individualists and Libertarians. We allow open debate on all topics and views except those that are illegal in the United States. Most members though tend to be either conservatives or libertarians at least in the United States. Words have different meanings in different nations. A Conservative in French politics in 2010 could never get elected as a Republican (the conservative party) in America. In fact a French 'conservative' is far closer to being a socialist than America's own average middle of the road Democrat. Words also change over time. A Liberal during the founding of America was one that distrusted the government and wanted the smallest possible government involvement in our lives. Today in America a 'Liberal' is a progressive and very close to being a Fascist. In fact the Progressive movement in America was in love with Mussolini and even Hitler up until World War Two. Gone are the days of the definition that is still in a dictionary for liberals, which is (from the Latin liberalis, "of freedom; worthy of a free man, gentlemanlike, courteous, generous"[1]) is the belief in the importance of individual freedom.
America would be a far better place if our liberals were really like this. But that would make them conservatives in America. It is the conservatives who are generous, wanting freedom and less government. A perfect example of how definitions of words change. Like 'gay' once meant happy just 30 years ago, today in 2010 America if you say someone is gay you mean they are homosexual.
How are made players and contest winners paid?
Made players who are the top people in each category and listed on the following page http://usofearth.com/payratedetails.php are paid monthly. 'Credits' are deposited into their account viewable in their Finance section on their Regime page. Members can hoard their credits, bribe other players, or pay themselves when they choose by clicking 'Pay Me' and entering the amount of credits they want either by check (takes 48 hrs to process) or direct to their pay pal account. We have plans on allowing members to purchase credits to do with as they please as well and launch our own payment solution for members, but this is months away.
How can I add news when I win a blitzkrieg?
Once you win a blitzkrieg you can unlock the Prefecture News by clicking the link in The Action Station's combat logs. It will tell you you've won a blitzkrieg and can earn 10 community points by writing the history of the event. We have a saying that goes along with the facts of history. "The Victor Writes the History". In fact you'd find a great many things about recorded history are incorrect and told for propaganda reasons by the winners of wars.
What is Karma and why does it matter?
Karma is your community of peers liking your links or messages in the community section. At present Karma is only calculated but will matter once we launch the OCS (Officer Candidate School) of the United States of Earth.
The M on a map means Militia, how does this work?
The United States of Earth is a global internet based nation where many members are militia, especially in the United States. The MDI or Militia Defense Initiative is one way in which regular citizens come up with an organization structure to facilitate a community defense. The results can be staggering. If you are a free player, by merely answering from 5 - 20 questions in a day, (5 gets you 500 Militia in every district, 10 gets you 1000 Militia in every district and 20 questions gets you 1500 Militia (2000 for Made players) ready to defend against any attacker in every district you control. Safe houses and underground systems are put in place and your Militia is there to defend even if you are not. To get this defense your payment is your loyalty to the principles of freedom and you answers to questions which are 1. designed to teach you about the now dead U.S. Constitution and what it meant for freedom, , and 2. A knowledge of what is going on the the world and how it impacts you especially before the collapse of society in 2012-2014.
I saw a wrong answer in Knowledge trivia what should I do?
You can tell Central Command via your Regime page or send us an email at contact at our url. Helping us catch any bugs and finding mistakes is definitely worth brownie points with us as any players will tell you. We are creating one big global family here and the more we look out for each other the better off we all will be.
What is the F on the maps stand for?
The F means that either the current commander of that district or a previous commander built fortifications. A fortification is currently the best way to help defend your districts from attacks. Please be sure to use more than just your district troops, which are merely like reservists and always present in your districts.
What is the Battalion page and how do I see it?
The United States of Earth is divided into Battalions for its paying or 'Made' members. This is a master list of where each member stands in competition against all other Made members for his Battalion in Knowledge points, Art of War, Challenges, General points, Community points, most wins and more. The Battalion page also lists the top players that are either presently getting their monthly salaries (assuming the Battalion reach maturation with 100 Made members) or soon will be once that Battalion reaches 100 Made members. A Battalion can be divided into 1000 Troopers, with 4 companies of soldiers/members. Each company has 5 platoons with 50 troops in each. From this well of members only 100 are needed to make the Battalion mature to activate pay. If you are a Made player contact Central Command via your Regime page for access to your Battalion page.
I am one of the top players in my battalion, how do I pay myself or collect the money?
Go to your regime page and click Finances. Then on that page on the top click 'Credit Control Screen'. From here you can have your salary deposited into your PayPal account, or have a check sent to you. Checks must be requested by 12 noon Friday each week for them to be mailed to you usually within 48hrs. PayPal is much faster and using it will speed delivery of your funds.
What happens if I do not spend my credits?
