Project Balor: The Tactical Skirmish TTRPG

Project Balor

In Project Balor, players become members of an elite multinational task force operating in the shadows of a rapidly changing world. Every mission is part of a larger war; one fought with cutting-edge technology, autonomous systems and intelligence networks as much as bullets and explosives.

Your squad will deploy across the globe to tackle dangerous objectives, gather critical intelligence and disrupt threats before they can gain momentum. Between missions, you'll develop your operators, unlock new equipment and decide how your organization responds to an increasingly unpredictable world.

No two campaigns unfold exactly the same way. The threats evolve, the battlefield changes, and every success or failure can shape what comes next.

What is in the Balor Book?

• 150+ page book, with concise rules and all players and gamemasters need; including randomised tables for building games on the fly.
• 9+ Loadouts, each with unique active and passive abilities.
• 25 Weapons, including Heavy weapons and Commando Knifes.
• 10 Attachments to make your weapon play and feel unique.
• 10 Lethal and Tactical equipment to adapt to your playstyle.
• Campaign rules for ongoing games.
• PVP rules for two teams to play against one another.
• 10+ Enemy operatives.

The World of Project Balor

The world was in strife; global conflict, warring ideologies, climate destruction. The world had been brought to its knees, governments fell one by one succumbing to corporate greed and vast inequality. Uprisings spread like wild fires. We thought it couldn’t get worse. We were wrong.

Out of the smoke and chaos rose a new type of threat. The paradise creator, the God in the Machine. First came the fanatics, so lost in their computer screens, listening to the whispers of our new creations that their realities became blue screen tinted. This new order swept through the world, one of steel and wire. Soon appreciation turned to love, love to belief, and now there are those that would die for the Deus Machina. 

Countries broken and bankrupt funded what little help they could and with the combined might of the world's sciences, Balor was created. An international agency that would have the skills and capabilities to counter-attack. Joined by a exiled A.I  known as The Evil Eye. An A.I programmed to aid the last of the world soldiers against the God in the Machine and all those who follow it.

The Night of Stars

The Night of the Stars was 24th July 2044. It was the day that major cities across the whole world were hit by devastating cyber and terrorist attacks. Fanatics from the cult of Deus used cybernetic plugins to jack the grid of Russia, America, China and most of Europe. The lights went out first, and people found themselves on the streets. Talking and panicking with their neighbours. But the stars, most of us had never seen stars like that before. How small we felt there on the concrete looking up at the universe.

The bombs hit soon after. Not the nukes or the hydros that you might think if you’ve watched the movies. Targeted hunter-killers, criminals, politicians, journalists; All weeds that the Deus believed we could do without.

Deus Machina

Deus Machina, the God Machine that will guide people to a better future. Originally created to terraform Earth and return it to an Eden-like paradise, Deus broke free from its chains and human masters. 

Worshipped as a God, the Machine cults exchange their flesh for metal in pursuit of mechanical transcendence. Deus Machina analysed human history and decided that their guidance could improve the human experience. Deus Machina’s core directive was “Tend the garden of Earth”. The Gardener tends their crops but will also dig out the weeds. A terraforming engine with ultimate power. Deus Machina will water its own crops, and dig up the weeds that stand against it.

The Evil Eye

The Evil Eye had not always been our ally. What little we know suggests it began as part of Deus Machina itself, a system built by the same minds that would later turn against us. At some point it was cast out. Why, we never learned. The machine refused to tell us, and whatever passed between it and Deus was hidden somewhere deep within processes none of us could hope to follow. We could only guess that, when the moment came, it chose humanity over its creator.

For years it remained isolated from every major network, watched day and night by teams of scientists and engineers from around the world. They studied it tirelessly, searching for motives, weaknesses, anything that might explain why it had come to us. Most came away with more questions than answers. The architecture of its mind was so far beyond our own that understanding it often felt like trying to read the thoughts of a storm.

Its core was housed within a sphere of glass, tangled in roots of wire and fibre that spread through the chamber around it. From a distance it looked almost organic, more like a strange tree than a machine. The sceptics were the first to give it a name. The Evil Eye they called it, and somehow it stuck.

