First Post- General Arguments
I'm sure that, like CK2, Imperator will probably get several DLCs expanding the on-map cultures and possibly adding new start dates before there are any map extensions in any direction. Because of the huge gulf between the Frankish feudal model that CK2 was built for and the centralized empires of the Tang and Song, the decision was eventually made to represent China as an off-map power rather than as a playable batch of titles and characters. However, in Imperator's timeline we do not have this sharp divide between Chinese and Western societies- as a matter of fact China and the Mediterranean are strikingly alike throughout this period (if you don't believe me, take a look at the works of Prof. Walter Scheidel at Stanford: https://web.stanford.edu/~scheidel/acme.htm).
Imperator's timeline, which takes us from the wars of the Diaodochi to the reign of Augustus, runs from the critical phase of the Warring States period through to the decline of the Western Han in China. The mechanics already being developed to suit the Mediterranean and the rise of Rome's empire are a comfortable fit for Chinese antiquity- massive levied armies; colonization and conquest; the building of roads, canals, and border defenses; and the growth of massive cities fed by trade. Here I'll lay out a few relevant points for how China could be implemented well within the framework of Imperator: Rome's design and mechanics.
The Setting
In 303 BC, the first so-called Vertical Alliance against Qin has recently fallen apart, leaving the main seven kingdoms and the several smaller states with effectively a diplomatic clean slate. The young King Zhaoxiang of Qin has taken the throne after several years of instability, and although historically his long reign would see Qin become the dominant power in China, at this point it is still unclear whether he can effectively manage his kingdom and exploit the infighting of the other six states. Qin has their densely-populated heartland on the Wei River valley, as well as the arid, hilly, partially-Sinicized highlands west of the bend of the Yellow River and the rich but, again, only partially-settled regions of Ba and Shu in the Sichuan basin. Careful development of these borderlands will be just as important for Qin's future conquests as military strategy will be.
Although by 303 BC Qin already has a slight upper hand over the other states, it still has major rivals and faces a number of looming potential threats. The largest of the Warring States, Chu, has vast manpower and resources at its command but struggles to manage its widely-dispersed population and numerous tribal minorities, as well as a strong and independent aristocracy that resists centralizing reforms. The Three Jins- Han, Wei, and Zhao- are great military powers with capable generals and ministers, but their risky location in the middle of China calls for cunning diplomacy. Qi, with its prosperous capital Linzi, is the economic and intellectual center of Warring States China, but has not been a significant military force for several generations and needs to rebuild an effective army. And Yan, the borderland state to the northeast, has plentiful room for expansion and development if they can fend off the stronger states to their south for long enough. The Qiang people to the west and the Xiongnu to the north are still fragmented, but historically would go on to become major threats to Chinese borders.
In short, 303 BC presents multiple gameplay possibilities and diverse potential outcomes. There are seven major states which, while reasonably closely-matched, each have their own unique political, cultural, and geographic qualities. There are also a few small states in their midst (notably Lu, Song, Zhou and Zhongshan) for those challenge-seeking players, and on three sides there are numerous tribal peoples, both nomadic and agrarian. In geopolitical terms, the setting offers enough variety and dynamism to be a worthwhile inclusion.
Politics and Warfare
As I noted above, there can be very serious challenges in making one game model very diverse political or social structures- CK2 being ill-suited to contemporary China being a strong example. But we're fortunate that the basic mechanics we know of so far for I:R make for a very reasonable fit for China through the Warring States, Qin and Western Han periods. In many respects, the Warring States kingdoms were much like the Diadochi kingdoms, with power concentrated in the ruler's court, politics dominated by a small number of elite families, and borders set by the march of their armies. Greco-Roman provinces correspond nicely to Chinese commanderies. In the same way that "laws" model the social and political reforms of Rome and other Mediterranean states, they can also model the various reforms pursued by the Warring States and, later, by the unified Qin and Han empires. The POP system, while already abstracted to cover the variety of the Mediterranean, Central Asia and India, are about as good of a fit for China as they are for Rome- the need to juggle agricultural productivity against military manpower was just as pressing in China as elsewhere.
In terms of the military, I:R's military traditions can also be neatly applied to the Chinese case. The three branches could correspond to the North, the West and the South- distinct Warring States kingdoms in the early game, and distinct frontiers of the Han empire from mid to late. The Northern tree, corresponding especially to Zhao, Wei and Yan in the early period, would emphasize chariots and cavalry that were suitable for fighting in the Central Plains of China; later it could provide more bonuses to fortifications or logistics to mirror the strategy used against the nomadic hordes along China's northern frontier. The Southern tree corresponds to the Chu style of warfare, where swordsmen and crossbowmen dominated the hilly, marshy, forested terrain of the region and riverine fleets fought up and down the Yangzi and its tributaries; later to the conquest of China's extreme south, which leaned heavily on colonization, road-building, and light infantry warfare. Lastly the West corresponds to the Qin military approach, marked not by any particular tactical specialty but by extremely efficient systems of mass mobilization, transportation and logistics, military discipline, and rewards for performance in battle that motivated the low-ranking soldiers; later it shifts towards the Han strategy towards the 'Western Regions,' where small mobile armies built up a system of tributaries and clients along the trade routes through Gansu and the Tarim Basin.
