Combat and Weapons

Overview

Combat in Kingmakers is split between two interlocking modes: the third-person shooter mode where the player directly fights on the battlefield, and the overhead strategy mode where they command armies from above. This article covers the shooter side, including every weapon category, specific firearms identified in trailers and developer footage, the armor penetration system, and the mechanics that govern how a single modern operator can turn the tide of a medieval war.

When in shooter mode, the game plays as a conventional third-person action title. The player moves through the environment, takes cover behind terrain and structures, aims down sights, and fires modern weapons at enemies armed with swords, bows, and spears. The contrast between fully automatic fire and a charging line of knights with shields is the core fantasy. But this is not a simple power trip. The sheer numbers of medieval units on the field ensure that ammunition management, weapon selection, and positioning all matter. You cannot spray your way through 4,000 soldiers without running dry, and a flanking force of cavalry will run you down if you are not paying attention to the bigger picture.

Weapon Categories

Kingmakers offers a broad selection of weapon categories at Early Access launch. Each fills a different tactical niche, from close-quarters hallway fights inside castle keeps to long-range sniping from hilltops overlooking open fields. Beyond the standard categories, the game includes a minigun, a stun gun for capturing prisoners, a futuristic plasma gun, plenty of throwables and explosives, and the ability to call down land mines and rocket turrets.

Specific Firearms (IMFDB Identified)

Several real-world firearms have been identified in gameplay trailers and developer demonstrations through the Internet Movie Firearms Database (IMFDB) and community analysis. These identifications come from the announcement trailer, the "Wreak Havoc" trailer, and various pre-release media screenshots.

Rifles

AKS-74 appears as one of the player's primary weapons in the announcement trailer. The AKS-74 is a compact variant of the AK-74, chambered in 5.45x39mm with a folding stock that makes it practical for vehicle and close-quarters use.

SIG SG 552 shows up in the promotional art for the game. The SG 552 is a Swiss-made compact assault rifle based on the SG 550 platform, known for its accuracy and modularity. Its inclusion gives players a Western alternative to the Eastern Bloc AKS-74.

An AR-15 variant is present in pre-release media with aftermarket modifications. This specific configuration has a FAB Defense pistol grip and magwell grip, a railed handguard with tan rail covers, a Magpul UBR stock, and STANAG magazines with Magpul mag-assist pulls. The level of customization visible on this weapon suggests that Kingmakers is paying close attention to real firearm configurations rather than using generic game-ready models.

The Mosin Nagant M1891/30 with a PE sniper scope fills the long-range precision role. This bolt-action rifle, originally designed in the Russian Empire in 1891 and chambered in 7.62x54mmR, is anachronistic by modern military standards but fits the game's eclectic arsenal. Footage shows the player using it to snipe knights from castle parapets at extreme range.

Pistols and Machine Pistols

The Smith and Wesson Model 327 R8 is an eight-shot revolver with a sight rail attached to the top of the frame. It offers solid stopping power in a compact, quick-drawing sidearm package. The Tokarev TT-33 with wooden grips is a faster-firing semi-automatic option. The Desert Eagle in.50 Action Express provides the heavy pistol option, and its inclusion is directly tied to the armor penetration system: a 9mm round can get through wooden shields and standard steel armor, but to punch through hardened steel, you need something on the order of a.50 caliber round like the Desert Eagle provides.

The MAC-11 first appears in the "Wreak Havoc" trailer. In the game it is shown in its compact configuration with the wire stock always folded in, blurring the line between pistol and SMG with its extremely high cyclic rate packed into a tiny frame. It fills the niche of a panic weapon for when enemies close distance faster than expected.

Vehicle-Mounted Weapons

The M230 Chain Gun is mounted on the AH-64 Apache helicopter. This 30mm automatic cannon is the Apache's primary anti-ground weapon in real life and serves the same role in Kingmakers, shredding infantry formations from the air. The M2HB Browning is mounted on the Humvee, providing.50 caliber sustained fire that can penetrate walls, armor, and multiple soldiers in a line. Against medieval forces with no anti-air or anti-vehicle capability, these mounted weapons represent some of the most devastating firepower in the game.

Modernized Medieval Weapons

Not every weapon in Kingmakers comes from the modern arsenal. The developers have included modernized versions of medieval weapon concepts, bridging the gap between the two eras in interesting ways.

Sledgehammer: The game originally featured a sword and shield for melee combat, but the developers replaced the sword with a large sledgehammer. Their reasoning was practical: swinging a sword at full plate armor is not very effective, while a heavy, blunt-force impact is far more damaging against armored targets. The sledgehammer can stagger tougher officers and is the primary tool for melee engagements when enemies close inside gun range.

Buckler Shield: A small buckler stays strapped to the player's arm even while holding a gun. This lets the player parry incoming melee attacks or deflect arrows without the weight penalty of a heater or kite shield. It is a defensive concession to the reality that medieval combatants will eventually get close enough to swing at you, and having some form of block available keeps those encounters from being instantly lethal.

