The Games Machine 38/ZGIDEMO.iso/Final Liberation/fldemo.exe/README.TXT

Text File | 1997-12-15 | 29KB | 391 lines

DEMO
In the universe of Warhammer 40,000, battles may occur at any time, and on any planet. Acquiring
the skills to succeed on these deadly battlefields may not be easy, but those who do can expect
honor and acclaim. This DEMO should teach you the basics of those skills, though true mastery
only comes with time and inspiration.
For this DEMO, left-click on Tutorial from the Selection screen.
HothgarÆs Stance
This DEMO is intended to cover some of the more commonly used features of a typical scenario: the
game interface, moving units, firing units, opportunity fire, and artillery missions.
The village of Hothgar's Stance has been overrun by a scouting force of Ork Evil Sunz troopers,
supported by a detachment of Battlewagons. The Commissar has allocated a detachment of Predator
tanks, a detachment of Whirlwind infantry support vehicles, and a detachment of Space Marine
infantry. Your mission is to make sure that none of the Evil Sunz return to report their findings.
Deployment Screen Features
The Deployment screen consists of the Tactical Display panel
     a large overhead display of your units and enemy units that are visible, and the
    Interface panel
ò    Corner Map panel
     A smaller map panel displaying the entire battle area.
ò    The Unit Roster
    A three section panel with a scroll bar which lists the units in your
    active regiment.
ò    A Facing Dial and Control Buttons.
Tactical Display Panel
The Tactical Display panel is where Imperial and Ork units do all of their fighting and dying.
The level of zoom can be adjusted using the two buttons below the Corner Map panel (they look
like skulls, one with a plus symbol for zooming in, the other has a minus symbol for zooming out).
The Tactical Display panel can also scroll across the battlefield by moving the cursor to an edge
of the screen: left edge scrolls left, top edge scrolls up and so on. Text messages with
information about controls, units, terrain features, and options appear in an Information Bar
which runs across the bottom of the panel.
Corner Map Panel
The Corner Map is a tool for planning strategy and gives an overview of the current battlefield.
Left-clicking on the Corner Map moves the view on the Tactical Display panel, represented by
the white rectangle, to that part of the battlefield. Other features of the Corner Map panel
include:
ò    Player One's units are shown as blue dots. These are also Imperial units in the tutorial
ò    Player Two's units are  red dots. These are the Ork units.
ò    Objectives appear as white dots.
ò    Buildings and ruins appear as red blocks.
ò    Areas of difficult terrain appear as gray dots.
Detachment Roster / Unit Roster
The Detachment Roster lists your active detachments ù the active detachment is displayed in gold, the others are in silver. Double-click on a
detachment entry on the roster. The entries change to the Unit Roster, refining the focus of control to a single unit. Double-click on any entry to
restore the Detachment Roster.
Facing Dial
The Facing Dial controls the facing of the active unit or detachment. Left-click on one of the
eight wedges on the face of the dial and the active unit changes to face that direction. Facing
can also be changed on the Tactical Display panel by right-clicking on the map where the active
unit needs to face. Note: Right-clicking on a unit selects that unit and opens the Imperial Codex
encyclopedia to the entry for that unit, so when adjusting a unitÆs facing be careful not to hold
the cursor over another unit while doing so.
Deployment Interface Panel Buttons
Zoom View Buttons
The Zoom-in and Zoom-out buttons increase and decrease the area that can be viewed in the
Tactical Display panel.
Deploy Unit or Formations Button
Units and detachments can be moved individually or in formation. This control toggles between
whole detachments and individual units for deployment purposes.
Detachment Array Control
This control adjusts the way a detachment is arrayed when deployed. Infantry units can be arrayed
three or more ranks deep, depending on the placement of nearby units, two ranks deep, or in a
single line. Vehicular detachments can be arrayed in columns of three, two, or a single line.
