
HardPort is a hex-based tactical space combat game with a single unified ruleset that scales seamlessly from a lone space marine to galactic fleets. Zoom in. Zoom out. The math never breaks.
The defining feature of HardPort. One unified Action vs. Resistance mechanic scales from a marine's marksmanship check to a faction's espionage network. The math is identical — only the resolution changes.
HardPort is built from the ground up to play equally as a physical hex wargame and a digital video game. The rules are elegant enough for dice and tokens, and rich enough to power a full digital campaign engine.
Want a pure squad-level skirmish game? HardPort is complete at the Fireteam scale. Want a full galactic campaign? Every layer is there, adding richness rather than obligation. You choose your resolution.
The Ship scale is the mechanical heart of HardPort. Every other scale borrows its vocabulary from here — shields, arcs, power, damage. Master the Ship scale and every other layer becomes intuitive.
Directional shields that can be overloaded from specific arcs
Every weapon has a firing cone — positioning is everything
Allocate reactor output between shields, weapons, and engines
Targeted hits disable specific ship systems, not just hull points
Squadron formations provide combined fire and defensive bonuses
Collapse detailed battles into summary values, or expand them into full tactical play
Every scale uses the same underlying Action vs. Resistance mechanic. Zoom in and the math expands into rich tactical detail. Zoom out and it collapses into clean summary values. The game never breaks — it just changes resolution.
At maximum resolution, every marine is a unique combatant with distinct stats, skills, and gear. Breaching a bulkhead or holding a corridor — every action matters at this scale.
A fireteam operates as a coordinated unit. Formation, suppression, and objective control become the dominant language of conflict.
The anchor scale of HardPort. Every ship is a complex system — shields have facings, weapons have arcs, power must be allocated. A single decision can turn the tide.
Individual ships collapse into a squadron aggregate. Combat effectiveness, formation bonuses, and combined fire arcs define the tactical space.
Squadrons become chess pieces on a strategic board. Command range, supply lines, and positioning determine whether your fleet can even fight.
The theater of war spans star systems. Fleets move across a campaign map, supply lines can be cut, and planets change hands.
At the faction scale, combat gives way to politics. Espionage networks, diplomatic pressure, and economic leverage become your weapons.
The outermost zoom. Every faction, every fleet, every marine — all of it resolves into trade routes, political blocs, and the slow grind of galactic history.

Summary values expand into plausible tactical detail
Detailed results collapse into clean summary values
| Scale | Active Unit | Action Value | Resistance Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| INDIVIDUAL | Marine | Marksmanship | Evasion / Armor |
| SHIP | Cruiser | Gunnery Array | Shield / Hull |
| FACTION | Terran Republic | Espionage Network | Counter-Intelligence |
HardPort is an independent game studio building the tactical space combat game we always wanted to play. Our mission is to create a game that respects both the physical and digital traditions of wargaming — a game that can be played with dice on a kitchen table or on a screen at any scale.
The infinite-regress zoom model is not just a feature — it is the design philosophy that shapes every decision we make. One ruleset. Every scale. No compromises.
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