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1989-11-20
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A FEW HINTS & TIPS FOR
-- ELITE --
To start with, think offensive! If you start going soft, you're out!
This is the golden rule of Elite, you've got to struggle to survive.
The biggest profit lies in trading narcotics from a rich industrial
world to a poor agrucial. The profit is also big when trading in medicals
and computers from the rich industrial worlds to the poor agrucial.
Gold, platonium, minerals, liqures and sometimes furs is profitable
to trade from poor agrucial worlds to rich industrial.
The fastest route to assets is to travel to a planet which has a
Feudal guvorment. This is the most law-less kind of all guvorments (where
Corporate State is the safest) and here you can, and will meet many pirates.
Shoot 'em and collect the cargo cannisters they leave behind (this requires
fuel scoops, of course).
Warning! You ought to be equipped with a better laser than the
standard puls-type, 'cos there will in most cases be too many pirates
attacking at the same time thus resulting in a catastrophe if you're
equipped with a lonley puls-laser.
NEVER buy retro-rockets. They cost CR 8000 and is almost useless,
since all they do is to thrust you backwards a couple of times. Nice to
use to escape from your enemies for a short period of time, but it isn't
worth the dough. If you want to escape, use the escape-capsule. Your cargo
is gone, but you'r getting a new space ship, identical to the one you
dropped out from.
To speed up the game considerately, buy a docking computer, switch
the docking computer to the 'fast' mode under options (+)and the second you
press 'C' (when the 'S' sign has appeared in the lower right corner of
the radar) you will be in the automatic docking sequence, instead of using
most of the game time just approching space-stations.
During combat:stop the speed of your craft as soon as the enemies
appear. This gives you more time to shoot at them before they return the
confetti. If their number is overwhelming gain top speed and fly away from
them while using the rear laser to shoot 'em down.
The last tactic is preferable if you meet a Thargoid and you've got only
a pulse laser.
These hints were written by THE FLASH TEAM. We hope they can help you
completeing the difficult task ahead of you!
Contact THE FLASH TEAM
Box 4710
8014 H.Moen
Norway
Call: +47-81-62868 (Tommy)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*****************************
* T H E F L A S H T E A M *
*****************************
Presents:
Elite Documentation
-------------------
The Elite manual was hacked out of the Elite disk, and modified
by THE FLASH TEAM. You can print out this manual, and use it
to solve the code-word protection, or to get some rather useful
tips on playing Elite. The manual is not 100 % correct, but
you'll manage to get thru the protecion by giveing it some tries.
God luck, and enjoy this amazing game!
Contact THE FLASH TEAM
Box 4710
8014 H.Moen
Norway
Call: +47-81-62868 (Tommy)
***********************
* SUMMARY OF CONTROLS *
***********************
---------------------- ----------------------
SPACE FLIGHT CONTROLS: SPACE COMBAT CONTROLS:
---------------------- ----------------------
Anticlockwise roll [ < ]* Fire lasers [ A ]*
Clockwise roll [ > ]* Target missile [ T ]
Dive [ S ]* Fire missile [ M ]
Climb [ X ]* Unarm missile [ U ]
Increase speed [SPC]* ECM [ E ]
Decrease speed [ ? ]* Energy bomb [TAB]
Front view [ 1 ] Escape capsule [ Q ]
Backview [ 2 ] Docking computer on/off [ C ]
Left view [ 3 ] Retro rocket [ R ]
Right view [ 4 ] Flight grid scanner X1/2[ Z ]
* Or joystick/mouse (Button)
---------------------- -----------------
NAVIGATIONAL CONTROLS: TRADING CONTROLS:
---------------------- -----------------
Hyperspace [ H ] Launch from station [ 1 ]*
Intergalactic jump [ J ] Buy cargo [ 2 ]*
Galactic hyperdrive [G+H] Sell cargo [ 3 ]*
Distance to system [ D ] Equip ship [ 4 ]*
Identify [ I ] Galactic chart [ 5 ]
Galactic chart [ 5 ] Local cluster chart [ 6 ]
Local cluster chart [ 6 ] Data on system [ 7 ]
Market prices [ 8 ]
-------------- Status page [ 9 ]
GAME CONTROLS: Inventory [ 0 ]
-------------- Find Planet [ F ]*
Freeze game [ P ]
Options [ + ]
Credits [ W ]
* Only while docked
****************************************
* SPACE TRADERS FLIGHT TRAINING MANUAL *
****************************************
-- PAGE 6 --
INTRODUCTORY DATA
-----------------
Welcome aboard this Cobra Mk III trading
and combat craft. The ship has been
supplied to you by Faulcon daLacy
Spaceways, by arrangement with the
Galactic Co-operative of Worlds whose
Space and Interstellar Pilot's Exams you
have just successfully completed. The
small flight manual supplied with the
craft is designed to familiarise you
with all aspects of space flight, combat
and trading, and we hope that it will be
of use to you.
You begin your career, your ship
equipped with a single forward-firing
pulse laser, three homing missiles, 7
light years of fuel, and the sum of 100
Credits (CR), ready to embark from a
space station in orbit around the planet
Lave.
The Cobra Mk III is the best of the
medium-range, medium capacity
fighter-traders, and is an ideal ship
for new traders intent on building their
fortunes, or new combateers who will
constantly need to finance the cost of
both armaments and non-combative
equipment.
The ship is highly manoeuvrable, has a
good C-holding factor during hyperspace
transit, can hold sufficient Quirium
H-fuel for a 7-light-year single jump
and has full Auto Trading Systems Link
for use at space stations. Further, it
is protected by dual Zieman Energy
Deflection Shields, powered by four
energy banks, and has a
-- PAGE 7 --
powerful, rapid-fire pulse laser mounted on
the forward hull segment.Flight controls
are elegant and simple, and the bridge
is equipped with both HoloDirect and
ThruSpace GravDistort communications
systems. Its life support functions are
varied and flexible to ensure maximum
comfort during trading or hunting
operations.
Pilot licences are issued only at the
planet Lave, and it is likely,
therefore, that you are now docked at a
Coriolis station in orbit around that
particular world. Lave is a rich,
agricultural dictatorship, but is a
reasonably safe world at which to begin
your endeavours. GalCop and the Lave
Authorities allow practice docking and
departure runs to all their space
stations here, and you would be advised
to take advantage of this facility.
INTERIOR OF COBRA MK III:
THE CARGO HOLD fills the bulk of the
mid-space area, and the cargo bay doors
open downwards. The capacity in an
unmodified Cobra is 20 1-tonne
canisters. Extra cargo space may be
acquired by extending the cargo bay,
which does not affect manoeuvrability.
Tonne canisters (TC) attach magnetically
to the cargo arms within the bay, and
two AutoShuttles occupy the central
space.
THE BRIDGE has seats for pilot and
co-pilot, a MedStim Centre, entrance to
the escape pod, is descent well to
living quarters, communications console,
special suit locker, RemLock supply
case, attachment facilities for AutoDock
System and a hand-weapons locker. The
main wall is occupied by the scanner
screen, astrogation console and main
systems monitors.
-- PAGE 8 --
THE DRIVE SECTOR houses the directional
thrusts, the System Space Kruger
'lightfast' motors, and the Irrikon
Thru-Space drives. Also here are rear
laser housing, the ECM capsule, the
Zieman shield generators, and energy
banks, the Witch-Space fuel condensers
(Quirium). There are both internal and
external access panels. Radiation level
is high.
THE LIVING AND HYGIENE SECTION is below
the main bridge, and reached through a
descending gravity well. Two bunks,
food dispensing facilities ,waste
disposal (including high-tox copper
exudate for Aonians) ,Synpleasure
relaxapads, and videos.
