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Offline Asid

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Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« on: May 15, 2022, 11:53:40 PM »


Field of Glory: Kingdomsl


Politics, religion, war. They are nothing without a legacy that can stand the test of time. Lead any nation, and turn it into a mighty kingdom in one of the most compelling grand strategy games ever created.

Home
Game engine: Archon


Manual: PDF
Editor: Moddable Data Files
Theatre: Mediterranean
Turns: Turn-Based IGOUGO
Genre: Strategic
AI: Yes
Players: 1- 14
PBEM: Yes PBEM++


Field of Glory Kingdoms   Reveal Trailer





About

Field of Glory: Kingdoms is the new game from award-winning studio AGEOD, makers of some of the best grand strategy games of all times. It is set in 1054, just after the Great Schism, and it encompasses more than two centuries of epic European, African, and Middle Eastern history.
The game in numbers

•   375 factions
•   325 units
•   600 Buildings
•   14 Religions/heresies
•   90 Cultural traits (all new)

Authority and Disorder
Administer your royal domain with the new Authority concept. Keep your population and vassals under control, promulgate edicts to construct buildings, and declare wars on your enemies.

Dynasties and characters
As a ruler, prepare your succession by siring an heir with your spouse or with any other person of your choice. Having an heir is by no means a guarantee of a peaceful transition.

Religion
Having a neighbor of a different religion will create tensions and sometimes wars, even for tolerant rulers. When the imbalance is too strong, diplomacy will take a backseat, and war will be declared. Lose too many holy cities and watch a Crusade or Jihad form up.

Regions and population
Administer your population from the lowest peasants to the prestigious, powerful, and troublesome nobles. The social ladder is difficult to climb and your ability in keeping social classes under control is paramount to success.

Warfare
Keep your borders protected and build an army of expert combatants. Knights, sergeants, spearmen, crossbowmen, and many more types of units can be used to fulfill your objectives.

Field of Glory II Integration  :duel
If you want even more direct control, Field of Glory: Kingdoms lets you export and load your battles into Field of Glory II: Medieval and then load the results back into the game.

Multiplayer
And once you think you are ready to be challenged, play against real opponents in one of the largest asynchronous multiplayer systems ever created.














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Offline Asid

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2022, 12:10:05 AM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Beta Open for Sign-ups
Fri, 16 December 2022




Hello,

During our live event Slitherine Next 2022, we released the sign-up for the Beta for Field of Glory: Kingdoms.

Check here the link if you wanna join: https://www.slitherine.com/beta/field-of-glory-kingdoms



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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2023, 12:08:04 AM »
Embark on a Faith-Filled journey with Field of Glory: Kingdoms
Wed, 19 April 2023



Development Update

Attention all strategy game enthusiasts!

Get ready to dive into the exciting world of Field of Glory: Kingdoms. This is the latest addition to our popular Field of Glory franchise, from veteran development studio AGEOD.

Field of Glory: Kingdoms takes you on an epic journey through the Middle-Ages historical period, just after the Great Schism between the Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Players will experience more than two centuries of European, African, and Middle Eastern history in a WEGO turn-based strategy game that promises to be both challenging and enjoyable.

One of Kingdoms new major features is the introduction of religions.
Each nation and population can be of one of the Abrahamic religions, pagan, or even heretic, and this can be a determining factor for your nation and your relations with others.

Indeed, having a neighbor of a different religion will create tensions and sometimes wars. Some rulers were tolerant, but this was more an exception than the norm.



Religion was an important aspect of medieval life and is well-represented in Kingdoms. There are five Holy Cities, one of which is shared by three monotheistic religions and will foster friction and tension, perhaps leading to a crusade or a jihad.


In particular, Christianity and Islam will often clash, as they both claim the Holy City of Jerusalem. When the imbalance is too strong, diplomacy will take a backseat, as a Crusade or a Jihad will be declared! Should this happen, expect several nations to join together against the “heathens” (that is, anyone not of their faith).

These power blocs can be quite formidable and very strong opponents. Pagans, having drawn the short straw, will be equally despised by all religions of the Book.

But that’s not all, as heretics can appear if you lack faith in some of your regions. If you don’t put them in check, they will spread their twisted faith while shortening the lifespan of your clergy social class.

