Link: https://benhem.itch.io/seven-samurai-rl-7srl-7drl
Seven samurai are hired/manipulated/guilted into defending a village of nervous farmers from an attack by desperate bandits. The bandits have the advantage in terms of numbers, equipment, and skills, so it's up to the samurai to help the farmers hold together. Place cunning traps! Attempt bold acts of heroism! Manage resources wisely!
There are some inspirations looming in my mind (aside from the Kurosawa film). These include Hoplite (Douglas Cowley), with its terrific simplicity and use of LOS, and lack of randomness. Also Theseus and the Minotaur (Robert Abbot), a great puzzle mechanic where the player can move one square at a time, while the minotaur moves two squares. Both games pit user cleverness against an enemy force that is stronger in every sense, except that it behaves in predictable ways.
As I work on this, I'm also realizing how much it resembles a battle scene from the old SSI "Gold Box" AD&D games.