Map excerpt from the Freeciv-web community server’s published 2021 screenshot. It illustrates the project, not a current session or compatibility test.
Image credits ↗Hedgewars
Hedgewars compiled through pas2c and Emscripten; public host currently fails TLS.
SetupOriginal-game image
Credits
Hedgewars 1.0.0 screenshot by Wuzzy. Original-game reference; not a capture of the unavailable WebWars host.
Hedgewars © its contributors. Screenshot by Wuzzy from the official project media gallery. Independent guide; no endorsement implied.
Source & attribution ↗View image ↗About this version
The creator’s Hedgewars forum announcement and repository connect this exact WebWars project to webwars.link. The source remains available, but the listed host failed certificate hostname validation during review. This entry offers build instructions while that browser route is unavailable.
- Project
- WebWars
- Original game
- Hedgewars
Terrain is part of the fight
Hedgewars is turn-based artillery built around teams of cartoon hedgehogs. Players move into position and choose from an exaggerated arsenal, with explosions reshaping the landscape around them. A useful shot can change the ground as well as damage an opponent, so where a hedgehog stands matters alongside aim and weapon choice.
The original desktop project includes local and network play and a wider collection of modes and content. WebWars is a separate effort to run that engine through a browser; its documented browser features need to be judged on their own.
The Hedgewars engine with a web front end
WebWars compiles the actual Hedgewars engine to WebAssembly and pairs it with a web interface. The creator documents hotseat play with two teams sharing a keyboard, plus online rooms in which each player adds a team and the room chief starts the match. Theme, game style, scheme and weapon-set choices are exposed before playing.
Its input instructions use the arrow keys for movement, right-click for the weapon menu and Space to fire. That desktop-oriented scheme is useful to know before expecting a touch-first game on a phone.
A source build includes assets and servers
The hosted play endpoint currently has a certificate problem. To run WebWars locally, use the source-build instructions, which target Linux and were tested on Ubuntu 22.04.
Building means more than compiling the web front end. It generates an asset-data pack that is absent from the repository, and online sessions also require the WebSocket gateway and Hedgewars game server. Serving the checked-in JavaScript or WebAssembly files alone is not a complete installation.
Starting over reloads the page
The browser engine does not currently support teardown after a game. The interface resets a session by reloading the page, a practical difference from moving continuously between matches in a native client. Treat a locally built session as a browser-port workflow, with its own lifecycle and server setup, rather than assuming all desktop behavior carries across unchanged.
Before you play
Do I need the original game files?
The project uses Hedgewars game assets; its documented build packages them for the web. No separately purchased game copy is listed as a prerequisite.
Creator-reported · Project guideHow do I get started?
Use the repository’s Linux/Emscripten build instructions. The public webwars.link route currently fails certificate validation and is not offered as a Play shortcut.
Creator-reported · Project guideWhich devices and browsers work?
The creator’s February update reports no mobile controls and a Safari compatibility issue. These limitations have not been independently retested.
Creator-reported · Project guideWhat are the controls?
The creator documents arrows to move, right-click for weapons, Space to fire and Enter to jump.
Creator-reported · Project guideCan I play multiplayer?
The source documents shared-keyboard hotseat and an experimental WebSocket multiplayer lobby. The creator says PC cross-play was not fully tested.
Creator-reported · Project guideWhat should I know before playing?
The public browser host failed TLS hostname validation on October 15. No security warning was bypassed. Source availability is not a verified live browser session.
Creator-reported · Project guideMade possible by apmlabs / idealist.
Caesar III with modern compatibility and small usability improvements.
Original files requiredSetup
OpenRA creator footage still showing its Red Alert ruleset. Other included rulesets have different units and settings.
Image credits ↗Classic Westwood real-time strategy games reimagined in a modern native engine.
Free assets availableDownload
Dune Dynasty creator screenshot; the gameplay panel is cropped from the project’s four-panel showcase.
Image credits ↗