I have been quieter than usual with updates, mostly because I want to shift from dry release notes to something more useful and easier to follow. A lot of current work is happening under the hood, so there is not always an obvious screenshot for every week of progress.
The short version: most energy is going into AI quality and core gameplay systems, while desktop and mobile clients keep moving in parallel. Progress is steady, just a bit slower than I would like, partly because I am also spending time reading and testing game design ideas before locking them in.
I hope to be able to publish a desktop version of the game soon on itch.io
On the AI - My core focus
After observing many battles, one pattern kept repeating: the AI played too defensively and often hoarded units around its own base. It could survive, but not really pressure. A couple of weeks ago, I started a larger overhaul of the AI engine as a whole.
Some of the changes are already online. AI definitely became more aggressive and started to build economic advantage from the beggining. Stopped hoarding units but there are still many things to improve.
Recent commits focused on the combat composition work. In plain language, the AI now has better control over unit mix and can tune how much it prioritizes ranged pressure versus frontline presence. I also added better safeguards in combat math (including clamp/zero guards), integration tests around artillery-heavy scenarios, and benchmark baselines so changes can be measured instead of guessed.
Another useful addition is improved debug output for production decisions. That makes it easier to inspect why the AI chose a specific unit at a specific moment, and to adjust behavior with real data rather than vibes. The long-term goal is still the same: make the AI think and act as a coordinated force, not as a set of disconnected units.
The UI
UI changes are long overdue and still in progress across several areas. The main focus is battle UI, battle creation flow, and the map editor, because those are where most session friction currently shows up.
I also made some smaller visual updates recently (favicons and promo graphics) to keep the overall presentation cleaner and more consistent while deeper UX work continues. The goal is not a flashy redesign; it is a clearer, faster interface that stays out of the way during actual play. The articles here on the devlog, in social media and on indiedb will soon get a visual overhaul as well.
Your Feedback Matters
“Status: Ready. AI getting sharper. UI getting cleaner. Troops awaiting your feedback.”