THE EQUIPMENT LEVEL runs throughout the
ship, and houses all the energy banks
for lasers, plus the missile rests, with
dispatch shafts to the lower hull. The
communications centre is here, and the
escape pod (with a separate entrance
from the bridge) life support systems,
cryogen tanks (two) and forty cubic
metres of FacsEnvironment for energy
use.
The 'Present System' refers to the
planetary system which your ship is
currently in; while the 'Hyperspace
System' refers to the system onto which
the hyperspace is locked.
-- PAGE 9 --
There are four possible 'Conditions': DOCKED means
that you are docked in a space station at the present
system; GREEN means that there is no immediate
danger; YELLOW indicates indicates enemy ships in the
vicinity; Condition RED signals a hig-risk on-going
death-type combat situation.
THE STATUS PAGE:
'Legal Status' refers to your Galactic
Police record. If this is CLEAN you
have nothing to worry about, but as an
OFFENDER or, still worse, a FUGITIVE you
are likely to be attacked by police
ships.
The 'Rating' is a dispassionate
assessment of your performance in combat
so far.
Current cash and fuel are also
displayed, along with a list of ship
fittings.
YOUR RATHING AS A COMBATEER:
To become an elite combateer requires
great skill and great patience, because
expert trading is essential before the
necessary more powerful armaments and
equip available to the Cobra ship can be
bought: beam lasers, more missiles,
energy bombs, a docking computer,
galactic hyperdrive,etc.
-- PAGE 10 --
As you sail through space between the
stars, and as you trade, you will live
with your combat rating. You will begin
as HARMLESS. If you survive your first
skirmish you may be reclassified as
MOSTLY HARMLESS. But on the slow climb
to a status level that reflects a
growing talent for combat you will have
to engage many different ships, in many
different skirmishes, in the System
Space of many different worlds. You
will be classified as POOR then AVERAGE,
then ABOVE AVERAGE, then COMPETENT.
Then you will become DANGEROUS, then
DEADLY. And at last, a few will become
ELITE.
Your kills are photographed and
transmitted by TS ComDirect to the
nearest GalCop Federal Law Centre. Your
rating as a combateer will increase in
direct proportion.
Fly your Cobra craft wisely and
carefully. Remember: other pilots may
be attempting to increase their own
combat rating by attacking either
innocent traders, or police Vipers (the
ships of the GalCop Police Force). If
you resort to such tactics (or if you
adopt the fast-credit routine and trade
in illegal gods) then your combat rating
may rise, but your legal status:
CLEAN--OFFENDER--FUGITIVE, will make you
Public Energy Number One with the
Federation Crime Monitoring Authority
and you will not be left alone.
-- PAGE 11 --
NAVIGATION AND FLYING
---------------------
NAVIGATION:
The Galactic Co-operative is only one -
although the largest - of several
planetary federations, and maintains
trade and diplomatic links with over
2000 planets spread throughout 8
galaxies. The political profile of a
planet is an important navigational
consideration as many are in a state of
anarchy and are unsafe to visit in
poorly equipped ships. Important too is
its economic profile, as will be
discussed in the section about trading.
Navigational strategy depends of course
upon your aims in life. If you think you
have what it takes to become elite, you
will need to chart your path through the
galaxies with care and great precision.
You will wish to equip your ship as
fully and as early as possible. You
will, therefore, need to study the
trading section of this manual so that
you can work out a profitable trading
route in order to be able to afford the
weaponry you will require. You will
have to make decisions about how
dangerous a life you wish to lead: in
general, the more risks you take
(travelling to dangerous planets or
trading in contraband goods), the faster
you may equip your ship but the quicker
you will be killed. You will discover
that life in the 8 galaxies is a
question of fine balance. Although it
may seem, at first, that indiscriminate
carnage is a soft option (kills improve
your rating, after all), as your skills
and experience of living in space
mature, you will quickly discover that
piracy is a short-lived career.
Success in this context is a mosaic of
talents: combative, certainly, but
thinking and decision-making talents
too.
-- PAGE 12 --
There are 8 galaxies, and over 250
recognised planets in each galaxy. So
massive a universe contains very little
that is completely predictable, and
offers infinite opportunities for
adventure.
(Page 12 and 13 have a picture of a galaxy)
-- Page 14 --
Here you are introduced to all the controls
which will eventually be useful to you in
developing a route thrugh the 8 galaxies
NAVIGATIONAL CONTROLS:
It is important that you do not press the
f1 key at the moment.
GALACTIC CHART
This chart shows all registered worlds
within the galaxy, and indicates your
own coordinate position. The star cursor
may be used to scan the shown worlds for
potentially favourable trade sites.
WORLD DATA LINK
The Orbit Space Authority takes no
responsibility for the accuracy of the
information registered here, but the
trader may gain some idea of the
relative wisdom of trading with the
world whose data is displayed. The
information shown is distance, type of
main life form, degree of agricultural
or industrial development, with
industrial and technological level
displayed on a scale 1-12. The
government type, ranging from Corporate
State of Anarchy, will be a strong
indication of the danger of trading with
the system.
-- PAGE 15 --
Use 5 again to return to the chart and acquire
information about some more planets.
The larger of the crosses on the chart
shows where your ship is and the circle
shows how far it can jump with its
current hyperspace fuel.
O returns the small cross to the larger one.
LOCAL NAVIGATIONAL CHART
This is a high power chart of all
planets in the immediate vicinity of
your docking world. Since the Cobra ship
has a maximum single H-jump range of 7
light years, the target world must be
chosen carefully. The target cursor,
used in conjunction with the Worldata
link, will indicate dangerous or likely
worlds for trade.
-- PAGE 16 --
A CORIOLIS SPACE STATION
Every world registered with the galactic
Co-operative has several Coriolis space
stations in orbit at various altitudes.
Coriolis stations are 'neutral'
territory, controlled equally by GalCop
and the Planetary Government.
A new dodecahedral design (the so-called
'Dodo' stations) is replacing the
Coriolis design in the more advanced
systems. Coriolis stations are hexagonal
in approximate shape. They spin along a
single axis running vertically from the
planet below. One side of the station
always faces the planet, and it is on
this facet that the access tunnel is
located.
Coriolis stations were designed at the
GASEC (Galactic Astronautic and Space
Exploration Centre) Laboratories on the
planet Vetitice. The first station was
in orbit around the world Lave in 2752.
Coriolis stations have powerful
defensive shields (against pirate attack
and inept docking) and a large fleet of
Viper fighters, and several larger types
of ship. The inside of the station is
free-space, and on each inner facet of
the station there are berthing and
refuelling facilities, as well as
cities, hospitals, farmlands and
leisurescapes.
Each Coriolis station has a diameter of
1 standard kilometre. They can berth
2000 ships, and support a fair-sized
colonial life development of humanoids.
-- PAGE 17 --
LEAVING THE SPACE STATION
On coding for Station Depart the pilot
is advised to accept a 10-second
MemnSomn to dispense with subjective
experience of the passage from docking
bay to Coriolis station egress. The
screen will then show a break-pattern,
which is the passage through the
protective field over the Coriolis
entrance tunnel.
BASIC MANOEUVRES
The Cobra trade ship needs practice to
fly well, though it is highly
manoeuvrable, very fast, and a good
combat vessel. It accelerates rapidly
using fingertip control.
-- PAGE 18 --
You might see some Cobra Class ships.
These are other traders like yourself,
and will not harm you unless you shoot
at them. If you do this they will either
attack or alternatively, run away.
Should you use them for combat practice,
do not expect the space station to turn
a blind eye to such unruly behaviour.
Nothing will attack you while you are
within sight of the space station -
unless you make a nuisance of yourself.
It is not possible to land on the
planet, and flying into planets or space
stations is fatal. The altimeter shows
your height above the planet's surface,
and you should not let it fall too low.
