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1990-09-06
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*** Note: This is Part 2 of this manual ***
The usual disclaimer: This text file was made as a back up of the of
the actual hardbound docs so that the owner of the game might have a
backup! URK! Buy the game if you like it!
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Fleet Operations Manual
The manual for Rules of Engagement from Mindcraft
This manual is a product of Skid Row-Amiga!
All work done by Mictlantecuhtli, Stark, and the Corsair.
This text file was also left computer unspecific for our comrades
in the IBM scene (The Dream Team!) and Atari (EW! ICK!)
S
K H.A.l./Horizontal Attitude Indicator
I
D This is simply a horizontal gauge which displays "tick marks" on a line
which are used to visually indicate when your weapon system is turning to
R maintain a bearing on a target. The space between each "tick" on the scale
O represents 10 degrees of bearing.
W
Current Target I.D.
S
K The I.D. number of the currently selected target is displayed on both the
I left and right ends of the bottom of the Targeting Scope. The target can be
D an enemy ship, and FW ship, or an outpost.
R The I.D. displayed here will be identical to that displayed alongside the
O Current Target Switch (see Target A-D below).
W
Acquisition Indicator
S
K When the currently selected target (see Target A-D, below) is at the center
I of the Targeting Scope and the Target Position (T:) and WeapSys Bearing
D (B:) readouts match, this flashing indicator bar will appear at the bottom
of the Targeting Scope, between the Current Target I.D. Readouts.
R
O The bar contains cycling colored "blips" (no cycling in CGA) and an
W "ACQUISITION" message. When this bar is present, your targeting system has
achieved a lock on the current target, and you may fire your weapons (see
S Weap Set below).
K
I If you fire when the Acquisition Indicator is not present you will probably
D not hit your target as EBWs will be fired at nothing and missiles have no
targets specified.
R
O
W TARGETS A-D
S This section consists of four action buttons, A, B, C, and D, (keyboard
K users simply press the indicated letters) which represent target "slots".
I Each slot can contain the I.D. of a given ship or outpost, identified by
D the small readout at the right edge of each button. The current target is
selected by and whichever button is highlighted. Therefore, you can have
R four targets locked-in, one per slot, and switch back and forth between
O them as you like.
W
Whenever you highlight one of these buttons, the targeting system
S immediately swings around to get a lock on the specified item.
K
I Most tactical actions and maneuvers are taken relative to whichever target
D is currently locked in. For instance, if you activated the POSIT function
(see TACTIC section below), your ship would take up a position relative to
R the currently selected target. If you then changed from target A to target
O B, your ship would then attempt to take up a similar position relative to
W target B.
S To enter a target into one of the slots, highlight the selected button,
K make sure the desired target is displayed in the Target Selection Controls
I (see below), and then use the ACQUIRE button (below) to lock it in. The
D computer will automatically enter the I.D. for the specified target into
the specified target slot.
R
O
W TARGET SELECTION CONTROLS
S These controls are used to select targets for the Target AD slots. A
K single-line scroller selector and related action buttons is used to pick
I and lock in targets.
D
OUT (U), ENS (E), and FWS (F)
R
O These three action buttons are used to select what types of items will be
W displayed in the associated scroller selector. OUT selects outposts, ENS
selects enemy ships (it is the default setting when you start the game),
S and FWS selects your own ships (you cannot select your own ship, however).
K Only one of the three buttons can be highlighted at any one time.
I
D ACQUIRE (Q)
R Activating this trigger action button causes the I.D. of the item currently
O displayed in the scroller selector to be locked into the currently
W highlighted "slot" (A-D), replacing whatever I.D. was already there, if
any.
S
K (PageUp)
I
D Scrolls the scroller selector back to the previous item in the current
list, if any.
R
O (PageDown)
W
Scrolls the scroller selector to the next item in the current list, if any.
S
K
I I.D. READOUT AND SCROLLER SELECTOR
D
This is a standard scroller selector with a standard I.D. readout. The only
R difference between it and those seen on other panels is that this one
O displays only a single item at any given time. In essence, it simply
W displays only the highlighted item in the list, rather than the highlighted
item and those immediately preceding and following it.
S
K AUTO (T)
I
D This is a toggle action button. When activated, it causes your ship's
computer to automatically switch to the closest of the targets currently in
R the Target A-D slots. For example, if you had targets in all four slots,
O had target A selected, but target C was the closest to you, when you
W activated AUTO the highlighted target button would automatically be changed
from A to C. If, while AUTO was activated, another of the selected targets
S were to become the closest in range, the selected target would again
K change. Toggling AUTO off (unhighlighted) switches this mode off, and the
I system will no longer automatically lock onto the closest of the locked in
D targets.
R Manually activating one of the Target A-D buttons deactivates the AUTO
O mode.
W
WEAP SET
S
K These controls are related to firing of your ship's weapons and adjusting
I their settings.
D
There are two "modes" to this subpanel, set by use of the GET (G) button at
R the top of the controls. When GET is not highlighted, the TACTICAL MAP
O (see below) is displayed to the right, and only the fire buttons, EBW power
W meter, and missile selector buttons and readouts are accessible. But, when
GET is activated, the TACTICAL MAP disappears, revealing the full set of
S weaponry controls, including EBW beam-width and pinpoint targeting
K controls; full missile selector buttons are displayed, with missile labels
I fully visible.
D
FIRE EBW (F9)
R
O This is a trigger type action button which, when activated, fires the
W Enhanced Beam Weapons at the current target. The beam travels at 1 c
(lightspeed) and has a maximum strike range of 3 million (3,000,000,000)
S kilometers (although your chances of hitting a moving target at ranges
K greater than 550,000 kilometers are slim). The force of the beam is
I determined by the EBW CHARGE METER and the EBW POWER SELECT controls (see
D following items).
R EBW CHARGE METER
O
W This meter shows the charge status of the EBW batteries. If the meter's bar
is full then 100% power is available. If the bar is partially full, then
S lesser percentages are available. The system recharges at a steady rate
K (variable depending on a given ship's equipment and damage the system has
I sustained), so if you wait, the power climbs.
D
EBW POWER SELECT
R
O The actual percentage of potential EBW "hit" power your wish to use is
W selected with these controls. The position of the arrowhead pointer along
the EBW CHARGE METER sets the percentage of EBW power you wish to apply
S when firing. The numerical value of this strength is displayed in the
K small readout immediately below the EBW CHARGE METER.
I
D The arrowhead may be moved in one of two ways. Players with compatible
mice can simply drag the arrowhead along the scale, releasing it when it is
R where they wish it to be. Keyboard users can use the Home and End keys to
O move the arrowhead along the scale to the left and right respectively. As
W with most thermometer type scales, pressing Home or End switches on a
"move pointer" mode which remains "on" until you press another key.
S
K In some circumstances you may find that the arrowhead cannot be moved to
I the top of the scale, or that during or after battle, that it has slipped
D down the scale and cannot be moved back up it. This is an indication that
the weaponry system has sustained damage, and that the EBW beam projectors
R are incapable of firing at power levels greater than those the arrowhead
O can be moved to. In such a case, the only way to restore full EBW power is
W repair the weaponry system (see DAMAGE CONTROL under 304 DATA RETRIEVAL in
this section on the manual and also the sections pertaining to system
S damage in " Part VI: Tactics").
K
I FIRE MISSILE (F10)
D
This is a trigger action button, and activating it causes your weapons
R system to attempt to fire one missile of the currently selected type at the
O current target. If no missiles of the selected type are present, no missile
W will fire. Each time you press FIRE another missile launch is attempted.
Thus, if you have lots of missiles in stock, you can launch a veritable
S salvo at the selected target.
K
I MISSILE INVENTORY READOUTS
D
These numbers appear to the right of the missile selection buttons-labels,
R and indicate the current stock of the indicated class of missile. If the
O readout displays 00, then no missiles of the indicated type are present.
W
Missiles can be restocked by docking with outposts. The more sophisticated
S the supply capabilities of an outpost, the greater range of missiles they
K supply. However, remember than not every ship can carry all types of
I missiles. The type of weaponry system a given ship carries determines the
D types and number of missiles the ship can carry.
R MISSILE SELECTION BUTTONS (MINI)
O
W There are eight of these selection buttons, one for each type of missile.
Only one button can be highlighted at any given time, and which ever one is
S selected is the type of missile currently chosen for firing. To highlight a
K missile type, either click the mouse on the desired button or press the
I associated number (1 through 9) on your keyboard.
D
In this mode only a small portion of each button is visible. See MISSILE
R SELECTION BUTTONS (FULL) below for descriptions of each missile type.
O
W EBW FOCUS SELECTORS
S There are three selection buttons here, only one of which can be active at
K any one time. The active button determines the beam-width/focus of your
I ship's EBW fire.
D
WIDE (W) Spreads the beam widely, making it easier to hit evasive
R targets. However, although your chance of achieving
O a hit increases on wide beam setting, because the beam
W is "fanned out" the hit strength is diminished.
S NORM (O) Sets the beam to normal width.
K
I PIN (N) Sets the beam to pinpoint width. In this mode your odds
D of hitting an evasive target drop, however, this is made
up for in that you can pinpoint specific systems of the
R target, and the power of the EBW will be directed against
O that system alone (see PINPOINT FIRE SELECTOR below).
W
PINPOINT FIRE SELECTOR
S
K If the EBW FOCUS is set to pinpoint fire, specific systems of the target
I can be singled out for EBW attack. This selector box allows you to specify
D which system to hit when using pinpoint fire. The box displays an image of
the current target (if any), linked to selector buttons representing its
R six primary systems. Whichever of the system buttons is highlighted
O represents the subject of any pinpoint EBW fire.
W
Mouse users need only click on the label for the system they wish to
S target. Keyboard users can use the + and - keys to move the highlighter up
K and down the list.
I
D NOTE: The highlighted system in this box will not have any
effect on EBW fire with normal or wide beam settings.
R
O MISSILE SELECTION BUTTONS (FULL)
W
There are eight of these selection buttons, one for each type of missile.
S Only one button can be highlighted at any given time, and which ever one is
K selected is the type of missile currently chosen for firing. To highlight a
I missile type, either click the mouse on the desired button or press the
D associated number (1 through 8) on your keyboard.
R In brief, the missile types are as follows:
O
W Button Missile Type Purpose
1 PN PRT SRB Pritchard SRB Damages shields
S 2 MELB FU8 Melbourne FU8 General damage
K 3 GIAPRLI FU9 Giaperelli FU9 General damage
I 4 FRA LAB FE Franklin Lab FE Anti-Personnel
D 5 WODEN FE Woden FE Anti-Personnel
6 THIOD P/PD Thiodyne P/PD Damages drives
R 7 WOD NOVA Woden Nova General damage
O 8 ILIYA NOVA Iliya Nova General damage
W
Details on missile types, their uses, range, etc., can be found in
S Appendix IV.
K
I
D TACTICAL MAP
R This is a simplified and miniaturized version of the map display on 301
O NAVIGATION, and works identically to that map. The only differences are as
W follows:
S Only potential targets (enemy and FW ships, and outposts) can be displayed.
K
I The map view is limited to your vessel's sensor range, with no telemetry
D from other ships or "mix" modes available.
R No course project mode.
O
W EBW and missile fire and "hits" are displayed on the map.
S There are six buttons and one thermometer scale related to the map. They
K are as follows:
I
D COMBAT ZONE (Z) When activated this recalibrates the map radius controls
so that the maximum map radius is 500,000 kilometers
R instead of your ships' maximum sensor range, allowing for
O easier zoom adjustments in combat.
W
Any or all of the following three can be highlighted at any time.
S
K OUT (O) When highlighted, the map displays outposts.
I ENS (N) When highlighted, the map displays enemy ships.
D FWS (W) When highlighted, the map displays FW ships.
R Mouse users can, as on 301, move the mouse over the map, frame and area,
O and click the left button to zoom in and the right button to zoom out. They
W can also drag the arrowhead below the scale at the bottom of the map to
adjust the view radius.
S
K Keyboard users must adjust the zoom radius by using the + and - keys, which
I are equivalent to the increase and decrease map radius buttons bracketing
D the RADIUS: readout.
R See the section on 301 NAVIGATION for more details of working with map
O displays.
W
ATTITUDE SET
S
K This subpanel consists of controls which allows you to set your desired
I attitude relative to a target when using one of the tactical maneuvering
D controls (see below).
R THE ANGLE DIAL
O
W The position of the flagship icon at the perimeter of the dial represents a
position, in degrees, set relative to a target vessel or outpost (the
S dial's center). The angle can be from 000 to 359 degrees.
K
I The dial can represent two different things. If you select the "shado"
D maneuver (see Tactic below), the top of the dial represents the "bow" or
"front" of the target vessel, and the position of the ship icon at the rim
R of the dial represents your ship's desired position relative to the
O direction the target is facing. On the other hand, if you select the
W "position" (POSIT) maneuver, the top of the dial represents the top of the
map, and the position of the ship icon at the rim of the dial represents
S your ship's desired position relative to the target's position in space,
K not relative to the target's heading.
I
D The following is a breakdown of the elements of the Angle Dial.
R Desired Angle Readout
O
W This displays the desired angle you want your ship to take in a shado or
positioning maneuver. The value displayed here is determined by the
S position of the Desired Heading Cursor (see next item) on the outside of
K the Dial. When you set a new desired heading this readout will change
I instantly to reflect it. If MANUAL is activated, the Current Heading
D Readout (see above) will begin to change to match the desired heading as
your ship takes up the new course.
R
O Desired Angle Indicator (Flagship Icon)
W
This operates identically to the Desired Heading Indicator on the HELM
S portion of 301 NAVIGATION. The icon represents your current flagship, and
K its position around the dial is important, however, the way the icon itself
I is pointing (always up) is not of any concern.
D
The position of the icon on the outside of the dial indicates your desired
R angle in degrees. The actual numerical value of the heading is displayed
O in the Desired Angle Readout (see above).
W
There are two ways to change the desired angle: dragging the pointer with
S the mouse, or using the Turn Clockwise and Turn Counter-Clockwise controls
K (see below).
I
D To drag the pointer, you must have a compatible mouse. Click the left mouse
button on the pointer, and, while holding the button down, "drag" the
R pointer around the dial to the desired position. As you move the pointer,
O the Desired Angle Readout will change to reflect the new setting. When you
W release the mouse button, the pointer will stay where you left it.
S Turn Clockwise
K
I This function is activated by the RIGHT button, and its purpose is to move
D the Desired Angle Indicator around the Heading Dial in a clockwise
direction. When you activate the RIGHT button by clicking on it with the
R mouse, it stays "on" only as long as you hold the mouse button down. If
O using the keyboard, the button stays "on" and the icon moves clockwise
W until you press another key.
S Turn Counter-Clockwise
K
I This function is activated by the LEFT button, and its purpose is to move
D the Desired Angle Indicator around the Heading Dial in a counter-clockwise
direction. When you activate the LEFT button by clicking on it with the
R mouse, it stays "on" only as long as you hold the mouse button down. If
O using the keyboard, the button stays "on" and the icon moves
W counter-clockwise until you press another key.
S NOTE: If neither the SHADO or POSIT buttons are activated (see
K Tactic below), the settings in the ATTITUDE box won't have
I any effect.
D
R RANGE CONTROLS
O
W This portion of the ATTITUDE box is where you can adjust your range for
shado or positioning maneuvers. There are a number of items associated with
S setting the range.
K
I Tactical Range Scale
D
This is a standard "thermometer" scale (see Part IV). It represents the
R potential tactical range of your vessel relative to a target. The scale
O represents ranges of between 0 (bottom of scale) and 500,000 (top of scale)
W kilometers. The position of the Desired Range Pointer alongside the scale
determines range setting.
S
K Desired Range Pointer
I
D This pointer is similar to pointers on standard "thermometer" scales (see
Part IV). Its position along the Velocity Range Scale determines the
R desired velocity you want your ship to use when under manual helm control.
O
W There are two ways to change the desired velocity; dragging the pointer up
and down the sale using a mouse, or using the Increase and Decrease
S Velocity buttons (see below).
K
I To drag the pointer you must have a compatible a mouse. Click the left
D mouse button on the pointer, and, while holding the button down, "drag" the
pointer up and down the scale to the desired position. When you release the
R mouse button, the pointer will stay where you left it and, if the MANUAL
O button is active, your ship will immediately begin making velocity
W adjustments. If in manual mode, you can see the velocity change happening
by watching the Current Velocity Readout (see below).
S
K Increase Range Button
I
D This function is activated by the 9 button, and its purpose is to move the
Desired Range Pointer up the Tactical Range Scale. When you activate the 9
R button by clicking on it with the mouse, it stays "on" only as long as you
O hold the mouse button down. If using the keyboard, the button stays "on"
W and the pointer attempts to move up the meter until you press another key.
S Decrease Range Button
K
I This function is activated by the 0 button, and its purpose is to move the
D Desired Range Pointer down the Tactical Range Scale. When you activate the
0 button by clicking on it with the mouse, it stays "on" only as long as
R you hold the mouse button down. If using the keyboard, the button stays
O "on" and the pointer attempts to move down the meter until you press
W another key.
S Desired Range Readout
K
I This readout displays the numeric value of your ship's desired range.
D
R FACE SHIELDS
O
W This final section of ATTITUDE allows you to specify which of your ship's
four shields you wish to try to keep towards the current target. This is
S very useful, particularly when some of your ship's shields have been
K seriously depleted or destroyed (see DEFENSE SUBSYSTEM below), and you wish
I to keep your strongest defenses towards the enemy.
D
The arrow pointing towards the word TARG indicates the direction of the
R target, and the number below the arrow indicates which shield you wish
O to keep towards that target. The default is shield 1, the bow shield, but
W you may, by using the next shield and previous shield buttons, the UP and
DOWN keys, turn any shield towards the target.
S
K As with all of the setting under ATTITUDE this is only a "desired" shield
I facing. As your ship manuevers to maintain position, course, etc., it is
D not always possible to keep a particular shield oriented towards the
target.
R
O TACTIC
W
At any given time there are seven action buttons in this bank. Six are
S consistently present, and the seventh varies depending on the current
K target and its status. Each of the following, when activated, will remain
I active until another button in the bank is activated, or when navigational
D control is usurped via the 301 NAVIGATION panel. Only one of the buttons
can be active at any one time.
R
O SHADO (H) Initiates a "shadowing" maneuver, where your ship will
W attempt to take up the range and position set in the
Attitude Set subpanel relative to the current target. The
S angle will be set relative to the targets bow, which
K always represents 0 (zero) to the shado mode. Therefore,
I if the ANGLE is set at 180, your ship will constantly
D attempt to remain behind the target no matter which
way it faces on the map. Because your ship must try
R to maintain an angle relative to potentially turning and
O moving targets, it is much more difficult to achieve and
W maintain target acquisition in SHADO mode than it is in
POSIT mode (see below).
S
K POSIT (I) Initiates a "positioning" maneuver, where your ship will
I attempt to take up the range and position set in the
D Attitude Set subpanel relative to the current target. The
angle will be set relative to the map, where "up" always
R represents 0 (zero) to the position mode. Therefore, if
O the ANGLE is set at 180, your ship will constantly
W attempt to remain "due south" of the target on the map.
