The Ruthless Conquest

This Board Game is set up in a fictional world called the Francosphere.

I was a really big fan of chess from a very young age. Based on this interest, I felt like developing a strategy war game. However, I wanted a game that was not just abstract, but something that was driven based on reality. So, recently I started watching some gameplay from a channel called No Rolls Barred and was inspired by a game called Cosmic Encounter. I borrowed some concepts from there and build a war based game called Ruthless Conquest. It is a 3 - 5 player game.

Each player starts off with two countries under their control. Then there will be multiple rounds, where each player has a turn. They can use their turn to Spy another person, or start a war. The war is facilitated by the war cards, which include troop, general and a forbidden weapon card. The war cards can be traded (Players are allowed to cheat during a trade). The goal of each player is to get a clear majority of countries (6 for a 5 player game, 5 for a 4 player game and 4 for a 3 player game).

Also, each country has a different perk. For example, the Gobsilian Empire is a country that has an incredible defence mechanism. So, if it is attacked their defense will have +500 strength. Likewise, the Nulian Empire is set up as an empire with a booming economy and the person holding it, will collect double taxes. Similarly, every one of the ten countries has its advantage, which will influence the in-game strategy.

In making this game, I tried to encapsulate trust issues you would have in a real war. As this is a game that can only be won by conquering more countries, every player will be driven by that same goal. This will encourage them to sabotage their friends in many ways. Even allies in a battle might have to look behind their back in order to be safe, as allies can stab each other in the back and take the country they have won, for themselves. Spies add another layer. On one hand, it will help with information gathering. But, the game is also run in a way that no opponent knows who the spy has spied upon, giving its own layer of trust issues which then adds to the intense atmosphere around the board. Also, trading would require you to trade with someone who you trust. Will they cheat and give you nothing in return for your contribution? No one knows until it's done. Trust may not exist in this gaming environment. But trust is required to win the game.

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