The First 30 Minutes
Welcome to Dominia. The ancient world is unforgiving, and your first decisions will shape the destiny of your civilization. When you first step into the sandals of a ruler, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. Do not panic. The key to survival is establishing a stable foundation before looking outward.
Your immediate priority is Resource Security. You begin with a starting pool of Gold and Food, but these will drain quickly if your empire's maintenance outpaces its income. Before you train an army or declare a war, you must ensure your people are fed and your treasury is generating tax revenue.
Do not let ambition outrun your granaries. An army marches on its stomach, and a starving army will march straight to your palace doors. Build a Farm immediately upon starting the game.
Interface Navigation
The Dominia interface is designed to emulate an ancient war room. Familiarize yourself with the core panels:
- Top Bar (The Treasury): Displays your current Gold, Food, Research Points (RP), and global Stability. Hover over any resource to see your per-season income and expenses.
- Left Panel (The Provinces): Lists all regions under your control, their individual loyalty, and active construction queues.
- Right Panel (The Senate/Palace): Access diplomacy, trade agreements, and leader management.
- Bottom Bar (The Command Deck): Your military orders, unit recruitment, and the crucial "End Turn" (Advance Season) button.
Core Mechanics
Action Points (AP) & Seasons
Dominia operates on a Turn-Based Seasonal System. Each turn represents one Season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). During a season, you have a limited number of Action Points (AP). Moving an army, initiating construction, or sending a diplomat costs AP. When your AP is depleted, you must advance the season.
Stability & Loyalty
Your empire is held together by Stability (global) and Loyalty (regional). If global Stability falls below 30%, you risk civil war and reduced tax collection. If a specific region's Loyalty drops to 0, it will rebel and spawn hostile militia. Keeping your people fed and occasionally hosting Games or Festivals is vital.
5 Fatal Mistakes New Players Make
| The Mistake | The Consequence | The Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Ignoring Food Production | Starvation triggers massive Stability drops and unit desertion. | Always maintain a +20% surplus on Food generation. Build Farms early. |
| Over-expanding Too Fast | Conquered regions have low base loyalty. Too many riots will cripple your economy. | Consolidate after conquering. Build Temples or Garrisons to restore order before marching on. |
| Forgetting Winter Penalties | Armies caught in enemy territory during Winter take attrition damage (-15% HP per turn). | Plan campaigns for Spring. If caught in Winter, build a Camp or retreat to friendly borders. |
| Neglecting Research | You will face Classical Era Heavy Infantry with Archaic Era Skirmishers. | Build a Library or Academy by turn 15. Research is compounding power. |
| Ignoring the Gods (Culture) | Low cultural influence makes assimilation of conquered cities take thrice as long. | Temples aren't just for roleplay; they convert foreign loyalty to your civilization. |
War is an investment. If a war costs you 2,000 Gold in unit recruitment and maintenance, the territory you conquer must eventually yield 2,001 Gold to be profitable. Do not fight wars of pride; fight wars of profit.
Sibyla Speaks
"I have seen emperors rise with the sun and fall before dusk. The beginner seeks to conquer the map; the master seeks to conquer the mechanics. Learn the rules, Imperator, so that you may know exactly how to break them."