Recent content on Annhexation
Animation for science victory Animation for nuclear attacks Fixed an issue where the AI would stack units in some situations Fixed an issue where combat highlights would be shown when not valid - generally involving naval units Tightened AI for naval units to prevent “milling around”
Tile buying for players (this got missed from the previous update) Significant improvements to the hard and deity variants of the AI
Firstly apology for the absence - I was on holiday and then sick for a couple of weeks which combined meant a good time away from the keyboard. However… lots of progress has been made and I’ve pushed out a big update today that includes: Tips / game guidance present themselves on a players first game Production queues for cities Player can now buy tiles around a city once…
Tips / game guidance present themselves on a players first game Production queues for cities Player can now buy tiles around a city once they’ve researched currency Automated workers Improved visibility of empire borders Reworked UI styling (Optional) anti-aliasing Many AI improvements particularly to the late game Multiplayer support
I quietly slipped the game into early access about a week or so ago - no fanfare just wanted some early feedback on the basics. Which I got - thank you to those who got in touch. Since then I’ve maintained a pretty steady release cadence - I went live with v0.16.0 and I’ve just pushed out v0.19.0. I create a release note each time and you can find them here . I’ve made some…
Active unit list grouped by location City management screen now, optionally, closes on build select Added some personality into the diplomacy system Fix for highlighting of combat targets when melee units are fortified Fix for the AI oscillating units that it wants to upgrade but can’t move to a good location
Option to hide obsolete units from the production queue AI can now utilise air power Added aircraft carrier - high defence, limited offence, can house 3 planes Improved interception of air attacks - can now choose what units to use to defend against an attack Fixed various issues around player control of air units Fixed an issue that could cause the AI to remain fixated on an essentially defeated…
Gamepad support Propose peace options in diplomacy systems Simplified research tree view Movement highlights now exclude enemy territory when not at war (engine previously blocked moves but the UI would indicate they were possible) Added a “moving dots” approach to showing the path for a unit Multi-turn movement is now more obvious (it was hidden behind a right click which also…
Initial early access release. Most game systems are in place. Still in progress: Late game AI is incomplete - notably air combat and nuclear usage Player initiated diplomacy is partially implemented Some minor graphical glitches The research tree isn’t clearly organised yet No in game tutorial yet - the Annhexopedia contains gameplay details, and if you’re familiar with the genre it…
Quick update on early access - its going to be delayed another couple of days I’m afraid. No great drama behind this but the Steam store page is still in review (second pass after I made a bit of a beginners error on the first submission) and I don’t want to release the game until people can add it to their wishlists. In the interim… here’s a screenshot of the ownership…
I love my Steam Deck. In many ways it got me back into PC gaming - well that and the constant shenanigans of the console platform owners. I did game on my Mac but the selection of games is somewhat limited in comparison. My current game of choice is Vampire Crawlers - a super addictive deck building / dungeon crawler game. Recommended! But back to Annhexation. I’d really like this to be…
Update: I’m pushing the early access date to Tuesday 26th - I’ve not been that well the last few days and as a result I’ve not managed to clear off some important tasks (things like the Steam store page, final play testing). Sorry about that. I’m aiming to launch Annhexation into early access in the next few days - on Friday 22nd May to be precise. What a journey.…
I suspect I’m like many historical 4X players in that I often want to play on a particular type of map, be that mountainous, islands, a desert etc. etc. On the other hand sometimes I just want to launch into a game. That being the case I’ve made sure that Annhexation both lets you get into a game quickly with a bunch of presets but also that it has a comprehensive set of controls over…
There are obviously super strong opinions around the use of AI in game development and so I want to be transparent about how and for what I have used AI during the development of Annhexation. I also wanted to speak a bit to the Stop Killing Games initiative because thats something I’m super supportive of. So AI and Annhexation. Its pretty simple really: I’ve used AI for two very…
This policy explains what data Annhexation collects and what happens to it. The short version: as little as possible. Who’s Responsible Annhexation is made by James Randall, an individual based in the United Kingdom. I am the data controller for the limited personal data described below. Contact: contact@annhexation.com What I Collect Your email address When you create an account, I store…
These terms govern your use of Annhexation (“the Game”), made by James Randall. By playing the Game, you agree to these terms. If you don’t agree, please don’t play. 1. The Game Annhexation is a hex-based 4X strategy game. The browser version is free to play. A paid version may be available on Steam, the iPad App Store, or other platforms; those platforms’ own terms…
I’ve spent the last week or so mostly on the AI systems and its starting to play an OK game. It was functional previously but got stuck in various edge cases and rarely did interesting things. I expect to be spending more time on this in the coming weeks both from my own observations while playing and, hopefully, from others too. I’ve also made a bunch of gameplay changes. The early…