S ESCAP (P) Initiates an "emergency escape maneuver" in which
K your ship determines the heading of the current target
I and immediately thrusts at full power in the opposite
D direction (180 degrees different from the target) in an
attempt to reach and maintain a "safe" distance from
R the target: 900,000 kilometers or greater.
O
W HALT (L) Causes your ship to immediately perform a full power
breaking manuever, coming to a complete halt relative
S to the current solar system.
K
I EVADE (V) Initiates an evasive action sequence. In such a mode,
D your ship proceeds at high thrust and randomly changes
course every few seconds. This manuever is used to
R shake missile fire or try to avoid having enemy ships
O get and keep you in their gunsights.
W
BOARD (R) This button appears if the target is an enemy ship,
S enemy outpost or a Neutral outpost that has refused
K you permission to dock.
I
D DOCK (K) This button appears in the place of BOARD if the
current target is a friendly or neutral outpost, or an
R outpost that has been seized by FW forces. Activating
O it when your ship is under 1,000 kilometers range from
W the outpost causes you ship to halt and a docking
sequence to be initiated (see Docking Control below).
S
K (Y) This button, when highlighted, hands navigational controls
I back to the 301 NAVIGATION panel, in whichever mode it was
D last set prior to been overridden by the TACTIC maneuvers.
R
O Defense Subsys/303-B DEFENSE
W
This subpanel provides control over both your ship's primary defensive
S systems, and information on hits taken and the status of your shields.
K
I
D MISSILE DEFENSE CONTROLS/AMCM
R There are two Anti-Missile CounterMeasure (AMCM) options available, JAM (J)
O and BEAM (M). Both can be active at the same time, if you wish.
W
JAM uses special transmitters to confuse the guidance systems of incoming
S missiles. When a missile falls within the "sphere of influence of the
K jammer, it should lose track of the target (you), and will most likely pass
I by without exploding. When the missile clears the jamming range, it may
D very well double-back and try again and again until it either gets lucky
and hits you or runs out of fuel.
R
O The one drawback to having jamming on is that the energy used for it is
W tapped from the shield generators, and thus the regeneration/recharge rate
of the shields is lowered, meaning it takes hit shields longer than normal
S to build back up.
K
I BEAM, on the other hand, bleeds power from your EBW charging system for use
D by automated defensive EBW batteries which attempt to shoot-down incoming
missiles. The BEAM mode's primary disadvantage in combat is that it
R prevents your main EBW system from recharging as quickly as normal,
O hindering your combat firepower.
W
LAST ATTACK READOUT
S
K This readout displays information about the last attack on your ship. At
I the top, a value readout displays the I.D. of the last ship that fired on
D you and got a "hit". Below that a text display explains what happened, such
as informing you that your ship was:
R
O HIT BY EBW
W NORMAL.
ON SHIELD 1
S
K The example tells you that the enemy hit shield number 1 with a normal
I width EBW beam. Likewise, if your are hit by a missile, the enemy missile
D type number (see Appendix IV) is displayed along with the number of the
shield hit. If you are hit with the shields down, or hit on an inoperative
R shield, the message will be similar, but instead of saying "ON SHIELD n" it
O will say "THRU SHIELD n", indicating which shield location the fire passed
W through.
S SHIELD STATUS DISPLAY
K
I This display contains a symbol of your flagship. If the shields are on
D (raised), a green "bubble" will encircle the ship. There are actually four
shields, each composing one quarter of the defensive sphere. The number of
R each shield is displayed next to its quarter of the bubble.
O
W When your ship takes a hit with the shields up, the impact is shown on the
affected shield and that shield flashes (a corresponding power loss is
S reflected on the shield strength meters; see below).
K
I If any of the four shields are completely depleted of energy, the section
D of the bubble representing it will disappear until such time as it can
regenerate/rebuild power (see the SHIELD STRENGTH METERS below).
R
O SHIELD CONTROL
W
This action button toggles the shields on and off. When the button is
S highlighted, the shields will be raised (if the shield system is
K functional). If the button is magenta/unhighlighted, the shields are off.
I
D Always make certain that your ship's shields are raised prior to engaging
an enemy vessel. The same "hit" on identical shielded and unshielded ships
R will have drastically different results, with the unshielded ship
O sustaining far more damage than the shielded one.
W
In beginner level games, the shields are raised automatically when you are
S fired upon.
K
I SHIELD STRENGTH METERS
D
There are four numbered meters here, each linked to a specific shield. The
R meters represent the strength of a given shield. Whenever a shield takes a
O "hit", the height of that shields' meter drops, and there is a
W corresponding loss of power, which takes time to build back up. Weak
shields are less effective at preventing damage than strong shields, so
S it's a wise idea to keep your eyes on these indicators and try to keep the
K strongest shields towards the enemy (see FACE SHIELDS above).
I
D DESTRUCT
R If your ship sustains so much damage that it cannot move or complete its
O mission, or if it is about to be destroyed by hostile ships, you can "take
W yourself out" of the game by self-destructing your flagship.
S To use the self-destruct you must be on the 303 TACTICAL panel and the GET
K (G) button at the top of the panel must be highlighted, thus providing
I access to the full weaponry settings and, of course, the DESTRUCT subpanel.
D
There is but one button on this subpanel, an action button labeled EXECUTE
R (X). If you activate it, a usurper box asking "Are you sure you want to
O activate the self-destruct * system?" appears. If you answer affirmatively,
W the usurper disappears and the surface of the CCSI panel will slowly slide
open, revealing the self-destruct controls.
S
K Operation is extremely simple, but not one-step. To activate the destruct
I sequence you must press/highlight all four numbered buttons at the top-left
D of the destruct controls (1,2,3, and 4). The striped panel will then pop
open, and if you click on the PULL (P) tag hanging from the arming level,
R the lever will be thrown and a 15 second countdown will start.
O
W To halt the destruct sequence, use the ABORT (A) button at any time prior
to the destruct sequence countdown reaching 5 seconds.
S
K 5 seconds is critical, because the destruct system works by creating a
I feedback loop in the drive and power systems of your ship. It takes ten
D seconds for this power feedback to reach critical level, and, once this
level has been achieved, the imminent explosion cannot be aborted.
R
O When a starship self-destructs, the energy released will destroy any ships
W within 4 million kilometers range, and those between 4 and 100 million
kilometers risk damage ranging from minor to critical. If you time your
S destruction just right, you might take some of the enemy ships out with
K you. Just watch out for your own ships!
I
D DOCKING CONTROL
R When you successfully dock with an outpost (see DOCK under Tactic above),
O the ATTITUDE subpanel is replaced by a docking status display: DOCK. When
W docked with an outpost, the outpost's technicians will attempt to repair
whatever system you have highlighted under REPAIR and restock any missiles
S that your ship is capable of carrying that the outpost carries.
K
I
D There are only a handful of controls on this subpanel. To the left are six
selection buttons, each representing one of your ship's primary systems.
R The highlighted item is the one the outpost's technicians will attempt to
O help you repair. To change systems, click on the appropriate button or use
W the UP and DOWN buttons to move the highlighter from system to system.
S When you are ready to disengage from the docking maneuver, use the UNDOCK
K (K) button.
I
D The repair and resupply sophistication of the outpost are displayed below
the OUTPOST visual. The higher the numbers, the more sophisticated the
R outpost is.
O
W To the lower right end of the DOCK box are two STATUS readouts. The
readouts to the right of the repair sophistication value tells you the
S status of repair on the currently highlighted system and the status of
K missile resupply. The readout for repair will be one of the following.
I
D UNDERWAY Repairs are in progress
COMPLETE The system was undamaged or repairs completed
R TOO SOPH The system is too sophisticated for the outpost to work on
O
W When one system is completely repaired, move the highlighter to another
damaged system to have it repaired.
S
K The STATUS readout for supply tells you when loading of missiles will be
I complete. The time readout there tells you the mission time when resupply
D will be finished. When the outpost has fully restocked your missiles to the
best of its ability, a COMPLETE message appears.
R
O While you are docked the tactical maneuvering controls and both fire
W buttons are disabled (because firing your weapons within docking range of
an outpost is very dangerous). While the DOCK panel is present, you can
S switch targets, relock all target slots, adjust weapons settings, etc., but
K you cannot maneuver or fire.
I
D If you switch to 301 NAVIGATION and set a course while docked with an
outpost the docking is automatically aborted.
R
O If you break off a docking manuever before repairs and resupply are
W completed, you may end up with unfinished repairs and only a percentage of
the total number of missiles the outpost could have provided (if any).
S
K Boarding / 401 SQUAD DEPLOYMENT
I
D When you have knocked out an enemy ship's shields and drive systems and
moved within 5000 kilometers range, you can board the ship. When you have
R knocked out an enemy or neutral outpost's shields and moved within 1000
O kilometers range, you can board the outpost.
W
If you have Breach 2, the IGS system may load and run that game, if an
S appropriate scenario has been linked. If Breach 2 is not installed, or no
K linked scenario is located, then panel 401 SQUAD DEPLOYMENT appears.
I
D The SQUAD DEPLOYMENT panel reports on the boarding action status. It
displays an image of a FWSF marine in full combat gear to the left, and an
R image of a member of the opposing forces to the right. The name of your
O Fleet Commander (now acting as a Squad Leader), and his/her squad-level
W statistics appear, as does the name of the enemy race/force and the rank of
their Captain. The higher the rank of the enemy Captain, the better
S leadership the enemy will have, and the tougher they will be to beat.
K
I At the center of the display is a Systems Control meter, which shows how
D much of the enemy ship's systems you control and how much is controlled by
the enemy. A horizontal marker indicates the level of control you must
R reach in order to be victorious. When the meter for FWSF reaches that
O marker, you have won control of the alien ship. As your meter increases the
W meter for your opponents decreases, and vice-versa.
S Under the image of the FWSF Marine and the enemy are a set of icons
K representing the forces in combat. The health of each is indicated by their
I color. The more red that shows, the more seriously injured the combatant.
D When a combatant's status meter is entirely red, he/she is dead and the
icon is removed. On each side, one icon is separated from the rest. The
R separate figure on the FWSF side is the health of your Fleet
O Commander/Squad Leader. The separate figure on the enemy side is the enemy
W Captain. If the enemy Captain dies, his forces will be less organized and
easier to beat. If your Fleet Commander dies the game ends.
S
K You have no actual control over the boarding sequence. What you must do is
I keep your eyes on the percentage of systems you control, and weigh the
D health of your squad against that of the enemy forces. If your squad is
badly injured and the enemy is not, or if your Fleet Commander is in danger
R of dying, or if you cannot seem to make any progress in gaining control of
O the enemy ship's systems, it would probably be a good idea to abort the
W boarding. You can abort by using the WITHDRAW/UNDOCK (W) action button.
S
K 304 DATA RETRIEVAL
I
D Although every control panel on your flagship is a technically part of the
computer access system, it is on DATA RETRIEVAL that you actually consult
R the computers directly for various types of information. This panel has
O eight different modes, each called up by one of the action buttons at
W screen right. When you first begin a mission you arrive initially on DATA
RETRIEVAL in Fleet STAT mode (see below). Whenever you return to 304 from
S another panel, it reappears in the mode you last left it in.
K
I The eight data modes are as follows, and are accessible by activating the
D indicated action buttons. The highlighted button indicates the current
mode.
R
O FLEET STAT (F)
W
Lists all FW ships (your ship, the flagship, is usually at the top of the
S list). You can see the stats for up to 16 ships at any one time. And, while
K its rare that you'll play missions with more than this number of ships, if
I more than that number are present, using the PageUp and PageDown buttons
D allow you to see all of them.
R This mode is designed to allow you to get a quick overview of your fleet.
O However, this information here is based upon status reports sent to your
W computer by each ship under your command, and those ships do not
automatically report. Once the mission begins, if you want status reports
S you'll either have to periodically issue "REPORT STATUS" orders to certain
K or all ships, or activate the ALL SHIPS REP STAT... function, which orders
I each ship to send a status report once every minute (both accomplished via
D 302 COMMUNICATIONS).
R There are seven readout categories for each ship in FLEET STAT mode. They
O are:
W
SHIP
S
K Lists, on small action buttons, the mission I.D. number of each vessel. One
I ship's I.D. will always be highlighted. This indicates which ship or
D Captain will be the default if you switch to SHIP STAT or FW CAPTAIN (see
below). To move the highlighter, either click the mouse on another ship's
R I.D. number or activate the UP and DOWN keys to move the highlighter from
O button to button. If you return to FLEET STAT from SHIP STAT the
W highlighter will be on the ship last viewed in that mode. Likewise,
returning to FLEET STAT from FW CAPTAIN causes the highlighter to be on the
S ship commander by the last Captain viewed in that mode.
K
I TIME
D
Lists the time when the indicated ship last transmitted a status report to
R you.
O
W HEADING
S Lists the heading/course of the indicated ship as of its last transmitted
K status report.
I
D VELOCITY
R Lists the velocity of the indicated ship as of its last transmitted status
O report.
W
GROUP
S
K If the indicated ship is a member of a Battle Group, the number of the
I Group (01 to 99) is displayed under this heading. Group Leaders are
D indicated by highlighted (white) Group numbers.
R SYS DMG STAT
O
W Lists the operational capacity for each ship's systems, from communications
to weapons.
S
K SHIP STATUS
I
D Lists the action being undertaken by the indicated ship as of its last
transmitted status report (i.e.- "HOLDING FOR ORDERS"). Your own ship's
R status will always read "FLAGSHIP".
O
W SHIP STAT (S)
S Allows you to review detailed information about each ship in your fleet,
K one at a time, and allows you to see their status. The UP and DOWN buttons
I alongside the ship name (SHIP) allows you cycle through all ships. When
D you enter this mode the default ship to be displayed is the ship whose I.D.
is currently highlighted on FLEET STAT.
R
O While much of the information displayed in this mode is identical to that
W displayed in Fleet STAT mode, there is additional data provided in SHIP
STAT mode that is not displayed elsewhere. Remember, the information
S displayed in this mode is only as recent as the last update report. If the
K ship has not reported its status in a while (see SINCE UPDATE below), the
I information may not be accurate!
D
ID
R
O Lists the mission I.D. number of the currently displayed vessel.
W
SHIP
S
K Displays the full name of the currently displayed vessel.
I
D SHIP STATUS
R There are five readouts under this heading. The first is the actual SHIP
O STATUS readout for the selected vessel, and lists the action being
W undertaken by the indicated ship as of its last transmitted status report
(i.e.- "HOLDING FOR ORDERS"). If you are displaying information about your
S own ship, this readout displays "Flagship".
K
I There are four additional readouts under this heading:
D
SINCE UPDATE
R
O Lists the time, via a running "clock", that has passed since the indicated
W ship last transmitted a status report to you. If you are displaying
information about your own ship, this readout displays a time of
S "00:00:00", since your ship doesn't bother sending status reports to
K itself.
I
D HEADING
R Lists the heading/course of the indicated ship as of its last transmitted
O status report.
W
VELOCITY
S
K Lists the velocity of the indicated ship as of its last transmitted status
I report.
D
GROUP
R
O If the indicated ship is a member of a Battle Group, the number of the
W Group (G01 to G99) is displayed under this heading. Group Leaders are
indicated by highlighted (white) Group numbers.
S
K CREW
I
D Displays the percentages of the currently selected ship's crew that are
active, injured, or dead. The greater the number of injured and dead, the
R less likely a given ship will be able to deal with repairing damage.
O
W MISSILE INVENTORY
S Lists how many of each type of missile the listed ship was carrying at the
K time of the last update. The numbers are listed to the left of the missile
I labels. Missiles in stock are displayed with green labels, and those
D exhausted/not carried have red labels (cyan and magenta in CGA).
R To the left side of the display is the indicated ship's technical data
O display, which lists parts, system damage, and ship type.
W
% OPERATIONAL
S
K Lists the operational capacity for each of the selected ship's systems
I (labels are to the right), from communications to weapons.
D
PRT
R
O This readout displays the part number for the indicated system of the
W currently selected ship. This information is provided so that you can size
up the capabilities of your ships against enemy ships by comparing their
S system statistics. (The stats for ships and parts are listed in
K Appendix III.)
I
D SYSTEM
R Labels the six primary systems of the selected ship.
O
W At the bottom of this display is a diagram of the selected ship, displaying
its physical form and identifying its class (Transport, Scout, Destroyer,
S Cruiser, Heavy Cruiser or Dreadnought).
K
I DAMG CONT (D)
D
Brings up the DAMAGE CONTROL panel for your flagship (and only your
R flagship). This lists the operational capacity of each system and allows
O you to distribute percentages of your total repair capacity to each
W system, allowing you to prioritize your repair efforts.
S As with SHIP STAT mode, the operational percentage and part number for each
K system is displayed.
I
D Under REPAIR CREW DISTRIBUTION are a series of six "thermometer" type
scales, each of which can potentially be set from 000% (extreme right) to
R 100% (extreme left). However, the only way to set any given meter to 100%
O is to set all others to 000%, this is because the sum total of the values
W of all six meters cannot exceed 100%. For example, if all six systems are
set at 016%, there will be 4% left over (AVAILABLE), because 16% x 6 = 96%
S and 100% - 96% = 4%.
K
I The AVAILABLE readout displays the total percentage of damage control
D personnel currently unassigned. If this value read 000% you'll have to
lower one or more of the meters before you can add any personnel to a given
R system.
O
W The default settings for this mode are for each system of your ship to have
16% of the repair crews assigned to them, with 4% left available.
S
K Operation of this panel is simple. Mouse users need only to "drag" the
I arrowheads under each scale to set their values. Keyboard users use the +
D and - buttons/keys to move the arrowhead of the currently selected system
left and right. The currently selected system is indicated by ifs label, a
R selection button, being highlighted. To change if, press the number (1 to
O 6) of the system you wish to adjust the percentage of.
W
Finally, at the bottom of the screen is an extremely large action button,
S the DISTRESS SIGNAL (F10). This is a switch type action button which, when
K activated, sends out a message requesting immediate assistance from other
I ships in your fleet. This is to be used only in the most dire of
D circumstances, or when you need help and your communications system is so
severely damaged that you can't send orders.
R
O FW CAPTAIN (C)
W
This gives you the docket for each Captain, allowing you to read his/her
S docket and see what he/she looks like.
K
I When you enter this mode, the ship Captain of the ship I.D. currently
D highlighted on FLEET STAT, or the ship currently displayed in SHIP STAT, is
the default Captain to be displayed. The + and - buttons above the image of
R the Captain can be used to cycle to different Captains.
O
W NOTE: Whichever Captain is currently displayed when you switch
to another mode is the one whose ship will be selected when
S you next go to FLEET STAT or SHIP STAT mode.
K
I The docket is displayed immediately to the right of the Captain's picture.
D The message "-END OF FILE-" appears at the bottom of the docket. If you
cannot see this message, then there is more of the docket to read. Use the
R PageUp and PageDown buttons to move through various "pages" of the docket.
O
W ENEMY (E)
S This provides you with the docket for the forces opposing you in the
K current mission, allowing you to read the docket on them and see an example
I of what they look like.
D
The docket is displayed to the right of the enemies' picture. The message
R -END OF FILE-" appears at the bottom of the docket. If you cannot see this
O message, then there is more of the docket to read. Use the PageUp and
W PageDown buttons to move through various "pages" of the docket.
