Three Kingdoms Holdem

From the mind of Chris Overalls, Three Kingdoms Holdem is a humorous strategy game based loosely on the Three Kingdoms period of China (200-263 AD). You play as a would-be Emperor and his Court, who seeks to re-unite China. You achieve this aim by destroying or outlasting the other dynastic factions--your goal is to be the last player standing. You start with five health points and four pieces under your control: a Warlord, Queen, King, and Court Wizard. Lose all your health, OR all your Court Members, and you're out. Each court member commands distinct arenas of statecraft. Your Warlord commands your army, which attacks your enemy health, Your Queen commands a harem of Spies and Rumor-mongers who target your enemy's Court and resources, your King maintains and repairs your own resources of Statecraft, and your Court Wizard attacks your opponents' Health, Court, and resources with Arcane Chinese Magic not fully under his control. Each Court Member has 9 distinct moves available to him, and these moves are balanced for chance, cost, and efficacy. probability of success is listed in the Action Menu. To start each round, 2 Random Events modify global conditions, then each player spends his action Peppers in turn, and the Steppe Nomads execute a algorithmically chosen action at the end. You must budget your Action Peppers to wreck your opponents, mitigate Random Events, and withstand the unknowable actions of the Steppe Nomad Hun. Game includes 16 Court Member Cards, 78 Random events cards, Action Menu, and four dice to display health. —description from the designer