(If you are a new pilot, now is your
best chance to practice docking
manoeuvres with the space station at
Lave. The Lave Orbit Space Authority
permits an unlimited number of practice
runs by newly appointed pilots, and does
not charge. This facility is suspended
during attack, or when the Coriolis
station has no free docking space. See
the illustrated section on docking
procedure.)
-- PAGE 19 --
CONSOLE READINGS
1 CABIN TEMPERATURE
Cabin temperature will increase and the
console register this when your ship
flies too close to a sun.
2 ALTIMETER
Your altitude above your destination
planet can be crucial. Flying too near
its surface will be fatal.
3 FORWARD VELOCITY BAR
Forward velocity should be maintained at
maximum on planetary approach. Keep it
low during space station approach, and
minimal for final docking.
4 GYRO ORIENT BAR
Gyro orient bar indicators show
right/left roll and dive/climb status.
5 SPACE STATION INDICATOR
The 'S' refers to the space station and
indicates that you are within its
protective range. Pirates normalls keep
well outside this area.
6 COMPASS
This instrument first picks up a target
planet while it remains out of range of
the main flight-path scanner. When the
planet's space station nearest to you
comes within range of it, the compass
picks up that instead. When the dot is
not solid the object is behind you; when
solid and in the centre of the compass
circle, it should be visible through
your front viewfinder.
-- PAGE 21 --
MAKING FOR YOUR TARGET WORLD
Having left the space station you will
be in low orbit above the planet Lave,
moving at low velocity. You can leave
the current system using the hyperdrive
- assuming you have selected a
destination and have sufficient fuel.
On arrival in a new planetary system,
after transit from hyperspace, you will
find yourself at some distance from your
target world. This conforms with GC
Flight Law.
Even in the safest systems there can be
unseen dangers, and you will be well
advised to approach orbit space, and the
safety of the space station, as quickly
as possible. Increase forward velocity
to maximum. At this point you can take
full advantage of the Torus Jump Drive.
The Torus Jump Drive does not function
(because of interference patterns) if
there is another ship, a planet or a sun
in the immediate vicinity. If this is
the case, a sound signal will occur.
Soon your ship's computer will pick up
the beacon signals of the nearest
orbital space station and will re-engage
the compass to track that instead of the
target planet. Once the cobra is within
scanning and protective range of the
Coriolis station, the flight-grid
scanner will begin to track it. Its own
defenses are now available for your
protection. The scan console will
register the letter 'S' as long as the
space station is within range.
The intergalactic hyperdrive is
expensive and can be obtained only from
planets at Tech level 10 or higher. It
can only be used once, and will take you
to a system in a whole new galaxy (i.e.
a new map). There are 8 such galaxies
and making 8 jumps will return you to
your starting galaxy.
-- PAGE 22 --
DOCKING PROCEDURE
Docking with a Coriolis space station is
never easy, unless the ship is equipped
with an automatic docking computer. The
Navy Training Manual recommends the
following approach and dock sequence.
Locate the Coriolis station and approach
it. The entrance tunnels to all these
stations face the mother planet. Fly
near to the station and then on towards
the planet (monitoring altitude
carefully). By turning a half circle
you will now find your ship orientated
towards the entrance.
Approach the final moments of docking at
DEAD SLOW SPEED. Failure to dock cleanly
can be fatal but may simply result in
your scraping the sides of the aperture,
with consequent loss of defensive
shield(s) and quite possibly your cargo.
Manually control the Cobra's roll motion
to match the rotation of the Coriolis
station (see illustration). The entry
port must be as nearly horizontal as
possible.
If docking is successful; the protective
field across the station entrance is
penetrated, and a break pattern appears
on the screen. Berthing is handled
automatically.
Docking protocol, and Orbit Space
Regulations, are numerous, and are
available in the GC Orbit and System
Space Code, published by Federation
Planet bureau.
-- PAGE 24 --
INTERPLANETARY TRAVEL
---------------------
IN-FLIGHT COMBAT
Not all ships in deep space, even small
fighters, are pirates. Most ships will
respond to hostile action with hostile
action. If you attack a police ship or
trade in contraband goods (see trading),
your legal status will be changed to
OFFENDER, or even higher. If you destroy
pirate ships, or Thargoid invaders, (or
asteroids) you will receive a bounty
payment. If you shoot at the Coriolis
space station, its own defensive ships
(Viper class fighters) will attack you.
-- PAGE 25 --
MANOEUVRING
The Cobra tradeship is fast, and has a
very tight turning circle (though less
tight at full speed); it is an ideal
combat ship against small packs of enemy
vessels. It will outrun many attack
craft by speed alone, but it will not
outrun a missile. Spinning, fast-slow,
and duck-and-weave manoeuvres are very
effective against the larger, less
manoeuvrable ships when they attack. A
sudden decrease in speed followed by a
tight 180 degree turn and an increase in
velocity will often give you a big
advantage over pursuing enemy craft.
SINGS OF DANGER
If you cannot make an interspace quick
jump towards the planet, there is a ship
in the vicinity. It could be
dangerous.
Laser fire striking the defensive
shields makes a light screeching sound.
Listen for laser fire striking the hull
direct. Through damaged screens it makes
a low, screeching sound. DANGER.
-- PAGE 26 --
An incoming missile will be detected,
tracked, and a warning message flashed
on main screen.
Some star pilots are braver than others
and pirate ships may break off and run
in the face of stiff resistance. Some
appear to know no fear - in particular
Thargoid vessels, whose captains have
had their fear glands surgically
removed.
LIKELY ENEMIES
Lone-wolf traders-such as Cobra
pilots-are constantly at risk from other
Spacefaring types. An understanding of
other loners, packhunters, and bounty
killers is essential.
BOUNTY HUNTERS
Unless you have achieved FUGITIVE
status, and especially if you are highly
ranked as a combateer as well as being a
criminal, bounty hunters will not bother
a ship as insignificant as a Cobra MK 3.
In fact, many bounty hunters favour
Cobra trade-ships as they make an
excellent disguise. But the real
killers star-ride in the sleek, and
highly efficient, Fer-de-Lance
Lightspeeder,in which they live for
months at a time. Bounty hunters can
always be found outside Orbit Space,
especially around worlds classified as
'dangerous'. They are invariably of
combat rating: DEADLY or ELITE. Bounty
hunters rarely identify themselves to
passing ships, and if pestered too
closely will usually kill.
-- PAGE 27 --
PIRATE VESSELS
There are several ways of identifying a
space-going ship as 'pirate occupied',
and this is essential since pirates and
renegades will take any ship for their
purpose, from an Asp to a massive
Python. Pirates exist everywhere in the
galaxy, but cluster mainly around
unstable GalCop worlds, especially
worlds run on a feudal or anarchic
system.
Small ships hovering very distant from a
planet are pirates. Large ships
accompanied by a mixture of small
fighter types are pirates. Ships that
refuse to acknowledge identification
signals are pirates. Around worlds run
by autocracies, or clans, pirates will
very often have been paid to leave trade
ships alone. Piracy is a huge, and
complex, business, and any
life-respecting trader will learn the
tell-tale signs of pirate presence.
POLICE
In a Co-operative of Worlds as complex
as the 2040 planets of the GalCop, the
police can be as menacing as they can be
helpful. The typical police vessel is a
Viper GH Class PulseShip, which is very
fast, and very manoeuvrable. They are
on constant standby on every CORIOLIS
and Dodec space station, and will attack
- a pirate, or a fugitive trader -
within seconds. They do not make
arrests, they destroy. There are
different police departments serving
different purposes - narcotics,
space-drunkenness, psychotic shooting,
piracy, slave trading etc. - but all
have small fleets of these very fast
Viper patrol craft.