Christian nations can be backed by several Holy Orders, which will help them in case of conflict. The fact they get richer and more powerful over time is probably a coincidence of no importance for you the King.
Rest assured, following a religion is also providing ample benefits, like a more docile population, plus extra Legacy Points, the measure of victory!

We cannot wait for you to immerse yourself in the game, and we are confident that you will love Field of Glory: Kingdoms as much as we do. Stay tuned for more updates.

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2023, 12:08:15 AM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - The Balance of Authority
Tue, 23 May 2023



The second Dev Update is out now

Field of Glory: Kingdoms takes players on a journey through over two centuries of European, African, and Middle Eastern history set in 1054, just after the Great Schism.

With hundreds of factions at the start and a plethora of buildings, players will have ample opportunities to build and expand their kingdom.

One of the key features of Field of Glory: Kingdoms is the Authority and Disorder system, which allows players to manage their kingdom and maintain order.

With the Authority concept, players can maintain control over their population, promulgate edicts, and declare war on their enemies. However, be careful not to let your realm fall into disorder, as this can result in challenges from your heirs and unruly vassals. As one of the main tools to measure your progress, Authority will also allow a change in your system of government, and here Kingdoms offers many more possibilities than in its predecessor, Empires.



Authority is perhaps the most important new concept in Kingdoms, as its influence literally courses through all game elements - from loyalty to succession to warfare.


But the game presents a delicate balance between maintaining control and expanding your kingdom, as expansion will create tension with powerful neighbors. Indeed, a large Authority rating will make you clash with nearby similarly minded nations.

So, to become a formidable force, you will have to walk the thin line between being small enough to keep things firmly under control and large enough to progress to a more formidable status.

Will you be a humble county, or will you raise to be the equal of the mighty Byzantine Empire? Nothing is written in stone and even as a modest Northumbrian noble, you too can become the King of England. Or perhaps you would rather ascend from being a Novgorod prince to the King of all of Rus’? There will be only one in such a position though and expect a fierce struggle to ensue.

The Authority and Disorder systemwhile being very flavourful and thematic to middle-age games also prevents easy snow-balling and captures the rise and fall of empires/kingdoms.

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2023, 12:03:57 AM »
We are excited to invite you to our Field of Glory Day event
Wed, 31 May 2023



A special day dedicated to the Field of Glory franchise on June 6th

We are thrilled to announce a special day dedicated to the Field of Glory franchise on June 6th, in partnership with the University of Winchester.



We would like to express our gratitude to all the fans who have supported the franchise over the past 6 years. In celebration of this milestone, we have organized a live tournament in collaboration with our beloved community with some of the top 8 players of Field of Glory in Europe.
This thrilling competition will take place at our brand-new office in Milan.

In collaboration with Professor Robert Houghton from the University of Winchester, Slitherine will host a live Twitch event centered around a historical discussion of Field of Glory II: Medieval and Field of Glory Kingdoms.

Join us to look into the narratives and intricacies of these immersive strategy games with: Professor Ryan Lavelle from the University of Winchester, Professor Lysiane Lasausse from the University of South-Eastern Norway, Professor Vinicius Marino Carvalho from Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Professor Juan Manuel Rubio Arevalo from the Central European University, and Robert Houghton himself.

To make this occasion even more special, we have invited the renowned miniatures wargamer painter, Aurelian Leclerc. He will share valuable insights on improving your miniature painting technique.

But that's not all! For the first time ever, we will show unpublished gameplay eatures from the highly anticipated Field of Glory: Kingdoms.
Get an exclusive sneak peek into the upcoming game as the developers, led by Philippe Malaicre, showcase the exciting new additions and improvements.

Mark your calendars and join us on June 6th at 14:30 on our Twitch channel
for this extraordinary event dedicated to the Field of Glory franchise.


See you there

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2023, 01:19:59 AM »
Field of Glory Day: RECAP Kingdoms Showcase
Mon, 12 June 2023



We hope that those of you who watched it live enjoyed the show. And in case you missed it, you can re-watch it now.

Dear fans,

Last week, we celebrated the Field of Glory franchise, a day filled with excitement, camaraderie, and a shared love for the Field of Glory universe. Your presence and participation made this event remarkable, and we couldn't be more grateful for your support.

