<li><a href="#L0002">Scenario and Objectives</a><br>
<li><a href="#L0003">Loading and Game Oprions</a><br>
<li><a href="#L0004">Pilots and Hardware</a><br>
<li><a href="#L0005">Controls</a><br>
<li><a href="#L0006">Game screen</a><br>
<li><a href="#L0007">Global Radar</a><br>
</ul>
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<h5>Scenario and Objectives</h5>
<p><i>"Air Supremacy is the total domination of the skies in the combat arena, leading ultimately to overall victory."</i> </p>
<p>The year is 2150, and wars are being waged over the barren desert lands of the Antarctic (the icecaps melted long ago) for control of the earth's dwindling energy resources. You are at Remote Combat Terminal J19 as part of a multi-national coalition that is attempting to restore the balance of power in the world. The terminal consists of two isolated airfields, with control towers and radars, entirely surrounded by enemy territory. Although heavily outnumbered, your equipment provides superior performance (as far as is known), but only the best pilots, the Aces, are entrusted to use it. You carry out your training in the Comat Simulator, with scenarios based on three 20th Century Wars. To complete a level you must destroy all enemy surface units and aircraft, including any reinforcements.</p>
<p>Only when you have graduated as an Ace will you be allowed access to the few remaining craft at the terminal and be allowed to enter the Combat Arena in the great battle for Air Supremacy and overall victory.</p>
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<h5>Loading and Game Oprions</h5>
<p>Air Supremacy is loaded in the usual RISC OS fashion, by double-clicking on the !AirSupmcy application.</p>
<p>The <i>Select Options</i> menu allows you to select Start Game, Flight Practice, Air Combat Demo, or to Quit. (All menus are mouse or keyboard driven.) The Air Combat Demo shows how to approach air combat in levels 1 and 2 of the Simulator and should be carefully observed. The Flight Practice lets you practise flying and air combat (Simulator Levels 1 and 2 only), against passive enemy units. You can also practise take-offs and landings (only at the two runways) and can explore the landscape with the surface units.</p>
<p>Selecting <i>Start Game</i> brings up the Gameplay menu. You can choose to start in the Simulator as Novice, Skilled or Ace, and in each case can progress, if successful, through level 1 (Europe 1918), to level 2 (Pacific 1944), to level 3 (Arabia 1991). You are advised to start as a Novice and only to select Skilled or Ace when experienced. On completing level 3 as an Ace you will be given the Combat Arena password. This allows direct entry into the Combat Arena, although by first playing through the Ace Simulator levels you will enter the Combat Arena with extra credits, so enabling you to obtain a higher order of merit.</p>
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<h5>Pilots and Hardware</h5>
<p>On entry to any level you are assigned three pilots. You have two different types of hardware available, surface units and aircraft. You can swap between these, but only whilst at an airfield. If your surface unit or aircraft crashed, runs out of fuel, or is destroyed by enemy fire or mines, then a pilot is lost. In the Simulator at Ace level and in the Combat Arena, your unit can sustain two direct hits before being destroyed. The second direct hit will be indicated by the EMERGENCY! message. (This also appears when fuel or energy is low.) New hardware (or more aircraft fuel) should then be obtained, at an airfield, within a short period of time. In the Novice and Skilled Simulator levels, a larger number of direct hits can be sustained without lasting damage.</p>
<p>In the Combat Arena, each pilot starts with 2000 energy units. Firing, using the Energy Shield and the Quantum Leap all consume energy. Energy can be absorbed from the electromagnetic disturbances of exploding enemy units. Firing the gun with no energy available will destroy the craft.</p>
<tr><td> Mouse SELECT or A key </td><td> Accelerate </td></tr>
<tr><td> Mouse MENU or D key </td><td> Decelerate/Move Backwards </td></tr>
<tr><td> Mouse ADJUST or S key </td><td> Fire gun </td></tr>
</table>
<p>Movement of the mouse controls the orientation of the unit. Moving the mouse left or right causes the aircraft to bank over at a rate dependent on the speed. Surface units rotate left or right. Forward or backward movement mimics a normal aircraft joystick. Flight controls are 'computer-assisted' so that many situations likely to cause stalling are avoided. However, it is possible to stall the aircraft by moving to climb at too low a speed. When using keyboard control, the CURSOR ARROW keys simulate mouse movements.</p>
<tr><td> Space </td><td> Launch Smart Bomb </td></tr>
<tr><td> E </td><td> Energy Shield </td></tr>
<tr><td> Q </td><td> Quantum Leap </td></tr>
</table>
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<h5>Game Screen</h5>
<p>The Header gives information in the simulator levels on your score, velocity, fuel, number of pilots remaining and altitude. In the Combat Arena, the Header gives information on credits and energy instead of score and fuel. A Target Display is at the left of the screen below the Header, giving a pilot's eye view of enemy units, and also additional information, from the central cross-hairs, on the roll and attitude of your aircraft.</p>
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<h5>Global Radar</h5>
<p>At the right of the screen below the Header is a solid Global Radar which shows positional and functional information on enemy units, and also the positions of the two runways. For each level of the game there are five different types of enemy unit, each with a different Global Radar colour code:</p>
<tr><td> White </td><td> Fast Fighter Aircraft </td></tr>
</table>
<p>The Global Radar can be toggled with the craft's own Onboard Radar, which provides a more detailed view of enemy units, but with a more limited range. Enemy units are indicated on the Onboard Radar by coloured dots, YELLOW if above your craft, ORANGE if below (or on the surface). The dots flicker to warn of attack units. The two airfield control towers relay your radar information and are thus strategic targets for enemy surface units. If one control tower is knocked out, the Global Radar will experience interference, if both are knocked out, then the Global Radar will be completely lost, making completion of a level very difficult. A WARNING! message appears briefly if you swap to an aircraft whilst enemy surface units remain, or if an enemy surface unit is introduced as a reinforcement whist you are in control of an aircraft.</p>