S BRIEFING (B)
K
I This simply displays the mission briefing, which summarizes your mission
D objectives and often provides useful strategic and tactical information.
R OBJECTIVES (O)
O
W Lists objectives which must be satisfied to successfully complete the
mission. Those preceded by a checkmark have been met.
S
K At the top of the panel is a MISSION TIME display which shows the ELAPSED
I mission time and the REMAINING time you have in which to meet all of the
D mission objectives. All objectives must be met before the remaining time
elapses else the mission will fail.
R
O NOTE: If you are in a mission without a time limit, the readout
W following REMAINING will read "NO LIMIT".
S Refer to Objectives in Part III of this manual for a complete description
K of each mission objective.
I
D NOTE: In some cases you may see what appear to be two mutually
exclusive and conflicting orders in the same list of
R objectives. For example, you might be instructed to capture
O a particular enemy ship and neutralize 100% of the enemy
W fleet. How can you do both? Well, "neutralizing" a ship can
be accomplished by capturing it. In such a case, you should
S interpret the orders as saying "capture this particular vessel
K and eliminate all others as you see fit."
I
D EVALUATE (V)
R Produces a computer evaluation of your mission performance thus far. It
O includes the following statistics:
W
- If your ship successfully completed the mission objectives
S - Total elapsed mission time
K - Number of FW ships which survived the operation
I - Number of FW ships destroyed during the mission
D - Number of surviving FW ships damaged at the mission end
- Number of FW ships that surrendered
R - Number of Enemy ships destroyed
O - Number of Enemy ships captured
W - Number of Enemy ships operational at the mission end
- Number of Enemy outposts captured by FWSF marines
S - Percentages of FW personnel surviving, killed and injured
K during the mission
I - Performance index/mission score
D
When a mission ends, successfully completed or not, a final mission
R evaluation is displayed.
O
W
S PART VI: TACTICS
K
I Knowing how to control your ship's systems is one thing, but understanding
D how to use those systems in tactical situations is something completely
different. This section discusses various tactics and how they can be used
R in a mission.
O
W MANEUVERS
S Maneuvering your flagship is relatively easy, since all computations are
K performed by the on-board computers. Maneuvering controls are located on
I the NAVIGATION (301) and TACTICAL (303) panels. The operation of these
D controls is described in "Part V: The Main Panels".
R NOTE: The on-board computer is limited in its ability to alter
O your ship's heading and velocity dependent on the type of
W (and damage level) of your drive system. There will be
situations where a target has a more powerful drive system,
S effectively preventing you from being able to position your
K ship where you want.
I
D The following is a description of each maneuver and' its tactical and
strategic value.
R
O INTERCEPT (Panel 301, Button INTRCPT)
W
This maneuver will set the ship's autopilot to intercept an object or
S waypoint. The autopilot will adjust course and velocity so that the ship's
K velocity will be 0 upon interception. This is useful for approaching
I stationary targets such as planets and outposts. When targeting moving
D objects (such as enemy ships), the object will usually appear to move away
upon being intercepted. This is due to the fact that your ship will be
R stopped upon intercept while the target object is still moving.
O
W CHASE (Panel 301, Button CHASE)
S This maneuver is similar to intercept, but will approach the target object
K and hold at a range of 500,000 kilometers. If the target is moving, the
I autopilot will attempt to hold this distance directly behind the object.
D This, in effect, is chasing the object. This is useful for following an
enemy ship just at the edge of weapons range.
R
O SHADOW (Panel 303, Button SHADO)
W
This maneuver is similar to chase, but allows you to select the distance
S and bearing you want to be from the target. Using the angle and range
K attitude controls on the TACTICAL panel (303), you can adjust these
I parameters. For instance, if you want to position off the starboard
D (right) side of the target, set the angle to 90. To position directly in
front of the target, set the angle to 0.
R
O POSITION (Panel 303, Button POSIT)
W
The position maneuver is identical to shadow with the exception of how the
S angle setting is interpreted. Assuming that the angle is set to 180, shadow
K would try and keep your ship directly behind the target. Position would,
I however, try and keep your ship to the "south" of the target, regardless of
D the target's heading. Refer to the adjacent figure for an example of
shadowing and positioning.
R
O ESCAPE (Panel 303, Button ESCAP)
W
The escape maneuver is used to put some distance between your flagship and
S the current target. Escape will attempt to move your ship to, and maintain,
K a safe distance (900,000 kilometers) from the target. The computer will
I adjust your beading so that, at the beginning of the maneuver, you are
D travelling in the opposite direction as the target. This will make the
escape as quick as possible. Remember that the ability to escape depends
R on your ship's drive being more powerful than that of the target.
O
W HALT (Panel 303, Button HALT)
S Halt, the simplest maneuver, will simply stop your ship dead in space. It
K automatically switches manual helm control on.
I
D EVADE (Panel 303, Button EVADE)
R This maneuver will cause your ship to zig-zag at maximum acceleration in
O order to evade incoming EBW and missile fire. The usefulness of this
W maneuver depends on the strength of your drive system. A weak or damaged
drive will not he able to out-maneuver the incoming fire.
S
K DOCK (Panel 303, Button DOCK)
I
D The dock button will appear when you have selected an FW outpost, neutral
outpost, or enemy outpost that has been captured. You must be within 1,000
R kilometers of the target. Docking with an outpost will allow you to repair
O and resupply your ship.
W
BOARD (Panel 303, Button BOARD)
S
K The board button will appear when you have selected an enemy outpost or
I enemy ship. You must be within 5,000 kilometers in order to board the
D target. You will need to board ships and outposts in order to capture them.
R Fire Control Techniques
O
W Key to the successful completion of most missions is your ability to combat
enemy ships and Outposts. The following are hints and suggestions you can
S use when engaging the enemy.
K
I 1) Try to knock out critical enemy systems first. The drives and
D weapons system should be the primary targets. Knocking these out
first will make the destruction of the other systems easier. Use the
R appropriate missiles in addition to pinpoint EBW fire to target these
O systems.
W
2) To make missile hits more damaging, lower your EBW power to
S around 50% so that you can fire rapidly. Pinpoint the shields and hit
K repeatedly. This will have the effect of weakening the shields,
I making them less resistant to missile attacks.
D
3) Pinpoint fire works well only with ships that cannot outmaneuver
R you. If you find maintaining a target lock is difficult, use the
O normal beam width. If you still don't get enough hits, switch to wide
W beam.
S 4) Choose your maneuvers based on the strength of your drive system
K relative to that of the enemy. Some maneuvers, such as escape,
I work only when you have the superior drive capability. To determine
D the strength of the enemy drive, use your probe (from panel 301) to
determine the class of ship you are fighting. Then refer to Appendix
R III and look up the maximum velocity and acceleration for the drive
O system that is used on that class of enemy ship. Compare these
W values to the values for the drive on your ship (values for the parts
can also be found in Appendix III). If you do not know which drive
S system you have on board your ship, you can look up the part number
K by using SHIP STAT on the Data Retrieval (304) Panel.
I
D 5) Make frequent use of the facing control. Try to keep orienting the
strongest shield towards the enemy. Remember, though, that the
R autopilot may not always be able to orient that shield to your
O liking. Maneuvering the ship requires that the ship rotate in
W various directions. The autopilot will, however, do its best. When in
the Halt maneuver, the ship will not be under power so the autopilot
S will always be able to orient the selected shield.
K
I 6) When the enemy has the superior drive capability, you may be better
D off to select the Halt maneuver. Otherwise, your ship may simply
spin around trying to keep up with the enemy ship. This may prevent
R you from being able to achieve a target acquisition to fire your
O weapons.
W
Tactical Use of Asteroid Fields
S
K Asteroid fields can be both a hindrance and a help. When a ship is within
I one, it risks being partially sensor-blinded by the numerous rocky objects
D surrounding it, which generate confusing "echoes" and distort hyperscanner
field readings. The denser the asteroid field, the less sensor visibility
R a ship within it is likely to have. Because of this, it's not a good idea
O to chase an enemy ship into a dense asteroid field, as it could evade you
W while in the field, or even emerge in clear space before you do, and have
the advantage of being able to see - and target - you before you can see
S it.
K
I On the other hand, there are several ways in which you can use asteroid
D fields to, your advantage.
R 1) Lure an enemy ship into approaching you by passing through an
O asteroid field. If you see an enemy ship approaching you, and you are
W near an asteroid field, set a course (using the manual helm control)
that will allow you to "skim" the outside of the field on the side
S opposite of the approaching enemy. Once the field is full between you
K and the enemy, move towards the field until you are almost at its edge,
I and then halt. If the enemy makes a beeline for you, he will pass right
D through the asteroids and, if the field is sufficiently dense, will be
unable to get a fix on you until he clears the field. Meanwhile, since
R you're not in the midst of the rubble, you'll be able to see him
O approaching and fire EBWs several times long before he can see you.
W Your EBWs have a maximum "hit" range of 3 million kilometers, and,
while in normal combat firing at targets over 550,000 kilometers away
S is wasteful, in this circumstance it's worth trying. since the enemy
K will probably be flying straight through the field, you have a greater
I chance of getting a hit at extreme range.
D
2) Lead a pursuing enemy through a dense asteroid field. As with the
R previous technique, if your drive is powerful enough, you'll clear the
O other side of the field before your opponent does, and you can halt
W your ship and nail the enemy a few times before he emerges and can lock
onto you.
S
K To do this, go to Panel 301 and set the autopilot intercept the
I desired asteroid field. Your ship will make directly for the center.
D Once you are on course and at full speed, use the GET (G) function (see
301 Navigation in Part V) to copy the current course and velocity into
R the manual controls. Your ship will now fly into the asteroid field,
O through its heart, and out the other side. Once you emerge on the far
W side, you may, if the enemy has followed, be able to get a few shots in
on him before he can lock onto you.
S
K 3) Hide and seek. Large, dense asteroid fields are good places to "hide"
I if you're in desperate need of a breather. If the center of the field
D is so far "in" that an enemy's sensors cannot detect you from outside
the field, you can sit tight and lick your wounds, somewhat safer than
R normal from enemy attack. To do this, locate a very large, dense field
O and intercept it. Your ship will stop at its center.
W
To check an asteroid field's density, probe it from the NAVIGATION panel
S (301). The higher the density, the more sensor problems it will cause.
K
I Doubling Back Through an Asteroid Field
D
Another trick you can pull with a ship pursuing you through an asteroid
R field is to wait until you think the enemy is in the field with you and
O then suddenly change course. If the field is dense enough, the enemy
W ships(s) might miss your course change and lose track of you. Turning at a
90 degree angle to your current heading is one course change you might try.
S
K Damage Control and Outpost Repair/Resupply
I
D Your ship's crew includes repair personnel capable of repairing any of the
six systems on your ship. The crew cannot, however, repair a system that
R has been completely destroyed. A system is considered completely destroyed
O once its damage status reaches zero. At this point, the only place to
W repair the destroyed part is at an outpost.
S You distribute your repair crew to the six systems using the damage control
K panel (304). A specific percentage of the crew is allocated to each system
I using the slider controls. You may change the distribution at any time. You
D should distribute a higher percentage to the systems you deem most
critical. Repair crews assigned to undamaged systems will sit idle until
R the part needs repair. Each part on your ship has a sophistication level.
O The higher this number, the more sophisticated the part. Sophistication
W levels for your parts can be found in Appendix III. Your crew can repair a
part of any level of sophistication, however the lower level parts will be
S repaired much more quickly than higher level ones. In addition, the more
K damage a part sustains, the longer it will take to repair.
I
D Outposts can repair your parts even more quickly, but they are limited by
their sophistication level, in which parts they can work with. By using a
R probe on the outpost, you can ascertain its repair level. This level is the
O maximum sophistication part that they can repair. Outposts can also repair
W destroyed parts. Outposts are also your only source for resupply of
missiles. Missiles, like system parts, have sophistication levels. Each
S outpost has a supply sophistication level. This level means the outpost
K has missiles up to, but not beyond, that sophistication. The sophistication
I level of each missile type is listed in Appendix IV.
D
After docking with an outpost, a resupply procedure will automatically be
R initiated. The outpost will reload your ship with its maximum compliment of
O Missile up to the supply sophistication. Resupply of missiles takes 5
W minutes for free-floating, and 15 minutes for planetary based outposts.
Resupply at the planetary based outposts take longer since it is necessary
S for them to launch a supply shuttle into orbit that will rendezvous with
K your ship.
I
D Tactical Use of Self-Destruction
R Your flagship is armed with a detonation system that will destroy the ship
O on your command. This is useful should you encounter a no-win situation.
W Detonating your ship will initiate a blast that will instantly destroy any
ships within 4 million kilometers range, and those between 4 and 100
S million kilometers risk damage ranging from minor to critical.
K
I Although your Fleet Commander character will be killed, you may be able to
D complete the mission by using this tactic. For instance, if the only
remaining victory condition is to destroy an enemy ship with which you are
R engaged in battle, the resulting explosion may destroy him for you.
O
W Keep in mind that you can also order your other ships to self-destruct.
Self-destruction is, however, the ultimate sacrifice a ship captain can
S make, so play close attention to whom you are making this request. Check
K the docket available on 304) of the Captain first to see if he/she is
I likely to obey this order.
D
CAUTION! Make certain that vital mission objectives are not within
R dangerous proximity of a ship about to self-destruct. For instance, if you
O intend to blow your own ship to atoms, try to get some distance between
W your ship and those you want spared. Likewise, you can order ships that are
near a ship you wish to destruct to go somewhere "safe".
S
K Surrender Tactics
I
D Both enemy ships and Federated World ships may surrender to the opposing
forces. Using the communications system, you can order any or all of your
R ships to surrender. You can also send a message to any enemy ship,
O surrendering your own flagship. Once the flagship has surrendered, the
W mission is lost. A surrender will in many cases be your only alternative to
self-destruction or destruction at the hands of the enemy.
S
K The enemy may or may not accept your surrender. That depends a large part
I on whom you are fighting. In addition, the enemy will be more susceptible
D to your ~surrendering if a large percentage of your feet has already
surrendered. The enemy dossier may contain information you can use to
R determine how likely it is they will accept your surrender.
O
W The enemy may also surrender to you or one of your fleet ships. You can
also send messages to enemy ships requesting their surrender. Again, the
S personality of the enemy plays a large part in their likelihood of
K surrendering to you.
I
D Forming Battle Groups
R In many missions you will have several objectives to meet. In some cases
O you may be required to tend to all of them quickly, and will find that
W there isn't time to lead your forces in all required actions. Naturally,
you can order various ships to take care of certain tasks, but in
S situations where two or more ships may be required to meet a particular
K objective, it is sometimes best to form a Battle Group.
I
D A Battle Group is a grouping of ships, the Captain of one of which you have
assigned to act as the Group Leader. The Group Leader then has authority to
R give orders to other ships in the Group and instruct them in what to do.
O This is particularly handy in situations where there will be a significant
W communications delay between your flagship and other ships in your fleet.
S The best choice for a Group Leader is a ship whose Captain is loyal,
K experienced, stable and ingenious (amongst other things). The reasons?
I First, disloyal Captains are more likely to surrender to hostile forces,
D Secondly, some Captains do not take orders well from captains with less
experience than they themselves have, so the more experienced the Captain
R you selected as Group Leader is, the less likely he is to have problems
O with "renegade" or disobedient Captains under his command. Third, a stable,
W non-temperamental Captain is less likely to take rash action that could
risk lives unnecessarily. In light of this, choosing Captains to act as
S Group Leaders is not a decision to take lightly, and choosing which ships
K to assign under that Group Leader is important as well, so read their
I dockets carefully (panel 304).
D
NOTE: The right Captains may not have the right ships for the job.
R You also have to take into account the relative strengths of
O the vessels commanded by those Captains you wish to assign to
W Battle Groups.
S To form a Battle Group, go to COMMUNICATIONS (302) and send the order
K "FORM BATTLE GROUP" to the ship you have selected as a Group Leader (you
I cannot send it to ALL ships). If ACKNOWLEDGE is on, the Captain of that
D ship will acknowledge the order when (and if) he/she forms the group. If
not, the next time the ship sends you a status report (send the order
R "REPORT STATUS" or activate the ALL SHIPS REP STAT TO button), its group
O status will be reported. The Group Leader must notify you that it has
W formed a group in one of these fashions before you can assign other ships
to join that group.
S
K NOTE: A ship selected as a Group Leader will, on some readouts, have
I its normal Ship I.D. replaced by a Group I.D. Thus, if you
D assigned ship F07 to form the first Battle Group, its I.D.
would be changed to G01.
R
O Once the Group Leader has acknowledged the Group formation (you will
W receive the message "FORMING BATTLE GROUP Gn" (where n is the Group number;
00-99). You can then send the order "JOIN BATTLE GROUP" to the ships you
S wish (if you send the order to ALL ships, all ships but your own and the
K selected Group Leader will join the Group). Ships obeying the order will,
I if the ACKNOWLEDGE flag is on (see 302 Communications in Part V), respond
D "JOINING WITH GROUP G n".
R Deploying Battle Groups
O
W Once a Battle Group has been formed, all you need to do to deploy it is to
send an order to the Group Leader. If you order the Group Leader to destroy
S a particular enemy vessel, the entire Group will follow the order (as
K always, this depends on the Captain leading the Group and those under
I his/her command).
D
It is important to issue orders only to the Group Leader, because sending a
R specific order to a ship or ships within a Group will cause them to
O automatically disband from the Group ("REPORT STATUS" is the only order
W that you can send to a Battle Group "follower" that will not cause that
ship to disband).
S
K As you issue orders to the Group Leader, the ships led by it will, if
I ACKNOWLEDGE was on when you sent the last order to the Group Leader,
D "GROUPED WITH G n" to let you know they are following the actions of the
Leader.
R
O Disbanding Battle Groups
W
When you wish to break up a particular Battle Group, send the order
S "DISBAND FROM BATTLE GROUP" to the Group Leader.
K
I To have individual ships leave a Battle Group without disbanding the entire
D Group, send the "DISBAND..." order to the specific ships you want to break
free from the group, or send those ships specific orders to do other things
R (such as MANEUVER AT WILL", "DESTROY ENEMY SHIP", etc.).
O
W You can break up all existing Battle Groups by issuing the "DISBAND..."
order to ALL ships. This order will affect all Groups, but will not affect
S ships ordered to form with your flagship (see following section).
K
I Forming with the Flagship
D
In addition to ordering a Captain to form a Battle Group and instructing
R ships to join that Group, you can order the ships under your command to
O form the equivalent of a Battle Group with your own ship acting as the
W Group Leader. Send the order "FORM WITH Flagship" to those ships you want
to lead. If the Captains of those ships obey the order (as always, whether
S they do or not depends on their personalities), their ships will follow
K yours and do what you do. If you set a specific course, they will follow
I it.
D
NOTE: This order does not form an "official" Battle Group, and your
R flagship will not be assigned a G (Group) designator on the
O map displays.
W
The "FORM WITH FLAGSHIP" order is really just an instruction for ships to
S follow you. If you attack an enemy ship while other ships are grouped with
K you, the Captains of those ships may not join the attack until you issue an
I attack order.
