Questions, answers and the fine print

FAQ

Is any of this real?

No. Map Rumble is a fictional simulation. The borders and populations are real published figures, and that is where reality stops. A battle result says nothing about any actual place, government or the people who live there. The type counters, specials and ratings are game rules; the reasons attached to counters are flavour text.

How is a winner decided?

By weighted random draws under a published rule set. Each battle is five independent rounds, first to three, with the odds set by effective population, five ratings, a defender bonus, type counters, specials and any fan power. Every random number comes from a seed whose SHA-256 commitment is published before the season starts, and the whole season can be replayed from it. The full algorithm with the real numbers is here.

Why are all the ratings 50?

Because the research is not finished and we would rather show a neutral draft than invent numbers. Every faction's Production, Supplies, Movement, Readiness and Unity ratings are a 50/100 calibration draft this season. Population, borders, specials and fan power are what make factions different. Ratings and rules are locked when a season starts and cannot change until the next one.

Where do the specials come from?

Each special is inspired by one regional fact, with a source link on the faction's dossier. The source supports the fact, never the size of the bonus, which is a fictional balancing rule of +10% in one category. Each dossier shows whether the source was checked, is linked but awaiting review, or is still a draft.

How many episodes are there?

One a day, two battles each, until one faction holds the whole map or the season is called. Follow the show on the social links in the footer for new episodes.

What does fan power do?

Fan power comes in $5 steps from $5 to $50 into one pool per faction per season. Every $5 adds +1% strength to the faction's next battle ($5 = ×1.01, $25 = ×1.05, $45 = ×1.09); a full $50 pool secures that win. +1% strength is about half a point on the odds bar at even odds, about four points at $45; the episode prints the before and after.

Any number of fans fill the pool; it is spent, whatever it holds, in the next battle the faction fights, and the faction is then done for the season. If the faction is conquered before the pool is spent, the pool becomes its rebellion fund (a bonus round at $50, a real draw, not a guarantee, home territory only). One pool per faction: boost or rebellion, not both. Pools and the exact rules are here.

Can I check a result myself?

Yes, once the season ends and the seed is revealed. Hash the seed to confirm it matches the published commitment, then replay every battle with the engine file (js/engine.js, the same file the studio uses). The saved history, final map and fan power ledger must match exactly.

What a fan power purchase is

Fan power comes in $5 steps from $5 to $50 into one pool per faction per season. Every $5 adds +1% strength to the faction's next battle ($5 = ×1.01, $25 = ×1.05, $45 = ×1.09); a full $50 pool secures that win. +1% strength is about half a point on the odds bar at even odds, about four points at $45; the episode prints the before and after.

Any number of fans fill the pool; it is spent, whatever it holds, in the next battle the faction fights, and the faction is then done for the season. If the faction is conquered before the pool is spent, the pool becomes its rebellion fund (a bonus round at $50, a real draw, not a guarantee, home territory only). One pool per faction: boost or rebellion, not both.

It applies to the next battle your faction fights, attacking or defending; that may be tomorrow or weeks away. It waits in the ledger, with no expiry, until the season ends. Every contribution is recorded in the season ledger before the battle it affects and is checked by the end-of-season replay.

It is not a bet, a lottery ticket or an investment. There is nothing to win and nothing is paid out to anyone based on a result. You are paying for a fixed effect in a fictional show and to have your note shown with it. All prices in US dollars (USD). Processed by Stripe; we never see your card. You must be 18 or older to buy fan power.

Refunds

Legal

• Map Rumble is an independent, fictional entertainment series. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or representing any government, state, province, territory, country or organisation.
• Flags and emblems belong to their respective jurisdictions and are used to identify factions in a game. Image files come from Wikimedia Commons under the licences listed in the credits below.
• Boundary data: Natural Earth 1:10m, public domain, simplified for gameplay. Population figures: US Census Bureau 2025 estimates, Statistics Canada 2021 census, INEGI 2020 census, Natural Earth and Wikidata figures for other regions, each dated on its dossier.
• Fictional show. Fan power is a purchase with a fixed in-show effect, not gambling: no prizes, nothing to win. Purchases are not refundable once applied in a published episode, except as stated in the refund rule above.
• Seller: [LEGAL NAME], [ADDRESS]. Monitored contact: milkplexitystudios@gmail.com. All prices in US dollars (USD). Processed by Stripe; we never see your card.
• Fonts: Barlow and Barlow Condensed, SIL Open Font License (licence).
• Privacy: this site sets no tracking cookies. Stripe handles payment data under its own privacy policy. Supporter notes are shown publicly in episodes; do not include anything you would not want published.
• The full Terms of Sale and Privacy Policy are their own pages. They say what this page says, in full, and the Terms govern a purchase.

Contact

Questions, corrections to a special's source, press or refunds: milkplexitystudios@gmail.com. Purchase and refund questions: milkplexitystudios@gmail.com.

Sponsorship: the rate card, what we take and how placements are labelled are on the Sponsors page, with an inquiry form.