WIP: an RTS where legitimacy is the core resource — villages join you for governing well, and the fort surrenders if you win the countryside (based on a real 1646 campaign)
Design experiment I've wanted to try for years: what if an RTS made political legitimacy the resource instead of just gold/units? Based on Shivaji's historical capture of Torna — he won the villages first, and the fort followed.
Mechanics: a four-part legitimacy score (justice/trust/protection/prosperity) drives village allegiance, morale, and desertion. Your tax collector is a physical unit that can be ambushed. The enemy AI runs varied strategies and tries to bribe your governors back — your defense is governing well. Three victory paths: starve the fort by cutting supply, sabotage its stores from within, or assault (deliberately the worst option — it costs lives and legitimacy).
Free in-browser WIP, placeholder graphics: https://rise-of-swarajya.ajinkya.ai
Design doc (very long, with all formulas): https://works.hcommons.org/records/cp7jn-je534
I am building this in my free time at nights & on the weekend. Would love your feedback on the idea itself. The game is not in fully playable state but concept of what all I want to build is there.
Posted Jul 4, 2026, 6:38 PM UTC