Dig In (Free Demo)

Dig In is a colony sim & management game. The demo is set during the early days of the Great War, in 1914. The armies of Europe have fought each other to a standstill. This is the dawn of trench warfare—brutal, static, and destined to last over four years.

In this demo, you play as the British Expeditionary Force, facing off against the Germans, who have already begun digging in. But this is just the beginning—all major participants in the war will be featured as the game expands. Inlcuding Austria- Hungary, France, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Turkey and Serbia.

You're a Company Commander, responsible for a single sector of the front. You have just 4 days to dig your defenses, manage your men, and hold the line. If you survive, you may get the chance to push the enemy back.

Command your officer pawn and lead multiple sections. Assign shifts, allow time for rest, and ensure your men get food and warmth—without it, they won’t last long under fire.

As you dig deeper, runners become your lifeline, relaying vital orders and reports across the chaos of no-man’s-land.

Key Features:

• Dig trenches… then dig them deeper

• Assign orders and manage shifts to avoid fatigue

• Scavenge the battlefield, chop down trees, or dismantle civilian infrastructure to reinforce your defenses

• Manage supplies and keep morale up

• Shell the enemy with artillery—and brace yourself when they return the favor

• Consolidate, defend… and Dig In

This is a work-in-progress demo. Join us in shaping the game—your feedback is essential.

What’s available in the demo:

Set in the early days of the war — September 1914. No gas, flamethrowers, or tanks yet. Those horrors come later.

• Trench Building – Design your trench network and deepen trenches as needed.
• Trench Modifications – Add firing steps, sleeping spots, stairs, and other improvements.
• Resource Zones – Place resources in designated zones and set their priority (e.g., keep ammo close to the frontline).
• Officers – Each has specific traits that can positively or negatively affect their soldiers.
• Sections – Each officer commands four sections, each led by an NCO.
• Shifts System – Assign shifts between work and guard duty.
• Sleep Schedules – Soldiers sleep when off duty (day/night cycles), unless reassigned.
• Soldiers’ Needs – Troops need food to stay functional. (No eating animations yet, but yes—they do eat.)
• Morale System – Morale is impacted by shelling, lack of rest, and exposure to dead bodies.
• Recovery – Sleep and food help restore morale.
• Daily Morale Report – Check if your men are mentally ready for the day ahead.
• Off-Map Artillery – Coordinate fire support through the order system.
• Order System – Send units to capture Control Points. Orders can be timed or executed immediately.
• Runners –
  • Company runner delivers orders from the player (Company HQ) to the Platoon Commander.
  • Platoon runner delivers artillery requests from Platoon HQ to Company HQ.
  • Runners can be killed—if so, a replacement is automatically assigned.
• Officer Casualties – If an officer dies, you can promote any soldier in their place.
• Enemy AI – German troops will launch regular attacks.
• Enemy Trenches – The Germans hold Rattenburg and Hill 30. Take them if you dare.
• Research Tree – Limited tech research available.

What’s not available yet:

These features are currently in development and will be introduced in future updates.

• Soldiers take cover when attacked and move in tactical formations.
• A more sophisticated line of sight for ranged combat
• Playable factions: France and Austria-Hungary (in progress); Imperial Russia (next)
• All with their historically correct weapons, rifles, uniforms, etc
• Raids and grenades
• Officer quarters and officer duties (writing reports, etc)
• Shell shock and other mental breakdowns (e.g., desertion or defection)
• Prisoner of war system and interrogations
• Narrower trenches (communication trenches)
• Customizable shift system (they work and sleep when you want them)
• Medical system and casualty evacuation
• Nation-specific research tree
• Recreational things to build - like a place to play cards
• Creature comforts in supply lines like tobacco, alcohol,l and propaganda
• Cooking and advanced food logistics
• Soldier's idle behavior (card games, smoking, reading, etc.)
• On-map artillery placement and control
• Multiple platoon commanders under your command
• Dugouts and underground shelters
• Tunneling warfare
• Advanced fog of war and artillery line-of-sight mechanics
• Aircraft and air reconnaissance
• Dirigibles
• Electricity and power systems
• Wireless communication
• Flares for signaling and battlefield illumination
• Tanks (coming in later war scenarios)
• Logistics: horse carts, donkeys, trucks, trains
• Sophisticated navigation so the player can define “safe paths” or “no-go zones unless dark or attacking”