PIXEL
Hillforts is a medieval card-based autobattler. Build an army, research technologies, upgrade your units, and siege the enemy castle!
Hillforts launched on Steam on 23 July 2026 from developer Five Head Games at $7.99 at the time of writing. The medieval card-based autobattler commits to accessible strategy design: build an army, research technologies, upgrade units through merging, and siege the enemy castle. Runs finish in 10-20 minutes, and Five Head packs 30+ playable civilizations with unique bonuses, 120+ units, and 65+ technologies into the launch content. That’s a substantial depth-to-price ratio for the indie autobattler space.
Hillforts — Key Facts
From the Steam listing: Hillforts is a medieval card-based autobattler. Build an army, research technologies, upgrade your units, and siege the enemy castle!
- Developer: Five Head Games (solo — also the publisher)
- Genres: Strategy
- Platforms: Windows, Linux
- Languages: English**languages with full audio support
- Release: Jul 22, 2026
- Price: $7.99
- Steam features: Single-player campaign, Full controller support, Steam Achievements
Hillforts — Watch the Trailer
About Hillforts: Gameplay & Details
Build an army: recruit and place units from the shop, Research technologies: upgrade your army, economy, or town, Upgrade your units: merge to discover stronger versions, Siege the enemy castle: build synergies and break through, Fast 10-20 minute runs, 30+ playable civilizations with unique bonuses, 120+ units of different types, 65+ technologies.
Hillforts — Screenshots
About Hillforts
Five Head Games positions Hillforts squarely in the autobattler tradition established by TFT and Auto Chess, but with meaningful medieval strategy differentiation. The design emphasizes three parallel progression axes: army composition through unit recruitment, economic and technological research trees, and unit upgrading through merge mechanics. Winning requires balancing all three within the 10-20 minute run pace — the same tension that made Slay the Spire’s compact runs endlessly replayable.
The medieval framing isn’t just decorative. Historical civilization variety is the sub-genre’s biggest content advantage, and Five Head leans in with 30+ civilizations each carrying unique bonuses. That gives the game meaningful long-term replay hooks: mastering different civilizations produces genuinely different strategic experiences rather than just aesthetic variety.
See the Game in Motion
Official Trailer — Credit: Five Head Games on YouTube.
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The Gameplay Systems
The autobattler core loop runs on unit purchases from the shop, placement on your board, and automated combat resolution against opponents. Where Hillforts distinguishes itself is the depth beyond that base loop. The tech tree lets you upgrade army effectiveness, economic capacity, or town infrastructure — creating meaningful build-order decisions. Unit merging discovers stronger variants, so army composition rewards long-term planning across multiple rounds. And the siege objective gives runs a clear win condition rather than pure survivor-longevity metrics.
The 120+ unit roster with 65+ technologies means synergy discovery becomes core gameplay. Certain unit combinations paired with specific tech unlocks produce dominant strategies, and the meta learning curve is exactly the kind of depth strategy players value. Five Head’s decision to ship at 30+ civilizations at launch (rather than drip-feeding them post-launch) signals confidence in the content pipeline.
Confirmed Features on Steam
- Genre: Strategy
- Player mode: Single-player
- Steam integration: Steam Achievements, Save Anytime
- Controller: Full controller support
- Accessibility: Adjustable Difficulty, Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, Mouse Only Option
System Requirements
Minimum: Windows 7 or newer · 2.5GHz or better CPU · 2 GB RAM · OpenGL 3.3 GPU
Extremely lightweight requirements. Any laptop from the last decade should run this comfortably. Ideal for Steam Deck or older hardware — a competitive advantage for reaching casual strategy audiences.
How Hillforts Compares to Autobattler Peers
The autobattler sub-genre has stabilized into a few dominant models. Teamfight Tactics leans PvP-competitive with rotating sets. Auto Chess remains the free-to-play mobile touchstone. Storybook Brawl and Backpack Battler brought indie takes with distinctive framing. Hillforts enters this space with a specific single-player-focused, historical-strategy commitment that fills a niche none of the market leaders directly serve. Players who want autobattler mechanics without competitive PvP pressure or F2P monetisation should find the design genuinely appealing.
The single-player commitment specifically matters. Autobattlers optimize for competitive matchmaking, but Hillforts commits to solo run structure — closer to Slay the Spire or Monster Train than to TFT. That reframes the design goals: mastering the game becomes about discovering strategies, not climbing leaderboards.
Why Compact Run Length Matters
The 10-20 minute run promise is a significant design commitment. Longer autobattlers (30-45 min for TFT ranked games) create engagement barriers for casual players. Compact runs invite “just one more” play patterns and fit into any schedule. Combined with 30+ civilization variety, this positions Hillforts as an ideal picked-up-and-put-down strategy experience that respects players’ time.
The Verdict on Hillforts
Yes if you love autobattlers and want a single-player take with real strategic depth. Yes if 10-20 minute runs fit your schedule better than 30+ minute competitive matches. Yes if historical/medieval strategy resonates over fantasy or sci-fi framings. Yes at this price point — $7.99 at the time of writing for 30+ civilizations and 120+ units is genuine value. Less yes if you strictly want PvP autobattler competition; this is unashamedly solo-focused. Also less yes if you dislike compact run structures and prefer longer strategic sessions. But for anyone in the autobattler-curious tier, this is an easy try-and-see recommendation.
Community meta-strategy discovery will be a leading indicator of Hillforts’ long-term reach. Games with 30+ civilizations, 120+ units, and deep synergy potential typically develop rich community guide ecosystems within weeks of launch, and that community layer becomes a significant driver of new-player retention. Watching how Five Head engages with early community strategy content, tier lists, and meta discoveries will shape how the game is perceived through late 2026 and beyond.
For accessibility, the combination of Adjustable Difficulty and Mouse Only Option makes Hillforts genuinely approachable for casual strategy players. That’s a segment often underserved by autobattlers, which typically assume comfort with the sub-genre’s mechanical vocabulary. Five Head’s decision to prioritize accessibility features signals editorial commitment to onboarding new players, not just serving genre veterans.
The 65+ technologies count is a specific content commitment worth flagging for strategy players evaluating the depth-to-price ratio at launch. Tech trees drive replayability in strategy games precisely because they enable divergent build strategies across runs. Five Head’s investment signals a design that intends to reward repeat play through discovery rather than just cosmetic variation.
— Laz
Hillforts on Steam — Search View
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For extended analytics coverage on Hillforts, the Hillforts SteamDB profile carries price history, player counts, and store analytics.
At a glance — verified Steam listing
| Developer | Five Head Games |
| Publisher | Five Head Games |
| Release date | Jul 22, 2026 |
| Price | $7.99 — verified 10 September 2026 |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux |
| Genres | Strategy |
| Steam features | Single-player, Steam Achievements, Full controller support, Custom Volume Controls, Adjustable Difficulty, Mouse Only Option |
| Languages | Englishlanguages with full audio support |
| Store screenshots | 8 |
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