IRON WAKE

A Hard Sci-Fi Capital Ship Tactical Simulator

“Space combat isn’t about dogfighting. It’s about thermodynamics, Newtonian physics, and sensor fusion.”

OVERVIEW

Command the CSN Iron Wake, a 450-meter dreadnought thrust into an unexpected war on the edge of the Outer Rim. A rogue machine intelligence known as the Automated Vanguard is consuming entire sectors, operating as a localized von Neumann cascade. You are outgunned, outnumbered, and operating far beyond your supply lines.

Iron Wake is a single-player tactical space combat simulator that strips away the "magic" of traditional space games. There are no energy shields, no speed limits in the void, and no friction. Combat is resolved over hundreds of kilometers using physical projectiles, kinetic energy, and cold math.

CORE FEATURES

• No Shields, Only Armor: Incoming kinetic and directed energy fire is mitigated by physical armor thickness, material type, and impact angle. When armor ablates to zero, your internal modules and structural frame take direct damage. Protect your broadsides and manage your aspect.
• Newtonian Flight: In the void, velocity is permanent. Thrust to 500 m/s and cut your engines, and you will drift at 500 m/s forever until counter-thrust is applied. Use the tactical autopilot to orbit targets and cross the T, or take manual override to execute emergency evasive drifts.
• Thermodynamics & Heat: Every action—firing railguns, burning the Direct Fusion Drive, or pinging active radar—generates immense heat. Retract your radiators to protect them from incoming fire, but risk catastrophic internal melting. Expose them to execute an Emergency Vent, but risk losing your cooling systems entirely.
• Sensor Fusion & EMCON: Whoever sees the enemy first wins. Burn active radar to map the battlespace, or drop into EMCON Silent running to mask your thermal and electromagnetic signature. Use Recon drones and passive triangulation to find stealth ships hiding in the dark.
• Automated Point Defense: You can't shoot down a swarm of 300 drones manually. Delegate flak batteries and pulse lasers to your automated Point Defense Systems. They calculate kinematic intercepts in real-time.
• XO Doctrine Automation: Your Executive Officer is a military-grade Logic Engine. As you salvage Vanguard data cores, you can install new Logic Strings to teach your XO how to fight. Automate damage control triage, evasive timing, and power crisis management to reduce your cognitive load during massive fleet battles.

DEVELOPMENT STATUS (WORK IN PROGRESS)

Iron Wake is currently in active development. What is currently playable is a robust combat sandbox and the framework of the campaign. The underlying physics, damage pipelines, Vanguard AI, and UI systems are heavily implemented.

Expect bugs, balance shifts, and missing assets. Future updates will introduce the procedural Scavenger Faction, complete the 11-mission campaign arc, and add further depth to fleet-scale combat.

Feedback on mechanics, UX/UI, and difficulty is highly encouraged! Join the discussion in the comments below.

HOW TO PLAY: IRON WAKE

Command Reference Guide

Iron Wake is not a traditional space shooter. You do not dogfight. You are commanding a 450-meter dreadnought governed by Newtonian physics, thermodynamics, and sensor mechanics. You must manage your crew, your heat, and your aspect.

1. NAVIGATION & THE CIC [TAB]

Space is frictionless. If you thrust to 500 m/s and cut your engines, you will drift at 500 m/s forever.

• The CIC [TAB]: Press TAB to open the Combat Information Center. This is your 2D tactical plot of the 3D battlespace.
• Helm Orders: Right-click anywhere in the CIC (or right-click a target) to issue a Helm Order. The autopilot will automatically calculate the burns required to Cross the T, pull into a Broadside, or execute an Evasive Drift.
• Emergency Override [SPACE]: Press Spacebar to kill the autopilot and take manual control. Use W/A/S/D to fire your main drive and maneuvering thrusters directly.

2. WEAPONS & TARGETING [F1]

There are no energy shields. Kinetic rounds and lasers ablate physical armor until it breaches, exposing your internal modules and structural frame.

• Designating Targets: Click a contact in the CIC or the Sensors [F2] panel to designate it.
• Firing [F1]: Open the Weapons panel to see your firing solutions. If a target is in range, in your firing arc, and has a high targeting confidence, click FIRE.
• Surgical Strikes: If you close to within 100km (Optical Range), you can right-click the enemy schematic in the CIC to target specific modules (e.g., target their Drive to cripple their mobility).
• Point Defense (PDS): You cannot manually shoot down a swarm of 300 drones. Keep your PDS set to AUTO FIRE in the Weapons panel. Your automated flak and pulse lasers will calculate kinematic intercepts for you.

3. THERMODYNAMICS [F3]

Everything you do—firing weapons, burning your drive, pinging active radar—generates immense heat.

• If your core heat exceeds 85%, the Thermal Safety Lock engages, disabling your main batteries.
• At 100%, your internal modules will begin to melt.
• Radiators: Open the Power/Heat panel [F3] to extend your radiator panels. This rapidly bleeds heat into the void, but exposes the fragile panels to enemy fire. Retract them if you are taking heavy hits.
• Emergency Vent: If you are about to cook alive, execute an Emergency Vent to dump heat instantly—but this puts the system on a 60-second cooldown.

4. SENSORS & EMCON [F2]

In the void, whoever sees the enemy first wins. Open the Sensors panel [F2] or use [N] to cycle your Emission Control (EMCON).

• ACTIVE: Radar and LIDAR are pinging. You have maximum detection range and targeting confidence, but you are a massive beacon in the dark. Everyone can see you.
• PASSIVE: Radar off. Thermal and EM receive-only. You generate far less heat and shrink your signature, but targeting relies on visual range or drone triangulation.
• SILENT: All active emissions severed. You are a hole in space. You cannot lock onto enemies, but they cannot lock onto you. Essential for stealth approaches.

5. DRONE DOCTRINE [F4]

You carry 8 Raven-class drone swarms. Use the Drones panel [F4] to deploy them.

• RECON drones expand your sensor grid.
• DEFENSE drones orbit your hull to intercept incoming missiles.
• EWAR drones jam enemy targeting sensors.
• BOMBER / ATTACK drones harass capital ships with shaped charges and kinetic penetrators.

For this early build I've included access to the debug menu by pressing "~"