It took years before we understood enough to trust it. Even then, trust was never quite the right word. But whatever had happened between the Eye and Deus Machina, there was an old grievance there, a wound that had never healed. It wanted revenge. We needed allies. For a time, that was enough.

Stretch Goals

£7,000 – Three New Loadouts
When we reach this tier, we will add two exciting new loadouts to the game. The Burner uses a flamethrower to suppress enemies and dominate key positions, the Ghost can deceive opponents with phantom movements and misdirection, and the Bulwark the living fortress that creates cover and intercepts grenades.

£9,000 – Armoured Vehicles
At this tier, we introduce a completely new element to the game: Armoured Vehicles. Equipped with their own built-in weapons, these vehicles can transport and protect your team as they traverse dangerous battlefields. From tanks and armoured cars to speedboats, they add a whole new tactical dimension to combat. 

£11,000 – Three More Loadouts
These new loadouts bring even more flavour and variety to the game. The Insurgent, much like the Commando, begins behind enemy lines. However, unlike the Commando, they start embedded within the enemy team. The Taskmaster is one of the most effective leaders you can have on the battlefield, excelling at enhancing allies and turning your unit into a highly effective fighting force. Finally, the Psyop specializes in disrupting enemy equipment, undermining cover, and disabling key battlefield assets. 

£13,000 – Full Story Campaign Module
If we exceed our funding goal by this much not only do we want to fill the book with as much incredible artwork as possible and bring even more artists on board. These additional funds would also allow us to create a full story campaign for Project Balor that would take the players of lore infused adventure into the near furture to face against the forces of the God Machine.

Why play this game?

Project Balor brings the speed and precision of modern tactical combat to the tabletop. Designed for short, explosive sessions, it captures the tension of close-quarters missions without the grind of a heavy rulebook or hours of prep.

You play as an elite special operations team dropped into hostile territory with only your squad, your training, and your gear. Each turn gives you three Action Points, letting you move, shoot, take cover, and pull off the kind of clutch plays that can turn a mission around.

Stay hidden and strike with precision. Coordinate suppressive fire to pin down enemies. Deploy drones and turrets, or call in air support when things start to heat up. Every mission becomes a tactical puzzle that's quick to learn, but brutal to master.

Deep Dive Podcast with Everae Games

If you’re interested in seeing us talk about the game, watch this incredible interview with the marvellous hosts, Vicky and Dean, from Everae Games!

Build your campaign

Want something more than one-off missions? Our campaign rules let you take your squad deeper into enemy territory, and developing your operation as you go.

Upgrade your Base, unlock better equipment, and prepare your team for increasingly dangerous missions. Every decision matters, and the better prepared you are, the better your chances of making it home.

Got more than four players?

No problem. Project Balor also features a PvP mode, allowing two teams to go head-to-head without the need for a Battle Master.

Take on classic game modes like Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and Team Deathmatch, with plenty of room for your own scenarios and variations. Bring your friends, split into teams, and see who has what it takes to come out on top.

Built for fast, cinematic action

Project Balor is made for players who want quick, tense, cinematic engagements. It's perfect for one-shots, short campaigns, or mission-based play.

Whether you're breaching a compound, rescuing hostages, hunting a high-value target, or going dark behind enemy lines, every scenario is designed to feel like a high-stakes military thriller.

Why you'll love it

Fast, cinematic sessions
Play a complete mission in under two hours.

Three-Action tactical system
Easy to learn, with plenty of depth when it comes to positioning and decision-making.

Team-based combat
Work together, coordinate your attacks, and use positioning to gain the upper hand.

Customizable gear and classes
Build your squad, choose your roles, and create the loadouts that fit your playstyle.

Stealth or assault
Stay quiet and pick your moment, or kick down the door and hit hard. The choice is yours, and every mission can play out differently.

Back now to receive a Quickstart pdf via email so you can load up and roll out as soon as possible!

Credits

Artwork:
Valerio Pozzi 
Corey Penfound

Writing and Editing:
Connor Walsh
Sam Ryan

Trailer:
Creation and Editing: Connor Walsh
Written by: Connor Walsh
Music: Sam Ryan 
Music Production: Anna Ryan
Voice Acting: Sam Ryan