u/sterner2010

I’ve spent years working on tactical strategy games, including the Ultimate General series. Now, I’ve gone indie to build LEGATUS — a game that combines a brutal Roman military camp-builder with real-time tactical command.

Think of it as RimWorld meets Norland, but set within a disciplined Roman military machine on a harsh frontier.

Here is what makes the base building and logistics unique:

• From Castrum to Vicus: You start by building a fortified military camp. As you clear the region and push the frontier forward, you move your main camp to a new tactical location. The old base evolves into a civilian settlement — a Vicus.
• Permanent Specialization: Everything you built in the camp stays there. If you built heavy infrastructure for iron mining or farming, that Vicus permanently specializes in that resource and continues to supply your marching legion from the rear. You are designing your own empire's supply network.
• Centurions as Your Management Layer: Just like the lords in Norland, you don't micromanage every peasant or soldier directly. Your Centurions are your officers, and they are responsible for everything. They maintain order in the camp, drive training progress, and execute global map missions. Who you appoint matters.
• From Recruit to Praetorian: Your soldiers don't start as heroes. You begin with raw recruits. You must continuously train them through drills, keep them motivated, and craft/supply the right equipment. Only through your management can a green rookie survive long enough to become a battle-hardened Praetorian.
• Legionnaires with Personalities: Your men have individual traits, flaws, and specific desires. You have to balance their daily routines, continuous drills, and camp duties. Ignore their needs or fail to provide proper gear, and you’ll face a mutiny before the battle even starts.
• Preparation is Everything: All camp management, resource gathering, and supply chain logistics serve one purpose — preparing your men for real-time tactical battles where every decision matters.

The game is in active development, and I’m aiming to make the management mechanics feel impactful, creating hard trade-offs before your swords even clash.

If you love base-builders and strategy, what features or logistics systems do you feel the genre usually misses? I'd genuinely love to hear your thoughts!

• Wishlist on Steam: LEGATUS on Steam
• Website: LEGATUS Website

I’m Sterner, ex-designer of the Ultimate General series. I've gone indie to make a game where your legionaries aren't just faceless units — they have needs, thoughts, and personalities, all while you try to maintain a brutal Roman military camp in an unknown frontier.

Train your legiones, equip them, and send them to battles... For the glory of Rome!