OPEN FODDER
Open Fodder campaign select screen — pixel-art island map with the Cannon Fodder treehouse and river

CANNON FODDER, RECOMMISSIONED.

Mission control for an open-source classic.

DEPLOY v2.0.0 // WINDOWS ~16 MB · 16-DEC-2025 LAUNCH BROWSER DEMO No install View source on GitHub
Pixel-art of two Cannon Fodder soldiers in a jungle hut, signed Joo 07/11/18
Engines
CF1 & CF2
Platforms
Windows, Linux, BSD, RetroPie, Web
Latest build
v2.0.0 — 16 December 2025

01 // SITUATION REPORT

What is Open Fodder?

Open Fodder is an open-source reimplementation of Sensible Software's 1993 squad shooter Cannon Fodder. The engine is faithful to the original, runs natively on modern Windows, Linux, OpenBSD and other *nix, and plays in a browser. It ships with seven playable magazine cover-disk demos. Retail data is optional but supported: drop in your purchased files and the full campaigns light up.

  • Faithful engine

    Original timing, briefing pacing, soldier handling and weapon physics, reimplemented in modern C++.

  • Retail & demo support

    Plays original DOS, Amiga, CD and Plus data, plus seven bundled magazine cover-disk demos so you can launch on day zero.

  • Random map generator

    A JavaScript-driven generator builds endless one-off maps — hostages with their rescue tents, jeeps, tanks, and helicopters when extraction calls for it.

  • Modding

    Open Fodder Editor builds new campaigns, missions and tilesets that the engine consumes natively.

  • Modern OS support

    Native Windows installer, Linux Flatpak, OpenBSD and RetroPie via source, plus a continuously-updated bleeding-edge build.

  • Play in browser

    A web build of the demos runs directly in your browser — share a URL and you are in the briefing room.

02 // THEATRE OF OPERATIONS

Tactical Roster

Nine campaigns operational across two engines.

Open Fodder campaign roster: campaign name, original release source, engine, and supported platforms.
Campaign Source Engine Platforms
Cannon Fodder 1993Virgin Interactive · retail CF1 DOS AMIGA
Cannon Fodder 2 1994Virgin Interactive · retail CF2 DOS AMIGA CD
Cannon Fodder Plus 1994Amiga Power · cover-disk demo CF1 AMIGA
Amiga Action 1994Europress · cover-disk demo CF1 AMIGA
Amiga Format Christmas Special 1993Future Publishing · cover-disk demo CF1 AMIGA
Amiga Format Not Very Festive 1995Future Publishing · cover-disk demo CF2 AMIGA
Amiga Power Alien Levels 1994Future Publishing · cover-disk demo CF1 AMIGA
Amiga The One 1993EMAP · cover-disk demo CF1 AMIGA
PC Format 1994Future Publishing · cover-disk demo CF1 DOS

Cover-disk attributions are best-known historical record; corrections welcome via the issue tracker.

03 // DEPLOY

Mission Equipment

Choose your platform. The engine is free; bring your own retail data, or run the demos as supplied.

  • Windows installer

    Official Windows installer. Recommended for first deploy. ~16 MB.

    WIN v2.0.0

    Download

  • Windows nightly build

    Latest x86 release zip from continuous build. No installer; unzip and run.

    WIN CI

    Get nightly

  • Linux, BSD & generic *nix

    Build from source on Linux, OpenBSD, RetroPie or other *nix; or install the Flatpak. Instructions in INSTALL.md.

    LINUX BSD RETROPIE FLATPAK

    Read INSTALL.md

  • Browser demo

    Web build of the demos. No install, no download. Works on desktop browsers.

    WEB DEMO

    Launch demo

  • Open Fodder Editor 2.0

    Campaign editor: build new missions, tilesets and scripts that the engine consumes natively.

    WIN EDITOR

    Editor on GitHub

  • Source code

    Read it, fork it, build it. Open source under the GNU GPL. Pull requests welcome.

    C++ GITHUB

    View source

04 // MISSION FOOTAGE

Operations Recovered

Selected mission tapes. Click through to YouTube; embeds load on demand.

  • Open Fodder 1.5

    Engine demonstration; mixed CF1 / CF2 mission rotation.

  • Open Fodder 1.4

    Pre-2.0 milestone build with scripting hooks.

  • 1.3 — Amiga Format

    Amiga Format Christmas Special running under the open engine.

  • Open Fodder 0.8

    Early-build archive. The first time it really felt like Cannon Fodder.

05 // COMMS CHANNELS

Frequencies Open

Three channels are open. Pick one and identify yourself.

  • FREQ 01 discord.gg/4mX2wFM

    Discord

    Live chat with the maintainers and the regulars. Best place for build help.

    JOIN DISCORDChat

  • FREQ 02 /openfodder

    Facebook

    Release announcements and the occasional lore drop.

    FOLLOW PAGEFacebook

  • FREQ 03 @segrax

    X (Twitter)

    Maintainer's own channel; build progress and tactical thoughts.

    OPEN ON X@segrax

06 // ORDER OF BATTLE

Credits

A small team and a long tail of contributors.

CREW MANIFEST · OPEN FODDER

  • Robert Crossfield @segrax Lead engineer · project maintainer
  • Alessandro Petralia @drnovice Lead tester · build maintainer and quality driver

License · GNU GPL. See the repository for terms.

Cannon Fodder is © 1993 Sensible Software / Virgin Interactive. Open Fodder is a fan-made open-source engine port and is not affiliated with the original publisher.