Renaissance was an era of science, arts, philosophy – and the art of war. Split between warring kingdoms, merchants, and religions, the Renaissance saw the rise of mercenary armies, waging war across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for the highest bidder, with captains of these forces making or breaking nations.

Renaissance Kingdom Wars puts you in the well-trodden shoes of one such captain. You’ll wage wars for your king, fighting real-time battles to conquer cities for the crown. Then you’ll bring them to prosperity, becoming a lord in your own right. Once you master this grand strategy, you may already be sick and tired of bending the knee for scraps from the royal table.

What then? Raise the standard of rebellion and take the crown. And if that’s not enough? The rest of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East awaits to be united under the leadership of a new emperor, who would eclipse the achievements of Rome…

You start the grand campaign as a captain of your mercenary company. Whether it is the frigid Scandinavia, the scorched Holy Land, or somewhere in between, your contract to your liege will lead you to numerous battles under their flag. From epic clashes involving thousands of men, horses, and machines, to brutal sieges and merciless naval engagements, you’ll be expected to lead your troops to victory – and keep them in fighting shape once the slaughter is done.

You may be rewarded with a city of your own, becoming a lord, expected to keep the economy running, engage in diplomacy, and carve out a domain of your own. If your ambitions are greater? Nothing stops you from tearing up the contract and turning your pikes, arquebuses, and everything else on your former employer. Still not enough? You can become the emperor general of the known world, stretching from the Pillars of Hercules to Jerusalem, and face the great politics that have already ended one such empire. Will you fare better?

To reflect the dynamic nature of the Renaissance, it’s not just the scope that changes. As you battle, siege, manage, negotiate, and conquer, the technology marches on. Spears give way to pikes, trebuchets to cannons, knights to cavalrymen, and gunpowder transforms the battlefield from a medieval abattoir into an even bloodier horror.

All amidst the endless war over power, religion, and ego that tore apart Europe in the 16th century. From the sultanates of North Africa to the remnants of Byzantium, the Russian steppes and the Golden Horde, to the kingdoms of the West and the fractious Holy Roman Empire, there is only war – and over 500 provinces to battle across, besiege, and conquer for your sovereign – or yourself.

Whether leading armies to bloody victories, building a domain of your own, or expanding your empire through violence, diplomacy and trade, you can choose to view and manage everything from the world map – or command from the frontlines, zooming in to witness the turbulent 16th century in all its gory glory.

Don’t want to bother with guts? Start your conquest as a minor lord from the get go, rather than carve it out with pike and shot. Or pick one of the thirty six historic kingdoms and engage in great games and politics from the start – but remember, then you are the king the other mercenaries work for and they might decide that their heads are a better fit for the crown!