Scottish Covenanter (Free RTS) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

This is a real-time strategy (RTS) game set in 17th-century England.
This game, created with the WOLF RPG Editor, features simple and intuitive controls that make it incredibly addictive.
It was a short game, taking just over an hour to complete.
It's based on historical events, giving you the feeling that you're participating in a historical battle.

Game Overview

The story follows a Scottish regimental commander who fights his way through the wars from the Bishops' Wars to the Third English Civil War.
The protagonist's default name is "Covenanter," which means something like "a person who pledges support for the Presbyterian Church in Scotland," but the name can be changed.
Furthermore, the character's face graphic is that of a bearded man, and the included text file states, "If you can't stand the bearded protagonist, you can replace it."
You can easily change it by replacing the face graphic file.

Once the scenario part is finished, you will move to the tactical map.
In the early stages, there's a very thorough tutorial explaining things like the strengths and weaknesses of different unit types and how to use them effectively.
The operation method is also very simple, so it's not complicated or difficult to understand.
Even those who initially found it difficult to get into will likely change their minds after going through this introductory section.
The difficulty level isn't very high.

The only types of orders you can issue to a unit are movement orders and attack orders.
And since the protagonist's unit is limited to a maximum of six units, you don't have to issue a lot of orders, which makes things easier.
The real fun of this game lies in considering the strengths and weaknesses of your units—spearmen, musketeers, light cavalry, and artillery—while planning your troop deployment, movement, and attack timing.
A slight change in your actions can drastically alter the outcome, so it's incredibly satisfying when you succeed.
Your unit will gain experience points depending on how you complete the mission.

Once the tactical map is finished, you will be taken to the unit menu screen.
You can only save from the "Options" section on this screen, so be sure to save after clearing each stage.
On this screen, you can talk to your unit commanders and strengthen them.

Strengthening involves allocating experience points to the unit.
If you have a favorite member, you can use all your resources to strengthen that member.

Since reaching level 5 can unlock advanced classes, it's a good idea to strengthen the members you use most often.
For enhancements, you can choose from three options: increase troop strength by 100, increase attack power by 2, or increase defense power by 2.
The amount of experience points required increases with your level.

thoughts

Despite its simple operation, it offers plenty of opportunities for experimentation and enjoyment through trial and error, even when you fail.
The game balance might be a bit rough around the edges, but I enjoyed it because it was easy to play.
It also has character development elements, and I really like this kind of game system.

Since the player controls a regiment within a larger army, there was an interesting aspect to the gameplay, as you had to fulfill your role on each battlefield and coordinate with other units.
In terms of being based on historical events, it had a similar feel to the free SRPG "Eumenides."
Speaking of console games, it somehow reminded me of "Zeonic Front," a game from the Mobile Suit Gundam series.

The protagonists' army doesn't always win as a whole, and people who fought alongside them may become enemies in other battles.
The harsh realities of being in a middle management position add to the realism and create a good atmosphere.
I would definitely recommend this work to anyone who enjoys battles within the grand sweep of history, or to anyone who likes world history or historical dramas.

The flavor text between stages deepens your attachment to the characters, and it's also nice to hear words of gratitude from allied forces who fought alongside you.
The character portraits have a distinctive style that perfectly matches the game's story and atmosphere.
I really liked the background music; the arrangement of Scarborough Fair that played during the stages stuck in my head.

Strategy Notes (Spoiler Warning)

There are 11 stages in total, each with a wide variety of situations.
If you save your progress after every stage, it shouldn't be too difficult.
Even if you get a game over on your first playthrough, I think you won't get stuck if you memorize the enemy's attack patterns and deploy your forces accordingly.

In my case, I generally placed the spearmen at the very front, with the musketeers behind them.
The artillery is further behind.
To take advantage of their mobility, cavalry were positioned slightly to the flanks, supporting the front-line spearmen or acting as a skirmishing force to deal with enemies approaching from other directions.
If another unit is in their path, they cannot proceed, so detailed instructions such as taking a detour are necessary.

When enemies keep coming one after another, the frontline troops may become increasingly overextended, so caution is necessary.
It's quite difficult to pull back a unit that has advanced too far, so it's necessary to either have other units advance together or provide support with cavalry.

If there is cover, musketeers and artillerymen can attack the enemy unilaterally.
In particular, in Stage 9, the Dunbar supply cutoff, you can launch a one-sided attack if you use artillery effectively.
Dragoons, an advanced cavalry unit, can also choose between ranged combat and melee combat, making them usable like mobile musketeers.

Regarding strengthening troops, I think it would be best to prioritize strengthening spearmen, who often stand on the front lines, and light cavalry, who are often operated independently.
As you progress to higher-level units, their attack and defense power increases significantly, so basically, you should focus on increasing your troop numbers. If you want to improve something other than troop numbers, I think you should strengthen the parameters that enhance the characteristics of each unit, such as strengthening the defense of spearmen and the attack power of light cavalry.