# Roadmap

## Milestone 0: Project Foundation

- Godot 4 project opens and runs.
- Godot 4.6 project metadata exists.
- Main battle scene loads a JSON battle.
- Rules and presentation are separated enough to keep iterating.

## Milestone 1: Playable Battle Prototype

- Scenario briefing before battle with a campaign chapter header, battle header, objective summary, and reward preview.
- Select player units.
- Show move and attack ranges.
- Show selected/hover unit information, including class role, movement type, current terrain move cost/bonuses, core stats, status effects, and equipped gear.
- Enemy threat range overlay with tile-level threat source, physical damage hints, and hostile tactic hints.
- Show basic damage forecast.
- Move, attack, wait, and end turn.
- Enemy units take AI turns with movement, damage-aware physical attacks, and basic tactic use.
- Victory and defeat states are visible.
- Scenario-defined victory and defeat conditions exist.
- Destination victory conditions and single-tile, multi-cell, or event-gated objective map markers exist.
- Turn-limit conditions and HUD turn-limit display exist.
- Active HUD and briefing objective panels split objective, progress, and risk details, including gated unlocks, destinations, defeated enemies, protected-unit safety, and turns remaining.
- Victory result summary splits rewards, roster changes, saved growth, campaign status, and pending choices into readable sections.
- Next-battle flow exists across the current sixty-seven-scenario campaign.
- Campaign completion and new-campaign reset exist.
- Reward inventory can be brought into the next battle.

## Milestone 2: Cao Cao Zhuan-Style Combat Depth

- Unit classes and class growth tables. Basic version exists.
- Automatic class promotion routes. Basic level-threshold promotion exists for core first-tier battle classes.
- Weapon, armor, and accessory slots. Basic stat bonuses and first weapon-vs-move-type physical damage bonuses exist.
- Equipment rewards can be stored, displayed, compared, equipped, unequipped, and swapped from the battle HUD.
- Terrain movement, defense, and avoid modifiers affect combat.
- Skills, tactics, and MP. Multiple damage/heal tactics, first area damage/healing/status tactics, ally support buffs, enemy debuffs, movement and accuracy/evasion modifiers, poison damage-over-time, seal/snare/disarm action locks, a skill list menu with range/effect hints, and enemy tactic AI exist.
- Consumable item use. Basic global inventory, Bean HP recovery, Wine MP recovery, Antidote poison cure, Panacea poison/seal/snare/disarm and stat debuff cleanse, item menu, preview, and target overlay exist.
- Counterattacks exist. Battle-only support, debuff, damage-over-time, and first action-lock status effects exist; richer ailment/status families are still planned.
- Battle EXP, level-ups, class promotion, and campaign roster persistence exist.

## Milestone 3: Scenario Layer

- Pre-battle briefing exists with a campaign chapter header, battle header, objective summary, and condition tracker. Full dialogue scenes are still planned.
- Scenario events exist for battle start, battle begin, turn start, movement-triggered map tiles, unit defeat reactions, event prerequisites, objective-change notices, and AI target-priority shifts.
- Mid-battle map/action events have a first action system with movement ambushes and scripted unit withdrawals.
- Opening battle dialogue exists through event actions.
- Post-battle dialogue exists before the victory result panel.
- Pre-battle camp conversations can be selected from the briefing Talk menu by officer or topic, and shops can show merchant flavor lines.
- Reinforcements, scripted unit withdrawals, objective changes with HUD/log feedback, and item/gold pickup events exist in a basic form.
- Post-battle reward save, campaign choice flags, first flag-driven briefing/shop/event branches, sectioned result summaries, and choice reward previews exist in a basic form. Richer reward screens and wider branch support are still planned.

