Fritz: All Fritz/All Fritz.zip/All Fritz/FILES/GAMEECTS/UNPROTEC.LZH/STEEL2.DOC

Text File | 1989-05-09 | 58KB | 1,168 lines

                        Steel Thunder Docs (long version)

THEY'RE COMING!

Five, eight, ten miles away, a rumble echoes across the green hills of central
Germany.  At first, it sounds like a thunderclap, a summer storm rolling down
from the eastern mountains.  But now, there's a siren squawking overhead,
and a grim, intense look on the General's face as he paces the tarmac.  As you
head for the tanks, the booming moves closer - this time, there's no mistaking
the sound of heavy artillery.  The moment the world has feared for decades has
finally arrived.

They're coming.

You settle into the commander's seat atop your sleek M1A1 Abrams.  Master power
on.  Engine power on.  Gunsight on.  Your four-man crew moves effortlessly
through the startup sequence like this was just another NATO practice maneuver.
Sixty tons of steel come alive with a low hum, as smooth and quiet as your
grandma's old tail-fin Cadillac.  Glowing control panels put two million
dollars of the world's most sophisticated technology at your fingertips.

You check the map again.  Looks like half of Moscow's showing up for this
picnic:  the satellite shot shows dozens of Soviet T-80s, T62s, some BTR-70
infantry carriers, and a whole menagerie of Zoo anti-aircraft guns - all
defending the medium-range nuclear missile site you're assigned to knock out.

No problem.  Even before you head out for the hills, the outcome has already
been decided.  You're a crack crew of skilled tankers, running the most
awesome military vehicle in history.  Faster, more powerful than anything
the other side has ever dreamed of.  A devestating war machine that rolls
out of the west like steel thunder.

SECTION ONE: Start-Up
HOW TO LOAD STEEL THUNDER
        1       Place the enclosed keyboard overlay on your keyboard.  The
                overlay helps you learn the commands for Steel Thunder,
                enabling you to react quickly to situations without having
                to refer to this manual.

        2       Steel Thunder comes on two 5 1/4-inch disks or one 3 1/2
                inch disk.  Neither are copy protected so you can back
                yours up at will or load them onto a hard drive.  You can
                use a joystick with the simulation, but it's not required.
                Because there's so much keyboard input, we recommend the
                keyboard.

        3       Put your DOS disk into Drive A and turn on the computer.

        4       When the A> prompt appears, remove the DOS disk, insert
                the Steel Thunder disk (Disk A if 5 1/4-inch), type ST,
                and press enter.

CAUTION:
  * DO NOT remove Steel Thunder from the drive while the light is on.

  * DO NOT use the Hercules MGA in a computer if it also has CGA, EGA,
    VGA or other graphics card in it.

HQ warns that all tank personnel found in violation of these regulations
will be immediately relieved of command.

        5       If you haven't done a Setup, a list of graphics types appears.
                Choose the number beside the name that describes your graphics
                configuration and press Enter.  The next question asks if
                you want to use a joystick.  Press Y or N, then Enter.

        6       The opening screens show Steel Thunder's tank arsenal.  To
                move through these screens quickly, press the space bar.

        7       When the sentry confronts you, refer to the enclosed Sentry
                Password Chart.  Type in the correct answer to his question
                from the sheet.  If you answer the question correctly, you
                enter the General's Office to await his orders.  If you don't
                enter the right answer, the sentry places you under arrest,
                and you must re-boot.

                * If you're using a floppy disk drive, you will now be
                  prompted to take Disk A out of the drive, insert Disk B,
                  and press Enter before you can meet the General.

READ ME
A readme file is included on Disk A which briefly describes how to install
Steel Thunder onto a hard drive, and how to configure the simulation for
graphics, controller, etc.  To read it, type TYPE README at the A> prompt.

HOW ABOUT A DEMO?
If you'd like a brief demonstration of an M1A1 in operation, type DEMO and
press Enter when the General asks for your identification.  Then sit back
and watch as Corporal DEMO selects a mission an fights an enemy T62A.  You
can press any key to end the demonstration and take control of the tank
yourself.

IF YOU WANT TO LOAD STEEL THUNDER ONTO YOUR HARD DRIVE...
1  Insert Disk A of Steel Thunder into your floppy drive and type A: (if
   your floppy is Drive A) or B: (if your floppy is Drive B) then press Enter.

2  Type INSTALL C: (or D: etc. depending on which hard drive you want to use),
   and press Enter.  The directory \ACCOLADE\STEEL will be created with
   Steel Thunder on it.

3  Type C: and press Enter; type CD \ACCOLADE\STEEL and press Enter; type ST
   and press enter.

4  To set the graphics mode you want to use and whether you want to use a
   joystick with Steel Thunder, execute SETUP (type SETUP and press Enter)
   and answer the questions.  Thereafter, Steel Thunder will not ask you what
   graphics mode to use or whether you want to use a joystick when you start
   the simulation.  To change the settings, simply execute SETUP again.

QUICK START

The following step-by-step instructions take you through the game set-up and
tank start-up procedures a quickly as possible.  For more detailed information,
please refer to section two.  As a general rule, you can press Enter or the
space bar to move through the setup screens.  The resulting scenario will be
based on default options.

After you've booted up Steel Thunder and successfully passed the sentry, the
General will ask for identification.

1  Type your name, and press Enter.

2  If this is your first-ever Steel Thunder mission, you are assigned to the
   Cuban front.  At the Welcome to Cuba prompt, press Enter to view the Tank
   Commander's Roster.

3  Press Enter to add your name to the roster.

4  The General presents you with your mission choices.  Press Enter to continue.

5  To accept a mission, press Enter.  If you'd like to see the map, press F3.
   If you'd like to review the tank specifications, press F7.  Press F5 to exit
   either of these screens.

6  Press Enter to accept the M1A1 Abrams tank.

7  Choose your ammo.  For your first game, simply press Enter three times to
   take the standard package.  Every tank has three screens of ammo and armor.

