Old World - Behind the Throne presents the intrigues of the royal court with new mechanics, rivalries, and the possibility of using your power with projects of opulence that will bring you closer to victory.

New historical characters steal the scene as advisors, viziers, aristocrats, and court members. These rising stars have their own ambitions, desires, and motivations. Will Alcibiades continue to change his alliances when it is more convenient, or will you manage to put an end to his betrayals? Will Enlil-Nadin-Shumi manage to usurp the throne of Babylon? Will Harpagus betray his ruler after a long life of service? Let others manage your cities in a friendly relationship, or watch as they become dangerous rivals motivated by the thirst for power.

Old World - Behind the Throne includes:

• More than 350 new events focused on court policies, intrigues, and personal ambitions. The world behind the throne is a complex network of deceptions, selfish motivations, and opportunities.

• New historical characters, such as:

  • Alcibiades, Athenian statesman and notorious political traitor.

  • Enlil-Nadin-Shumi, usurper of the throne of Babylon.

  • Harpagus, creator of kings of Akkad.

  • Bardesanes, Assyrian scientist, scholar, and philosopher.

  • Magus, the Author, Carthaginian agricultural writer.

  • Avicenna, famous Persian philosopher.

• New projects and improvements:

  • Heritage Estates, new and costly improvements with a wide variety of benefits.

  • Opulence, a new project made available by heritage estates. Use your wealth to generate additional victory points.

  • Shantytowns, buildings that balance rapid population growth with the risk of rebellion.

Highlights

• New Gameplay Mechanics:
  • Rising Stars: powerful characters working behind the scenes of the rulers will bring dangers and opportunities as they accumulate experience, causing a huge variety of positive and negative events. Perhaps they will become great inconveniences, but there will always be ways to deal with them.
  • Stresses and Pleasures: frustrated ambitions, jealous lovers, furious barbarians, and many other problems can weigh on the throne. Will your ruler enjoy the pleasures of life to escape the stresses?
  • The Grand Vizier: leave the administrative minutiae of your cities in the hands of your viziers, who will work according to their respective personalities. Wise viziers will focus on culture, the courageous ones may recruit military units in less time, and the disciplined ones will create specialists and special projects faster. But beware, as power corrupts and a once faithful vizier may end up coveting your throne.
  • New Political Eras: civil wars, great reforms, and periods of corruption and decline will bring new challenges to your entire empire.