-- PAGE 29 --
OTHER SPACE TYPES
ROCK HERMITS
Pirates, ageing bounty hunters, or
planetary outcasts, who create living
space out of asteroids. They usually
choose large asteroids, and set up
signal beacons to warn off miners.
GalCop Law protects Rock Hermits, but
since most of the asteroid is
hollowed-out, there is little advantage
to be gained by 'mining' them anyway.
-- PAGE 30 --
GENERATION SHIPS
Before the development of the WS
Thru-Space drive, in all its various
forms, interstellar travel occurred in
large, self-sustaining environment ships
- Generation Ships - most of which have
now been logged and their progress
monitored. There are more than seventy
thousand of these immense vessels
ploughing their way through the galaxy,
some of them into their 30th generation.
The penalty for interference with such a
vessel is marooning.
SPACE DREDGERS
These immense factory ships are to be
found wherever there has been a war, or
a Thargoid invasion, or a natural
catastrophe. More than forty miles long,
the Dredgers are a life-form to
themselves. The Dredgers are huge
cities in space, feeding off debris and
ruination. Heavily armed, and with
fleets of reconditioned fighter ships,
they are to be avoided at all cost.
COMBAT CONSOLE
1 SHIELDS (FS)
Defensive shields take power from two
energy bank sources, fore and aft.
Purchasing a extra enery units will
increase the effectiveness of the
shields.
2 MISSILE STATUS
Missile status depicts the number of
missiles on board and whether they are
'targeted' or 'untargeted' or 'locked
and ready to fire'.
3 ENERGY BANKS
Energy banks will rapidly drain if
defensive shield are taking excessive
fire. Using lasers or an ECM System
will also drain their resources. When
the fourth bank is tapped, an ENERGY LOW
message will flash onto the screen.
Eventually, in normal circumstances, the
banks will be automatically replenished
by surface radiation absorption.
4 LASER TEMPERATURE (LT)
Laser temperature will rise during
continuous firing of the ship's
laser(s). As the central housing
overheats, the laser will temporarily
cut out rather than destroy the system.
Purchases an extra energy unit will
decrease the time taken for the lasers
to cool down in heavy combat.
5 FLIGHT GRID SCANNER
This sophisticated instrument displays a
three-dimensional view of space in the
immediate vicinity of your ship, seen
from a point behind and above it. the
precise position of any ship within its
range can be pinpointed.
The 3-dimensional scanner operates in
such a way that you can pinpoint a ship
above and below yours, as well as to the
front, behind or to the sides. The
vertical bars show this clearly. A
flashing bars indicates the ship is
hostile
-- PAGE 31 --
LASERS
Pulse lasers are initially housed only
in the front of the ship, and so no
sights appear across rear or side views
until such time as you have sufficient
credits (from combat and trading) to
afford lasers for these mountings. As
we shall see, with sufficient cash you
will also be able to upgrade pulse to
more to more powerful beam lasers.
The Cobra astrogation console
accommodates a single laser-fire key.
Even fully equipped only one laser may
be fired at a time. If a laser
overheats it will not fire (observe the
laser temperature bar).
Lasers are the principal armament of all
space fighters.
Pulse lasers will be offered for sale at
planets of Tech level 3 or above (see
Trading). Beam Lasers will be offered
at Tech level 4 or above. If a beam
laser replaces a pulse laser the price
of the pulse laser is refunded after the
beam one has ben fitted.
PULSE LASER SPECIFICATION:
Ingram Model 1919A4 Pulse Laser is
recommended for all positional laser
mountings, but is especially effective
for rear-shooting. Fires intermittent
laser 'rods' 610mm in length, with a
cycle rate of 1500 RoPM. The barrel is
of high grade Allutium fibre, lined with
tempered QuQorian Silica. Power
provided directly from inverse energy
banks contained in main ship's drive.
Each rod is capable of piercing 267mm of
Flux-Locke metal.
-- PAGE 32 --
BEAM LASER SPECIFICATION:
Ingram MOdel M1928A2 is highly
recommended for front shooting. Beam
lasers fire continuous laser strands, up
to 150 in parallel. Barrel is Allutium +
lined with tensioned plastiglass, and as
with the 1919A4 Pulse laser, power is
provided by main drive link. Beam
lasers are capable of slicing through
410mm FL metal.
MILITARY LASER SPECIFICATION:
Range and operation twice as effective
as the Ingram model M1928A2 beam laser.
This is Lance Ferman's entree into the
laser market. Hitherto known for their
highly effective and relatively cheap
missile systems, in the military laser
they have in effect created a whole new
laser market. The LF90 is the current
computer-aided model and comes with
x4SUSAT sights.
MISSILES
Missiles are always available, whatever
the nature of your destination world,
though no more than four may be carried
at any one time. They are extremely
effective weapons and are carried by the
larger star ships. Your ship's computer
will warn you when one is fired at you
with a message on-screen. Unless your
ship is fitted with ECM (see below) you
will have to outmanoeuvre the missile,
which will home in on you relentlessly.
If a missile hits you, it can almost
completely exhaust a fully charged
shield and, if your shields and energy
are low, may well be fatal.
Before a missile can be fired it must be
locked onto a target. When fired, it
will home in on that target and destroy
it, unless your enemy successfully takes
one of the precautions described above.
The missile launch mechanism is very
reliable and hardly ever jams. Missiles
can be locked onto targets in any view.
-- PAGE 33 --
MISSILE SPECIFICATION:
Lance Ferman Homing Missiles (4x4) are
now recommended for all small class
trade-combat ships, but can be fitted as
part of a mixed design weapon rack. LF
missiles have 2IL-135 guidance systems,
and optional manual directional control
overrides. Warhead packed with Terminal
9 explosive, and the 4x4 is invulnerable
to all known counteraction, except ECM
systems. Capable of Megazon Destruct
Force 7. Prototype first used in 2987,
during Ineran Wars.
ENERGY BOMBS
An energy bomb will be offered for sale
at a planet of Tech level 7 or higher,
and can be used only once. It will
destroy all other ships, asteroids, and
missiles in the vicinity.
ENERGY BOMB SPECIFICATION:
Medusa Pandora Self Homing Energy Bomb
(available at Tech Level 7 worlds or
higher) is a tactical weapon capable of
Megazon Destruct Force 13. Has heat
radius of 9000 km. Developed by
Klaus-Kline laboratories for multi-role
combat using 'launch-and-leave'
techniques.
-- PAGE 34 --
DEFENSIVE MEASURES
SAFET ZONE
The Orbit Space around any Coriolis
Space Station is safe. The Stations own
defences will come to your immediate
assistance. Entry to safety zone is
signalled below the compass.
SHIELDS AND ENERGY BANKS
Your ship comes equipped with fore and
aft shields and energy banks. The
shields protect your ship from
aggressive fire, and will be recharged
from the energy banks. Constant fire
will harm the shields. Once a shield is
depleted, enemy lasers and missiles
striking that shield will take energy
directly from the energy banks and may
even destroy items of cargo or ship
fitting. When all your energy banks are
empty your ship will be destroyed. Using
lasers or an ECM system will also
deplete your energy banks.
The ship's computer will keep you
informed of any damage to your ship and
will also warn you when energy levels
are dangerously low.
An Extra Energy Unit may be fitted at
planets of Tech level 8 or higher, and
doubles the energy bank replenishment
rate. This is the energy unit with the
copper coloured top. No other unit
looks like it, or lasts like it.
-- PAGE 35 --
DEFENSIVE SHIELD SPECIFICATION:
The shields consist of hi-tense flux
webs of Zieman-charged sub-particles.
They are weakest where the laser and
missile tubes pass through the ship's
hull, and along the central ship band
where the two shields overlap, and cause
a stress zone.
