How to play Warlord Tycoon

The Han dynasty is falling apart and four warlords race to control the realm, not with armies alone but with gold. Take turns rolling two dice around a board of 20 historic cities, from Luoyang and Chang’an to Chengdu and Jianye. Buy the cities you land on, upgrade them and charge every rival who passes through. The lord with the most assets when the last round ends unites the realm. Anyone who goes bankrupt is out.

Rules

• Cities: land on an unclaimed city to buy it, land on your own to upgrade it (up to level 4). Own every city in a province to double its tolls.
• Generals: when you land on a rival’s city you can pay the toll, or send a general to take the city by force. Higher power means better odds; the defender sends their strongest rested general, and each city level (+5) and owning the whole province (+8) make the walls tougher. Generals need a couple of turns to rest after a battle. Hire more at the Recruitment Hall.
• Strategy cards: Borrowed Wind lets you choose your roll, Fire Attack burns an enemy city down a level, Empty Fort skips a toll, Sow Discord makes a rival miss a turn, Borrow Arrows takes 1000 gold, Chain Plot doubles your tolls for a round and Goad the General makes your general fight at 110% power.
• History events: the Peach Garden Oath, the Battle of Red Cliffs, the Three Visits and more can change your fortunes.
• Passing Start pays 1000. The Bank pays 10% interest. Landing in Prison costs you a turn.
• Up to four people can play on one device, mixed with CPU lords in any seat. Space rolls the dice; P pauses, Esc is the boss key.

A tribute to classic history board games

Warlord Tycoon is an original game inspired by the Three Kingdoms property board games that were popular on 90s PCs. The historical figures are public history; the rules, board, art, code and sound are all new.