1972d

1972d
Creators	RouteVenus (Coder and Writer) QuoProQuid (Writer) Atom_Heart_Mother (Writer) Targai (Writer)
Genre	Alt-History
Candidates	Richard Nixon (R-CA) John Connally (D-TX) Gus Hall (Co-MN)
Canon Result	Richard Nixon victory

1972d is a mod set in an alternate timeline where the 1972 Democratic Party Convention ends with John Connally achieving the nomination (in no small part thanks to Nixonite Support). The fact that the Democrats nominated a conservative alienates many moderates, and causes a reinvigoration of the CPUSA under Gus Hall.

Gameplay

When first loading the mod, the opening screen and theme will appear to showcase a normal mod. However, once the player clicks the Continue button, the theme will suddenly change to a stark black one, and leaving the player with only one playable candidate: Gus Hall.

Gus Hall has six possible running mate choices, some are figures within the New Left, like Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, while others are firmly members of the Old Left, like Angela Davis and David Sadlowski (curiously, Jarvis Tyner, Gus Hall's actual running mate in 1972 and 1976 is not a possible running mate.).

The gameplay is much more intimate than other TCT modes, directly concerning the interactions of Hall and their running mate with voters, such as showing questions about appearing in interviews and holding rallies rather than sweeping policy answers. Hall must balance his standing within the New Left (the younger, anti-war crowd, such as McGovernites) and the Old Left (true communists and union men).

Endings (SPOILERS AHEAD)

All endings are given the title used in the original code.

Cheaty Ending

To get this ending you need to win at least 16% of the popular vote. Since you struggle to gain 5% on even the easiest difficulties, this is impossible to achieve without cheats.

Gus Hall (you) will be arrested while your Running Mate will go on the run as Nixon clamps down on Protests and refuses to recognize the election results. The last sentence hints at the possibility of there being a "Second American Revolution" as a result of your "victory".

Outstanding Ending

This ending requires you to get at least 5% of the popular vote. In doing so, you will gain 11 electoral votes (3 from DC, 3 from MA, 2 from WI, and 3 from MN).

The Times are-a 'changing. With this election result, the CPUSA has enough power to secure federal funding, which terrifies the establishment. Several major Democrats defect to the CPUSA in protest of Nixon's actions, and Communists manage to make their way to the Senate and House of Representatives. Your running mate will be ecstatic and will promise to achieve their main goal (running for Union Leadership, fighting against racism, etc.) thanks to the funding and media attention.

Amazing Ending

This ending requires you to get at least 3% of the popular vote. In doing so, you will gain DC's 3 electoral votes.

Good Ending

This ending requires you to gain at least 1% of the popular vote.

Despite your failure to secure the 5% needed to give the Communists Federal Funding, your electoral performance is still the best in the Party's History and maybe even the biggest win for the American Left since Norman Thomas's 2% in 1932. The mainstream media notes that you came close to winning several important precincts in Major Cities, and men like Ronald Reagan are left unnerved seeing a pretty sizable chunk of the American People try to vote "an honest-to-god Communist" into the White House. A certain sickness lingers across the Establishment, and if your successor doesn't fuck up, then the CPUSA might have a real shot at entrenching their position in '74 and '76.

Mediocre Ending

This ending requires you to gain at least 0.5% of the popular vote.

Bad Ending

This ending requires you to gain at least 0.06% of the popular vote.

You will be pushed away from power by the CPUSA as it will be generally seen that you've wasted a golden opportunity for the American Far Left to make large gains. Your running mate will freak out and cut ties with you, trying to salvage their reputation/career. Gus Hall (you) will express their disappointment with this result, and with the American people preferring "corporate stooges" like Nixon or Connaly or "FBI Rubes" like Linda Jeness, before disappearing into a snowy New York landscape.

Absolutely Terrible Ending

This ending requires you to gain less than 0.06% of the popular vote. Despite what the ending describes, you actually need less than about 47k votes in order to trigger this ending, not 50k.

Despite Nixon's obvious criminality, Connaly's absolute trainwreck of a campaign crashing and burning, combined with nationwide unrest making the 60s look like the 50s, you still failed to gain even the absolute bare minimum to be considered a serious contender for the Presidency. The CPUSA (as well as their benefactor in Moscow) is fuming and your expulsion from the party is a matter of when, not if. Your running mate will be crushed, and either themselves or the FBI will find a way to kick you down further for this failure (for example, Bobby Seale's prison diaries will bash you and the CPUSA for being apparent White Supremacists). Nobody knows what happens next - your failure's legacy, combined with your Communist roots will prevent you from ever having a real career again. As you sit there, the lamp above you suddenly burns out and you vanish into the darkness.

VP Reactions

In every ending besides the Cheaty Ending, you will get a section about the Vice President and their actions following the election. They are as follows:

Ending	Davis	Fonda	Hayden	Kovic	Seale	Sadlowski
Outstanding	Starts Activist Organization	Runs for Governor	Runs for Senate & Starts Activist Organization	Runs for Congress	Runs for Congress	Takes Control of Union
Amazing	Becomes University Lecturer	Acts in Star Wars	Starts Activist Organization	Testifies to Congress	Influences Local Elections	Runs for Union Chair
Good	Becomes College Lecturer	Returns to Acting	Runs for Senate	Increased Attention	Runs for State Congress	Renewed Confidence
Mediocre	Goes on International Tour	Becomes an Activist	Left Adrift	Continues Activism	Runs for Mayor	Diminished Confidence
Bad	Goes on International Tour	Blacklisted & Shunned	Leaves Activism	Dejected & Demoralized	Forced out of Black Panthers	Heckled on the Street
Absolutely Terrible	Flees the Country	Blacklisted & Shunned	Disappears	Shunned from Movement	Remains in Prison	Forced out of Union