ECM
An ECM System (literally Electronic
Counter Measures System) is offered for
sale at Tech level 2, and may be used
any number of times given sufficient
energy replacement. When activated the
ECM destroys all missiles in your
vicinity - including any that you have
fired. Some enemy ships, especially
traders, will have this and may use it
against your missiles.
ECM SPECIFICATION:
Radiant-Magnetic 'wipe-out' using
ion-saturation theory developed by Bell
and Braben on Riedquat 359. Electronic
Counter Measure Systems use minute
charged particles of InterSpac Heavy
Element dust, releasing their radiant
energy and setting up expanding nuclear
flux chains.
ESCAPE CAPSULE
An escape capsule can be fitted in place
of your cabin at any world of Tech level
6 or higher. If the escape capsule is
jettisoned from the ship, it will be
automatically tracked by the nearest
world and will travel safely to a
Coriolis space station. Your cash will
be preserved but all your cargo will be
lost.
However, this item comes with a widely
recognised insurance cover which will
guarantee you a new Cobra Class ship,
equipped in like manner. The contents
of the cargo hold is exempt from this
protection.
Since the unique IR signature of a
ship's hull is used to file police
records, abandoning your ship in this
way will have the effect (unfortunately
exploited as much by galactic brigands
as trader victims) of clearing your
police record.
You may see an escape capsule leaving an
enemy ship. This will not harm you
unless you crash into it.
ESCAPE CAPSULE SPECIFICATION:
Recommended model is the XEESLAN FastJet
LSC 7, which can support two human
life-forms for seven weeks, in moderate
Suspended An.state.
-- PAGE 36 --
NON-COMBATIVE EQUIPMENT
FUEL
Fuel is always available. You can
refill your tanks to full (7 light-year)
capacity - no less is permitted.
FUEL SCOOPS
Fuel scoops may be fitted to the hull at
a planet of Tech level 5 or higher.
These enable a ship to obtain free
hyperspace fuel by 'skimming the sun' -
flying close to it at high velocity.
Since fuel scoops utilise powerful
electro-magnetic fields to guide the
solar wind into their converters, they
may also be used to pick up
miscellaneous space debris. Almost all
pirate vessels are fitted with these so
that they can blast their prey apart and
sift among the wreckage, rather than
attempt to dock with a hostile craft.
Once fuel scoops are installed, you can
scoop up an object (such as a cargo
canister) by keeping it in the lower
half of the screen view area while
flying right up to it.
FUEL SCOOP SPECIFICATION:
Fuel scoops are considered an essential
for Deep Space, and dangerous zone
trading. They have a standard design,
and a standard fitment. They use
powerful electromagnetic fields to guide
solar wind or small space debris into
their ReQax convertors.
CARGO BAY EXTENSION
One cargo bay extension can be bought,
increasing the hold space from 20 to 35
tonnes.
CARGO BAY EXTENSION SPECIFICATION:
Standard model is the Mariner Freight
Chamber.
DOCKING COMPUTER
This is available from all Tech level 9
planets; they are fitted to the ship's
flight control system and enable it to
dock the ship automatically.
DOCKING COMPUTER SPECIFICATION:
The SinCorn RemLock DA System is a
sophisticated and expensive piece of
-- PAGE 37 --
gadgetry. It comes with MemnSomn pilot
interaction to induce hi-cram sleep
during the manoeuvre.
INTERGALACTIC HYPERDRIVE
The intergalactic hyperdrive is
obtainable only from planets at Tech
level 10 or higher, and can only be used
once.
IGH SPECIFICATION:
Although a number of manufactures have
supported a whole range of IGH motors,
it is recommended you remain loyal to
Xeror/Hikan who provide the standard
hyperspace transit drives.
ASTEROID MINING LASERS
Asteroid mining involves the fitting of
fuel scoops and special mining lasers to
your ship. Ships which always carry
them are known as 'Belters'. They
search for asteroids and, on finding
one, use the laser to fragment it into
pieces sufficiently small to be taken
into the cargo bay.
MINING LASERS SPECIFICATION:
Kruger Model ARM64 Sp. Mining laser is
highly recommended as both a trade and
combat addition. Uses variable frequency
laser rods of 200mm length, fired in
wide beam, 100 channels/beam. Automatic
debris-pattern lock ensures no fragments
of large size of target asteroid impinge
on ship space. Can destroy asteroids of
up to 2KtHH durable Mass. Must be
fitted with a fuel and matter scoop.
-- PAGE 38 --
INTERGALACTIC TRADING
---------------------
The Cobra Mk III, designed primarily as
a trading ship, combines combat
efficiency and manoeuvrability with
substantial cargo space (20 Tonne
Canisters) and with scoop attachments
for space debris, jettisoned cargo and
space rock.
Most space stations have made the
process of trading very simple, in order
to facilitate a fast turnover in goods
and ships. Import and export tariffs -
which are high on some worlds - are
automatically added or deducted and this
is reflected in the prices shown. The
auto-trader system, employed by the
Cobras, does not allow for more specific
trading deals to be performed.
A selection of the more valuable Alien
items that are tradeable is given in
this manual, but the trader must deal
with them in person.
Once docked you are linked directly with
the CorCom Trade System. At your
request you can obtain a list of basic
trade items available for purchase.
Slaves are measured by the tonne in the
galactic trading. This may seem a
little strange, but it includes the
cryogenic suspension system necessary to
keep them alive during space travel. The
slave trade, once almost eliminated by
the Galactic Government is now
returning, despite the efforts of the
Galactic Police Force to suppress it.
-- PAGE 39 --
ITEM Average price/cr
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Food (Simple organic products) 4.4 tonne
Textiles (Unprocessed fabrics) 6.4 tonne
Radioactives (Ores and by-products) 21.2 tonne
*Slaves (Usually humanoid) 8.0 tonne
Liquor/Wines (Exotic spirits from unearthly flora) 25.2 tonne
Luxuries (Perfumes, Spices, Coffee) 91.2 tonne
*Narcotics (Tobacco, Arcturan Megaweed) 114.8 tonne
Computers (Intelligent machinery) 84.0 tonne
Machinery (Factory and farm equipment) 56.4 tonne
Alloys (Industrial Metals) 32.8 tonne
*Firearms (Small-scale artillery, sidearms etc.) 70.4 tonne
Furs (Includes leathers, Millennium Wompom Pelts)56.0 tonne
Minerals (Unrefined rock containing trace elements) 8.0 kg
Gold 32.7 kg
Platinum 65.2 kg
Gem-stones (Includes jewellery) 16.4 kg
Alien Items (Artefacts, Weapons etc.) 27.0 tonne
Medicines 90.0 tonne
* These items are defined as illegal by the Galactic
Government, so trading in them is risky.
-- PAGE 40 --
The prices shown at the time of trading
represent an offer to you and will be
guaranteed while you are in Trading
Mode.
-- PAGE 41 --
The Cobra trade ship must dock with a
Coriolis space station before buying or
selling cargo. It has no Free Space
trade facility, apart from routine
jettisoning of canisters.
-- PAGE 42 --
ADVICE TO TRADERS
The Cobra trade ship can be fitted with
four lasers, four missiles and one
energy bomb. This should be sufficient
to make trade possible within the System
Space of even heavily piratised worlds.
But it is strongly recommended that
pilots achieve a combat of at least
'deadly' before any worlds designated
'Anarchy' or 'Feudal' are approached,
especially if the cargo is high tech
machinery of luxury goods.
To make money as a trader is no easy
talk. Unless you have backing capital
you would be well advised to start with
foodstuffs, textiles, minerals and
luxuries.
-- PAGE 43 --
Demand for goods varies widely and
prices within planets fluctuate, but
GalCop regulations prohibit planets from
advertising their requirements or
announcing their market prices beyond
their own System Space. Any trader,
therefore, approaches all transactions
with a certain financial risk.
