Each Warlord has a unique personality and set of characteristic that will affect how their empires are managed. Players should change their gameplay styles to make best use of these characteristics.
Warlords also have an officer that will remain with them throughout the game. While the player will be able to gain more officers later on, these officers are the most loyal.
So here are your warlords and officers!
Iron Zhao | Duke of a Thousand Spears, Iron Kingdom
First Warlord you'll play as.
Known as kind but deadly, Zhao was a well-liked general prior to the fragmentation of the Old Dynasty. In recognition of his formidable defensive tactics and efficiency in battles, Zhao was conferred the title "Duke of a Thousand Spears" by the warlord he served.
He later became the ruler of these mineral rich and fertile lands after his predecessor fell in battle while fighting the Minpu Tribe invasions that were led by Bao Lun. Over the years, other warlords have been amazed by Zhao's ability to gather insider information and use it to his advantage.
Zhao has a vision of bringing the prosperity of his territories with the whole country, but that can only happen once he has unified all the land...
Specialities
- Spearmen can use Ambush from the start of the game.
- Spearmen have a 5% bonus to both Movement Speed and Health.
- But he starts at poor relations with Bao Lun.
Key Unit: Spearmen
Other available Units: Archers, Catapults, Horsemen, Sappers
Yew Fung
A loyal officer
A man of many facets, Yew Fung can be hard to place, He is outspoken and brave, yet at times vindictive or merciful. His wildcard characteristics are reflected in his approach to battle - his unpredictability often keeps his opponents off guard.
Despite being merely an ambitious young general at the time when his and Iron Zhao's paths first crossed, Yew Fung adn his warlord have established an almost brotherly relationship, built on years of respect of each other's quirks. Working as a team, they are formidable in battle.
Lady Jin | Merchant of the desert, Yepotara
Money-faced
Growing up in a tribe of noble Nomadic tradesmen that she was adopted into, Jin aimed to prove her worth by providing economic stability and bringing wealth to them. Years of trading have allowed her to master the intricacies of diplomatic relationships and negotiation – thus allowing her to form excellent economic relationships with others.
By making best of her skill and then sharing the benefits with the people of her tribe, Jin managed to rescue her tribespeople out of poverty, thus earning great loyalty from them. A perfectionist by nature, Jin fights battles that are fast to win and near to invade.
She is also highly regarded by leaders of the other lands because of her unwavering character and ability to influence Khan Goro. Yet, some warlords have began to question she is truly as peaceful as she seems: there can be no warlord whose intentions remain so peaceful throughout the years.
Specialities
- All trade income are doubled.
- Mercenaries cost 10% less to hire.
- Lady Jin starts with a bonus to relations with most rulers, especially Khan Goro.
Key Unit: Mercenaries
Other available Units: Archers, Mounted Archers, Spearmen, Swordsmen
Ma Sukh
Opportunistic officer
Ma Sukh looks skitterish but, that is just a facade. People who have worked with him have acknowledged his ability to outfox competitors.
Being born into a noble family has given Ma Sukh the inherited ability to leverage on his wide connections in order to convince people of his causes. Ma Sukh and Lady Jin have established a long-lasting relationship based on their common ability – the skill of using each other’s strengths and advantages to their mutual benefit. With collaboration, they can attain whatever they desire.
Jang En | Glorious Son of the Dynasty, Old Dynasty
Glorious Ruler was rumored to be born on a heavenly mountain!
Crown prince to the once powerful Old Dynasty, Jiang En was raised to the throne upon the death of his father during the Great Fragmentation and took over the remains of his devastated dynasty.
Because of his young age, many rulers regard Jiang En as a puppet ruler and an inexperienced commander, but they may yet underestimate the young “Glorious Son of the Dynasty”, and his determination to restore the glory of his father’s dynasty.
Without showing-off too much, Jiang En has amassed tons of knowledge and respects the power that intellectuals have. Jiang En’s charms are reserved for his citizens: soldiers are loyal and extremely willing to lay down their lives for him
Specialities
- Unit upkeep is reduced by 15%.
- Building and upgrade costs for Palaces are halved.
- Unit health is reduced by 10%.
- Order gains from all Constabularies are reduced by 1.
Key Unit: Hwacha
Other available Units: Horsemen, Sappers, Spearmen, Swordsmen
Jeong-Ga
Mysterious man.
Widely regarded by many as a person who attains battle victories through the practice of black magic, Jeong-Ga is a mysterious and dangerous officer.
