Hardcore Gamer Resource Kit/Hardcore Gamer Resource Kit - Disc 2.iso/Pc/S_T/TANKS130.ZIP/README.TXT

Text File | 1995-10-27 | 25KB | 712 lines

TANKS!                                          README.TXT
Created May 14 1994
Updated October 27th 1995

        This file contains information not available at the
time that the game manual was printed.  Many of the rules
changes reflect player requested changes incorporated in
the game since the release of version 1.0.  This document
is valid only for TANKS! version 1.30 and later.

        The history of changes to the TANKS! game program
is now listed in HISTORY.TXT.  Players of previous versions
of the game should look through the history file for a list
of recent changes.

                     COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS

        TANKS! will accept several command line parameters.
Ordinarily you won't have to worry about this, but they can
be handy under certain special circumstances.

        DEBUG : Enables a special game error checking and
data recording mode that should only be used at SSI's
request.

        FM : Forces the game to use FM sounds if your sound
card supports them, even if your sound card normally plays
digitized sounds.  This will free up about 20K of
conventional memory for use by TSR's, etc.

        MONO : Forces monaural sound on stereo capable
sound cards.  Use this if you don't care for the stereo
effects.  Other than balancing the sound volume from both
speakers, there is no detrimental effect on sound quality.

        QUICK : Disables the time delays built into the
combat results reports.  Using this will speed up the game
considerably, but you will have to check the results of
combat manually by examining the units involved after the
combat.

        QUIET : Turns off the intro music only.

        VANILLAMOUSE : Some obsolete mouse drivers may
have problems with the game.  If you encounter graphics
"glitches" around the edge of the map try using this
parameter until you can update your mouse driver software.
Using this parameter fixes the shape of the mouse to an
arrowhead and decreases mouse sensitivity in some areas.

        BIGSCALE : An experimental 500 meter game scale
has been implemented.  If you start the game with the
"bigscale" command line parameter, all weapon ranges and
sighting distances will be halved for the duration of the
current play session.  Movement rates are not affected.
This feature is intended to allow players to create larger
scale battles featuring company and battalion level units,
and should be considered strictly experimental.

        HELP : Shows a list of all functional command
line parameters.

        OLDBAIL: Modifies bailout rules for infantry
in units hit by direct fire.  See history.txt for details.

        STATIC: Turns off variability in reinforcements
and weather.  See history.txt for details.

        If you decide to use one or more of these commands,
you just type them after the word TANKS but before you
hit the <Enter> key.

        Example: Typing "TANKS FM VANILLAMOUSE <Enter>"
would start the game with the fixed mouse cursor and fm
sounds only.

                           INFO MENU
Addition:

        An "Info / Combat Time Delays" item allows players
to select from a range of time delays for displaying combat
results.

        The display called up by the "Formations" item not
only displays information on various formations owned by
the current player.  This display can be used to issue
formation wide auto or hold fire orders, and shows
considerable detail on all units in any given formation.

                           PLAY MENU
Addition:

        The "Show All Visible" item controls display of
map graphics indicating which hexes can be seen, or have
been spotted by the current player.  Visible hexes are
indicated by a crosshair graphic.  The ownership of each
visible hex is indicated by the color of the crosshair.

                    "RANDOM" ORDERS OF BATTLE
Clarification:

        TANKS! automatically creates orders of battle when
it makes random scenarios and when you use the random forces
button in the editor.  These orders of battle aren't really
"random".  They are based on real unit organizations for
each force represented in the game.  Equipment assignments
are heavily influenced by the historical overall mobility of
the force. Low mobility forces tend to have lots of
dismounted infantry. High mobility forces tend to have lots
of tanks and mechanized support.  If you wish, you can
override historical force mobilities with the mobility
buttons that pop up during random scenario and OOB creation.