8  When the General appears again, press Enter to enter your tank.

->  HOW TO START AND PREP YOUR TANK
Once you're inside your tank, the next step is to get it running.  Use the
following sequence fo keyboard commands to prepare your tank for battle:

 1  Press (`) - the left single quote key - to turn on the Master Power.

 2  Press 1 to start your engine.

 3  Press 6 to move to the Commander's Station

 4  Press A to turn on the Turret Power.

 5  Press Z to arm your smoke grenades.

 6  Press C to turn on the Commander's mini-turret hydraulics.

 7  Press 5 to go to the Gunner's Station.

 8  Press B to turn on the Turret Hydraulics.

 9  Press V to turn on your Gun Stablization system.

10  Press N to turn on the Ballistics Computer

11  Press F6 to load a HEAT round into your Main Gun, so you're ready to fire.

12  You're now ready for battle.  Press 9 to look at the map.  The tank icon
    represents your current location - in this case, HQ.  You are heading for
    the primary mission target, which is circled.  The red and blue Xs (white
    and black in CGA) represent the two main checkpoints you use to set your
    course to the target.

13  Move the arrow keys to position the blue X (white in CGA).  The path
    between HQ and this X is the first leg of your trip.  Press Enter.  (In
    CGA, the white X becomes black, and the black X becomes white when you
    press Enter.  The white X is always the "controllable X" in CGA.)

14  Next, move tha arrow keys to position the red X.  The line between the
    blue X and the red X is the second leg.  From the red X, your driver will
    proceed toward the target.  You can go to the map and move the Xs (thus
    changing your course) at any time during the game.

15  When your initial course is set, press 4 to move to the Driver's Station.

16  Press the Up arrow key to set your forward speed.  (Press Up on the Jstick.)

17  If things seem to mvoe slowly, press 3 once or twice to compress time.

COMBAT MANEUVERS
During the mission, there are a few sequences you will use frequently to keep
yourself out of trouble.  Here's how to handle some common situations:

->  FIRE ON THE ENEMY - COMPUTERIZED GUNNER

1  If you're not at the Gunner's Station press 5 to get there.

2  Get the target in your gunsight.  and press F9 to identify it.

3  Check to make sure the gunner is using the right shell type.  If he's got it
   wrong, press F6 to change the ammo.

4  Press the period (.) key to switch to 10x gunsight magnification.  This
   makes it easier to aim accurately.

5  Press F10, and your computerizxed gunner engages the enemy.  Press F10 again
   to order the gunner to ceaser fire - either because you decide no to shoot,
   or because you want to assume manual control of the main gun.

-> FIRE ON THE ENEMY - MANUAL CONTROL

1  Press 5 to go to the Gunner's Station.

2  Get the target in the gunsight, using the 3x setting.  When you've got it,
   press F9.

3  If needed press F6, and select your ammo.

4  Press the period (.) key to switch the sight magnification to 10x.

5  Press F5 to activate the rangefinder and get a valid range.  (This system
   isn't found on the M3 Bradley.)

6  If you slow down the tank's slwe rate, it's easier to center the target
   in the cross hairs.  Press the slash (/) key if you want to do this.  Aim
   low on the target.

7  When a box appears in the lower left of the gunsight, the shell is loaded
   and ready.  Press Enter to shoot.  If the target is moving, shoot slightly
   ahead of its current position.

->  LAUNCH A TOW-2 MISSILE (M3 Bradley only)

1  Press 5 to go to the Gunner's Station.

2  Press C to raise the TOW missile launcher from its armored compartment on
   the side of your M3.

3  Get the target in your gunsight, and press the period (.) key to switch to
   12x magnification.

4  Center the target in your gunsight.  Press Enter to launch a missile.

5  Use the arrow keys to keep the target precisely in the center of your
   gunsight until the TOW-2 reaches it.  The missile doesn't travel nearly
   as fast as a shell.  Remember to aim low on the target.

6  Once the target is destoryed, press C again to lower the TOW launcher unit.

->  RETREAT FROM A BAD SITUATION

1  Press Z to arm your smoke grenade launcher.

2  Press F3 to create a smoke screen.

3  Press the backspace key.  This orders your driver to go backwards.

4  Press the comma (,) key to turn on your thermal sight.

5  Use your guns to shoot at oncoming vehicles.  With your thermal sight on,
   you can see them, but they can't see you.

6  Watch your rear to ensure that you don't back up into an enemy tank company.

SECTION TWO:  At Headquarters

This section provides in-depth information about Steel Thunder's systems and
procedures.  HQ recommends that you review it carefully to thoroughly
familiarize yourself with military operations and your tank's features and
capabilities.

SECURITY
You must gain entry to the field command headquarters and pick up your orders
before you'll be permitted to go out and blast through enemy lines.  At the
base's main gate, a sentry interrogates you.

1  You can either draw on your extensive knowlege of ammunition and weaponry
   to answer his questions, or you can refer to the enclosed Sentry Password
   Chart.

2  Type in the correct answer from the sheet and press Enter.  If you answer the
   question correctly, you are escorted to the General's Office.  If you don't,
   you are escorted to the stockade.  To bail yourself out, re-boot the system.

IDENTIFY YOURSELF
In the General's office, you are first requested to identify yourself.

If you want to gloat over your glorious career, or find out about the other
up-and-coming commanders, press F1 to view the Personnel Files.  All the current
tank commanders are lister here (up to 14 on a disk), with their individual
battle stats, rank and medals and commendations.  This information is updated
automatically after each mission.  Press the Up or Down arrow keys to cycle
through these records.

Press F1 again to enter to the General's Office.  To identify yourself, simply
type your name (but not your rank: the General can read your stripes quite well)
and press Enter.

  *  If you are already in the file, the General welcomes you.  If you're
     cleared for combat in more than one theater, he asks you to select the
     region in which you want to serve.

  *  If you aree a new commander, the General asks: "How should I update my
     roster?"  You now have the opportunity to change the information on the
     Tank Commander's roster.  Press Enter at this prompt to view the roster.
     Use the arrow keys to select one of the following options, and press
     Enter to choose:

     *  ADD     Add a new commander to the list.

     *  REPLACE Replace one commander's name with another.

