Four-Man Standoff

Grenadier

Guns are overrated. A true Scotsman's standoff goes like this:

• Prepare
• Throw at enemy with most health
• Repeat (if by some miracle you're still alive)

While this seems trivial, it's probably not a terrible strategy. Since guns and grenades both have a two-turn cycle, this is by far the more efficient¹ way to deal damage.

Of course, if all three opponents shoot me on the first round it's no good. But not much else would be, either.

public class Grenadier {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        if(args.length < 2)
            return;
        String[] list = args[1].split(" ");
        if(list.length < 4)
            return;
        
        if(list[0].charAt(list[0].length()-1) != 'P'){
            System.out.print("P");
            return;
        }
        
        int target = 1;
        for(int i=2;i<4;i++)
            if(list[i].charAt(0)>list[target].charAt(0))
                target = i;

        System.out.print("T"+target);
    }
}

Compile/run in the standard Java way:

> javac Grenadier.java
> java Grenadier arg0 arg1

---

¹ Pointless footnote

Asimov's Rule Number 0 Bot - Python

A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.

Pretty straight forward, he'll attack the first player he sees holding a grenade in order to protect the majority of humans. If no one is a threat to the majority of humans, he'll do nothing.

import sys

def total_humans_alive(humans):
  return sum([is_alive(human) for human in humans])

def is_alive(x):
  return int(x.split(",")[0]) > 0  

def is_threat_to_humanity(lastAction):
  return lastAction == "P"

action = "N"
threat_id = 1
humans = sys.argv[2].split()[1:];

if total_humans_alive(humans) == 3:
  for human in humans:
    if is_threat_to_humanity(human[-1]):
      action = "S" + str(threat_id)
      break
    threat_id= threat_id+ 1

print action

Run it like:

python rule0bot.py

Han Solo - Python

Han shot first. In this case, he'll shoot first by picking the closest target alive.

import sys

def is_alive(player):
  return int(player.split(",")[0]) > 0

closest_living_target = 1;

for player in sys.argv[2].split()[1:]:
  if is_alive(player):
    action = "S" + str(closest_living_target)
    break

  closest_living_target = closest_living_target + 1

print action

Run it like:

python hansolo.py

_{Note: This is the first thing I ever wrote in Python, so if you see any python-specific bad practices, please let me know.}