## Milestone 4: Campaign Progression

- Party roster persistence has a first save-file skeleton.
- Level, experience, and equipment persistence.
- Chapter overview exists in pre-battle briefing and can open completed or current battles.
- A one-slot manual campaign checkpoint can be saved and loaded from the pre-battle briefing.
- Linear sixty-seven-scenario campaign order exists with chapter ranges for story arcs.
- Save reset exists.
- Victory rewards, consumable counts, equipment stock, and equipped gear persist.
- A basic pre-battle shop with scenario-specific stock, optional finite item limits, and 50% sell-back exists. Richer item management beyond stock limits is still planned.
- A basic pre-battle Armory exists for saved equipment changes and unequipping before combat.
- A basic pre-battle Roster exists for required officers, required scenario units, optional officers, and sortie limits.
- A basic pre-battle Formation screen exists for scenario-defined starting cells.
- Officer join/leave rewards, choice membership changes, and joined-officer deployment gates exist in a basic form.
- Completed-save officer membership reconciliation exists for newly added join/leave rewards.
- Post-battle choice ids are saved in a campaign ledger for safer branch reconciliation.
- Pending post-battle choices survive reloads without replaying victory rewards.
- Fourth-scenario content exists with Qingzhou recruitment for Dian Wei.
- Fifth-scenario content exists with Dian Wei required in the Puyang raid and a new Lu Bu branch choice.
- Sixth-scenario content exists with Dingtao branch reactions to the Puyang choice.
- Seventh-scenario content exists with an emperor escort route, a protected envoy, a midroad ambush, and a destination victory condition.
- Eighth-scenario content exists with a Wan Castle escape route, protected Cao Ang, 007 branch reactions, and a destination victory condition.
- Ninth-scenario content exists with a Xiapi siege, flood-gate objective update, Lu Bu/Chen Gong pressure, and 008 branch reactions.
- Tenth-scenario content exists with White Horse relief, Guo Jia as a joined strategist, Yan Liang's vanguard, and 009 branch reactions.
- Eleventh-scenario content exists with Yan Ford pursuit, Wen Chou's countercharge, and 010 branch reactions.
- Twelfth-scenario content exists with Guandu's main assault, Yuan Shao's army, and 011 branch reactions.
- Thirteenth-scenario content exists with Wuchao depot raid, a burn-and-clear objective, seized in-battle supplies, and 012 branch reactions.
- Fourteenth-scenario content exists with Cangting pursuit, Zhang He recruitment, and 013 branch reactions.
- Fifteenth-scenario content exists with Ye outer defense, Zhang He as a deployable officer, and 014 branch reactions.
- Sixteenth-scenario content exists with Ye inner siege, Zhang He deployment, and 015 branch reactions.
- Seventeenth-scenario content exists with Ye surrender, last loyalist resistance, and 016 branch reactions.
- Eighteenth-scenario content exists with Northern Pursuit, Yuan Shang's rearguard, and 017 branch reactions.
- Nineteenth-scenario content exists with Nanpi pressure, Yuan Tan's outer defense, and 018 branch reactions.
- Twentieth-scenario content exists with Nanpi surrender, Yuan Tan loyalists, and 019 branch reactions.
- Twenty-first-scenario content exists with Bohai remnants, Yuan brothers' covering force, and 020 branch reactions.
- Twenty-second-scenario content exists with Liaoxi pursuit, Yuan envoys, Wuhuan outriders, and 021 branch reactions.
- Twenty-third-scenario content exists with White Wolf Mountain, Wuhuan riders, Yuan exile escorts, and 022 branch reactions.
- Twenty-fourth-scenario content exists with Liaodong pursuit, Yuan fugitives, Liaodong border guards, and 023 branch reactions.
- Twenty-fifth-scenario content exists with Xinye advance, Liu Bei's rearguard, Jing Province pressure, and 024 branch reactions.
- Twenty-sixth-scenario content exists with Changban pursuit, Liu Bei's bridge guard, Zhang Fei pressure, and 025 branch reactions.
- Twenty-seventh-scenario content exists with Jiangling chase, Jing Province storehouses, Liu Bei's retreat, and 026 branch reactions.
- Twenty-eighth-scenario content exists with Xiakou pursuit, river harbor pressure, Sun-Liu coalition hints, and 027 branch reactions.
- Twenty-ninth-scenario content exists with Red Cliffs fleet pressure, chained ships, coalition vanguard, and 028 branch reactions.
- Thirtieth-scenario content exists with Red Cliffs fire ships, chained-fleet danger, coalition fire tactics, and 029 branch reactions.
- Thirty-first-scenario content exists with Huarong retreat pressure, coalition roadblocks, Cao Cao's escape route, and 030 branch reactions.
- Thirty-second-scenario content exists with Jiangling rearguard pressure, southern pursuit, retreat stabilization, and 031 branch reactions.
- Thirty-third-scenario content exists with Tong Pass vanguard pressure, Ma Chao's riders, western pass control, and 032 branch reactions.
- Thirty-fourth-scenario content exists with Ma Chao's counterstroke, Tong Pass fortification pressure, Han Sui alliance tension, and 033 branch reactions.
- Thirty-fifth-scenario content exists with Wei River camp pressure, Ma Chao river assaults, Han Sui mistrust, and 034 branch reactions.
- Thirty-sixth-scenario content exists with Wei River crossing pressure, Guanzhong foothold stakes, western alliance strain, and 035 branch reactions.
- Thirty-seventh-scenario content exists with Guanzhong foothold pressure, Ma Chao's rearguard, split-alliance tension, and 036 branch reactions.
- Thirty-eighth-scenario content exists with Ma Chao retreat pressure, Guanzhong commandery stakes, western road pursuit, and 037 branch reactions.
