Warring States Period

From BoardGameGeek:

In 403 BCE, the three clans of Han, Zhao, and Wei partitioned the State of Jin. The final edict of the Zhou Son of Heaven tore away the last shred of dignity from the Central Plains. For two hundred years thereafter, the feudal lords ceased their pilgrimages to the royal court; blood-oath alliances were torn apart the moment they were sworn; new laws took root in the blood of old aristocrats. This was the Warring States. You shall reign as a sovereign lord. You begin with nothing more than a single army and a single city. Step by step, you will dispatch your troops to claim new territories and harvest their resources. You will choose the most fitting path of institutional reform, applying both civil wisdom and military strategy across the map - manoeuvring your forces, laying out your formations. You may turn enemies into friends, or seize the moment to betray your most trusted ally in exchange for advantage. Or you may simply unleash the purest form of violence - and crush everything in your path. Win every battle. Contest every inch of land. After fifteen rounds, the highest scorer claims the sacreddingcauldron - and rules all under heaven. CORE MECHANICS – ACTION POINT ALLOCATION Each round, you possess a limited number of action points. These points are used for moving troops, constructing improvements, purchasing policy cards, engaging in diplomacy, exploration, and more. How you allocate these action points will directly determine the rhythm and direction of your strategy. The Round Structure Fate Card DrawAt the start of each round, one Fate Card is revealed - in a fixed order from 1 to 15. Its effect applies to all players immediately. Resource CollectionAfter the Fate Card is resolved, all players simultaneously collect resources from the territories they control. Player Turns (Sequential)Each player then takes their turn in order. On your turn, you have 3 action points. You may use them for any combination of actions, including but not limited to: Remove enemy roads Move armies Build roads, fortresses, or cities Recruit new troops Conduct domestic affairs (pacify grievances, make court offerings, train troops, or retire policies) Purchase policy cards Once you have spent all 3 action points, your turn ends, and the next player proceeds. All players act in rotation until every player has exhausted their action points - at which point the round concludes. Trade & Diplomacy – Boundless Freedom All trade is conducted freely at any time, without costing action points. Whether you are exchanging resources with the state treasury (at market rates) or negotiating directly with other players, you may trade whenever you wish. Alliance cards are likewise exchanged freely - no action cost, no restriction. We grant you absolute freedom. If it is not explicitly forbidden in these rules, you may do it. Always remember: your legend is written by your own hand.