Map, Regions and Barbarians

The world map is the main screen of the game. Your city, your neighbours, barbarian settlements and strategic points are all shown here.

Reading the map

The map is divided into regions, each with its own geography; the ratio of land to sea varies by world. You can zoom, drag to pan, and click a city to see its owner, score and clan.

Distance is everything. Your army spends time per kilometre; a target twice as far away means twice as long undefended at home. Targets just beyond your border are almost always more profitable than rich ones on the far side of the map.

Strategic points

The map holds special points that give their holder an advantage. Control can change hands and the history of control is recorded. These points are the natural focus of clan wars: holding one means defending the region around it.

Barbarian settlements

Barbarian villages belong to no player and are run by the game itself. They serve three purposes early on.

• Resources: raids return with as much as your army can carry.
• Practice: you learn the combat system without risking a real rival.
• Quests: two steps of the starter guide are completed against barbarians.

Barbarian settlements do hold a defence. It is entirely possible to lose a small army there, so run the simulator before your first attempt.

Favourites and search

Passages and movements

Inspect control and applicable bonuses on the cards for sea passages such as the Bosphorus, Gibraltar, Suez and Hormuz. The controlling side is represented by its banner. Attack, support and trade movements distinguish completed travel by colour, with an icon progressing along the route. Server arrival times and reports determine the actual result.

Finding targets

You can add cities you watch often to your favourites. The favourites list keeps threats on your border and targets you are planning on one screen. Player and city search finds a name directly on the map.

The chronicle

The chronicle records what happens in the world: conquests, major battles, clan foundings and world events. If you joined a world late, reading the chronicle is the fastest way to learn who is growing where.