Alexander Yakovlev
Alexander Yakovlev (born 2nd December 1923) is a West Russian Revolutionary Front politician, and is the leader of reformist social democratic faction within Georgy Zhukov's clique. If the WRRF is defeated by centrist Komi, he shall ascend to the new political scene of Komi as leader of the People's Democratic Socialist Party, eventually becoming as one of the possible unifiers of Russia.
Biography
Early-life
As the first child of five, Yakovlev was born to a peasant family in a tiny village Korolevo, on the Volga River near Yaroslavl. He had four sisters, two of whom died in infancy. His father Nikolai Alekseevich only attended school for four years and his mother, a nursemaid, Agafiia Mikhailovna, only for three months. Yakovlev was sickly in childhood and suffered from scrofula. His father served in the Red Cavalry during the Russian Civil War and was fully committed to the communist regime.
Military career
During World War II, Yakovlev found himself in tough position, as he has just finished secondary school, he was drafted into the Red Army to protect his motherland against the German invader, however, despite his successes on the front, the pure incompetence of Nikolai Bukharin's regime, as well as the Soviet Union having been largely unprepared for the oncoming onslaught, he was forced to watch his home country fall apart into chaos. It was at these times, during both the Second World War and the West Russian War, that his faith in orthodox Marxism-Leninism slowly died away.
Political career and the West Russian War
During the West Russian War, he became one of the main proponents of reformist tendencies in the Front, with a goal being once USSR has been reunited again, to turn it into a Marxist style of Social Democracy. Unfortunately, Mikhail Tukhachevsky's high command was not fond of such idea, and instead turned himself to Georgy Zhukov for support. Zhukov being somewhat apolitical in the direction which the Front should take, as long as it is not under his rival, gladly accepts his faction into his clique.
Present-day
Currently stationed with Zhukov at the start of 1962, he finds himself in a really difficult place, considering constant terror bombing campaigns being regularly performed by the Luftwaffe and how the rumors of Marshal Alexander Yegorov's decaying health add up to the fiercely increasing rivalry of Tukhachevsky and Zhukov. Only time will tell what will happen next.
In-game
If the player chooses the West Russian Revolutionary Front, the mechanics that decide the future leader of the new Soviet state formed by Zhukov are already implemented. As described in the game, he is the "closest man to capitalism in the Front", as he supports limited privatization for the time being, in order to make much happier lives of the ordinary people. He is also a heavy supporter of Organization of Free Nations aid for the Front, which if selected in the diplomatic focus tree, boosts his influence at large level, that will affect his chances of being selected as the successor by Zhukov.
Alternatively, if the player is playing as centrist Komi and defeats the Front, Yakovlev will succeed Nikolai Voznesensky as leader of the People's Democratic Socialist Party. There, at the super-regional stage, he shall continue and even radicalize the policies left off by Voznesensky, as well as continue the cooperation with the United States, indicating that Russia once united under him, shall become a member of the OFN.
Like all centrist warlords, he can reunify with all warlords that are similarly centrist, making him a very easy unifier to play as.
Quote upon unification
"If the present were not so horrible and grim, and the future so mysterious and enigmatic, one could go mad with joy."
—Konstantin Kavelin
Trivia
According to a former writer, prior to becoming Nikolai Voznesensky's successor, Yakovlev was originally meant to be the leader of Komi's Conservative faction.