        When you ask the program to create a random
scenario, you will be asked to choose tiny, small, medium,
or large forces for each side.  These correspond roughly to
10, 30, 60, or 90 units per side.  But in order to balance
the scenario, the force sizes you request may be modified.
This is particularly likely if you select forces with very
different levels of technology or quality.  For example, if
you request a "tiny" random battle between 1918 Germans and
1991 Americans, the scenario balancing routine will probably
create a very large German force.

                         COMMAND RULES
Addition:

        Formations with control ratings lower than 7 are
more susceptible to forced "reorganization" (and loss of a
turn) than those with higher control ratings.  This
reflects the relative scarcity of communications equipment
and rigidity of command structure in forces with low
control ratings: 1940 French, Italians, Chinese, Iraqis,
pre '67 Soviets, and all 1918 armies.

                        MOVING YOUR UNITS
Addition:

        Any unit with a non-zero movement rate, which has
not already moved this turn, can always move at least one
hex regardless of movement cost.

        Unarmed units will not launch close assaults.  In
order to be considered "armed", the unit must have at least
one weapon mounted on its "top" equipment type.  Out of
ammo units will be allowed to assault, but their chance of
success is small.

        Mounted, non flying units dismount at start of the
second round of combat in close assaults.


                          DIRECT FIRE
Additions:

        If the target unit is in a fort hex, there is a
40% chance that any direct fire shot will miss.

        If the target is in a depression hex, there is a
10% chance that any direct fire shot will miss.

        Parent formation morale and control ratings affect
the accuracy of a unit's fire.  Units belonging to
formations with poor morale and control ratings will not
hit their targets as often as units belonging to higher
quality formations.

        After a mounted unit takes losses due to direct
fire, surviving infantry and light weapons squads may
immediately dismount.  This always happens if more than
one vehicle is destroyed.  If only one vehicle is
destroyed, the unit will remain mounted unless it fails a
morale check.

Change:

        When firing at a unit composed of an armed
transport and some other type of equipment, the transport
will always be shot at first.  Your units will only fire on
unarmed transports if they (the transports) are the top
equipment type in the target unit.

                         INDIRECT FIRE
Addition:

        In addition to unspotted intersection, town, and
village hexes, you can shoot indirect fire into unspotted
bridge hexes.  A bridge hex is any hex containing a road
and a stream or river.

        If you fire into an unspotted / unseen hex, you
won't see the usual reports of damage to enemy units.  The
combat is still resolved normally, but results are hidden
from view.

                        FIRE : GENERAL
Change:

        A unit's effective rate of fire on any given turn
is now equal to it's nominal rate of fire.  Ammunition
allowing, units will fire a number of shots exactly equal
to the nominal rate of fire of the slowest rate of fire
weapon assigned to the unit.  Random rate of fire checks
have been removed from the game.

        Frantic fire (see below) may allow a unit to
exceed it's nominal rate of fire.

                          SMOKE FIRE
Addition:

        The program won't allow you to order smoke fire
into a hex that already contains smoke.

                          AMMUNITION
Addition:

        Most units will eventually run low on ammo if they
fire their weapons.  Infantry and artillery units with
transports (trucks or whatever) will be less likely to run
low on ammo as long as the transports are not destroyed.

               SCENARIO ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
Change:

        Weather is variable.  Wind strength and direction,
and precipitation can vary from turn to turn.  If there
is any precipitation, there is a chance that the ground
condition will become "soft".

Addition:

        Wind has the following effects:

        If there is no wind, smoke can be created during
combat and it will tend to linger in the smoked hex for
several turns.

        If winds are light, smoke can be created during
combat and it will tend to drift with the wind from turn to
turn.

        If winds are strong, smoke will not be created.  If
the scenario is set in the arid tileset and there is no
precipitation much of the map will be obscured by blowing
sand.  If the scenario is set in the frozen tileset much of
the map will be obscured by blowing snow.  Patterns of
blowing sand and snow will change from turn to turn.

                     BATTLEFIELD RESUPPLY
Addition:

        Helicopter units are never eligible for battlefield
resupply.  Once they run out of ammo, they stay that way.

