beginner question

[Lord Darias]

I get that a lot of the game is made obtuse by design (Ive played Ringo, I know) but genuinely what the hell do the stars mean on the map? Difficulty of encounter? Also what does it mean when it says + 1 million yen in a location? Does it mean theres something there that will get me 1 million yen or what

[HappyLogin]

Stars stand for the overall number of enemy or allied units at the location (meaning, for how many days they will be able to reinforce and stand their ground). With each successful attack, you take one star from the enemy's location, and with each ignored attack on locations you are supposed to control, you also lose one star. When you take out the last batch of enemies in an area, a shatei quest will start. Once you kill a shatei, the location is yours, and you can collect money from it through Azuma's office (the amount of this regular payment is displayed by the '+ N yen' caption).

I used to think stars also meant something about units' abilities or the duration of waves. But everything seems to be more straightforward.

[HappyLogin]

Also, if you talk to your guy at a location you control, you can pay him to hire more people, so an enemy won't take this area from you too fast (and the place will get an additional star). Don't hesitate to do that :)

[Lord Darias]

Thanks! I think I understand how to approach this then

[Super Tramp]

Originally posted by HappyLogin:

Once you kill a shatei, the location is yours, and you can collect money from it through Azuma's office (the amount of this regular payment is displayed by the '+ N yen' caption).

To add to this (and let me know if I'm wrong). You will only receive a one time payment of disclosed amount shown at the top of the map for each location you are able to take over, from Azuma.

Unless you are in control of the second branch, in which case you will earn revenue for each passing day.

Originally posted by HappyLogin:

Also, if you talk to your guy at a location you control, you can pay him to hire more people, so an enemy won't take this area from you too fast (and the place will get an additional star). Don't hesitate to do that :)

This is huge. I highly recommend you pay for reinforcements for each of your territories. I didn't discover this till my fourth play-through after countless visits to the hospital and an early death on my third play-through. I was pulling my hair out because I started war with both of the other factions at the same time.

[HappyLogin]

Originally posted by Super Tramp:

To add to this (and let me know if I'm wrong). You will only receive a one time payment of disclosed amount shown at the top of the map for each location you are able to take over, from Azuma.

Unless you are in control of the second branch, in which case you will earn revenue for each passing day.

I have never fully figured out the economics of the game, actually. I always take money from Kato if I am able to, and usually there is something to take from Azuma as well. However, what you say does make sense and explains the eventual halt in payments from Azuma when you stop expanding.

Thanks for a tip! Rolling with Kato seems to be the best way to get rich in this city. After maybe robbing loan sharks.