PREVIEW – The new tactics game Warhounds is openly aiming to fill the gap where the next Jagged Alliance should be, and to do that, it takes a more thoughtful approach to accuracy and how RNG works. Inspired in part by XCOM, the turn-based Warhounds calculates every single projectile separately so that “safe shots” truly do not exist.

“If nobody is making the next Jagged Alliance, we’ll make it ourselves.” That short but very telling opening line sums up what Warhounds is all about, the new turn-based tactics game from Everplay DMCC. Following in the footsteps of Firaxis‘ classic and the other fan-favorite strategy series, Jagged Alliance, the game puts us in command of “an elite mercenary squad with an old-school action vibe,” and it specifically emphasizes that there is no “fake RNG” running in the background. According to the developers, “this is not about rolling dice, it’s about owning your decisions,” and they back that up with several concrete examples to show how the game differs from its spiritual predecessors.

Hit chance and the way RNG works have long been among the most debated elements in XCOM and similar games. We have all been in that frustrating situation where you swing around a corner trying to flank a Chryssalid threat, only for your shotgun to somehow miss completely from just a few steps away. It is infuriating every time, and even more annoying when you find out that on lower difficulties the game secretly boosts your odds in the background compared to the values shown on screen. Warhounds, by contrast, promises “no random close-range misses, no hidden percentages.”

Hits Land, but Damage Can Still Surprise You

That said, this does not mean every single projectile is guaranteed to hit its target. According to Everplay DMCC, the system resolves each shot in a burst individually, and applies progressively increasing accuracy penalties to shots after the first.

For example, if you have a clear line of sight to a target, the hit chances on a three-round attack are 100%, 90%, and 80%, respectively. The uncertainty shows up in damage, because hits deal a random amount within a known range. The starter rifle, for example, deals 1-2 damage per shot, so if all three shots connect, total damage can land anywhere between 3 and 6 points.

Critical hits and grazing hits also factor into the system. If the target is out of cover and within your weapon’s effective range, there is a strong chance of landing a critical hit, which “adds bonus damage on top of the weapon’s base damage.” If, however, the target is behind heavy cover, even a successful hit may end up being only a grazing hit, dealing the minimum possible damage.

And what happens to the shots that miss? The developer makes a point of this: “if a bullet misses the target, it does not disappear.” It continues along its trajectory, can blow up a barrel, hit another enemy, or even strike an ally standing in the line of fire. In plain English, it is absolutely worth checking your angles before every attack. As they put it: “In Warhounds, there are no safe shots. Only decisions, and their consequences.”

The studio says an average mission can last 25-40 minutes, but by lowering the difficulty you can opt for a calmer, more comfortable experience, or crank it up if you want to dive into “brutal tactical hell.” The class roster includes the usual staples such as assault, specialist, sniper, machine gunner, and grenadier, but you can also combine them and build out your ideal squad with different pieces of equipment.

It’s Not Just About Shooting, It’s About Running the Operation

As you would expect from a strong XCOM successor, there is also a base you return to between missions. This is where you can build out all the core tools and logistics, from research stations to medical bays. Full squad management happens here too: recruitment, upgrades, and buying new equipment. After that comes intel gathering and choosing your next objective – but it is worth keeping in mind that your decisions can change both the allies available to you and the missions that appear.

“If nobody is making XCOM 3, we’ll make it ourselves.” That short introductory line captures the core concept behind Warhounds, Everplay DMCC‘s new turn-based tactics game. Built on inspiration from Firaxis‘ genre-defining title and the strategy community’s other major favorite, Jagged Alliance, the game puts you in charge of “an elite mercenary squad with an old-school action vibe,” while the developers stress that there is no “fake RNG” in the background. In their words, “this is not about rolling dice, it’s about owning your decisions,” and they illustrate that with concrete examples showing how the game differs from its spiritual predecessors.

Hit chance and RNG have been one of the most frequently discussed features of XCOM and related games for a long time. We all know the situation: you swing out from behind a corner to flank a Chryssalid threat, and then the shotgun somehow completely misses from just a few meters away. It hurts every time, and it gets even more frustrating when you learn that on lower difficulty levels the game secretly improves your odds behind the scenes compared to the displayed values. Warhounds, on the other hand, claims there are “no random close-range misses, no hidden percentages.”

Here, Even a Miss Doesn’t Vanish Without a Trace

That still does not mean every bullet will definitely hit. According to Everplay DMCC, the system evaluates every individual shot within a burst separately, and calculates with progressively worsening accuracy after the first shot. For example, if line of sight to the target is guaranteed, the hit chance for a three-round attack is 100%, 90%, and 80% in order. Damage remains the variable factor, because hits deal random values within a known range. The starter rifle, for example, deals 1-2 damage per shot, so three successful hits can add up to a total of 3-6 damage.

Critical hits and grazing hits are part of the calculation as well. When the target is out of cover and stays within the weapon’s effective range, there is a strong chance of scoring a critical hit, which “adds extra damage on top of the weapon’s base damage.” By contrast, if the target is behind heavy cover, even a successful hit may count only as a grazing hit, which deals minimum damage.

And what about the shots that do not hit? “If a bullet misses the target, it does not disappear,” the developer notes. “It keeps flying along its trajectory, can explode a barrel, hit another enemy, or even hit an ally standing in the line of fire.” In other words, it is genuinely worth checking your firing angles before every single attack. “In Warhounds, there are no safe shots. Only decisions, and their consequences.”

The studio says average missions run between 25 and 40 minutes, while still letting you lower the difficulty for a more relaxed play session, or raise it if you want to throw yourself into “brutal tactical hell.” The class lineup here also includes familiar roles such as assault, specialist, sniper, machine gunner, and grenadier, but you can mix and match them and complement them with different gear to build the squad that fits your style.

Base Building, Recruitment, Decisions – and Everything Has a Price

As you would expect from a solid XCOM heir, there is also a central base to return to between missions. This is where you build out essential tools and logistics, from research stations to medical bays. You can also manage your entire roster here: recruitment, upgrades, and acquiring new equipment. Then you gather intel and decide where to go next – but do not forget that your choices can change a lot, from which allies are available to which missions appear. Warhounds launches on Steam in 2026. If you want a chance to take part in future events, you can already request access to the playtest group.

Everplay DMCC adds, however, that while it is finishing the “more than 100 hand-drawn portraits” being made for the characters, the playtest and demo versions of Warhounds currently use AI-generated temporary artwork. The studio says these will be fully replaced as soon as possible, and also emphasizes that “no other part of the game – including code, 3D models, writing, dialogue, and voice acting – uses AI in any form.”

Everplay DMCC adds, however, that while it is finishing the “more than 100 hand-drawn portraits” being made for the characters, the playtest and demo versions of Warhounds currently use AI-generated temporary artwork. The studio says these will be fully replaced as soon as possible, and also emphasizes that “no other part of the game – including code, 3D models, writing, dialogue, and voice acting – uses AI in any form.”

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”-