Vexillord is a strategy indie RPG auto-battler on PC in which players manage a mercenary company through preparation and positioning rather than direct combat. The core loop centers on hiring soldiers, equipping them, and arranging formations before battles unfold automatically. Each mercenary functions as an individual character complete with equipment slots, a personal skill tree, and a distinct identity that carries through the campaign.
Gameplay
Preparation happens in the den between fights. Silver earned from victories funds purchases from merchants, while the blacksmith handles repairs and upgrades to worn gear. New recruits join at the sanctuary, where soldiers train using souls collected from defeated enemies. The company returns stronger after successful outings, but defeats carry permanent consequences as fallen members may not return.
Once combat begins, control shifts entirely to the mercenaries. Guardians draw attention with shields, flankers target ranged threats, and rearguard units provide support fire. Energy builds during the fight to trigger weapon specials such as arrow fans, freezing novas, or rings of fire. Survivors can be repositioned between enemy waves, and a single banner charge revives the full company if it falls completely during a battle.
Equipment plays a central role with twelve slots per mercenary across three classes, four races, and three battle postures. Loot drops with varying levels and rarities, and gear degrades over time until restored at the blacksmith. Thirty-eight weapon specials and twenty-one rings add passive and active powers that shape each soldier's role in the formation.
Game Modes
The main structure involves conquering two separate kingdoms, one ruled by an Orc King and the other by a Demon King. These campaigns encompass more than one hundred fifty battles spread across seventeen distinct terrain types. Each kingdom presents its own sequence of encounters that test different formation strategies against varied enemy compositions.
Battles remain fully automatic after the initial setup of team composition and positioning. More than sixty enemy types appear throughout the campaigns, ranging from basic goblin skirmishers to organized legions from hell. The automatic nature means success depends on pre-battle decisions about gear, skills, and placement rather than real-time commands.
Progression and Customization
Every mercenary carries forward personal development through skill trees and equipment upgrades. The three classes and four races combine with battle postures to create diverse roles within the company. Permadeath on defeat reinforces the weight of each loss, as the company retains memory of those who fall and cannot always replace them immediately.
Between the two kingdom campaigns, players manage resources carefully to maintain and expand the roster. Training at the sanctuary uses reaped souls to improve existing soldiers, while merchants and the blacksmith provide avenues for acquiring and maintaining superior gear. This cycle of preparation, battle, and recovery forms the consistent loop across all encounters.
Is It Worth Playing?
Vexillord suits players who prefer deliberate planning and roster management over moment-to-moment action. The automatic battles reward thoughtful formations and equipment choices, while the permadeath system and kingdom campaigns add long-term stakes to decisions made in the den. Those drawn to indie strategy titles with RPG depth in character progression will find a focused experience built around hiring, gearing, and positioning a memorable company of mercenaries. The game runs on PC and emphasizes single-player progression without additional modes beyond the core campaigns.