We would like to congratulate Paul for winning the live tournament in Milan, and we extend our thanks to each and every one of you who attended the event, whether in person or online.

During the event, we provided a sneak peek of new features and content from Field of Glory: Kingdoms. If you missed it, you can watch the preview here:




For those who want to relive the entire event, you can watch it here:




Stay tuned for more exciting announcements, updates, and events as we continue to explore the vast and wondrous world of Field of Glory together.

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2023, 12:01:35 AM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Forging the Legacy of Your Dynasty
Mon, 7 August 2023



Experience the Thrill of Strategy in Field of Glory: Kingdoms

Lords and Ladies,

The game features a main campaign, 2 large scenarios, and an introductory scenario to ease you into the world of Field of Glory: Kingdoms. Get ready to strike the perfect balance between progress and fun while enjoying a seriously fun historical gaming experience.


In Field of Glory: Kingdoms, you will take on the role of a nation guided by various rulers over time. One of the key features of the game is the Dynasties system, where you have to prepare for their succession by siring an heir with a spouse or significant other.

The ruler can have a wife and children, as well as uncles and brothers. All can play a role in the question of your succession and if they are unhappy with your rule (or simply determined to seize control themselves), civil war may ensue.



Your dynasty is made up of your direct family plus a few major nobles. For example, take your uncle Agdi - he will probably not perform well in warfare, but he would make a decent administrator in one of your provinces.


Maintaining a continuous dynasty over time is important, as you’ll reap more legacy, and this legacy is used to determine the winner of the game. This will be difficult at times, perhaps because your heir is considered weak by important nobles, or because of unfortunate accidents or assassination attempts.

You can also appoint family members and nobles as Peers of the Realm, who act as governors and provide extra bonuses and perks to the region they administer.

These Peers of the Realm can also react to the player's actions and potentially rebel with armies, as your vassals can.



Vassals too play an important role in the game,with players able to participate in multi-choice events with intriguing results and rewards. However, overextending their domain can result in a loss of Authority.

Some nations in the game also have baronial vassals in their regions, which can be both advantageous and a liability. These independent-minded individuals can help defend your realm, but they might undermine your Authority in doing so.

The Dynasty feature has been tailored to be both interesting and simple to understand.

Stay tuned to know more about Field of Glory: Kingdoms.


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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2023, 12:16:49 AM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - The Concept of Authority in Kingdoms
Tue, 19 September 2023



In this Dev Log we will take a closer look at the Authority system.

In Field of Glory: Kingdoms, Authority is the foundational concept of the game. It's pivotal as it truly is the "King's Maker" of any nation. With low Authority, your nation will regress and fall into civil war. In contrast, strong Authority ensures the loyalty of your subjects and often a smoother transition of rule when the time comes for your king to pass away.

Many players familiar with Field of Glory: Empires have encountered and played with the concepts of Culture and Decadence. They might think that Authority is just a variation of the same term, essentially being the same thing. While there are undeniable similarities in terms of outcomes - in both cases, this notion determines if your kingdom will prosper or collapse - the way the two concepts develop is entirely different. This dramatically impacts how the game unfolds. Furthermore, whereas in Empires, Culture and Decadence only played a role in the overall evolution of your nation, Authority in Kingdoms pervades every aspect of the game in a thoroughly organic and integrated manner.



Take, for instance, declarations of war. In Kingdoms, multiple factors are taken into account, such as having claims, if the opposing nation is of a different religion, or even if you're launching a sneak attack without warning. Depending on the perceived justification for this declaration of war, you'll either gain or lose Authority. For example, declaring war on a pagan nation with a declared claim on the capital won't cost you any Authority. On the other hand, a Christian state that whimsically decides to declare war on another Christian state will lead to a significant loss of Authority.



Authority also plays a role in managing your territories. An expansive kingdom will often struggle to maintain tight control over its most distant regions. Here, national-level Authority plays a crucial role in keeping the population under a firm grip, as well as the local nobility, and the presence (or absence) of buildings generating Stewardship.

To conclude with one more example of Authority's omnipresence in every aspect of the game: low Authority can tempt the characters of your nation to betray you. Each character now has a loyalty index and personal treasure. If they see an opportunity to replace a weak king, chances are things might go awry. Be especially wary of characters with several mercenary companies. These troops are powerful and quickly recruited, but they could easily be tempted into committing high treason.



