Rixas – is this the hardest of hardcore wargames we have ever seen?

Here at Readwrite Gaming, we like to cover not only the big games you will read about everywhere but also we like to dig up little potential gems that could fly under your radar. A couple we have looked at recently are Starship Simulator and Dystopika but another one has caught our beady eye while trawling cyberspace.

Meet Rixas, a grand strategy wargame the likes of which we are struggling to think of much to match its potential complexity. I was sitting here this morning trying to think of something to compare it to and was coming up blank until Dwarf Fortress came into my mind. I don’t know why, Rixas is nothing like DF but something about the levels of complexity and how much of a labor of love it is for the developer resonated with a similarity.

Developer Elfkan has been working on the project for a few years now and openly admits it is years away from, completion but the latest version is always available free of charge, and – just like Dwarf Fortress eventually did – it will be coming to Steam.

What makes Rixas so completely different from other games in the genre is the ridiculous level of control you have. Not only will you be controlling your forces and supply lines, you will also actually be designing the munitions and vehicles you will use to counter the enemy threat, who will also be designing their own to counter yours.

This looks hugely technical with spreadsheets worth of information to pour over before making decisions such as fuse and casing types, even down to what alloys they are made of. Yes, this is the nichest of the niche.

At this stage in development, there isn’t even any combat in the downloadable version but you can play with the weapon and vehicle designers as you can see in the video below.

There is no doubt this is only going to appeal top very certain audience, but if you love intricate wargaming, this will be right up your alley.

A completely free (forever) grand strategy game where you control everything about your army, air force, and navy.

In Rixas, you will possess the heads of your country’s military throughout time. You will be able to create gear down to the finest details. The loadout of every soldier and the composition of every platoon is under your control.

Politics is at large, as it is in any other organization. You don’t have full control over the government or your subordinates. People need time to be convinced of new ideas or equipment, and victory can make a nation complacent.

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