     *  REDO    Return to the General's office.  (If you make a mistake, you
                can start over again from here.)

Press F1 to view the Personnel Files again, if you want.  Press F1 again to
return to the Tank Commander's roster.

CHOOSE YOUR MISSION (AND YOUR TANK)
You gain rank and earn medals by completing missions.  Every mission you
undertake has a corresponding promotion rank.  If you complete the mission
successfully, you are automatically promoted to that rank.

The General can offer you assignments in one of threee fronts, depending on
your previous experience and achievements.  For your first several missions,
he'll assign you to Cuba.  Once you attain the rank of Second Lieutenant, you
are given the opportunity to join the elite troops in Syria.  Only top tankers
- those who've reached the rank of Major or above - are entrusted with the
sensitive and dangerous missions on the West German front.

Once you have your front assignment, the General outlines the current
missions.  You have between 2 and 8 missions available to you, depending on
your experience. Use the Up or Down arrow keys to cycle through the assignment
files.  At each file, you can:

  *  Read a brief description of the mission

  *  Press F3 to view the map of the mission area.  The circled icon is your
     primary mission target.  Press F5 to return to the assignment file.

  *  Press F7 to view tank specifications.  Use the arrow keys to cycle through
     your choices.  Press F5 to return to the assignment file.

  *  Accept the mission by pressing Enter.

  *  Choose your tank by using the arrow keys to move the pencil to your choice
     and press Enter.

The first mission of each scenario is a practice mission in which you are
invunerable to enemy fire.  This helps you get the lay of the land, and
familiarize yourself with the enemy armor you're up against.

SELECT YOUR CREW

Most modern tanks, including the four in Steel Thunder, contain so much
equipment that it takes three or four skilled crew members working together
to make them run.  As tank commander, it's your job to make tactical decisions,
and see to it that your gunner, driver, and loader interact efficiently under
battle conditions.

After you select your tank, the General displays the Duty Rosters from which
you choose your crew.  (if you're going on a practice mission, the General
chooses your crew for you.)

GUNNER  Your gunner is responsible for the tank's major weapons systems,
including the sighting equipment, main gun, and co-axial machine gun.  He's
also the man to ask when you're trying to decide if an approaching vehicle
is friendly or hostile.

The first duty roster shows available gunners.  To make the best choice,
first take note if you're on a night or day mission.  The chart gives an
A, B, C, or D rating to each gunner's accuracy on both day and night missions.
Use your arrow keys to select your gunner, and press Enter.

DRIVER  A good driver can take your tank smoothly and quickly over rough
terrain, quietly sneak up on targets, and outmaneuver anything the enemy
throws at you.  Much of your safety depends on how fast he can make the
beast move, and how good he is at evasive driving.

The Driver's Duty Roster automatically appears after you select your gunner.
Use the arrow keys to select your driver, and press Enter.

LOADER  The last duty roster shows the available loaders.  In all the tanks
but the M3, reload speed is the most important factor in choosing a loader.
(In the M3, this crew member just loads machine guns and TOWs.)  A fast loader
makes the critical difference in how much time elapses between shots.

The Switch Type Speed column shows how fast the loader can change shell types -
for example, to switch from a HEAT round to a HEP round.  Use the arrow keys to
select your loader, and press Enter.

ARM YOUR TANK
After you've chosen your crew, the General presents the Loading Files, which
show the various equipment options for your tank.  For in-depth information
on each tank - vehicle specifications, weapons system, ammo type, and armor -
refer to the Equipment Reference section of this manual.

The loading File for each tank consists of three screens.  At any of these
screens, you can press F7 to get a more detailed explanation of the ordnance
specs.  Press F5 to return to the Loading Files.

Screen 1  From the first screen, choose the ammunition you want to carry for
the main gun.  To change the number of rounds:

1  Move the pencil to the check box of the ammo you want to change

2  Press the Left arrow key to decrease the number of rounds of that type, or
   press the Right arrow key to increase the number

3  When you're done, move to OK and press Enter.

The tank comes fully loaded.  If you want to change cargo, you must decrease
the number of rounds of one type before you can increase the number of rounds
of another.

Screen 2  From the second screen, load your secondary weapons - machine guns
and missile launchers.  Use the instructions above to increase and decrease
numbers, and load your selections.

Screen 3   From the thrid screen, select your external applique armor.  You may
pick only one type of armor for your tank.  The Equipment Reference section of
this manual details the relative advanteges and disadvanteges of each option.

Your tank is now fully staffed and equipped.  When you press Enter for the last
time, the General appears to give you last-minute instructions.  Press Enter
to climb into your tank.

SECTION THREE:  Tank Operation

The tanks in the Steel Thunder arsenal are complex vehicles, equipped with
dozens of sophisticated systems and devices.  These systems are controlled from
three separate stations within the tank:  one for the driver, one for the gunner,
and one for the commander. This section takes an in-depth look at the equipment
at each of the three stations.

Each station is accurately modeled after the actual interior of the tank being
simulated.  Though the four tanks contain similar types of equipment, the
station layouts vary greatly from tank to tank.  With a little practice, it
won't be long before you can quickly blast oncoming Soviet T-80s off the horizon.

Your primary role is that of tank commander.  When you are at the Commander's
Station, the driver and gunner are computer-controlled, following your preset
orders to the best of their abilities.  When you become familiar with all the
systems and commands throughout the tank, you can issue most battle commands
without leaving the Commander's Station.  Your computerized driver and gunner
will respond, and their stations screens automatically change to reflect your
new orders.

When you move to the Driver's Station or the Gunner's Station, you no longer
act as commander - you're in that crewman's boots.  From these screens, you
can manually operate the tank's major weapons, or take the driver's steering
yoke into your own two hands.

Your fourth crew member, the loader, is completely computer-controlled.  His
performance is determined by his competence rating, which you take into account
when you select him.

Refer to the Quick Start section at the front of this manual for a brief,
step-by-step sequence of instructions for starting up all the systems
described below.

STATUS SUMMARY SCREENS
At any point during combat, you might want to view your Damage Report Screen,
Stores Screen, and Mission Map.  The mission pauses while you refer to any
of these three screens.  To resume, press 4 to return to the Driver's Station,
5 to return to the Gunner's Station, or 6 to return to the Commander's Station.