This concludes our dev diary on Authority. We've only scratched the surface of all its intricacies and implications in the game, but there's so much more to discuss. Regardless, rest assured that this new concept provides a unique stamp on AGEOD's new production, Field of Glory: Kingdoms!


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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #8 on: September 28, 2023, 12:01:24 AM »
Field of Glory Kingdoms: A new Dev Log is out now
Wed, 27 September 2023




Kingdoms places a strong emphasis on the development of the regions within your nation, each boasting a diverse population in terms of culture and religion. Alongside this, a vast array of infrastructures and a plethora of buildings are available to steer the economic and societal development in the direction you desire.

Indeed, this is one of the strong suits of Kingdoms, setting it apart from many other games. Even in times of peace, you will always have dozens of interesting choices to make within your realm, as the game offers no less than 600 different structures (no, that's not a typo!). Taking into account the different categories of buildings and their roles, the culture of each population, the various religions, and the numerous unique situations allowing for uncommon buildings, we indeed reach this high number, signaling a great diversity and almost certain renewal of the content in your gameplay. But let's delve into how all of this is structured...

At the core of the region, the economic unit, lies the population. These populations are defined by their social class, culture, and religion. Don't expect a peasant to fulfill the role of a noble, or a clergyman to till a field. Each population point, despite these constraints on who can work where, is somewhat of a wild card, as you can allocate it in various ways, slightly altering its production from turn to turn. However, the population also provides construction slots, each allowing for a building. There are several possible roles for these buildings, and some do a bit of everything, while others are specialized. Some have synergies with others, while dozens have small events attached, making them unique. In any case, there are a large number of interrelations between the game's concepts and therefore between buildings and populations, in a very organic and logical manner. For instance, the population requires food to grow, but also needs access to a healthcare system, however rudimentary, otherwise epidemics lurk. Similarly, loyalty to the Crown must be monitored, and while it's possible to ignore the problem for sparsely populated regions, those with larger populations will require a strong presence of the Clergy, or nobility, sometimes even the army, to prevent any possible revolts.



But regions are not isolated islands either. Kingdoms introduces the concept of National Authority and then Local Authority, the latter deriving from the former. This Local Authority serves as a basis for determining the loyalty of the region, and decreases progressively based on the distance of the region from the capital (posing problems for overly extended empires). Nevertheless, nobles, with their function of generating Stewardship points, can help solve this problem by maintaining a high level of Local Authority. The Clergy plays a somewhat similar role, but will be particularly useful either for converting the infidels to the True Faith or for convincing heretics, in various more or less unpleasant ways, to return to the fold.

Besides this, regions often have a military function, either defensive or offensive. On the defensive side, the game could not overlook one of the staples of the medieval period: castles and other fortified places. You probably know that castles of the time were built over a long period. Kingdoms represents this by allowing you to erect several structures over time that provide temporary bonuses as well as permanent Fortification points. Once you have accumulated enough of these Fortification points, a permanent defensive structure will be proposed. Thus, in the beginning, you will have the choice between a hill fort or perhaps a Motte and Bailey, but with time and effort, you will have the opportunity to build double-walled concentric castles, bristling with towers and caltrops.



On the offensive side, you will also need to put in some effort to be able to raise anything other than peasants and low-quality troops. Over time, you will then be able to raise archers, armed sergeants, and other knights. In this case, we are talking about permanent troops, and while they are powerful, losing them in battle is always a blow to your Authority! It's somewhat of a double-edged sword...

Let's conclude this brief tour of the regions of Kingdoms by citing a few examples of structures, so that you can appreciate the full diversity of the game's buildings, which are much more than mere providers of numerical bonuses!

The Manorial Demesne is a very important structure in Agriculture, as it is a pivot structure, unlocking the other half of Tier I structures. It also benefits from a productivity bonus for each other agricultural structure present.

The Demesne Expansion is a rather peculiar structure as it can be upgraded no less than 5 times, and provides a free slot each time! While initially a few peasants will suffice to clear the countryside, the later levels will require tools, a large population, and a determined local lord.