D
Hints On Keeping Your Battle Group Together
R
O When a Battle Group is formed, the ships in it follow the lead of the Group
W Leader. The danger in such formations is that not all ships have the same
maximum velocity. It is possible for the ship leading the Group to
S outdistance one or more of the Group members when moving towards a target.
K This is potentially dangerous, because it can lead to your forces being
I widely scattered, resulting in some ships of the Group encountering the
D enemy prior to others. If you intend to work from a strength-in-numbers
posture, you do not want to spread your Battle Group out. The problem here
R is that the autopilot modes, such as chase and intercept (panel 301), set
O your ship on a full-power course for the selected target. Velocity in such
W modes is controlled by the ship's computer. Ideally, you want to set course
for the target and then maintain a velocity which will allow even the
S slowest ships in your Battle Group to keep pace.
K
I This need can be met through use of the manual helm control on the NAVIGA-
D TION (301) panel. Using the autopilot controls, you would set out to chase
or intercept a given target. Once the desired heading has been set,
R activate the GET (G) button on the HELM subpanel, which switches to manual
O control while maintaining the heading and velocity set by the autopilot
W mode. After GET has copied these values into the manual helm control, you
can make appropriate adjustments to your velocity to ensure that all of the
S ships formed with you can keep up. In this way you don't end up scattering
K your forces.
I
D The drawback to this approach is that it doesn't work well on nearby
fast-moving or distant moving targets, since, in manual mode, your ship
R does not automatically correct course to compensate for moving targets. To
O solve this logistical problem you will either need to manually adjust your
W heading, or switch back to an autopilot mode for a moment and then use GET
again to pick up the new heading. In either case, you will want to do this
S periodically in order to avoid wasting a great deal of time.
K
I Disbanding a Flagship Formation
D
As with any other Battle Group, ships that are formed with your flagship
R can be disbanded from your "group" by issuing other orders to those ships.
O Sending the order "DISBAND FROM BATTLE GROUP" to ships formed with your
W flagship is equivalent to a "MANEUVER AT WILL" order.
S Capturing Outposts
K
I In some missions you my be required to capture one or more enemy outposts.
D Even if you are not compelled to take over such outposts, in some
circumstances you may find it to your advantage to seize strategically
R placed enemy or neutral outposts. Enemy ships cannot get resupplied or
O repaired at outposts controlled by your forces, so it makes strategic sense
W to capture outposts your enemies could seek assistance from. Naturally, the
enemy won't just sit still for this. They may very well try to capture such
S outposts themselves, or even go after established FW outposts to try to cut
K off your supply and repair lifeline. If you have two or more outposts as
I potential "capture" targets, the one you pick to go after first should be
D determined by balancing which is of greatest value to the enemy
(sophistication) against their positions relative to enemy ships.
R
O HINT: If you have to choose between two nearby and similarly sophisticated
W outposts, one free-floating and the other planet-locked, capture the
free-floating one first. It takes longer for ships to resupply at
S planet-locked outposts, so enemy ships who attempt to resupply their
K missiles while you're occupied won't get the jump on your forces as
I quickly.
D
Capturing an outpost is accomplished from the TACTICAL panel (304). You
R must knock out the outpost's shields and then board it. If the boarding
O action is successful, the outpost is yours. Following a successful outpost
W capture, your marines will repair the outpost's shields to hold off enemy
ships. Likewise, if you abandon a capture attempt, the outpost personnel
S will themselves repair their shield systems.
K
I Dealing With Non-Objective Enemy Ships
D
In some missions your orders may require you to capture or destroy specific
R enemy ships, etc.,that leave other enemy ships essentially "non-objective"
O items. In such circumstances, destroying such ships is a complete waste of
W time. Your only concern with such ships is the threat they pose to your
ships and outposts. Therefore, the best way to eliminate such threats, if
S you get the chance, is to disable them. For example, if confronted by a
K non-objective ship that threatens your forces, concentrate your attack on
I knocking out the ship's drive system. If you completely destroy the ship's
D drive, it will be forever unable to maneuver and effectively "neutralized".
You can therefore leave it for later.
R
O Crippling Enemy Ships
W
In some cases, you may need to deal with some pressing problem (like
S assisting a ship or outpost in danger) while in the act of fighting an
K objective enemy vessel (one you must capture or destroy). In such cases a
I useful tactic is to attempt to cripple the ship in question in such a way
D that it is temporarily rendered "lame". For example, if you severely
damage the target's drive, chances are you might be able to go and take
R care of other business and return to finish the target before it can repair
O the damage or reach an outpost. Likewise, a ship threatening an outpost
W could be dealt with by damaging its weapons system. If it can't fire, it
can't penetrate the outpost's defenses, and thus, the outpost is spared...
S for the time being. Also, if your attention is required elsewhere, you
K could cripple the current target, then order another ship to "finish" it
I while you go off about more urgent business.
D
Keeping an Enemy from Calling for Help
R
O If you are in a system with at least one hot star (such as a class F, A, or
W B) and can ambush an enemy ship nearby such a star, the interference
generated by the star will keep him (and, alas, you) from being able to
S call for help from his fellows. To determine the type of a system's
K star(s), probe it from the NAVIGATION panel (301). A small temperature
I scale appears alongside the star graphic, and the taller this scale is, the
D hotter the star. The hotter the star, the more communications interference
it will cause. Also, the closer a ship is to star, the greater the
R interference, so catching an enemy nearby a cooler star may have the same
O effect as being farther from a hotter star.
W
S STANDARD TEMPERATURE RANGES FOR EACH STAR CLASS
K
I Type Color Temperature (celsius)
D
B White/bluish 25,0000 C
R A White 11 ,0000 C
O F Yellowish 75000 C
W G Yellow 53000 C to 58000 C
K Orange 40000 C to 49000 C
S M Red 30000 C to 34000 C
K
I
D
PART VII: THE BUILDER
R
O Overview
W
This section explains each and every panel in the builder sections of the
S game. Each panel's purpose and functioning is detailed. Screen buttons are
K listed in uppercase bold text, with the key equivalent listed, in
I parenthesis, immediately following the button text, as in: "...use BUTTON
D (B) to...
R Please note that many options will bring up alert messages, such as "are
O you sure you want to delete...", and the usurper boxes bearing these
W messages are not always noted in the text because, as a rule, what to do
when one appears is fairly self-evident.
S
K Each panel is listed by number and name. Operation of the controls on these
I panels are as described in Part IV, unless otherwise noted.
D
Operational Overview
R
O There are five builder panels. The first four are used to create individual
W elements that can be used in many missions. The fifth builder panel is
where elements created with the other four are assembled to create
S missions. To wit: you create FW Captains, then your create ships for the
K Captains, next you create an opponent/enemy, and then you create a solar
I system in which they will clash. Finally, you assemble all the parts, set
D objectives, and you have a mission. Access to each of the builder panels
is via the 101 GAME/MISSION panel (see Part V of this manual for details).
R
O The Upper Bar
W
Each of the 5 builder panels all share a common bar at the top of the
S screen. In addition to the current builder panel number and label, this bar
K always contains the following controls:
I
D ADD (Fa)
R Activating this button will cause the current item being edited (be it a
O ship Captain, solar system, mission, etc.) to be saved as a new item.
W For instance, you would activate this button prior to using SAVE (below)
if you have edited an existing item and want to save the changes (but
S retain the original).
K
I SAVE (Fa)
D
This button will save the current item and exit the panel, returning you
R to the main panel (101).
O
W CANCEL (Fa)
S This button will cancel any changes you have made and exit the panel
K without saving, returning you to the main panel (101).
I
D NEW (Fa)
R This button will cause the settings of the selected builder panel to be
O reset to their default "create" settings. This allows-you to create a
W new item and begin editing it without having to exit to 101 and use the
create function for that panel.
S
K Since the item currently in the builder panel will be cleared when NEW is
I used, you will be allowed to first save any unsaved changes to the current
D item.
R 202 CAPTAINS
O
W This section of the builder allows you to create, edit, and delete
Federated Worlds ship Captains. This panel operates in two modes, one
S allowing you to edit the personality traits, the other allowing you to
K edit the dossier. Initially, this panel will be in the "traits" mode.
I
D Just below the upper bar is a bar containing a text field for the Captain's
name, a button for editing the name, and controls for switching between
R traits and dossier mode. These controls are as follows:
O
W NAME (N)
S This is a toggle action button. When activated, a text editing frame and
K cursor appears, allowing you to enter/edit the Captain's name. (See Part IV
I for details on working with text editing fields.)
D
DOSSIER (D) and TRAITS (T)
R
O Only one of these two buttons can be active at one time. In dossier mode,
W the lower portion of the screen is occupied by the Captain's dossier
editor. In traits mode (the default), the lower portion of the screen is
S filled with the Captain's personality traits editor. Switching modes has no
K effect on anything entered or edited in either mode, so you can feel free
I to go back and forth between them without fear of losing your work.
D
TRAITS MODE
R
O When the TRAITS button is highlighted, the lower portion of the screen is
W occupied by the PERSONALITY TRAITS editor. This consists of ten
thermometer type scales, each used to set a particular trait (see Part IV
S for details on the operation of thermometer scales).
K
I Each trait can range from 00 to 99, and the current setting is always
D displayed in the related value readouts to the left of the scales. To
adjust a trait, simply move the arrowhead pointer below the selected
R scale. Moving the arrowhead to the right increases the value; moving it to
O the left decreases the value. The value changes while the arrowhead.
W
Keyboard users will note that the same buttons (- and +) are used for all
S ten scales, and might be confused as to how you pick which trait you wish
K to edit. The label for each trait is a selection button. The scale next to
I the currently highlighted label is the one the - and + buttons will affect.
D To change traits, simply press the indicated key to highlight the trait
that you wish to edit. Mouse users will note that each time they click/drag
R an arrowhead, that arrowhead lights up, and the highlighted label changes
O to reflect the current trait being edited.
W
It is the combination of the values of each of these traits which determine
S the personality of a Captain. The ten traits are as follows and affect the
K indicated aspects of the Captain:
I
D AGGRESSIVENESS (A)
R The higher this factor, the less likely the Captain will accept a surrender
O or negotiation. A high factor also means the Captain may seek to destroy
W the enemy more that the mission objective require.
S BRAVERY (B)
K
I The higher this factor, the more likely it is the Captain will engage in
D risky situations.
R DIPLOMACY (P)
O
W The higher the factor, the better the Captain is at negotiating with
neutral outposts for repair and resupply.
S
K EXPERIENCE (E)
I
D The higher this factor, the more experience the Captain has had in combat.
More experience means the Captain is better at whatever tactics are known
R by him/her. Tactics known are determined by ingenuity.
O
W HUMILITY (H)
S The higher this factor, the better able the Captain is at taking orders
K from lesser experienced Captains.
I
D INGENUITY (I)
R The higher this factor, the more sophisticated battle tactics the Captain
O knows.
W
LEADERSHIP (L)
S
K The higher the factor, the better the Captain is at controlling his group.
I
D LOYALTY (Y)
R Low loyalty means the Captain is liable to surrender easily. A low factor
O will also mean that he is less likely to take risks to complete the
W mission.
S STAMINA (S)
K
I Low stamina means the Captain is likely to make errors during a prolonged
D battle.
R TEMPERAMENT (M)
O
W The lower the factor, the less stable the Captain. This would cause the
Captain to make errors under pressure.
S
K
I SELECTING AN APPEARANCE
D
To the left of the trait editing scales is an image of a "generic" Captain
R which alters somewhat as you change certain traits. Directly above that is
O a small set of controls labeled FACE, which consists of two action buttons
W and a small display. These controls allow you to select a "look" for each
Captain. There are 24 different faces available: 16 men and 8 women. Use
S the RIGHT to go to the next face, and the LEFT to go back to the previous
K one.
I
D Whichever face is shown in this display when you save the Captain
determines the face and sex of that character during game play only. The
R full-figure image of the captain on the screen will not change.
O
W
DOSSIER MODE
S
K The text in the CAPTAIN'S DOSSIER is what will appear in a mission when a
I player reads the docket for the Captain.
D
When the DOSSIER button is highlighted, the lower portion of the screen is
R occupied by the CAPTAIN'S DOSSIER editor. This consists of nothing more
O than an extremely large text field into which the text for the Captain's
W dossier is entered/edited.
S Since the dossier editors for the CAPTAINS and ENEMY RACES and the mission
K briefing editor of the MISSION BUILDER (206) are all virtually identical,
I documentation on the operation of the editor is covered at the end of this
D part, under the heading Supplement: Dossier/Briefing Editors. Refer to that
section for details on using the dossier editor.
R
O
W WRITING A CAPTAIN'S DOSSIER
S Admittedly, you can write just about anything you like, but, ideally, the
K function of the dossier is to give the player a "personality sketch" of the
I character, useful for determining that Captain's strengths, weaknesses, and
D potential uses and dangers. Therefore, the best way to write a dossier is
to, through the text, give some clues as to the Captain's personality
R without spelling out each trait numerically (ie., - "his LOYALTY is low at
O 34").
W
As an example, the following is the dossier for Captain Denial Mabuso
S (included with the game), followed by her actual traits. Notice how the
K text manages to give string hints as to what these traits are without
I actually listing them off.
D
BORN: 2346 CE
R SERIAL NUMBER: SF3641 - BR1 1697
O
W Captain Mabuso is the daughter of Renita Mabuso, Defense Minister of
Imperial Beurn. As the child of a high-ranking government official, she is
S well aware of the "pomp before progress" stance of the Mellus
K Administration ruling Beurn. As a result, she has developed an intense
I disdain for bureaucracy, and thus is something of a "maverick", rejecting
D authority she considers incompetent.
R This hotheaded, rebellious nature is tolerated primarily because Mabuso is
O one of the most brilliant tacticians ever to serve the FW. She is the only
W academy graduate to ace the "Leslie Maru" endurance test, and has been
known to achieve minor miracles under the most extreme pressure.
S
K Now her actual stats/traits:
I
D AGGRESSIVENESS 64
BRAVERY 70
R DIPLOMACY 34
O EXPERIENCE 52
W HUMILITY 25
INGENUITY 99
S LEADERSHIP 44
K LOYALTY 67
I STAMINA 88
D TEMPERAMENT 26
R A few final notes on writing a dossier that is "correct" for the Omnitrend
O "Universe". If you're creating your own worlds, the following is not so
W important.
S Our "convention" for Captains is to begin with the BORN: and SERIAL NUMBER:
K fields on the first two lines, leave the next line blank, and then write
I the rest of the dossier in paragraph form (see above example).
D
The BORN: value can be easily determined. The "war" that is declared in the
R game's opening sequence begins/began in 2374 CE (Common Era). You can
O assume your mission will take place sometime after that. Figure out your
W Captain's age at the time war was declared, subtract it from 2374, and you
have your BORN: date.
S
K FWAF serial numbers always begin with SF, and always contain letters and
I numbers in the precise configurations as in this example serial number:
D SF3641-BR1 1697. In other words, the 'SF', four digits, a hyphen, two
letters, and a final six digits.
R
O
W 203 SPACECRAFT DESIGN
S This section of the builder allows you to create, edit, and delete
K Federated Worlds and allied starships. Construction is simplicity itself:
I you select the ship class, pick the parts, name the vessel, and save it.
D Spacedocks should have it so easy!
R
O SHIP SELECTION
W
The upper third of the panel is occupied by the ship selector. At the
S center is an image of a ship flanked by + and - buttons, which allow you to
K cycle through the ship classes. There are six ships classes. From weakest
I (militarily) to strongest, they are:
D
TRANSPORT
R SCOUT
O DESTROYER
W CRUISER
HEAVY CRUISER
S DREADNOUGHT
K
I When you first enter the panel or use NEW (F4), the default ship type is a
D SCOUT.
R To the left of the ship display are MAX SYS SIZE and STAT readouts. Under
O MAX SYS SIZE are labels for each of the ship's six primary systems, and the
W number displayed in the value readout to the right of each label is the
maximum "size" of each system the currently selected ship class can carry.
S If any select part for a system has a size that is larger than the number
K indicated, a TOO BIG warning will appear under STAT.
I
D NOTE: You will not be allowed to save the current ship if any
TOO BIG warnings appear.
R
O If any TOO BIG warnings appear, you'll either have to change the ship class
W to a larger ship to accommodate the systems you have specified, or select
smaller parts for the indicated systems. If, after selecting parts that fit
S the current ship class, you change the ship to a lower/smaller class, one
K or more of the selected parts may not fit.
I
D
SHIP NAME
R
O To the right is a field labeled SHIP NAME. It consists of a standard text
W editing field and one button, NAME (N), which activates the text editing
mode. See Part IV for details on the operation of text editing fields.
S
K You will not be able to save the current ship if no name has been entered
I for it.
D
R PARTS SELECTORS
O
W The majority of the panel is dominated by the parts selectors, which allow
you to equip each ship from an inventory of numerous part. To the left are
S six parts selectors. Using the arrow buttons there you select the
K combination of parts you want. To the bottom-right of the screen is a
I CURRENT PART STAT DISPLAY, which displays the stats of the last part you
D selected.
R
O THE SELECTORS
W
These are used to select which parts you wish to use for each of the ship's
S six primary systems. Each part selector consists of a label (selection
K button), and a part display, bracketed on either side by previous part and
I next part action buttons (LEFT and RIGHT). To change a part, all you need
D to do is use the arrow buttons to move forward or backward through the
selections.
R
O Keyboard users will note that the same buttons are used for all six
W selectors, and might be confused as to how you pick which system you wish
to edit. The label for each system is a selection button. The scale next to
S the currently highlighted label is the one the LEFT and RIGHT buttons will
K affect. To switch parts to edit, simply press the indicated key to
I highlight the part that you wish to edit. Mouse users will note that each
D time they click one of the arrow buttons, the highlighted label changes to
reflect the part being edited.
R
O The six system types and selectors are as follows:
W
COMMUNICATIONS (C) Picks the communications system you
S want to equip your ship with. There are
K 3 models to choose from.
I
D COMPUTER (M) Picks the computer system you want
to equip your ship with. There are 4
R models to choose from.
O
W DRIVE (D) Picks the drive system you want to
equip your ship with. There are 5
S models to choose from.
K
I LIFE SUPPORT (L) Picks the communications system you
D want to equip your ship with. There are
3 models to choose from.
R
O
W SHIELDS (S) Picks the defensive shield system you
want to equip your ship with. There are
S 5 models to choose from.
K
I WEAPONS (W) Picks the offensive weapons system
D you want to equip your ship with. There
are 5 models to choose from.
R
O
W CURRENT PART STAT DISPLAY
S This box is directly below the SHIP NAME box and right of the PARTS
K SELECTORS, to which it is linked by a bracket featuring a moving tab which
I links the STAT DISPLAY to whatever part has been selected last. Its job is
D to provide you with the statistical information for the last selected part.
R For example, when you first create a new ship (from 101), when you arrive
O on 203 the highlighted system is communications, and the parts displayed
W there is the first part in the list. The CURRENT PART STAT DISPLAY
identifies it as a THUKE XX, which is capable of sustaining 4 points of
S damage before it fails, has a sophistication level of 33, and a size of 2.
K If you then advanced to the next part for the communications system the
I stats would change to reflect it (a Giaperelli Marconi II). If you were to
D switch to editing parts for another system, the stats for the current part
listed under whatever system you moved to would appear in this box.
