BURNED HORIZONS News

[h3]The Burned Horizons demo is live on Steam, running from February 12 through March 9.
[/h3][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]
This is an alpha build — an early, honest look at a game still in active development. What you're playing is a slice of the core tactical experience: turn-based combat, operator management foundations, and the beginnings of the systems that will define the full game.

What it is:
• A playable look at combat, movement, and the tactical loop
• Core systems running and evolving in real time
• A window into the direction and tone of Burned Horizons

What it isn't — yet:
• A content-complete experience
• Final art, audio, or balance
• Representative of the full scope planned for Early Access and 1.0

We're a small indie team — veterans, developers, and lifelong gamers from the US, UK, and Ukraine — building this without a publisher. We'd rather show you something real and early than something polished and hollow.

[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]
If you're into turn-based tactics that respect your intelligence — where decisions carry weight, injuries don't vanish, and your operators change based on what they survive — this is what we're building. [/p][p]
Bug reports and feedback are welcome on our Discord or the Steam discussion boards. We've set up changelogs and bug tracking on both platforms so you can follow development whether you're on Discord or not.

Our Kickstarter campaign is live now through March 26

What happens now impacts scope, scale, and speed on the road to 1.0. Wishlist. Follow. Share. BACK THE CAMPAIGN.

— Kieran, Matt, Nathan, Oleg, Mykola, Alex[/p][p][/p][p]Hold the Line. Always Forward.[/p][p]Слава Україні. Героям слава.

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]DISCORD | BACK THE CAMPAIGN | YOUTUBE

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[p]ALPHA BUILD 018A // v0.000.000.018A // (20.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Updates Player Brief \[Field Orientation Card][/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 018B // v0.000.000.018B // (22.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Updates Overwatch to cost 1 AP and require available AP to trigger,[/p]
• [p]Disables Command Wheel actions when insufficient AP is available ("NOT ENOUGH AP" message displayed),[/p]
• [p]Disables Command Wheel when a non-active soldier is selected ("NOT ACTIVE SOLDIER" message displayed),[/p]
• [p]Adds automatic enemy disengagement beyond 80m, ending tactical combat,[/p]
• [p]Updates stance changes to cost 0.2 AP,[/p]
• [p]Adds automatic focus on active soldier during their turn (Turn-based mode),[/p]
• [p]Adds automatic focus transition to next active soldier when turn ends or AP reaches 0 (excludes enemies),[/p]
• [p]Fixes turn skipping bug caused by deaths and disengagements,[/p]
• [p]Swaps First Aid bandages with Medical Kits in operator inventories[/p]

[p]ALPHA BUILD 002 // v0.000.000.002 // (24.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Fixes Radial Command Wheel (RCW) latency and improves cursor responsiveness[/p]
• [p]Visual and interaction refinements to improve reliability[/p]
• [p]Resolves Tactical Screen dropdown menu issues[/p]
• [p]Fixes CTD caused by dead operator selection + End Turn command[/p]
• [p]Adds med kits to CT-17 operator inventory[/p]
• [p]Adds Core Attributes to operators[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 003 // v0.000.000.003 // (25.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Increases LOS to support long-distance firefights and prevent premature enemy despawn[/p]
• [p](Note: May temporarily impact FPS in 3P — optimization ongoing)[/p]
• [p]Tactical Screen bottom bar opacity pass[/p]
• [p]Team (left) panel opacity increased (~90%)[/p]
• [p]Shadowing/readability pass for operator profiles and icons (in progress)[/p]
• [p]Minor dropdown sizing and font scaling refinements[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 004 // v0.000.000.004 // (25.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Updates severity color palette: Green > Blue > Yellow > Orange > Red[/p]
• [p]Character attribute adjustments[/p]
• [p]UI improvements[/p]
• [p]Extends effective weapon range[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 005 // v0.000.000.005 // (26.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Fixes text jitter on Team (left) panel[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 006 // v0.000.000.006 // (28.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Adjusts Operator Core Attribute values[/p]
• [p]Post-processing refinements[/p]
• [p]Updates Mission Brief[/p]
• [p]Moves player starting position[/p]
• [p]Adds main menu background soundtrack[/p]
• [p]First pass gunfire + placeholder audio logic implementation[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 007 // v0.000.000.007 // (29.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Fixes Turn Order widget issues[/p]
• [p]Badge (1) now always indicates current turn[/p]
• [p]Adds AP gain logging for Battlefield Triage specialization[/p]
• [p]Adds sound volume settings[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 008 // v0.000.000.008 // (29.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Minor placeholder weapon sound edits[/p]
• [p]Minor UI adjustments[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 009 // v0.000.000.009 // (30.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Early Photo Mode implementation (camera controls + UI toggles)[/p]
• [p]Minor UI adjustments[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 010 // v0.000.000.010 // (31.12.25)[/p]