I'll build the case further in later posts, but I think this is enough to get the thread rolling. I'd like to invite everyone's feedback, questions and criticisms. I'd also greatly appreciate any and all attention from the devs, if they happen to take a look at this.
Imperator's timeline, which takes us from the wars of the Diaodochi to the reign of Augustus, runs from the critical phase of the Warring States period through to the decline of the Western Han in China. The mechanics already being developed to suit the Mediterranean and the rise of Rome's empire are a comfortable fit for Chinese antiquity- massive levied armies; colonization and conquest; the building of roads, canals, and border defenses; and the growth of massive cities fed by trade. Here I'll lay out a few relevant points for how China could be implemented well within the framework of Imperator: Rome's design and mechanics.
The Setting
In 303 BC, the first so-called Vertical Alliance against Qin has recently fallen apart, leaving the main seven kingdoms and the several smaller states with effectively a diplomatic clean slate. The young King Zhaoxiang of Qin has taken the throne after several years of instability, and although historically his long reign would see Qin become the dominant power in China, at this point it is still unclear whether he can effectively manage his kingdom and exploit the infighting of the other six states. Qin has their densely-populated heartland on the Wei River valley, as well as the arid, hilly, partially-Sinicized highlands west of the bend of the Yellow River and the rich but, again, only partially-settled regions of Ba and Shu in the Sichuan basin. Careful development of these borderlands will be just as important for Qin's future conquests as military strategy will be.
Although by 303 BC Qin already has a slight upper hand over the other states, it still has major rivals and faces a number of looming potential threats. The largest of the Warring States, Chu, has vast manpower and resources at its command but struggles to manage its widely-dispersed population and numerous tribal minorities, as well as a strong and independent aristocracy that resists centralizing reforms. The Three Jins- Han, Wei, and Zhao- are great military powers with capable generals and ministers, but their risky location in the middle of China calls for cunning diplomacy. Qi, with its prosperous capital Linzi, is the economic and intellectual center of Warring States China, but has not been a significant military force for several generations and needs to rebuild an effective army. And Yan, the borderland state to the northeast, has plentiful room for expansion and development if they can fend off the stronger states to their south for long enough. The Qiang people to the west and the Xiongnu to the north are still fragmented, but historically would go on to become major threats to Chinese borders.
In short, 303 BC presents multiple gameplay possibilities and diverse potential outcomes. There are seven major states which, while reasonably closely-matched, each have their own unique political, cultural, and geographic qualities. There are also a few small states in their midst (notably Lu, Song, Zhou and Zhongshan) for those challenge-seeking players, and on three sides there are numerous tribal peoples, both nomadic and agrarian. In geopolitical terms, the setting offers enough variety and dynamism to be a worthwhile inclusion.
Politics and Warfare
As I noted above, there can be very serious challenges in making one game model very diverse political or social structures- CK2 being ill-suited to contemporary China being a strong example. But we're fortunate that the basic mechanics we know of so far for I:R make for a very reasonable fit for China through the Warring States, Qin and Western Han periods. In many respects, the Warring States kingdoms were much like the Diadochi kingdoms, with power concentrated in the ruler's court, politics dominated by a small number of elite families, and borders set by the march of their armies. Greco-Roman provinces correspond nicely to Chinese commanderies. In the same way that "laws" model the social and political reforms of Rome and other Mediterranean states, they can also model the various reforms pursued by the Warring States and, later, by the unified Qin and Han empires. The POP system, while already abstracted to cover the variety of the Mediterranean, Central Asia and India, are about as good of a fit for China as they are for Rome- the need to juggle agricultural productivity against military manpower was just as pressing in China as elsewhere.
In terms of the military, I:R's military traditions can also be neatly applied to the Chinese case. The three branches could correspond to the North, the West and the South- distinct Warring States kingdoms in the early game, and distinct frontiers of the Han empire from mid to late. The Northern tree, corresponding especially to Zhao, Wei and Yan in the early period, would emphasize chariots and cavalry that were suitable for fighting in the Central Plains of China; later it could provide more bonuses to fortifications or logistics to mirror the strategy used against the nomadic hordes along China's northern frontier. The Southern tree corresponds to the Chu style of warfare, where swordsmen and crossbowmen dominated the hilly, marshy, forested terrain of the region and riverine fleets fought up and down the Yangzi and its tributaries; later to the conquest of China's extreme south, which leaned heavily on colonization, road-building, and light infantry warfare. Lastly the West corresponds to the Qin military approach, marked not by any particular tactical specialty but by extremely efficient systems of mass mobilization, transportation and logistics, military discipline, and rewards for performance in battle that motivated the low-ranking soldiers; later it shifts towards the Han strategy towards the 'Western Regions,' where small mobile armies built up a system of tributaries and clients along the trade routes through Gansu and the Tarim Basin.
I'll build the case further in later posts, but I think this is enough to get the thread rolling. I'd like to invite everyone's feedback, questions and criticisms. I'd also greatly appreciate any and all attention from the devs, if they happen to take a look at this.
