For the faction leader, see Liu Yan.
Liu Yan is a faction tucked away in the western corner of China. The faction is renamed to Liu Zhang during the Fates Divided start as it is now ruled by the late Liu Yan's son, Liu Zhang. Gaining a title as a duke, king or emperor renames the faction to Xun.
Unique Features[]
Units[]
Mechanics[]
Aspiration and Inheritance[]
Aspiration is the unique faction resource of Liu Yan. The Aspiration system actually consists of several different mechanics:
- Aspiration points are primarily earned by enabling Trade-Offs, self-imposed challenges that reward Aspiration points. Trade-offs are only available prior to inheritance.
- Other sources of Aspiration points are available throughout the entire game:
- A small number of points is awarded when conquering a settlement.
- High-levelled cities generate a number of Aspiration points each turn. Level 6 Large Cities generate +2 points, and each additional level generates +2 more points, up to +10 points per turn at level 10.
- Prior to inheritance, Tasks may be completed to unlock post-inheritance Rewards.
- Unique amongst factions, Liu Yan may choose to Trigger Inheritance while he is still alive, immediately transferring leadership of the faction to his heir. Inheritance also confers some bonuses or detriments, with early inheritance granting the greatest bonuses and later inheritance granting increasing levels of detriments. Note that in addition to deliberately triggering inheritance, all inheritance mechanics can still be triggered the normal way—that is, with the death of the faction leader.
- Once inheritance is triggered, previously unlocked Rewards may be purchased with Aspiration points. Inheritance also disables trade-offs and tasks.
In the 200 CE start, Liu Yan has already passed away, and faction leadership has passed to Liu Zhang. In this start date only certain rewards are enabled, and tasks and trade-offs are no longer available.
Tasks and Inheritance Rewards[]
Screenshot of the aspiration menu
Completing tasks unlocks inheritance rewards. Tasks may only be completed prior to inheritance, while rewards are only available after inheritance. Rewards must be purchased with Aspiration points, and once purchased, the same reward may not be purchased again for a number of years. Rewards consist of bonuses to a selected character, army, location, or the entire faction.
| Task | Objective | Reward | Effect | Cost | Cooldown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lethal Duellist
Have your heir participate in and win duels, to train them in 1-on-1 combat and getting into the mind of their opponent. |
Win 3 duels with your heir. | Recruitment Posters
Spend efforts on military publicity, enticing more young people to join your armies for coin and glory. |
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80 | 20 turns |
| Trained & Wise
Have your heir develop more experience and ability, so they're worthy of your domain. |
Have your heir level-up. | Investment in Education
Create mechanisms where every member of your court can learn and practice new skills. |
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120 | 15 turns |
| Stern Defence & Cutting Attack
Nurturing a powerful military force is a necessary investment in turbulent times. |
Have 3 armies with the maximum number of units. | Industrial Restructuring
Restructure the way in which your shifts manufacture goods, making military materials cheaper and also cheapening recruitment costs. |
|
80 | 10 turns |
| Experienced General
Have your heir and participate in battles to give him a taste of war's privations. |
Have your heir lead and complete 5 battles. | Private Tutelage
Send a private tutor to a character, who will nurture them and help them grow |
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70 | 20 turns |
| The Shining Capital
Build a city worthy of being called a capital, with imposing walls and a lustrous castle. |
Have a city of level 6 or higher. | Construction Stimulus
Send extra workers to speed up construction in a region. |
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90 | 20 turns |
| Worldwide Contacts
The more cultures we're exposed to, and the more capable leaders we know, the better off we are. |
Know of 15 living factions. | Artisan Commissions
Commission a local craftsman to create a special item for you and your court. |
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50 | 10 turns |
| Swelling Domain
Control a number of regions worthy of your heir's rule. |
Own 10 regions. | Soldier Drills
Better drilling of local soldiers, making them more deadly to the foe. |
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60 | 15 turns |
| Flowing Gold
Ensure a high level of income, so you can invest in your lands and raise your level of power. |
Have an income per turn higher or equal to 1500. | Economic Stimulus
Invest in your industry and commerce, increasing your GDP in turn. |
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50 | 15 turns |
Trade-offs[]
Trade-offs are self-imposed challenges that may be enabled prior to inheritance in order to earn Aspiration points. Each trade-off has three levels of effect:
- Level 1 grants 5 Aspiration points per turn at the cost of relatively mild faction-wide penalties.