Trade depends upon demand, and selling
prices depend upon the level of demand
on the planet, and its available money.
None of these factors can be assessed
before docking.
Agricultural planets invariably have
excess produce at reasonable purchase
prices, and such food sells well at
industrialised, middle - to high -
technology worlds. Raw materials, and
ores, will sell well to middle - tech
worlds, which are usually able to refine
them, and the refined product can fetch
excellent prices at worlds of very high
tech status.
The rules are complex, and anarchy and
piracy has its effect on causing the
rules to change.
Think about a planet's needs. Think what
might make the society function. Don't
trade expensive trivia to a hungry
world.
IF THE PROFIT ISN'T WORTH IT, TRADE IT
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AGRICULTURAL WORLDS specialist food and
raw materials, but mostly basic
machinery and spare parts. If they are
rich, they need luxuries and high tech
industrial machines. They produce food
in quantity, raw materials and
specialised 'organic' items, like some
textiles.
INDUSTRIAL WORLDS need agricultural
produce; raw materials (for refining);
resource exploitation machinery; (if
rich) high tech goods. They produce
basic items of need for civilised
worlds: beds, seals, and gaskets, power
storage units, basic weapons, mass
produced fertiliser, mass produced
medicines etc.
-- PAGE 44 --
ALTERNATIVES TO TRADING
Since the Cobra craft is equipped as a
fighter as well as a trader, with
in-built capacity for strengthening its
armaments, there are alternative
life-styles to trading which may prove
profitable, but which are excessively
dangerous.
BOUNTY HUNTING
Galactic banks, which insure the larger
trading convoys, will pay a large bounty
for each pirate ship destroyed. A
ship's computer will transmit
photographic evidence of any kill to the
GalCop Bank Federation Monitoring
Authority. The IR signature of the
destroyed ship is then tallied with all
known pirate vessels, and the bounty
hunter pilot credited accordingly.
Bounty hunters commonly have Cobra Class
ships in order to masquerade as traders.
They simply hyperspace into a system
(anarchic and feudal worlds especially)
and wait to be attacked, ensuring that
they have sufficient hyperspace fuel
(Quirium) for a quick escape.
PIRACY
Piracy is widespread throughout the 8
galaxies, and many pirates are not
hardened criminals at all, but failed
traders who have turned to this way of
life in desperation. To survive as a
pirate, looting freighter convoys and
small ships, requires a high degree of
combat experience, since not just Police
Vipers will pursue them, but other
pirate ships and Bounty Hunters, too,
will prey upon them.
But the rewards are high. Provided the
pirate ship is equipped with a fuel
scoop, the jettisoned tonne-cannisters
of attacked cargo ships can be scooped
up and traded.
ASTEROID MINING
There is money in rock, but to make the
most of it a Cobra ship must be fitted
with a fuel scoop and a MinReduc 15
Mining Laser (or some equivalent type).
The mining laser will blast very large
asteroids into very small fragments and
the scoop can rapidly swallow this
tradeable ore.
-- PAGE 45 --
FREESPACE CARGO
Trade ships are often destroyed (by
natural catastrophe or enemy action) and
their cargo left ungathered. Using a
fuel scoop such 'free bounty' can be
collected. The contents of the
canisters will be unknown until they are
taken aboard and examined, and may be
worthless or worth a fortune. If their
contents are illegal goods, they cannot
be traded or sold without legal risk.
(N.B: Pressurised cargo canisters are
the Universal means of storing cargo for
Interplanetary Space Voyaging. Made of
HiFlux Chromon-alloy, they hold one
Gal-Tonne of goods, under variable
pressure and temperature conditions.
Tales have been told of such barrels
being discovered after over five hundred
years on barren moons, and such 'Moon
salvage' is a remarkable source of
historical artefact material.)
-- PAGE 46 --
ILLEGAL TRADING
It is surprising how many planetary
systems will allow the purchasing of
illegal trade items, notably firearms,
narcotics (especially Arcturan Megaweed)
and slaves. Slaves are supplied in
cryosuspension in transporter coffins,
and often turn out to be old and sick
specimens of vaguely humanoid life
forms. Nonetheless, few systems will
allow the selling of these items without
taking recriminatory action.
-- PAGE 47 --
POLITICAL PROFILE OF THE UNIVERSE
---------------------------------
CONSEQUENCES FOR TRADE
To trade successfully, and profitably,
will almost certainly require you to fly
the Cobra trade ship into politically
unstable planetary systems. Pirate and
freebooter activity is high in many
solar systems, and adequate ship
defences are essential if the rewards of
higher selling prices are to be reaped.
For the benefit of new traders, a brief
political summary is given below, but
reference should be made to KROWEKI
CARR'S PSYCHOHISTORY and Economic Theory
in the GalFederation,2845
Planetary governments, or federations,
determine the relative safety of their
Solar Space. Ranked in decreasing order
of safety, the 2040 officially
registered worlds of the Galactic
Federation can be classified as
CORPORATE STATES
DEMOCRACIES
CONFEDERACIES
COMMUNIST STATES
DICTATORSHIPS
MULTI-GOVERNMENTS
FEUDAL WORLDS
ANARCHIES
CORPORATE STATES
Like ENGEMA and ZAATXE, these are
well-ordered worlds, which have usually
developed from settlers who practised a
free trade form of competition. Taxation
is high on such worlds, but the living
standards are high also. Corporate
planets wish to protect their trade, so
goods are expensive, but luxuries are
welcomed. Import licences are often
necessary.
-- PAGE 48 --
Engema is an agricultural world, run as
a single farming co-operative. Farmers
receive a fixed payment for their crops,
whether or not the harvest is good, and
selling prices do not vary greatly. It
is a dependable market, and customer
relations are good. Luxuries, machinery
and raw materials sell well here.
Zaatxe is an example of a rich,
industrial state (Tech level 12). It
produces luxury goods, elaborate and
innovative machine systems, and
specialise in Prototype design. Prices
fluctuate depending upon the level of
inter-state competition, but it is
always a safe bet to buy
recently-developed machine items which
have not yet spread very far across the
galaxy.
DICTATORSHIPS
Dictatorships such as the worlds LAVE
and ENZAER, are only moderately safe to
trade with, but are well worth the risk
(provided the trader is well defended
and combat trained). Very often pirates
attack will not occur because of an
agreement between pirate fleets and the
world itself. A proportion of all
incoming trade is 'allowed' to be stolen
by pirates, who will then leave the
world alone, and protect its ships from
aliens or rogue traders. It is an
uneasy liaison, which often breaks
down.
Lave is an agricultural world, and
Enzaer is an industrial planet, but a
similar principal operates on both
surfaces. There are two trading
standards, that of the People and that
of the Aristocracy. Standards of living
are artificially generated, a veneer of
progress, and luxury goods, machine and
textiles sell well-usually. The great
demand, however is for basic
commodities, especially foodstuffs,
clothing and raw materials. These will
sell well when the voice of the People
has been raised in protest.
ANARCHY PLANETS
A trader can make his biggest profits
and reach his grade the quickest. Worlds
like Onisou and Xeesenri have vast
wreck-yards in far orbit , the dead
places of ships that game to trade
honestly, and fell pray to trickery.
-- PAGE 49 --
These are lawless places, and have
usually have come so because the
original settlers competed too hard when
there was too little resource material.
Those worlds that survived Holocaust did
so because of uneasy and bloody
alliances between clan families. Pirates
and mercenaries were hied for protection
and assassination purposes. Anarchic
worlds will trade readily in narcotics,
sleighs, firearms and exotica, and the
price will be good...if you get a price
at all. These worlds are almost always
supplying invisible masters, usually
elite trader/combateer who have turned
to crime has the most profitable way off
life. Such form loose federations, and
trade on black market extensively
throughout the galaxies.