He remains loyal to the ancestors and traditions to the land that he was born on and as such, has unwavering loyalty to the Old Dynasty. However, there are rumors of him being the shadow ruler of Jeong-Ga’s lands.
Insightful Toshi | Leader of the Intelligent, Chongkashi Lands
The intellectual.
Fabled leader of the Chongkashi Lands, Toshi derives his power from intelligence and cunning. He surrounds himself with only the best and the brightest and has little patience for fools.
Of all the warlords, it is he who places the most emphasis on upholding the Old Imperial Examination tradition, and it is along these results that his society is organised. He also places great emphasis on discovering unique military doctrines and weapons.
His agents trade in secrets and information. His soldiers attack with cunning strategies and diabolical weapons, rather than fighting head on! Toshi believes that knowledge is power, and is not above enlisting the help of others to make his competitors disappear.'
Specialities
- Ranged units deal 5% more damage.
- Acumen cost for Sapper abilities are reduced by 30%.
- Has a small chance of learning a decree each turn.
- Has a bonus to the rarity of new decrees.
Key units: Sappers
Other available Units: Archers, Catapults, Hwacha, Spearmen
Masahiro
Loyalty to the end.
It is said that men with the greatest convictions will attain their goals. This is especially true for Masahiro. Despite possessing a physical appearance that used to cause derision amongst his peers, Masahiro’s commitment to integrity and tenacity has helped him to persevere (and stay alive) through the obstacles that he faced.
To be more powerful, he trained in archery daily to the extent of being able to attack multiple enemies using a single arrow. He is also extremely devoted to Toshi - the first warlord who recognised his abilities and treated him with great respect. Anyone who is a threat to Toshi will automatically be Masahiro's mortal enemy! Do not provoke him!
Bao Lun | The Savage Wild, Minpu Tribes
Hack n' Slash
Born to the bloodthirsty chief of the Minpu Tribe, Bao Lun spent his childhood hunting animals (and occasionally trespassers) in the midst of lush forest vegetation. After taking his father’s place, Bao Lun declared that local elephants were best used for military might instead of being mere culinary delights. 'Tasteless and without character' he would say of elephant meat, a phrase he would later use to describe the wily mercantile peoples of the Iron Kingdom.
After a series of bloody tribal wars, Bao Lun unified his surrounding lands to form The Minpu Tribes. His desire of maintaining tradition, coupled with his complete distaste for pretentious civilisation have led to his nickname of 'the Savage Wild'. Past disagreements with his neighbor in the North and Scholars have fuelled Bao Lun’s desire to rid them off the their existence.
Specialities
- Units have a 10% bonus to attack.
- Population growth rate is increased by 10%.
- Starts with bad relations with Iron Zhao.
- Cannot build Libraries, Academies.
- Imperial Archives or the Palace.
Key units: War Elephants
Other available Units: Horsemen, Mercenaries, Spearmen, Swordsmen
Min Bui
Rose among thorns.
A brave and outspoken lady, Min Bui is the rare female amongst all the male officers. They say that her physical features have been altered due to her interactions in the male-dominated arena. Yet, Min Bui’s glib tongue has allowed her to charm her way through the men and provide alternative thought insights.
Her unique opinions has made her well-received amongst the other officers. She appears to be the only person who is able, and willing to boss Bao Lun around.
Inscrutable Qian | The White Fox of the Mountain, Ashen Kingdom
Evil Grandmother..
Little is known about Qian and assassins sent to her lands would be returned as ashes in ritualistic urns. Rumors have it that she was a powerful court lady of the Old Dynasty who achieved a dedicated following of warlords and generals at her disposal.
By offering her insider knowledge to ambitious warlords in exchange for favors or monetary gains, Qian played a vital role in the fragmentation of the Old Dynasty. She then took advantage of the chaos to conquer over her own provinces and remove Jang En from the throne. Despite being feared by almost all, Qian’s respect towards knowledge and reverence to The Heavenly Eye has allowed her to find camaraderie amongst monks and scholars of the world.
She believes that uniting the provinces will reduce bloodshed which would result in decades of prosperity and windfall.
Specialities
- All units cost 10% more but have a 10% bonus to health.
- Qian has a 15% higher chance of succeeding in Espionage missions.
- Diplomatic relation gains are reduced by 10%.
Key units: Catapults
Other available Units: Archers, Mercenaries, Sappers, Spearmen
Hesha
Hesha
Having the cunning ability to provoke extreme responses from people whom he meets has been Hesha’s talent. It is through those fits of anger where he collects information that could be used to his benefit in the future.