R
O In brief, the more sophisticated a part, the more effective it is, but the
W harder it is to repair, and the less chance you'll have of finding an
outpost than can repair or replace it. The larger the size of a part the
S fewer ship classes it will fit into.
K
I At the top of the CURRENT PART STAT DISPLAY is the logo of the company that
D manufactures the currently selected part. Below that is the company name,
and below that is the part name. Finally, the bottom three lines list
R damage points, sophistication and size of the part.
O
W NOTE: Technical details about all FW ship classes, parts, and
enemy ship classes and parts are covered in Appendix III.
S You can consult it to determine how various ship and part
K combination stack up against those of opposing forces.
I
D
SHIP BUILDING HINTS
R
O Although there are a limited number of possible combinations of ships and
W parts, there are enough so that you can create a group of ships with widely
varying capabilities.
S
K It's important to remember that the Heavy Cruiser class vessels can only be
I commanded by Fleet Commanders with a rank of at least 1st Lieutenant, and
D the Dreadnoughts by those with a rank of at least Commander. Thus, if
you're making missions to be played by less "experienced" player
R characters, you shouldn't make tons of top-end ships (although you can
O always assign a Captain to command such ships in a mission).
W
When naming ships that operate within the established Omnitrend "universe",
S always precede all Federated Worlds Armed Forces ship names with an FWS, as
K in FWS YURY GAGARIN or FW STERESHKOVA. Privately or corporately owned
I transports and scouts can also be added, and such ships should not have
D an FWS prefix.
R
O SAVING SHIPS
W
When you save a ship it is added to the current ship list. If, when you
S try to save a ship, any part is too big for the current ship class, and/or
K the ship has no name, you will be warned and returned to the ship builder.
I
D If you create (having used CREATE from 101 or NEW from this panel) anew
ship with a name identical to an existing one, the existing one is not
R overwritten.
O
W
204 ENEMY RACES
S
K This section of the builder allows you to create, edit, and delete enemy
I races. This panel operates in three modes, on allowing you to the
D personality traits, a second allowing you to design the "look" of the
creatures, and a third allowing you to edit the dossier. Initially, this
R panel will be in the "traits" mode.
O
W The actual operation of this panel is identical to that for FW Captains
with the exception of the addition of the PHYS FORM mode.
S
K Just below the upper bar is a bar containing a text field for the race's
I name, a button for editing the name, and controls for switching between
D traits and dossier mode. These controls are as follows:
R NAME (N)
O
W This is a toggle action button. When activated, a text editing frame and
cursor appears, allowing you to enter/edit the race's name. (See Part IV
S for details on working with text editing fields.)
K
I PHYS FORM (Y), DOSSIER (D) and TRAITS (T)
D
Only one of these buttons can be active at one time. In phys form mode, the
R lower portion of the screen is occupied by a "body construction" panel. In
O dossier mode, the lower portion of the screen is occupied by the races's
W dossier editor. In traits mode (the default), the lower portion of the
screen is filled with the race's personality traits editor. Switching modes
S has no effect on anything entered or edited in either mode, so you can feel
K free to go back and forth between them without fear of losing your work.
I
D TRAITS MODE
R The default mode. When the TRAITS button is highlighted, the lower portion
O of the screen is occupied by the PERSONALITY TRAITS editor. This consists
W of ten thermometer type scales, each used to set a particular trait (see
Part IV for details on the operation of thermometer scales).
S
K Each trait can range from 00 to 99, and the current setting is always
I displayed in the related value readouts to the left of the scales. To
D adjust a trait, simply move the arrowhead pointer below the selected scale.
Moving the arrowhead to the right increases the value; moving it to the
R left decreases the value. The value changes while the arrowhead.
O
W Keyboard users will note that the same buttons (- and +) are used for all
ten scales, and might be confused as to how you pick which trait you wish
S to edit. The label for each trait is a selection button. The scale next to
K the currently highlighted label is the one the - and + buttons will affect.
I To change traits, simply press the desired key to highlight the trait that
D you wish to edit.
R Mouse users will note that each time they click/drag an arrowhead, that
O arrowhead lights up, and the highlighted label changes to reflect the
W current trait being edited.
S It is the combination of the values of each of these traits which determine
K the personality of a race. The ten traits are as follows and affect the
I indicated aspects of the race:
D
AGGRESSIVENESS (A)
R
O The higher this factor, the less likely the race will accept a surrender. A
W high factor also means that they will be more violent.
S BRAVERY (B)
K
I The higher this factor, the more likely it is the race will engage in risky
D situations.
R DIPLOMACY (P)
O
W The higher the factor, the better the race is at negotiating with neutral
outposts for repair and resupply.
S
K EXPERIENCE (E)
I
D The higher this factor, the more experience the race has in combat. More
experience means the race is better at whatever tactics are known by them.
R Tactics known are determined by ingenuity.
O
W HUMILITY (H)
S The higher this factor, the better able the race is at taking orders from
K those of lesser experience.
I
D INGENUITY (I)
R The higher this factor, the more sophisticated battle tactics the race
O knows.
W
LEADERSHIP (L)
S
K The higher the factor, the better the race is at controlling groups of
I ships.
D
LOYALTY (Y)
R
O Low loyalty means the race is liable to surrender easily.
W
STAMINA (S)
S
K Low stamina means the race is likely to make errors during a prolonged
I battle.
D
TEMPERAMENT (M)
R
O The lower the factor, the less stable the race. This would cause them to
W make errors under pressure.
S PHYS FORM MODE
K
I When the PHYS FORM (Y) button is highlighted, the lower portion of the
D screen is occupied by a special "construction panel" which allows you to
assemble physical forms for aliens out of a series of parts. To the right
R are four parts selectors. Using the arrow buttons there you select the
O combination of parts you want. To the bottom-left of the screen is a
W pigment selector (disabled in CGA), with a bright border around the color
you select. When you have picked the parts you like and the color you
S want, using the ASSEMBLE (S) button puts together your choices and produces
K a full alien.
I
D THE PARTS SELECTOR
R This is used to select which parts you wish to use for the race. There are
O four body part categories, and almost any combination of parts are possible
W (there are a few restrictions). Each part selector consists of a label
(selection button), and a part display, bracketed on either side by
S previous part and next part action buttons ( LEFT and RIGHT). To change a
K part, all you need to do is use the arrow buttons to move forward or
I backward through the selections.
D
Keyboard users will note that the same buttons are used for all four
R selectors, and might be confused as to how you pick which part you wish to
O edit. The label for each body part is a selection button. The scale next to
W the currently highlighted label is the one the LEFT and RIGHT buttons will
affect. To switch parts to edit, simply press the indicated key to
S highlight the part that you wish to edit. Mouse users will note that each
K time they click one of the arrow buttons, the highlighted label changes to
I reflect the part being edited.
D
The four part types and selectors are as follows:
R
O HEAD (H) Picks the type of head you want the race to have. There
W are 41 different heads to choose from, or you can
decide these aliens have no head at all. (The last head
S looks like that of the creature on the Breach 2 box.)
K
I TORSO (O) Picks the type of main body you want the race to have.
D There are 13 torsos to choose from. You cannot
choose not to have a torso, as the race has to have at
R least one part. Body number 11 is snakelike and used
O to construct the Aliens seen in Breach 2; if you select
W it, any arms you selected will not appear when the race
is assembled because the body has no "shoulders" to
S which to attach arms.
K
I LEGS (L) Picks the type of legs you want the race to have. There
D are 13 sets of legs to choose from, or you can decide
these aliens have no legs at all.
R
O Of the 11 set of legs (11 presses of the + or, 3 presses
W of the from the "blank" or "no legs" option), only one leg
is fully visible, and the other leg is only partly there.
S These legs are used to construct the Aliens seen in Breach 2
K and designed specifically to work with body 11 (see above).
I If you select these legs, when you assemble the race, body
D 11 will be used regardless of which body you selected, and,
since body 11 does not permit arms, any arms you selected
R will also not appear because body 11 has no "shoulders" to
O which to attach them.
W
ARMS (A) Picks the type of arm you want the race to have. There are
S 11 arm types to choose from, or you can decide that these
K aliens have no upper limbs.
I
D THE PIGMENT SELECTOR
R This occupies the lower-left corner of the PHYS FORM display. (It is
O disabled in CGA). This portion of the panel simply consists of eight
W selection buttons, although you wouldn't necessarily realize that's what
they are by looking at them. Unlike regular selection buttons which are
S blue (cyan in CGA), each of the eight selection buttons here are different
K colors. The currently selected color is indicated by a white frame around
I the button. When you select another color button (either by clicking on it
D or pressing the number for a color), the white frame moves to it.
R Whatever color you have selected when you use ASSEMBLE (S) is the "skin
O pigment" you have chosen for the race. The sections of the body parts which
W appear pink/light-red in the parts selector will be recolored to match your
choice, but other colors will not (like those featuring silvery mechanical
S parts, etc.).
K
I THE ASSEMBLY BOX
D
This appears above the pigment selector and to the left of the part
R selector. It consists of a display and a single button: ASSEMBLE (S).
O When you use ASSEMBLE the parts and pigment currently selected are put
W together to generate complete physical form for the race you are working
on. If, following assembly, you are not happy with the results, simply edit
S your part and/or color selections and then use ASSEMBLE again. you can do
K this as many times as you like.
I
D 700,000+ POSSIBILITIES
R Given all of the part and color options available, the PHYS FORM editor can
O potentially generate up to 733,744 possible variations of enemy forms!
W
PRE-MADE ENEMY FORMS
S
K Included with the game are a set of special graphics which feature pre-
I made enemy images which are not affected by the PHYS FORM mode. For
D example, while a UDP Officer is clearly human, creating a naked man with
the PHYS FORM editor hardly results in an "official" looking UDP Officer.
R Thus, a picture of a uniformed UDP Officer, as well as other potential
O enemies, have been included with the program.
W
To access these graphics, all you have to do is type a very specific name
S into the NAME field. The graphic will not appear on panel 204 (you'll see
K whatever form was last assembled from PHYS FORM mode), but the appropriate
I image will appear when playing a mission (on the communications and enemy
D docket displays). Remember, you must type the name exactly as indicated.
R Name Description
O
W UDP OFFICER A UDP Officer
FWSF MARINES A (renegade) FWSF Marine
S FWRP FW Reserve (outpost crew) Personnel
K
I DOSSIER MODE
D
The text in the ENEMY DOSSIER is what will appear in a mission when a
R player reads the docket for the race.
O
W When the DOSSIER button is highlighted, the lower portion of the screen is
occupied by the ENEMY DOSSIER editor. This consists of nothing more than
S an extremely large text field into which the text for the race's dossier is
K entered/edited.
I
D Since the dossier editors for the CAPTAINS and ENEMY RACES and the mission
briefing editor of the MISSION BUILDER (206) are all virtually identical,
R documentation on the operation of the editor is covered at the end of this
O part, under the heading Supplement: Dossier/Briefing Editors. Refer to that
W section for details on using the dossier editor.
S KEYBOARD NOTE: Since keypresses in dossier mode are interpreted as text
K entry into the dossier, to use any of the normal screen buttons in dossier
I mode, hold down the Alternate key on your keyboard while pressing the
D indicated letter, such as pressing Alt+T to switch back to traits mode. The
Alternate key is not necessary when using the function keys for buttons on
R the Upper Bar.
O
W
S PART VII: THE BUILDER
K
I WRITING A RACE'S DOSSIER
D
Admittedly, you can write just about anything you like, but, ideally, the
R function of the dossier is to give the player some background information
O on the opposing forces, useful for determining their strengths and
W weaknesses. Therefore, the best way to write a dossier is to, through the
text, give some clues as to the race's traits without spelling out each
M aspect numerically (ie - "their stamina is very high at 92").
I
C A few final notes on writing an enemy dossier that is "correct" for the
T Omnitrend "Universe". If you're creating your own worlds, the following is
L not so important. Our "convention" for races is to begin with the RACE:
A and ORIGIN: fields on the first two lines, leave the next line blank, and
N then write the rest of the dossier in paragraph form.
T
E RACE: MUTAI LAICR'MOK BETA
C ORIGIN: TUOLES LAICR'MOK, SYSTEM LG-MD8: (30, -27, -6)
U
H
T 205 SOLAR SYSTEMS
L
I Every battle requires a battleground, and in Rules of Engagement
battlegrounds are solar systems. Sorry, we don't allow fighting in the
S vast emptiness between stars.
T
A The solar system builder is fairly simple, and has few requirements. Each
R system has a map area 4 x 4 billion kilometers square, and all items for
K that system must fit within that space. Secondly, all solar systems must
have at least one star/sun.
T
H Beyond that, you can place 1 additional sun, and anywhere from 0 to 99 of
E the following: planets (3 classes), asteroid fields, and outposts (3
types). It's entirely your choice.
C
O
R THE MAP
S
A The map display on this panel works virtually identically to the map on the
I navigation panel in the game proper (see 301 Navigation in Part V for
R operational details), with a few minor additions. First of all, the view
radius is not limited by any sort of sensor range restrictions as in a
S mission, so you can alter the view from 2 billion to 75 kilometers in
K radius.
I
D The horizontal and vertical coordinate pointers along the bottom and right
edges of the map can be moved manually, allowing you to change the view
R center. The arrowheads there can either be dragged using the mouse, or
O moved by activating the UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT buttons on-screen or their
W equivalent keys.
S Zooming in and out using the mouse is identical to on other maps. keyboard
K users must use the + and - buttons to change the view radius.
I
D Furthermore, additional off-map controls can be used to alter the view
center and radius (see MAGNIFICATION and SET VIEW CENTER below).
R
O EDIT SYSTEM
W
To the right of the map are three banks of controls. The uppermost is the
S most important, for the controls in it are used for creating and editing
K system components. Under EDIT SYSTEM are selection buttons used to pick the
I type of item to act on, and action buttons used to act on the selected item
D type.
R Of the selection buttons, only one can be highlighted at one time. A small
O movable "tab" links the highlighted button to a bracket which connects it
W to the action buttons immediately to the right. The selection buttons are:
S STAR (S) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
K create, edit, relocate or delete stars in the system.
I
D PLANET (P) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
create, edit, relocate or delete planets in the system.
R
O ASTEROID (A) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to create,
W edit, relocate or delete asteroid fields in the system.
G OUTPOST (O) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
R create, edit, relocate or delete outposts in the system.
E
E The action buttons are to the right of the selection buttons. They are:
T
S CREATE (C) Brings up a usurper box which is used to create a new
star, planet, asteroid field or outpost.
C
R EDIT (E) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
Y item of the type selected you wish to edit. Once the
S item has been picked, a usurper box appears, which is
T used to edit the selected item.
A
L RELOCATE (R) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
item of the type selected you wish to relocate. Once the
T item has been picked, the map display switches into
H "locate" mode (see below), allowing you to alter the
G system location of the item.
T DELETE (D) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
D item of the type selected you wish to delete.
T
VIEW FIELD
Q
T This subpanel consists of three items: two action buttons and a miniature
X representation of the map. The first action button is MIN (N), and
activating it causes the map radius to be set to minimum radius (75
T kilometers). The second button is MAX (M), which sets the map radius to
R maximum radius (2 billion kilometers).
S
I The miniature map is used to show the size and location of the current map
view relative to the full system map. A square frame within the mini map
F indicates the current map area. If you reduce the view area of the large
L map, the framed area will shrink. And, if you alter the view center, the
T frame will move off-center as well.
S SET VIEW CENTER
N
I The four action buttons here are used to quickly center the map view on
P specific items within the system. Activating any of the buttons causes a
E selector to appear, with which you identify the specific item of the
R indicated type to center on. Highlight the item on the selector and then
use its CENTER (N) button. This causes the map's horizontal and vertical
F centering coordinates to be altered to center on the selected item. The
R name of the item will appear at the top of the main map.
E
D The centering options are:
D
Y STAR (T) Center on a star
PLANET (L) Center on a planet
B ASTEROID (I) Center on an asteroid field
U OUTPOST (U) Center on an outpost
L
L
D THE INFO BUTTON
O
G Between the VIEW FIELD subpanel and the main map is a single action button:
INFO (F). Activating INFO results in an information usurper box appearing,
S listing data about the item the map display is currently centered on (if
C any). The name currently centered item will appear at the top of the main
O map.
O
P If you manually move the view center off of an item, the last centered item
E remains listed at the top of the map and the subject of INFO until you
X re-center on another item.
C This feature is a quick way to check on the stats of an item without having
O to enter an editing mode. Use the SET VIEW CENTER controls to center on the
M object you want and then use INFO to "scan" it.
P
A
N CREATING/EDITING STARS
Y
When you first create a new solar system, there is always one star already
C present. This star has the I.D. 501 and defaults to a M type (red) star
O with a radius of 696,000 kilometers. You can edit the stats of this star
R (name, type, and radius), but you cannot delete it unless there is another
P sun in the system.
O
R To create or edit a star, go to EDIT SYSTEM, highlight STAR (S) and then
A use either the CREATE (C) or EDIT (E) button. A usurper panel appears, on
L which you can enter the name of the star (a standard text editing field),
select its class (highlight one of the six class labels under STAR TYPE),
A and even adjust its radius (using a thermometer scale at the bottom of the
N box). Once the star's stats are to your liking, use the LOCATE (L) button
D to exit the box and go into map's locate mode to place the star (see LOCATE
E MODE below).
V
E Star Limit
R
O There is a limit of two stars per system. This is realistic because,
N while many stars come in clusters, it is rare (outside of the center of
a galaxy) to find more than two within 4 billion kilometers of each
I other.
N
C Star Names
S When you first create a new system, the default star has an I.D. (501),
K but no name. The name of the first star will be the name of the system,
I so choose carefully.
D
If you create a star, you are always creating the second star (502) in
R the system, and its default name will be the name of the first star
O (501) followed by a space and the letter B, as in "Alpha Centaur B". If
W the first star's name is already 17 or 18 characters long (the limit),
the last two characters are replaced by the space and B. Naturally, you
S can edit this name to be anything you want.
K
I Star Sizes
D
The default size for a star is a 696,000 kilometer radius, the size of
R Earth's sun. You can actually adjust this radius from a bottom end limit
O of 5,000 kilometers to a top end limit of 300 million kilometers. The
W sizes of stars indicate their "class", ranging from Neutron Stars
through Supergiants. As you adjust the radius, the readout under STAR
S CLASSIFICATION in 002 tells you what class the star is.
K
I Class Radius in Kilometers
D
SUPERGIANTS 100,000,000 to 300,000,000
R GIANTS 10,000,000 to 99,999,999
O MAIN SEQUENCE 50,000 to 9,999,999
W WHITE DWARF 10,000 to 49,999
NEUTRON STARS 5,000 to 9,999
S
K HINT: Stars with habitable planets would most likely be those
I of Main Sequence size.
D
Star Types
R
O There are six star classes in Rules of Engagement, ranging in
W color/chemical composition and temperature. The hotter a star, the more
communications related interference it generates. Remember this when
S creating your systems and missions. (The temperature of a star and a ship's
K proximity to it determine the interference levels.)
