Outside the Wire

Overview

Outside the Wire is a modern tactical sandbox roleplaying game where you don't just fight the enemy: you fight the clock, the rules of engagement, and the local political landscape. 

Forget static maps and scripted encounters: this is a live ecosystem, a tactical sandbox where your squad's actions directly change the setting through Local Trust, Command Confidence, and Insurgent Activity. Can you dismantle hostile networks in a volatile region while also building legitimacy?

Outside the Wire rewards intelligence over firepower, proving that the hardest decision in modern warfare is choosing when to pull the trigger.

Download the Quick Start to start playing today! Also free on Foundry VTT.

In Outside the Wire, players create their own highly trained small-unit military team operating deep within a volatile, modern sandbox counterinsurgency setting. Solo players lead an non-player character squad. Group gameplay supports both team play, or each player taking command to lead their own squad of NPC characters. The core gameplay of Outside the Wire constantly challenges the player's ability to weigh the risks of their actions, decisions, and adapt to a dynamic theater where factions shift and every decision shapes the larger campaign map.

Our Promise to You

Outside the Wire is written, laid out and ready to print. We've already ordered a physical proof copy. You're not backing development and promises. The game exists. Your pledge funds the production of your copy of our game and its journey to your gaming table.

"The goal of building Outside the Wire was to create a modern war sandbox RPG about dismantling hostile networks in a volatile region while also building legitimacy. How do we add the pressure, frustration, and small triumphs during each session as the players advance towards their campaign goals? The game system strives to link sessions in an ecosystem that reshapes the human terrain based on player decisions or actions." Lead game designer Derek Roberson.

"‘Outside the Wire’ ~ An important moral transit RPG." Armchair Dragoons review

What's in the Box?

Starter Set and Deluxe Box Video Unboxing!

See what's included with the unboxing video of our prototype prints of the Starter Set and Deluxe Box! We want to make sure that everything looks and feels good in both print and digital format!

Outside the Wire (Core Rulebook)

The Core Rulebook drops players into the brutal, consequence-driven world of Outside the Wire, with a beautifully illustrated hardcover 340-page Core Rulebook that redefines the modern military tactical sandbox tabletop roleplaying game. Blending the lethal, high-stakes tension of old-school survival systems with streamlined modern mechanics, this comprehensive manual equips you with everything needed to run grueling, open-ended campaigns. Featuring deep operator customization, an exhaustive tactical armory, and robust Solo and GM tools for generating dynamic, living warzones on the fly, Outside the Wire demands flawless planning, sharp resource management, and raw grit, because once you're past the wire, every bullet counts and survival is never guaranteed.

The Starter Box Set

At our base funding goal, the Starter Box Set will include a minimum of one beautifully illustrated full color scenario book!

• Ambush at Dawn: 40 pages of setting and gameplay
• Solo Play Booklet
• Rules Lite Booklet
• Operational Order and Squad Detail pack
• 18 encounter cards
• Plus: 2 ten sided dice, 4 ready-to-play character sheets, and a black and white tactical map.

Everything you need to start playing Outside the Wire!

View the print contents of the Starter Box in this video!

The Deluxe Box Set

We want our supporters to be able to enjoy the excitement of reading and exploring a full campaign setting. Making roleplaying games into boxed sets is expensive, but we really feel it's the right way to go for the Outside the Wire tabletop roleplaying game. The Deluxe box set captures the full breadth of gameplay with the initial campaign setting and scenarios.

Reaching our base funding goal ensures the Deluxe box set will at the minimum, include five beautifully illustrated full color books:

• The hardcover Core Rulebook
• The hardcover Iron Crossing Campaign
• Three scenario books: Ambush at Dawn, The Shepherd's Transit, and A Caged Gambit

A total of over 600 pages of character creation, gameplay mechanics, tactics, settings, equipment and scenarios!

The Deluxe Box Set also includes The Tactical Immersion Kit which has an Intelligence Arc linking the three scenarios.

• Intel Dossier and Operational Orders
• Two sheets of tactical counters
• 52 encounter and gameplay cards
• 3 ten sided dice
• 20 GM Reference Cards
• Pre-rolled characters and blank character sheets
• A huge, full color region quad fold map (17 in x 22 in) of the fictitious Qalat campaign setting.