->  DAMAGE REPORT SCREEN
Press 7 to view a summary of the status of all your tank systems.  On each of
the three station screens, the left and right dashboard panels are equipped
with lights that tell you the status of the tank's major systems:
*  Green lights on the panel (blue in CGA) indicate that all systems are go.

*  A yellow light indicates that a system has incurred damage, though it's
   still partially functional.

*  A red light indicates that one of the tank's systems has been destoryed.

The rownd light at the lower edge of the right panel flashes when you incur
new damage.  When you're under heavy fire, refer to the Damage Screen frequently
to find out which systems you can still use.

Generally, small shells only damage exposed systems:  your small guns, sights,
and tank treads.  Heavier ammunition can decimate fragile components, and take
a major toll on your engine, transmission, main gun, or crew.  You cannot
repair damage behind enemy lines:  if your tank becomes immobilized, use any
resources you have left to blast as many hostile units as you can - and then
press Control-Q to abandon the vehicle.

->  STORES SCREEN
Press 8 to see how much ammunition you've got left in your stores shelves.
The list on the top half of the screen doesn't include shells already loaded
into your main gun or missile launcher.  The lower part of the screen shows
many enemy targets you've destroyed so far.

->  MAP
Press 9 to view your position, and the surrounding area.  Units that belong
to US forces appear in blue; units that appear in yellow (white in CGA) belong
to the enemy.
       (this section intentionally left blank)

TANK OPERATIONS
->  ABOUT THE STATIONS
The following features are part of every station:

PERISCOPE  Each station has three periscopes, which give the crew member a
glimpse of the outside world.  Periscopes use narrow prisms, mounted in
invulnerable slots, to bring in a limited 180-degree view of the surrounding
terrain.  Though the prisms tend to distort the world so that things appear
smaller than they really are, they're aligned with a slight overlap, so
objects pass directly from one periscope to another without disppearing in
between.

For a close-up view of a distant object, use the gun sights at the Commander's
Station and Gunner's Station.  These sights magnify the small area around the
gun's target area.  These two stations are also equipped with night and thermal
sights, which are explained below.

Because the Commander's Station is the highest point on the tank, you can see
farthest through his periscopes.  The gunner is only slightly lower.  The
driver sits down in the tank's hull, and doesn't get to enjoy the panoramic
views.

MESSAGE LINE  The main line of communication with your crew.  Your orders and
their responses appear just below the periscope windows, replacing the usual
clock and compass displays.

MISSION CLOCK  A real-time clock that starts when you leave HQ.  There is no
time limit on missions - though you can run out of gas.

COMPASSES  Because the Gunner's Station is located in the main turret, and the
Commander's Station is in a separate mini-turret, each of these stations come
equipped with two compasses.  The one under the center periscope shows the
direction the turret is facint; the one on the left shows which direction the
entire tank is currently facing.  With a little practice, you can use these
compasses to determine the orientation of the hull, the turret, and the
mini-turret.

The Driver's Station, located in the main hull, has one compass that shows the
tank's heading.

The M3 Bradley has no mini-turret.  The commander shares the turret with the
gunner.

->  DRIVER'S STATION
While you're at the Driver's Station, the tank is under your manual control.
Press the:
  *  Up arrow key to accelerate

  *  Down arrow key to decelerate, or go in reverse.

  *  Left and Right arrow keys to turn.

The Enter key is your brake.  When you leave the Driver's Station, the computer
takes over the steering.

GAUGES & INDICATOR LIGHTS
On your Driver's Station panels, you have the following gauges and warning lights:
  * Shift knob - all the tanks have automatic transmissions.  This knob shows
    what gear you're in.

  * Speedometer -  0-60mph with division lines every 10mph

  * Tachometer - a nearby red light comes on when RPMs are too high

  * A fuel gauge - a nearby red light comes on when you're low on fuel

  * Five engine, transmission, and fuel status lights:
    * EOP - engine oil pressure
    * EOT - engine oil temperature
    * TOP - transmission oil pressure
    * TOT - transmission oil temperature
    * FOT - fuel over temperature

  * Two banks of damage lights - one on the left, one on the right.  Each light
    corresponds with one of the subsystems listed on the Damage Report Screen.
    The round New Damage indicator light flashes when you incur new damage.

  * A Mission Light that turns green when you successfully complete your
    mission objective.

KEYBOARD COMMANDS
You can issue the commands below from any crew member's station.  However; these
indicator lights and switches only appear at the Driver's Station:

 4      ACCESS DRIVER'S STATION  Press this to view the Driver's Station.

 `      MASTER POWER ON/OFF      The tank's main power switch is the left
        single quote key (`).  Turn this on to power up the tank.  Turn it
        off, and every powered system on the tank quits.

 1      ENGINE POWER ON/OFF      Powers up the engine.  It takes a few seconds
        to warm up.

 2      NIGHT PERISCOPE ON/OFF   A special device which fits over the driver's
        periscopes, enabling him to see well enough to drive in the dark.  It
        makes night missions a lot easier on the driver, but it doesn't affect
        the view from the other periscopes on the tank.

F2      ENGINE SMOKE ON/OFF      Smoke grnades are fine, if you're not planning
        on staying hidden very long.  To create a mobile, longer-term screen,
        the engine smoke system sprays fuel onto your tank's hot exhaust
        manifolds, raising a dense smoke cloud that follows you around the
        battlefield.  ** The system has two disadvantages:  one, you have to
        move very slowly, or in reverse, to avoid outrunning your smokescreen;
        and two, it guzzles incredible amounts of fuel.

F1      EXTINGUISH FIRE          All modern US tanks are equipped with Halon
        gas fire extinguisher systems.  The system senses heat levels
        throughout the tank, and a red flashing light alerts you when you've
        got a fire on board.  Use this command to deploy the extinguisher
        system.  don't get carried away, though; the extiguishers hold only
        enough Halon to douse two fires per mission.

