Usbourne Computer Battlegames was a type-in computer games book from the 1980s. This is a version of "Battle at Traitors Castle" game. Original BASIC by Daniel Isaaman and Jenny Tyler

traitor.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3

#Usbourne Computer Battlegames was a type-in computer games book 
#from the 1980s.

#This is a version of "Battle at Traitors Castle" game.

#Original BASIC  by Daniel Isaaman and Jenny Tyler

import curses
import random

stdscr = curses.initscr()
curses.noecho()
curses.cbreak()

def pressenter(stdscr,message="Press Enter to exit."):
    """Prints a message and pauses"""
    curses.nocbreak()
    stdscr.nodelay(0)
    stdscr.addstr(message)
    stdscr.refresh()
    stdscr.getch()
 
def turnend(message,score):
    """Reports if a hit has been made, and updates the score"""
    stdscr.move(6,4)
    stdscr.addstr(message)
    stdscr.move(8,4)
    stdscr.addstr("Score: "+str(score))

def app(stdscr):
    stdscr.addstr(
        """
Traitor's castle
----------------
Your computer will print a row containing eight dots and an O.
The number keys 1 to 9 correspond to the position of the O
in the row. You have a short time to press the correct key, and hit
the O, before it disappears.  How many of the Baron's men
can you hit?

""")
    pressenter(stdscr,"Press enter to start\n")
    stdscr.clear()         #Clears the screen
    
    curses.halfdelay(25)   # How long, in tenths of a second to wait
    score = 0              # Sets score to zero at the start
    for turn in range(10): # Loop to give you 10 goes
        t = random.randint(1,9) 
        r = "."*(t-1) + "O" + "."*(9-t) 
                           # These lines make a string with an 'O' in 
                           # a random position
        stdscr.move(4,4)
        stdscr.addstr(r)   # Prints the string
        r = stdscr.getch() - 48 # Checks to see if you are pressing a key
                           # 48 is ascii for 0, so if you press one (ascii 49)
                           # this gets the number 1
        if r == t:         # checks if you pressed the right key
            score += 1     # increases score by one
            turnend("You got one",score)
        else:
                           # or tells you you missed
            turnend("You missed ",score)


    stdscr.move(10,4)
    pressenter(stdscr,"Press enter to exit")

curses.wrapper(app)        #runs the program


#Challenge: Can you change the game so there are Ordinary soldiers "O"
#and special crack troops "S". You get 1 point for an ordinary, and 5 
#for a special