Welcome to the Burning Frontier

The forests of northern New York swallow armies whole. Set during the height of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), Burning Frontier is a historical sandbox roleplaying game about the people caught between empires. While London and Versailles map out grand strategies, you are the rangers, scouts, traders, and Indigenous warriors who must actually survive the vast green labyrinth of the northern corridor.
A World Shaped by Survival and Diplomacy
In 1757, the outcome of the war is far from certain. Authority thins the moment you leave the muddy streets of Albany and head north toward Lake George. In this landscape, a man’s worth isn’t measured by his commission, but by his ability to read sign in damp earth or move through the timber without snapping a twig.
Political Sophistication: Move beyond simple tropes. Indigenous nations are portrayed as sophisticated political actors with their own agendas, internal debates, and strategic goals.
The War of Forts: Contested outposts like Fort William Henry and Fort Carillon serve as fragile footholds of empire, controlling the vital river highways and trade routes that sustain life.
A Living Landscape: Experience a setting where the land itself judges you. Survival is a relationship with the wilderness, influenced by six distinct seasons—from the treacherous “Thaw” to the isolating “Early Freeze.”

The AME Step Dice System

Burning Frontier uses the AME Step Dice system, designed to reflect the danger and hard choices of life on the frontier.
Dynamic Attributes & Skills: Characters use dice ranging from d4 to d12. When risk is involved, roll an Attribute die and a Skill die—results of 5 or higher are successes.
Tension Mechanics: Every character is defined by a narrative Tension—a unique social or political pressure that provides a mechanical +2 dice modifier when lean into your character’s core struggle.
Brutal, Decisive Combat: In this corridor of water and pine, powder is precious and steel is intimate. Combat is fast and dangerous; a single well-placed musket shot or tomahawk strike can end a confrontation instantly.
The Frontier Punishes Mistakes: Success often comes with a cost. Any die showing a 1 introduces a Complication, ensuring that even when you achieve your goal, the situation continues to evolve in unpredictable ways.

Who Will You Be?

You aren’t generals or legends—not yet. You are a small band sent where armies cannot go. Play as a Frontier Scout trusted by few but needed by all , a Displaced Heir wielding political leverage without military power , an Indigenous Warrior defending their homeland , or a Ranger who has learned that drill square manners will only get you killed in the woods. The road narrows. The forest closes. The frontier is waiting.