Why contracts fade

A line on the battlefield looks like a simple order. In Necromancer for Hire, it also has an expiry date. Here is what that changes in a fight.

Drawing contracts · footage from the English 0.3.4 build, before 0.4.0

Draw a position, gather a squad

Hold the mouse button and draw a line. Nearby fighters of the matching role gather along it: contractors, Guards or Clerks, depending on the contract. Your stroke marks the place where you need a formation.

Shape is only part of it. A nearby line picks up local fighters; it will not summon every reserve from across the battlefield. A longer contract has more room, but costs more mana. One stroke decides where to stand, who can join and how much to spend.

A defence you have to revisit

A contract fades segment by segment. Each expired segment triggers its fighters’ order along the arrow: infantry charge, shields move their front, ranged fighters begin directed fire. The defence does not simply disappear; it turns into action in stages. Draw over the line to extend the lifetime of the segments you touch.

That creates a small decision throughout the battle: renew a familiar position, or spend the mana somewhere else? If enemies reach the Cauldron while your fighters are still up front, a closer contract or a chain of lines can help move the defence back. The cost of a mistake is visible on the battlefield.

One slingshot, three different outcomes

In version 0.4.0, releasing a formation makes the roles especially distinct. Contractors charge. Guards move as a connected front and keep their shields facing the same direction when retreating. Clerks stay at their posts and deliver a directed barrage.

The drawing is just the start of an order. Where to place a formation, where to aim it and when to release it are three separate decisions. The aiming preview and hints are there to help you read the outcome before letting go.

What we want to hear from players

This is a look at a mechanic already in the game, rather than an announcement of the next release. We want to understand when renewing lines feels like a satisfying rhythm and when it becomes busywork. After a battle, tell us: do you tend to redraw the old position or find a new one? And which order actually saved your Cauldron?

Comments will load when you scroll down to them.