- Level 2 doubles both the penalties and the Aspiration income.
- Level 3 again doubles the Aspiration income, but does not alter penalties.
A trade-off starts at level 1 when first enabled and increases in level every five turns. Disabling a trade-off will reset its level and also impose a 5-turn cooldown before the trade-off can be enabled again.
| Trade-off | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Checkpoints
Set up local checkpoints and thereby tighten public security. People will be less free as a result, but the land will become safer in no time. |
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| Smith Education
Raise the bar on goods produced by your army's suppliers. Paying more will ensure an increase in quality. |
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| Raised Court Standards
Better remunerate your courtspeople. Offering them a higher salary will motivate them to work harder and better. |
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| Market Protectionism
Limit the amount of trade with external sources, thereby incentivising the local industry. |
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| Military Surplus to Markets
Divert high-quality military goods to be sold in civilian markets, thus improving commerce. |
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| Divert to Coffers
Take a percentage of your domain's GDP and send it directly to the coffers, building a stronger financial base. |
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| Construction Inspectors
Increase [sic] the rigour of building inspections will ensure buildings are constructed more carefully. |
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| Loyalty Inspections
Inspect the belongings of your courtspeople to ensure they are all working with this domain's best interests in mind. |
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Inheritance[]
Screenshot of inheritance rewards
Once at least one of the above tasks has been completed, Liu Yan may trigger inheritance, immediately transferring leadership of the faction to his heir. Triggering inheritance earlier will grant the greatest benefits, while a late inheritance will incur harsh penalties. Inheritance bonuses and penalties are grouped into four time periods:
- 190 to 194
- 195 to 198
- 199 to 200
- 201+
Once inheritance has been triggered, all previously unlocked inheritance rewards will become available for purchase with Aspiration points, and all tasks and trade-offs will be disabled (along with the ability to trigger inheritance at will). Liu Yan will remain in the faction as a normal character. Notably, post-inheritance Liu Yan will have no desire for higher office, in order to make it easier to maintain his satisfaction.
In addition to triggering inheritance deliberately, the death of Liu Yan will also trigger the faction's inheritance mechanics.
| Inheritance | Effects |
|---|---|
| Timely Inheritance
190-194 Knowing when to say goodbye is a skill unto itself. Passing the torch early ensures that one's heir is both motivated and ambitious, capable of carrying our legacy to even greater heights. |
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| Delayed Inheritance
195-198 If you want something done properly, do it yourself. One must pass the torch, but not before seeing a few crucial affairs through to their conclusion. |
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| Late Inheritance
199-200 Regrettably one can't live forever. Were that the case, one could rule eternally, with cunning wit and decisive action ever intact. Hopefully our heir will be able to fill our shoes admirably. |
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| Forgotten Inheritance
201+ Inheritance? Stepping down? Over my cold, dead body! |
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Tips[]
- Using all rewards on cooldown requires 40 1/3 Aspiration points per turn.
- Liu Yan's starting heir is Liu Zhang. However, other family members (including adopted ones) may be chosen as the heir. If choosing an heir other than Liu Zhang, it is advised to raise his satisfaction beforehand and/or remove him from important court positions in order to prevent him from defecting from low satisfaction or triggering a civil war.
- If one wishes to inherit as soon as possible, certain tasks are much easier than others: Trained & Wise, Lethal Duellist, and Flowing Gold, for example.