If we exceed our base goal, we will add more content as stretch goals. These include combat maps, scenarios, mission cards, and more. Read more under Stretch Goals.

What do you do in Outside the Wire?

Small Unit Tactics

Gameplay is driven by high-tension, consequence-driven tactical engagements resolved through the game's custom two ten sided dice (2D10) mechanics. Players rely on authentic small-unit tactics to survive incredibly lethal firefights. Operators must coordinate their specialized skills and gear to outmaneuver adaptive adversaries. Every engagement is a puzzle of choices: do you watch, talk, help, shoot or depart? Your choices determine when, where and how you engage with your objectives. Will you lead your team through a successful mission... or watch the region fall into insurgent hands?

Solo Missions

Anchored in theater-of-the-mind gameplay, Outside the Wire treats solo play as a premier feature, not an afterthought. Our unique Automata flowsheets and Encounter Cards allow you to run complex, reactive missions completely GM-less.

International Squads

Patrol and interact with a real-world location (five regions are presented in the Core Rulebook) or deploy into a fictional sandbox setting with Outside the Wire's Sandbox system to start. Three sandbox settings are presented in the Core Rulebook, as well as a system to generate your own unique area and its pressures. The Deluxe box contains the Iron Crossing Campaign setting which is a unique region created for the Outside the Wire system.

In the Outside the Wire TTRPG, one or more players take roles of squad members, part of an advisor team, SOF team, or even a solo Agent. Their goal, beyond surviving for another day, can be to reduce the insurgency and support the local government, and maybe, just maybe, make the world better for the local civilians.

The Rules

The core system revolves around theater of the mind gameplay. At the heart of Outside the Wire is a bespoke two ten sided dice (2D10) resolution system built from inside out to support grounded, lethal military operations. Rather than relying on the wide, unpredictable variance of a single twenty-sided die, the 2D10 engine provides a reliable probability curve. This engine decision ensures that as players become highly trained operators, they perform with consistent competence, meaning that poor tactical decisions, rather than bad luck, are what lead to casualties.

The defining pillars of the rules system:

The 2D10 Core Engine: The mechanics are streamlined to keep the focus on decision-making and table momentum. The dual-die approach easily handles modifiers for cover, range, visibility, and suppression, allowing for quick, decisive resolutions without bogging the table down in excessive math.

Deep Character Generation: Knowing how critical it is for players to create custom characters, a wide range of nationalities, specialties, rank, schools, hooks, motivations, backgrounds, and more are provided. Your characters development results in tactical skillsets that you'll roll on to achieve success. Further, the game offers a lightning-fast custom digital character generator app allowing players to roll up a fully fleshed-out, deployment-ready operator in seconds.

Tactical Deployment Mechanics: The rules heavily emphasize what happens before first contact. The system codifies the reconnaissance and negotiation opportunities, mechanically rewarding squads who take the time to gain advantages through civilian interactions, reconnaissance, and even rehearsals, before firing their first shots.

Consequence-Driven Combat: Channeling the unforgiving spirit of classic 1980s tactical RPGs, the rules strip away "hit points." Combat is fast and punishing, with a system for injuries as well as component damage to vehicles to give crunch to the system while keeping it fast and playable.

Tactics and Terms: Inside the Core Rulebook, players will find a manual to assist with basic military terms and tactics.

Example Combat

Jack is a squad leader in charge of two five-man fire-teams. Dave and Tony are his fire-team leaders. The team has detected 15 insurgents approaching and decides to set up a hasty ambush. As the ambushing unit, Jack's squad automatically has Initiative during the first round of combat (unless the insurgent leader makes an Instinct roll to detect the ambush, in which case it becomes a Meeting Engagement).

The insurgents suspect nothing and walk into Jack's kill-zone. He initiates the ambush with a rifle shot, rolling against his Small Arms of 14. Jack rolls a 10 and scores a hit, and rolls on the Individual Effects Table, scoring an 3, hitting an insurgent in the body and inflicting a severe wound. Dave and Tony follow suit, rolling against their Small Arms and scoring another wound and a kill.

Team leaders Tony and Dave use their communication actions and order their respective fire-teams to open fire, and each rolls a Tactics check. Both pass.

