Play Warlords Online

Warlords is a turn-based strategy game released in 1990 for MS-DOS systems. Developed and published by SSG Strategic Studies Group Pty Ltd., the game presents a fantasy-themed conflict set in the realm of Illuria. Players engage in a strategic contest for territorial control, viewed from a bird's-eye perspective, with the core objective of achieving dominance over the entire game world.

In the game, players control one of several factions, which include various human, non-human, and a designated evil warlord. The primary goal is to conquer the land of Illuria by defeating up to seven other opponents, either controlled by the computer or by other players sharing the same machine. Victory is achieved by capturing or destroying at least two-thirds of the realm's eighty cities. Gameplay proceeds through turns, where players manage gold income from owned cities to fund army production. They move military units across the map to assault enemy holdings and direct unique hero units to explore points of interest like ruins and temples. These explorations can yield discoveries such as relics, allies, or other beneficial items, with certain special rewards granted on a first-come, first-served basis by in-game sages.

The structure involves continuous strategic adjustment, as players monitor and alter city production to respond to shifting military and economic conditions. Alliances between players can form, though these are informal and temporary within the context of the match. The game allows for a complete conquest victory, where a player may choose to eliminate all opponents and control every remaining city. Many of the locations within Illuria contain names inspired by the works of fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien. As an early example of its genre, Warlords established foundational mechanics for turn-based strategic conquest, with matches often encompassing extended play sessions due to the scale of the conflict.