- Conversely, it is recommended to complete Stern Defence & Cutting Attack at the very end, as the faction cannot financially support three full armies in the early game, especially with trade-offs enabled.
- It is actually possible to complete Stern Defence & Cutting Attack without permanently spending any money. While keeping the recruiting menu open, and, importantly, without clicking elsewhere, one can recruit three full armies and the task should be marked as complete. Then, as long as the recruiting menu is still open, all the troops can be disbanded and refunded at no cost. Archer Militia, being the cheapest units in the game, are the best choice for this; a total of 15000 to 20000 gold should be enough. One must be careful while using this trick, as a stray click can close the recruiting menu, making it impossible to refund them.
- Because aspiration is awarded for conquering a settlement, one can farm Aspiration points by lowering public order to trigger a rebellion, allowing the rebellion to take over the commandery, then immediately re-capturing it.
- Later in the game high-level commanderies become a major source of Aspiration points. These commanderies require a large amount of food, however, and for this reason it is recommended to develop agricultural commanderies early on.
Starting Situation[]
Rise of the Warlords (190)[]
190, Liu Yan - Orange, Jia Long - Red
Liu Yan's journey to power and independence has been hard fought. With his legitimacy almost solidified, the final and crucial steps lay before him! He believes that the current rulers of China are unfit for the role, and that none other than he must take the reins of China. He makes bold moves toward achieving his goals by taking enormous risks and claiming gargantuan rewards. The one thing Liu Yan cannot scheme away is time, and as it marches unstoppably forward, Liu Yan must consider the future of his legacy, and who will carry his torch after he is gone.
Starting Situation: Hard
Liu Yan starts the game in Shu commandery. To the south-east, Jia Long has risen in rebellion against Liu Yan. You have been issued a mission to destroy his faction. You must also begin gaining aspiration to groom your heir.
Characters
A World Betrayed (194)[]
194, Liu Yan - Orange, Zhang Lu - Green, Hu Mao - Red
Liu Yan's journey to power and independence has been hard fought. With his legitimacy almost solidified, the final and crucial steps lay before him! He believes that the current rulers of China are unfit for the role, and that none other than he must take the reins of China. He makes bold moves toward achieving his goals by taking enormous risks and claiming gargantuan rewards. The one thing Liu Yan cannot scheme away is time, and as it marches unstoppably forward, Liu Yan must consider the future of his legacy, and who will carry his torch after he is gone.
Starting Situation: Easy
Liu Yan starts the game at war with Hu Mao to the east. His territory has grown somewhat since 190, and he has vassalized the warlord Zhang Lu. Your heir, Liu Zhang, has only completed one task, but many tasks are very close to completion. If you wait too long, however, you will incur penalties for not inheriting.
Characters
Fates Divided (200)[]
200, Liu Zhang - Orange, Zhang Lu - Red
Liu Zhang has a penchant for fostering talent, which is a valuable skill in itself! Although a man very much content to govern his small slice of China, destiny and the ambition of others have nevertheless dragged him into the conflict engulfing the land. Liu Zhang is less concerned with warfare and more with the peaceful lives of his people. Yet war has come, and he must either face the challenges before him or face destruction instead.
Starting Situation: Easy
Liu Yan has died of old age, leaving Liu Zhang as the ruler of his faction. While the territory controlled has grown somewhat, Liu Zhang isn't interested in war, instead choosing to defend and improve his land. However, to the northeast, the former vassal of the late Liu Yan, Zhang Lu, has revolted against Liu Zhang's supposed weakness and pacifism. You have a mission to defeat Zhang Lu. Go spread your peaceful ways by force.
Characters
- Liu Zhang
- Yu Pi
- Fa Zheng
- Zhu Gui
- Wang Lei
- Dong He
- Lady Liu
- Sang Mengan
- Guanqiu Kan
- Fan Min
- Zhang Song
Children
- Liu Xun