Consulting the Force-on-Force Table, Tony rolls 1D10 (Ambush, enemy exposed) and adds 4 to the die result, getting an 8 (+4) = 12. Tony's team pins an enemy fire-team down, wounding 1 and killing a second. Dave follows suit, targeting a second enemy fire-team, and scores similar results.

Attached to the squad is an M240 machine gun team. Jack directs the team to target the third enemy fire-team, rolling his Tactics skill. The machine gunners hit and roll 1d10+3 for effects, getting a 9 (+3) for a total of 12, killing another and wounding two more. Of the five men in that insurgent fire-team, one is dead, two are wounded, and the last two are pinned down.

The first round of the ambush has severely damaged the insurgent squad, killing four, wounding six, with the last five pinned down. Going into the second round, Jack must make a Tactics check with a -3 Dice Roll Modifier against his Threshold of 11. He rolls a 12 (-3) = 9. Jack's squad retains the initiative and settles in for the kill.

Jack signals for grenades, using his one action to prep one. Dave and Tony also prep grenades and order their teams to keep up the suppressive fire.

The nearest insurgents are a short range away, so Jack, Dave, and Tony each throw (Prowess check) their grenades with a -3 (Short Range) DRM, landing them perfectly. Jack rolls a 5 (+3 exposed enemy) = 8, wounding two more; Dave rolls a 7 (+3) = 10, killing one and wounding another; Tony rolls a 2 (+3) = 5, wounding the last insurgent. (If any of the 10 wounded insurgents suffers a second wound, they are KIA.)

Since this is the second round of combat, the insurgents get a chance to shoot back. The GM rolls a Tactics check for the insurgents' morale to see if they flee or fight: they pass, meaning they fight and return fire. Since there are three players (Jack, Tony, and Dave), the GM decides to make three Individual Combat tests against the players.

The first insurgent misses Dave. The second fires at Tony and hits, then rolls a 9 on the casualty table, a superficial graze (Move only). Tony takes cover; he can still move and give a command but cannot shoot back this turn. The third insurgent hits Jack square in the chest. Luckily, Jack is wearing body armor, but is Out of Action for one turn while he recovers from the shock of the strike.

Moving into the second Force-on-Force phase, Tony and Dave order their teams to keep up their fire and finish them off. In quick succession, eight of the remaining insurgents are killed, forcing the last two, unable to retreat, to opt for surrender instead.

Stretch Goals

Digital vs Physical Stretch Goals

We decided to offer only digital stretch goals with the option for backers to order physical copies at cost plus shipping at DrivethruRPG. While this is not ideal for everyone, this will greatly assist keeping the box sets and Core Rulebook on schedule and at the current price range. When backers receive the digital code for the PDFs, they will also get a complimentary discount code to order print copies of each unlocked stretch goal.

Stretch Goal 1: Form-Fillable character sheet

We will add a second method for creating characters in the game, using life path tables. These let you build your character by developing their backstory in detail, learning skills as you go along. This stretch goal is digital.

Stretch Goal 2: Scorpion's Nest PDF 

We will create another scenario, called Scorpion's Nest, where the players are given an opportunity to exact revenge at the heart of the insurgency—but at what cost? Should this goal be reached, the Deluxe Box Set's Intelligence Arc will link this as the fourth scenario for the Iron Crossing Campaign. This stretch goal is digital.

Stretch Goal 3: Four one-page patrol missions (PDF)

We will create four tactical patrol missions with various settings. This stretch goal is digital.

Stretch Goal 4: Drop Dead Echo (PDF)

We will create another scenario, Drop Dead Echo, where the players must use signals collection to find the insurgents elusive courier. Should this goal be reached, the Deluxe Box Set's Intelligence Arc will include this as the fifth scenario for the Iron Crossing Campaign. This stretch goal is digital.

Stretch Goal 5: Four Tactical maps pack (PDF)

We will hire RPG cartographer Tiffany Munro to create four more tactical maps. This stretch goal is digital.

More top secret stretch goals remain to be revealed.

Add Ons

You can grab discounted add-ons by clicking "Manage My Pledge" now, or by using the pledge manager after the campaign ends. Adding them now is highly recommended because it helps us unlock stretch goals!

