LSD Docs/LSD Docs.iso/FILEZ/lsd10.dms/lsd10.adf/8/8

Text File | 1989-08-11 | 34KB | 896 lines

        BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY: COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY

TYPED BY OLLIE NORTH of SKID ROW.  Edited by PARASITE.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.........................................................1
  What Comes With the Game?..........................................1
  Before You Play....................................................1
  Getting Started Quickly............................................1
  Using Menus........................................................1
  Beginning to Play..................................................2

MODIFYING CHARACTERS AND TEAMS.......................................3
  Team Creation/Training Menu........................................3
  Non-Player Characters (NPCs).......................................3
  Viewing Characters.................................................4
  Character Status...................................................4

ADVENTURING..........................................................5
  Display Screens and Points of View.................................5
  3-D and Area Views.................................................5
  Combat View........................................................6
  Overland Map.......................................................6
  Solar Map..........................................................6
  Adventuring Options................................................6

OUTPOSTS.............................................................7

ENCOUNTERS...........................................................9
  Combat.............................................................9
  After the Battle..................................................10
  Space Combat......................................................11
  After Space Combat................................................12


Page [1]

INTRODUCTION

WHAT COMES WITH THE GAME?
You should find the following items in the game box:

Disks, Rule Book, Log Book, Data Card

This Rule Book is designed to explain all your options and guide you
through playing the game.  If you are not familiar with the BUCK ROGERS XXV
game system, you will find helpful information about how things work in the
Log Book.

The Log Book contains a variety of information including details about
character careers, technology, combat and an introduction to the adventure
story.  The Log Book also includes the maps, information, rumors and stories
that you will need to play the game.  You will discover for yourself which of
the tales you hear are fact and which are fiction.

The Data Card explains how to start the game and select items and menu
options with your specific computer.  It also shows how to get right into the
game without having to read through the rules.
[Due to the fact that the Amiga version of this game is not yet released
there is no typed up Data Card]

BEFORE YOU PLAY
There is no copy protection on your COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY disks, so please
make backup copies and put the originals away for safekeeping.  When you
start the game, you will be asked to answer a verification question from this
Rule Book or the Log Book before you can play.  [REMOVED BY SKID ROW 1990!!!]
Turn to the page as indicated for either this Rule Book or the Log Book, find
the indicated word, type it in and press the Return or Enter key.

GETTING STARTED QUICKLY
COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY comes with a ready-made team that allows you to begin
adventuring immediately.  Use the instructions on the Data Card to load the
saved game that has been provided and begin playing.  [I installed this on my
HD and there was NO pre-made party]  These rules and the Log Book will answer
any questions during play.

USING MENUS
All commands are menu based, and the concept of the active character is
central to the game.  Outside of combat the active character's name is
highlighted on the display.  During combat the active character is surrounded
with a cursor at the start of his combat segment.

During combat the active character is chosen automatically according to the
character's initiative and random factors.  Other times you may select which
character is active before choosing other commands.

If a command affects the whole team, just select the command.  If the command
affects one character, make that character active and then choose the command.

****************************************************************************
Example: To look at a character's equipment, select that character, choose
the VIEW command, and then choose the GEAR command. The computer displays a
list of that character's gear.
****************************************************************************

Menus are displayed either vertically or horizontally.

Vertical menus select the character or item to be acted upon.  If there are
more choices than will fit on the screen at one time, use the NEXT and PREV
commands to view the additional selections.

***************************************************************************
Example: When purchasing gear, selections are made from a vertical menu list
of equipment.
***************************************************************************

Horizontal menus list what that character can do or what can be done to the
character.  In the rules, menus are shown with all of their options.
In some cases options will not be available every time a menu appears.

***************************************************************************
Example:

BOOTY MENU:

VIEW TAKE POOL DIVVY EXIT

The options TAKE AND DIVVY will only appear if there it booty to take.
***************************************************************************

The Rule Book only lists the general menus.  Special menus will appear with
many encounters that indicate available options.


BEGINNING TO PLAY
To begin playing the game you must load a saved game or make characters and
band them together into a team.