Never quite sure how to introduce a new project or product but I figure I’ll just dive into it with the what and why. Annhexation is a historical 4X strategy game that is designed to be complex enough to have interesting choices but simple enough that you can hold it in your head and complete a game in an evening. A simple, complete game. Buy it. Play it. Done. I think the 4X genre has lost…
Airport “The air above us is not empty space. It is a highway.” The Airport is a modern military and logistical facility featuring runways, hangars, control towers, and maintenance bays capable of supporting fixed-wing aircraft. With an Airport, a city gains the ability to base air units – fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft – projecting military power across…
Anti-Aircraft Battery “If it flies, it dies.” The Anti-Aircraft Battery is a dedicated air defence installation, bristling with rapid-fire guns and tracking equipment designed to engage and destroy enemy aircraft attacking the city. Positioned at strategic points around the urban perimeter, these weapons create a lethal umbrella of defensive fire that forces enemy pilots to think twice…
Aqueduct “Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo da Vinci The Aqueduct is a feat of civil engineering that channels fresh water from distant sources into the heart of a city. Through carefully graded channels, tunnels, and elevated stone arcades, clean water flows reliably to public fountains, baths, and private homes. With abundant fresh water secured, a city can…
Bank “Money is the best diplomat.” The Bank is a sophisticated financial institution that manages deposits, extends credit, and facilitates the flow of capital throughout a city’s economy. By pooling the wealth of merchants, landowners, and the state itself, Banks amplify the productive power of gold and generate substantial revenue for the treasury. A city with a Bank becomes a…
Barracks “Sweat in training saves blood in battle.” The Barracks is a military installation dedicated to the training and drilling of new recruits. Within its grounds, raw conscripts are transformed into disciplined soldiers through rigorous exercise, weapons practice, and tactical instruction. Cities with Barracks produce units that enter service with hard-won experience their…
Cathedral “Let this house of God stand as a testament to what mortals can achieve when they reach for the divine.” The Cathedral is a magnificent architectural achievement, a towering edifice of stone, glass, and devotion that dominates a city’s skyline. Far more than a place of worship, the Cathedral is a cultural landmark that inspires artists, attracts pilgrims, and projects…
Factory “The age of muscle is over. The age of the machine has begun.” The Factory is a sprawling industrial complex where mechanised production replaces manual labour, dramatically increasing a city’s manufacturing output. Steam-driven machinery, assembly processes, and organised labour combine to produce goods at a pace that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations.…
Granary “A full storehouse is worth more than a full armoury.” The Granary is one of the earliest and most important structures a growing civilisation can build. By providing organised storage for harvested grain, a Granary shields a city’s food supply from spoilage, pests, and the unpredictable swings of seasonal weather. With a reliable food surplus secured, population growth…
Harbour “The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the globe. Its breath is pure and healthy.” – Jules Verne The Harbour is a developed port facility that transforms a coastal city into a maritime trading hub. Wharves, warehouses, docks, and chandleries line the waterfront, accommodating merchant vessels from near and far. Fishermen bring in their catches, traders unload…
Library “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero The Library is a centre of learning and scholarship, housing collected texts, scrolls, and the accumulated knowledge of a civilisation. Scribes, scholars, and curious citizens alike gather within its walls to study, debate, and advance the frontiers of understanding. A city with a Library…
Marketplace “Where merchants gather, gold follows.” The Marketplace is a bustling commercial district where goods change hands, prices are set, and the economic pulse of a city beats strongest. Stalls, shops, and trading houses fill its streets, attracting merchants from across the region and channelling wealth into the city’s coffers. A well-run Marketplace transforms a modest…
Palace “From this seat we shall govern all that lies before us – and all that lies beyond.” The Palace is the administrative heart of an empire, the seat from which a ruler commands their civilisation’s destiny. Every empire begins with a Palace in its capital, a symbol of sovereignty and centralised authority. Should the capital fall to an enemy, the machinery of…
Temple “We build temples not because the gods need them, but because we do.” The Temple is a sacred space dedicated to worship, ritual, and the spiritual life of a city’s inhabitants. Whether honouring a pantheon of gods, venerating ancestors, or contemplating philosophical truths, the Temple serves as a cultural anchor that binds a community together through shared belief and…
University “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle The University is an institution of higher learning where the brightest minds of a civilisation gather to push the boundaries of human knowledge. Theologians, natural philosophers, mathematicians, and scholars of every discipline engage in structured study, debate, and experimentation. A…
Walls “Let them come. Stone does not flinch.” Walls are massive fortifications encircling a city, transforming it from a vulnerable settlement into a defensible stronghold. Thick stone ramparts, watchtowers, and reinforced gates force attackers to commit vastly greater resources to any siege, buying precious time for defenders and deterring all but the most determined aggressors. Stats…
