Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle details foreign tribes, ‘Switch Kingdoms’ mode
Meet the five foreign tribes that surround the factions competing for hegemony.
Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer Kou Shibusawa have released new information and screenshots for Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle introducing foreign tribes and the new “Switch Kingdoms” mode.
Get the details below.
Five Mighty Foreign Tribes
In China, there are foreign tribes that surround the factions competing for hegemony. There are five tribes, “Wuhuan,” “Xianbei,” “Qiang,” “Shanyue,” and “Nanman,” each of which possesses powerful troops. While it has always been important to deal with conflicts in the central areas of China, now players must think twice about strategies on the borders where tense battles can now emerge.
Wuhuan – Survivors of the Donghu, who were nearly wiped out by the Xiongnu during the era of the Early Han, and became known as the Wuhuan after the survivors held out on Wuhuan Mountain. They were known for their excellent cavalry, and lived nomadic lives in tents as they searched for water and pasture. They hunted birds and beasts for food, drank yogurt, and wore skin pelts. Those who showed valor or leadership became elders who led the tribe. They had no given names, so they used the names of elders and heroes.
Xianbei – Survivors of the Donghu, who were nearly wiped out by the Xiongnu during the era of the Early Han, and became known as the Xianbei after the survivors held out on Xianbei Mountain. The land was wide, extending as far east as the Liao River and as far west as Xiyu. They used the soft fur of martens as premium coats. In addition to hunting and ranching, there were those who practiced agriculture.
Qiang – A nomadic tribe in the northwest. During the era of the Early Han, they expanded their forces outside the Great Wall along with the Xiongnu, but in 54 BC, the Xiongnu had a series of internal conflicts that led to the Qiang’s decline. They then repeatedly rose in revolt, but were persecuted in the Later Han, and then migrated to stable regions upstream Wei River such as Jincheng, Longxi and Hanyang. Ma Chao, who was of Qiang blood, rose in rebellion when Cao Cao marched on Zhang Lu.
Shanyue – The Shanyue were a tribe of people who lived in mountainous regions separated from castles. They had a tradition of cutting their hair short and covering their bodies with tattoos. At the end of the era of the Later Han, when the Han invaded Jiangnan, they regularly stirred up disputes. In order for Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and others to advance north, it was necessary to suppress the Shanyue, leading to frequent battles.
Nanman – The tribal states established in the southern region of Yi Province known as Nanzhong. Though governmental forces tried to suppress them during the Early and Later Han, they had difficulties eliminating them due to logistical issues, as well as being resisted with guerilla tactics. In the novel, when Zhuge Liang attacks Meng Huo, the Shu Army is forced to endure harsh tropical weather, forests teeming with beasts, poison swamps, among other trials. They also had trade routes into India and central Asia.
Trade with Foreign Tribes
If players decide to open trade with the foreign tribes of the region, they can send envoys to develop their relations after acquiring certain geographic advantages. For example: conquering Yo Province allows friendships to form with Wuhuan, while conquering Bing Province allows strong relations to form with Xianbei. Players will also have the option to deploy their troops to conquer these tribes.
Outlander Officers Under Your Command
Once players form strong relations with, or successfully conquer a foreign tribe, an “outlander officer” will join their forces.
As outlander officers who join the player’s faction can move freely between their cities and can take the field, they are at a strategic advantage. However, they will return to their tribes if players cannot retain their diplomatic status and/or geographic advantages, or if other tribes conquer their tribes.
Powerful Outlander Officers
Outlander officers utilize the “Siyi” formation to gain the upper hand in mountainous areas or forests. In fact, each tribe has a unique trait assigned to them—Qiang officers can activate “Bow Cavalry,” while Xianbei officers are equipped with “War Chariot”.
Strategically recruiting outlander officers with desired traits will be pivotal in unifying China, while ensuring the officer’s conditions are favorable will ensure they do not leave the ally forces, as these units can easily turn on the player’s forces if their relationship changes for the worst.
“Switch Kingdoms” Mode
When starting a new scenario in this new mode, the location of forces will be randomly shuffled causing events to unfold in fresh new ways.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV: Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle is due out for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on December 10 in Japan and in early 2021 in the west. Users who already own Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV for PlayStation 4 or PC will be able to upgrade to the Diplomacy and Strategy Expansion Pack Bundle. Read more here.