Load / Unload Unit Button
Left-clicking on this control selects the active infantry unit (not the whole detachment) for
mounting on transports. The cursor changes to the Load Unit cursor; left-click on the transport
the infantry is to mount, and they disappear inside. To unload a transport, select it by
left-clicking on it and left-click on the Load/Unload Unit button. The passenger appears behind
the transport. Note: None of the vehicles in the tutorial can carry passengers.
Codex Encyclopedia Button
The Imperial Codex encyclopedia entry for the active unit is displayed when this button is
clicked. See the ôCodex Encyclopediaö section, starting on page @ for a complete description.
Center Map on Unit Button
This button centers the Tactical Display panel on the currently active unit. This is useful when
the Tactical Display has been scrolled away from the active unit and you wish to return to its
position quickly.
Entrenchment Button
This starts infantry units in entrenchments; entrenched infantry are harder to hit. Infantry
units can entrench during the scenario by expending half of their movement points. Note: Some
ground may be too hard for entrenchments.
Done Button
Left-clicking on the Checkmark button ends the deployment phase and signals that you are ready to
begin the scenario.
Inspect Your Forces
Your forces are arrayed on the Tactical Display panel in no particular order. You have five units
of Space Marine infantry, three Whirlwind missile-artillery carriers, and three Predator tanks.
These units can be deployed anywhere to the left of the saw-toothed boundary of light and dark
spaces. No enemy units are visible, but Imperial Intelligence has warned you that the Evil Sunz
troopers may be in some of the buildings.
Imperial Codex Encyclopedia
Before you actually move a unit, however, it might be useful to inspect your troops and identify
their roles, as well as looking at those of the enemy. Left-click on the Encyclopedia button to
view the entry for the active unit, or right-click over a unit to see its entry.
Briefing Panel
The Briefing panel displays basic information such as the unit typeÆs name, primary role and any
options which might apply.
Equipment List
The Equipment list shows important information about the unit including:Move The unit's move rating.
Close Assault  The unitÆs close assault value.
Armor  Armor values for front, sides, and rear are listed.
Cost  The unitÆs cost in points.
Weapons  The unitÆs array of weapons are listed, with each weaponÆs statistics: Rng. for range,
Pen. for penetration, and Hit for the unitÆs chance to hit before any penalty is assessed.
See the Appendix @ ôUnit Vehicle Tablesö starting on page @ and "Unit Infantry Tables on page @
for more information.
Unit Type List
The entries on this part of the Codex can be viewed by scrolling up and down the list with the
scroll bar on the right side. Left-clicking on a panel displays the entry for that unit.
Unit Class Buttons
There are four unit class buttons: Infantry, Vehicles, Titans and Gargants, and Aircraft.
Changing from one unit class to another changes what the list displays.
Screen Icon Preview
Shows the Tactical Display icon for each unit selected in the unit type list.
Other Controls
These buttons allow the choice of viewing Imperial or Ork units, background material on the
Warhammer 40,000 universe or credits for Epic 40,000: Final Liberation, Eldar, Chaos and
Tyranid background information as well as the Checkmark button which is used to Exit this screen.
Deploy Your Forces
The active unit is indicated with four red arrow icons pointing at the four sides of the screen.
If you play a multiplayer game later, these icons represent the active unit of each side. Orks
are green.
When you move the cursor into an area where deployment is forbidden, it changes from four inward
pointing arrows to crossed swords with red tips. Moving the cursor back into the deployment area
causes it to return to normal. The normal cursor also has three green dots on the lower right
side. This tells you that you are moving the active detachment of troops ôin formation,ö or all
at once.
Right now, your Space Marines are the active unit. Left-click near the edge of the deployment
area. Notice how the detachments bunch together. This makes it easy to tell which units you are
manipulating when you want to change deployment. Move the mouse cursor to the Unit Roster panel.
Double-click on a panel where it reads Detachment 1 Space Marines, or press the Enter key with
the cursor over the panel, to switch to the Detachment Roster. Now move back and select another
unit.