- Thirty-ninth-scenario content exists with Hanzhong approach pressure, Zhang Lu's border guard, mountain-gate stakes, and 038 branch reactions.
- Fortieth-scenario content exists with Hanzhong gate pressure, Zhang Lu's mountain guard, pass-road siege stakes, 039 branch reactions, and submission or pacification follow-up flags.
- Forty-first-scenario content exists with Hanzhong basin settlement, storehouse pressure, Zhang Lu submission or pacification branch reactions, and Hanzhong garrison or Ruxu pivot follow-up flags.
- Forty-second-scenario content exists with Ruxu riverbank pressure, Wu vanguard resistance, Hanzhong garrison or Ruxu pivot branch reactions, and Ruxu bank or Sun Quan river-line follow-up flags.
- Forty-third-scenario content exists with Ruxu river-line pressure, water-move enemy boats, Ruxu bank or Sun Quan line branch reactions, and Ruxu camp or crossing follow-up flags.
- Forty-fourth-scenario content exists with Ruxu crossing pressure, water-move counterboats, camp or forced-crossing branch reactions, and Ruxu base or Fancheng relief follow-up flags.
- Forty-fifth-scenario content exists with Fancheng relief pressure, protected Fancheng messenger defense, Ruxu crossing or Fancheng relief branch reactions, and Fancheng reinforcement or Jingzhou supply follow-up flags.
- Forty-sixth-scenario content exists with Jingzhou supply-line pressure, Guan Yu rearguard resistance, Fancheng reinforcement or supply-strike branch reactions, and Fancheng line or rearguard pursuit follow-up flags.
- Forty-seventh-scenario content exists with Maicheng pursuit pressure, Guan Yu's retreat guard, Fancheng-line or rearguard-pursuit branch reactions, and Wu encirclement or Xiangfan front follow-up flags.
- Forty-eighth-scenario content exists with Jing Province settlement pressure, command-post remnants, Wu encirclement or Xiangfan front branch reactions, and Jing stabilization or Luoyang summons follow-up flags.
- Forty-ninth-scenario content exists with Luoyang court-road pressure, outer court guards, Jing stabilization or fast-summons branch reactions, and Luoyang court or Wei succession follow-up flags.
- Fiftieth-scenario content exists with Wei succession pressure, court loyalists, Luoyang court or Wei succession branch reactions, and Wei authority or eastern front follow-up flags.
- Fifty-first-scenario content exists with eastern-front alarm pressure, water-move Wu boats, Wei authority or prepared-front branch reactions, and eastern fleet or Wu river-line follow-up flags.
- Fifty-second-scenario content exists with Wu river-line pressure, water-move counterboats, eastern fleet or river-line pressure branch reactions, and Ruxu fleet or Jianye pressure follow-up flags.
- Fifty-third-scenario content exists with Jianye approach pressure, water-move counterboats, Ruxu fleet or Jianye-pressure branch reactions, and secured approach or Wu counterstroke follow-up flags.
- Fifty-fourth-scenario content exists with Wu counterstroke pressure, water-move counterboats, secured approach or forced-counterstroke branch reactions, and lower Yangtze route or Jianye gate follow-up flags.
- Fifty-fifth-scenario content exists with Jianye gate pressure, water-move sortie boats, lower Yangtze route or gate-pressure branch reactions, and secured gate or capital sortie follow-up flags.
- Fifty-sixth-scenario content exists with Jianye sortie pressure, water-move committed boats, secured gate or forced-sortie branch reactions, and contained sortie or inner Jianye follow-up flags.
- Fifty-seventh-scenario content exists with inner Jianye pressure, water-move canal boats, contained sortie or inner-pressure branch reactions, and secured inner city or Wu last-stand follow-up flags.
- Fifty-eighth-scenario content exists with Jianye command pressure, water-move command boats, secured inner city or Wu last-stand branch reactions, and command district or Wu surrender follow-up flags.
- Fifty-ninth-scenario content exists with Wu surrender pressure, water-move holdout boats, command district or forced-surrender branch reactions, and accepted surrender or Wu holdout follow-up flags.
- Sixtieth-scenario content exists with southern holdout pressure, water-move escape boats, accepted surrender or pursued-holdout branch reactions, and settled holdouts or Nanhai route follow-up flags.
- Sixty-first-scenario content exists with Nanhai route pressure, water-move fleet boats, settled holdouts or pressed-route branch reactions, and secured route or southern fleet follow-up flags.
- Sixty-second-scenario content exists with southern fleet pressure, water-move screen boats, secured Nanhai route or pressed-fleet branch reactions, and secured fleet or Hainan coast follow-up flags.
- Sixty-third-scenario content exists with Hainan coast pressure, water-move cove boats, secured southern fleet or pressed-Hainan branch reactions, and secured coast or final harbor follow-up flags.
- Sixty-fourth-scenario content exists with final harbor pressure, water-move last boats, secured Hainan coast or pressed-harbor branch reactions, and secured harbor or pursued-captain follow-up flags.
- Sixty-fifth-scenario content exists with last-captain pressure, water-move escape boats, secured final harbor or captain-pursuit branch reactions, and settled captains or sea exile follow-up flags.
- Sixty-sixth-scenario content exists with sea exile pressure, water-move outer boats, settled captains or pursued-exile branch reactions, and settled exiles or outer island follow-up flags.
- Sixty-seventh-scenario content exists with outer island pressure, water-move cove boats, settled exiles or pressed-island branch reactions, and secured islands or hidden cove follow-up flags.

