- Anvil Empires next playtest: Sign up on the Steam page to request access to upcoming tests.
- Pre-alpha status: Core systems (avatars, homesteads, logistics) are playable but balance is still in flux.
- Avatar system: Train multiple specialized characters and swap between them freely.
- Solo-friendly: The homestead rental system lets small groups skip base-building entirely.
- Best move: Wishlist on Steam and watch Siege Camp's official channels for test announcements.
How to Get Into the Next Anvil Empires Playtest
The next Anvil Empires playtest remains the main gateway into Siege Camp's medieval mass-war experiment, and getting in is straightforward if you act early. The developer runs periodic pre-alpha testing windows, and access is distributed through Steam's playtest request system rather than open downloads. Signing up well before a test window opens improves your chances considerably, since invites go out in waves.
Video Highlights:
- Hands-on impressions from a pre-alpha playtest build of Anvil Empires
- Breakdown of the avatar, auxiliary troop, and homestead systems
- How the game builds on Foxhole's logistics-driven war formula
- The tester's take on solo play and the rental economy
Playtest invitations are issued in batches. If you requested access a while ago and haven't heard back, keep the request active — testers report being admitted to tests they signed up for years earlier.
| Step | Action | Where | | Playtest signup | Request access | Anvil Empires Steam page | | Wishlist | Track news and updates | Steam store listing | | Official channels | Watch for test announcements | Siege Camp Discord / socials | | System check | Confirm PC meets pre-alpha specs | Steam page requirements |
Once admitted, the pre-alpha client appears in your Steam library during active test windows only. Between tests, the build is disabled, so don't panic if it disappears.
Core Gameplay: What Playtesters Actually Experience
Anvil Empires follows the general concept of Foxhole — an isometric, player-driven war where players harvest resources, manufacture weapons, haul them across the map, and fight for their faction. The twist: it's fully medieval. You pick one of three factions, spawn into a town, and work through a tutorial of gathering sticks and stones, crafting axes, chopping wood, and building an economy.
The core loop in every playtest so far:
| Activity | Description | Reward | | Gathering | Chop wood, mine stone, hunt wildlife | Raw resources | | Crafting | Refine materials at industrial tools | Weapons, armor, tools | | Bounty hunting | Turn animal trophies in at the bounty board | Silver | | Trading | Buy gear on the player market | Equipment without grinding | | Combat | Siege or defend towns with factionmates | Territory and loot |
Balance is explicitly not there yet. Auxiliary troops versus max-tier equipped avatars, and mid-tier versus top-tier gear, both feel lopsided. Testers should expect swings, not a tuned competitive environment.
The Avatar System Explained
The standout innovation in Anvil Empires is the avatar system. Avatars are trainable characters with different skill ceilings — one might reach 10 fitness and 9 melee but only 3 blacksmithing, while another comes pre-trained with a 4 in ranged combat for extra silver. You can swap between avatars freely, provided they're kept fed with non-perishable cooked food stored in inventories, homesteads, or towns.
If an avatar falls in battle, it drops its items but leaves a recoverable body. You or any factionmate can haul it back to the nearest structure to heal — no permanent character loss.
Trained Avatars
- Specialized skill ceilings
- Swap between roles on the fly
- Stored in homesteads or towns
Auxiliary Characters
- Skill maximum of 1 in everything
- Mass-drafted peasant warriors
- Disposable PvP without risking gear
Recovery Loop
- Avatars leave a body on death
- Recoverable by you or factionmates
- Returned to structures to heal
This structure resembles the Scav/PMC split from Tarkov, but at faction scale — hundreds of stocked auxiliaries act as the medieval equivalent of a human wave doctrine, while your valuable avatars stay safely in reserve.
Homesteads, Rentals, and the Solo Player Experience
Homesteads are player-built houses where you store items and install industrial tools. They split into two types, and a rental system lets owners charge other faction players (for example, 8 silver per 24 hours) for access to forges and auto-hammer anvils. Combined with heavy homestead taxes, this cleverly reins in building spam — a real problem in map-limited games like this.
| Homestead Type | Focus | Best For | | Town homestead | Blacksmithing, industry | Crafters, gear production | | Wild homestead | Farming, hunting | Resource gatherers | | Rented access | Pay-per-day tool use | Solo players, small groups |
Unlike Foxhole's facilities, the rental system is genuinely accessible. Solo testers report full progression without owning a homestead — rent tools, buy off the market, and skip the grind entirely.
Preparing for Your First Test Session
Secure Access
Request playtest access on Steam and wishlist the game before the next window opens.
Learn the Basics
Expect a tutorial covering gathering, crafting, homestead rental, and bounty board turn-ins.
Start with Auxiliaries
Use auxiliary characters for early combat. They cost nothing and teach the war without risking gear.
Build Your First Avatar
Earn silver through bounties and market trading, then buy an avatar matching your preferred role.
Join the Faction Effort
Answer call-to-arms drafts, run logistics, and participate in sieges — this is where the game shines.
Before the Next Test Window:
- Request playtest access on the Steam page
- Join the official Siege Camp Discord for announcements
- Review faction choices and coordinate with friends
- Learn the avatar and auxiliary system basics
- Plan a solo-friendly economy route (rentals + market)
FAQ
Q: How do I join the next Anvil Empires playtest?
Request access through the Anvil Empires Steam page and keep the request active. Siege Camp distributes pre-alpha invites in waves through Steam's playtest system, and testers who signed up long ago are often admitted to later windows.
Q: What stage of development is Anvil Empires in?
The game is a true pre-alpha. Technologically it follows Foxhole's footsteps, so issues center on assets, systems, and balance rather than instability — but core mechanics could still change significantly between playtests.
Q: Can solo players enjoy the Anvil Empires playtest?
Yes. The homestead rental system and player market let solo players access industrial tools for a small daily silver fee, achieving full progression without building their own base.
Q: What happens when my avatar dies?
Fallen avatars drop their carried items but leave a recoverable body. You or factionmates can carry the body to the nearest structure, where the avatar heals and returns to service.