Great Qin

Biodata

Background

Great Qin's northern frontier includes Beacon Tower and Shuofang Commandery, a military bridgehead that endures continual war against the Xiongnu. Its recruits are stripped of their former civilian identities and sworn in solely as soldiers of Great Qin. 1 2 3

The state traces its strength to the reforms begun under Duke Xiao and continued through six generations of rulers. Under Ying Zheng, its accumulated wealth, logistics, arms, and manpower are mobilized toward the conquest of the Six States. 36

Government and Law

Great Qin is governed from Xianyang through a ruler-centered court of civil ministers and military officers. Ying Zheng personally directs major campaigns, rewards merit, and settles disputes over rank, policy, and conquest. 36 49 182

Its political order rests on explicit laws and a military-merit system of rewards and punishments. Wei Zhe identifies these “ironclad rules” as a decisive advantage over the Six States, while later reforms seek to unify laws and further centralize authority in Xianyang. 118 246 267

• Military merit system — Rank and reward are tied to battlefield achievement rather than background; the system contains twenty nobility ranks, with Marquis as its highest rank. 51 245
• Black Ice Platform — Great Qin's intelligence apparatus conducts espionage, rumor campaigns, and political manipulation, including operations that destabilize Zhao's leadership. 86 89
• Qin Medicine — Ying Zheng orders Wei Zhe's battlefield medical methods studied and implemented under the state-sanctioned name “Qin Medicine,” seeking to improve the survival of severely wounded soldiers. 71
• Commandery and county system — Authority is centralized rather than divided among feudal lords; Ying Zheng regards its long-term succession and control as a central concern. 267

Military

Recorded War Capacity

Major Forces

• Northern Frontier Army — Defends the Great Wall frontier and Shuofang against the Xiongnu; its doctrine is to survive and kill every enemy who threatens Great Qin. 2 3
• Tiger and Wolf Army — Wei Zhe's force, which gained fame after one hundred men annihilated three thousand Xiongnu Royal Guard cavalry at Hundred Beasts Slope. 27
• Wu'an Camp — Wei Zhe's command during the Wei campaign; it prepares a rapid southern advance while facing logistical strain and frontier threats. 168
• Hangu Pass Great Camp — A major Qin formation involved in the siege of Daliang. 181
• Black Armored Iron Cavalry — Elite cavalry personally led north by Wei Zhe during the Eastern Hu campaign. 220
• Southern Suppression Army — The army ordered toward Hundred Yue under Wei Zhe's command as King of Zhennan. 278 286

Major Campaigns

Expansion and Integration

Great Qin treats conquest as both military victory and political reconstruction. After Wei territory falls, Wei Zhe plans to raze the former royal palace and noble estates, replacing them with Qin infrastructure to sever attachment to the previous regime. 321

Surrendered soldiers may be resettled on the northern frontier: those who resist the Xiongnu, expand Qin territory, and survive for ten years can receive Qin household registration, with their descendants recognized as Qin people. 196

Wu'an New City is built with surrendered soldiers and refugees after the Wei campaign, while old Daliang is burned and buried to prevent plague. 187

Notable Figures

• Ying Zheng — King of Qin and later First Emperor; directs Great Qin's unification wars, rewards extraordinary merit, and centralizes power in Xianyang. 36 220 267
• Wei Zhe — Great Qin's foremost rising commander, later hailed as its God of War; his victories, inventions, medical methods, and political initiatives repeatedly reshape the state. 70 71 231
• Wang Jian — High General whose armies breach Jingxing Pass and secure Handan during the Zhao campaign. 36 99 105
• Meng Wu — High General who commands Qin's campaign against Han and Zhao and oversees reports of Wei Zhe's achievements. 46 47
• Meng Tian — High General and major commander in the Han campaign; he also commands troops on the northern frontier. 38 70
• Li Si — Senior court minister involved in military policy, rewards, and the implementation of Qin Medicine. 36 49 71
• Han Fei — Administrator entrusted with Wu'an Camp logistics and later involved in Qin's governance of conquered territory. 187 321

Notable Quote

“In Great Qin, if you want glory and wealth, if you want to secure your family's future, don't talk to me about seniority or background! Go to the battlefield and exchange it for the heads of your enemies!” — Ying Zheng 51