Standard Sudoku Rules apply to the final numerical layout.
The Battlefield Basics: On this ancient battlefield, 36 armies fought: 9 from each horizontal direction, and 9 from each vertical direction. Each army advanced X cells, with X being the first number at their end of their row or column, and counting the first cell as part of their advance.
Where two opposing armies overlapped, there was a bloody battle and resulting casualties. Where two opposing armies ceased advancing and declared a truce before a battle could ensue, lives were thankfully spared.
The Numbers outside each row and column indicate the sum of either the casualties or the lives spared, but do not indicate whether it was a battle or a truce.
These armies have brought Catapults onto the field. In cells with directional arrows, the digit in the cell the arrow comes from is then catapulted in the direction of the arrow's point the number of cells indicated by the digit on the arrow. Note that four of the catapults use the unknown single-digit Battlefield numbers outside the grid as their ammunition.
*****
Setter's Diary :: March 20, 2021 :: Experienced solvers will recognize my use of Stephane Bura's "slingshot" idea, which I've been mulling over for about half a year and finally got around to using. I just felt "catapults" sounded more like an instrument of battle.
Unless some amazing brainstorm strikes me one day, this is likely my last Battlefield entry. It's been fun, and I certainly look forward to any future creations from others using that rule set (which is just about up to its first birthday!).
Solution code: Row 2 then Row 8
on 4. June 2021, 13:10 by Nylimb
That was fun! Thanks.
on 23. March 2021, 11:13 by MagnusJosefsson
Very nice and fun puzzle!
on 22. March 2021, 16:20 by SudokuExplorer
Excellently themed puzzle with an enjoyable solving path! :-)
on 21. March 2021, 20:59 by marcmees
thanks for this grand series ... did I miss #6?
*** It was in the five I did for Christmas - the "Christmas Truce" Battlefield.
on 21. March 2021, 00:10 by Jesper
A very worthy finish to your Battlefield series! The clues combine really nicely.