Nation War 2: Chronicle

Nation War 2: Chronicle is a strategy game set in China during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period. Beginning in the eighth century BC, you guide a country as the Zhou royal family declines amid an ineffective emperor and internal conflict. You can try to restore the Zhou Dynasty and its order, compete for the Central Plains and replace it, or change who rules the Central Plains.

Countries and cultures

More than 60 countries are available, representing the vast majority of the states of the period. Each has its own troops, characteristics and culture. The strategic map recreates China's mountains, landscapes and rivers at a 1:1 scale; you can zoom out for an overview or move closer to inspect details. The game features three civilizations—Huaxia, primitive and nomadic—and competition among eight cultures.

Government and ideas

Research a technology tree based on the history of Chinese science and technology; each technology includes a quotation from a Chinese classic. Trade also plays a role: you can manage commerce between countries, appoint merchants and collect profits. The game draws on the period's many schools of thought, with distinct gameplay for different doctrines and doctrine attributes to consider when appointing or removing officials.

You can recruit historical figures, while other characters have randomly generated, non-repeating portraits. The character system includes registering a queen, maintaining a harem, having multiple heirs, exchanging captives, winning hearts and suppressing dissent. You also decide when to register the queen and designate a prince, with the timing affecting how closely the game simulates historical scenarios. Historical events call for decisions as they arise.

Battles and diplomacy

Battles take account of impassable mountains, rivers, strategic locations, military supplies and morale. Troops counter one another, and terrain affects the advantages of different troop types, so tactics and coordination matter.

You can seek allies, arrange marriages with other countries to deter aggression, provoke rivals, attack distant or nearby opponents, trade goods, or cede territory to ask for mercy. In the late game, you can recruit diplomatic figures such as Su Qin and Zhang Yi.