The Shadow Council: How were 12 leaders balanced?

The Design Problem

12 hidden leaders. Each in a different corner of the continent. Each with different strengths.

The player needs to find and eliminate them. But how do you design this to also be fair?

Solution: Asymmetric Difficulty

Each leader was hidden with a different "discovery" mechanic:

Some can be detected through intelligence networks

Some through diplomatic channels

Some through trade routes

Some... only through luck

This asymmetry makes the game feel different in every playthrough.

Balancing Process

Over a 6-month playtesting period, we tracked "time to find" metrics for each leader. Optimal balance: each leader should be discoverable in an average of 40-60 turns — not too easy, not too hard.