Hesha is renowned for having strategies that can inflict widespread devastation on this enemies. It is well-known that he greatly respects Qian’s wits and intellectual superiority over others. Although there are rumors that he and Qian have a platonic relationship going on.
Khan Goro | The Conqueror, Ye Mans Clans
Brave nomad.
Abandoned by his nomad father, Khan Goro grew up in the unforgiving desert environment.
Being a natural leader with great survival instincts, he trained and formed of a resourceful group of bandits who then became well known for their horse-riding skills. Initially raiding other lands for the purposes of survival, Khan Goro’s motivation eventually became a personal quest for glory.
He subsequently eliminated opposing tribes and became the ruler of the lands that was then named the Ye Man Clans. There are stories of his infatuation with Lady Jin – he has attempted to court her for a very long time and intends to prove his worth by being the ruler of all lands. Love has indeed converted this bloodthirsty boy into an ambitious man.
Specialities
- Building and upgrade costs are reduced by 15%.
- Does not need an Archer's Den to build an Range.
- Starts with good relations with the Lady Jin,
- Hostile with everyone else.
- Cannot build a Marketplace nor Palace.
Key units: Mounted Archers
Other available Units: Archers, Horsemen, Swordsmen
Yulbayar
Animal Lover
Widely regarded as a happy-go-lucky character with little outstanding talent, Yulbayar is actually well versed in many hobbies. He is extremely adept at hunting and usually offers his loot to anyone whom he interacts with.
With his natural ability to make friends quickly, Yulbayar is well-liked and trusted by all people. However, this does not prevent him from being an efficient and deadly officer. Yulbayar is known to be Khan Goro’s friendlier-looking public representative and they both are are rumored to be the best of friends.
Dengri | The Golden Eagle, Judi'an Empire
The supremacist.
It was said that even the toughest of men roared in laughter when they first saw baby Dengri’s first smile. He was raised to leadership based on a powerful combination of charm and wit: diplomats are swayed by his charisma, and even his troops go to war while singing praises of him.
However, his demeanour changes in the face of battle – Dengri’s efficiency and precision in eliminating those that pose a threat to his lands have caused his joyful citizens to respect him greatly. His ambitious conquests and rapid speed of expansion have caused people to liken him to an eagle. Coupled with his shining personality, Dengri is thus known as the “Golden Eagle”.
Believing that his people, the oldest settlers of this land, have a birthright to rule over the others, Dengri aims to conquer all land to return the lands to the control of their rightful owners – people of the Judi’an Clan.'
Specialities
- Can hire an additional troop each turn.
- Gains an additional 500 gold every turn for each province controlled.
- Building and upgrade costs are increased by c130%.
Key units: Horsemen
Other available Units: Archers, Catapults, Spearmen, Swordsmen
Hou Yi
Doomed to bad luck.
Knowing that people tend to steer clear of the dangerous, Hou Yi leverages on his gloomy disposition to create a reputation of deceit and cunning. This effectively allows him to reduce interaction with external parties, while planning how to implement massive scale strategies to destroy their armies.
His outstanding talents have led to Dengri’s fawning and friendship. He reputation as an evil person also helps him establish command over his soldiers.
Chaosansi | The Holy One, Xen'po
Pray that he spares you.
A wise and respected monk who foresaw the fragmentation of the Old Dynasty, Chaosansi seeks to bring peace and unity to the land – a peace that can only happen when all adopt his beliefs.
To his followers, religion is the only solution: They are fanatical in battle and tireless in their efforts to convert others to their side, for in his lands no one is ever unhappy, and he is universally revered as ‘The Sacred One’.
Chaosansi is one of the most respected leaders in the world: he is usually able to have positive relationships with other warlords and convince others to agree with him. Due to the influences of his childhood spent in the Pungu’or monastery, Chaosansi has a healthy respect for the knowledge of martial arts.
Specialities
- Bonus order to all provinces each turn.
- Increased chance of annexing neutral provinces.
- Starts with a neutral relationship with the Sages under Heaven.
- Cost of hiring an army is increased by 25%.
Key units: Archers and Swordsmen
Other available Units: Horsemen, Mercenaries, Sappers
Xinmouni
An upright person.
Learning from the scriptures of the ancient monks, Xinmouni has the moral righteousness of monks and knowledge of widely-read scholars.
Xinmouni uses his intelligence to compensate for the weak physique that he was born with and attains victories in his battles through wit. He frequently has intelligent debates with Chaosansi about the legitimacy of the Heavenly Eye. It is perhaps the best reason why they are able to interact well and maintain mutual respect towards each other.