I
D Type Color Temperature (Celsius)
R B White/bluish 25,000 C
O A White 11,000 C
W F Yellowish 7,5000 C
G Yellow 5,300 C to 5,800 C
S K Orange 4,000 C to 4,900 C
K M Red 3,000 C to 3,400 C
I
D HINT: Stars capable of supporting habitable planets would most
likely be classes F, G, and K.
R
O
W CREATING/EDITING PLANETS
S When you first create a new solar system, there are no planets present.
K Each planet has an I.D. starting with the letter P, as in P02.
I
D To create a planet, go to EDIT SYSTEM, highlight PLANET (P) and then use
either the CREATE (C) or EDIT (E) button. A usurper panel appears, on which
R you can enter the name of the planet (a standard text editing field),
O select its class (highlight one of the three labels under PLANET TYPE), and
W even adjust its radius (using a thermometer scale at the bottom of the
box). Once the planet's stats are to your liking, use the LOCATE (L) button
S to exit the box and go into the map's locate mode to place the planet (see
K LOCATE MODE below).
I
D Planet Limit
R You can have anywhere from 0 to 99 planets in a system.
O
W Planet Names
S When you first create a new planet, the default name is "MAGRATHEA".
K You can edit this and change it to whatever you like.
I
D Planet Sizes
R The default size for a planet is a 7,000 kilometer radius, roughly the
O size of the Earth. You can actually adjust this radius from a bottom end
W limit of 100 kilometers to a top end limit of 200,000 kilometers.
S HINT: Realistically, habitable planets should have a radius no
K greater than 7,800 and no less than 6,100 kilometers.
I
D Planet Types
R There are three planet types in Rules of Engagement:
O
W Type Classes Realistic Sizes (radius in km)
S Gaseous A-C 20,000 to 200,000
K Airless D-J 100 to 20,000
I Habitable K-N 7,800 to 6,100
D
Gaseous planets are those which are composed primarily of light gasses,
R such as hydrogen and helium. They tend to be very large, with no tangible
O surfaces. Examples of gaseous planets in our own solar system are Jupiter,
W Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
S Airless planets are rocky worlds with atmospheres that are either
K nonexistent or unbreathable. Examples of airless planets in our own solar
I system are Mercury, Venus, the Moon, Mars, and many of the moons of the
D gaseous outer planets.
R Habitable planets are those with a breathable atmosphere. Human habitable
O planets require water, and acceptable surface gravity.
W
S CREATING/EDITING ASTEROID FIELDS
K
I When you first create a new solar system, there are no asteroid fields
D present. Each field has an I.D. starting with the letter A, as in AO1. To
create or edit an asteroid field, go to EDIT SYSTEM, highlight Outpost (P)
R and then use the CREATE (C) or EDIT (E) buttons. A usurper panel appears,
O on which you can adjust the field's density (using the thermometer scale at
W the bottom of the box). The denser the field, the more sensor blockage it
will cause to ships within it.
S
K Once the field's density is to your liking, use the LOCATE (L) button to
I exit the box and go into the map's locate mode to place and set the size of
D the field (see LOCATE MODE below).
R HINT: When calling this box using EDIT (E), two arrow buttons flank the
O field I.D., allowing you to scroll through all of the different
W fields you've created and adjusted their densities without having
to call the edit function many, many times.
S
K
I CREATING/EDITING OUTPOSTS
D
When you first create a new solar system, there are no outposts present.
R Each outpost has an I.D. starting with the letter T, as in T02.
O
W To create or edit an outpost, go to EDIT SYSTEM, highlight Outpost (R) and
then use either the CREATE (C) or EDIT (E) buttons. A usurper panel
S appears, on which you can enter the name of the outpost (a standard text
K editing field), select its type (highlight one of the three labels under
I outpost TYPE), and adjust its supply and repair sophistication (using the
D two thermometer scales at the bottom of the box). Once the outpost's stats
are to your liking, use the LOCATE (L) button to exit the CREATE Outpost
R box and go into the map's LOCATE MODE to place the outpost (see LOCATE MODE
O below).
W
Outpost Limit
S
K You can have anywhere from 0 to 99 outposts in a system.
I
D Outpost Names
R When you first create a new outpost, the default name is "TANTALUS". You
O can edit this and change it to whatever you like.
W
Outpost Sophistication
S
K The default sophistication levels for any outpost's supply and repair
I factors is 50. You can adjust this factor from a bottom end limit of 0
D to a top end limit of 99. The more sophisticated the outpost, the better
equipped it is to help starships.
R
O Outpost Types
W
There are three outpost types in Rules of Engagement: FW, Enemy/UDP and
S Neutral.
K
I FW outposts are those which are allied with the FW or under FW control.
D They will allow your forces to dock without hesitation and do their best to
resupply and repair you.
R
O UDP/Enemy outposts are those controlled by hostile forces. They will not
W allow your forces to dock with them, but will allow your enemies to dock
and receive assistance. FW forces can, of course, attempt to board and
S seize control of such outposts.
K
I Neutral outposts are those which are not allied with either you or the
D enemy forces. They may nor may not allow a given ship to dock (dependant on
that the diplomatic ability of the ship's captain). In extreme emergencies
R FW forces can, of course, attempt to board and seize control of such
O outposts.
W
Outpost Locations
S
K Outposts can either be free-floating or planet-locked. A Free-floating
I outpost is a space station, while a planet-locked outpost rests on the
D surface of or in the atmosphere of a planet. To make an outpost free
floating, locate it outside of the boundaries of any planets. To make it
R planet-locked, place it within the bounds of a planet.
O
W HINT: It takes ships longer to resupply at planet-locked
outposts than from free-floating ones.
S
K
I RELOCATING STARS, PLANETS, ASTEROID FIELDS, AND OUTPOSTS
D
When you select RELOCATE (R), a selector box appears allowing you to
R specify which item of the selected type you wish to relocate. Highlight
O your selection and use LOCATE (L). You will jump immediately into locate
W mode, details of which follow.
S LOCATE MODE
K
I In this mode the EDIT SYSTEM buttons vanish and are replaced by DONE (D)
D and ABORT (A) buttons. At map center, a small crosshair appears, showing
the current location of the object to be located. You can move this
R crosshair anywhere on the map by either holding down a Shift key while
O clicking the mouse or by holding down a Shift key while pressing and
W holding one of the arrow keys on the keyboard.
S NOTE: Asteroid fields are placed by locating two opposite corners
K of a rectangular area defining the field. With the mouse this
I is accomplished by Shift-clicking to set the first corner of
D the rectangle, and then Shift-clicking again to set the
opposite corner.
R
O With the keyboard this is accomplished by using the Shift and arrow keys to
W set the first corner, and using the following keys to position to opposite
corner:
S
K Home moves the end corner to the left
I End moves the end corner to the right
D PageUp moves the end corner to the up
PageDown moves the end corner to the down
R
O Using a Shift-arrow key combination after a field area has been drawn
W erases the current field area and sets a new starting point.
S In locate mode all of the usual map, map centering, and map zoom controls
K work normally, allowing you to change the view radius, center, etc., which
I choosing the location for your object.
D
When the crosshair is placed correctly, use the DONE (D) button to exit
R LOCATE MODE and lock-down the selected item. If you decide you don't want
O to do this after all, ABORT (A) will exit LOCATE mode without making any
W changes to the map. (If you are relocating an existing object, it will not
be moved; if you were placing a newly created item, it's creation will be
S aborted and it will not appear at all.)
K
I
D SAVING A SOLAR SYSTEM
R There are no special conditions for saving a solar system, as the editor
O will not allow you to remove the only condition this builder requires: that
W you have at least one star.
S
K 206 MISSION
I
D The mission builder allows you to edit and create missions for the game. It
is the same mission builder used to create the missions included with the
R game.
O
W Missions are made up of the following components:
S 1) A single solar system in which the battle takes place
K 2) One or more Federated Worlds ships and captains
I 3) An Enemy Race to battle against
D 4) Some (or possibly no) enemy ships
5) Some (or possibly no) waypoints
R
O The first three mission components are created and stored separately from
W the missions (they will be referred to as "external components"). This
allows you to maintain a "library" of ships, ship captains, solar systems,
S and enemy races so that you do not need to create them each time you make a
K mission. Before creating or editing a mission, you should create and/or
I edit the external components. The external components are copied and stored
D in the mission file. This is done so that if you wish to trade missions
with someone, you need only send the mission file and not all the external
R components.
O
W Should you make a change to an external component, the change will not be
made in any missions that use the component. You will need to edit the
S mission and reread the component. Procedures for re-reading these
K components will be described later.
I
D The mission builder provides for the creation and editing of the remaining
mission components; enemy ships and waypoints. These are "internal
R components" and are unique to the mission.
O
W
ENTERING THE PANEL
S
K If you entered the panel by selecting CREATE from the main panel, you will
I first be required to select the solar system in which the mission takes
D place. You will be able to change this system later, but a solar system is
always required to begin a new mission.
R
O
W THE MAP
S You will notice that the mission builder panel is similar to the solar
K system builder panel (205). The map works almost identically. The
I difference is in the centering control (see SET VIEW CENTER below).
D
R EDIT MISSION
O
W To the right of the map are three banks of controls. The uppermost is the
most important, for the controls in it are used for creating and editing
S mission components. Under EDIT MISSION are selection buttons used to pick
K the type of item to act on, and action buttons used to act on the selected
I item type. Below these are a group of four buttons used to edit other
D mission information. These four buttons will be described later.
R
O Of the selection buttons, only one can be highlighted at one time. A small
W movable "tab" links the highlighted button to a bracket which connects it
to the action buttons immediately to the right. The selection buttons are:
S
K FW FLEET (F) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to load
I (from a library), edit, relocate or remove Federated
D Worlds ships in the mission.
R ENEMY (Y) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
O create, edit, relocate or delete enemy ships in the
W mission.
S WAYPOINT (W) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
K create, edit, relocate or delete waypoints in the mission.
I
D IGS (G) When highlighted, the action buttons allow you to
specify Breach 2 scenarios that are linked to outpost
R and enemy ships.
O
W The action buttons are to the right of the selection buttons. There are two
sets of action buttons. The first is for FW FLEET, ENEMY, and WAYPOINT.
S They are:
K
I ADD (A) Brings up a usurper box which is used to add a new FW
D ship, enemy ship, or waypoint.
R EDIT (E) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
O item of the type selected you wish to edit. Once the
W item has been picked, a usurper box appears, which is
used to edit the selected item.
S
K RELOCATE (R) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
I item of the type selected you wish to relocate. Once the
D item has been picked, the map display switches into
"locate" mode (see below), allowing you to alter the
R system location of the item.
O
W DELETE (L) Produces a selector with which you pick which specific
item of the type selected you wish to delete.
S
K The second set is only for IGS. They are:
I
D OUTPOST -> BREACH 2 (O) Brings up a usurper box which is used to link
a Breach 2 scenario to an outpost.
R
O ENEMY -> BREACH 2 (E) Brings up a usurper box which is used to link
W a Breach 2 scenario to an enemy ship.
S
K VIEW FIELD
I
D This subpanel consists of three items: two action buttons and a miniature
representation of the map. The first action button is MIN (N), and
R activating it causes the map radius to be set to minimum radius (75
O kilometers). The second button is MAX (M), which sets the map radius to
W maximum radius (2 billion kilometers). The miniature map is used to show
the size and location of the current map view relative to the full system
S map. A square frame within the mini map indicates the current map area. If
K you reduce the view area of the large map, the framed area will shrink.
I And, if you alter the view center, the frame will move off-center as well.
D
SET VIEW CENTER
R
O The SET VIEW CENTER (T) button here is used to quickly center the map view
W on specific items within the solar system. Activating this button will
bring up subpanel 011. This subpanel contains buttons for all the map
S elements. Activating any of these buttons causes a selector to appear, with
K which you identify the specific item of the indicated type to center on.
I Highlight the item on the selector and then use its CENTER (N) button. This
D causes the map's horizontal and vertical centering coordinates to be
altered to center on the selected item. The name of the item will appear at
R the top of the main map.
O
W The centering options are:
S FW SHIP (F) Center on a Federated Worlds ship
K ENEMY SHIP (E) Center on an enemy ship
I WAYPOINT (W) Center on a waypoint
D STAR (T) Center on a star
PLANET (L) Center on a planet
R ASTEROID (I) Center on an asteroid field
O OUTPOST (U) Center on an outpost
W ABORT (A) Abort the centering command
S THE INFO BUTTON
K
I Between the VIEW FIELD subpanel and the main map is a single action button:
D INFO (I). Activating INFO results in an information usurper box appearing,
listing data about the item the map display is currently centered on (if
R any). The name currently centered item will appear at the top of the main
O map.
W
If you manually move the view center off of an item, the last centered item
S remains listed at the top of the map and the subject of INFO until you
K re-center on another item.
I
D This feature is a quick way to check on the stats of an item without having
to enter an editing mode. Use the SET VIEW CENTER controls to center on the
R object you want and then use INFO to "scan" it.
O
W MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS
S Four other buttons, grouped below the edit mission controls, allow for the
K editing of the remaining mission information.
I
D NAME/DIFF (D)
R Activating this button will bring up subpanel 014, allowing you to set the
O name and author of the mission, difficulty level, and solar system used in
W the mission.
S The EDIT (E) button allows you to edit the mission name. The mission name
K is the name displayed on the main game panel (101). This name should
I appear similar to a military operation codename. The NAME (A) button allows
D you to edit the author's name. The author's name will appear when a mission
is played.
R
O The mission difficulty is your estimation of the difficulty in completing
W the mission. Note that by convention, missions should be rates assuming
the game is played on the advanced level.
S
K The CHANGE SYSTEM (C) button will bring up a usurper box allowing you to
I select a new solar system or re-load the existing one. You would want to
D re-load the same solar system if you were to make changes to the system in
the solar system builder.
R
O When you are finished editing, select DONE (D) to save the changes.
W
RACE (C)
S
K Activating this button will bring up a selector box allowing you to select
I or change the enemy race in the mission. Before saving a mission, you will
D need to make this selection.
R At the top of the selector box, the currently selected enemy race will
O appear. If no race has yet been selected, "NONE" will appear.
W
There are three buttons at the bottom of the selector box. CANCEL (C) will
S remove the selector and no change will result. EXAMINE (E) will bring up
K subpanel 006 allowing you to view the personality traits and dossier of the
I currently highlighted race. DONE (D) will remove the selector box, making
D the currently highlighted race the enemy race used in the mission.
R Note that subpanel 006 that appears on selecting EXAMINE has a few controls
O of its own. When it initially appears, the personality traits will be
W displayed. By activating the DOSSIER (O) button, the dossier for the race
will be displayed. You can scroll the dossier up and down using the up and
S down arrow buttons. When displaying the dossier, activating the TRAITS (T)
K button will return you to the traits display. Selecting DONE (D) will
I remove the subpanel and return you to the selector box.
D
SET VICTORY (S)
R
O Activating this button will bring up subpanel 012, allowing you to edit the
W victory conditions for the mission. For a description of each of the
victory conditions, see Part III of the manual under "Objectives".
S
K This subpanel lists the eight mission victory conditions. Each of the
I conditions can be turned on or off by activating the appropriate ON (O) or
D OFF (F) button in the toggle column. A check mark will appear to the right
of these buttons (in the active column) if the condition is on.
R
O When playing from the keyboard, you will first need to select the victory
W condition by pressing the appropriate number key (1-8). The edit column
will display the currently selected condition. Some victory conditions have
S additional data that must be entered. These are as follows:
K
I CONDITION 2 For this condition, you must select both a ship and a
D waypoint. The + and - buttons are used to select the
ship, and the UP and DOWN buttons are used to select the
R waypoint. You must first add the ships and waypoints,
O since these controls will scroll through only the existing
W items. If you later remove a ship or a waypoint that
relates to this victory condition, the condition will
S automatically be turned off.
K
I If you are using a keyboard, you must select victory
D condition 2 (by pressing 2) before using the +, -,
UP and DOWN.
R
O CONDITION 4 For this condition, you must first select an outpost
W using the UP and DOWN buttons.
S If you are using a keyboard, you must select victory
K condition 4 (by pressing the number 4) before pressing
I the UP and DOWN keys.
D
CONDITION 5 For this condition, you must select an enemy ship using
R the UP and DOWN buttons.
O
W If you are using a keyboard, you must select victory
condition 5 (by pressing the number 5) before pressing
S the UP and DOWN keys.
K
I CONDITION 6 For this condition, you must select a percentage of the
D enemy fleet to neutralize. Activate the SET % (S)
button and an edit field will appear around the current
R percentage. Backspace over the old percentage and
O enter a new one. Press the enter key when done.
W
CONDITION 7 For this condition, you must select a percentage of the
S outposts to control. Activate the SET % (E) button and
K an edit field will appear around the current percentage.
I Backspace over the old percentage and enter a new
D one. Press the enter key when done.
R CONDITION 8 For this condition, you must enter a time limit in hours
O and minutes. Activate the HOURS (H) button and an
W edit field will appear around the current hour value.
Backspace over the old value and enter a new one.
S Press the enter key when done. Activating the MINS
K (M) button will similarly allow you to edit the minutes
I value.
D
When you have finished editing the victory conditions, activate the DONE
R (D) button to save the changes. Activating the ABORT (A) button will abort
O all changes you have made.
W
BRIEFING (B)
S
K Activating this button will bring up subpanel 015 allowing you to edit the
I mission briefing. The editing controls work the same as the editing
D controls in the captain and enemy race dossier panels. Operation of these
controls is covered at the end of Part VII, under the heading Supplement:
R Dossier/Briefing Editors. Refer to that section for details on using the
O mission briefing editor.
W
KEYBOARD NOTE: Since keypresses in the editor mode are interpreted as text
S entry into the mission briefing, to use any of the normal screen buttons in
K the editor mode, hold down the Alternate key on your keyboard while
I pressing the indicated letter, such as pressing Alt #I to switch back into
D insert mode.
R ADDING FW FLEET SHIPS
O
W When you first create a new mission, there are no FW ships present. Each FW
ship has an I.D. starting with the letter F, as in F02.
S
K To add an FW ship, activate the FW FLEET (F) button, and then use the ADD
I (A) button. A selector box will appear, allowing you to select both a ship
D and a captain. The left-hand column will display the list of ships in your
library.
R
O Preceding each ship name is a two letter code indicating the class of the
W ship. The codes are:
S TR Transport
K SC Scout
I DE Destroyer
D CR Cruiser
HV Heavy Cruiser
R DR Dreadnought
O
W The right-hand column displays your library of ship captains. These two
lists can be scrolled up and down by using the buttons on either side of
S the names. The PageUp and PageDown buttons will scroll the ship list, and
K the + and - buttons will scroll the captains list.
I
D Select both a ship and a captain by pointing to the name and clicking the
mouse. From the keyboard you can use the UP and DOWN keys to select the
R ship, and use the LEFT and RIGHT keys to select the captain. Note that by
O selecting the Fleet Commander as the ship captain, you are in effect
W selecting the flagship for the mission. This is the ship that the player
will be commanding. Since there can only be one flagship in each mission,
S you can only select the fleet commander for one ship in each mission.
K
I Below each list are buttons for examining the currently selected item.
D Activating EXAMINE SHIP (S) will bring up a box (007) displaying
information on the selected ship. The ship name, class, and parts manifest
R are all shown. Activating DONE (D) will remove this box.