                           MORALE
Addition:

        As units take losses, move through non-road woods
or town hexes, mine hexes, or retreat under fire, their
parent formation may suffer a loss of morale.  The chance
and severity of the morale loss is dependent on the whether
any equipment is actually lost in the event, and how large
a portion of the formation is involved.

        Helicopter equipped units will not suffer morale
checks due to moving through closed terrain.

        Each turn, formations will recover morale.
Reorganizing formations will recover slightly faster than
those available for orders.  The rate of morale recovery
is dependent upon the standard national morale of the
formation (see Appendix H for national morale values), so
forces belonging to nationalities with good standard morale
levels will recover from morale loss more quickly than
those belonging to national forces with poor standard
morale levels.

                      PANIC UNDER FIRE
Addition:

        When a unit takes a loss, it must pass a morale
check in order to stay in place. If the unit fails the
check, it will retreat one hex if possible, and will not
return fire regardless of fire orders. Units which survive
retreats may, depending upon a morale check, turn to face
the hex they originally occupied.

        A unit with "hold fire" orders must also pass a
morale check or it will panic and change its orders to
"auto fire" if it takes a loss.

        Units belonging to formations with poor morale
and control levels have a poor chance of passing morale
checks.  Units belonging to formations with good morale
and control levels have a good chance of passing morale
checks.

                        FRANTIC FIRE
Addition:

        Frantic fire is a special case of auto-fire.
Under certain circumstances, units with auto-fire orders
are allowed to fire at enemy units even if they have
already moved or fired their weapons.  Frantic fire lifts
the normal limits on the number of shots that a unit can
fire in one turn.

        There are two cases in which a unit may be allowed
to franticly fire at enemy units:

        1) Whenever a unit takes a loss, does not retreat,
and passes a morale check, it will be allowed frantic fire.

        2) If an enemy unit moves or fires in any hex
adjacent to the unit, there is a 30% chance that the unit
will be allowed frantic fire.

                        HIDDEN UNITS
Change:

        The list of units which can begin the game "hidden"
has been considerably expanded.  Almost all units equipped
with direct fire weapons (other than ATGM's) and not
equipped with transport are now eligible to be hidden.  This
does not affect units in scenarios created prior to the
availability of version 1.25.

        Units now lose their hidden status if any unit in
their hex changes facing.

        Hidden units will not "dig in".

                       REINFORCEMENTS

Change:

        Reinforcement entry turns are variable.  On each
turn that a scheduled reinforcement formation is off map,
there is a small chance that the entry turn will either
advance or be pushed back by one turn.  You can monitor the
current projected entry turn from the "Info:Formations"
menu item.

                SCENARIOS: END OF SCENARIO
Change:

        All scenarios are of variable length.  There is a
50% chance that a scenario will be continued for at least
one turn rather than ending on the nominal final turn of the
scenario.  This check is made at the end of each turn, so
it is impossible to predict exactly when any particular
scenario will end.

        If a scenario ends due to reaching its final turn,
you can choose to override the end of the engagement.  It
is possible to extend the scenario to a maximum of 255
turns.  This will almost certainly invalidate the scenario
victory conditions, so you should take the scenario results
with a grain of salt if you extend the game.

                          CAMPAIGNS
Addition:

        Whenever you start a new game without using the
"Start next scenario in campaign" option, you are beginning
a new campaign.  Any old campaign will be lost.

        If you re-start a saved game from any file other
than CAMPAIGN, any current campaign may be lost.  The
CAMPAIGN file contains the latest information on your
campaign.  Earlier saved games may not contain the
information necessary to continue the campaign.

        Remember, the game automatically saves your game
as file CAMPAIGN whenever you exit to DOS.  You don't need
to manually save games.

Technical information:

        The campaign information is stored in the files
CAMPAIGN.SAV, LASTGAME.DAT and CAMPAIGN.DAT in the scenario
directory.  If you want to permanently save a campaign, or
send it to a friend, just copy these three files.  To
restore the campaign, re copy these files into the scenario
directory. LASTGAME.DAT will only be present if you are
between games in the campaign.