 /      SLEW RATE                This three-way toggle controls how fast the
        tank, the main turret, and the mini-turret turn in response to your
        arrow commands.  Press the slash [/] key once to make slow turns, a
        second time to make slower turns, and a third time to return to fast
        turns.  The Slew Rate knob on the right panel shows your current slew
        rate setting.

             |              /
             |             /
             |            /             ------

           (fast)      (medium)         (slow)


TO SET AND CHANGE COURSE
Each mission consists of two intermediate checkpoints, and the main target.
As Commander, it's your job to choose the checkpoints that determine the
driver's course, and set the tank's speed.  Your computer-simulated driver
will then steer the tank to the checkpoints in their proper order.

To set the speed, use the Up arrow key.  When you leave the Driver's Station,
the driver takes over and maintains the speed you set.  He won't change this
speed unless you tell him to go backwards, or if he lacks the skill to handle
the tank at high speeds.

1  To set your course, press 9 to view the battlefield map.

2  To set the first leg of your journey, use the arrow keys to move the blue
   X to the first checkpoint position.  Your driver will automatically set
   a course between HQ and this X.  Press Enter.

3  Now, use the arrow keys to position the red X.  This establishes the second
   leg of the trip.  When your driver gets to the blue X, he automatically
   heads for this second checkpoint.  From the red X, he drives toward the
   primary target goal.  Press Enter.  (After reaching his primary goal, the
   driver returns to HQ.)

4  Press 4 to return to the Driver's Station

You can move the Xs at any time during the mission to change your driver's course
and avoid enemy units.  The driver is under orders to follow the general course
you've established on the map; but he always drives evasively, so he may slightly
deviate from the course from time to time.

GIVING COMMANDS TO YOUR DRIVER
You can issue the following commands from the Commander's Station or Gunner's
Station ONLY.  (When you're the one sitting at the Driver's Station, you are
the driver: your job is to take orders, not give them.)

Your compter driver knows five basic driving techniques.  Press the following
keys to direct him:

 0      NEXT GOAL / GO STRAIGHT  A toggle switch that directs the driver to:
        *  Follow the Xs, and proceed to the primary target; or
        *  Drive in a straight line - a useful tactic when you're tring to
           accurately shoot an unstabilized gun.

 -      CLOSE ON TARGET  Directs the driver to close in on the target currently
        in the gunsight.

 =      CIRCLE  An evasive move.  Your driver simply drives around in a small
        circle.  this is a holding pattern that keeps you in a specific
        vicinity; you're not moving toward the goal, and not retreating.

<BS>    BACKWARDS  An important evasive maneuver when under heavy fire.  Switch
        to your thermal sight, lay smoke, and pick off enemy armor as you back
        away out of sight.

If your driver is killed in action, naturally he won't respond to your orders.

-> COMMANDER'S STATION
When you're at the Commander's Station, use the arrow keys to:
  *  Rurn the commander's turret or mini-turret left or right

  *  Raise or lower the gun

  *  Aim the gun

Your gunsight is mounted so that it points wherever the gun points.  So, as you
move it, the sight moves, too.  Press Enter to fire the gun, and hold the
Enter key down to fire a burst.

INDICATOR LIGHTS
The following lights keep you informed about your tank's systems:
  *  CREW STATUS LIGHTS  Show you what's going on with your crew.  If a light
     turns yellow, the crew member is injured.  If the light is red, your
     crewman is dead.

  *  DAMAGE LIGHTS  Two banks of small lights:  one on the left, one on the
     right.  Each light corresponds with one of the subsystems listed on the
     Damage Report Screen.  The round New Damage Indicator light flashes when
     you incur new damage.

  *  MISSION LIGHT  Turns green when you successfully complete your mission
     objective.

  *  AMMUNITION & FIRE RATE SELECTION LIGHTS (M3 only)  The main gun on the
     M3 Bradley has a unique light configuration that shows both the current
     ammunition type, and the fire rate.

The three AP lights on the top row indicates that an armor-piercing round is
currently selected.
  * The left light goes on when you choose a single-shot fire rate
  * The center light indicates a fire rate of 100 rounds per minute
  * The right light indicates a fire rate of 200 rounds per minute

The three HE lights on the bottom row indicate that you've selected a high
explosive round
  * The left light goes on when you choose a single-shot fire rate
  * The center light indicates a fire rate of 100 rounds per minute
  * The right light indicates a fire rate of 200 rounds per minute

All other lights on your control panel correspond with the keyboard commands
described below.  (NOTE:  use F6 to select type and F5 to select rate for M3.)

KEYBOARD COMMANDS
You can issue the commands below from ANY crew members station.  However,
the indicator lights and swichesw may only appear at the Commander's Station.

 6      ACCESS COMMANDER'S STATION  Press this to view the Commander's Station.

 A      TURRET POWER ON/OFF  The turret electonics are separate from the main
        hull.  This increases the tank's survivability, and allows you to drive
        around without having the turret's battle systems draw power.  This
        master switch must be turbned on before you can operate anything
        pertaining to the turret or mini-turret.

 Z      ARM SMOKE GRENADES  (not available on M48A5)  You must arm the launchers
        before you can fire smoke grnades.  they are loaded with enough ammo
        for two salvos.

X       AUXILIARY POWER ON/OFF  Under most circumstances, all the tank's systems
        draw power from the engine, so you don't need to activate the auxiliary
        power source.  It's intended to be a backup unit that feeds the turret
        and mini-turret hydrawlics and the gun stabilization system when the
        engine is off.  The Auxiliary Power system enables you to continue
        fighting from a stationary position when your engine has been disabled
        in battle.

 C      MINI-TURRET HYDRAULICS ON/OFF  (not on M3 Bradley)  On the three heavy
        tanks, the Commander's Station is located in a miniature turret mounted
        on top of the main turret.  The mini-turret is armed with a .50cal
        machine gun, which is equipped with its own sight.

        As commander, you can turn the turret and aim the gun independently
        of the main turret (although if the main turret rotates, you go with it.)
        Your gun isn't stabilized, but the power traverse feature lets you
        quickly turn the gun and sight to the left or right.

