Howdy Folks,
Welcome to another appointment with the behind the scenes of Barrage! In this dev diary, we’ll pull back the curtain on the historical and thematic inspirations behind Barrage’s characters.
4. XOs, or: Get to know your best friends
So let’s talk Executive Officers! Each XO in Barrage reflects a different approach to power—some embodying relentless expansion, others focused on technological breakthroughs or shrewd economic maneuvering. They mostly draw inspiration from real-world pioneers, visionaries, and industrialists who shaped the landscape of the modern world, but we have a couple of interesting exceptions as well…but let’s not spoil the surprise, shall we?
Solomon P. Jordan, the Financial expert
I remember him clearly — tall, with a sharp mustache, always dressed in a tailcoat and wearing a monocle that seemed more for effect than necessity. There was always a cigar, either balanced between his lips or rolling between his fingers. His expression was perpetually stern, his brow furrowed as he pored over a thick stack of papers — contracts, I’m sure of it — which he studied with an intense, almost unsettling focus.
Effect: you can pay Credits instead of Machinery when you build a new Building.
Solomon P. Jordan was inspired by John Pierpont Morgan, the quintessential financial genius of the Progressive era.
Viktor Fiesler, the Mechanical engineer
Ah, yes. A lean figure with slicked-back blond hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. His style was formal but understated, the kind of elegance that didn’t draw attention but still spoke of precision. What stood out most, though, was what he carried — an electromechanical gauntlet that wrapped around his arm all the way up to his shoulder. It hummed softly, a constant reminder that beneath his composed exterior was a mind always at work, pushing the limits of technology.
Effect: your base Production value is 4, unless reduced by the action value.
Viktor Fiesler was inspired by Viktor Kaplan, the inventor of the Kaplan Turbine.
Graziano Del Monte, the Geologist
Impossibly old, with a long white beard that seemed to flow like a river of time. His small, round, dark glasses hid his eyes, making it hard to tell whether he was studying you or lost in his own thoughts. Despite his age, his posture was straight as a rod, a silent testament to his unyielding spirit. The room was never silent — from the corner of his desk, an electric gramophone played softly, its glowing vacuum tubes pulsing with gentle, colored light. It was as if the past and the future coexisted around him, both at his command.
Effect: your level 3 Dams can hold an additional Water drop.
Graziano del Monte was inspired by Giorgio Dal Piaz, he himself a very renowned geologist.
Jill McDowell, the Expert of reinforced Conduits
A face hard to forget — long, blond hair swept into a messy bun, with a face weathered by sun and wind, a quiet testament to a life spent outdoors. She dressed simply — a heavy flannel shirt, worn over an old undershirt. The kind of clothes that cared more about function than form. A crumpled cigarette hung from the corner of her mouth, a thin trail of smoke curling upward, catching the green glow of the monitor.
Effect: you can pay Concrete Mixers instead of Excavators when building Conduits, equal to the value of the Conduit.
Jill McDowell was inspired, curiously, by Frances McDormand in her role as Mildred Hayes in the critically acclaimed movie “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”.
Wilhelm Adler, the Chief of high altitude operations
I remember him well — soft brown hair, a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard, and the kind of striking blue eyes that seemed to catch the light no matter the time of day. He didn’t wear the usual office attire; instead, he favored a thick mountaineer’s sweater, rough and practical, with a small Edelweiss pinned to his chest — a subtle clue to a past life, perhaps as an Alpenjäger.
Effect: your Dam bases always cost 3 Excavators, no matter the altitude.
Wilhelm Adler was inspired by Reinhold Messner, the legendary climber from South Tyrol.
Anton Krylov, the Foreman
A towering, musclebound figure, equal parts terrifying and mesmerizing. He wore a blue-and-white striped tank top, stretched taut across his massive chest, leaving his broad shoulders and powerful forearms exposed — both crisscrossed with scars and concrete dust. His left arm wasn’t flesh and bone anymore but a hulking electromechanical prosthetic, a workman's multi-tool with a hydraulic clamp attached, hissing softly with each slight movement.
Effect: you can copy a Tech tile from your Construction Wheel and use to to build the same Building again.
Anton Krylov was inspired by, you guessed it, Zangief from Street Fighter. Who else could’ve embodied so well his anger, slamming against the desk as he roared?
Until next time,
Amintiri