Factory Fortress
Factory Fortress Inc., based in Costa Mesa, California, is a game publisher best known for its Trench Crusade – a dark and visually distinctive tabletop wargame that quickly became a Kickstarter success.
Trench Crusade was created by illustrator Mike Franchina, sculptor James Sherriff, and game designer Tuomas Pirinen, known for his work on Warhammer (6th edition) and Mordheim. Franchina has also contributed artwork to games such as Magic: The Gathering, Diablo IV, and Path of Exile.
A new website to support rapidly growing visibility
Factory Fortress had built an initial version of games website independently, but the content management system no longer met the growing needs of marketing and sales. The company needed a completely new platform that would better meet current requirements, reflect the visual brand of Trench Crusade, and enable easy management of the online store internationally.
The project needed to be completed quickly, as Trench Crusade had just risen to wider public attention through Kickstarter. Although sales could not yet be fully launched before the campaign’s fulfillment was complete, the new website was to be ready in advance to serve players and fans once deliveries began.
The goal was to create a versatile platform for the Trench Crusade community, providing a hub for following game rules, lore, and other content.
A scalable WordPress and WooCommerce solution for a global audience
We built a comprehensive WordPress and WooCommerce solution for Factory Fortress that combines a striking visual design, smooth content management, and scalable technical performance. The launch was carried out in two phases: first the website, then the WooCommerce store.
The design was based on the client’s own graphic materials, emphasizing Trench Crusade’s dark, detailed aesthetic. The user experience focused on clarity, intuitive navigation, and visual coherence with the game’s world.
Technical implementation of the website and store
The site was built on WordPress using the Sage 11 theme and Tailwind CSS. The online store was implemented with WooCommerce.
Custom blocks were developed in Laravel for different content purposes, allowing flexible editing and easy scalability.
The base setup used Bedrock, and Composer handled version management for stable and maintainable development
Scalable server environment
The site was deployed on AWS infrastructure, ensuring high performance and reliability for a large user base.
The server environment and scalability were automated with Terraform, allowing the system to adapt to traffic fluctuations and support future growth without constraints.
Due to high traffic volumes, special attention was paid to caching and CDN optimization via Cloudflare.
Supporting a global audience
Since Trench Crusade has a worldwide community, WooCommerce was configured to recognize regional pricing and currencies using Geo IP detection.
For example, customers in the United States see prices in dollars, and the same logic applies to shipping options.
Cookie consent and banners also adapt dynamically to regional regulations, ensuring compliance and a consistent user experience across markets.
Analytics and data visualization
Analytics for the website and online store were implemented using Google Tag Manager, with results visualized in Looker Studio.
This gives Factory Fortress clear insight into website and store performance, user paths, and sales data.
Automated order management
Orders placed through the online store are automatically forwarded to the manufacturers for processing and shipment tracking.
The system provides real-time order updates and notifications to customers as their orders progress.
This integrated process speeds up deliveries and significantly reduces manual work.
Game-world-inspired custom features
The site also includes custom-built features inspired by the Trench Crusade universe, such as:
- A countdown timer for campaigns and launches
- A name generator tied to the game’s lore
- Lore management, enabling easy maintenance and publishing of the game’s stories and world-building content
A scalable and easy-to-manage platform for international use
The new website provides Factory Fortress with a visually impressive and technically solid platform that supports both marketing and e-commerce. The project progressed in close cooperation with the client, and we were able to implement all requests and adjustments quickly even under tight deadlines.
The site is easy to update and manage, which was essential for the client due to their continuously evolving content. At the same time, it remains true to Trench Crusade’s distinctive aesthetic and delivers a fast, seamless experience for an international audience.
The solution also includes a modular content structure and customized reporting tools, making content management and marketing analytics more efficient.
The end result is a modern, scalable, and visually unified platform that supports Factory Fortress’s growth and Trench Crusade’s expanding global success.
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