                    EDITOR-DRAWING THE MAP
Clarification:

        When you use the auto-fill tool, it will fill the
map until a boundary of the same general type of tile is
reached. If you don't draw a complete (no gaps) outline
using the fill tile type before using the auto-fill tool,
you may fill the entire map with the fill tile.  Boundaries
of other tile types will have no limiting effect on
auto-fill.

             EDITOR-CREATE THE ORDER OF BATTLE
Addition:

        As you create a formation with the order of battle
editor, the program will create a formation name based on
the types and numbers of units assigned to the formation.
You can override the automatic formation name by clicking
on the "Rename" button in the upper right corner of the
current formation box.  Your formation names are limited
to 12 characters (11 for the tenth and subsequent
formations).

                    SCENARIO DESCRIPTIONS
New rules section:

        A short scenario description may appear when you
select a scenario for play.  These scenario descriptions are
stored in the form of small ASCII (text) files in the
SCENARIO
directory.

        If you wish to write a description for a scenario,
you must follow these guidelines:

        1) Use a text editor capable of saving text in ASCII
form.  The MS-DOS editor will do the job, as will most word
processors.

        2) A description can have a maximum of 14 lines.
Each line can have no more than 36 characters.  If you
violate these limits, you may see strange results in your
file description within the game.

        3) The name of your description file must be based
on the name of the scenario you wish to describe.  If your
scenario is named "MYGAME.SCE", your description must be
named "MYGAME.TXT".

        4) Your description file must be in the SCENARIO
directory.

        5) A sample description file (SAMPLE.TXT) is
included in the SCENARIO directory.  This can be used as a
template for your scenario description files.  You can also
examine any of the *.TXT files already in the directory, but
please do not modify them.

          APPENDIX B: EXAMPLES OF GRAPHIC DISPLAYS

Addition to UNIT ICON:

        Static units have an additional "static" indicator
graphic: a "dot" at center right on their icon, just below
the "fire dot" location.

                        VERSION 1.30

        Due to time constraints, the rules changes for
version 1.30 could not be incorporated in this document
prior to its release. Please see the v1.30 version notes in
HISTORY.TXT for details of the changes introduced in v1.30.


                       RULEBOOK MISTAKES

*Page 38, second bullet statement

     Delete

     "...that has slight, hidden effects for these values"

     There are NO "hidden" effects.


*Page 41, Fixed Objective Values, last sentence.

     Replace

     "... using the manual objective value set button ..."

     with

     "... using the Objective Value button ...".

*Page 43, Direct Fire Kill Probability vs. Armored Targets.

     The armor penetration calculation used in the game is
     actually a bit more sophisticated than that described
     in the rulebook.

     Replace

     "If the hit is...from one to five." (First sentence)

     with

     "If the hit is from a weapon with a hard attack rating,
     the target is killed if the hard attack rating of the
     firing weapon is greater than or equal to a random
     number from 0.75 times the armor rating of the target
     to 1.25 times the armor rating of the target.  For
     example, a hit from a weapon with a hard attack rating
     of 15 would have the following chances to kill an
     enemy armored vehicle:

     Armor     Chance

     0...12    100%
     13         78%
     14         67%
     15         56%
     16         44%
     17         36%
     18         27%
     19         18%
     20          9%
     21          8%
     22...       0%"

     Appendix D - Equipment Description Table (Addition)

Equipment Primary Weapon  Secondary Weapon
.         .               .           FrontArmor
.         .               .           .   SideArmor
.         .               .           .   .   Speed
.         .               .           .   .   .  Special

T-80      125mmATl        HMG         37  9   22 NV SP WF SM

         Appendix H - Historical Forces (Addition)

        By popular demand, a new historical period has been
added to the game database. Its all pretty self explanatory.
The British, French, and Americans are similar to the forces
used in 1991- with the inclusion of some older equipment not
shipped to the Persian Gulf. The Russians and Ex-Pact can be
used to create Russian civil war or Eastern European
scenarios.