CREATE NEW CHARACTER

ADD CHARACTER TO TEAM

LOAD SAVED GAME

INITIALIZE MOUSE/JOYSTICK [Ha!  Don't need this one!]

EXIT TO DOS/WORKBENCH

CREATE NEW CHARACTER is used to build a character.  Detailed information
about characters, races, careers and so on is available in the Log Book.
This command starts the process of making a new character.

PICK RACE lists six races a player-character can be in the twenty-fifth
century.

PICK GENDER lists the sex the character can be.

PICK CAREER lists the careers a character is qualified for based on race.

The computer randomly generates the character's ability scores.  If you are
not happy with the scores, you may roll them again.  Remember that you can
use the MODIFY CHARACTER command on the Team Creation/Training Menu to change
the character's ability scores and hitpoints after the character has been
generated.

CHARACTER NAME provides a 15 letter space to type in the character's name.
On some computer systems the character is named after the abilities scores
are generated.

ALLOCATE SKILL POINTS allows you to allocate points to the character's Career
and the General skills.  This phase really determines a character's strengths
and weaknesses.  See the section on skills in the Log Book for more
information.

SELECT CHARACTER ICON allows you to select the shape that will represent the
character in combat.  You can select new combat icons from the Training
Center menu.  On some systems the character will be saved after the combat
icon is selected.

EXIT from any of the character creation menus will display the Team Creation
Menu.

ADD CHARACTER TO TEAM allows you to add characters to the team from the save
game disk.  A team is a group of characters composed of up to six player
characters (called PCs) and up to two non-player characters (called NPCs).  A
team should have a balanced mix of characters with different careers.  For
more information about building teams see the Log Book.

LOAD SAVED GAME permits you to resume a game that had been previously saved.
The saved game provided with COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY can also be loaded.

INITIALIZE MOUSE/JOYSTICK sets up the joystick or mouse.
[Still don't need this one!]

EXIT TO DOS/WORKBENCH ends play.


Page [3]


MODIFYING CHARACTERS AND TEAMS
The Team Creation/Training Menu shows the characters currently in your team
and lists the commands for creating and modifying the team.  Not all of the
options will be available at all teams.

Team Creation/Training Menu

CREATE NEW CHARACTER

PURGE CHARACTER

MODIFY CHARACTER

ICON SELECT

TRAIN CHARACTER

VIEW CHARACTER

ADD CHARACTER TO TEAM

REMOVE CHARACTER FROM TEAM

LOAD SAVED GAME

SAVE CURRENT GAME

BEGIN ADVENTURING

EXIT TO DOS/WORKBENCH


PURGE CHARACTER eliminates a character from the team and erases him from the
saved game disk.  A purged character may not be recovered.

MODIFY CHARACTER can change the character's ability scores and HP.  Use
MODIFY CHARACTER to change a character generated in COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY to
match a favorite BUCK ROGERS XXc game character.  A character cannot be
modified once he has begun adventuring.

ICON SELECT allows you to select a new icon to represent a character in
combat.

TRAIN CHARACTER increases a character's level when he has gained enough
experience points (EXP).  Characters can only advance one level at a time.
If a character has gained enough experience to advance more than one level,
he will advance one level and then lose all experience in excess of one point
below that required for advancement to the next level.  See the section on
Experience Points in the Log Book for an example.

Characters get additional points to allocate to skills as they advance, and
Warriors gain weapon skills.  See the Advancement Tables starting on Page 40
of the Log Book for EXP requirements.  There is no charge for training
characters.

VIEW CHARACTER displays about a character.  For more information see the
Viewing Characters section on page 4.

REMOVE CHARACTER FROM TEAM transfers a character from the team to the saved
game disk.

SAVE CURRENT GAME stores the current game to the save game disk or directory.

BEGIN ADVENTURING starts the game.

EXIT TO DOS/WORKBENCH quits the game.


NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS (NPCs)
During the game the team will encounter Non-player Characters (NPCs).  They
may talk to the team, attack or offer to join the team.  NPCs that join the
team are treated like player characters with a few differences.  The computer
generally commands NPCs in battle.  Characters with Leadership skill may be
able to put NPCs who have joined the party under direct control (this is
difficult).  NPC's have morale--if things are going badly for the team, NPCs
may run.  Gear can be traded to some NPCs, but they cannot be traded from
conscious NPCs to other characters.  If an NPC dies, however, you can use the
TRADE command on the Gear Menu to take his gear.  Only two NPCs at a time may
join the team and they may insist on taking a share of all booty found.


Page [4]


VIEWING CHARACTERS
The VIEW command displays the character summary screen.

Encumbrance is the total weight the character is carrying.  As a character
becomes more encumbered, his combat movement speed drops.  Encumbrance is
based on the weight a character carries above the weight allowable by
strength.  Combat Movement is how many squares a character can move during
a combat round.  This is based on his readied armor, strength and total
encumbrance.

CHARACTER STATUS
OKAY means that the character has positive HP and can move and fight
normally.

POISONED means that the character is suffering from the effects of some
poison, and must have a Medic perform a Treat Poison immediately after combat
or become Comatose.

UNCONSCIOUS means that the character has exactly 0 HP.  He cannot move or
fight, but is in no danger of dying.

COMATOSE means that the character is severely injured and has lapsed into a
coma.  Comatose characters require hospitalization or shipboard Medical
Center care to recover.

DEAD means that the character has died.

FLED means that the character fled from the battle.  After the battle he will
rejoin the team.

GONE means that the character was abandoned during a combat and the body has
been lost forever.


Page [5]


From the View Menu several options are available to inspect the active
character.  Not all of these commands are available at all times.

VIEW MENU:

GEAR SKILLS WPN SPEC TRADE EXIT

GEAR will show all the equipment the character is carrying.  Items preceded
by a YES are ready for use.  Not all commands in the Gear Menu are always
available.

Gear Menu:

READY TRADE DROP HALVE JOIN SELL EXIT

READY is used to change the ready status of a weapon, armor, or other item.
Only readied gear can be used in combat.  Characters can only ready one
weapon at a time, except that a grenade can be readied while a character has
a readied grenade launcher.  On some systems there are items that can only be
readied or unreadied while in either camp or combat.

TRADE on the Gear Menu is used to transfer an item from one character to
another.  Choose the item and then the character to receive it.  Remember
that a conscious NPC will not give up an item once he has it.

DROP permanently removes items from a character.  Dropped items may not be
recovered.

HALVE will divide a bundle of grenades or poison antidotes into two bundles.
For example, halve would turn on bundle of 24 grenades into two groups of 12
each.

JOIN combines grenades and poison antidotes into one line of the gear list.
No more than 100 items can be joined onto one line.  This is handy because
there are a limited number of slots available on a gear list.

SELL (only available at shops) causes the shopkeeper to make an offer on the
highlighted item.  Sold gear may not be recovered.

WPN SPEC allows Warriors to examine their weapon specialization bonuses.

TRADE on the View Menu is used to transfer credits from one character to
another.  Indicate which character is to receive, and then indicate what and
how much is traded to the other character.  On some systems this option is
only available if you select the View Menu from outposts shops or from the
Booty Menu after combat.


ADVENTURING
After setting up your team and reading the background information in the Log
Book, it is time to head for adventure, fame, and glory.  Your team will
engage in fierce battles, find booty, and sometimes have to stop, and
recuperate from battle.

DISPLAY SCREENS AND POINTS OF VIEW
During the adventure, teams must travel from planet surfaces to the reaches
of space.  There are several points of view or areas that are displayed for
different regions.

3-D AND AREA VIEWS
3-D view appears in towns, aboard enemy rocketships and so on.  This view
appears at the top left of your screen and shows the surrounding area from
the team's perspective.  Rotate the team's facing and move using the
directional.  The direction controls for your computer are described on the
Data Card.

Area view provides an overhead view of the team's surroundings, replacing the
3-D view.  choose the AREA command from the Adventure Menu.  This view is not
available in many regions.

In the area display a cursor shows the team's position.  On some computer
systems, the cursor is an arrow that indicates current team facing.  On some
computer systems you may move around while in the area view, on others this
view is only to help you get your bearings.


