The War Room
Rotary Knights™ — Development Roadmap
The core game is complete — a branching narrative campaign, hex tactical combat, campaign boss arcs, and events that unfold differently every time. Early Access lets us add platform integration, deeper characters, and features shaped by our community.
Development Timeline
EA Launch — "First Sortie"
Q4 2026 — Windows — $14.99A complete, playable game spanning the full 1914–1918 war across 6 narrative acts.
Narrative Campaign
- 6 acts: The Pioneers, Fokker Scourge, The Somme, Bloody April, The Camel's Teeth, The Final Push
- Branching story events — every playthrough is different
- Missions spanning dogfight, bombing, recon, strafing, balloon busting, and escort
- 5 campaign nemesis aces with multi-event story arcs
- Historical aces (Immelmann, Boelcke, Richthofen, Voss, Udet) at real-world active dates
- Arch-nemesis system: a personal rival with 4 escalation levels
Hex Tactical Combat
- Richthofen's War-inspired positional dogfighting on a hex grid
- Altitude, angle, and aircraft matter — outmaneuver your enemies
- 8 maneuver types, deflection-based Combat Results Table
- 4 AI doctrines mapped from ace personalities
- 5 scenarios: Open Sky, Flak Alley, Balloon Bust, Cloud Cover, Trench Strafing
Pilot & Progression
- 3 specializations: Fighter Ace, Scout Pilot, Night Raider
- Origin story prologues set in summer 1914 with branching choices
- Pilot temperament system (Daring, Disciplined, Shrewd)
- Deep skill trees, ranks earned through service, and meaningful progression
- Permadeath with memorial screen and per-act service records
Merit & Distinction
- Merit earned from combat, missions, and HQ assignments
- 7 British decorations from Mentioned in Despatches to Victoria Cross
- HQ Standing affects mission quality and transfer eligibility
- Merit-gated access to elite aircraft
Aerodrome Network
- Western Front aerodromes with unique focus and commanding officers
- Facilities to build, resources to manage, personnel to assign
- Supply strain tied to historical offensives and front proximity
- Transfer between stations based on HQ standing and prestige
Historical Immersion
- Aircraft spanning five eras, from Pioneer scouts to late-war legends
- Aircraft are campaign-era gated, with month-level gates at major transitions
- Hand-crafted sprite art with warm sepia-toned aesthetic
- Front line dynamics shifting with the war (Somme, Spring Offensive, Hundred Days)
- Armistice ending with performance-tier narrative
Launch Readiness — "Steam & Steel"
In ProgressPlatform integration, combat depth, and release verification for the Q4 Windows launch.
Platform Integration
- Steam Achievements, Stats, and Cloud bridge code complete
- Installed-client verification required before launch claims
- Separate full/demo Tauri release profiles and native Windows build
Combat Depth
- Gun jams, component damage, morale, and formation fights shipped
- Complete Flight Path cards plus manual plotting
- Hands-on balance and full-war campaign passes ongoing
Visual Polish
- Historically anchored Western Front and board-game aesthetic shipped
- Final screenshots, trailer, mix, and launch hardening ongoing
Update 1 — "Band of Brothers"
Target: Q1 2027The people around you matter. Named characters, squadron life, and a social hub that makes the aerodrome feel alive.
Named NPC Characters
- Fellow pilots with personalities and story arcs
- Ground crew, command staff, civilians
- NPC memory of past events and your actions
Mess Hall Social Hub
- Relationship-building conversations
- Celebrate victories, mourn losses
- Rumors and intelligence
Pilot Renown
- Public fame separate from XP
- Renown tiers: Unknown to Living Legend
- Renown affects NPC behavior and HQ assignments
Expanded Content
- Additional narrative events from community feedback
- NPC-triggered events based on relationship levels
Update 2 — "Behind the Lines"
Target: Q2 2027The Western Front opens up. Fly between sectors, build forward bases, and control the skies.
Patrol System Overhaul
- Sector-based encounters with fuel management
- Random encounters: enemy scouts, AA fire, downed pilots
- Scouting mechanic to preview danger
Multi-Phase Missions
- Missions play out across approach, objective, and extraction phases
- Raid Enemy Aerodrome, Escort Bombing Run, Deep Recon
Sector Influence
- Air superiority per sector with influence meters
- Forward infrastructure: landing strips, observation posts, AA batteries
- Territory control affects events and supply routes
Update 3 — "The Final Push"
Target: Q3 2027Command more than yourself. Earn elite titles and push your limits.
Squadron Command
- Lead 2–4 aircraft at Captain rank and above
- Formation mechanics: Line Abreast, Lufbery Circle, High Cover
- Wingman AI with skill levels
- Casualty management with narrative consequences
Challenge Modes
- Ironman: single save, permadeath
- Bloody April Challenge: survive the deadliest month
- Ace in a Day: 5 kills in one session
- Fokker Fodder: start in 1915 flying a B.E.2c
Elite Pilot Progression
- Ace titles at 15+ kills: The Ghost, The Butcher, The Shield, The Phantom
- Legendary aircraft at 20+ kills in the same plane
- Title affects narrative and Armistice ending
New Game+
- Legacy pilot with inherited progress and traits
- Escalating difficulty
v1.0 — "Armistice Day"
Target: Q4 2027The complete game. Everything above, polished, balanced, and integrated. The definitive WWI aviation text RPG.
Full Release
- All planned Early Access updates integrated
- Final audio mix and balance pass
- Complete balance pass
- Accessibility improvements
- Linux / Steam Deck support planned
Post-1.0: Nationality Campaigns
After full release, Rotary Knights expands with standalone DLC campaigns offering entirely new perspectives on the Great War.
"Iron Cross"
German Campaign
Fly for the Kaiserliche Luftstreitkräfte. Jasta system, German aces as allies, and the Iron Cross and Pour le Mérite decorations. A defensive war narrative where there is no "win" — only degrees of survival and honor.
$9.99
"Over There"
American Campaign
Join the American Expeditionary Forces in 1917. Lafayette Escadrille veterans as mentors, American aces like Rickenbacker and Frank Luke, and rapid progression reflecting the US expansion into the war.
$9.99
"Escadrille"
French Campaign
Fly for l'Aéronautique Militaire. Defend Verdun, fly Nieuports and SPADs alongside Guynemer and Fonck. Légion d'honneur and Croix de Guerre. Pour la France.
$9.99
"Aquile"
Italian Campaign
Fight above the Alps and the Isonzo. Mountain flying against Austro-Hungarian enemies. The Caporetto disaster and recovery. A different war against a different enemy.
$7.99
A Distinctly British Experience
- Period slang: "Archie" (AA fire), "bus" (aircraft), "blighty" (home), "prang" (crash), "wizard" (excellent)
- British understatement: "Bit of a sticky wicket" when outnumbered 4-to-1
- Mess hall culture: Tea references, cricket metaphors, stiff upper lip
- RFC/RAF authenticity: Proper ranks, British decorations (MC, DSO, VC)