Fourth-Generation Warfare simulates warfare in the 21st century, which, in addition to the direct opposition of military forces, now includes espionage, international politics, cyberwarfare, media manipulation, and trade wars.

## About This Game
Fourth-Generation Warfare simulates warfare in the 21st century, which, in
addition to the direct opposition of military forces, now includes espionage,
international politics, cyberwarfare, media manipulation, and trade wars.
As the leader of a nation, dispatch and control your team of characters all
around the world to destabilize your enemies and establish your supremacy.
All methods are fair game: hacking, sabotage, political interference, military
strikes, corruption, treachery, assassinations, energy domination, data theft…
4GW turn-based game combines a strategy game with a role playing game.
## Gameplay

On each turn, the player, as the head of a nation, can carry out a limited
number of actions with the characters that he or she controls. Each character
performs actions specific to their position or function (examples: contract
negotiations for a diplomat, sabotage for a spy, cyberattacks for a hacker,
inquiries for an investigator…). You can also opt to move military units, or
for actions called “leverage” (examples: invitation to a restaurant, offering
a bribe, threatening with blackmail…) performed by non-playable characters,
allowing you to later compel them to commit acts of betrayal. More than 100
different actions are possible. The psychological profile, experience and
abilities of the characters, possession of weapons and particular objects
factor into their odds of success.
During your turn, other nations controlled by human players or by the AI can
also perform actions.
All throughout the game, a news website and characters’ smartphones inform the
player of action results and other game events.
The score of each country is based on 4 criteria (international diplomacy,
military conquest, economic performance, popularity) and establishes a
ranking.
If a head of state loses power or dies, the controlling player is eliminated.
The last country standing or the first-ranked country after the last turn wins
the game. Optional secret objectives can also tip the balance towards victory.
## The Real 21st Century

The game is played on a current map of the world, viewable in 2D and in 3D.
The map shows all national borders, cities and important strategic locations
(military bases, power plants, factories…). The player can access city maps
with its various buildings (palace of the Head of State, headquarters of the
army, secret services or the police, restaurants, embassies, characters’
residences, secret hideouts…) and interact with the characters in those
locations. Certain buildings have a computer server for their operations and
contain databases of sensitive information; they can be targets for
cyberattacks aimed at blocking or stealing this data.
Maps of the major capitals are consistent with the real-world cities.
There are various map display modes: diplomatic, military, electoral, etc;
there is also a minimap.
The world map changes according to players’ building projects, damage from war
or sabotage, military strategies and territorial conquests. Moreover, all
major events are displayed on the affected areas (demonstrations, attacks,
crimes…)
## Multiple Characters with a Wide Range of Skills and Psychologies

There are more than 30 types of characters. Characters controlled by the
player (spies, police inspectors, cabinet members, military leaders…) are
distinct from non-playable characters who can only be influenced (spouses,
journalists, traffickers, hitmen, informants, religious dignitaries, artists,
psychoanalysts …).
Each character has a particular psychological profile, helping or hindering
the success of their actions. Around fifteen different profiles are
represented: sociable, loyal, charismatic, paranoid, introverted… Moreover,
variables of stress and fear, calculated according to events (threats,
corruption…), can influence their autonomic behavior (surrender, betrayal,
coup d’etat…)
Characters also have a smartphone with which they can manage their contacts,
talk to them, negotiate with them, arrange a meeting or store their files
(stolen data, photo or video evidence…). These telephones can be GPS-tracked
or hacked and their contents pilfered.
About thirty special objects can be found or constructed and add bonus or
additional skills to characters like: bulletproof vests, fake IDs, compound
cameras, explosives, exoskeletons…
Actions common to all characters (moving, going to a restaurant,
taking/placing/giving/stealing objects, seducing, threatening,
marrying/divorcing, interacting, bribing…) are distinguished from actions
specific to their profession.

Examples of specific actions by type of character:
• Head of State: appoint cabinet members, set budget guidelines, denounce the
UN, approve nuclear weapons, campaign in elections, begin infrastructure
projects…
• Secretary of Diplomacy and Diplomats: implement commercial contracts, sign
strategic agreements, vote in the UN, open embassies…
• Head of Secret Services and Spys: infiltrate, sabotage, assassinate, spy,
kidnap…
• Cyber-Analysts: hack into a server or smartphone, GPS tracking, plant
viruses, reinforce data protection, trace the source of a cyberattack…
• Head of the Army: implement arms deals, construct bases, manage staff,
declare martial law…
• Secretary of Interior and Police Investigators: use video surveillance,
investigate crimes and offenses, make arrests, interrogate a suspect, conduct
a stakeout, monitor a building, break up demonstrations…

Non-playable characters are also capable of many specific actions: editing
articles for journalists, ordering union strikes, influential sermons by
religious dignitaries, exhibitions for artists, assassination by a hitman,
voting instructions for political leaders…
## A Reactive but Still Influenced Population

The happiness level of the population is calculated on each turn. It can vary
according to the policies of the state (social spending, level of taxation),
unemployment rate, purchasing power that changes according to product costs,
potential shortages, anxiety levels in the country or the corruption of the
leaders. Angry people can start demonstrations or riots, call for a strike and
ultimately cause the player to lose the game.
The people can also be influenced by the manipulation of information in the
media or by natural leaders such as union or party leaders, by religious
dignitaries who themselves can be in service of a foreign power.
## A Multitude of Strategies

The multitude of action plans (limited in each turn and must be carefully
considered) combined with different ways to calculate scores offers players a
multitude of strategies.
The different levels of underlying gameplay such as wargames, featuring around
fifty different types of military units, trade wars via economic contracts,
management of the national budget to influence popularity via your investment
capacity, management of resources, the role of the UN who can sanction a
country or authorize military interventions all add even more to the
possibilities and the excitement of the game, with fortunes changing at any
moment.
## Numerous Gameplay Modes and Options

Various configurations are available allowing you to vary the enjoyment of the
game:

• “Career” Mode: a game mode recommended to new players, the match begins with
the only controlled character being the Head of State. You must then choose
your closest advisors and gradually expand your group.
• “Government” Mode: the player choose a dozen characters at the beginning,
allowing to operate within all domains.
• “Multinational” Option: a player can play as several countries and develop
different tactics. Many small countries can then face a bigger one on equal
footing.
• “Extra Characters” Option: the player can select a certain number of extra
characters and devise a strategy before the game even starts. For example, you
can play as journalists or political opponents in a foreign country who can
help destabilize the current regime.
• “Multiplayer” mode * : in multi-player mode, several players can join teams.
The teams are in competition, each of them having several countries. (* Multi-
player mode will be released during the Early Access period)
• “Secret Objectives” Options: each player (human or AI) can draw an objective
which, if attained, will grant bonus points or even immediately win the game.
Examples include controlling more than 50% of the hydrocarbon market, tripling
the population, changing the regime in an enemy country.
• Game options allow you to fine-tune game dynamics: number of turns, duration
of turns, number of actions per turn

4th Generation Warfare