Page [6]


To the right of the point of view window, in either 3-D or Area, are the map
coordinates, current time, facing direction (N, S, W, E) and what the team is
doing.

Every time the team moves a square, one minute of game time passes.


COMBAT VIEW
Combat view occurs automatically whenever the team engages in battle.  The
combat screen is a detailed view of the area the team was in when the
encounter began.

OVERLAND MAP
This view displays a large region and is used to move across planetary
surfaces.  Move the team with normal direction controls.

SOLAR MAP
Solar Map view is used when the team is traveling in its rocketship to
another planet or outpost.  Simply move the ship towards the destination as
you would move in any other view.  The difference between this view and
others is that destinations are orbiting the sun, and they move as the ship
does.  The relative speed of the ship is very fast, so reaching destination
is not difficult--that is if there are no encounters with pirates or RAM
warships.

Each move on the solar map takes three days of game time.


ADVENTURING OPTIONS
The Adventure Menu controls normal game options while exploring or traveling
between planets or outposts.  While traveling on the solar map, some commands
are not available.

Adventure Menu:

MOVE AREA VIEW LOOK CHANGE ROCKET SAVE

MOVE is used to actually get to where you can move the team around the map.
The team can turn right or left, turn around, or move forward.  Refer to the
Data Card for computer-specific movement information.  Select EXIT to return
to the Adventure Menu.

AREA toggles between the area and 3-D view.  In many regions this command may
not be available.

VIEW displays the character screen and the View Menu.

LOOK is used to search an individual square.  Looking in a square takes ten
minutes of game time.

CHANGE is used to change the characters in the team and the parameters of the
game.


Change Menu:

ORDER PURGE MESSAGES ANIM LEVEL EXIT

ORDER changes how the characters are listed on the screen and how they are
deployed in combat.  Characters at the top of the list tend to be on the
front line in combat.

PURGE eliminates a character from the team and erases him from the saved game
disk.  A purged character is gone forever and may not be recovered.

MESSAGES controls the rate at which messages are printed on the screen.  If
the game is running too slowly, use the FASTER command to speed up the
displays.  If you have trouble reading messages, try the SLOWER command.

ANIM allows you to toggle the animation of the close-up pictures on and off.
Turning the animation off speeds up the game.  This command is not available
on all computers.

LEVEL permits you to adjust combat difficulty.


Page [7]


Level Menu:

NOVICE CADET TROOPER VETERAN ACE
The game is preset at the Trooper level.  This is the level at which we
consider the game to be balanced. To make the combats easier, choose either
the Novice (easiest) or Cadet level.  To make the combats more difficult,
choose either the Veteran or Ace (hardest) level.

When you choose to make the game more difficult, you are rewarded by
receiving more experience points from your combats.  When you choose to make
the game easier, you are penalized by receiving fewer experience points from
your combats.

Receiving fewer experience points will slow the rate at which your characters
advance levels.  Advancing at a slower rate will give you less powerful
characters which, in the long run, may more than offset the benefits of
playing at an "easy" level.

ROCKET is used to examine the team's rocketship.  This is only available
during space travel, and may not be on all computer systems.

SAVE restores the characters and current game to the save game disk or
directory.  Saved games may be loaded either from the first menu or from the
Team Creation/Training Menu.  Save often -- especially after surviving really
tough encounters.  See your Data Card for computer-specific savings
instructions.

OUTPOSTS
Outposts are pockets of humanity, if not civilization, sprinkled around the
solar system.  They range in size from city-sized installations on planets to
glorified rocketship service stations among the furthest asteroids.  Outposts
are where teams can buy new gear and ammunition, get ship repairs and
purchase fuel.

The Outpost Menu allows the team to get to the various facilities that may be
found in outposts.  Larger stations, of course, have a greater variety of
services to offer than the smaller frontier outposts.

Outpost Menu:

BANK DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL PORT TRAINING

BANK will allow you to deposit credits for safekeeping.  An extensive
computer network keeps track of accounts so that you may withdraw your funds
from any branch in the solar system.

Bank Menu:

DEPOSIT WITHDRAW EXIT

DEPOSIT prompts you for the number of credits you wish to deposit.