O
W EXAMINE CAPTAIN (C) will bring up a box (006) displaying information on the
currently selected captain. Initially, the personality traits will be
S displayed. Activating the DOSSIER (O) button will display the dossier. The
K dossier can be scrolled using the UP and DOWN keys. Activating DONE (D)
I will remove this box.
D
Once you have selected the ship and captain, use the EDIT/LOCATE (E) button
R to continue with the process. Activating the ABORT (A) button instead will
O abort the process of adding a ship. If you have continued the process, a
W new box (007) will appear allowing you to edit the damage status of the
ship. This allows you to have the ship begin the mission with some damage
S already sustained. Each system will begin at 100% operational. Reducing
K each value will cause each system to be damaged that amount. Reducing the
I value to zero means the system is destroyed. The only way the player will
D be able to repair a destroyed system is at an appropriate outpost.
R If using a mouse, you can operate either the slider controls or the + and -
O buttons to set the damage level. From the keyboard, first select the system
W you want to set (using the buttons to the left of the damage level amount),
then use the + and - keys to adjust the damage level.
S
K Activating the ARMAMENTS (A) button will display the initial missile
I quantity on board the ship. The ship will begin with no missiles. Missiles
D can be added by pressing the UP and DOWN buttons. When using a keyboard,
first select the missile type you wish to change by activating the
R appropriate button (use keys 1 thru 8). Next, use the UP and DOWN keys to
O change the missile quantity. You will be limited in the quantity of each
W type of missile that can be loaded according to the weapons system on the
ship. Refer to Appendix Ill under the weapons system parts list for the
S maximum quantities.
K
I After the damage and armaments are set, use the LOCATE (O) button to exit
D the box and go into the map's locate mode to place the ship within the
solar system (see LOCATE MODE below). Activating the ABORT (B) button
R instead will abort the addition of the ship.
O
W EDITING FW FLEET SHIPS
S To edit an existing FW ship, activate the FW FLEET (F) button, and then use
K the EDIT (E) button. A selector box will appear, allowing you to select the
I ship you wish to edit. The left-hand column will display the list of ships
D already in the mission.
R The right-hand column displays the captain currently assigned to the ship.
O The ship list can be scrolled up and down by using the buttons to the left
W of the ship ID. Select the ship you wish to edit by pointing to the name
and clicking the mouse. From the keyboard you can use the UP and DOWN keys.
S
K Below the right-hand list is the CHANGE CAPTAIN (C) button. Activating this
I button will cause the selector box to change into a mode allowing you to
D select a different (or re-load the existing) captain for the selected ship.
This works similar to the selector box for adding a ship, except the
R left-hand column will only display the selected ship.
O
W Note that the ship that is assigned the Fleet Commander will act as the
flagship for the mission. This is the ship that the player will be
S commanding. Only one ship can be assigned the Fleet Commander.
K
I Once you have selected the ship, use the EDIT (E) button to edit the damage
D and armament, or the RELOCATE (R) button to relocate the ship. Activating
the ABORT (A) button instead will abort the editing process.
R
O If you have selected EDIT, the damage and armament edit box will appear.
W This box will operate the same as it does in adding a new ship.
S If you selected the RELOCATE button, the map will go into the locate mode,
K allowing you to reposition the ship.
I
D
ADDING ENEMY SHIPS
R
O When you first create a new mission, there are no enemy ships present. Each
W enemy ship has an I.D. starting with the letter E, as in E02.
S To add an enemy ship, activate the ENEMY (E) button, and then use the ADD
K (A) button. A selector box will appear, allowing you to select both a ship
I and a captain. The left-hand column will display the list of enemy ship
D classes.
R The right hand column displays a list of ranks for the ship captain. These
O two lists can be scrolled up and down by using the buttons on either side
W of the names. The PageUp and PageDown buttons will scroll the ship list,
and the + and - buttons will scroll the captains list.
S
K By making the two selections, you are picking the class of the enemy ship,
I and the rank of the ship's captain. If you pick a captain with a higher
D rank, he will be more experienced at commanding the ship and crew.
R Select both a ship class and a captain rank by pointing to the name and
O clicking the mouse. From the keyboard you can use the UP and DOWN keys to
W select the ship class, and the LEFT and RIGHT keys to select the rank.
S Once you have made your selections, use the EDIT/LOCATE (E) button to
K continue with the process. Activating the ABORT (A) button instead will
I abort the process of adding a ship.
D
If you have continued the process, a new box (007) will appear allowing you
R to edit lit the damage status of the ship. This allows you to have the ship
O begin the mission with some damage already sustained. Each system will
W begin at 100% operational. Reducing each value will cause each system to
be damaged that amount. Reducing the value to zero means the system is
S destroyed. The only way the enemy will be able to repair a destroyed system
K is at an appropriate outpost.
I
D If using a mouse, you can operate either the slider controls or the + and -
buttons to set the damage level. From the keyboard, first select the system
R you want to set (using the buttons to the left of the damage level amount),
O then use the + and - keys to adjust the damage level.
W
Activating the ARMAMENTS (A) button will display the initial missile
S quantity on board the ship. The ship will begin with no missiles. Missiles
K can be added by pressing the UP and DOWN buttons. When using a keyboard,
I first select the missile type you wish to change by activating the
D appropriate button (use keys 1 thru 8). Next, use the UP and DOWN keys to
change the missile quantity. You will be limited in the quantity of each
R type of missile that can be loaded according to the weapons system on the
O ship. Refer to Appendix II under the weapons system parts list for the
W maximum quantities.
S After the damage and armaments are set, use the LOCATE (O) button to exit
K the box and go into the map's locate mode to place the enemy ship within
I the solar system (see LOCATE MODE below). Activating the ABORT (B) button
D instead will abort the addition of the ship.
R EDITING ENEMY SHIPS
O
W To edit an existing enemy ship, activate the ENEMY (Y) button, and then use
the EDIT (E) button. A selector box will appear, allowing you to select the
S ship you wish to edit. The left-hand column will display the list of enemy
K ships already in the mission.
I
D The right-hand column displays the rank of the captain currently assigned
to the ship. The ship list can be scrolled up and down by using the buttons
R to the left of the ship ID. Select the ship you wish to edit by pointing to
O the name and clicking the mouse. From the keyboard you can use the UP and
W DOWN keys.
S Below the right-hand list is the CHANGE CAPTAIN (C) button. Activating this
K button will cause the selector box to change into a mode allowing you to
I select a different rank for the captain of the selected ship. This works
D similar to the selector box for adding a ship, except the left-hand column
will only display the selected ship.
R
O Once you have selected the ship, use the EDIT (E) button to edit the damage
W and armament, or the RELOCATE (R) button to relocate the ship. Activating
the ABORT (A) button instead will abort the editing process.
S
K If you have selected EDIT, the damage and armament edit box will appear.
I This box will operate the same as it does in adding a new ship. If you
D selected the RELOCATE button, the map will go into the locate mode,
allowing you to reposition the ship.
R
O ADDING WAYPOINTS
W
When you first create a new mission, there are no waypoints present. Each
S waypoint has an I.D. starting with the letter X, as in X02.
K
I To add a waypoint, activate the WAYPOINT (W) button, and then use the ADD
D (A) button. The map will go into the locate mode to allow you to position
the waypoint within the solar system (see LOCATE MODE below).
R
O RELOCATING SHIPS AND WAYPOINTS
W
When you select RELOCATE (R), a selector box appears allowing you to
S specify which item of the selected type you wish to relocate. Highlight
K your selection and use LOCATE (L). You will jump immediately into locate
I mode, details of which follow.
D
LOCATE MODE
R
O In this mode the EDIT MISSION buttons vanish and are replaced by DONE (D)
W and ABORT (A) buttons. At map center, a small crosshair appears, showing
the current location of the object to be located. You can move this
S crosshair anywhere on the map by either holding down a Shift key while
K clicking the mouse or by holding down a Shift key while pressing and
I holding one of the arrow keys on the keyboard.
D
In locate mode all of the usual map, map centering, and map zoom controls
R work normally, allowing you to change the view radius, center, etc., which
O choosing the location for your object.
W
When the crosshair is placed correctly, use the DONE (D) button to exit
S LOCATE MODE and lock-down the selected item. If you decide you don't want
K to do this after all, ABORT (A) will exit LOCATE mode without making any
I changes to the map. (If you are relocating an existing object, it will not
D be moved; if you were placing a newly created item, it's creation will be
aborted and it will not appear at all.)
R
O SAVING A MISSION
W
Before you can save a mission, you must first give it a name, select an
S enemy race, and add at least one FW ship with the Fleet Commander as the
K captain (the flagship). If you try to save a mission before specifying one
I of these elements, you will receive a warning message and be returned to
D the editor.
R SUPPLEMENT: DOSSIER/BRIEFING EDITORS
O
W The dossier editors for the CAPTAINS (Panel 202) and ENEMY RACES (Panel
204) and the mission briefing editor of the MISSION BUILDER (Panel 206) are
S all virtually identical, documentation on the operation of the editor is
K covered in this subsection.
I
D THE EDITOR
R The editor consists of a field some 15 lines tall and approximately 70
O characters wide. We say "approximately" because all of the text in Rules of
W Engagement is proportionally spaced. This means that, unlike standard
computer text, each character does not take up exactly the same amount of
S space as all others. Thus, an I requires only half the space of an A and
K one third the space of an M.
I
D Like the smaller text editing fields seen in Rules of Engagement, a small
cursor appears wherever you are currently typing. Unlike those fields, the
R Enter-Return key on your keyboard does not exit the text editing mode, nor
O does clicking the mouse. As long as the DOSSIER button is active, all
W normal keyboard input is interpreted as text editing.
S KEYBOARD NOTE: Since keypresses in dossier mode are interpreted as text
K entry into the dossier, to use any of the normal screen buttons in this
I mode, hold down the Alternate key on your keyboard while pressing the
D indicated letter, such as pressing Alt + T to switch back to traits mode.
The alternate key is not necessary when using the function keys for buttons
R on the Upper Bar.
O
W MOUSE NOTE: Clicking the mouse on existing dossier/briefing text jumps the
text editing cursor to that location. If you click where no text has been
S typed, the cursor will not jump to that location.
K
I There are two text editing modes, overtype and insert. The default setting
D when you first enter panel 202 is for overtype mode. The current mode is
determined by the status of the two buttons to the right of the dossier
R text field. Only one of them can be active at any one time.
O
W INSERT (Alt + I)
S If this is highlighted, when you move the cursor into the midst of existing
K text and begin typing, text in inserted at the cursor position, pushing
I existing text to the right. If the end of the existing text being "pushed"
D hits the physical end/limit of the dossier text field, the last "word" (a
group of characters with no spaces within) will be deleted. To prevent the
R loss of the end of your dossier you will have to delete some existing text
O first, move the cursor to another location, or switch to overtype mode
W (below).
S OVER (Alt + O)
K
I If this is highlighted, when you move the cursor into the midst of existing
D text and begin typing, the text you type replaces existing text,
overwriting it.
R
O Finally, in the MISSION BRIEFING editor (015) there is a DONE (Alt + D)
W button below the insert and overtype mode controls. This button is used to
exit to the MISSION panel (206).
S
K Additional notes on text editor operation:
I
D The arrow/cursor keys can send the text editing cursor up, down, left or
right. The only limitation is that you cannot cursor out into "blank" space
R where no characters or spaces have been typed.
O
W Word-wrap is automatic. If the word you are typing reaches the end of the
current line and will not fit, it is automatically "wrapped" around to the
S next line.
K
I Enter/Return puts a "hard-Return" at the end of the current line and forces
D the cursor to the next line down.
R The Backspace key deletes text to the left of the-cursor.
O
W The Delete key does nothing.
S The numbers and decimal point/period on the numeric keypad are not usable
K (although the 2,4,6 and 8 keys are used as cursor keys).
I
D The text which appears in this editor is purely uppercase, thus the status
of the Shift and CapsLock keys have no effect on the case of letters.
R
O Although most standard characters and punctuation are supported, the
W following symbols are unavailable:
S @ # $ ^ & = | < > { }
K
I There is no provision for importing external text files as dossiers.
D
While the proportionally spaced text makes the dossier nicer looking, its
R main drawback is that it forces the program to do lots of recalculations
O every time a character is inserted or deleted, as it must do a lot of
W redrawing. Therefore, the dossier editor can get quite sluggish if you're
backspacing or inserting text in a fairly "full" dossier.
S
K Because of the proportional spacing, the maximum number of characters
I possible in a single dossier is variable.
D
R
O PART VIII: THE INTERLOCKING GAME SYSTEM
W
Overview
S
K The Interlocking Game System (herein referred to as IGS) is an innovative
I new approach to computer games. IGS Games are capable of working with one
D another, appearing to the player to be a single game.
R Rules of Engagement (hereafter referred to as Rules) is an IGS controlling
O module. It is, in effect, the starting point for your characters. Rules
W will automatically load and run other IGS games when the game conditions
warrant.
S
K Requirements
I
D The only special requirement to run the IGS system is a hard drive.
Unfortunately, running such a complex and intertwined system as IGS just
R does not work smoothly on a floppy based system.
O
W Breach 2
S As of this writing, the game Breach 2 is the other game in the IGS series.
K You will need Breach 2 version 2.0 or higher (the version number is shown
I on the title screen of the game). When installing Rules, you will have the
D option of installing the IGS links. This procedure requires your original
Breach 2 disks and will actually copy Breach 2 into the same directory of
R your hard disk that contains Rules.
O
W Some Rules missions contain "WIGS Links", meaning that there is at least
one enemy ship or outpost that is linked to a Breach 2 scenario (included
S with the mission). When attempting to board the ship or outpost, the game
K will bypass the normal boarding screen (panel 401) and instead, load
I Breach 2 and the scenario. No additional interaction is required on your
D part! Your Fleet Commander will act as the Squad Leader for the mission.
All experience gained in the mission is transferred back to Rules and saved
R in your Fleet Commander's record.
O
W The scenario can be saved in progress if you desire. Once you resume the
mission, Rules will automatically reload Breach 2 and resume the scenario.
S When the scenario is complete, you will return to Rules right where you
K left off.
I
D The Future
R More IGS modules are planned in the future. Under consideration are modules
O to simulate planetary assaults, and a module permitting you to explore and
W colonize uncharted space.
S
K
I APPENDIX I: ALL ABOUT FLEET COMMANDERS
D
Fleet Commander characters are created by you, the user, and act as your
R alter-ego in the game. You can create as many Fleet Commanders as you
O like, although playing consistently with one or two will probably increase
W the rate at which promotions are achieved.
S NOTE: If your Feet Commander is killed in a mission the character
K is not erased from the disk. The mission is simply
I logged as a "mission loss" in the character's stats.
D
Your overall objective is to advance your Fleet Commander. This is
R accomplished by successfully completing missions, which raises the total
O score for the Commander. When certain scores are reached, the Commander is
W promoted (see Scores below).
S Moving up through the ranks is very important. Fleet Commanders who have
K not reached particular ranks will not be allowed to command missions where
I the flagship is a large warship. For instance, in order to command a heavy
D cruiser class flagship, your Fleet Commander must have a rank of at least
1st Lieutenant.
R
O Following is a listing of flagship classes and the minimum rank a Fleet
W Commander must have in order to assume command.
S Flagship Class Minimum Rank
K Transport Ensign
I Scout Ensign
D Destroyer Ensign
Cruiser Ensign
R Heavy Cruiser 1st Lieutenant
O Dreadnought Commander
W
When a game has been started, the Fleet Commander chosen for the game is
S removed from the "available" list, and his/her name is followed by a N/A
K (Not-Available) flag. Until the game in question is completed or deleted,
I that Commander will not be usable. This is to prevent the character from
D being used in multiple games at the same time, which would cause problems
when, the character completed the missions. After all, how could anyone
R command two Flagships in two different locales at the same time?!
O
W Creating Commanders and Importing Others
S From the GAME/MISSION 101 panel you can create, examine and delete Fleet
K Commanders characters (this is covered in detail in Part V of this manual),
I as well as import Breach 2 Squad Leaders as Commanders (covered in Appendix
D VI). All Fleet Commanders are stored in a file called RULES.CMD. It is
possible to import other RULES.CMD files and add the Commanders in that
R file to your own list. See Appendix VI for details on how to import .CMD
O files.
W
WARNING! Deleting or overwriting the RULES.CMD file erases all Fleet
S Commanders you have created.
K
I Character Stats
D
Each Fleet Commander has his/her own set of statistics. There are two
R categories of stats for each Commander, 'Mission' and 'Squad Level'.
O Mission stats are related to the commander's performance in Rules of
W Engagement missions. Mission stats are:
S SCORE
K
I Each mission attempted results in a score, which is added to the total
D score from all missions attempted by the Commander.
R ATTEMPTED
O
W The total number of missions the Commander has attempted so far.
S BATTLE TIME
K
I The total time the Commander has spent in missions; listed in hours.
D
VICTORIES
R
O The total number of missions the Commander has successfully completed.
W
LOSSES
S
K The total number of missions the Commander has failed to complete.
I
D SHIPS LOST
R The total number of Federated Worlds starships lost in battle in missions
O commanded by the Commander.
W
KILLS
S
K The total number of enemy vessels captured/destroyed in missions led by the
I Commander.
D
The Squad Level stats relate to the boarding of enemy ships and Outposts.
R The first six stats (encumbrance, base moves, bonus moves, accuracy,
O cracking, and detecting) come into play only if the Interlocking Game
W System (IGS) is used to access Breach 2 when boarding enemy ships and
Outposts. These stats relate specifically to Breach 2 action and have no
S effect in Rules of Engagement itself. (See Part VIII of this manual for
K more information about IGS and Breach 2.) The remaining six Squad Level
I stats are affected by both Breach 2 and the built-in marine-combat routines
D of Rules of Engagement. These stats are:
R SQUAD BATTLES
O
W The total number of squad battles the Commander has attempted thus far.
S SQUAD VICTORIES
K
I The total number of successful squad battles the Commander has led thus
D far.
R SQUAD LOSSES
O
W The total number of unsuccessful squad battles the Commander has led
thus far.
S
K SQUAD TIME
I
D The total time (in minutes) the Commander has spent leading squads.
R SQUAD LEVEL KILLS
O
W The total number of enemies killed by the Commander (himself) in squad
missions thus far.
S
K MARINES LOST
I
D The total number of FWSF marines under the Commander who were killed in
squad battles thus far.
R
O Score
W
At the end of each mission the Commander receives a mission score, which
S is appended to the character's total score.
K
I The mission score is based upon mission performance. For instance,
D sustaining crew casualties, damage, and destruction of Federated Worlds
ships, and enemy takeovers of FW Outposts all have negative effects on the
R mission score. On the other hand, if the Commander's forces destroy enemy
O ships, or capture enemy ships and Outposts, the score is effected
W positively.
S HINT: Capturing enemy vessels yields more points than simply
K destroying them.
I
D Promotions
R A Fleet Commander is promoted in rank when his/her score reaches certain
O levels. Promotions are based on score.
