heros_web/docs/strategist-character-direction.md

Strategist Character Direction

This guide prevents strategist units from collapsing into the same white-robed, feather-fan silhouette.

Core Rule

Zhuge Liang owns the large white feather fan and white-robed sage read. Other strategist, civil-official, and shaman units should keep their own readable identity through color, posture, and prop choice.

Identity Matrix

unit	identity read	primary colors	allowed props	avoid
unit-zhuge-liang	white-robed master strategist	white, pale blue, silver	large white feather fan, scroll	removing the signature fan
unit-ma-liang	white-eyebrow civil official	olive, sage green, tan, brown	white eyebrows, bamboo slips, letters, document case	white robe/fan read
unit-pang-tong	eccentric dark tactician	dark brown, muted plum, black	dark folded fan, wood slips, scroll bundles	bright white fan
unit-fa-zheng	cold legal strategist	deep green, charcoal, muted gold	map board, tally baton, command slips	sage-white costume
unit-sima-yi	black court conspirator	black, gray, dark violet	command tablet, sealed order, small dark fan	white fan, pale robe
unit-yi-ji	envoy and letter carrier	cream-tan, muted green, brown	sealed letter, bamboo slips, travel scroll	feather fan
unit-huang-quan	quartermaster official	blue, dark teal, muted gold	map board, records, baton	white fan
unit-shu-strategist	Shu field tactician	olive, tan, dark green	brush, bamboo slips, compact map	white-robed sage silhouette
unit-shu-strategist-field	frontline staff officer	green, leather brown, brass	field map, short baton, scroll case	large sleeves and white fan
unit-shu-strategist-white	pale-robed civil aide	warm tan, muted jade, limited cream	paper bundle, brush case, small tablet	Zhuge-style white robe/fan pairing
unit-wei-strategist	Wei court analyst	blue-gray, steel, black	bronze command tablet, war map, folded order	white feather fan
unit-wei-strategist-black	Wei covert adviser	black, violet, steel	black tablet, sealed order	white fan
unit-wei-strategist-blue	Wei records officer	blue, gray, bronze	map scroll, registry book	white fan
unit-wu-strategist	Wu river adviser	red-brown, teal, lacquer black	naval chart, command baton, small red fan	white feather fan
unit-wu-strategist-fire	fire-plan tactician	ember red, charcoal, bronze	fire tally, oil map, torch talisman	white fan
unit-wu-strategist-river	river-route tactician	blue-green, red trim, dark wood	water chart, oar-like baton, scroll tube	white fan
unit-nanman-shaman	ritual shaman	ochre, bone, dark red	ritual staff, talisman, tribal ornaments	Han scholar fan
unit-nanman-shaman-ember	ember shaman	ember red, bone, smoke black	ember staff, charm strips	white feather fan
unit-nanman-shaman-storm	storm shaman	storm blue, bone, dark leather	storm staff, charms	white feather fan

Next Representative Fixes

1. unit-wei-strategist-black: verify the covert adviser keeps dark props instead of a pale fan read.
2. unit-wei-strategist-blue: verify the records officer stays map/registry focused instead of fan-focused.
3. unit-sima-yi: confirm the named Wei conspirator remains darker and more distinctive than generic Wei strategists.

Completed representative pass:

• unit-wei-strategist: changed from white-fan strategist to blue-gray Wei court analyst with bronze command tablet, war ledger, and compact map board.
• unit-wu-strategist: changed from white-fan strategist to red-brown Wu river adviser with naval chart, river map board, and lacquer command baton.
• unit-shu-strategist-white: changed from white-fan pale strategist to muted jade Shu civil aide with document bundle, brush case, bamboo-slip ledger, and sealed letters.
• unit-wu-strategist-fire: changed from white-fan fire strategist to ember-red fire tactician with bronze tally, oil-map board, red command tablet, and talisman strips.
• unit-wu-strategist-river: changed from white-fan river strategist to blue-green river-route tactician with water-route map board, scroll tube, oar-shaped baton, and navigation slips.
• unit-shu-strategist-field: changed from white-fan sage-like field strategist to rugged Shu frontline staff officer with folded field map, short baton, bamboo slips, leather scroll case, and order pouch.

Every representative fix should include contact sheet, animation GIF, battle preview, before/after, alpha audit, build, and browser check.