MENACE is a turn-based tactical RPG from the developers of Battle Brothers, set in the Wayback system, an isolated stretch of space cut off from the Core Worlds where pirate warlords, questionable corporations and fractured planetary governments struggle for control. You command a Republic Marine Corps strike force dispatched aboard the strike cruiser TCRN Impetus on what was supposed to be a simple pacification mission, but something has gone wrong. A strange new threat has begun to emerge, communications with the Core Worlds have been severed, and you sit at the top of the chain of command with only marines, mercenaries and criminals looking to you for answers.
The campaign unfolds across an entire system of planets. As distress calls roll in you decide which to respond to, what resources to commit and when to engage based on your readiness. Each operation branches across multiple missions on entire worlds, forcing strategic choices before a single shot is fired. Take out enemy air defenses to land your tanks, or press directly into hostile territory to rescue hostages and win local trust. These decisions ripple outward, shaping how factions view your presence and what favors they offer in return. Prioritize arms dealers for better battlefield equipment or court the shipwrights for orbital support upgrades from the Impetus, which doubles as your mobile headquarters and a place for much needed rest between engagements.
Without access to the standard naval arsenal, equipment comes from black market dealers and the spoils of war. Jerry rigged pirate war machines sit alongside refined mercenary arms, and every engagement is an opportunity to acquire new gear. Infantry squads swap armor to balance protection against utility, equipping accessories ranging from drones to grenades to target designators. Weapons span flamethrowers, sniper rifles and EMP cannons, each with distinct advantages at different ranges. Vehicles add another layer, from troop carriers and MLRS platforms to lumbering tanks and nimble walkers that rotate freely to track fast moving threats. Designated pilots bring these machines to the battlefield at high cost, forcing hard trade offs between vehicle firepower and infantry loadouts.
Battles themselves are deadly and permanent. Under hail of bullets, plasma bolts and missile fire, squad leaders and their squads can be lost for good. Weather conditions shift across diverse biomes, cover can be destroyed, and suppression mechanics mean every round landing near a squad pins them down whether they were the intended target or not. Flanking maneuvers, pincer attacks and suppressing fire all matter, but human foes are only part of the equation. Something alien has taken hold in the recesses of the system, and its methods are unpredictable. The characters who surround you carry their own weight into this chaos. Pike is the model marine, loyal and unwavering. Rewa carries the trauma of past scars with violent rage simmering beneath the surface. Lim distrusts anyone outside the Marines but owes Pike a debt that keeps him in line. Holding this fractured strike force together while an entire system falls apart demands more than tactical prowess alone.