Planned release: 07/25/2025

This week I started implementing features that bring us one step closer to the fight engine. I still owe you a proper development roadmap, but trust me — priorities are set in a logical way, and all new features build on the existing systems. A brand-new interaction type has been added: you can now recruit soldiers for your future army. It's hard not to notice how deliberately this builds on the just-released crafting engine. As with everything else in the game, you start small — your first units will be simple village folk, and you’ll need to arm them yourself.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys some artistic flair with your military units, don’t worry — I’m not just giving you tiny icons. Click on a unit’s icon to view a full-sized, DAZ3D-crafted image. The fighting engine also introduces a new type of “currency”: volunteers. This represents your army pool — a limit on how many soldiers you can recruit. One of the key aspects of the upcoming political engine will be finding ways to gain followers and expand this pool. 

Arming the villagers won’t be cheap. Be ready to spend a small fortune at Romero’s workshop on primitive — but surprisingly effective — weapons that can give your makeshift army the edge it needs against bandits.

Of course, not every item is worth buying. If you need ammo for your own slings or for the Donkey Riders, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty — head to the ruined buildings of the Evita District and gather stones and rocks yourself.

This is just the beginning. Many more unit types will come later. The battle against the bandits is the first real combat scenario in the game. That makes it not only a unique first experience for you, the players — but also for me, the developer. This is where I start implementing all the combat features I’ve had in mind, and for that, this humble peasant army is enough — for now.

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!