Why We Use AI-Assisted Artwork

Castra is built by hobbyists, miniature painters, and historical wargaming enthusiasts. We understand that painting miniatures is a creative craft, and many of us would proudly call ourselves artists in that sense.

However, creating large-scale digital illustrations, landing page banners, promotional visuals, and polished web artwork is a different discipline. We are not professional digital illustrators or graphic designers, and producing custom artwork at the scale and quality this project deserves is currently beyond our budget and resources.

That is why we use AI-assisted artwork as part of Castra’s visual presentation.

We want to be honest about this. Our goal is not to replace artists or devalue creative work. AI-assisted artwork allows a small independent project to present itself with a fitting atmosphere: historical, cinematic, and evocative of the periods and games we love, while we focus our time and resources on building the army builder itself.

At the same time, we see AI-assisted artwork as a starting point, not the final destination. If Castra gets off the ground and receives enough support, we will strive to replace any and all AI-assisted artwork with commissioned human-made artwork over time.

Anyone who wants to help make that possible can support Castra by upgrading to a Premium account or by making a direct donation. The more support the project receives, the sooner we can invest in professional artists and designers.

We have great respect for artists, painters, sculptors, designers, and everyone whose creativity supports the wargaming hobby. Our long-term hope is that Castra can grow into a project that not only serves the community, but also supports the artists who help give historical wargaming its visual identity.