Semi-Auto Bow: The compound bow in the game has been modernized to reload like a modern firearm, allowing a much faster rate of fire than any historical bow while retaining the silent advantage of arrow-based weaponry. The rapid-fire crossbow follows similar logic, giving players a medieval-themed weapon that performs at modern standards.

Weapon Penetration System

Every weapon in Kingmakers has a penetration rating that interacts with both the environment and enemy armor. The environmental materials are categorized as plaster, wood, and stone. A high-caliber round might pass clean through a plaster wall, lose energy going through wood, and be stopped entirely by stone. Lighter rounds from SMGs or pistols may not penetrate wood at all. This has real tactical implications during castle sieges. A medieval wooden barricade will not save its defenders from an LMG like the Norma, which can shoot through multiple walls and take out several soldiers behind cover with a single shot. But the stone walls of a castle keep will force attackers to find a door, blow a hole with explosives, or approach from a different angle.

Armor Tiers

Medieval troops in Kingmakers wear three tiers of armor, each interacting differently with different calibers.

Elite officers always wear the best tier armor available. This means that while a standard assault rifle can handle regular infantry, the player needs heavier ordnance to deal with officer units efficiently. The penetration system creates a natural progression curve where basic weapons remain effective against common troops but upgrades become necessary for tougher encounters.

Explosion and Impact Effects

Grenades and other explosives damage everything in their blast radius regardless of armor tier, but the visual and mechanical effects vary based on the target. Elite officers might stagger from an explosion, absorbing the blast and continuing to fight, while regular soldiers go flying as ragdolls or have their bodies blow apart entirely through the dismemberment system. This distinction reinforces the importance of targeting officers with focused fire rather than relying purely on area-of-effect weapons. Explosives are excellent for clearing rank-and-file infantry but less reliable against armored leadership.

Weapon Upgrades

Weapons in Kingmakers can be upgraded through the campaign's progression systems. Confirmed upgrade categories include magazine capacity, armor penetration, and accuracy. A basic weapon starts relatively weak against elite armored units, but a fully upgraded version of the same weapon can match the performance of higher-tier firearms against tougher targets. This system encourages players to invest in a preferred loadout rather than constantly chasing the next weapon tier.

Upgrades are purchased using resources gathered in 1400 AD and sent to the future as currency. Since the future is in rough shape with limited resources, every upgrade request carries weight. This ties weapon progression directly into the kingdom building and resource management loop: a player who invests heavily in economy buildings will have access to better weapon upgrades sooner, while a player who rushes military expansion may be stuck with baseline equipment for longer.

Tactical Grenades and Deployables

Beyond standard frag grenades, Kingmakers features tactical grenades that deploy equipment directly onto the battlefield. Tossing a tactical grenade can drop a gatling turret at the designated location, creating an automated defensive emplacement that shreds medieval armor. Another tactical grenade variant deploys a healing station that can restore units mid-fight. These deployables add a layer of battlefield engineering on top of the standard shooter mechanics, giving players the ability to set up defensive positions or create kill zones without relying solely on personal firepower or medieval units.

Combat Against Medieval Forces

Fighting medieval infantry with modern weapons is straightforward in small numbers but grows complicated at scale. A single soldier with an assault rifle can cut through a column of knights marching across an open field. But when hundreds or thousands of AI soldiers charge from multiple directions, ammunition becomes a real concern, and the player cannot be everywhere at once. This is where the interplay between shooter mode and strategy mode becomes essential.

The player needs to position their medieval armies to handle the bulk of enemy forces while using their own modern firepower for specific high-value tasks: eliminating enemy officers (whose deaths impact surrounding troop morale), destroying siege equipment, breaking through elite armored units, or collapsing a flanking force that threatens a defensive line. Dropping a well-placed RPG into a cluster of cavalry can turn a skirmish, but wasting that same round on scattered infantry is a poor trade. The rhythm of Kingmakers combat involves constantly reading the battlefield, switching between personal combat and army command, and deciding where individual firepower does the most good.

The developers have noted that modern weapons do not automatically win every engagement. The medieval AI is described as being able to recognize, react to, and counter-balance against modern threats. Officers adapt their tactics, troops with shields raise them against gunfire, and sheer numbers can overwhelm a player who relies solely on their gun without managing their army.

Siege Weapons

Medieval siege equipment serves both the player and the AI. Trebuchets hurl massive stones at castle walls from long range, ballistae fire oversized bolts capable of skewering multiple enemies in a line, and archer towers provide elevated defensive positions. These siege weapons exist alongside the player's modern arsenal, and combining the two creates some of the game's most spectacular moments: calling in an F-16 airstrike on one section of a wall while trebuchets pound another.

Explosives, sledgehammers, and certain special abilities (called renown abilities) can also destroy buildings quickly. The interplay between modern explosives and medieval siege craft means that players have multiple approaches to any fortified position, and the most effective strategies often blend both.

Planned Additions

The post-Early Access roadmap includes several new weapon types. Flamethrowers and incendiary bombs are being explored, which would allow players to set large areas on fire for area denial. A combat drone that follows the player is in the works but is unlikely to make the Early Access build. These additions are part of the broader development plan and do not have confirmed release dates.