Real-Time Strategy

A real-time strategy match in the manner of Age of Empires, Warcraft and StarCraft, from one manifest. Write the map (a mirrored, fair arena by default, or plains, a river, highlands, lakes, a coast; square isometric tiles or hexes), the factions (two to four, human or AI) and the setting - medieval history (villagers, militia to knights and mangonels; food, wood, gold and stone), fantasy (peasants to griffin riders and dragons; mana), modern war (engineers to tanks and jets; credits and fuel) or science fiction (drones to mechs; crystal and plasma) - and the plate gives everyone a town centre, workers and a scout, makes sure every start has wood, gold, stone and food in reach, and runs the match. It is the genre's whole loop: workers gather and carry loads to drop-off camps, raise buildings from sites (houses for population, farms, barracks, ranges, stables, workshops, towers, castles), buildings train units from queues to a rally point, a smithy improves arms and armour, units walk paths, chase, auto-acquire enemies and attack-move, towers and centres shoot back, healers mend. The AI follows a build order, defends its base and attacks in growing waves. Box-select, control groups, right-click orders, a command card and a minimap; fog of war. Victory by destroying every building, the main halls, surviving a time limit or holding a wonder. Three layouts: command, spectator and map. Ships empty on purpose.