Notice that when the Detachment Roster is open, the cursor changes to four green arrows without
the three dots.
Select each of the Space Marine detachments and move them as close to the edge of the deployment
zone as possible. Spread them apart by one or more spaces to increase the area they can see and
shoot into.
Restore the Unit Roster by double-clicking on one of the three panels on the roster. Select one
of the Whirlwinds and scroll up, or left-click on the Corner Map panel, on the hills in the
upper-left corner of the Tactical Display. Adjust the display until you can see the edge. Deploy
the Whirlwinds along the edge of the hills by left-clicking here. Once again, they are grouped
together. Double-click on the Detachment 3 Whirlwind section of the Unit Roster to adjust their
deployment. Deploy each unit atop the range of hills, then use the Facing Dial, or right-click in
the panel, to turn each Whirlwind toward the village before deploying the next one.
Finally, select one of the Predators, noticing how the Detachment Roster changes to list three
Predators instead of the three Whirlwinds. Deploy the Predators behind the Space Marines ù they
can pass through the ranks of infantry, but should be screened by the infantry when no enemies
are in sight.
It might help to zoom out, in order to see more of the Tactical Display.
To end deployment, left-click on the Checkmark button in the lower right-hand corner.
Before Your Turn One
Scenario Interface Panel Features
Adjust Speed
The five bars between the Corner Map and the Score panel allow you to adjust game speed.
Score Panel
Next to the Zoom-In and Zoom-Out buttons is the score panel. The numbers displayed here are the
current morale scores for both players, the Imperial player is on the left, the Ork player is on
the right. These scores are displayed over the Roster panel in between turns as well. They are a
relative measure of your level of success in a scenario. If a player reaches zero, they are
defeated.
Rosters
Notice that the Unit Roster has changed, and that there are several more buttons next to the
Facing Dial now. The Unit Roster now displays only the active unit, but shows more information
about it. An icon indicates the type of unit, next to the unitÆs name, for example, Space Marine,
Imperial Guard, Predator, and so on. Below that are the number of moves the unit has, followed by
the number of shots it can fire with its current movement points. Below that is a list of the
weapons the unit carries. Some units, such as Space Marines only carry one kind of weapon, while
vehicles, such as the Predator can have several weapon systems. If there is more than one kind of
weapon, the active weapon is in gold, while secondary weapons are in silver. Infantry units also
display the number troopers at the bottom of the panel, for example a Space Marine unit would
show 5/5 team members on turn one.
As the scenario proceeds, one other piece of information appears at the bottom of this panel;
any suppression the unit accumulates as a result of combat is displayed here.
Fire Button
The Fire button causes the active unit to fire at its current target. Sometimes this easier than
scrolling to the targetÆs location. It works particularly well when used with the Next Target
button.
Next Target Button
This button selects as a target the visible enemy squad or vehicle in the order they appear on
the enemy roster. The Tactical Display jumps to the selected unit and a targeting icon appears
over the enemy unit. You can cycle through all available targets by left-clicking more than once.
Load / Unload Unit Button
The Load/Unload unit command operates essentially the same as it does in deployment mode, except
that during a turn, loading costs one point, as does unloading. The infantry must be adjacent to
the vehicle to load. A unit which loads has movement left depending on how far the transport
moved. A unit that has shots at the turn's start has at least one shot left after unloading.
Entrenchment Button
The Entrench unit command operates essentially the same as in deployment mode, except that during
a turn, digging in an infantry unit costs half of a detachment's movement points. Leaving an
entrenched position is free.
Game Options Button
This opens the Options menu. The three slider controls on the left control the volume of the
music, weapon sound effects, and vehicle sound effects. The two toggle switches enable or disable
cinematics and grid overlay. Left-clicking on the upper computer icon on the right side opens the
Save Game menu, the lower icon opens the Load Game menu. Left-clicking on the Checkmark button
returns to the Tactical Display. The Fast AI/Watch AI toggle skips or shows AI units in motion.