The Trade Road is a structure that can spontaneously appear if you have itinerant merchants in the region. Being itinerant, they move between your regions (and rarely into other nations' regions). Thus, over time and with many merchants, Trade Roads will appear in your Realm.

The Jousting Field is quite emblematic of the Middle Ages as well, as it will provide free XP to heavy cavalry units created, and can even give them a special unique perk.

The Astrologer (not to be confused with the Astronomer) engages in some esoteric studies, not very well seen by the Clergy, but it seems that he can occasionally create a very particular resource that we will call 'Luck'. It is said that this can prevent misfortunes befalling your characters or even your ruler, such as a sudden death during a hunt or an unfortunate arrow targeting them in battle. Certainly just rumors!



The King’s Agent allows for a discount on the promulgation of Edicts. These allow you to choose the structure of your choice to build in Kingdoms, which will certainly please players of Empires who didn't like the reshuffle button too much, as it has disappeared!

Here is a brief overview of population and economic development in Kingdoms. This is really just the tip of the iceberg, but we hope it will make you want to learn more!
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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2023, 12:09:23 AM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - The Art of War
Wed, November 8, 2023



War is always near in Kingdoms, even if you avoid starting it, your neighbors might have different intentions

War is never far away in Kingdoms, for even if you do not wish to instigate it yourself, preferring to expand peacefully through diplomatic means or focus on improving your realm (which in itself is a viable winning strategy in Kingdoms, as victory is achieved through accumulating Legacy points), chances are some of your neighbors see things differently... And even without such a neighbor, you might find yourself embroiled in a Crusade, Jihad, or facing a nation growing too dangerous and on the verge of victory and thus in need of a 'corrective' action.



These factors make it clear that in Kingdoms, even in times of peace (perhaps especially in peace!), preparation for the next war is crucial. This entails numerous aspects to plan and anticipate.

Firstly, a nation with a king of strong Authority is desirable to reduce the risks of sedition and revolts. This also enables the sovereign to lead on the battlefield, magnifying the consequences of victory by earning more Warscore points, which are essential for negotiating favorable terms once peace is restored.

Furthermore, the art of war involves establishing fortifications, ranging from humble keeps to mighty double-walled castles, with intermediate variations depending on your culture and religion: Motte-and-bailey, Trelleborg, Qasada, etc. These defenses offer multiple benefits, the primary being protection for your troops behind walls, along with various recruitment advantages, sometimes even granting additional perks to certain troops.

Once this is achieved, depending on the military building infrastructure you possess, you can recruit various units more or less quickly (and in greater or smaller numbers). Recruitment ease depends on the presence of nobles, spear makers, armor smiths, training grounds, and many others. Quantity is determined by your treasury and metal stock for the SAUs (Standing Army Units) like knights, but for levies, a substantial population is required. Here's hoping you have many villages and towns within your kingdom.



In Kingdoms, units, besides the usual categories like heavy cavalry, infantry, archers, have an additional parallel classification: Mercenary, Standing Army Unit (permanent unit akin to professional), Levy or Volunteer. This grants them a completely different behavior and profile, as levies gain little experience and are relatively costly to maintain, so you may want to disband them in times of peace. SAUs have the opposite profile: they gain experience well, are costly initially, and any loss will decrease your Authority (it's better to avoid losing the cream of your cavalry or shall I say, as a French 'la fine fleur'!).



Mercenaries have other advantages and disadvantages. Quickly recruited, especially through a Regional Decision allowing mass recruitment, they are costly in gold to maintain, and can foster treacheries if commanded by a disloyal general. You might think to disband them when no longer needed, but then expect marauders in your lands. Of course, our testers will advise releasing them into the wild, but on enemy soil, just before peace. A kind of 'Not in my backyard' variant, so to speak.



The army lists of Field of Glory Medieval are honored in Kingdoms, as each nation closely follows these lists, divided into three time periods. For instance, as early period Byzantines, you'll have access to Skoutatoi Archers, but will have to wait until the third period to recruit heavy lancers. Fear not, these periods are not set in stone, as based on your military reforms and overall military expertise, you can advance these periods by a few years, say up to 25 if you excel in the military field.

