Suro Senen
In the vast, interconnected landscape of digital hobbyist culture, few fan projects have captured the collective imagination quite like the concept of Total War: Redwall. While the project remains, for now, a speculative pitch—an ambitious vision housed within a Reddit thread rather than a licensed production from Creative Assembly—it has sparked a conversation about the untapped potential of Brian Jacques’ beloved Redwall universe in the realm of grand strategy gaming.
Spearheaded by Reddit user "BuildingAirships," the pitch is more than a simple "what-if" scenario; it is a meticulously detailed design document that proposes blending the brutal, sweeping tactical warfare of the Total War series with the cozy, culinary, and deeply atmospheric world of Mossflower Woods.
The Genesis of a Digital Mossflower
The concept first gained traction several months ago when BuildingAirships published a comprehensive pitch deck. Utilizing iconic imagery from the original novel covers and contemporary illustrations by Christopher Denise—known for his work on The Great Redwall Feast and The Redwall Cookbook—the pitch immediately resonated with a community hungry for a fresh take on the fantasy strategy genre.
The core of the proposal involves mapping the diverse species of the Redwall saga onto the traditional faction-based structure of Total War. Rather than standard human infantry, players would command disciplined Hares of the Long Patrol, sturdy Moles capable of subterranean sapping, and the seafaring vermin of the high seas. The design doc suggests a focus on specialized terrain abilities, moving away from generic unit bonuses to favor geography-based tactics, such as pikes blocking river crossings or specialized siege units utilizing Abbey-inspired fortifications.
A Culinary Strategy: The "Feast" Mechanic
The most recent and perhaps most intriguing expansion to this pitch involves the introduction of a sophisticated cooking and feasting system. In most grand strategy games, players concern themselves with the stockpiling of gold, iron, and timber. BuildingAirships, however, suggests a more thematic approach: resource management tied to the bounty of the land.
Under this proposed system, victory hinges on the strategic management of roots, greens, grains, fruits, nuts, and wild game. The "Feast" mechanic is designed to be a game-changer; players would gather specific ingredients to prepare legendary meals like the "Deeper ‘n Ever Turnip ‘n Tater ‘n Beetroot Pie." Such a dish would provide tangible gameplay benefits—such as boosted unit health, improved armor, or temporary increases in charge defense—effectively turning the kitchen into a tactical command center.
This focus on foraging and seasonal resource management offers a refreshing departure from the grim-dark, gold-hoarding economies typical of the genre. It promises a gameplay loop that educates players on the pastoral elegance of the source material while rewarding those who master the delicate balance of seasonal harvests and regional trade.
Chronology of the Fan-Driven Movement
The journey of Total War: Redwall is part of a larger, long-standing trend of fans attempting to bridge the gap between their favorite intellectual properties and the robust engines of professional strategy games.
- The Modding Roots: Before this current pitch, the Redwall community expressed its dedication through projects like Mossflower TW, a mod for Medieval II: Total War. These early efforts demonstrated that the community possessed the technical skill to transpose the world of Jacques’ novels into existing game frameworks.
- The Pitch Deck Era: With the rise of high-quality digital design tools, fans have shifted from simple mods to high-concept, professional-looking pitch decks. BuildingAirships’ proposal represents the pinnacle of this shift, utilizing professional-grade art and structured game design to present a "case for production."
- The Community Response: The proposal has triggered thousands of interactions across social media, signaling a robust market demand. Fans have spent months debating the logistics of "shrew infantry" versus "rat mercenary companies," turning a fan-made document into a collaborative sandbox of ideas.
Bridging the Gap: RPG Elements and Hero Units
Beyond the battlefield, the proposed design incorporates elements of role-playing games, drawing inspiration from the Heroes of Might and Magic series. BuildingAirships envisions a campaign map filled with environmental storytelling: riddles to solve, prophecies to unravel, and hero characters to recruit.
The inclusion of iconic figures like Mariel Gullwhacker—the bellmaker’s daughter who famously utilized a knotted rope to defeat seafaring invaders—would provide a narrative backbone to the campaign. These heroes would not merely be high-stat units; they would function as quest-givers and focal points for army-wide morale bonuses, reflecting the mythic status they hold within the books.
The Search for a Definitive Redwall Experience
Despite the enduring popularity of the series, the history of Redwall in gaming is checkered. While titles like the recent Redwall: The Warrior Reborn have attempted to capture the spirit of the Abbey, there has yet to be a flagship title that truly realizes the scale and gravitas of the novels.
Many critics and fans alike often point to Ghost of a Tale as the "next best thing." While it shares a whimsical, animal-centric fantasy aesthetic and a focus on stealth and exploration, it remains a distinct entity. The Total War pitch fills a specific void: the need for a game that respects the grand, militaristic scale of the later Redwall books—the sieges of Redwall Abbey, the epic marches of the Long Patrol, and the naval conflicts against invading corsairs.
Implications for Creative Assembly and Independent Development
The existence of such a passionate, well-researched pitch poses a question to the industry: Is there a path forward for niche, lore-heavy strategy games?
Creative Assembly, the studio behind Total War, is currently occupied with a variety of historical and fantasy titles. However, the success of their Total War: Warhammer series proves that they are more than capable of handling high-fantasy intellectual properties. A Redwall partnership could offer a unique opportunity to tap into a nostalgic, dedicated fanbase while exploring mechanics—such as the cooking system—that differentiate it from their current portfolio.
Alternatively, the project highlights the feasibility of independent development. If the "Total War" label is too restrictive or commercially complex to secure, the mechanics described in the pitch—resource-based cooking, seasonal strategy, and tactical creature-combat—could form the foundation for an original independent strategy game. The success of titles like Tooth and Tail or Endzone demonstrates that there is a hunger for unconventional RTS mechanics.
Conclusion: A Feast of Possibilities
Whether or not Total War: Redwall ever transitions from a Reddit pitch to a playable product, its impact is undeniable. It serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of Brian Jacques’ world and the creative agency of modern gaming communities.
The proposal reminds us that grand strategy games do not always have to be about the cold, industrial grind of empires. They can be about community, the rhythm of the seasons, and the importance of a well-prepared feast on the eve of a great battle. Until a major studio takes the leap, the dream of patrolling the ramparts of Redwall Abbey will continue to live on in the digital imagination of its fans—fueled by the hope that one day, the call to arms will be heard throughout the halls of the Abbey.
Asro
Laily UPN