        Please note that due to memory limitations this
extension to the database is pretty much limited to the
equipment already included for other periods.  Our intention
was simply to provide additional flexibility to the game.
But due to its late inclusion, the equipment mix in the
"Tomorrow" database is not as complete as the mixes given
for the earlier periods.

13. Tomorrow...

British force characteristics:
morale: 9, control: 9, supply: 9.
air assets: Heavy jet/full player control.

Available British units:
Tank Plt: 3 x Challenger.
Recce Plt: 8 x Scorpion.
Recce Sec: 2 x Scorpion.
Recce Plt: 8 x Scimitar.
Recce Plt: 4 x Ferret Armd Car.
AT Plt: 3 x Striker.
AT Plt: 6 x Milan ATGM, 6 x FV432 APC.
Gun Bty: 6 x 105mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 155mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x M109 SP Gun.
Gun Bty: 6 x M110 SP Gun.
MRL Bty: 9 x MLRS.
Mortar Bty: 8 x FV432/81Mr.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 81mm Mortar, 6 x Truck.
Gunship Sc: 2 x Lynx AH1.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/B Squad, 3 x FV432 APC.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/B Squad, 3 x Warrior IFV.

French force characteristics:
morale: 9, control: 9, supply: 9.
air assets: Heavy jet/full player control.

Available French units:
Tank Plt: 3 x AMX-30.
Tank Plt: 3 x AMX-30B2.
Recce Plt: 3 x ERC-90.
Recce Plt: 3 x AML-90.
Recce Plt: 3 x AMX-10RC.
Recce Plt: 3 x VAB APC.
Recce Plt: 4 x Jeep.
ATGM Bty: 2 x Milan ATGM, 2 x VAB APC.
AA Bty: 2 x 20mm DP Gun, 2 x VAB APC.
Gun Bty: 6 x 105mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 155mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Mortar Sec: 2 x 81mm Mortar, 2 x VAB APC.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 120mm Mortar, 6 x VAB APC.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x VAB APC.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x AMX-10 APC.

American force characteristics:
morale: 9, control: 9, supply: 9.
air assets: Heavy jet/full player control.

Available American units:
Tank Plt: 4 x M1A1 Abrams.
Tank Plt: 4 x M60A1.
Tank Plt: 4 x M60A3.
Tank Plt: 4 x M551 Sheridan.
Recce Plt: 6 x M3 Bradley IFV.
Recce Sec: 2 x M998 Humvee.
AT Plt: 4 x M901-ITV.
AA Plt: 4 x M163 SP AA.
Gun Bty: 8 x M109 SP Gun.
Gun Bty: 6 x M110 SP Gun.
Gun Bty: 6 x 105mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 155mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
MRL Bty: 9 x MLRS.
Mortar Sec: 2 x M125 SP Mortar.
Mortar Bty: 6 x M125 SP Mortar.
Gunship Sc: 2 x AH-1 Cobra, 1 x OH-58 Kiowa.
Gunship Sc: 2 x AH-64 Apache, 1 x OH-58 Kiowa.
AB Inf Plt: 3 x UH-60 Blackhawk, 3 x Assault/A Squad.
AB Mtr Bty: 4 x UH-60 Blackhawk, 4 x 81mm Mortar.
Inf Plt: 4 x Assault/A Squad, 4 x M2 Bradley IFV.
Inf Plt: 4 x Assault Squad, 4 x M113 APC.

Russian force characteristics:
morale: 8, control: 8, supply: 9.
air assets: Heavy jet/partial player control.