WITHDRAW allows funds to be retrieved from the team account.

EXIT returns to Downtown Menu.

DOWNTOWN is where Shops, Restaurants, and so on are located.

Downtown Menu:

SHOP LIBRARY BAR RESTAURANT EXIT

SHOP allows characters to buy and sell equipment.

Shop Menu:

BUY SELL AMMO VIEW POOL TAKE DIVVY EXIT

BUY displays the available gear and costs.  Select items for the active
character to buy.

SELL puts you in the Gear Menu with SELL option highlighted.  If this option
is not available on your system, then select the VIEW option then the GEAR
option then choose SELL.

AMMO is used to purchase ammunition for a character's weapons.  This
includes recharges for battery packs on energy weapons such as lasers.


Page [7]


VIEW displays the character screen with the SELL command available in the
Gear Menu.

POOL places all the team's credits into a pool which can be used by any
member to make purchases.  Use the TAKE or DIVVY commands to pick up the
credits pool after all purchases have been made.

TAKE is used to pick up credits from the team credits pool.

DIVVY picks up everything from the pool and distributes even shares among the
team.

EXIT returns to Downtown Menu.

LIBRARY is where the team goes to get information.  To effectively use a
library, at least one character needs to have Library Search skill.

BAR and RESTAURANT are places where characters go to hear the latest gossip
and news.  The quality and class of clientele in these establishments varies
a great deal.  Going to a high society place may get you a different type of
information than a dive.

Bar Menu:

BUY DRINK TALK WAIT EXIT

BUY DRINK purchases a round of drinks for the team so that they can relax and
listen to the latest gossip unobtrusively.

TALK has members of the team chatting with patrons and trying to coax
information.

WAIT has the team sit tight and see what happens.

EXIT returns to Downtown Menu.

Restaurant Menu:

ORDER FOOD TALK WAIT EXIT

ORDER FOOD has the team sit down to a meal and listen to gossip.

TALK has members of the team chatting with patrons and trying to coax
information.

WAIT has the team sit tight and see what happens.

EXIT returns to Downtown Menu.

HOSPITAL offers first rate medical services, for a fee.

Hospital Menu:

HEAL EXIT

HEAL will have the hospital give medical treatment to the active character.

EXIT returns to the Outpost Menu.

PORT is where ships are repaired, resupplied, fueled, and launched.
Everything in port is paid for from the team's NEO salvage account.  This is
the account that is credited with the salvage value for enemy ships the team
has defeated.  At Salvation Station port facilities and materials are free.
All other stations charge the going rates.

Port Menu:

LAUNCH REPAIR FUEL AMMO MED SUP EXIT

LAUNCH exits the outpost and puts the team in space.

REPAIR has your shop repaired at the port shipyards.  The cost of repairs
will vary with the amount of work required.

FUEL allows you to purchase fuel for your ship.

AMMO allows you to purchase ammunition for your ship's weapons.

MED SUP allows the team to restock the shipboard Medical Center.

EXIT returns to the Outpost Menu.

TRAINING allows characters to get to a Training Center and advance in level.
You can also modify the team using the Team Creation/Training Menu.


Page [9]


ENCOUNTERS
When a team comes across opponents or NPCs, an encounter occurs.  If the team
attacks immediately it may receive a bonus to its initiative in combat.  If
the opponents surprise the team, the opponents can attack immediately and get
a bonus to their initiative in combat.  If the opponents do not attack
immediately, the team can react by choosing from an Encounter Menu.
Encounter menus vary and they list options for new situations.

****************************************************************************
SAMPLE ENCOUNTER MENU:

COMBAT WAIT FLEE TALK

In this menu you have opportunities to attack immediately, wait and see, run
away or try and talk.
****************************************************************************

COMBAT
During combat the computer chooses the active character.  Characters with
higher dexterity will tend to go before characters with lower dexterity.  A
character may hold his action until later with the WAIT command.  There is a
more detailed description of how combat works in the Log Book.

The active character will be centered on the screen at the start of his
combat segment.  The active character's name, HP, AC, and current weapon are
displayed.  The Combat Menu lists the character's options.

