At The Gates: new turn-based strategy from the lead designer of Civilization V

Jon Shafer, lead designer of Civilization V, has taken to Kickstarter to fund his new turn-based strategy project At the Gates. Set during the final days of the Roman Empire, you play as an emerging barbarian kingdom seeking to fill the resulting power vacuum.

The team are hoping to raise $40,000 to finish development of their ambitious game. It's impressively detailed, featuring randomly generated dynamic maps that shift as the seasons change - freezing rivers and drying marshes.

It also sounds as if there'll be a heavy focus on supply lines and resources, giving combat a depth beyond "have more units to win". This means you can circumvent an opponents largest armies, concentrating on cutting their supply lines and forcing them to withdraw or starve.

You can see a more in-depth look at the game's progress in the 15 minute prototype tour below.

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.