## Milestone 5: Presentation

- Portrait and art pipeline. Officer definitions can provide default portrait paths, classes can provide board `sprite` paths, items can provide `icon` paths, scenarios can provide map `background` paths, and the first generated officer portraits, unit sprites, item icons, and battlefield background are in `art/`.
- Unit sprites and animations. Board movement now has a short slide animation, attacks request a short strike animation, and board units show class sprite tokens, team rings, class badges, low-HP warning rings, and small status pips for active support, debuff, poison, seal, snare, and disarm effects, with HUD summaries showing remaining phases.
- Battlefield presentation. Maps can draw a high-resolution background under translucent terrain overlays, with first terrain-specific detail patterns for plains, forest, hill, road, water, and castle cells.
- Battle HUD presentation. Selected and hovered units now summarize battlefield role, movement type, current terrain move cost, defense/avoid bonuses, core stats, status effects, and gear so class identity reads alongside the visual tokens.
- Battle effects. First floating combat text now covers damage, recovery, misses, support effects, poison ticks, item and gold pickups, AI target-focus changes, level-ups, and promotions. Hover target preview badges summarize attacks, tactics, and items, and the board can overlay enemy threat ranges with physical damage and hostile tactic hints.
- Music and sound. Basic placeholder BGM and SFX now play for menus, battle flow, unit actions, tactics, items, and result states.
- Chapter UI, objective presentation, and visual novel scenes. Pre-battle briefing now uses campaign chapter ranges for chapter-aware numbering, has a chapter progress/replay overview plus objective/progress/risk tracker, active battle HUD shows the same live objective panel, and dialogue lines can choose left or right portrait placement in an expanded portrait dialogue panel with progress and previous-line controls.

## Milestone 6: Content Expansion

- Recreate a long campaign structure chapter by chapter.
- Add historical officers, unique classes, and named equipment. First named equipment reward items exist in the northern campaign arc.
- Balance maps through repeated playtesting.
