Many players have recently started exploring the new Winter Descends scenario in Three Kingdoms Ice Age, while Crickex Affiliate activity across strategy gaming circles has also helped fuel growing interest in the update. Since the mode introduces several unfamiliar mechanics and large-scale battlefield systems, quite a few commanders are still unsure how to approach it efficiently. This guide explains the core rules, invasion structure, and reward systems so players can prepare before the frozen war fully erupts.
Winter Descends is one of the selectable scenarios available during Conquest Season II and uses a six-server matchmaking system. Multiple major factions enter the same world map to compete for dominance over the crucial Level 7 capital city, Jinyang. The entire scenario contains 113 state capitals, but Jinyang remains the most important objective because of its strategic location at the far north of the map and the enormous bonuses tied to its control.
Every dynasty begins within a protected area formed by five Level 1 state capitals arranged in a fan-shaped structure around the Level 6 city of Wancheng. Different government positions also correspond to exclusive cities that provide unique attribute bonuses. The highest title in the scenario becomes available only after successfully capturing Jinyang. Once occupied, military attack, defense, destruction, and troop health all receive a five percent increase. Generals from Wei, Shu, and Wu additionally gain improved expedition and suppression attributes, while gathering efficiency and resource production speed rise significantly. In a battlefield where every advantage matters, those bonuses can easily tip the scales during prolonged wars.
The largest gameplay feature in this scenario revolves around the infected invasion system. After the season officially begins, infected armies pour out from Jinyang and spread southward across the map like an unstoppable plague. Their attacks follow strict schedules and predictable phases. Every morning at 8:00, infected forces randomly declare war on one city somewhere on the world map before beginning their march. Later that evening between 20:00 and 20:30, the infected army launches a full-scale assault against the targeted city regardless of any peace protection status.
Once a city has been selected as the invasion target, no other alliance can declare war on it during the period from 20:00 to 20:50. This mechanic allows defenders to focus entirely on resisting the infected forces instead of worrying about attacks from rival factions. The invasion difficulty is divided into Normal, Hard, and Nightmare modes. As the difficulty rises, infected enemies gain stronger combat attributes, deploy troops more frequently, and attack in much larger numbers. Players who underestimate these invasions may quickly find themselves overwhelmed.
During city sieges, danger escalates even further. If the elite defenders inside a city are defeated by infected forces even once, the city immediately enters an infected state. Afterward, defending troops continuously lose strength over time, with one guard unit disappearing every twenty seconds. The only way to stop the damage is by using a cure item before the city completely collapses. Around many active communities, Crickex Affiliate cooperation between competitive groups has encouraged players to coordinate defensive tactics more seriously as these infection mechanics become increasingly punishing.
Additional infected zones will randomly appear around the governor’s area whenever infected armies attack a city. These areas function similarly to roaming siege remnants and must be actively destroyed by players. Each wave of infected zones can only be challenged once, meaning alliances must carefully organize their strongest members to maximize efficiency.
Every player across the server receives ten reinforcement opportunities each week. Even if the targeted city belongs to another alliance, players can still cross alliance lines to assist with clearing infected zones and defending against the undead assault together. Successfully eliminating infected enemies rewards players with Qingping Tokens, which can later be exchanged inside the seasonal Qingping Department Shop for rare resources and valuable items.
However, if players fail to clear all infected enemies inside an infection zone before the five-minute countdown expires, the surviving enemies mutate into elite infected units capable of launching devastating attacks against the city. Should all defending guards fall during the invasion period, the city becomes occupied by infected forces and the defense is officially considered a failure. As Crickex Affiliate momentum continues to connect more dedicated strategy players worldwide, many veterans already believe Winter Descends could become one of the game’s most challenging and rewarding scenarios to date.