• [p]Early triage animations[/p]
• [p]Fixes incorrect SCAR \[SHFR] combat log display[/p]
• [p]Adds initial benchmarking/test hardware systems[/p]
• [p]Fixes looting issues[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 011 // v0.000.000.011 // (04.01.26)[/p]

• [p]Early looting animation setup[/p]
• [p]Inventory screen optimization[/p]
• [p]Fixes ability cost calculations[/p]
• [p]Fixes extended deployment load times[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 012 // v0.000.000.012 // (10.01.26)[/p]

• [p]Fixes enemy hit logging[/p]
• [p]Fixes looting panel icon issues[/p]
• [p]Fixes Tactical Screen weapon icon display (ammo still placeholder)[/p]
• [p]Camera transition improvements[/p]
• [p]Increased zoom height[/p]
• [p]Map optimizations[/p]
• [p]Adds additional triage + looting animations[/p]
• [p]Adds initial SCAR/Pathway/Specialization pop-up cards[/p]
• [p]Adds kneeling + ready-fire mechanics[/p]
• [p]Adds suppression mechanic (secondary reticle)[/p]
• [p]AP loss tied to wound severity (foundation for deeper stance/limb systems)[/p]
• [p]Animation improvements[/p]
• [p]Sound improvements[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 013 // v0.000.000.013 // (12.01.26)[/p]

• [p]Optimization improvements[/p]
• [p]Additional notification pop-ups (KIA, SCARs, Pathways, Specializations, UCD/S)[/p]
• [p]UI improvements[/p]
• [p]Kneeling + animation refinements[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 014 // v0.000.000.014 // (12.01.26)[/p]

• [p]Adds wound knockdown/stagger effects[/p]
• [p]UI improvements[/p]
• [p]Minor bug fixes[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 015 // v0.000.000.015 // (24.01.26)[/p]

• [p]Adds weapon reloads with magazine mechanics[/p]
• [p]Adds Command Wheel tooltips[/p]
• [p]Fixes operator duplication in ROTA-IN[/p]
• [p]Fixes RCW clipping at screen edges[/p]
• [p]Fixes missing KIA/Wound log entries[/p]
• [p]Fixes fullscreen instability[/p]
• [p]Fixes load screen exit issues[/p]
• [p]Fixes suppression issues[/p]
• [p]Fixes terrain-stuck operators[/p]
• [p]Fixes multiple LOS issues[/p]
• [p]Adds inventory item swap[/p]
• [p]Balances default visual settings[/p]
• [p]Adds Operator callsign shortnames[/p]
• [p]Adds AP logic check in Command Wheel[/p]
• [p]Adds ammo cost to Tactical bottom panel[/p]
• [p]Increases headshot lethality[/p]
• [p]Adds first (optional) in-game mission[/p]
• [p]Adds Main Menu tooltips[/p]
• [p]Hides non-implemented RCW options[/p]
• [p]Misc. UI + responsiveness improvements[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 016–016D // v0.000.000.016D // (10.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Adds Overwatch mechanics[/p]
• [p]Adds grenade mechanics[/p]
• [p]Adds basic RTS team movement[/p]
• [p]Adds early (optional) Operational Objective system[/p]
• [p]Additional tooltips (main menu + submenus)[/p]
• [p]Optimization + UI improvements[/p]
• [p]Edits to Opening Brief[/p]
• [p]Increases wound lethality (temporary balance adjustment)[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 017 // v0.000.000.017 // (11.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Revises initial brief (clarifies build limitations)[/p]
• [p]Adds Kickstarter link to Drop-Down Menu[/p]
• [p]Adds new operator \[COBALT // CT-17][/p]
• [p]Adds new tooltips[/p]
• [p]Adjusts operator national origins/backgrounds for narrative consistency[/p]
• [p]Adds initial Operator language skill framework[/p]
• [p]Fixes inventory edge cases[/p]
• [p]Performance optimizations[/p]
• [p]UI clarity improvements[/p]
• [p]Stability fixes[/p]
• [p]Increases gunshot/explosive lethality[/p]
• [p]Increases Overwatch distance[/p]
• [p]Early atmospheric sound effects[/p]
• [p]Adds team RCW icon[/p]
• [p]Improves operator name readability (Team panel)[/p]
• [p]Fixes magazine counts in plate carrier display[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 017A // v0.000.000.017A // (16.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Changes to starting operation: OPN ANVIL[/p]
• [p]Updates player welcome message[/p]
• [p]UI improvements[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 017B // v0.000.000.017B // (16.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Fixes Turn Order panel rotation bug (enemy KIA blocking order)[/p]
• [p]Redirects Tutorial + Feedback links to Steam forums[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]ALPHA BUILD 018 // v0.000.000.018 // (20.02.26)[/p]

