What is Terra Dominus?

A FREE multiplayer strategy game
Up to 256 players in a single map
Deep strategy with minimal grind
Just a personal project for fun, no plans to monetise

A map example with one player joining game – 8×8 lands

Terra Dominus is a free, browser-based, multiplayer turn-based strategy game. It is currently under development and not yet in a playable state.

Inspired by the political, economic and strategic conditions of the bronze age, resources and space are limited, but potential strategies are unlimited; up to 256 players can choose to organise themselves into affiliate groups, conquer others and extract resources by force, rebel from a kingdom, or wander around the map inhabiting other lands and taking advantage temporarily before moving on.

It’s designed to minimise grind, while maximising strategic thinking – you might decide to spend 10 minutes looking at the map, and the next several hours going about your day while you mull over the next move before logging in for another 5 minutes to submit it.

I’ve set out to design the kind of game I’ve always wanted as a busy dad of four kids with a full-time demanding job – a game that is deeply involved yet low on time investment… or at least, that’s the idea.

Game mechanics overview

For detailed information, visit the player guide.

When joining a game, each player is granted a land and a few units. Units will automatically start their work if they have the resources they need – for example, cleared farmland. Their productivity will be upgraded by the resources they hold – wood, copper, and bronze.

Other units require multiple resources to be provided before they can produce anything. For example, bronze smelting units will need wood, copper and tin before they can produce bronze.

Each land has a particular average rainfall which affects tree and food productivity, and various amounts of mineral resources which can be extracted.

Trees regrow but can be depleted to nothing.

Farms require cleared, open land to produce anything, so you will have to cut down a minimum number of trees to grow food.

Within your own land and kingdom, food will be automatically distributed among your people; when traveling to another land, you will need to bring enough food with you to sustain your units, or accompany them with farming units (which the land owner may not appreciate).

The more copper, tin and gold is available in a land, the faster they can be extracted with less effort. Over time as they deplete, you may find a diminishing return and look elsewhere.

Messaging between players is available via envoys. Your envoy must physically attend another land to communicate with the owner, or can be in the presence of another envoy anywhere else.

You cannot conquer another player’s land until they have no military units of their own stationed there. Once their military is depleted to zero in that land, you can claim it.

They can also choose to submit without a fight.

When conquering the capital of a kingdom, you can choose to take the entire thing or disband and return sovereignty to all the constituent lands.

Two units can travel on water – fishermen and navy. To create a navy unit, you must create a military unit on land first.

There is a lot more to consider, and more features planned.