These worlds pay highly for goods they
cannot produce themselves because they
know that traders avoid them. Their own
products need specialise, illegal
outlets: weaponry, narcotics,
eavesdropping devices... if it's covert,
then anarchic worlds are producing it.
Trade in these items and you will get
rich quick, or dead quick, or at least
become a fugitive.
ALIEN RACES
Of the 2040 officially registered
planets in the GalCop, all but 45
support human colonies only, that is to
say , human presence elsewhere is
restricted to settlements in under
populated parts of the land surface.
-- PAGE 50 --
Trading at such worlds depends, for its
success, very much upon the extant state
of co-operation between human and alien.
Humans control the Coriolis stations in
orbit, but the availability of items to
trade, and their relative expense, can
be affected by the controlling life
forms.
Most alien life forms are either too
primitive, or too glad of off-World
trade, to interfere. Some, such are the
Reptilian life form of Esanbe or the
Amphibioids of Anbeen, can make a
traders life very difficult by haggling
at the point of a laser.
The available planetary information on
all worlds will indicate the nature of
the inhabiting lifeform.
In dealing with any Alien life-form, for
the purposes of trade, there are three
cardinal rules:
Learn body language of the alien
race.
Cover up your body scent
Beware of Carapace concealed
weapons.
BIRD-FORMS
Dealing in alien artifacts on such
worlds often involves a close liaison
with Flight Elders, or Nest Elders, and
this is very much a job for a
specialist. Bird forms are, on the whole
a delight to trade with, and the highest
form of honour (fairly universally) that
an off worlder can receive is an
invitation to 'keep the eggs warm for a
moment'.
AMPHIBIOIDS are usually a lot sharper
than their wet, sluggish appearance
would suggest. They are usually keen to
trade in narcotics, or exotic
foodstuffs. Skin creams are always well
received. Technologically they tend to
be backwards, but will pay high prices
for such middle-range items as automated
ponds, croak metres, sprawn freezers and
swamp purifiers.
FELINES are dangerous in the extreme. No
matter what sort of political structures
the world may have, feline aliens are
packed orientated, and feudal, and very
unpredictable. All traders are advised
to wear body suits, to prevent
secretions of sweat from triggering a
feeding response among these hostile and
enigmatic life forms.
To win the confidence of a feline alien
is almost invariably to be invited to
mate, so a certain aloofness is
recommended.
INSECTOIDS
The most dangerous insectoidal life form
is the Thargoid, which is mentioned in
the Combat section. Insectoidals are
usually highly intelligent, often
existing as a group mind. There is
rarely any individuality among
insectoids, and the trader must beware
making deals in such a way. One life
form builds earth cities up to four
miles high, and over four million drones
live in the middle levels. According to
legend, any trader who voluntarily
ascends the earth passageway from ground
to upper surface of these immense mounds
is honoured with the rare title Ascender
of the Scent City. And then consumed
alive. But trading with insectoids can
be immensely profitable, as there are so
many of them (to trade in wrist watches,
for example, means two to four watches
per individual in a clone-group of
perhaps ten thousand).
-- PAGE 52 --
OBSERVER'S GUIDE TO SHIPS IN SERVICE
------------------------------------
In most trading and combat operations,
certain ships are repeatedly
encountered. All ships, whether unarmed
cargo shuttles or Navy transporters, are
potentially dangerous as pirate and
bounty hunting activity spreads. Some
ships are potentially more dangerous
than others.
For a fuller account see Jane's Galactic
Ships and Remote Colonial Construction,
5th Edition, 3205 pub. Trantor House.
ADDER:
Manufactured by Outworld Workshops, a
rogue breakaway company from Spalder and
Prime Inc. which operates without a
licence from and unknown location, the
Adder-class craft has dual
atmospheric-spatial capability and is
often used by smugglers. Preggs
'wingfolding' system permits landing on
planetary surfaces. Carries one
missile.
DIMENSIONS
45/8/30ft
CARGO CAPACITY
2 TC (Tonne Canisters)
ARMAMENTS
Ingram 1928 AZ
Beam laser
Geret Starseeker missile
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.24 LM (Light Mach)
INSERVICE DATA
2914 AD
(Outworld Workshop)
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF4
(Curve Factor)
CREW NUMBER
2
DRIVE MOTORS
AM 18 bi Thrust
HULL STRESS
FACTOR
T ko 28
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 54 --
ASP MK II:
Galactic Navy vessel designed and
manufactured in government workshops,
incorporating secret self-destruct
devices which are primed to activate
when the astrogation controls are used
by unfamiliar hands. Integument has
chameleon properties enabling the ship
to assume effective camouflage in any
type of environment. Intended for
reconnaissance and the transport of
high-ranking military personnel from
combat it is very fast and manoeuvrable.
Despite its hazardous nature it makes an
ideal pirate vessel, primarily because
of the speed, camouflage and high
intensity Hassoni-Kruger Burst-lasers.
The Asp II has room for powerful shield
generators, but only one missile pod.
DIMENSIONS
70/20/65 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
None
ARMAMENTS
Hassoni-Kruger
Burst Laser
Geret Starseeker Missile
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.40 LM
INSERVICE DATE
2878 AD
GalCop Workshops
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF 4
CREW NUMBER
2
DRIVE MOTORS
Voltaire Whiplash HZ
Pulsedrive
HULL STRESS FACTOR
TT 16
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 55 --
COBRA MK III:
Larger, more popular version of the
Cobra Mk 1 (the Mk 2 only reached
prototype stage and was abandoned due to
a design fault in the hull). This ship
is equipped with several special
features, including Zieman Energy
Deflection Shields, fore and aft, and
mounting for four Ingram Pulse lasers.
The Cobra is much favoured by lone-wolf
traders who wish to combine potential
superior combat qualities with adequate
cargo space.
DIMENSIONS
765/30/130 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
20 TC
ARMAMENTS
Ingram laser system
Lance Ferman Seek Kill missile system
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.30
INSERVICE DATE
3100 AD
(Cowell MgRath Shipyards, Lave)
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF 8
CREW NUMBER
1 or 2
DRIVE MOTORS
Kruger 'Lightfast' motors
Irrikan ThruSpace
HULL STRESS FACTOR
T Ji 18
C-Holding M18
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 56 --
FER-DE-LANCE:
A Zorgon Petterson Group (Zee Pee Gee)
designed vessel favoured by well-heeled
bounty hunters and freewheeling business
corporations. A sophisticated craft,
capable of both limited trading, combat,
and leisure function. The spacious hull
is mainly given over to sophisticated
weaponry, defences and navigation
equipment at the expense of cargo
capacity. Cabin accommodation is large
and luxurious with extensive Owndirt
Inc. recycling facilities, encouraging
extended live-in periods (useful whilst
pursuing a quarry). Fuel scoop is a
standard fitting, ensuring complete
self-sufficiency.
DIMENSIONS
85/20/45 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
2 TC
ARMAMENTS
Ergan Laser System
IFS Seek Hunt missiles
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.30
INSERVICE DATE
3100 AD
Zorgon Petterson
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF 5
CREW NUMBER
12
DRIVE MOTORS
Titronix Intersun
Ionic for LT
HULL STRESS FACTOR
T Ji 10
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 57 --
KRAIT:
Small, reliable one-man fighter, common
until the standardised version of the
Mamba became available on the open
market. Several of these early Faulcon
deLacy designed craft may still be found
in service in remote areas, but spare
parts are no longer available and the
need to cannibalise has reduced numbers
still further in recent years.
