Mandate: Shell Rising

Still being built. Expect rough edges.

Write Bash scripts that command troops on a battlefield

Works best on desktopTrainingtrainingstrategy

$ mandate

Command troops with Bash scripts across thirteen levels, in a fictional world inspired by Warring States China. Level 12, The Defile, is a provisional playtest candidate.

Your units are files in a workbench that keeps your work, and your scripts are their orders. Level 1 is a five-person bridge crossing, typed one command at a time. Later levels add scouting, terrain, crossbows and reports that arrive late, so what you know may be out of date.

Write scripts with nano and run them with deploy. A sent order cannot be recalled; a countermand is another order with its own delay. Level 13, West Ford, carries one force through three battles.

Doctrine Workbench

Write Bash scripts that command your troops, then step in by hand as reports arrive late. An order you have sent cannot be recalled.

Durable workspace

~/mandate

Read README.txt; start with doctrine/level-1.sh. Your files remain yours between runs.

Sensors

status
receive
reports
UNIT look DIRECTION

Actions

deploy FILE
order UNIT -- VERB [ARGS]
signal CHANNEL CODE
UNIT VERB [ARGS]

Practice evidence

after action record · local practice

Ruleset: mandate-doctrine-v1

Practices: Bash scripts · event-driven automation · asynchronous systems · state management · stale observations

Replay verification and after-action export are available only after a verified Level 11 qualification attempt.

What you will see

THE DEFILE / ILLUSTRATED DISPATCHLate reports

A written choice

rearguard hold
cleared=no
while [ "$cleared" = no ]; do
  receive --timeout 40
  if [ "$EVENT_CODE" = ford-clear ]; then
    rearguard withdraw
    cleared=yes
  fi
done

Ford watch → command → rearguard

The rear holds the gap
The column is beyond direct observation. Its crossing is still unknown to command.
The ford watch sees the crossing
The report reaches command
The withdrawal order arrives
Survivors remain under command

How this command behaves

Built for a solo session
Save and resume your game
Build and keep real Bash files in ~/mandate
Automation records include after action record
Runs in the browser; nothing to install
Playable entirely from the keyboard

Start it from the prompt

Usage

mandate [--level 1-13]

Aliases

moh

Opens the terminal in Mandate: Shell Rising.

Run $ mandate