        If the main power and auxiliary power are both diabled, prss this key
        to disengage the hydraulics.  You can then use the gun's manual (arrow
        key-controlled) hand cranks instead.

        On the M3 Bradley, this command raises and lowers your TOW launcher.

 F3     FIRE SMOKE GRNADE SALVO  (not available on M48A5)  This command sends
        a volley of smoke grenades 100 yards in front of your tank, creating
        an instant -- and very temporary -- smokescreen that you can drive
        into.  before issuing this command, you must first arm the grenade
        launchers.  It's also a good idea to turn on your thermal sight.  To
        avoide driving out of the smokescreen, you must drive very slowly or
        backwards.

        You can fire consecutively two salvos of smoke grenades.  When they're
        gone, you have to wait until the loader re-loads the grenade launchers
        again.

 F4     GUN SELECT TOGGLE  The gunner controls two co-acial weapons:  a .30cal
        anti-personnel machine gun and a 25mm, 105mm, or 120mm main gun.
        Though they're mounted so that they both always point the same direction,
        they have different ranges, and different purposes.

        You must turn on the Commander Control Override before you can use this
        feature.  This gives you control of the gunner's weapons.  Next, use
        this toggle to select the gun you want to fire.

        On the M3 Bradley, the commander always controls the gunner's weapons,
        so you don't have to activate the override before using this key.

 F5     TARGET RANGE  (not available on M3 Bradley)  The M1A1 Abrams and the
        M60A3 have laser rangefinders, and the M48A5 Patton has an optical
        coicidence rangefinder.  Press F5 to start the range finding process.
        The laser rangefinder takes about 1/3 of a second before feeding the
        information into the ballistics computer.  the coincidence rangefinder
        takes a little longer.  When the range is determined, the figure appears
        in the bottom center of the gunsight.  Always take the range before
        firing the main gun:  it greatly increases the odds of a good hit.

        If a bar appears above the range, it indicates that more than one target
        reflected your laser's light, with the closest range being shown.  You
        may wish to maneuver and re-range to get a more accurage reading.

 F6     AMMUNITION SELECT  The Equipment Reference section of this manual
        describes the wide variety of shell types available for your guns.  Use
        this key to select which type of round you want to fire.  Choose
        carefully:  it won't do you much good, for example, to shoot an APERs
        round at a bunker.  In all tanks except the M3 Bradley, a small box
        appears in the lower left of the gunsight when the shell you chose is
        loaded and ready to fire, and the Loader tells you the gun is "up".

 /      SLEW RATE  This three-way toggle controls how fast the tank, the
        main turret, and the mini-turret turn in response to your joystick
        commands.  Press the slash [/] key once to make slow turns, a second
        time to make slower turns, and a third time to make fast turns.  The
        slew rate knob on the right control panel shows your current slew rate.

 F7     COMMANDER GUNSIGHT OVERRIDE  (not available on the M3)  This toggle
        switch allows you to view the world through the gunner's gunsight,
        instead of your own .50cal gunsight.  Use this command when you
        assume control fo the main gun from the Commander's Station.  If the
        Gunner is looking behind you, the optical link cannot relay the image
        to the commander's gunsight.

 F8     COMMANDER CONTROL OVERRIDE  (not available on the M3)  This toggle
        switch allows you to take control of the tank's main and co-axial guns
        without leaving the Commander's Station.  When the override is activated,
        use the arrow keys to aim the main gun, and Enter to fire it.  Press the
        toggle again to return to your .50cal machine gun.

        NOTE:  If you previously pressed F10 to direct the gunner to aim the
        the gun, press it again to countermand that order before attempting
        to use the override.

 F9     IDENTIFY TARGET  When you have a vehicle in your sight, you can ask
        the gunner to identify it.  All the vehicles in Steel Thunder are
        accurate digitizations of the real thing.  Use this command often:
        shooting at friendly armor is one of the better ways to get yourself
        court-martialed.

        Your gunner's identification skills are limited.  If there are several
        objects clustered near the area you're scanning with the gunsight, he'll
        only identify the one nearest the tank -- so, if some infantry are
        hiding behind some rubble, he'll only tell you about the rubble.  For
        this reason, you should learn to identify the various targets yourself,
        even when they're far away.

 F10    DESTROY TARGET/CEASE FIRE  If you're not firing, this commands the
        Gunner to commence firing, with the objective of destorying the sighted
        target.  If the Gunner is currently shooting, this is the cease-fire
        command.

-> GUNNER'S STATION
When you're at the Gunner's Station, use the arrow keys to:
 * Turn the turret left or right
 * Raise or lower the gun
 * Aim the gun

Your gunsight is mounted so that it points wherever the gun points.  So, as you
move the joystick, the sight moves, too.  Press Enter to fire the selected gun.

During battle, the commander has two options.  You can either take control of
the gun yourself, or let the computer-simulat4ed gunner fire on a target that
you designate.  Your gunner's speed and accuracy depend on his ability, which
you took into account when you chose him for your crew.  After you've gained
some battle experience, you will probably want to control the guns yourself
a majority of the time.

INDICATOR LIGHTS
Your control panel includes the following indicator lights:
 * Damage Lights  Your left and right dashboard panels contain two banks of
   damage lights.  Each light corresponds with one of the subsystems listed
   on the Damage Report Screen.  The round New Damage Indicator light flashes
   when you incur new damage.

 * Mission Light  Turns green when you successfully complete your mission
   objective.

KEYBOARD COMMANDS
You can issue the commands below from ANY crew member's station.  However, the
indicator lights and switches may only appear at the Gunner's Station.

 5      ACCESS GUNNERS STATION  Press this to view the Gunner's Station.

 C      TOW Launcher Up/Down (M3 only)  TOW-2 missiles are launched from an
        armored unit mounted on the side of the M3 Bradley.  Press this key
        to raise the launcher unit before you fire the missile.  When the
        launcher is in firing position, a cgreen light comes on.  Press Enter
        to launch a missile, and use the arrow keys to guide it all the way
        to its target.  Always use 12x gunsight magnification to guide the
        missile.

