Government Types
Government Types define the fundamental character of how an empire governs itself — chosen when a new game is created, and fixed for the remainder of that campaign except through rare focus-tree events. Which government types are available depends entirely on the empire's race; every race can choose between exactly three.
How Government Works
Every empire begins at government level 1 and can advance up to a maximum of level 5 through the empire's own technological progress — see Government Levels for the full mechanics of how that advancement actually works. Advancing a level doesn't simply add more of a good thing: it makes an empire genuinely more specialised. Both a government's strengths and its weaknesses grow more pronounced at each level, so a government that reaches level 5 is a far more extreme, committed expression of its own philosophy than the same government sitting at level 1.
Bonuses and penalties throughout this page are written as Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Level 4 / Level 5.
Feudal Monarchy — The Bound Crown
Built upon an intricate tapestry of personal oaths and ancestral land grants, the Feudal Monarchy balances power between a sovereign and a warrior nobility. The realm operates as a collection of autonomous fiefs, where lords provide steel and service to the crown in exchange for the right to rule their own domains. While this decentralised structure can hinder swift mobilisation, it fosters a resilient, localised defence where every keep is held by a commander bound by blood and honour.
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Defence | +3% | +6% | +9% | +12% | +15% |
| Loyalty | +2 | +4 | +6 | +8 | +10 |
| Productivity | −2% | −4% | −6% | −8% | −10% |
| Imperial Influence Generation | −0.01 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.04 | −0.05 |
Lords fight hardest for the keeps they personally hold, and the personal bond of fealty runs deep — but overlapping jurisdictions and a maze of "middlemen" between crown and subject slow industry, and treaties often require the consent of powerful dukes before the crown can act at all.
Absolute Imperium — The Sovereign Will
The Absolute Imperium represents the ultimate consolidation of power into a single, supreme authority whose decree is the undisputed law of the land. Supported by a sprawling, efficient bureaucracy, the state functions as a unified machine capable of mobilising vast reserves of manpower and standardising military might across its entire reach. Though it is often plagued by the shadows of internal corruption and the constant threat of palace intrigue, its ability to project a singular, overwhelming will makes it an unmatched force for total conquest.
Available to: Human, Goblin, Krant
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower Collection | +5% | +10% | +15% | +20% | +25% |
| Army Combat Readiness | +1.5% | +2.5% | +3.5% | +4.5% | +6% |
| Resource Collection | −2% | −4% | −6% | −8% | −10% |
| Loyalty | −1 | −2 | −3 | −4 | −5 |
Efficient conscription and standardised training make an Imperium's soldiers reliable and its recruitment fast, but bureaucratic corruption and "tax farming" leak resources before they ever reach the treasury — and central authority that shows any sign of weakness invites real risk of palace coups.
Merchant Republic — The Golden Syndicate
In a Merchant Republic, the throne is replaced by the ledger, and the state's heart beats to the rhythm of trade and coin. Power is shared among a council of elite merchant princes and guild masters who view diplomacy as a transaction and war as a calculated expense. While their reliance on mercenaries and a profit-driven citizenry can weaken their standing armies, their unparalleled wealth and diplomatic finesse allow them to buy the loyalty, or the silence, of any who would dare threaten their maritime or overland monopolies.
Available to: Human, Goblin, Skulk
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Collection | +4% | +6% | +8% | +10% | +12% |
| Diplomatic Relations | +15 | +30 | +45 | +60 | +75 |
| Army Combat Readiness | −0.75% | −1.25% | −1.75% | −2.25% | −3% |
| Manpower Collection | −5.5% | −9% | −12.5% | −16% | −19.5% |
Gold opens doors that swords cannot, and a Republic's diplomatic reach is unmatched — but citizens who'd rather trade than bleed make for a notably weaker standing army, heavily reliant on hired swords rather than a genuine martial tradition.
Holy Theocracy — The Divine Mandate
Bound by the uncompromising tenets of a singular faith, the Holy Theocracy dissolves the line between secular law and divine mandate. Every citizen is a congregant, and every soldier a crusader, driven by a spiritual fervour that transforms the battlefield into a site of holy worship. While this dogmatic rigidity often stifles industrial innovation and alienates foreign "heretics," it creates an empire of unshakeable internal unity where the will of the heavens and the might of the state move as one.
Available to: Human, Elf, Greenskin
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyalty | +2 | +4 | +6 | +8 | +10 |
| Army Melee & Ranged Value | +2% | +3.5% | +5% | +6.5% | +8% |
| Diplomatic Relations | −10 | −20 | −30 | −40 | −50 |
| Productivity | −1.5% | −3% | −4.5% | −6% | −7.5% |
| Research Time | +1.5% | +3% | +4.5% | +6% | +7.5% |
Religious fervour creates nearly unbreakable internal stability, and troops who fight with holy zeal hit harder in both melee and at range — but extremely low tolerance for "heretical" factions creates constant diplomatic friction, and dogma slows scientific and industrial progress alike, with research itself taking noticeably longer to complete.
Martial Stratocracy — The Iron Law
In a Martial Stratocracy, the state is indistinguishable from the army, and the right to lead is earned through blood, service, and the heavy weight of command. Every level of society is organised as a military hierarchy, ensuring that the empire is a permanent war machine always poised for the next campaign. While this singular focus on combat efficiency can leave the civilian economy and artistic pursuits to wither, it produces a citizenry of hardened veterans and fortresses that never sleep, standing as a testament to the power of the iron law.
