Night Owl 19/Night Owl (The Best of Shareware)(NOPV 19)(1996).ISO/004a/raw257.zip/RAW2.ZIP/HELP/HELP0.TXT

Text File | 1994-11-01 | 7KB | 143 lines

──────────────────────────────── ROMANS at WAR ───────────────────────────────

  The time is May 220 B.C. or within plus or minus 300 or so years. The place
is the Mediterranean and Western Asia. The Ancient empires are trying to
extend their domination of the region.
  Each player assumes the role as ruler of his empire.  Each is intrusted by
his civilization to increase its strength and power to world supremecy. Each
must accomplish this by conquest and diplomacy.

  Romans at War is a multiplayer game set in the Ancient Era.  To win a player
must increase his economic strength to 1500 points.  Each empire has many
cities which comprise its basis of strength.  Every city and province is worth
points.  When they are captured they become the seizin of the conquering
empire.  Players build armies and navies to make war on their enemies.
Players may also make treaties with other players and may give aid (in the
form of money) to help allies.

  Minor cities are worth 25 points, major cities are worth 40 points, minor
capitals are 90 points, while major capitals are worth 200 points.  Ten points
are given for owning 2/3 or more of the land area of a small province; 20 for
a large province.  The sum total of all points is the strength of an Empire.
The competing powers are Rome, Carthage, Macedonia, Egypt, Parthia and Persia.

  To Begin :    Select an available empire.  If the country you want is not
available you may have to wait for the next game to start.  The sysop will
schedule the turns once all 6 players have built their forces.  If the game is
currently in progress but is run by a dummy player you may ask the sysop to get
you into this game.  The computer will play the part of barbarians and smaller
kingdoms.

Option 1:
  This shows a geographical map of Europe and Western Asia.  The capitals show
  up as diamonds. Major cities are shown as triangles and lesser cities as
  small rectangles.  Your armies will show up as colored boxes with an ID
  number 1-9.  Your navies will show up as colored boxes with an ID letter A-I.
  Your own garrison troops will show up as colored boxes with the letters r-z.
  With the use of the movement option you may maneuver armies and navies, (but
  not garrisons) from point to point.

  P - Shows the political map.
  N,S,E,W,1,4,2,3 - shows regions of the map north, south, east, and west.
  H - Help menu.
  I - Gives a listing of the cities.
  O - Gives a listing of the provinces.
  G - Returns from political map to geographical map.
  Q - Quit


Option 2: Empire Status
  This will show the strengths of all selected empires.  Note troop strengths
  are generally in 100 of men.  Exit this option and select the Army
  Maintenance or the Navy Maintenance option (they are very much alike).

Option 3: Army Maintenance
  Select list.  This lists all the armies that the player has along with the
  leader.  Building an army or navy simply uses the available military strength
  and assigns it to an army.  In order to move military forces from one point
  to another troops must be in the form of a navy or army.  New armies will be
  created at one of 2 cities, the capital being the primary place.
  Movement: Selection 7 of both Army and Navy Options.
  The movement selection is used to give movement orders to each of a nation's
  units that are moving.   Each Army or Navy can be given separate orders.

  Movement is shown on a map as arrows.
  Movement actually takes place during the turn process.  Here you are only
  giving the troops orders for that movement.

                                                            7   8   9
           Movement Commands:                               4      6
                                                            1   2   3

Option 4: Navy Maintenance
  Select list.  This will list all the navies that the player has along with
  the leader.  Building a navy simply uses the available naval strength and
  assigns it to a fleet.  New fleets will be created in specific ports as
  indicated in the help screen for that option.

Option 5: Requisition New Units:
  If you have extra money left over after paying for the maintenance of your
  troops you may purchase additional military units.  New Units can not be
  assigned to armies or navies until the following turn.
  Maintenance:
  Note that each turn you must pay your troops.  They have a set rate of cost.
  If you cannot afford to pay them, you must cashier them or they will randomly
  leave your armies and/or fleets.  Troops not assigned to field armies will
  leave first.  Then, those in the armies will leave.  Generally, the poorest
  grade troops will desert first.  Fleets are the last to be scrapped because
  of the time and money it takes to rebuild them.

Option 6: Diplomacy
  As the game starts all empires are at peace. They are considered neutral with
  each other but at war with non-player kingdoms. To change the alignment of
  your empire select one of W,N,A for each selection presented in this option.
  If one or more empires select 'W' the countries are at war.  If both select
  'A' both are allied, otherwise empires are neutral.

Option 7: Mail
  If you want to communicate with a foreign leader you may do so through the
  mail system.  Type in 'R' for read mail or 'S' to send mail.  When entering
  mail type escape to end the entry process.

Option 8: Battle Report
  After each turn the results of battles can be found using this option.  A
  player will be able to see the reports of all battles they were involved in.
  After two turns all other battles can be viewed (there is a lag time of news
  from the other capitals).

Option 9: Point Values
  The point values for provinces are listed here.  The territory will be
  colored to match that of its owning empire.

  Points for conquered provinces are added to a players income.  Capturing
  cities is the way to win the game.  Enemy capitals are worth the most.  When
  these are captured you not only receive the income from them but you pillage
  that players bank too.  Unfortunately, your troops and generals make off with
  some of the booty and much of it never reaches your coffers.  The other
  player's bank is, none the less, reduced to ZERO.

  Each Menu Option has its own help file.  When you enter an option for the
first time or you need help press "H","h" or "?".

 'L'ist - References.

Turns:
  The sysop must schedule the Turn.  This is a program which, when run, will
process your move orders and purchase orders and fight all the battles.  It
will then update all files and maps.  Also, on each turn an event will take
place.  If this effects a players empire it will be shown on the bottom of
the menu.
  The first line at the bottom of the main menu will list your event.  This is
public knowledge.  The second line at the bottom of the main menu will list
your special news.  This is news concerning your empire which is not public
knowledge.

  Privacy Mode is : ON   -  This sysop has switched off the local visual mode
  and cannot see what you are doing.

  To Quit out of most menus type 'Q'.  To Abort a selection process press the
ESCape key.

─────────────────────────────────End of Help──────────────────────────────────