1. Watch the order
Do not judge cards only by how strong they look. Ask whether the event can naturally sit before or after cards you already have.
First Run Guide
Beginner Guide
This guide narrows your first run down to what matters most: reading card links, testing historical order, and building one reliable cause-and-effect chain.
What to focus on first
2. Connect by cause
If you can explain why one event leads to another, remember that pair as a combo candidate. The game rewards historical logic, not just memorized names.
3. Stay narrow early
On your first run, it is easier to build around one era, person, or theme than to collect everything that looks useful.
A simple first-run plan
1. Read for clues
Look for era, people, causes, and outcomes in each card description. You do not need to memorize everything on the first pass.
2. Build from what you own
When choosing rewards, favor cards that are close to your current cards by era, person, or event. A clear anchor makes combos easier to test.
3. Learn from failed links
A pair that does not connect is still useful information. Next run, try changing the order or finding the missing event between them.
4. Make one strong chain
Do not try to solve every period of Japanese history at once. Your first goal is one route where you can say, "this leads to that."
When you are unsure which card to take
- Cards tied to the same person are easier to reason about and often help you follow cause and effect.
- Cards from the same era make the timeline easier to imagine, which is useful on a first run.
- Famous battles, policies, and incidents are often good anchors because other events can point toward or away from them.
- Unknown cards are worth testing one at a time. Even a failed experiment makes your next run clearer.
Common first-run mistakes
Taking only the strongest-looking card
If the card does not connect with the route you are building, it may make your deck harder to read. Think about the next card before you pick.
Avoiding every unfamiliar period
You do not need deep background knowledge to experiment. Try one unfamiliar card, then use what happened as a clue for the next run.
Not reviewing the run
After a loss, remember one card pair that worked and one that did not. That is enough to make the next attempt better.
Next steps
Once the basic idea clicks, try a different person, era, or route with the same mindset. Release notes and support information are available on the support page.