Outside the Wire Foundry VTT key - $35

This add-on provides a key to the Outside the Wire module for Foundry Virtual Tabletop. The module includes the Core Rulebook formatted for use in Foundry. You'll find Journal entries, together with ready-to-use Actors, a character generator, OTW's sunlight clock and Campaign Tracks, items, rollable tables, and supplied maps configured for use with the Outside the Wire system. A separate Foundry VTT software license is required to access the Module.

Support a Squad (Digital Sponsorship) - $65

Equip a veteran gaming community for their next operation. By selecting this add-on, you are providing one digital copy of the Deluxe box set (and stretch goals) plus a Foundry VTT key to one of our verified partner Veteran organizations, such as Company of Makers, VFW, UK Veterans Gaming, or Stack Up. You can add multiple quantities if you wish to sponsor multiple people or groups. Note: This item does not go to you; it's sent directly to the sponsored organization.

Extra Copy of the Outside the Wire Core Rulebook - $50

An extra copy of the Core Rulebook—it can be useful to have more than one at the table. Full-color hardback book of approximately 340 pages. PDF is included.

Extra Copy of the Iron Crossing Campaign Setting (no Core Rulebook) - $60

An additional Campaign box with the hard cover Iron Crossing Campaign, and three scenarios Ambush at Dawn, The Shepherd's Transit, and A Caged Gambit, totaling over 300 pages of NPCs, task organizations, settings and scenarios – as well as the Tactical Immersion Kit which has an Intelligence Arc linking the three scenarios, Intel Dossier, Operational Orders, two sheets of tactical counters, 52 encounter and gameplay cards, 3 dice, 20 GM Reference Cards, pre-rolled characters, blank character sheets, and a huge, full color region quad fold map (17 in x 22 in) of the fictitious Qalat campaign setting. PDF included.

Actual Play

Watch gameplay footage of Outside the Wire!

Reviews and Interviews

‘Outside the Wire’ ~ An important moral transit RPG – Armchair Dragoons

Outside The Wire Corebook Review

Kazmo Studios Interview - by Wazza’s Whimsical Wanderings

WHY BACK OUTSIDE THE WIRE

• Early Access: Be among the first to experience a modern COIN TTRPG. 
• Retail Uncertainty: While we're hopeful, there's no guarantee that Outside the Wire will be available in retail, especially in every country. Backing on Kickstarter is the best way to ensure you don't miss out.
• Discounted Price: Considering the evolving world events, if Outside the Wire reaches retail in summer or fall 2027, we anticipate an increased MSRP.
• Exclusive Deluxe Version: Selling directly to you enables us to include upgraded components that would be economically challenging in a retail version - especially all the stretch goals.
• Support Creativity: By backing Outside the Wire, you play a crucial role in making a passionate and creative product a reality, supporting independent game development.

Timeline

Shipping

We will be charging shipping after the Kickstarter concludes, based on the final shipping rates available after the campaign to ship your particular pledge and choice of add-ons. We will collect this via our Pledge Manager after the campaign ends. This is so we can be fair to all our backers as shipping is rarely one size fits all. 

We plan to use Hive as our pledge manager, GamesQuest for fulfillment and shipping in the UK/EU, Aetherworks for Australia and New Zealand, and QML for fulfillment and shipping in the US, Canada, and the Rest of the World.

Here is a list of rough shipping estimates: 

All shipping is US/EU/CA/UK/AU-friendly. Hive will collect regional taxes in the Pledge Manager, including country/state/province-specific rules. 

Kazmo Studios will not charge any additional taxes or customs fees to regions not listed above. However, packages sent outside these regions will be shipped Delivery Duty Unpaid and backers will be responsible for paying any taxes or fees imposed by their destination country.

Unfortunately, import laws and customs in some specific countries have made it impossible for us to ship to them. We are able to ship almost anywhere in the world except for the following regions: Africa, Central America, South America, Middle East, Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), and Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus).  We're sorry!

In recent years, shipping costs have experienced notable increases, and we are subsidizing shipping expenses. While we work diligently to keep shipping costs as low as possible, we are constrained by the pricing models established by our partners. 