Nothing at all. Your credits will accrue as if it is your own bank account. You can pay yourself anytime, or even transfer credits to other players for bribes, extortion, threats, contests whatever. They are your credits and not considered legal tender or taxable until you decide to pay yourself at your own time whenever you wish. Once these credits leave the game then they are considered income for U.S. citizens. You will not be taxed as these set salaries are not real jobs as they are completely controlled by you, playing at your own time where ever you are in the world. You will receive a 1099 for tax purposes and to keep the United States of Earth legal within the borders of the United States of America.
Help! I get "Internet Explorer cannot display the web-page" when I go to the knowledge section or Art of War section. What am I doing wrong?
Nothing at all. This happens because our lazy ass programmers still didn't put a notice telling you that you have answered every question in the Knowledge or Art of War database. They aren't really lazy just very busy improving the site and making it better for us all. But that is what you will see if you answer more questions than we have. You can still gain both knowledge points as well as Art of War points by adding questions. Adding questions gets you 10 points each. For community points it is even easier you can submit poll sections and polls and links as well as get a point for every message you leave in the community section or vote you cast in the polling section. These sections are set to develop into their own separate games within the United States of Earth with a ranking system to reflect each. yet all working together with the United States of Earth as a whole.
I am getting attacked non-stop by another player, what can I do?
You can fight, you can pay them homage (extortion on their terms), or you can die. This is a war game after all. As they say if you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen. Perhaps the community section will be more to your liking. You can even get revenge on that attacker by spending your time there amassing community points, then returning to the game and launching Protest/Riot attacks against the trooper who attacked you. He will be powerless to stop your attacks, assuming you are a made member and his own point value is lower than your own in that section. This strategy can also be done in the Knowledge section where even the nerds who hate war can strike back and win with the Net/Info hack attack which relies on Knowledge points.
When are the buildings and time concept in the game going to start?
As with any project we have hit delays. Update - Time began on November 18,2009. It is already present for the Blitzkrieg attacks, but will now be introduced for Skirmishes (will take 5 minutes for troops to return to base to be used again), Raids (will take 6 minutes for troops to return to base for you to use again), and Frontal Assaults (will take 7 minutes for troops to return and send out on another mission). Made members time is much shorter for troops to return. Skirmished take them 2 minutes as does Raids. Frontal Assaults 3 minutes as they get preference on all transports, C130s, and convoys over our free members. (Time added Dec 5 2009) Buildings are expected at the end of March(2010) and soon after we go Beta.
I am the highest scored player in Knowledge in my battalion ,why am I not getting a bonus?
Bonuses as we call them are for Made or paying members. You must be a Made member for 2 weeks in order to qualify for any position within a Battalion. That is why your name is not listed in the rankings in any Battalion page. You may not transfer to other Battalions to get highest scores either. The Battalion you are in is your Battalion and every member has an equal opportunity to beat out other players. Logically it is your time that is the biggest factor so this system in place is the most fair to all members.
I have enough points to get a rank advancement, why am I still an E1( or E2, 3 and so on)?
Ranks are upgraded at Midnight Eastern Standard Time (USA) and automatic up to rank of E-8 assuming you meet the requirements. See ranks on bottom of site.
I won a Blitzkrieg, why didn't I get the district or territory?
Look in your combat logs for the answer. You should read them daily as they tell you about every attack logged against your Empire or Regime. Most likely another army attempted a blitzkrieg of the same district after you did on the same day. How that is calculated is your Blitzkrieg is done and immediately after the second Blitzkrieg is done. if the other attacking army is superior, then you will never get that district without attacking again with a larger force. If you see the message regarding a 'clusterfuck' as we call it in the Army, then beware on invading such a district as Intel can be hard to come by. WARNING: as of December 27, we are still working on a bug for Blitzkriegs. As a result only one invading army is allowed to invade a district at a time. All others will be notified that a district is under invasion and you cannot invade.
Can I send a message to another player personally?
We had an internal messaging system but spammers kept asking us to enlarge our private parts or help some fake Nigerian Royal steal money out of his country. Scam after scam. The new message system started with the new Regime page and is now working. It is called USCom and all you need to do is go to the Regime page of any Empire and enter a message.
Can you tell me about any Major bugs currently in the game?
1. This bug we cannot fix ever as it really isn't a bug. On the maps, you need to let them load. Only takes a few seconds but if you click on a map before it loads, it will distort and upset you. Just press the County or Prefecture button again (whichever map you were on) and let it load before clicking on any particular map. 2. Our Script for right clicking on any photo to put on your Regime page or community section currently only works for Firefox. IE version will be released soon. 3. If you click on a Home District on the Action Station, then go to another district to attack that is not a Home District that annoying pop up will come up to tell you you may not attack Home Districts. We will correct this it is on our task list.