Description

The fate of Ancient China is at stake as several dynasties struggle for supremacy. As a leader of a dynasty, you must position your forces at the right time at the right state to claim it for yourself.

The Ancient China consists of 12 states, each of them surrounded by six grid points where armies may be placed. Some grid points border several states, hence making their armies more powerful. You claim a state if you have the most armies at the end of a round. You win if you claim 3/4/5 states (5/4/3 players).

Each round you compete for a state You do so by playing cards representing either two tactics (light) or one tactics (dark). Each card also represents one strategy. One light card may be played each turn together with none or one dark card. Each card played must match either a tactics or a strategy of your previously played light card.

When you pass you take the battle field of all tactics and strategies where you have a majority. Tactical battle field cards let you place new armies while strategic cards let you manipulate already placed armies. Also, an early pass gives you an early pick of new cards from a drawing row. However, it makes the remaining battle field cards easier to get for the other players.
 
When the round ends, you claim the state if you have the most armies around it. Also, all previous states are reassessed to see if the majority has changed. (Remember that an army may reach more states.) One of the battle field cards allows you to decide the next state to battle for to take advantage of well positioned armies.

The mechanism of playing the right cards and placing the armies right creates a double majority game where you must manage both cards and board to get the upper hand. Also, the fact that armies may reach more states may turn tactical losses at one state to a strategic victory as other states are claimed instead.

—description from the designer