Thank you for your understanding. If you live in a country that we do not ship to, we recommend that you use a parcel forwarding service from the USA, UK or China at the backer's own risk.

Retailers

We love friendly local gaming stores all over the world and want to forge a relationship with you! 

By ordering Outside the Wire as a retailer during the Kickstarter, you will get complimentary digital assets (VTT and PDF keys for the retail staff to use, making it easier for them to learn and demo the game to customers) and Concurrent Shipping, a guarantee that retailer copies will ship exactly at the same time as standard backer fulfillment.

Email kazmostudios@gmail.com for wholesale pricing on all three tiers and a shipping quote.

A WORD TO OUR COMMUNITY

Outside the Wire has a growing community. We want to extend a big thank you to everyone, for your warm welcome to us and the upcoming game since announcing the project!

Besides the comments field here on the Kickstarter, we have a forum dedicated to Outside the Wire on Reddit, and you're very welcome to join the discussions there. We are eager to hear your feedback, questions, advice, thoughts and requests for the game.

After the Kickstarter concludes, later in the fall, we will share a full PDF of the game to all backers, so you will be able to playtest the game and give your feedback on it before it goes to print. Final Digital rewards will land in your inbox in December so you can start playing immediately while manufacturing and ocean freight are underway.  

Team Links

Tiffany Munro: Feed the Multiverse Studio

Justin Oefelein: SPX Multimedia

Mathias Moore: Ashforge Studio

Art Acknowledgement

To further capture the authentic feel of the game, a majority of the art was gathered from US Department of War DVIDS imagery site. The images have been further stylized and edited by Kazmo Studios. The use of these images does not represent endorsement or backing from the US Government.

Beta Testers and Consultant Credits

The game has been heavily play tested and improved by the following GMs or Solo operators: Richard Herts (Ukrainian Freedom Fighter), Johan Holm, Mike Lance, Tim Meger-Guingamp, Nikolas Monastere (OEF 2014 - Army - 11b - 82nd Airborne), Dustin Strong (US Marine Vet), Brian Isikoff, and João Renato Paulon. Several more active and prior service veterans have also served as consultants.

Collaborators Credit

New to Kickstarter? Here is How it Works

Kazmo Studios is an indie TTRPG publisher. This is our first game to be published.

The Outside the Wire team has fully developed all of the writing and art prior to our Kickstarter, rigorously tested it, and created test prints of the actual products from our print producer team. We have connected with numerous experienced professionals to ensure our game creation and delivery goes as smooth and quickly as possible.

Welcome to Kickstarter! If you are new to the platform, backing a project is a straightforward process. First, you will start with Pledge Selection. Take a look at the available tiers and choose the pledge level for Outside the Wire that best suits your gaming preferences and budget.

Next comes the Collection of the Pledge Amount. Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing platform. If our campaign successfully reaches its funding goal, $10,000 USD, your pledged amount will be securely collected by Kickstarter at the very end of the campaign. You won't be charged until the clock runs out and we are officially funded.

As our campaign exceeds its initial funding target, we will begin unlocking Stretch Goals. These are special community milestones that add even more value to your pledge. Reaching these targets allows us to expand the project with upgrades like enhanced character sheets, additional tactical scenarios, or additional maps and missions. Once unlocked, these upgraded rewards are automatically added to the applicable pledge tiers!

A little while after the campaign ends, we will open the Pledge Manager (Oct 2026). This is a separate platform where you will finalize your details. Here, you can review and modify your order, add extra items if you like, provide your shipping address, and handle the final payments for shipping and any applicable taxes.

We will share the digital rewards twice: first in October after the project is funded, and again when we begin production of physical rewards in December, so you can start playing immediately while manufacturing and ocean freight are underway.

While we finalize the writing, art, and printing for the TTRPG, we will provide regular Production Updates. We believe in keeping our backers informed about the progress of production, so you will be the first to know about any exciting developments or bumps along the way.

Once manufacturing is complete, we move into Game Delivery. We will begin the shipping process, ensuring you receive your box set, Core Rulebook and any additional items you selected. Finally, it is time to Enjoy the Game. Once your rewards arrive, gather your party, step Outside the Wire, and dive right into your new tabletop adventure!