Dragon's Ruler

Dragon's Ruler is a single-player, turn-based strategy wargame set in a fantasy world divided into 64 territories across continents and islands. You choose a small country to rule, then use administration and warfare to expand its territory and rebuild it. A mad old dragon has shattered the world and advances with an army of demons; some demons, each with their own personality, may join your army as you try to stop the dragon's rampage.

Rule your country

The 64 territories take turns in a fixed order. You control your chosen country, while the other countries are controlled by the CPU as enemies. Each territory can employ up to 10 units, and your starting funds let you recruit units. To increase your income, you collect taxes from your territory’s inhabitants and assign units to work. Different unit types suit different kinds of work.

Commands let you develop farmland and mines to raise tax revenue, build walls to improve a territory’s defenses, and make public investments to support industry and culture. You can also explore territories for rare units and dungeons, or plot against enemy units to lower their loyalty and make them disappear. Your broader aim is to strengthen your country and win wars against its neighbors.

Manage your people

You can appoint a unit as lord of each territory. Units have one of three temperaments—low, chaotic or neutral—and a lord’s temperament can raise or lower the loyalty of units under their rule. Units that lose loyalty disappear, so you need to manage their allegiance. A lord’s intelligence and attractiveness also affect the people’s well-being and the territory’s civilization.

As king, you also choose each territory’s main crops and tax rate. Crops may fail to grow in some climates or areas, and disasters can affect them, so these decisions may require trial and error. Unexpected events include floods and revolts; volunteer soldiers may appear, while units may also disappear from their units.

Fight for territory

When a unit enters enemy territory, the view shifts from the overhead map to a horizontal combat screen. Units act automatically according to their status, and battles proceed semi-automatically. Combat ends when the defending side is wiped out, the invading side retreats or the invaders are destroyed. If the defenders are completely wiped out, you gain control of the territory.

Battlefield terrain affects combat, and units have different strengths and weaknesses. A unit suited to mountainous areas, for example, has higher defense there. Time matters too: units may be stronger at night and weaker during the day, while some are unaffected by the time of day. Units gain strength through battle experience, and some can evolve into other units.

The demon army

You can command more than 140 types of units, including demons with varied personalities that may join your army. Their abilities, experience, loyalty and suitability for work all contribute to the way you build and manage your forces.