• [p]Adds first aid (bandages) to operator inventory[/p]
• [p]Fixes Overwatch triggering on invalid/dead targets[/p]
• [p]Fixes shots registering on dead bodies[/p]
• [p]Adds compass for OPN navigation[/p]
• [p]Adds Loot icon tooltip (Command Wheel)[/p]
• [p]Updates player briefing text[/p]
• [p]Adds gold highlight to selected operator (Team + Turn Order panels)[/p]
• [p]Enlarges first Turn Order badge to clarify turn position. First badge position is always the current turn.[/p]
• [p]Disables save (ROTA-OUT) during combat[/p]
• [p]Adds Settings button to drop-down menu[/p]
• [p]Adds temporary visual guide to Player Brief for turn order indicators[/p]
• [p]Fixes ammo count not reducing on missed shots [/p]

[h3]COMMUNITY TACTICAL WALKTHROUGH[/h3][p]We’ve seen a lot of players stepping into the demo over the past few days. One consistent point of discussion has been understanding the first iteration of the Command Wheel and how it connects to the broader UI structure.
[/p][p]\[That’s expected — this is an early framework build, and the current Command system is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
[/p][hr][/hr][h3]
Walkthrough Overview[/h3][p]One of our operators in the community has released a focused walkthrough covering how the system functions in practice — from Command Wheel navigation and action flow to the wider interface and tactical engagement structure.
[/p][p]If you’re getting your footing — or want a clearer view of how the pieces connect — this breakdown is worth your time.
[/p][p]You can view the full video here: \[ BURNED HORIZONS TUTORIAL ON STEAM] or watch below.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][h3] Command Framework Note[/h3][p]The current Command Wheel is a centralized action map — a foundation layer that allows us to test and organize the full range of operator capabilities. As development continues, many actions will also become accessible through contextual prompts, streamlined inputs, and expanded UI layers.
[/p][p]The Wheel is the starting structure, not the only path forward.
[/p][hr][/hr][p]
Appreciate the time and effort that went into putting this together.
[/p][p]\[Alpha Build] Demo available now on Steam.


Hold the Line. Always Forward.
[/p][hr][/hr][p] KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN[/p][p]Backing the campaign now genuinely matters. Early support directly strengthens the project — expanding development capacity, increasing visibility, and helping Burned Horizons reach the players who want tactical depth without compromise.
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]WISHLIST/FOLLOW ON STEAM // JOIN THE DISCORD // BACK THE KICKSTARTER[/p][p]//-- REVIEWS: TURN BASED LOVERS, POPULAR AIRSOFT, GAZETTE DU WARGAMER
[/p]

[h3] [/h3][p]The Alpha went live this week — and a lot of you moved fast.
[/p][p]You stepped into the build knowing this is the opening phase — first iterations in motion, systems still expanding, structures still evolving — and you ran the op all the same. That matters. Because we’re not building another carbon-copy tactics game. We’re building something deeper — something that respects your intelligence, gives you agency instead of rails, and doesn’t trivialize war but asks you to live with its weight.
[/p][p]What’s live right now is the first operational layer. Take the command wheel — it’s not the final form. It’s our current framework for organizing and surfacing a growing command set. As systems expand, so will the ways you access and execute them. What you’re running today is the opening structure — not the last word.
[/p][p]We’re building this in the open. You’re watching it evolve in real time.|
[/p][p]The response so far has been strong. The feedback’s been sharp. And many of you didn’t just test the Alpha — you backed the Kickstarter campaign after seeing the direction. That kind of trust keeps this moving.
[/p][p]We’re a small independent studio building the kind of tactics game we believe should exist — deeper systems, real agency, no shortcuts. When you step in early and test it, push it, and challenge it, you help sharpen the build. When you back the Kickstarter campaign, you help us push it further and faster — expanding depth and accelerating what comes online before 1.0.
[/p][p]From all of us at Burned Horizon Studios — thank you for being part of the deployment and for helping shape what’s to come.|
[/p][p]Hold the Line.
Always Forward.

//----
[/p][p]LIVE BRIEFING // LIVE STREAM – FEB 21
[/p][p]Weekly briefing 21 FEBRUARY at 2:00 PM EST / 7:00PM GMT.[/p][p]We’ll be walking through:[/p]

• [p]The current playable alpha build[/p]
• [p]Core combat systems (wounds, suppression, camera modes)[/p]
• [p]Why Burned Horizons isn’t an XCOM or Jagged Alliance clone[/p]
• [p]What's next[/p]
• [p]Kickstarter progress
  [/p]

[p]We’ll also answer questions live and talk candidly about where the project is right now — what’s solid, what’s still rough, and what backing the campaign actually helps us build.
[/p][hr][/hr][p] KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN[/p][p]Backing the campaign now genuinely matters. Early support directly strengthens the project — expanding development capacity, increasing visibility, and helping Burned Horizons reach the players who want tactical depth without compromise.
[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]WISHLIST/FOLLOW ON STEAM // JOIN THE DISCORD // BACK THE KICKSTARTER[/p][p]//-- REVIEWS: TURN BASED LOVERS, POPULAR AIRSOFT, GAZETTE DU WARGAMER[/p][p]
[/p]