When your armies are ready to march, it's time to appoint generals, considering their offensive and defensive tactical skills, loyalty (spy on them to ensure it), and whether they have relevant and suitable abilities. Sometimes this is easier said than done, and you'll have to make do with what you have. Whatever the case, don't appoint your psychopathic uncle with a loyalty of 30 at the helm of a mercenary army, unless of course, you believe a necessary wind of change should sweep through your kingdom.



Soon, the time will come to clash with the adversary, after some fine operational maneuvers.

Kingdoms being a game of simultaneous turn-based play, expect some surprises, as you can't be certain that during your turn, the enemy will stay put where you expect them to. But let's hope that luck, coupled with your tactical sagacity, will allow you to triumph on the battlefield.

We'll delve into this more in a future Developer Diary, focusing on the battlefield, castle sieges, and peace conditions!
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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2023, 12:09:30 AM »
Field of Glory Kingdoms: Battle and the art of siege
Wed, December 6, 2023



Battles in open fields, castle assaults, and the art of siege

Battles in Field of Glory: Kingdoms display a wide variety, either due to their scale, ranging from skirmishes to full-scale engagements involving the main armies of several nations, or due to terrain and weather conditions, or because they can occur as pitched battles in open areas or as castle assaults (here, we use 'castle' to denote any permanent fortification, from a humble rustic fort to a mighty fortress with triple concentric walls!).



When you start the game, it's quite easy to be deceived by the apparent simplicity of combat... until you lose several battles without really understanding why. Indeed, the game simplifies your task by providing an approximate value of your units' effectiveness
, but this number is inherently imperfect in capturing all the subtleties of combat.

There's also the combat module, which can be very roughly described as a checkerboard. Square spaces, neatly arranged units facing off. But in reality, this covers a range of mechanisms all working together to add subtlety and allow for different approaches. Let's delve into this more deeply!

The combat system is based on three pillars
, which we call the rule of the triangle, because it's crucial to understand that your units need a good general (the first pillar: generals provide additional dice). They need to be rested and experienced (ideally, of course!), which allows them to mitigate bad dice rolls, which are simply excluded from combat (so your veterans are less subject to bad luck), this being the second pillar. Finally, the third pillar, the easiest to understand and often seen by beginners as the only existing one, is the raw strength of the unit. Let's not kid ourselves, equal skills being present, it's better to have knights than peasants... However, even this raw strength varies greatly with the terrain. Heavy units are disadvantaged in constrained terrains like forests and mountains, for example.



This rule of the triangle or the three pillars is fundamental to understanding, as it is the essence of combat in Kingdoms.
Add to this several other mechanisms like the ranged attacks of your archers, skirmish units, which even when they lose tire out your soldiers, pursuit units, those that block charges, etc. There's too much to say, in fact, but what can be retained is that combat in Kingdoms offers more than honorable subtlety, and it would be wrong to think of it as simplistic and uninteresting... That being said, if you want even more finesse and detail, at the expense of a much longer game time, then you can export your battles to Field of Glory Medieval from Richard Bodley Scott, and then retrieve the combat result in Kingdoms!




What about castle assaults?

They largely follow the same procedure as open field battles, but with various defensive bonuses, depending on whether a breach has been made in the fortification. Some units naturally have specialized bonuses or penalties in assault. But before the assault, you must have laid siege and weakened the defenders (or if you are patient, they might even surrender if they lack food).

The art of siege isn't learned in a day either, as it involves considering the abilities of the opposing generals, the capacity of units to conduct or defend against a siege (here archers have a clear advantage, but if you build siege units, you can more than compensate for this problem). Sieges can also be very long, especially if the opposing fortification has undergone several improvements, and this is a feature of Kingdoms compared to its predecessor Empires: forts and castles are built in several modular stages, each providing different bonuses. With serious investment, it is possible to hold a stronghold for years.


This concludes our 4th developer diary, and we hope it has piqued your interest in testing military maneuvers in Kingdoms, knowing that this is just a small part of the game, and that we also have a lot of content available for those who like peaceful development... so stay tuned!
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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2024, 12:03:30 AM »
Field of Glory Kingdoms: Religions, Knightly Orders and Heresies
Mon, 29 January 2024



To say that religion is of great importance in Kingdoms would be an understatement

Just as historically it has had a major influence on many nations, so too will it be a major point of contention among the powers of the time in Kingdoms. But not only that, because with most populations being very fervent, daily life in your regions will also be under the major influence of priests and imams.
 