        Because TOW missiles are wire-guide, the tank must remain stationary
        while the missiles are in flight.  The tank automatically stops when
        raise the launcher:  after the TOW missile detonates, you must
        lower the launcher before you try to drive away.

 V      GUN STABLIZATION ON/OFF (not available on M48A5)  The tank underneath
        you is booming over hill, over dale at 50 miles per hour -- and you,
        the gunner, are up top trying to get a clean hit at a BMP-2 that's
        nearly 2 miles away.  The stabilization system uses hydraulics and
        motion sensors to keep your gun on target, no matter what's going on
        down below.

        Because the M48A5 Patton doesn't have a stabilization system, you have
        to stop the tank to fire accurately over long ranges.  If your gunner
        is good, he can make reasonably accurate shots while moving slowly.

 B      TURRET HYDRAULICS ON/OFF  This system moves the main turret, and
        aims the main gun.  You must turn on either the engine or auxiliary
        power before this command will work.  Turret motion is controlled
        hydraulically in all tanks except the M3 Bradley, which uses electric
        motors.

        All tanks are also equipped with the old-style hand-crank gun mounts.
        If the tank's power sources are disabled in combat, turn off the turret
        hydraulics and use your arrow keys as a crank to turn the turret and
        aim the gun.

 N      BALLISTICS COMPUTER ON/OFF  (Not available on M3 Bradley)  The fire
        control computer corrects and enhances your aim, taking into account
        the range, the flight characteristics of the shell you've chose, wind
        speed and direction, barometric pressure, air temperature, barrel
        droop, and gun wear.  Int tests conducted with the M1A1 Abrams, this
        system provided a 97% hit probability at a range of 3000 yards.
        Don't leave home without it.

 M      SIGHT FILTER  A three-way toggle that controls the filters on your
        main gun's day sight.  The optics include Clear (normal optics),
        Filter (high-density filter), and Shutter (close the sight to protect it.)

 ,      SIGHT DAY/TTS TOGGLE The Day Sight is an optical gunsight that gives
        you close-up views of distant targets.  You can use it with several
        filters, which are explained immediately above.

        The TTS is a highly advanced thermal sight that enables you to see
        through smoke, fog, or darkness.  It gives you a tremendous tactical
        advantage, especially when you're on night missions or using your
        smoke-screens.  To date, no Soviet-built tank is know to have anything
        like it.

        This switch affects the Gunner's Station sight only.  It does not
        change the setting of the commander's .50cal sight.  Note also that the
        sensors for the TTS and the Day Sight are separate: even if one gets
        blasted, the other may still work.

 .      SIGHT MAGNIFICATION  This switch toggles between two sight magnification
        settings:  3x and 10x (4x and 12x on the M3 Bradley).  Use the 3x
        setting to select your target and take coarse aim; then switch to 10x
        to refine the aim and fire.  A small box appears in the lower right
        of the gunsight when you select 10x magnification.

        This command has no affect on the commander's .50cal gunsight, which
        is always at 3x.

 F4     GUN SELECT  As the gunner, you have two co-axial weapons to choose
        from:  a .30cal anti-personnel machine gun and a 25mm, 105mm or
        120mm main gun.  Though they're mounted so that both always point
        in the same direction, they have differnt ranges, abnd differnt
        purposes.  Use this toggle to select the gun you want to fire.

 F5     TARGET RANGE (not available on M3 Bradley)  The M1A1 Abrams and
        the M60A3 have laser rangefinders, and the M48A5 Patton has an
        optical coincidence rangefinder.  Always take the range before firing
        the main gun:  it greatly increases the odds of a good hit.

        Press F5 to start the range finding process.  The laser rangefinder
        takes about 1/3 of a second befor feeding the information into the
        ballistics computer.  The coincidence rangefinder takes a little
        longer.  When the range is determined, the figure appears in the
        bottom center of the gunsight.

        If a bar appears above the range, it indicates that more than one
        target reflected your laser's light, with the closest range being
        shown.  You may wish to maneuver and re-range to get a more accurate
        reading.

 F6     AMMUNITION SELECT  The Equipment Reference section of this manual
        describes the wide variety of shell types available for your guns.
        Use this key to select which type of round you want to fire.  Choose
        carefully:  it won't do you much good, for example, to shoot an APERs
        round at a bunker.

        In all tanks exept the M3 Bradley, a small box appears in the lower
        left of the gunsight when the shell you chose is loaded and ready to fire.

 /      SLEW RATE  This three-way toggle controls how fast the tank, the main
        turret, and the mini-turret turn in response to your arrow key commands.
        Press the slash [/] key once to make slow turns, a second time to make
        slower turns, and a third thime to make fast turns.  The slew rate knob
        is located on the right control panel, and indicates current setting.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
These commands don't correspond with any of the dashboard panels.  A message
on the text line tells you when the command is activated or deactivated.

 3      TIME COMPRESSION  If you want to speed everything up, press 3 once
        or twice to race to the front, but hold on to your stomach. Press 3
        a third time to turn off the time compression when you suspect enemy
        vehicles are in range.  You may even want to fight the entire battle
        with time compression on if you have a slower computer.

 ^E     ENGINE SOUNDS  Toggles the Engine Sounds on/off.

 ^Q     RETURN TO HQ  Press this to abort the current scenario when disaster
        looms, or to return to Headquarters after you've completed your
        mission objective.

<ESC>   PAUSE  The one feature that real-life tanks are not equipped with.
        It's most useful when you're learning your tank's systems and
        procedures.

 ^Q     EXIT TO DOS  If you press Control-Q while the simulation is paused,
        it exits to DOS.

 ^S     Sound On/Off A toggle switch to turn the computer sounds on and off.

SECTION FOUR:  Strategy & Tactics

The old-timers in Steel Thunder tank battalion asked HQ if they could pass
along some practical advice as part of this manual.  The General agreed.
Here's their contribution, based on decades of field experience:

->  DRIVING

*  Modern battlefields are even more dangerous than modern freeways, so drive
   defensively.  A shell takes 2-3 seconds to reach its target, so a tank that
   speeds along a wildly erratic course and never stops moving isn't nearly
   as likely to get hit.  Remember that older tanks aren't as fast or
   maneuverable as the newer ones, and the armor isn't as durable.

