Who’d win in a fight between the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Holy Roman Empire and Slavs? While history itself does tell us at least some of the answers to that question, reading a dusty old tome isn’t nearly as fun as fielding troops from those historical factions yourself and crushing all opponents. The icing on the historically accurate pease pudding, of course, is when those opponents are other human players.

Such is the prospect when going online in Ancestors Legacy. Tightly wound, finely balanced and tactically minded RTS competition awaits - here’s how it works.

Domination mode

This mode’s all about seizing control of all the villages on the game map, and holding them under enemy attack in order to drain your opponent’s points. A bar at the top of the screen shows the balance of power at any given time, beginning with a 50-50 split of points and changing each time a player seizes a new village. The match is won when one player either completely drains the other’s points by maintaining control of enough villages for a long enough period, or when one player destroys all the other’s key buildings. Most maps contain an even number of villages, so it’s possible for two opponents to stay deadlocked for a while until one manages to take the initiative and the cement their advantage by holding onto a greater number of villages.

Annihilation mode

The RTS equivalent of the old stalwart deathmatch mode in shooters, Annihilation simply tasks you with eliminating the bases of all enemy forces. Bases are made up of the following key buildings: Townhall, Barracks, Archery, Blacksmith, Stables. It’s vital to keep all of these buildings operational - or, if your back’s really up against the wall, at least one of them. Once they’re all out of action, you’re eliminated from the game.

Tracking down an enemy, defeating their army quicker than they can replenish it and then destroying all their key buidings can take time. The classic early rush tactic can work in Ancestors Legacy, but more often than not it’s a longer and more considered affair. Hunker down, build your forces wisely, stay rich in resources, and seize your opportunity to attack an opponent while they’re unprepared or over-extended.

Multiplayer tactics

Nation matchups are an important consideration in either game mode. Each of the four nations has their own unique units, prayers, tech tree perks at different tiers, and strengths at varying points of the game. Anglo-Saxons, for example, get the only starting ranged unit in the game with the Slingers. However Slingers are especially weak to melee damage, so you’ll really need to pick your battles in the early phases of play. Later on in the game though, Slingers become more resilient so their appropriate usage changes.

Villages are of vital importance in both Annihilation and Domination. The more villages you can hold, the more resources you’re able to yield. And the more resources you’re able to yield, the faster you can recruit troops, work up through technology tiers, and build larger and more advanced armies than your foes.