Strategy Mode

Overview

Strategy mode is one of the two core gameplay modes in Kingmakers, and it is where the game's ambitions as a hybrid title become most apparent. At any point during gameplay, the player can pull the camera up from the third-person shooter perspective into an overhead, top-down view. From this vantage point, the game functions as a real-time strategy title: the player commands armies of AI soldiers, issues formation orders, assigns attack targets, and manages the flow of a battle involving thousands of individual combatants.

The transition between shooter mode and strategy mode is seamless. There is no loading screen, no menu transition, and no pause. The player can be firing an assault rifle at ground level one second and directing a cavalry charge from the sky the next. This fluidity is one of the game's defining features. Most games that attempt to combine shooter and strategy elements keep them in separate phases or game modes. Kingmakers integrates them into a single continuous experience, and the strategy side is not a simplified version of the genre. It has real depth.

Army Command

From the overhead view, the player can select individual units or groups of medieval units and issue standard RTS commands: move, attack, hold position, retreat, and form up. The six unit types (Swordsmen, Spearmen, Cavalry, Archers, Berserkers, and Men-at-Arms) each have different movement speeds, engagement ranges, and tactical roles, so managing them effectively requires understanding their strengths and placing them where they will perform best.

The battlefield can support up to roughly 4,000 NPC soldiers at once, with the development team noting that the engine can be pushed toward 8,000 under favorable conditions. This scale means that individual unit commands matter less than broad strategic decisions: where to commit the main force, when to send in reserves, where to position ranged units for maximum coverage, and when to pull back a unit that is taking too many casualties. The sheer number of soldiers on the field creates a level of chaos that rewards planning but also forces adaptation when plans inevitably break down.

Seamless Mode Switching

The ability to switch between strategy mode and shooter combat at any time creates a unique gameplay loop. A typical engagement might unfold like this: the player opens in strategy mode, positioning their army in a defensive formation. As the enemy approaches, the player drops into shooter mode to personally engage a group of enemy officers leading the charge. After eliminating the officers and disrupting the attack's momentum, the player pulls back to strategy mode to send Cavalry around the enemy's flank. Then back to shooter mode to help break through a fortified position with an RPG. This back-and-forth is the core rhythm of Kingmakers.

The system also works in co-op. In a four-player session, one player might stay in strategy mode full-time, directing the overall battle, while the other three operate on the ground in shooter mode, acting as special forces units that handle specific objectives. Or all four players might alternate between the two modes independently, each managing their own section of the battlefield. The flexibility is the point.

Kingdom Building

Strategy mode is not limited to battlefield command. Between engagements, the player manages a growing kingdom that provides the resources and infrastructure needed to sustain the war effort. This includes constructing settlements, building economy and production facilities, and establishing supply lines.

Key construction categories include:

• Settlements: Population centers that generate workers and serve as hubs for other buildings

• Economy buildings: Generate income and manage the flow of resources like copper and gold

• Production facilities: Create equipment, weapons, and supplies for the army

• Research buildings: Unlock new technologies and upgrades for units and structures

• Fortifications: Walls, towers, guard positions, and defensive structures that protect territory

The kingdom building system gives the strategy mode a layer of long-term planning that extends beyond individual battles. A player who invests early in economy buildings will have more resources later but fewer soldiers in the short term. A player who rushes military production will field a larger army sooner but may struggle to sustain it without the economic infrastructure to replace losses.

Resource Management

The primary resources in Kingmakers are copper, gold, and hidden treasures. These are gathered through the kingdom building infrastructure and from the battlefield itself (looting defeated enemies, capturing resource nodes, and discovering hidden caches during exploration). In a twist that ties into the time travel narrative, resources gathered in 1400 AD are sent forward to the future, where they serve as currency for unlocking upgrades, new equipment, and advanced military hardware.

This creates an interesting dynamic where the player's medieval kingdom is essentially a resource-extraction operation that funds their modern military capabilities. Investing in copper mining and gold production in the past directly improves the player's access to assault rifles, vehicles, and air support in the present. The supply line metaphor extends to arrow and ammunition supplies for the medieval forces as well. Archers need arrows, and the player needs to ensure that production keeps pace with consumption during prolonged campaigns.

Morale System

Medieval armies in Kingmakers have a morale system that affects their willingness to fight. Troops who are winning, well-supplied, and led by experienced officers will fight harder and hold their ground longer. Troops who are surrounded, taking heavy casualties, or watching their comrades flee may break and rout, retreating from the battlefield regardless of the player's orders.

Morale can be influenced by several factors. Killing enemy officers drops the morale of nearby enemy troops. Berserkers in rage mode have a morale-breaking effect on enemies. Successful charges, especially from Cavalry, can cause wavering units to collapse entirely. On the defensive side, keeping units near their Swordsmen (who have formation bonuses) helps maintain morale under pressure. The morale system adds a psychological dimension to battles that goes beyond simple damage numbers. Sometimes the most effective tactic is not to kill every enemy soldier, but to break their will to fight.

Prisoner System

When enemy officers are captured during battle, the player faces a choice with three options: ransom, torture, or execute. Each option has different consequences.

The prisoner system ties into the game's broader faction choice and narrative systems. How the player treats prisoners affects their reputation with different factions and can influence the story's direction. A player who consistently ransoms prisoners will maintain more diplomatic options but gain fewer intelligence advantages. A player who tortures or executes prisoners will have more tactical information but fewer friends.

Fortification and Defense

Building defensive structures is a significant part of strategy mode. Guard positions allow the player to station troops at specific locations where they will automatically engage enemies who enter their range. Archer towers provide elevated, protected firing positions. Walls and gates create physical barriers that enemy forces must breach or bypass. Trebuchets and ballistae can be positioned behind walls to engage enemies at long range while remaining protected.

Defensive construction becomes particularly important in co-op, where multiple players may be expanding in different directions and need to protect their borders while their armies are committed elsewhere. A well-built line of fortifications can hold a position with minimal troop investment, freeing up soldiers for offensive operations on other fronts.