Undo Button
The Undo button restores a unit to the starting position for its last impulse of movement unless
it was fired upon or revealed a previously hidden enemy unit.
Air Strike Button
Calls in your air power from off-map to attack at designated locations. Anytime you move one of
your ground-based detachments you can press this button to activate any off-map air units you
purchased for the battle. They appear on your edge of the map. Note: Air strikes can only be
performed by Imperial Marauder and Ork Fighta-Bommerz aircraft you have purchased. There are no
aircraft in this DEMO.
Codex Encyclopedia Button
This works identically to the Codex control in deployment mode, except that you can also
right-click on units to call up their Codex entry.
Normal View Button
This button cycles through several optional for overlays on the Tactical Display appears when a
unit is selected. The default setting is no overlay. This shows all terrain in normal view when
this button icon is visible.
Field of Movement Button
The first option is Show field of movement. This displays the active unitÆs possible range of
movement, when this button icon is visible, as an overlay of darker squares on the normal terrain.
Field of Fire Button
The second setting is Show field of fire. This setting darkens all squares except those that can
be fired into by the active unit when this button icon is visible. In other words, squares that
cannot be fired at become darker, and squares that can be shot at become lighter. The only
exception to this are artillery units. Even though artillery units may not appear to have line of
sight on an enemy unit, they attack by indirect fire and can usually attack whatever is within
range.
Make Buildings Translucent Button
This control toggles building walls as translucent or opaque, to make acquiring **visible** units
in buildings easier. Units hidden in buildings do not become visible when the walls become
transparent until they are in line-of-sight of a friendly unit.
Move Units in Formation / Move Units by Detachment
Units can be moved either individually, or by detachment. The cursors for each mode are:
This cursor is used to move individual units and vehicles.
This cursor is used to move entire detachments.
Center Map on Unit Button
This control centers the map on the active detachment or vehicle.
Mark Unit Done Button
This control is to indicate that a vehicle or detachment has finished its movement, even though
it still has movement points remaining, and removes it from the cycle for the rest of the turn
for purposes of the Cycle to Next Unit Button. Left-clicking directly on the unit permits the
vehicle or detachment to move or fire if it still has those choices available, but clicking on
the Cycle to Next Unit Button does not activate it.
Cycle to Next Unit Button
Proceeds through the roster to each vehicle or detachment that still has movement points or can
shoot, and that has not been marked with the previous control.

Full Screen / Interface Panel Mode Button
This button toggles the width of the Tactical Display between the default showing the Interface
panel on the right and filling the screen.
End Current Phase
The Checkmark button signals that you have completed your turn, and starts the next player's or
the AI's turn.
Your Turn One
If you have deployed as suggested, your Whirlwinds overlook Hothgar's Stance, while your
Predators and infantry are arrayed in a skirmish line along their deployment boundary.
Approach the village carefully, the Evil Sunz troopers could be anywhere, and satellite tracking
has lost contact with the Ork vehicles. Move your Space Marines in first, and use them to screen
the Predators. The Whirlwinds are artillery which can hit anything that can be seen, so leave
them at the edge of the village to provide support. Use the Predators to deal with the
Battlewagons when they appear.
The village has a road running up the middle, and several ruined and abandoned buildings on
either side of the road. In the center of town and at the northern edge of town are two Victory
Objective icons. The icon in the town square is unclaimed, it has the Imperial signet on one side
and the Ork totem on the other. Unclaimed Victory Objectives appear on the Corner Map as white
dots.
Victory Objectives count for points: objectives held by the enemy subtract 25 points per turn
from your victory total. Your forces need to survive the fight as well. Remember, you can always
claim Victory Objectives after you have defeated the enemy, but you only have one turn.
