Greetings, mighty Lords!
After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Liu Bei finally occupied Yizhou following years of warfare. However, Cao Cao soon captured Hanzhong, placing immense pressure on the Shu region. Both Cao and Liu deployed massive armies to engage in a prolonged standoff across various strongholds in Hanzhong, culminating in Liu Bei's complete control of the Han-Ba region.
This time, we introduce a brand new map and Stratagem gameplay, offering Lords a fresh and unique mountain combat experience in the upcoming season, Hanzhong Campaign.
[Hanzhong: The Strategic Lifeline of Yizhou]
"Hanzhong is the throat of Yizhou—the pivot of survival. Without Hanzhong, there is no Shu."
—Records of the Three Kingdoms - Biography of Yang Hong
In the Hanzhong Campaign season, we introduce a brand new season map focused on the Hanzhong region. The map is divided into 9 Commanderies: the central Hanzhong, Wudu, and Xicheng serve as contested resource regions, while the northern Jingzhao, Fufeng, Hanxing, and the southern Guanghan, Baxi, and Badong (6 in total) are starting regions. Lords may choose one of the starting regions to found a Force.
Commandery connection is established via passes:
- Hanzhong, Hanxing, and Fufeng connect to Wudu via passes.
- Jingzhao, Baxi, and Badong connect to Xicheng via passes.
- Fufeng, Baxi, Wudu, and Xicheng connect to Hanzhong via passes.
Resource Commandery passes are in Truce state by default. After World Milestones Drill for Battle I and II conclude, Donations will unlock. Completing resource donations sequentially unlocks Wudu and Xicheng passes, followed by Hanzhong passes, allowing Lords to enter these regions.
[Forge Your Path, Wage War Unconventionally]
"(Zhang Fei) intercepted (Zhang) He's army via an alternate route. The narrow mountain paths split the enemy forces, preventing reinforcement—thus Fei crushed He."
—Records of the Three Kingdoms - Biography of Zhang Fei
Hanzhong is situated between the Qinling Mountains and the Daba Mountains, with the Hanzhong Basin in between, creating complex terrain. Therefore, in the Hanzhong Campaign season, troops no longer need to charge recklessly as they would on plains but must advance tile by tile along the terrain, searching for passable routes. If blocked by mountains, rivers, enemy buildings, or city gates along the way, they cannot proceed further.
Meanwhile, during movement, troops may trigger skirmishes if they encounter enemy forces before reaching their destination. Even without connected land, troops can move to neutral territories to halt and intercept enemy units. Lords must pay attention to troops' marching routes and arrange tactical strategies wisely to gain an advantage on the battlefield.
[Hold the High Ground and Trap the Enemy]
"The First Ruler ordered Huang Zhong to take the high ground, beating drums and shouting as they attacked, crushing Xiahou Yuan's army and beheading Yuan, along with Zhao Yong, whom the Lord Cao had appointed as Inspector of Yizhou."
—Records of the Three Kingdoms - Biography of the First Ruler
The Hanzhong region is mountainous, so in the Hanzhong campaign, both Cao's and Liu's forces had records of fighting from elevated positions on different battlefields. Zhang Fei once stationed troops near Xiabian at Mount Gu but was defeated by Cao Hong before the Shu forces could fully assemble. In the Battle of Mt. Dingjun, Huang Zhong charged down from the heights with unstoppable might, slaying Xiahou Yuan in battle. Sun Tzu's Art of War also mentions: "In open terrain, first occupy high and sunny ground, secure supply routes, and you will fight with advantage."
In the Hanzhong Campaign season, the map features highland terrain with cliffs at the edges, disconnecting adjacent territories on either side, requiring players to find sloping passages. Territories on high ground not only provide vision buffs but also grant combat advantages when moving from high to low ground. However, if all slopes leading to the highland are occupied by enemies, troops on the high ground will be encircled and have their supplies cut off, putting them at a disadvantage in battle.
Strategically utilizing highland terrain for deployment will significantly impact localized battlefields.
[Five-colored Banners: Interplay of Orthodox and Unorthodox]
"Banners issue commands. Flags respond to signals."
—Du Mu's commentary on "Sun Tzu's Collected Annotations"
As stated in Sun Tzu's Art of War: "Commands cannot be heard, hence the use of gongs and drums. Signals cannot be seen, hence the use of banners and flags." In ancient warfare, gongs and drums were employed because voices couldn't carry, and banners were raised because distant movements were unclear. Command flags played a vital role in the command systems of ancient battles. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Fa Zheng used red and white banners to signal Huang Zhong when to attack, ultimately achieving a decisive victory by slaying Xiahou Yuan on the battlefield.
The Hanzhong Campaign season will introduce a new Five-Colored Command Flags feature. Lords can deploy appropriate flags to issue commands based on the current situation, gaining various benefits to adapt to the needs of the battlefield.
[Historic Heroes, Brand New Features]
During the Hanzhong Campaign, both Cao and Liu committed massive forces, with numerous famous generals playing pivotal roles. In the season, you can acquire Hero Features such as [Wei - Xiahou Yuan - Cavalry], [Wei - Xu Huang - Cavalry], [Other - Zhang He - Cavalry], [Shu - Huang Zhong - Infantry], [Shu - Fa Zheng - Cavalry], and [Shu - Zhang Fei - Cavalry] from the Season Marketplace, allowing you to dominate the battlefield.
INFINITE BORDERS has always been dedicated to providing Lords with richer ancient strategy and warfare experiences. With Hanzhong's natural defenses and the cries of owls over Dingjun Mountain, how will you, Lords, deploy your forces and carve your own path? Stay tuned!
For more details about the Hanzhong Campaign season, stay tuned for upcoming previews.
There is no other land than the king's land; within INFINITE BORDERS, all are subjects of the king.
A ruler of all families lives up to the times!
(Actual in-game content subject to further updates)
INFINITE BORDERS Project Team
