Rebel Prevention: Keepin' 'Em Happy

You gotta cover the basics, no cap. If people are miserable, they're gonna join the fight.

• Housing Stop those Shack Dwellers! Seriously, an unhoused citizen is a future insurgent. Build enough houses (Poor, Modern, etc.) for everyone. Pro-Tip: Make sure the housing is near their jobs/services so they can actually get there.

• Jobs Keep unemployment low. Unemployed folks are trouble. Pay better if you need to; just get 'em workin'.

• Freedom (Liberty) This one is huge. Don't skimp on Liberty buildings! Max out the budget and set your Newspapers, Radio, and TV Stations to 'Free Media' or 'Uncensored'. Avoid edicts or constitutional options that tank Liberty unless you absolutely have to.

• Health & Services You need a Clinic or Hospital in every major residential zone. Lack of healthcare is a major sticking point for unhappy people. Same goes for fun stuff like Taverns and Restaurants.

You can't please everybody, but you gotta try to keep the majority happy.

• Almanac Check Hit up your Almanac and check the Factions. If one drops to Hated, you're gonna see a spike in rebels from that group.

• Almanac Check Use your Palace Audience option often. Meet with the unhappy faction leader, promise to build what they want, and then actually build it. It's a quick fix for approval.

• Balance Every decision (like Constitution changes) is a balancing act. Try to pass something that only makes one faction a little mad, rather than making a big one Hate you.

• Amnesty Edict Once things are calmer and happiness is up, pass the Amnesty edict (Cold War/Modern Era). It gets some existing rebels to quit the cause. Use it when things are stable so they don't immediately rejoin
  
  
• Spy Academy Get this built! Running the Observation Raid is a solid way to disrupt the rebel growth rate.

Okay, so they showed up anyway. Time to get aggressive.

• Go After the Leaders Find 'Em: In your Almanac under the Conflict tab, you'll see who the Rebel Leaders are. They're the head honchos, so taking them out is key.

Action Time

• Arrest This is the safest bet. It requires a Prison or Supermax. Less fallout with their family and faction than the other options
• Banish/Kill Use with caution! If you Kill a rebel leader, their family and faction might get super pissed and you'll just create a new wave of rebels. Only do this if you have ZERO regard for that faction's opinion

Get the Military Ready
You might think, "Why not just put a Guard Tower on every corner? Coverage is Key!" And while technically more towers mean more fire zones, here’s the real talk:

• Liberty Tank Every single military building you plop down crushes the Liberty of nearby citizens. If your entire island is a barracks, your Freedom score is going to be TRASH (trash), and that is the #1 way to create new rebels! You’ll be fighting a problem you created. Don't self-sabotage!

• Money Pit Guard Towers require workers and upkeep. If you have 50 scattered towers, you’re hemorrhaging cash on maintenance that could have gone to a sweet Hospital or Factory.

TL;DR: Keep the people happy, give 'em jobs and homes, and when rebels pop up, Arrest their leaders with the help of a Courthouse. If that fails, send in the troops. EZ.