DIMENSIONS
80/20/90 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
10 TC
ARMAMENTS
Ergon laser system
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.30 Light Mach
INSERVICE DATE
3027 AD
(deLacy ShipWorks, ININES)
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF 8
CREW NUMBER
1
DRIVE MOTORS
deLacy Spinlonic
ZX 14
HULL STRESS FACTOR
C-Holding A20-B4
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
No
-- PAGE 58 --
PYTHON:
One of the larger trading vessels
manufactured in Inera Orbit Space by
Whatt and Pritney ShipConstruct. Cabin
accommodation is cramped and spartan in
contrast to facilities for cargo and
'alien environment' transport. Though
slow and ponderous, the craft has
powerful CC-Voltaire shields and
Volt-Variscan Pulse lasers, earning it
the nickname of the 'space porcupine'.
Not commonly attacked by pirate ships,
but a popular craft for freebooters,
usually used as a way-station and
storage hulk.
DIMENSIONS
130/40/80 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
100 TC
ARMAMENTS
Volt-Variscan
Pulse Lasers
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.20
INSERVICE DATE
2700 AD
Whatt and Pritney
ShipConstruct
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF3
CREW NUMBER
20-30
DRIVE MOTORS
4C40k V Ames Drive
Exlon 76NN Model
HULL STRESS FACTOR
T(ensman) YO 20
C-Holding K21-31
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 59 --
SIDEWINDER SCOUT SHIP:
Designed by Faulcon de Lacy and built in
the Onrira Orbital Shipyards by Spalder
and Starblaze Inc to Galactic Navy
specifications for a multi-purpose
support craft. Mainly used for
atmosphere and planetary surface
scouting, but extensively too for
city-strafing, reconnaissance and
infantry air support (and by pirates who
favour speed and elusiveness, its
primary advantage). Has some
interspatial capability, not including
hyperspace, and must be carried through
hyperspace by jump-capable vessels. Hull
is too small for the installation of
fuel scoops, or more than one missile
pod.
DIMENSIONS
35/15/65 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
None
ARMAMENTS
Dual 22-18 lasers
Seeker missiles
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.37
INSERVICE DATE
2982
(Onrira Orbital/spalder Starblaze)
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF9
CREW NUMBER
1
DRIVE MOTORS
deLacy Spin Ionic MV
Hull STRESS FACTOR
Not available
C-Holding C50
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
No
-- PAGE 60 --
THARGOID INVASION SHIP:
The Thargoids are humankind's deadly
enemy, and throughout the 8 galaxies
there are at least 50 war zones between
humanity and Thargoid. This highly
technologically advanced insectoid race
is also at war with 17 other space-going
life forms.
All Thargoid combateers are ruthless in
combat, and some may be comparable with
elite-status human combat pilots.
Though most of the Thargoid Space Fleet
is currently engaged by the Galactic
Navy in InterGalactic Space, a few of
the smaller battle ships make occasional
destructor-raids into human space. These
ships are extremely fast for their size
and invariably have anti-missile (ECM)
systems.
The Galactic Banks will pay a handsome
bounty for the destruction of a Thargoid
invasion ship. Your most dangerous
enemy, a Thargoid may - in addition to
its own fire-power-activate
remote-controlled killer-craft
("thargons"). Destroy the 8-sided
mother ship, however, and the thargons
will cease to pose a threat.
Additionally, most Thargoid battle ships
carry several small, remote-controlled
'thargons', killer-craft each equipped
with a single, but highly advanced,
pulse-laser. The Galactic Navy are
developing their own deep-space
RemCraft, and pay a large bounty for any
thargon craft that are bought to them.
(N.B. Bounty on Thargoid invasion craft
destroyed is very high. Thargoid
battle-cruisers believed to be able to
'hover' in Witch-Space (hyperspace) and
destroy through-coming craft).
Though most of the Thargoid Space Fleet
is currently engaged by the Galactic
Navy in Intergalactic Space, a few of
the smaller battle ships make occasional
sorties into Human Space. These ships
are extremely fast for their size and
invariably have ECM Systems (this was
originally a Thargoid invention to
counter Navy missiles, subsequently
copied by the Navy from captured
Thargoid ships).
Additionally, most Thargoid battle ships
carry a few small remote-controlled
ships, each equipped with a single pulse
laser. It is rumoured that the Galactic
Navy are designing their own
remote-controlled fighter, and will pay
well for Thargoid ones to study.
DIMENSIONS
180/40/180 ft
ARMAMENTS
Widely varying.
Mountings available for most systems
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.20 LM
INSERVICE DATE
Uncertain
MANOEUVRABILITY
CF6
CREW NUMBER
150
DRIVE MOTORS
Thargoid invention
HULL STRESS FACTOR
Uncertain
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
Yes
-- PAGE 61 --
VIPER (POLICE SHIP):
Small, highly manoeuvrable short range
'hunter-killer', the Viper was
specifically designed for GalCop Space
Policing purposes by Faulcon Manspace
and are built under licence on all
Medium Tech worlds. The Viper is a
single pilot craft, but has a 'tug'
capability, and can tow a ship of up to
140,000 MTS mass (including the Cobra Mk
3). This popular ship ia also carried
by large freighter convoys, for
defensive purposes.
DIMENSIONS
55/80/50 ft
CARGO CAPACITY
Zero
ARMAMENTS
Ingram MegaBlast Pulse Laser
Seeker missiles
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
0.32 LM
INSERVICE DATE
2762 AD (Faulcon Manspace, Reorte)
MANOEUVRABILITY
High (CF 7.4)
CREW NUMBER
1 (up to 10)
DRIVE MOTORS
deLacy Super Thrust
VC10
HULL STRESS FACTOR
Varies
HYPERSPACE
CAPABILITY
No
-- PAGE 62 --
This manual was hacked out of the Elite
disk, and modified by THE FLASH TEAM.
Contact us:
THE FLASH TEAM
Box 4710
8014 H.Moen
Norway
Call: +47-81-62868 (Tommy)
Elite was first devised and written by
David Braben and Ian Bell for the Acorn
BBC Micro.
This version of Elite was converted to
the Amiga by Rob Nicholson of Mr. Micro
Ltd. The program was developed on an
Opus PCV (IBM AT Clone) using the Quelo
68000 cross-assembler.
All graphics were drawn by Mr. Micro's
artist James McDermott.
The 'Blue Danube Waltz' was composed by
Johann Strauss and the Amiga version was
arranged by Wally Beben of Hagar Music.
All sound effects are by Wally Beben.
The author would like to thank the
following people for their help in the
writing of this conversion:
Jim and Val Gregory for putting up with
me when things were getting heavy and,
not least, for paying me.
Colin Fuidge for not getting too annoyed
when bugs occurred and when things
didn't quite happen when I said they
would.
Gary Patchen for doing a lot of the
early donkey work in converting some MSX
Z80 code to 68000. The MSX version was
also written by Mr. Micro.
The Post Office for going on strike and
giving everyone a genuine excuse for
late work.
Andrew Sinclair for his help with the
disk routines.
Jez Sans for his help with those nasty
little technical details that Commodore
don't tell you about.
Tracy Howkins for typing in the manual
for use in this library.
Finally, to Bell and Braben for creating
such a successful game design.
Thank You, Rob Nicholson October 1988
Thank you for buying Elite.
Software costs a lot to develop, test,
and market. The reason good software
gets written is because the authors a
publishers want to make an honest
profit on their investment and labours.
Purchasing this program will help more
games to be written.
If you encourage software theft, by
obtaining or distributing ripped off
copies, then not only are you breaking
the law but you are reducing the
incentive for great software to be
written. Either way you will suffer in
the end.
Elite is THE classic game that you
should own and enjoy to the full. The
original books and packaging are an
addition to your collection that you can
be proud of.
See 'Thank You'