Screen with Infantry
Select one of the infantry units near the middle of your line; the blue "ready" icon appears at
their feet and the cursor changes to the movement cursor. Left-click on the Show Field of
Movement overlay button and a dark area appears where the infantry unit can move. Advance them
forward until they have used four movement points, using the Undo button if you move them too far.
Remember that the Undo command only works until a unit reveals a hidden unit, once this happens
the unit cannot take that move back.
Your infantry is going to come under fire from Evil Sunz warriors hidden in the buildings. You
can return fire with your Space Marines, or use the Whirlwinds to suppress the Evil Sunz with
artillery fire. The smartest course is to use a combination of both. Hit the Evil Sunz with a
round of artillery, then clean them up with bolter fire.
Shooting
Fire at visible Ork units by moving the cursor over them; the cursor changes to a "green reticle"
firing cursor over units that are eligible targets. Units that are out of range or blocked by
line of sight show the same green reticle cursor with a red X across it. When the firing cursor
is visible left-click to fire. Units able to fire more than once can do so by left-clicking on
the target unit until the cursor changes to a large red X.
Suppression
If you do not have a Space Marine unit selected, left-click on one, preferably one that has taken
casualties. Notice that there is now a line in the roster panel which reads x% Suppression. Each
time a unit suffers a combat result, or has a unit of its detachment destroyed, it gains
suppression. When the suppression level is high enough, self-preservation takes over and even
elite troops such as Space Marines attempt to break off from combat. Units whose suppression
level is over 25% check their morale at the end of their turn, and rout if they fail this test.
The presence of characters such as Imperial Commissars, Gargant or Titan units, provide a 50%
bonus to the morale test for units within ten tiles.
Since you are commanding a scout detachment, there are no characters in this force, so any
suppression your units absorb can only wear off with time and distance. Try to avoid taking too
many casualties; if all of your companies are destroyed or are in retreat, you could lose the
scenario.
Continue the Advance
Move the rest of your infantry toward the village, responding to any ambushes by Evil Sunz
warriors with a combination of missile artillery from the Whirlwinds and bolter fire from the
Space Marines. Do not waste artillery fire on the Battlewagons, since there is very little chance
of destroying them because the missiles' Penetration value is too low.
Save your Predators until the end of the turn, and advance them carefully, using the buildings
for cover without getting too close ù infantry can take out vehicles by close assault if they can
get close enough. Before moving them, left-click on the Overlay button again to switch to Show
Field of Fire so that as the tanks advance you know what they can see. If they come under fire or
happen to get line-of-sight on a Battlewagon, open fire! Otherwise, advance them carefully,
leaving movement points for them to use for opportunity fire. Move one of the Predators toward
the road coming out of the village, but not into the open this turn. Next turn, it can move out
onto the road and maybe catch a Battlewagon in its side armor.
You can tell if a unit has movement points or fire capability left by looking at the Unit Roster
panel where the remaining movement and shots are displayed next to the unit icon.
Facing the Enemy
The last step before ending your turn is to use the facing dial or the right mouse button to
adjust each vehicle's facing toward the enemy. This means that any attacks made are against the
heaviest armor that the vehicle has. Whenever possible, make attacks against the side or rear of
enemy vehicles, since their armor is weakest there.
Saving Your Game
Before ending your first turn, you should save your game. Left-click on the Game Options button
to open the Options menu. Left-click on the upper button next to the floppy-disk icon to open the
Save Game menu. There is a text entry field across the top of the menu, slots for saved games,
and the active slot is highlighted in red. Move the cursor to the text field and enter a
description of the saved game. When you have typed in your description, pressing Enter or
left-clicking on the Save Game button at the lower left saves the game. Left-clicking on the X
icon button exits the menu and returns you to the Options menu.
Left-click on the Checkmark button to start the AI's first turn.