COMBAT MENU:

MOVE TARGET VIEW INTIMIDATE QUICK AID SPRINT DODGE JETPACK WAIT GUARD END

MOVE allows a character to move into an opponent's square.
NOTE: if a character selects SPRINT or DODGE all further movement by that
character during that round will be sprinting or dodging.

TARGET allows weapons to be aimed.  If the character has shot an opponent in
a previous segment, the cursor will come up on that target.

When targeting, the range to the target will be displayed above the menu bar
on some systems.  If a character moves adjacent to an enemy, and has no more
movement remaining, the TARGET command can be used to attack with a melee
weapon (mono knife, sword, etc.)  The TARGET command can also be used to
survey the condition of your team and enemies.  As you move the target cursor
over a character or opponent, HP and weapon information will be displayed on
the right of your screen.

Target Menu:

NEXT PREV MANUAL ATTACK CENTER EXIT

NEXT is used to look at all possible targets, starting with the closest
target and then going to the next farthest and so on.  NEXT and PREV only
indicate targets in the character's line of sight.

PREV (Previous) is the opposite of the NEXT command.  Use this command to
look at the possible targets starting with the farthest, and working back
toward the character.  This command is most often used to select a target for
a missile attack.

MANUAL permits the player to aim anywhere on the map.  Only targets in the
character's line of sight can actually be attacked.

ATTACK is used to fire a weapon, throw a grenade, or attack an adjacent enemy
with a melee weapon (mono knife, sword, etc).  If this option is not
displayed the target is out of range or not in line of sight.

CENTER will center the screen around the cursor.  This is helpful when
manually targeting.  This option is not available on all computer systems.


Page [10]


VIEW displays the character screen and View Menu.

INTIMIDATE is the skill to project an aura of menace and to frighten adjacent
opponents.  Intimidated opponents will be too frightened to move or fight for
one round.

QUICK turns control of the character over to the computer  Press the space
bar to regain manual control of characters.  Under computer control, a
fighting character with a readied missile weapon will tend to hang back and
attack from a distance.  If the character has no readied ranged weapon, he
will ready a melee weapon and charge.

Characters will remain under computer control for all subsequent combats
until manual control is again selected.

AID only appears if a team member is bleeding to death.  Only character with
First Aid or Treat Light Wounds skills can use the command.  The command will
perform either First Aid or Treat Light Wounds, depending on the characters
abilities.  Also, medics with the Treat Stun/Paralysis skill can also use the
AID command to treat stunned characters. The team member using the AID
command must be adjacent to the victim.

SPRINT allows a player to run at double normal combat move distance.  The
character cannot shoot or guard after sprinting.

DODGE has the character move and try to evade enemy fire at the same time.
The character will receive a temporary AC bonus that increases as he advances
in level.  The character cannot do anything else in the same
segment--including attack or fire weapons.

JETPACK allows a character with a jet pack to fly over the battle to any
square in range.  Any opponents guarding in squares adjacent to the
destination square can attack when the character lands.  JETPACK can only be
used in outdoor fights, and the character must have a jet pack and Use Jet
Pack skill.

WAIT causes the character to hold his turn until after the other characters
and opponents have acted.

GUARD sets a character armed with a ranged, non-area effect weapon (laser
rifle, bolt gun, etc.) to fire automatically at the first opponent to move.
Characters armed with melee weapons will attack the first opponent to move
adjacent.

END finishes a character's turn.

AFTER THE BATTLE
When combat is over team Medics will treat wounded characters and you will
see how much experience each character receives.  After this the Booty menu
is displayed.  Most of the Booty Menu commands work like the commands in the
Shop Menus.

BOOTY MENU:

VIEW TAKE POOL DIVVY EXIT

VIEW displays the character screen and View Menu.

TAKE permits the active character to pick up any gear or credits left by
defeated opponents.  This will only appear if the opponents had booty or the
team has pooled its funds.

Take Menu:

GEAR CREDITS EXIT

GEAR lists the equipment in the booty.  Frequently, the weapons and armor
used by opponents are not listed because they are poor quality and not worth
taking.

