Introducing Smoke and Steel: Wargaming meets grand strategy in the 18th century

Post news Report RSS Introducing Smoke and Steel: Wargaming meets grand strategy in the 18th century

Hello IndieDB! I'm the solo developer behind Smoke and Steel, a turn-based historical wargame combining tactical battles, tabletop-inspired mechanics and grand strategy. Some of you may remember Terra Militia, the real-time strategy game set in classical antiquity that I shared here years ago. That project was eventually discontinued, but my interest in making historical strategy games has stayed with me. Today, I'd like to introduce what I'm working on now.

Posted by develop01c on Sep 15th, 2026

Introducing Smoke and Steel: Wargaming meets grand strategy in the 18th century

Hello IndieDB!

I'm the solo developer behind Smoke and Steel, a turn-based historical wargame combining tactical battles, tabletop-inspired mechanics and grand strategy.

Some of you may remember Terra Militia, the real-time strategy game set in classical antiquity that I shared here years ago. That project was eventually discontinued, but my interest in making historical strategy games has stayed with me. Today, I'd like to introduce what I'm working on now.

Welcome to the early 18th century

Smoke and Steel takes you to the battlefields of early 18th-century Europe, with a particular focus on the Great Northern War. Command infantry, cavalry and artillery in a period where disciplined musket volleys, bayonet attacks and cavalry charges could decide the fate of an army.

Battles take place on a hex grid, with each turn giving you time to consider your position, assess what you can see of the enemy and decide where to commit your troops.

Break their morale

Morale is as important as manpower. Casualties, attacks from the flank or rear, and nearby friendly units routing can all undermine a regiment's willingness to fight.

An isolated unit breaking can have consequences across the line. Nearby troops may lose confidence and flee in turn, creating an opportunity for the enemy to exploit. Discipline and the presence of your general help keep your army together.

This is central to the kind of battles I want to create: engagements where positioning and timing can force a collapse before either army is wiped out.

Beyond a single battlefield

Smoke and Steel has three main modes:

• Battles: Historical scenarios, custom skirmishes and multiplayer battles.

• Grand Campaign: Lead a nation through warfare, diplomacy, trade and technological development.

• Story Campaign: A connected series of battles with story and progression, following the Great Northern War.

Follow the development

Smoke and Steel is currently in development, with release planned for 2027 on Windows and Linux via Steam.

I'll be sharing gameplay, screenshots and closer looks at individual systems here as development progresses. If historical wargaming is your thing, I hope you'll follow along!

Visit the website

Thanks for reading, and if you remember Terra Militia from back then, it's very good to see you again.