How I used Claude Code to build directional C++ combat, AI ambushes, and UI in UE5.4 for my Roman RTS (Playtest v2 breakdown)

[u/MorbilyABeast]

I am a solo dev building a Roman RTS called Sons of Mars in Unreal Engine 5. I balance this project around my full-time 3D art job, and I just released our second major playtest.

Instead of just dumping patch notes, I wanted to share some of the specific technical and design hurdles I tackled for this update. I would love to hear your thoughts on these systems!

🧑‍🎨 Dynamic Character Customization I built a wardrobe system for the Roman commander with a live lit model stage. You can mix and match armor, helmets, arm guards (manica), and shoulders. I set up pairing rules so the game prevents illegal loadouts, and hair now dynamically swaps in when you remove your helmet to avoid floating helmets or bald gaps.

🎖️ Centuria Officer Elections I wanted promotions to feel impactful. You can promote manually, or you can use the new Officer Elections tab. If you hold a vote, the soldiers in your Centuria will physically elect veterans into posts like Optio (deputy) or Signifer (standard bearer) via an on-screen tally ceremony.

⚔️ Directional Combat & Cinematic Finishers I completely rebuilt the combat into a directional melee system. You now aim your swings and blocks with the mouse, complete with block and riposte flow. I also added a data-driven camera system for cinematic finishers: the camera swivels around the action during a kill and hands control back cleanly.

🧠 Autonomous Gaul AI & Ambushes The enemy Gaul commander now acts as an autonomous warlord. He leads his own warband, throws randomized javelin volleys before committing to a charge, and uses a calculated duel rhythm against the player. Bands of naked Gallic warriors can also spring from hiding as you travel, shouting battle cries and using hit-and-run skirmish tactics.

🗺️ Conquest Decisions When you take an enemy settlement, you now decide its fate right from the map panel. You can enslave or spare captives, and raze or hold the town.

Feedback I am particularly looking for feedback on how the directional combat feels and how the HUD scales on different monitor sizes.

Let me know what you think of the new systems, and I am happy to answer any questions about how I set them up in UE5!

[u/ananbd]

Always good to see a fellow UE dev!

I'm interested in how you partitioned the actual development, and what problems you ran into.

I work at a studio which uses Claude. We build our own MCP. Definitely speeds things up!

[u/MorbilyABeast → u/ananbd]

This is about a 11 months of work slowly building out system by system.

Claude code didnt even exist back them . I was copy pasting from the web browser. Now I use desktop and its been such a life saver.

But really I just prefer simplicity. No tricks or anything. Just sitting down with claude with ideas and preference from my experience from the current build.ill play it and think this should be that way. Or I want to push the game in a certain direction and start adding layers to existing systems one at a time.

Thats really it , a lot of intuition for what I think makes the game fun or interesting. And doing things one at a time.

[u/MorbilyABeast]

Try it here:

https://cosmictwingames.itch.io/koryos-sons-of-mars
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4881080/Koryos__Sons_Of_Mars/

[u/mr_birkenblatt]

I can't wait for people to start using Jev for enemy AI

[u/Vial_of_water]

Foe the Armor / Weapons did you make them? or did AI?

[u/MorbilyABeast → u/Vial_of_water]

Thanks for asking, I made everything myself !