Sandwalkers

Every decade, the Mka tribe sends a caravan into the Phithi, a zone wracked by extreme weather. Their mission is to open trade routes, scout new land, and plant a tree city that can shelter people from the storms outside. Players guide their own caravan on this journey, recruiting specialists such as an archaeologist for exploration or a hunter for tracking creatures. The caravan moves across a hex grid where acid rain, heat waves and other weather events change how far units can travel and how battles play out. Combat is tactical and turn-based, pitting the caravan against pirates, hostile wildlife and other threats encountered along the route. A hope mechanic tracks the caravaneers' collective morale and belief in the mission, acting as a buffer against the physical toll of the environment. Because permadeath ends each run, the caravan's collected knowledge is carried back to the capital by messenger beetles before the run closes. This lets the next caravan start with lessons the last one learned. The overarching goal is to reach and revive the Mother Tree Umama and restore balance to a broken climate, with player choices branching into consequences that shape later expeditions.

KEY FEATURES

• Turn-Based Hex Combat - Fights pirates, wildlife and other threats on a hex grid where weather changes movement and outcomes.
• Caravan Recruitment - Assembles a team of specialists, including archaeologists and hunters, each with distinct exploration abilities.
• Hope Mechanic - Tracks the caravan's collective morale as a buffer against the harsh effects of the environment.
• Knowledge Transfer - Passes lessons from a fallen caravan to the next expedition despite permadeath ending each run.
• Dynamic Weather - Introduces acid rain, heat waves and other conditions that alter movement and combat mid-run.