In Field of Glory: Kingdoms,[b] Authority is the foundational concept of the game[/b]. It's pivotal as it truly is the "King's Maker" of any nation. With low Authority, your nation will regress and fall into civil war. In contrast, strong Authority ensures the loyalty of your subjects and often a smoother transition of rule when the time comes for your king to pass away. Many players familiar with Field of Glory: Empires have encountered and played with the concepts of Culture and Decadence. They might think that Authority is just a variation of the same term, essentially being the same thing. While there are undeniable similarities in terms of outcomes - in both cases, this notion determines if your kingdom will prosper or collapse - the way the two concepts develop is entirely different.[u] This dramatically impacts how the game unfolds[/u]. Furthermore, whereas in Empires, Culture and Decadence only played a role in the overall evolution of your nation, Authority in Kingdoms pervades every aspect of the game in a thoroughly organic and integrated manner. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42371626/d987573f35d21c58b2f93dcaa5c1221c3de2e44e.jpg[/img] Take, for instance, declarations of war. In Kingdoms, [b]multiple factors are taken into account, such as having claims, if the opposing nation is of a different religion, or even if you're launching a sneak attack without warning[/b]. Depending on the perceived justification for this declaration of war, you'll either gain or lose Authority. For example, declaring war on a pagan nation with a declared claim on the capital won't cost you any Authority. On the other hand, a Christian state that whimsically decides to declare war on another Christian state will lead to a significant loss of Authority. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42371626/4bc96141e6178e204b357926aebd02cd6ba7b685.jpg[/img] Authority also plays a role in managing your territories. An expansive kingdom will often struggle to maintain tight control over its most distant regions. Here, national-level Authority plays a crucial role in keeping the population under a firm grip, as well as the local nobility, and the presence (or absence) of buildings generating Stewardship. To conclude with one more example of Authority's omnipresence in every aspect of the game: [u]low Authority can tempt the characters of your nation to betray you[/u]. Each character now has a loyalty index and personal treasure. If they see an opportunity to replace a weak king, chances are things might go awry. Be especially wary of characters with several mercenary companies. These troops are powerful and quickly recruited, but they could easily be tempted into committing high treason. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//42371626/b5fc1b4a8627e2c65f263f427ad8757ee9761ba5.jpg[/img] This concludes our dev diary on Authority. We've only scratched the surface of all its intricacies and implications in the game, but there's so much more to discuss. Regardless, rest assured that this new concept provides a unique stamp on AGEOD's new production, Field of Glory: Kingdoms! [b]Whishlist now:[/b] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1985050/Field_of_Glory_Kingdoms/