Bandit Kings of Ancient China

Infobox VG
title = Bandit Kings of Ancient China


caption = Box art of "Bandit Kings" for the NES
developer = KOEI
publisher = KOEI
distributor =
engine =
version =
released = vgy|1989
genre = Turn-based strategy
modes = Single-player, Multiplayer (hotseat)
ratings =
platforms = MSX, NES, DOS, Amiga, Apple Macintosh
media =
requirements =
input =

"Bandit Kings of Ancient China", also known as "Suikoden - Tenmei no Chikai" in Japan, is a turn-based strategy video game published by KOEI in the 1980s for the Nintendo Entertainment System, MS-DOS, Amiga and the Macintosh. In 1996, KOEI issued a remake for the Japanese Sega Saturn and Sony Playstation featuring vastly improved graphics and new arrangements of the original songs.

Plot

The game's character and events are based on the Chinese Novel Water Margin. Players start out in a remote prefecture and must expand his base by acquiring additional prefectures, recruit troops and heroes to lead them. The goal is to defeat Gao Qiu by attacking Gao Qiu's base which cannot take place until emperor's edict is received.

Background

Contary to actual history, the premise of the game had the Emperor Huizong being held captive in his palace in Kaifeng by Gao Qiu. The ruler sought a champion who could challenge Gao Qiu who controlled the Imperial Court and the official military.

Becoming a champion

The first goal of the player is to become a champion by selecting from a list of outlaws. The list varied depending on the stage of the game. The beginning of the game start with the year 1101.

Depending on the character and gamestage selected, the player may or may not start with a base in one of the more than 40 prefectures around the empire. Players must settle on a base in order to collect annual fiscal revenues at the beginning of the year and the autumn harvest.

These resources are necessary for the player to recruit followers, raise an army, keep them loyal as well as equiping them with arms and boats, in order to expand to other territories occupied by other rulers.

Settled players have a popularity score. By expansion as well as hunting wild animals which terrosised the populace, players increase their popularity scores. Popularity scores are decreased with loss of territories.

When a player's popularity score reach a certain level, he will receive the imperial edict to permit him to march into the capital with a force of arms. Until then, he could attack any prefecture except the capital.

Gameplay

Each turn player has several options. Some of which are Hunt, recruit troops or a hero to lead them, improve the land, and rest. Heroes have loyalty which can be increased by giving them gold. If the loyalty of a hero that you have recruited becomes too low, the hero may betray you. To prevent this, player may swear brotherhood with heroes provided their loyalty is high enough, 95 or higher. Depending on the game level, the number of sworn brothers is limited to 9 (easiest level) or fewer [http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/file/564832/48064] . Once a hero becomes a brother, loyalty becomes irrelevant and he will never betray you. Brothers/sisters are also extensions of yourself. Each turn, you may perform one action and likewise, you brothers/sisters can do the same essentially providing you with additional actions per turn. Battles can be resolved automatically or in tactic mode where terrain, a unit's power, supply, and weather needs to be considered. Tactical battle is very similar to Dynasty Tactics game without the tactics element. There is also a turn limit in the game. It ends if the player is unable to obtain an imperial edict and remove Gao Qiu before 1127 A.D.

Developing occupied territories

Each prefecture produce fiscal revenue which is directly proportional to the number of forts (fixed) and the state of the economy (variable, player can increase this score by investing game turns to develop the economy).

The harvest tax collected in autumn depends on the land score (variable).

Both harvest and fiscal taxes also depend on level of local support. Local support increase when a player invest in development of local economy, agriculture and flood prevention, and when player distributes money or food to the people.

Raising an army

Each player and follower may command up to 100 men. The quality of the army can be improved by training and arming them. As the size of armies grew, so do expenses to upkeep them.

Certain prefectures have smithies, and/or shipwrights, where players can use gold to obtain arms/boats.

To obtain arms in prefectures without smithies, players must solicit for metal, and have a character with high strength and dexterity scores to manufacture arms.

To obtain boats in prefectures without shipwrights, players must have a character with sufficiently high strength, dexterity, intelligence as well as steermanship ability.

Diplomacy

A player may seek to establish cordial relations with other rulers. Each successful negotiation mean no attack between each other is allowed, for 3 years.

A player may also seek to recruit another ruler who commands only 1 prefecture. The success depends on the character compatibility of the two leaders and relative popularities of both characters.

Battle

Unlike other KOEI war games, the battle in this game is limited to only 30 days. To win, the attacker has to either occupy all the castles, or defeat every opponent in the field, or force the opponent to run out of food. If the attacker fails to win in 30 days, he automatically loses the battle.

Characters with stronger scores in certain attributes could have the following options available in battle:
* Set fire - depend on intelligence. A successful attempt would set fire to a chosen adjacent location. Cannot be used when it rains.
* Magic - depend on intelligence. This could dazzle an opponent if successfully casted during cloudy weather.
* Archery - depend on dexterity, allows attacks on opponents 2 steps away.
* Control a boat - allows greater control against currents when crossing rivers.

Games in the series

There are many games in the series, but those later in the series are in Chinese.

imilar games from Koei

*Nobunaga's Ambition
*Romance of the Three Kingdoms
*Genghis Khan

External links

*moby game|id=/bandit-kings-of-ancient-china