A new experimental wargame called Cataphracts is pushing the boundaries of military simulation by focusing on the often-overlooked aspect of operational warfare - the logistics, communication delays, and coordination challenges that real commanders face. Unlike traditional strategy games that emphasize grand strategy or tactical combat, this Discord-based game puts players in the shoes of medieval commanders dealing with the messy realities of moving armies and managing information flow.
The game draws inspiration from military historian Bret Devereaux's work, particularly his analyses of how armies actually operate in the field. While most games simplify or skip over the complexities of military logistics, Cataphracts embraces them as core gameplay mechanics.
Five Starting Factions:
- Novan Empire: Byzantine-inspired with military legate leadership
- Divine Eporchy of Sokorziya: Orthodox Church papal states in Caucasus
- Zianik Principalities: Pre-Golden Horde Kievan Rus' style
- Third Valgar Kingdom: Bulgarian Empire with Bogomilist heresy
- Kalkhanate: Ilkhanate-inspired Turco-Persian horse lords
Real-Time Operations Create Authentic Fog of War
What sets Cataphracts apart is its commitment to real-time gameplay. When a player orders their army to march for two weeks, they literally wait two weeks. Messages between commanders travel at the speed of medieval messengers - roughly three days for a 150-mile journey. This creates an authentic fog of war where commanders constantly operate with incomplete and outdated information.
The community has noted how this approach fundamentally changes player behavior compared to traditional strategy games. Instead of complex maneuvers and elaborate strategies, the most successful players are those who keep their plans simple and direct. The constant uncertainty has led to a phenomenon where subordinate commanders remain extremely loyal to their superiors, desperately seeking clear direction in an information-starved environment.
Game Specifications:
- Platform: Discord (play-by-post)
- Map: 6-mile hexes
- Combat System: 2d6 + modifiers
- Real-time scale: 1:1 (2 weeks march = 2 weeks real time)
- Message delivery: ~3 days for 150 miles
- Starting armies: 10,000-20,000 troops per faction
Communication Delays Drive Strategic Failures
The game's emphasis on realistic communication has produced unexpected results. Players report that alliance failures happen not through betrayal, but through simple coordination breakdowns. Armies arrive at the wrong place or wrong time due to weather delays, missed messages, or supply issues. This mirrors historical military campaigns where operational challenges often determined outcomes more than tactical brilliance.
One particularly telling aspect is how the information lag creates a Two Generals Problem scenario. Commanders frequently make decisions based on outdated intelligence, leading to strategic blunders that would be impossible in games with perfect information.
The extreme difficulty of this game—and thus its possible brilliance—is that I never have any idea what the fuck is going on.
Community Response Highlights Gaming's Operational Gap
The gaming community's response has highlighted a significant gap in the strategy game market. While operational-level wargames exist in board gaming circles, digital games rarely tackle this middle ground between grand strategy and tactical combat. Some community members have drawn comparisons to games like EVE Online, which requires significant logistical planning for large-scale warfare, though even that game allows for instant teleportation shortcuts.
The discussion has also sparked interest in historical parallels, with players noting similarities to World War II Pacific theater operations, where different Allied commanders sometimes seemed more focused on competing with each other than defeating the Japanese. The game's mechanics naturally recreate these historical tensions through resource scarcity and information limitations.
Player Growth Timeline:
- Initial launch: 5 commanders (one per faction)
- Current active players: 23 commanders
- Command structure: Hierarchical with subordinate appointments
- Communication: Separate Discord threads per commander
- Information sharing: Limited to scout range (~15 miles) and messenger reports
Growing Player Base Demonstrates Appetite for Complexity
Starting with five faction commanders, the game has grown to twenty-three active players, each managing their own piece of a larger military campaign. The game master tracks everything through spreadsheets and Photoshop maps, while players receive only limited information about their immediate surroundings and what their scouts can observe.
This growth suggests there's an audience hungry for more realistic military simulation, even when it requires significant time investment and patience. The real-time nature means players must commit to weeks or months of gameplay, treating it more like a long-term hobby than a quick gaming session.
The success of Cataphracts may signal a new direction for strategy gaming, where operational realism takes precedence over streamlined gameplay mechanics. As the gaming community continues to seek more authentic experiences, this focus on the unglamorous but crucial aspects of military command could inspire a new generation of strategy games.
Reference: Cataphracts Design Diary #1