Ork Turn One
The Ork Battlewagons and Evil Sunz infantry should come pouring out of Hothgar's Stance in
response to your advance. If you have been very lucky on your first turn, they may already have
high levels of suppression from having watched several units of their fellows get shot up by your
Space Marines and Whirlwind missile artillery. Your infantry is likely to come under heavy fire
this turn, and it should not surprise you that one or more detachments suffers heavy casualties.
If the Orks are lucky and destroy one of your Predators, you could be in trouble, but no one ever
said war was easy!
Opportunity Fire
Any of your units that did not fire, or did not use up their full movement allotment last turn,
are capable of engaging in opportunity fire if an enemy unit moves through their line of sight.
Opportunity fire is the best way to attack the Battlewagons, as they come out of the village
after you.
Your Turn Two
On turn two, your Whirlwind units, along with the remaining Space Marines, should continue to
concentrate on the Evil Sunz infantry squads. Continue to have the Space Marines advance on the
village, screening the Predators where possible, and responding to Evil Sunz bolter fire with
their own bolters. If one of your Whirlwinds has no infantry target to fire at, try destroying a
building or two; artillery fire can suppress or kill units in buildings by destroying the
building they are in, even if there is no line of sight.
The Predator at the south end of the village should be able to move out on the road and get a
shot at one of the Battlewagons. If you can kill one without using up all of the tank's movement
points, it might be wise to get back under cover.
Rallying
If any of your infantry suffered suppression on turn one, find that unit and select it. Notice
that the level of suppression has declined. Units attempt to rally at the end of every turn, and
their suppression is reduced each time they are able to rally.
Using the Next Target and Fire Buttons
As each unit is selected, left-click on the Cycle to Next Target button. The view on the Tactical
Display centers on the targeted unit, if one is available as a target, and a red "targeted" icon
flashes over the unit momentarily. If you left-click on the Fire at current target button, your
active unit fires at the targeted unit. This can speed up combat by eliminating having to scroll
around the screen, looking for targets. Note: This does not differentiate targets a unit can
affect from those it cannot, so your Whirlwinds or your infantry can target a Battlewagon,
even though there is little chance they can damage it.
Navigating on the Tactical Display
When using the Cycle to Next Target and Fire at current target buttons the Tactical Display can
scroll across the entire map. Use the Center map on current unit to return to the location of the
active unit.
The Zoom-In and Zoom-Out buttons and the Full Screen Mode toggle can make moving around on the
screen easier as well.
Ending Turn Two
Your Predators should have engaged one or more Battlewagons, some of your infantry should be
among the buildings by now, and your Whirlwinds should have pounded the Evil Sunz positions.
Face your units toward the enemy if they ended facing away, and left-click to end your turn.
Ork Turn Two
By now, the Orks should have suffered some casualties. You can get a rough idea of who is
winning by looking at the victory point totals on the Interface panel while the AI is planning
its turn.
If the Evil Sunz infantry is not dead or fled, they may continue to shoot it out with your
infantry, as the Battlewagons engage your Predators, infantry, or Whirlwinds, depending on what
they can see.
If the Emperor has smiled upon you, they may be routing. In which case the fight should end next
turn as you mop them up.
Your Turn Three
If any of the buildings which contained Ork infantry on turn one are still standing, bring them
down with artillery fire this turn. The Predators should make it to the road in the town's center
this turn. They should have enough shots to finish off any Battlewagon foolish or unlucky enough
to come before their guns. The infantry should bring up the rear.
This should be the turn of decision, either because your troops hunt down the last remnants of
the Ork force, or they are in full flight, ready to be chased down on turn four.
After the Battle
When the last Ork unit has been destroyed, a pop-up dialog box appears to notify you of your
victory. This is the same dialog you would see if they had vanquished you. After you click on the
Checkmark button, you may review the battlefield before the casualty screen appears showing you
the units lost on your side as a result of the battle. If this were a campaign game, the next
step would be to choose the next area to attack. Left-click on the Right-Arrow button to finish
the DEMO and return to the Selection screen.