An overview on the game mechanics

In an Adventurer Kings game every player controls one King, his armies and treasures, and any Heroes which he hires to serve him. Each turn, using a devoted client program (see Files Section), the players email to the Game Master a set of moves for their Kings (or Queens, for that matter) and Heroes. These moves cover the Kingdom's activities for one year in the game world. Within a due date, the GM enters the moves, and gets the turn results for each player.. The turn results are informative, comprehensive and written in descriptive, computer-generated prose with supporting charts and tables. Here's what you receive each turn:

• Action Report: The deeds of your King, recounted in exciting prose.
• Letter Report All Heroes in your employ write to you of their adventures.
• State of the Kingdom Report: Tables for provinces, characters, armies and finances.
• Map: A map is drawn showing all known provinces.
• Adventure Report: All dungeons and features known to you are listed, as well as their guardian monsters, the treasure believed to be there, and the characters who may be hired to serve the Kingdom.
• General Intelligence Report: Every activity of all other players is checked to see if your King would find out about it. For example, you are informed when a province adjacent to your Kingdom changes hands. You may also be informed of the activities of other King's characters when they operate in your Kingdom.

At the end of any turn, if some specific conditions are met, a bunch of Kings is allowed to call for an election. If so, a "Vote for World Emperor" is held on the following turn. In the next turn each King can vote for his choice of the World Emperor. If one King receives more than 50% of the votes, he/she becomes the Emperor, and the game is over.
There are a total of 8 major Imperial Offices, each of which will be awarded at the end of the game to the character who has piled up the most Merit Points for the office. The highest office is World Emperor, awarded to the player who has the largest vote support at the end of the game, the others are: Treasurer, High Chancellor, Grand Marshal, Grand Admiral, High Defender, Archmage, and High Priest. Each office comes with a percentage prize share. The standing of the player in the game is decided by the prize share of the Imperial Offices he controls.

Game Formats

• Regular Game

Hexagonal grid map with 162 positions (18x9), with 100 NPCs and 60 features (Dungeons, Castles, Caverns, etc) inhabited by monsters guarding their treasures. Suitable for 8 to 12 players.

• Super AK Game

Hexagonal grid extra-large map with 450 positions (30x15), with 250 NPCs and 250 features. Suitable for 20 to 32 players. In addition to the Imperial Offices, there are about 35 new "Royal Titles" such as "Lord of the Were-Beasts" and "Ranger of the Plains", and several advanced rules have been added.

Game Variants

• The European Variant

A regular format game, based on a map of Europe in the middle Ages. The following positions will be available
Caliphate of Cordoba (Spain).
Normandy (France)
England
Germany
Holy Roman Empire (Papal States)
Kievan Russia
Kingdom of Magyars (Hungary)
Byzantine Empire
Khanate of the Golden Horde (Mongols)
The Northern Seljuk Turks (Ukriane)
Caliphate of Baghdad

• The World Variant

A Super-AK format game, played on a map of Earth in the prehistoric Age. The map wraps around on left and right edges, but is prohibited "Ice Cap" terrain at the top and bottom,where 20 - 23 would-be emperors are drawn from different historical periods to square off against each other.
The following positions will be available
Persia
Rome
The Norse Explorers
India
The Rus Vikings
The Hudson Bay Company
China
The Indians
The Huns
Carthage
The Eskimos
The Mongols
Egypt
The Manchus/Siberia
The Zulus
The Amazon Queen
The Aztecs
Polynesia/Australia
Atlantis
The Incas
Japanese Shogunate
Dutch East India Co.

Other variants are offered irregularly: Limited-Diplomacy (Anonymous) games, All-Beginner games, Arcane's Valor games, games on demand.