Recruiting Warriors

Unification Stage: Plan your party's movements on the map of Japan. Each character has one action per turn (one month). A maximum of six characters can be stationed in a castle. You can manually control your protagonist and those in their castle, or let the AI handle other armies with simple commands.

Building Links: Increase compatibility with Pokémon by visiting towns or fighting wild Pokémon. Tame wild Pokémon in battle to potentially Link with them. Compatibility is shown by bronze, silver, or gold medals; an 'X' means no Link is possible. Each character has a 'Best Link Pokémon' for 100% linkage.

Evolution and Forms: Pokémon can evolve using items similar to the main series. Characters can also change appearance based on their Link percentage with their Pokémon. The protagonist has three forms based on strength, and Warlords have two or three ranks.

Battle Stage: When a battle begins, it takes place on a 2D grid. Up to six generals/Pokémon can fight per side. Use 'Warrior Skills' (once per battle) to aid your Pokémon. Equipment can provide supplementary assistance.

Battle Mechanics: Pokémon elemental weaknesses and special abilities from the main series apply. Group attacks require careful planning. Utilize stage gimmicks, treasures, and bonuses to gain an advantage.

Energy Management: A Pokémon's Energy (willpower) affects their performance. Bright red-orange arrows indicate peak energy, while dark blue means they are tired. Rest Pokémon or let them eat ponigiri to restore energy.