Available Russian units:
Tank Plt: 3 x T-55.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-62.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-64.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-72 (early).
Tank Plt: 3 x T-72 (late).
Tank Plt: 3 x T-80.
As Gun Plt: 3 x ASU-85.
Recce Plt: 3 x PT-76.
Recce Plt: 3 x BTR-40 Armd Car.
Recce Plt: 3 x BRDM Armd Car.
ATGM Bty: 3 x BRDM/Sagger.
ATGM Bty: 2 x AT-3 Sagger, 2 x Truck.
ATGM Bty: 2 x AT-4 Spigot, 2 x Truck.
AT Bty: 4 x 85mm AT Gun, 4 x Truck.
AT Bty: 3 x 100mm AT Gun, 3 x Truck.
AT Bty: 6 x 73mm Recoilless, 6 x Truck.
AA Bty: 4 x ZPU-4 AA Gun, 4 x Truck.
AA Bty: 4 x ZU-23 AA Gun, 4 x Truck.
AA Plt: 4 x ZSU-23/4.
AA Plt: 4 x BRDM/SA-9.
AA Plt: 4 x SA-13 Gopher.
SP Gun Bty: 6 x 2S1 SP Gun.
SP Gun Bty: 6 x 2S3 SP Gun.
Gun Bty: 6 x 122mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 130mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 180mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 152mm Field Gun, 6 x Truck.
MRL Bty: 6 x BM-21 MRL.
MRL Bty: 6 x BM-24 MRL.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 82mm Mortar, 6 x Truck.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 120mm Mortar, 6 x Truck.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x Truck.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x BTR-60 APC.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x BMP-1 IFV.
AB Inf Plt: 3 x Mi-8 Hip, 3 x Assault/R Squad.
AB Mtr Bty: 6 x Mi-8 Hip, 6 x 82mm Mortar.
AB AT Bty: 2 x Mi-8 Hip, 2 x AT-3 Sagger.
AB AT Sec: 2 x Mi-8 Hip, 2 x 73mm Recoilless.

Ex Soviet force characteristics:
morale: 8, control: 8, supply: 9.
air assets: Heavy jet/partial player control.

Available Ex Soviet units:
Tank Plt: 3 x T-55.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-62.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-64.
Tank Plt: 3 x T-72 (early).
Tank Plt: 3 x T-72 (late).
Tank Plt: 3 x T-80.
As Gun Plt: 3 x ASU-85.
Recce Plt: 3 x PT-76.
Recce Plt: 3 x BTR-40 Armd Car.
Recce Plt: 3 x BRDM Armd Car.
ATGM Bty: 3 x BRDM/Sagger.
ATGM Bty: 2 x AT-3 Sagger, 2 x Truck.
ATGM Bty: 2 x AT-4 Spigot, 2 x Truck.
AT Bty: 4 x 85mm AT Gun, 4 x Truck.
AT Bty: 3 x 100mm AT Gun, 3 x Truck.
AT Bty: 6 x 73mm Recoilless, 6 x Truck.
AA Bty: 4 x ZPU-4 AA Gun, 4 x Truck.
AA Bty: 4 x ZU-23 AA Gun, 4 x Truck.
AA Plt: 4 x ZSU-23/4.
AA Plt: 4 x BRDM/SA-9.
AA Plt: 4 x SA-13 Gopher.
SP Gun Bty: 6 x 2S1 SP Gun.
SP Gun Bty: 6 x 2S3 SP Gun.
Gun Bty: 6 x 122mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 130mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 180mm Gun, 6 x Truck.
Gun Bty: 6 x 152mm Field Gun, 6 x Truck.
MRL Bty: 6 x BM-21 MRL.
MRL Bty: 6 x BM-24 MRL.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 82mm Mortar, 6 x Truck.
Mortar Bty: 6 x 120mm Mortar, 6 x Truck.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x Truck.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x BTR-60 APC.
Inf Plt: 3 x Assault/R Squad, 3 x BMP-1 IFV.
AB Inf Plt: 3 x Mi-8 Hip, 3 x Assault/R Squad.
AB Mtr Bty: 6 x Mi-8 Hip, 6 x 82mm Mortar.
AB AT Bty: 2 x Mi-8 Hip, 2 x AT-3 Sagger.
AB AT Sec: 2 x Mi-8 Hip, 2 x 73mm Recoilless.

END OF CHANGES / ADDITIONS.

                Norm Koger 2.0