->  ENEMY ENCOUNTERS

*  In encounters with relatively harmless vehicles like BTR-70s, use your .50cal
   machine gun instead of wasting the big shells.  The smaller gun can usually
   destory an unarmored or lightly armored target very quickly.  Since these
   targets usually don't carry enough firepower to threaten you, you can move
   in close for the kill.

  No matter how good his ratings look, you computer-simulated gunner's
   capabilities are limited.  Rely on him for your first few missions, while
   you're getting the feel of the other tank systems; but you'll soon get to a
   point where you'll prefer to set up and make the shots yourself.  Dispatching
   T-80s at 3500 yards is beyond the gunner's skill, so it's up to you.

*  As you move forward, scan the horizon with the 3x scope.  Usually, you'll
   see them before they see you.  When you find a target, don't react to it
   until your gunner positively identifies it (blowing away friendly armor is
   considered very bad form).  Then, select your shell type, and flip to 10x to
   aim.  The 3x sxope is not as accurately aligned with the gun barrel as the
   10x scope.

   Your guns have a longer range than theirs do:  use this advantage to pick
   them off before they can close in on you.

*  If you're trusting the computer gunner, you can issue the order to fire on
   a target, then use the commander's 3x scope to continue scanning for new
   targets while he's making the shot.

*  You can hide behind buildings, trees, hills, etc.  If the enemy hasn't seen
   you yet, you can sneak lup on them.  Of course, when you open fire they'll
   find you, although their aim will be significantly hampered if you hide
   behind something.

*  You may notice that time speeds up when you are far from any enemy vehicles.
   This is because the computer compresses time when you're moving quickly
   through unoccupied territory, and then automatically slows things down to
   real time when hostile forces appear.  Because of this feature, you can
   move fairly quickly on the map from HQ to the front, but much more slowly
   as you fight your way through and behind enemy lines.

   In addition, you may compress time even further by pressing 3 once or
   twice.  (The third press turns the time compression off.)  This is especially
   useful on slower machines so try fighting the entire battle with time
   compression on high.

*  If an AT-3 Sagger missile is launched at you, react immediately by laying
   smoke, backing up and trying to find out what vehicle is guiding it at you.
   Remember, they don't have thermal gun sights, so you can hide in your smoke
   and hunt down the BMP-2 or Mi-24 Hind which launched it.

*  Your tank is big, well-armored, and literally carries a ton of firepower --
   but it's still not a great idea to go roaring right into the middle of a crowd
   of enemy armor.  (Remember Custer)  Instead, slow down while they're still a
   good distance away.  Take out as many as you can at long range.  Approach the
   pack slowly, picking off a few at a time -- and always be ready to switch
   to your thermal sight, lay smoke, and back out if things get too exciting.
   Your superior gun range is a big tactical advantage, but you can't make the
   most of it if you zoom in at 60mph, thus allowing enemy tanks to get close
   enough to reduce you to rubble.

->  AIMING

*  If the target's moving, don't shoot at where it it - shoot at where it will
   be a few seconds from now, when your shell catches up with it.  The amount
   of lead time depends on how far the shell has to travel, and how fast your
   tank is moving relative to the target.  You may find it helpful to press
   the (-) key to instruct the driver to close on the target, making it easier
   to hit.

*  Another way to make aiming easier:  Press 0 (zero) to direct the driver to
   drive in a straight line.  this makes you more vulnerable to enemy fire,
   but also helps you get a better fix on the target.  Don't forget to press
   0 (zero) again after destroying the target, so the driver can resume his
   usual meandering course.

*  Remember:  not every shell that hits a target destroys it -- or even does
   serious damage.  (Fortunately for you, this works both ways.)  If your
   shell lands on the edges of the target, it may be deflected by angled
   armor, or blast a hole in a non-critical area.  Only dead-center hits
   inflict major damage, and then only a percentage of the time.  Smaller
   shells must hit more accurately to be effective.

*  Each shell type has its owbn effective range.  If you try to hit a target
   that's out of the shell's range, you'll probably miss.

*  Some tanks are more accurate than others:  an M60A3 has a hit rate of 62%
   at 2500 yards, while (under optimal conditions) an M1A1 Abrambs will connect
   with the target 97% of the time at 3000 yards.  To improve your chances,
   make sure to take a range reading before each shot, and always use the 10x
   scope to refine your aim before shooting.  It may seem quicker to dispense
   with these formalities, but you'll probably just end up wasting ammunition.

*  Your gun sight is line-of-sight, but the shell you fire travels in an arc.
   Therefore, you should aim below center of your intended taget.  Otherwise
   your shell may sail over their heads.

*  Your gun sights are higher on your tank than your periscopes, so you can
   "peak" over the tops of hills as you near the top -- allowing you to be
   some-what hidden from foes down below on the other side.

*  If the multi-range bar comes on in your main gun's sight, it means that
   several objects have reflected your laser's pulse, with the gun sight
   locking on the closest one.  If the range is obviously wrong, you may want
   to maneuver so that the nearest reflecting object is out of the way.  Firing
   with a wrong range may result in a miss.

->  EQUIPMENT

*  The stabilization system can compensate for a lot of motion -- but there is
   a limit.  The system works by raising or lowering the gun to compensate for
   changes in the tank's level.  It can't move the gun past the gun mount's
   physical elevation and declination capacity.

   If you're aiming near the horizon, and your driver's taking you on a brisk
   cross-country joyride, the target may appear to bounce around in the sight.
   This is a signal that the stablization system has reached its limits.  If
   you take the shot under these conditions, you will probably miss.

*  Shoot your machine guns in bursts.  This not only keeps your gun from
   overheating, it gives you time between bursts to check and see if you're
   actually hitting the target.  As a result, you'll waste less ammo and spend
   less time reloading

*  Always be aware of your current slew rate and gunsight power setting.  The
   gun moves very slowly at low slew rate and high power, so you may want to
   switch to a higher slew rate and 3x magnification when you're scanning for
   your next target.  Make it a habit to change these settings after you
   destroy any target.