The game defines a national religion (which can be difficult to change, and will not be without causing widespread disturbances) that usually alters relations over time either with your co-religionists or with countries of different religions (this is particularly true for Christians and Muslims). Unless you have solid treaties, expect these relationships to deteriorate, which will not be without causing lines of fracture and therefore wars.



On a more local level, each population has a religion, which alters its loyalty and productivity (this can vary depending on whether your leader is tolerant or not), and you will then take care to gradually convert (and with more or less difficulty, pagans being easier to convert than the so-called "Religion of the Book" populations (i.e. Christians, Muslims and Jews). To do this, you will want to build religious buildings and promote populations into the clergy.

If you sin too much on your production of Piety points, then expect heresies, which are in some ways powerful rebels, who can spread their false belief in other regions. You will then have no choice but to convert them by force and blood, with an army or particularly intransigent clergy members.

But that's not all, because there is the possibility that Crusades or a Jihad will be triggered! Indeed, the game defines 5 holy cities, 3 for Christianity (Rome, Byzantium, and Jerusalem) and 3 for Islam (Mecca, Medina, and... Jerusalem). So you have a nice point of contention there, and it's a safe bet that at some point, a crusade or a Jihad will be launched! You will then see (literally and figuratively) Crusaders landing, for example, with fleets lent by the Italian maritime republics.



As if that weren't enough, there are also the Knightly Orders in the game. These will gradually establish themselves in YOUR regions, with Chapters, and will be like a double-edged sword. On one hand, you will be happy with the increased piety in the region, as well as the detachment of knights protecting it, on the other hand, they are a bit burdensome as neighbors, monetarily speaking, because what goes into their coffers does not go into yours. It's up to you to decide whether you support them or want to limit their influence.

On the other hand, from an international point of view, seeing a heavy detachment of Templars land in the Holy Land always makes an impression. But do not think that Islam is left out, because if the first Sunni feels threatened, the Jihad is not far away!



Thus, as we can see, religions are a major element of Kingdoms both from the point of view of the daily life of your populations and from the point of view of international relations and the behavior of nations towards each other. You cannot ignore it, and ignoring the piety of your population would be a major mistake. And then, building cathedrals and great mosques, what prestige that is! Not to mention that the clergy participates in the education of your population, which grants you more Legacy points, the game's victory point unit.

Stay tuned for the next developer diary on Dynasties and Characters!


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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2024, 06:03:18 PM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Dynasties and Characters
Fri, 23 February 2024



In today's Dev Diary we will look into the management of characters

One of the major new features of Kingdoms, which aligns with the significant events of the medieval era often initiated by great men rather than established states, is the addition of dynasties to the game, and more generally, a much more advanced management of characters (compared to Empires, the predecessor of Kingdoms).

Each game faction (whether a duchy, an emirate, an empire, or even a knightly order) is indeed led by a ruler with several important characteristics. Just like any other character, the ruler has an administration value, very important for providing economic bonuses to his realm, but also a military value, which allows for the recruitment of higher quality units, and finally, since we are in the Middle Ages and religion was of paramount importance, a piety value, very useful for helping to convert the population, being well seen by the Pope if you are Christian, and generally useful for making heresies rare. These 3 values are supplemented by one or two possible skills that have very diverse effects, ranging from tolerance towards other cultures, to dubious life practices (reducing life expectancy), to the propensity to attack one's neighbor sneakily without a formal declaration of war.



This ruler is often accompanied by his spouse and often courtesans. The Middle Ages not being very progressive, it will not be possible to see one of these ladies leading an army; however, daughters of marriageable age hold particular interest, as they allow for the conclusion of royal marriages. These are, however, double-edged swords, as if your sovereign dies without an heir, it is possible that your nation will suffer, with the faction where your daughter resides taking over part of your territory.

The picture would not be complete without the mention of possible brothers, sisters, uncles in addition to your descendants, all of whom have a role to play, as they can be Peers of the Realm, sort of governors of certain portions of your territory, allowing for better administration than if there were only a modest noble. Your characters can also, just like the sovereign, lead armies, with their own statistics, in attack as well as defense, and various tactical abilities (far more numerous than in Empires, and veterans of our first instalment will be pleased to learn that there are 6 times more in Kingdoms than in our first game).