W
Rank Minimum Score
S
K Ensign 0
I 2nd Lieutenant 150
D 1st Lieutenant 300
Lieutenant Commander 500
R Commander 800
O Captain 1,100
W Commodore 1,800
Rear Admiral 2,700
S Vice Admiral 3,400
K Admiral 4,100
I Fleet Admiral 5,000
D
Commendations
R
O In addition to being promoted through the ranks, your Fleet Commanders can
W also receive commendations for their actions. There are six medals that can
be awarded, and any commander can have multiples of each. The medals are
S displayed when you examine a Fleet Commander from either the GAME/MISSION
K panel or when you check the Commander's docket from DATA RETRIEVAL within
I the game. Medals are as listed below and awarded in the circumstances
D following.
R FW CROSS
O
W Awarded when, in a single mission, at least 3 enemy Outposts or 8 enemy
ships are captured or destroyed.
S
K DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
I
D Awarded once every 40 enemy ships losses.
R PURPLE HEART
O
W Awarded when, upon returning from a mission, the Fleet Commander's ship
suffered more than 50% crew loss.
S
K DISTINGUISHED CAREER CLUSTER
I
D Awarded every 20 victorious missions.
R FW MEDAL OF HONOR
O
W Awarded for every 500 points of score.
S
K
I APPENDIX II: OPPOSING FORCES
D (were pictures here. You want them, go BUY the game!)
R UDP/Enemy Fleet Ship List
O
W Part Numbers
Communication 1
S Drives 1
K Life 1
I Shields 1
D Computer 1
Weapons 1
R
O Class: Transport Crew Compliment: 26
W Length: 390 Meters Manufacturer: Dorner-Chapman
Beam: 247 Meters Classification: Goods and Passenger Transport
S Draught: 196 Meters
K
I Part Numbers
D Communication 1
Computer 2
R Drives 2
O Life 1
W Shields 1
Weapons 2
S
K Class: Scout Crew Compliment: 53
I Length: 125 Meters Manufacturer: Vaccusys
D Beam: 41 Meters Classification: Research and Exploration
Draught: 40 Meters
R
O Part Numbers
W Communication 2
Computer 1
S Drives 2
K Life 2
I Shields 2
D Weapons 3
R Class: Destroyer Crew Compliment: 79
O Length: 125 Meters Manufacturer: DuBois Autoengineering Company
W Beam: 50 Meters Classification: Warship
Draught: 49 Meters
S
K Part Numbers
I Communication 2
D Computer 3
Drives 3
R Life 2
O Shields 3
W Weapons 4
S Class: Cruiser Crew Compliment: 84
K Length: 143 Meters Manufacturer: GordCon Aero-Astro
I Beam: 54 Meters Classification: Warship
D Draught: 67 Meters
R
O Part Numbers
W Communication Unknown
Computer 4
S Drives 4
K Life 2
I Shields 4
D Weapons 4
R Class: Heavy Cruiser Crew Compliment: Unknown
O Length: 206 Meters Manufacturer: Vaccusys/GordCon Aero-Astro
W Beam: 137 Meters Classification: Warship
Draught: 82 Meters
S
K Part Numbers
I Communication 3
D Computer Unknown
Drives 5
R Life Unknown
O Shields 5
W Weapons 5
S Class: Dreadnought Crew Compliment: Unknown
K Length: 338 Meters Manufacturer: Classified
I Beam: 140 Meters Classification: Warship
D Draught: 125 Meters
R
O Enemy Parts Lists
W
The following are lists of parts for the six different system on board the
S ships.
K
I NOTE: The following information is listed for each part in
D each system. Most systems have other information that
will be described in each section.
R
O DP's Damage points the system can incur.
W The more DP's, the stronger the part.
Soph Sophistication level of the part.
S Size The size factor of each part.
K
I Life Support System Parts List
D
# Type DP's Soph Size
R
O 1 Enemy Type 1 6 33 1
W 2 Enemy Type 2 14 56 3
3 Enemy Type 3 25 95 4
S
K
I Communications System Parts List
D
# Type OP's Soph Size Max Inf Base Sig Scan Radius
R
O 1 Enemy Type 1 5 35 1 22 38 39
W 2 Enemy Type 2 6 56 3 51 62 153
3 Enemy Type 3 18 90 5 95 97 230
S
K Notes:
I
D "Max Inf" is the maximum interference level that the part can experience
and still transmit.
R
O "Base Sig" is the base signal strength. The higher number indicates a
W stronger transmitter.
S "Scan Radius" is the maximum range of the scanner in millions of
K kilometers.
I
D Computer System Parts List
R # Type OP's Soph Size
O
W 1 Enemy Type 1 5 39 5
2 Enemy Type 2 12 42 6
S 3 Enemy Type 3 21 76 8
K 4 Enemy Type 4 34 98 4
I
D Shield System Parts List
R DP Blockage
O # Type DP's Soph Size 1 2 3 4
W
1 Enemy Type 1 15 63 3 2 2 2 2
S 2 Enemy Type 2 21 68 6 9 8 8 6
K 3 Enemy Type 3 26 72 11 15 12 12 8
I 4 Enemy Type 4 41 85 12 18 15 15 12
D 5 Enemy Type 5 53 98 14 32 24 24 11
R Notes:
O
W "DP Blockage" is the number of damage points that will be blocked by each
of the 4 shields.
S
K Drive System Parts List
I
D # Type DP's Soph Size Max velocity Acceleration
R 1 Enemy Type 1 6 73 1 0.42 0.013
O 2 Enemy Type 2 9 76 5 0.64 0.047
W 3 Enemy Type 3 21 83 4 0.87 0.089
4 Enemy Type 4 32 86 8 0.92 0.103
S 5 Enemy Type 5 43 94 11 0.98 0.093
K
I Notes:
D
"Max Velocity" is listed as a percentage of light-speed.
R
O "Acceleration" is listed in units of light-speed per second per second
W
Weapons System Parts List
S
K Maximum Missiles
I
D # Type DP's Soph Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EBW
R 1 Enemy Type l 4 42 2 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 13
O 2 Enemy Type 2 12 49 6 4 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 15
W 3 Enemy Type 3 22 63 13 6 6 2 4 2 0 0 0 21
4 Enemy Type 4 37 79 8 10 10 8 9 3 2 2 0 32
S 5 Enemy Type 5 43 90 11 14 10 12 12 8 3 3 2 41
K
I Notes:
D
"Maximum Missiles" lists the maximum number of each type of missile that
R can be carried.
O
W "EBW" lists the damage points inflicted by the EBW at 100% power.
S
K
I APPENDIX III: FW SHIP STATS & PARTS LISTS
D
FW Ship List
R
O
W Maximum Sizes for Parts
Communication 2
S Computer 5
K Drives 2
I Life 2
D Shields 4
Weapons 3
R
O Class: Transport Crew Compliment: 38
W Length: 450 Meters Manufacturer: DuBois Autoengineering Company
Beam: 173 Meters Classification: Goods and Passenger Transport
S Draught: 173 Meters
K
I Maximum Sizes for Parts
D Communication 3
Computer 6
R Drives 4
O Life 2
W Shields 8
Weapons 8
S
K Class: Scout Crew Compliment: 61
I Length: 108 Meters Manufacturer: YopCo Astronautics Division
D Beam: 39 Meters Classification: Research and Exploration
Draught: 39 Meters
R
O Maximum Sizes for Parts
W Communications 4
Computer 6
S Drives 7
K Life 3
I Shields 11
D Weapons 8
R Class: Destroyer Crew Compliment: 67
O Length: 170 Meters Manufacturer: YopCo Astronautics Division
W Beam: 55 Meters Classification: Search and Destroy
Draught: 49 Meters
S
K Maximum Sizes for Parts
I Communication 5
D Computer 7
Drives 14
R Life 3
O Shields 16
W Weapons 9
S Class: Cruiser Crew Compliment: 91
K Length: 225 Meters Manufacturer: Woden
I Beam: 115 Meters Classification: Exploration and Defense
D Draught: 52 Meters
R Maximum Sizes for Parts
O Communication 5
W Computer 12
Drives 14
S Life 4
K Shields 18
I Weapons 10
D
Class: Heavy Cruiser Crew Compliment: 109
R Length: 250 Meters Manufacturer: Woden
O Beam: 130 Meters Classification: Warship
W Draught: 52 Meters
S Maximum Sizes for Parts
K Communication 8
I Computer 13
D Drives 16
Life 5
R Shields 20
O Weapons 11
W
Class: Dreadnought Crew Compliment: 134
S Length: 303 Meters Manufacturer: Classified
K Beam: 141 Meters Classification: Warship
I Draught: 81 Meters
D
FW Parts Lists
R
O The following are lists of parts for the six different system on board the
W ships.
S NOTE: The following information is listed for each part in each
K system. Most systems have other information that will be
I described in each section.
D
DP's Damage points the system can incur. The more DP's, the
R stronger the part.
O Soph Sophistication level of the part.
W Size The size factor of each part.
S Life Support System Parts List
K
I # Type DP's Soph Size
D
1 Yopcompany Cli-Mate 3 8 45 2
R 2 Gas Technology AF #4 12 78 3
O 3 Franklin Lab Zonemaster 21 94 4
W
S Communications System Parts List
K
I # Type DP's Soph Size Max Inf Base Sig Scan Radius
D
1 Thuke XX 4 33 2 20 47 47
R 2 Giaperelli Marconi II 11 60 5 57 73 137
O 3 Psion WF2l64 24 94 7 92 99 203
W
Notes:
S
K "Max Inf" is the maximum interference level that the part can experience
I and still transmit.
D
"Base Sig" is the base signal strength. The higher number indicates a
R stronger transmitter.
O
W "Scan Radius" is the maximum range of the scanner in millions of
kilometers.
S
K Computer System Parts List
I
D # Type DP's Soph Size
R 1 Alkis 22/3 13 45 5
O 2 Gedinex Mica 7 58 5
W 3 Intellect 500 17 81 7
4 Intelligence Engine Mark 2 29 97 10
S
K Shield System Parts List
I DP Blockage
D # Type DP's Soph Size 1 2 3 4
R 1 Hinto/KotoCo DF1 18 70 4 3 3 3 2
O 2 Voltac Group Gen 9 18 62 8 9 5 5 4
W 3 Deflect Technologies M/20 28 67 10 12 10 10 12
4 Franklin Lab Lodi 38 81 15 19 8 8 18
S 5 Woden Plate ++ 49 97 16 25 17 17 25
K
I Notes:
D
"DP Blockage" is the number of damage points that will be blocked by each
R of the 4 shields.
O
W
Drive System Parts List
S
K # Type DP's Soph Size Max velocity Acceleration
I
D 1 Rynox BTB 5 71 2 0.47 0.011
2 Vromus 830/2 14 79 4 0.68 0.050
R 3 Hinto/Koto Co 2 25 84 5 0.85 0.092
O 4 AthikTech 100-32 32 89 12 0.90 0.067
W 5 Franklin Lab Oyabe 41 98 12 0.99 0.101
S Notes:
K
I "Max Velocity" is listed as a percentage of light-speed.
D
"Acceleration" is listed in units of light-speed per second per second.
R
O Weapons System Parts List
W
Maximum Missiles
S # Type DP's Soph Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 EBW
K
I 1 Zeus Penetrator Mk2 9 46 3 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 11
D 2 Sunstorm HF4 15 56 7 3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 21
3 Sunstorm HF5 24 67 9 5 5 4 4 3 0 1 0 321
R 4 Woden EBW ++ 34 78 9 8 8 6 6 6 4 5 0 36
O 5 Woden Arma IX 45 92 11 12 12 14 8 9 9 S 2 44
W
Notes:
S
K "Maximum Missiles" lists the maximum number of each type of missile that
I can be carried.
D
"EBW" lists the damage points inflicted by the EBW at 100% power.
R
O
W
APPENDIX IV: MISSILE TYPES
S
K Federated Worlds Armed Forces Missile Types
I
D # Name Soph Damage Accur Accel Range Description
R 1 PN Pritchard SBR 39 n/a 78 0.040 8.00 Damages shields
O up to 5 dp
W 2 Melbourne FU8 43 42 92 0.068 27.50 General damage
3 Giaperelli Fu9 49 64 84 0.098 13.00 General damage
S 4 Franklin Lab FE 54 n/a 80 0.058 26.50 Anti-Personnel
K 5 Woden FE 63 n/a 86 0.190 9.50 Anti-Personnel
I 6 Thiodyne P/PO 78 96 71 0.164 13.00 Targets drive
D system
7 Woden Nova 87 122 62 0.184 12.00 General damage
R 8 Iliya Nova 95 148 46 0.226 5.00 General damage
O
W UDP / Enemy Missile Types
S # Name Soph Damage Accur Accel Range Description
K
I 1 Type 1 32 52 81 0.032 9.80 General damage
D 2 Type 2 48 n/a 69 0.064 19.20 Anti-Personnel
3 Type 3 51 n/a 72 0.106 25.30 Damages shields up
R to 5 dp
O 4 Type 4 59 84 87 0.098 29.50 General Damage
W 5 Type 5 65 n/a 91 0.158 10.50 Anti-Personnel
6 Type 6 71 74 79 0.170 8.30 Targets weapon
S system
K 7 Type 7 73 84 75 0.174 15.20 Targets drive
I systems
D 8 Type 8 92 142 58 0.214 7.40 General damage
R Notes:
O
W Accuracy is measured in percentage chance of hit.
S Acceleration is measured in light-speed per second per second.
K
I Ranges given are in the duration of fuel aboard (measured in seconds).
D
R
O APPENDIX V: PANEL ID NUMBERS
W
The following is a listing of every panel, subpanel and usurper box in
S Rules of Engagement. When a 000 series usurper box's description is
K followed by a number in parentheses, as in (202), that number indicates the
I panel number the usurper is linked to.
D
000 Program Info box (100).
R 001 Standard alert box (any).
O 002 Create/Edit Star/Planet/Outpost box (205).
W 003 Create/Edit Asteroid Field box (205).
004 Centered Item Info box (205/206).
S 005 Add/Edit/Remove Ship selector (206).
K 006 Examine Captain/Enemy Docket box (206).
I 007 FW & Enemy Ship damage/armament editor/list (206).
D 008 Fleet Commander Info (101).
009 Create Fleet Commander box (101).
R 010 Name Game/Set Difficulty box (101).
O Also Select/Edit Path for Importing Breach 2 Squad Leaders (101).
W 011 Center view box (206).
012 Set Objectives/Victory Conditions box (206).
S 013 Item selector (205/206).
K 014 Mission & Author Name, Difficulty, Change System box (206).
I 015 Mission Briefing (206).
D 100 MAIN MENU bar Help, Game Info, and Quit controls.
101 GAME/MISSION Access to game sections.
R 202 CAPTAINS FW Captain creator/editor.
O 203 SHIPS FW Ship creator/editor.
W 204 ENEMY Enemy race/force creator/editor.
205 SOLAR SYSTEM System editor/creator.
S 206 MISSION Mission editor/creator.
K 300 MASTER CONTROL Main flagship controls, icons to access
I all main panels, and save-game controls;
D chronometer and time passage controls.
301 NAVIGATION Flagship's navigation controls.
R 302 COMMUNICATIONS Flagship's communication system.
O 303 TACTICAL Flagship's weaponry, defense, and
W tactical maneuvering controls.
304 DATA RETRIEVAL Flagship's computer, accessing fleet and
S ship status, damage control, captain and
K enemy dockets, mission briefing,
I objectives and evaluation.
D 401 MARINE DEPLOYMENT Marine boarding status (303).
R
O
W APPENDIX VI: IMPORTING COMMANDERS, CAPTAINS, SYSTEMS, ETC.
S Converting Breach 2 Squad Leaders
K
I If you own a copy of Breach 2, you can convert your existing Squad Leaders
D into Rules of Engagement Fleet Commanders. From the main game panel (101),
select FLEET CMDR. The list of existing Fleet Commanders will appear, along
R with a bar of button selections. Activate the CONVERT (V) button. A usurper
O box will appear (010), allowing you to enter the path name where your
W Breach 2 Squad Leaders exist.
S If you are playing on floppy disks, you will (prior to running Rules of
K Engagement) want to copy the Squad Leaders to your data disk (disk 4 for
I 5.25" players, disk 2 for 3.5" players) to prevent having to swap disks.
D
NOTE: Breach 2 Squad Leaders are stored in files with the file
R extension .B2L; ie - NAME.B2L.
O
W Use EDIT PATH (P) if you wish to alter the path to another directory. A
text editing frame and cursor (see Text Editing Fields in Part IV for
S details on operation) appears around the current pathname, allowing you to
K alter it. If you are satisfied with the current path, or finished editing
I the pathname and wish to continue with the importing action, use the DONE
D (D) button. If you have second thoughts, press ABORT (A) to return to panel
101.
R
O For each Squad Leader found in the selected path, a "Create Fleet
W Commander" box (009) will appear, allowing you to modify the name and
select the appearance of the Fleet Commander (see Part V for details on the
S operation of the "Create Fleet Commander" box).
K
I At any time during the importation process you may use the ABORT (A) button
D on the 009 box to stop importing Squad Leaders. If you do this, the process
will be aborted, and the currently displayed Breach 2 Squad Leader and all
R others not already converted will not be added to your Fleet Commander
O list.
W
Transferring Builder Items
S
K All of the builder elements (Fleet Commanders, Captains, Enemies, Ships,
I Solar Systems, and Missions) are stored in separate data files. With the
D exception of missions, all items of a single type are combined into one
data file. These file names are as follows:
R
O RULES.CMD Fleet Commanders
W RULES.CAP Ship Captains
RULES.EMY Enemy Races
S RULES.FLT Fleet Ships
K RULES.SOL Solar Systems
I
D Missions are stored in separate files with the file extension .MIS.
R Rules of Engagement provides a way you can add builder items from a
O friend's game, or items you download from a modem. Upon running the game,
W the program will look for files named XFER.CMD, XFER.CAP, XFER.EMY,
XFER.FLT, and XFER.SOL. If it finds one or more of these files, it will
S merge the contents of the file with the main data file of the same type
K (ie - merging XFER.CAP with the current RULES.CAP). The "XFER" file will
I then be deleted.
D
For instance, suppose you want to give a copy of your enemy races file to a
R friend of yours who also owns a copy of the game. Make a copy of your
O RULES.EMY file, renaming it XFER.EMY. Send the file to him and have him
W copy it onto his disk that contains his copy of RULES.EMY. When he runs the
program, your enemy races will be merged with his.
S
K Note that duplicate entries in any of the data files will result if both
I the "RULES" and "XFER" files contain the same item. This will not cause any
D problem with the game, but you may want to delete such duplicate entries.
R CAUTION! Just because two items have the same name does not mean they are
O identical. Examine each item before deleting it. Two alien races are both
W called Martians and two ships are both named Shalmanseer could actually be
quite dissimilar. In other cases, the items are virtually identical, but
S one has been edited slightly. In such cases, we recommend editing one of
K the duplicate items to change its name, simply to avoid confusion. In cases
I where there items are exact duplicates, it's best to delete one of them.
D
Since missions are stored in separate files, you do not need to follow this
R procedure to transfer missions. Simply copy the new MS files onto your disk
O containing your original mission files (disk 4 for 5.25" players, disk 2
W for 3.5" players, or your hard disk directory containing the game).
S Btw, there may be mistakes; it took us long enough to edit it as much as
K we did! Just be glad that we did this much for you!
I
D
R
O Mictlantecuhtli/Skid Row-Amiga
W
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