CREDITS displays the amount of credits found after a battle.

EXIT returns to the Booty Menu.


Page [11]

SPACE COMBAT
The solar system is a dangerous place in the twenty-fifth century.  Space
travel is filled with the constant threat of pirates and RAM warships.  In
space combat there are two basic menus; one of the pilot, and another for the
crew.  Not all options in space combat menus are always available.

Pilot Menu:

FIRE TARGET QUIT VIEW CLOSE WITHDRAW RAM BOARD

FIRE allows the pilot to attack with the ship's K-cannons and missiles.  This
attack has the greatest chance to hit, and will affect random systems on the
enemy ship.

TARGET allows the pilot to fire the ship's K-cannons and missiles at specific
systems on the enemy ship.  Targeting is more difficult than the general FIRE
command.

QUIT ends the pilot's turn.

VIEW allows you to examine either the ship or the pilot.

CLOSE shortens the distance between your ship and the enemy ship.  If the
enemy ship is faster than yours, and attempts to WITHDRAW, you will not be
able to close.

WITHDRAW attempts to escape the enemy ship.  If your ship is not faster than
the enemy ship, you will not be able to disengage.

RAM is an attempt to crash your ship into the enemy ship, RAM uses the
pilot's Pilot Rocket skill to determine success.  When ships ram, the damage
inflicted on each ship is the tonnage of the other ship.  For example, if a
150 ton ship rams a 50 ton ship, the larger ship suffers 50 points of hull
damage while the smaller ship suffers 150 points of hull damage.

BOARD is only available if the enemy ship can no longer maneuver and the
range is zero or one.  When you board your team docks with the enemy ship's
airlock, and they must fight their way in.  The only way to salvage a ship is
to board it and capture both the control bridge and engineering sections.
Sections that have been destroyed do not have to be secured.  Only characters
with spacesuits or armor can board ships with zero life support.

Crew Menu:

FIRE TARGET LOAD JURYRIG QUIT VIEW COMMAND AID BOOST ENGINES SENSORS

FIRE is similar to the Pilot Menu command, except that crew members may only
fire lasers.

TARGET is similar to the Pilot Menu command, except that crew members may
only fire lasers.

LOAD reloads ships weapons.  This command only appears when a weapon is empty
or not fully loaded.  The weapons that are ready to be loaded are displayed
when LOAD is selected.

JURYRIG appears when some weapons or system has been damaged, and if the
character has the Jury Rig skill.  Ship's systems can only be successfully
jury rigged once per battle.  Weapons can be jury rigged whenever they are
nonfunctional.  The chance for success and degree of accomplishment is based
on the character's skill level.  When this command is selected a menu of
damaged systems will come up.


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QUIT ends the character's turn.

VIEW allows you to examine either the ship or the character.

COMMAND only appears when the pilot is dead or incapacitated.  COMMAND orders
the current character to take control and pilot the ship.  Remember: Put a
character with good Pilot Rocketship skill into the pilot's position if the
first pilot is incapacitated--this skill is crucial in space combat.

AID only appears when a character is bleeding to death, and the current
character has either a Treat Light Wounds, or First Aid skill.

BOOST ENGINES attempts to squeeze extra speed from the rocket engines.  This
command only appears if the current character has Nuclear Engine Repair
skill.  The engines may be damaged if the skill check fails.  Engines can
only be boosted successfully twice during a battle.

SENSOR only appears if the current character has Sensor Operation skill.
This is an attempt to probe the enemy ship.


AFTER SPACE COMBAT
After your team has defeated the enemy ship, boarded it, and secured both the
bridge and engineering sections, a salvage beacon is attached to the hulk and
a NEO tug will pick it up.  The team is automatically credited the salvage
value of the ship in their NEO salvage account.  This account can be used to
pay for ship repairs, fuel, ammo and medical supplies at any space port.

At the same time as the beacon is being placed, all salvageable fuel from the
defeated ship will be transferred to your ship.

Medics on the team will perform whatever services they can for the wounded,
and additionally, all possible field repairs will be made on the ship.  If
there are any valuables on the captured ship a Booty Menu will also come up.

End.