Available to: Dwarf, Greenskin, Krant
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Combat Readiness | +1.5% | +2.5% | +3.5% | +4.5% | +6% |
| City Defence | +3% | +6% | +9% | +12% | +15% |
| Productivity | −2% | −4% | −6% | −8% | −10% |
| Resource Collection | −2% | −4% | −6% | −8% | −10% |
Elite veterans fill every tier of the army, and every city stands ready to defend itself the moment an enemy arrives — but an economy geared entirely toward war leaves little room for civilian infrastructure, and a Stratocracy is inefficient at gathering anything that isn't metal, wood, or stone for the front lines.
Noble Oligarchy — The High Council
Governed by a cloistered assembly of ancient bloodlines and elder statesmen, the Noble Oligarchy prizes the preservation of tradition and the slow, steady accumulation of influence. In this realm, the state is managed like a vast family estate, where decisions are weighed with the caution of centuries and power is shielded by a labyrinth of protocol. While this committee-led rule can be frustratingly slow to react to sudden crises, it excels at maintaining deep-rooted stability and overseeing long-term infrastructure projects that outlast any individual monarch.
Available to: Dwarf, Elf, Ende, Skulk
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Project Time | −1.5% | −3% | −4.5% | −6% | −7.5% |
| Settlement Project Time | −1.5% | −3% | −4.5% | −6% | −7.5% |
| Resource Collection | +4% | +6% | +8% | +10% | +12% |
| Imperial Influence Generation | −0.01 | −0.02 | −0.03 | −0.04 | −0.05 |
| Army Combat Readiness | −0.75% | −1.25% | −1.75% | −2.25% | −3% |
Specialised estates and long-standing monopolies keep resources flowing steadily, and infrastructure projects across both armies and settlements complete noticeably faster — but decision-by-committee makes an Oligarchy slow to react to sudden international crises, and generals chosen for pedigree rather than skill lead to erratic battlefield leadership.
Tribal Confederation — The Wild Pact
A Tribal Confederation is a fierce and fluid alliance of independent clans, held together not by rigid laws, but by shared blood, tradition, and the charisma of a high chieftain. In this society, the boundary between civilian and soldier does not exist, allowing the state to mobilise entire populations into a thundering tide of warriors at a moment's notice. While the absence of a central bureaucracy makes large-scale industry and heavy fortification a challenge, the Confederation's strength lies in its raw, unfiltered energy and the terrifying speed with which its disparate parts can unite to crush a common foe.
Available to: Greenskin, Goblin, Skulk
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower Collection | +3% | +6% | +9% | +12% | +15% |
| Expansion Time | −2% | −3.5% | −5% | −6.5% | −8% |
| Imperial Influence Generation | +0.02 | +0.03 | +0.04 | +0.05 | +0.06 |
| Loyalty | −2 | −3 | −4 | −5 | −6 |
| City Defence | −1.5% | −3% | −4.5% | −6% | −7.5% |
The entire population is ready to move at a moment's notice, and tribes expand across new territory faster than any other government style — but the pact is prone to genuine infighting, with clans threatening to leave if a war goes badly, and heavy fortification simply isn't part of the Confederation's way of doing things.
The Eternal Mandate — The Ende Order
The Eternal Mandate is the chillingly efficient governance of the unliving, a state of final, unwavering order dictated by those who have transitioned from the Kingdom of Death. In this realm, the frantic needs of the living are purged in favour of a singular, tireless mission that spans centuries. While their lack of natural growth makes every loss a tragedy and their presence creates a cold void in the diplomacy of the living, the Mandate's strength lies in its absolute stability and a workforce that never falters, operating with the rhythmic precision of a world without end.
Available to: Ende
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Collection | +4% | +6% | +8% | +10% | +12% |
| Army Combat Readiness | +1.5% | +2.5% | +3.5% | +4.5% | +6% |
| Manpower Collection | −5.5% | −9% | −12.5% | −16% | −19.5% |
| Diplomatic Relations | −10 | −20 | −30 | −40 | −50 |
Mines and workshops run tirelessly under the Mandate, and armies maintain their readiness regardless of how long a march has taken — but new citizens are effectively "created" rather than born, at severe cost, and the unnerving stillness of the unliving carries a real diplomatic penalty among the living races.
Sylvarchy — The Primal Weave
A Sylvarchy is a governance of stewardship where the laws of the state are woven directly into the rhythms of the natural world. Led by speakers and broodmothers who interpret the silent will of the land, this society views the environment not as a resource to be harvested, but as a living extension of the empire itself. While their refusal to scar the earth with industry limits their mechanical output, the Sylvarchy possesses an unyielding spiritual cohesion and a mastery of the wild that turns the very terrain into an insurmountable weapon against any who would disrupt the balance.
| Effect | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyalty | +2 | +4 | +6 | +8 | +10 |
| Resource Collection | +4% | +6% | +8% | +10% | +12% |
| Productivity | −2% | −4% | −6% | −8% | −10% |
| City Defence | −1.5% | −3% | −4.5% | −6% | −7.5% |
A deep, spiritual connection to the land makes a Sylvarchy's population remarkably resistant to outside influence, and nature provides raw materials without ever needing to be stripped bare — but a refusal to build "unnatural" industry keeps mechanical output low, and reliance on natural barriers over stone walls leaves settlements comparatively exposed.
Choosing a Government
| Government | Best For | Biggest Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Feudal Monarchy | Holding territory | Slow industrial growth |
| Absolute Imperium | Total conquest | Corruption and revolt risk |
| Merchant Republic | Economic dominance | Weak standing army |
| Holy Theocracy | High morale and loyalty | Limited diplomacy |
| Martial Stratocracy | Military efficiency | Stagnant economy |
| Noble Oligarchy | Infrastructure | Slow decision-making |
| Tribal Confederation | Rapid expansion | Internal fragility |
| The Eternal Mandate | Stability and defence | Very slow manpower growth |
| Sylvarchy | Territorial defence | Low industrialisation |
