Since day one, Sylvan Tactics has been about doing more with less. A single chess board. A handful of familiar pieces. One custom deck of cards. From those simple ingredients, we've been crafting a deep and strategic woodland battle.
Now we're excited to announce that a fully custom, standalone digital version of Sylvan Tactics is in development for PC, with plans to launch on Steam. This version will take the core concepts of the game and enhance them with all the power and polish a digital platform can offer. It's still the same idea at heart, but this time the rules can come to life around you.
What Makes the Digital Version Different?
In the physical version, players track things like Sigil usage, move and attack limits, and card costs by hand. In the digital version, the system handles all of that automatically, letting players focus entirely on tactics and strategy without any mental overhead.
Some of the new features include:
On-board overlays for Strength values, ability previews, valid moves, and attack ranges
Icons showing which pieces have moved, invoked, or are wounded
Cards in your hand automatically gray out if you don't have enough Sigils to play them
Hovering over a piece reveals its art, stats, and ability text
Auto-refreshing of Sigils and units at the start of each turn
Streamlined deployment of Pawns and the Queen as hand cards based on current game state
Auto-invoking Sigils when playing cards, making moves, or declaring attacks
All the strategic decisions remain intact. The digital version simply makes them easier to see, manage, and act on.
Designed to Teach and Invite
We know most people haven’t played Sylvan Tactics yet. That’s why we’re building the digital version to be an approachable and intuitive entry point. With clear prompts, smart visual feedback, and elegant automation, it lowers the learning curve and keeps games moving at a satisfying pace.
And we’re not stopping there.
An early screenshot of the Tabletopia version of Sylvan Tactics.
We also plan to release versions of the game on Tabletopia and Tabletop Simulator. These platforms are great for remote playtesting and community games, but they come with limitations. They can’t support the same level of automation or customization as a fully coded experience. The Steam version, on the other hand, lets us bring the game’s design philosophy to life in full detail.
A Free Gateway to the Sylvan World
To encourage more people to discover the world of Sylvan Tactics, we’re making the base digital version completely free to play. That means all 86 core cards will be available at no cost on every platform we release on.
Why free? Because every digital version of Sylvan Tactics is ultimately designed to funnel players into the world of the game, building community and interest ahead of our upcoming Kickstarter for the physical version.
That physical version is our passion and our primary focus. It’s the version that can sit on your shelf, be played across a chessboard with a friend, and become a part of your regular game night lineup. The digital versions are a bridge to help more players reach that experience.
Room to Grow
If the digital version finds a wide audience, we’re open to exploring future paid expansions, including new cards, factions, or game modes that continue to build on the foundation we’ve created. But the core experience will always be free and focused on welcoming players into the Sylvan Tactics community.
We can't wait to share more. Follow along for updates, previews, and development news on Instagram, Bluesky, or join our Discord:
Come explore the forest. Whether on your table or your screen, Sylvan Tactics is just getting started.