Watermill “The river works so that we do not have to.” The Watermill harnesses the relentless energy of flowing water to grind grain, saw timber, and power bellows and hammers. A marvel of mechanical engineering, the waterwheel converts the river’s current into rotational force, multiplying the productive labour of an entire city. Where a Watermill turns, food is processed faster…
Workshop “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” – Archimedes The Workshop is a centre of skilled craftsmanship and industrial ingenuity, where artisans, smiths, and engineers labour to produce goods with greater speed and efficiency. Forges roar, hammers ring, and the raw materials of the land are shaped into finished…
Aztecs “Where the eagle stands upon the cactus, devouring the serpent, there shall your city rise.” – Huitzilopochtli, prophecy of the founding of Tenochtitlan The Aztec Empire rose from the marshes of Lake Texcoco to dominate Mesoamerica through a combination of military skill, sophisticated statecraft, and remarkable engineering. In barely two centuries, the Mexica people…
Egypt “I will not be triumphed over.” – Cleopatra Egypt, the gift of the Nile, was one of the earliest and most enduring civilisations in human history. For over three millennia, Egyptian pharaohs raised monuments of staggering ambition – pyramids, temples, and colossal statues that still inspire awe today. Under Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemaic rulers, Egypt played a…
England “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.” – Elizabeth I England rose from a rain-swept island on the edge of Europe to command the largest maritime empire in history. Through naval supremacy, shrewd diplomacy, and commercial enterprise – and at considerable cost to the peoples and…
France “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.” – Napoleon Bonaparte France has been at the heart of European civilisation for over a millennium, a nation of philosophers, artists, and soldiers. From the medieval splendour of its cathedrals to the revolutionary ideals of liberty and reason, France has shaped the course of Western history. Under…
Greece “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” – Alexander the Great Ancient Greece was the crucible of Western thought, art, and warfare. From the disciplined phalanxes of Sparta to the philosophical academies of Athens, Greek city-states produced innovations that would echo through millennia. Under Alexander the Great, Greek culture and military power swept across…
Mongolia “Conquering the world on horseback is easy; it is dismounting and governing that is hard.” – attributed to Genghis Khan The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in history, forged by the genius of Genghis Khan and sustained by the finest cavalry the world has ever known. From the vast steppes of Central Asia, Mongol horsemen swept across continents,…
Rome “I came, I saw, I conquered.” – Julius Caesar The Roman Empire stands as one of history’s greatest civilisations, renowned for its military discipline, monumental engineering, and an unrivalled network of roads that bound a vast empire together. From a small city on the Tiber, Rome grew to dominate the Mediterranean world and beyond, leaving a legacy that shapes…
Russia “I shall be an autocrat: that is my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that is His.” – Catherine the Great Russia is a civilisation shaped by vastness itself – an empire stretching across eleven time zones, from the Baltic to the Pacific. Forged in the crucible of Mongol domination and tempered by centuries of harsh climate and foreign invasion, Russia learned…
Democracy “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” – Winston Churchill The ultimate expression of popular sovereignty, democracy places power squarely in the hands of the citizenry. Free elections, protected liberties, and the rule of law create an environment where commerce and innovation flourish to an extraordinary degree. The democratic state is…
Despotism “The state is myself.” – attributed to Louis XIV Every civilization begins under the iron grip of a single ruler whose word is law. Despotism is the crude but effective default form of government – a strongman at the top, a handful of loyal enforcers beneath, and everyone else toiling in the fields. It requires no great philosophical tradition to implement, only…
Monarchy “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” – William Shakespeare, Henry IV Part 2 Where despotism relies on brute force and personal charisma, monarchy wraps authoritarian rule in the robes of legitimacy. A monarch reigns by divine right, hereditary succession, or ancient tradition – and that legitimacy buys something raw power cannot: the willing service of a…
Republic “The good of the people is the supreme law.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero When power is shared among elected representatives rather than concentrated in a single pair of hands, something remarkable happens: ideas begin to flow more freely. A republic channels the ambitions of its citizens away from court intrigue and toward civic contribution. Scholars debate openly,…
Air Combat “He who controls the skies controls the battlefield.” Air power arrives in the late game with the research of Flight and Advanced Flight, introducing a new dimension to warfare. Fighters and Bombers operate differently from land and naval units – they are based at cities rather than positioned on the map, project force at long range, and are countered by a dedicated…
Cities “A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one.” – Aristotle Cities are the engines of your civilisation. They produce food to grow, hammers to build, gold to fund your empire, and research to advance through the ages. Every unit, building, wonder, and spaceship part is produced in a city. Mastering city placement, growth, and management is the single most…
Combat “In war, the moral is to the physical as three to one.” Combat in Annhexation is resolved through a deterministic formula that weighs attack and defence strength, modified by terrain, fortifications, promotions, civilisation bonuses, and unit health. Understanding these mechanics is essential for winning battles efficiently and minimising losses. Attack Types There are two…