All these additional possibilities come at a cost, however, but this is also what makes Kingdoms intriguing. Each character also has a loyalty, which is not necessarily known initially (but rest assured, there are ways to find out through decision options). Thus, a disloyal character presents a dilemma, as if they are good, you will want to use their services, but then there is a risk of betrayal.

These betrayals come in several forms: a coup d'état, which immediately replaces your leader with the traitor (which, let's be cynical, can be a blessing in disguise if the traitor is competent while your leader was not), or an armed revolt. If the character was a general, they might even keep their troops and immediately recruit others using their personal funds (and characters accumulate funds more or less quickly, depending on their position and integrity... but it is possible to prosecute those embezzling funds).



Rest assured, however, in Kingdoms, characters serve at the heart of its gameplay, consisting of a rich economic management of your nation's regions and a sophisticated and nuanced military simulation.

Our game is primarily a historical strategy game, which has adopted a dynasty system to complete the picture, and we neither pretend nor aim to make it a dynastic role-playing game. We hope this direction is what you wish to see in our game, and we look forward to sharing more in a future developer diary.

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Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2024, 07:57:36 PM »
Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Diplomacy and Troublesome vassals
Fri, March 15, 2024



Even the most powerful of nations will need to rely on allies or vassals

In Kingdoms, even the most powerful of nations will need to rely on allies or vassals. Indeed, medieval Europe and the Middle East are tumultuous and hostile lands, where the small isolated state stands no chance of survival. Nations often have territorial claims against each other, exacerbating tensions. The two major religions of the Book are often in tension, creating fault lines where nearly half the map could be hostile to you, especially as holy wars, crusades, or jihads regularly appear.


Gelasius II, Head of the Holy See, wisely befriended the Knightly Orders and the Byzantines

Kingdoms offers a diplomatic model with more than half a dozen different treaties: Alliance, Cooperation, Vassalage, Royal Marriage, Right of Passage, transactions, gifts, insults, knowing that there are of course wars to declare and peace to sign, and transactions are actually a box where you can add different additional entries. For example, offering mercenaries, requesting territorial concessions, offering metal, etc.

The royal marriage is a novelty in Kingdoms, and will be an ideal opportunity to strengthen ties between two nations. Of course, you will need a daughter of marriageable age for this (i.e., 14 years old), and you must be astute, as a royal marriage can backfire on you. Upon the death of one of the sovereigns, it can lead to a division of the kingdom or even its absorption. Be careful to have the highest Authority, or you will suffer the consequences.


Having vassals also provide decisions to play with, with several outcomes

Right of Passage is also a novelty and is relatively easy to conclude compared to an alliance. It allows not only to transit through the territories of the other nation but also to resupply there, including the resupplying of ships. Generally, becoming allied with another country requires a gradual approach, initially made of simple cooperation, maybe a gift or two, and often the abandonment of all claims against that nation. Usually, all of this happens organically and naturally, because only nations in dispute will seek to claim the regions of the other. Know finally that different religions are a rather major obstacle to establishing good relations, but it remains entirely possible, with the right means.


Kingdom of Heaven, except they are now vassals of the Fatimids, as is Oultre-Jourdain. Only Antioch remains fiercely independent

But the main addition of Kingdoms in diplomacy is undoubtedly the vassalage relation, which is much richer in its possible aspects than the client state relations of Empires, the game preceding Kingdoms. A vassal is generally a plus for a suzerain, as it facilitates the progression of your kingdom towards a more accomplished and powerful Realm, and it can lend you troops. These will still bear the coat of arms of your vassal and will be returned to them in case of peace, but as long as the war lasts, you will have full control! Vassals also provide the opportunity to manage decisions with multiple choices with many different outcomes depending on the loyalty of the vassal and the abilities of the suzerain. Finally, a vassal will often show signs of independence and will not hesitate to let you know if you possess a land that they believe belongs to them.

Stay tuned for our next diary, which will deal with the special perks and game rules that major nations and culture groups have. It really makes for a different gaming experience depending on the country you play, and we can't wait to provide you with some juicy details on the perks we designed!

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