Koei Tecmo has revealed alternate strategy options for their upcoming game Romancing of the Three Kingdoms XIII.

The new gameplay details explain that the battles in the game are not won by force, but by preparation and strategy. This is gone into more detail-via press release.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII offers various preparatory and diplomatic gameplay elements that take place ahead of combat, known as the Civic Development system. Offering players the chance to improve different aspects of their domain, this system allows the development of Commerce, Farming and Culture, which give various boosts to the army in both strength and loyalty. Economic and development decisions made are then presented to the Officers, prompting them to share their views, and point out the merits and faults of a given strategy before the player makes a final decision.

Attaining allies and influencing individuals via the Bond system is another key element of the game’s overarching strategy. A Relationship Chart rates the cadence of the player’s relations with historic figures, indicating whether the relationship is positive or negative. Maintaining a strong network is fundamental to receiving aid in tight situations, particularly when summoned by the higher lords. During these moments these connections are also able to fight for the player’s cause and help turn the tide of battle in their favor. Furthermore, a player’s relationship with a given lord can lend credibility during Debates to convince lords to act in certain ways. Winning a Debate can lead to forming alliances with other leaders, with the length of it depending on strength of a given Bond.

You can watch the two new trailers showing these details off, as well as, a new promotion trailer, below:

Additionally, here are some screenshots for the bonds:

Romancing of The Three Kingdoms XIII is coming to PlayStation 4 and PC on July 5.