Steel Empire: Complete Game Manual CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~ THE WORLD OF STEEL EMPIRE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Strategy Campaign ......................4 Complete Campaign.......................4 Tactical Battle.........................4 Showdown ...............................5 Survivor ...............................5 Booting Steel Empire....................5 Starting a Game ........................6 THE STRATEGY AND COMPLETE CAMPAIGN OPTIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Winning a Game .........................7 The World of Orion......................7 CAMPAIGN SETTINGS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Choosing the Empires....................7 Setting the Map Display ................8 Setting the Planet Type ................8 Loading a Game..........................9 THE STRATEGY PHASE THE STRATEGY TURN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Starting and Ending the Strategy Turn ...11 Scrolling Around the Map of Orion........11 Capital Buildings .......................11 Factories ...............................12 Cyborgs .................................13 Factory Enhancements.....................14 Moving Cyborgs ..........................17 Repairing Damaged Cyborgs................18 Checking a Countries Status .............19 Spying on the Enemy .....................20 Statistic / Game Options ................21 Country Glimpse..........................22 Country Particulars......................22 Strategy Campaign Conflict Resolution....23 Complete Campaign Conflict Resolution....23 The Participants ........................24 Preparing an Attack......................24 Attack Goal Buttons .....................25 The Guerilla Attack .....................25 The Structure Attack ....................25 The Capital Attack.......................25 The Cyborg Attack .......................25 Target Priority..........................25 The Information Box......................26 Selecting the Control Cyborg.............26 Ending the Attack Battle Preparation.....26 Preparing to Defend......................26 The Miniature Map........................26 Setting Cyborg Locations.................27 The "AUTO" Button........................27 Choosing a Control Cyborg................27 Ending the Defender Preparation..........27 The "SIM" OPTION.........................27 The Combat Phase.........................28 Keyboard Controls........................29 Starting a Battle........................29 Manipulating the Control Cyborg..........30 Changing the Control Cyborg..............30 Holding Fast.............................30 Retreating...............................31 Ending a Battle..........................31 The Battle Map...........................31 Critical Pieces..........................32 Locations of Structures..................32 Terrains.................................33 Arctic...................................33 Coniferous...............................33 Desert...................................33 Volcanic.................................33 City.....................................34 BATTLEPRACTICE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Showdown ................................35 Survivor.................................36 STRATEGY POINTERSAND HINTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TERMS.......................................40 Weapon and Cyborg Specifications........ 42 Weapon Specifications................... 42 Cyborg Specifications....................46 Steel Empire is the first game to integrate strategy with arcade action on a global scale. It is a one to 5 player game in which you must not only use firmly based strat- egy to build your forces on the planet, but must also have fast reflexes and motor skills in order to win. It integrates many aspects of war into a single game. We would like to refer this type of game as a war simulation as you can participate in everything from planning major campaigns to fighting battles. Steel Empire comprises three game options: Strategy Campaign ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In this section you are engulfed in a struggle for global domination. You begin your endeavour in a single coun- try, and if successful will expand to the far reaches of Orion. Initial expansion is always rapid as opposing empires strive to establish strong border countries. Generals construct capitals, factories, factory enhance- ments, fortifications, and massive cyborg armies. You must perpetually watch your borders for signs of attack while plotting the enemy's destruction. Victory is achieved only by annihilating all opponent forces and seizing control of the countries occupied by them. All conflicts are resolved by a battle simulation. Complete Campaign ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option is the highlight of Steel Empire. You cam- paign to conquer the world of Orion just as in the Strategy Campaign. However, when battles occur they are resolved through arcade action battles, similar to those of the Showdown feature in the Battle Practice option (below). You assault countries with aspirations of destroying factory bays, factory enhancements, and capitals. You strive to hinder your adversaries' income by carrying out guerilla attacks on cities and unprotect- ed lands. Battle Practice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This option strictly deals with the combat phase of Steel Empire. Its main function is to allow you to construct cyborg armies, practice commanding a cyborg force and to allow you to hone your fighting skills with individual cyborgs. It contains two features - Showdown and survivor. Showdown ~~~~~~~~ You meticulously choose the cyborg force you believe will bring you the sweet taste of victory. Ponder over each individual cyborg selection in an attempt to balance your force with the precise amounts of close range laser, auto cannon, missile, and hellfire weapons, while maintaining a long range arsenal of neutrino cannons and long range missiles. Rival cyborg forces clash in a stun- ning blaze of fire as their weapons unleash destruction. The battle ends when one player overwhelms his adver- sary and is rewarded with the exhilaration of victory. Survivor ~~~~~~~~ One player selects a battle cyborg and strives to survive repeated computer-controlled cyborg attacks. A cyborg warrior should have little difficulty repelling the initial attacks. However, the longer a warrior endures the more tenacious the attacks with become, ultimately leaving the cyborg warrior in a heap of twisted, molten metal. Only the most resolute warriors can persevere these brutal assaults until they have entered a place where no war- riors are forgotten, The Hall of Cybometic Legends. Loading Instructions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IBM PC and compatibles ---------------------- 1.Ensure your mouse driver is installed and all memory-resident programs are removed. 2.Insert the Boot Disc into the drive and, from the MS-DOS prompt, select that drive if necessary. 3.Type STEEL and press [ENTER]. The program will now begin to load. Swap discs as advised by the program, but otherwise do not remove any disc from the drive during the game. Note: This program is not copy-protected, and may be copied to a hard disc. You should in any case run the program from a backup copy, and not the original disc. To install on a hard disc, insert Boot Disc into a drive, log onto that drive and type INSTALL [ENTER]. Atari ST/STE and Commodore Amiga -------------------------------- 1. Turn off the computer and disconnect all unnecessary peripherals. We recommend that you leave your computer turned off for 30 seconds in case a virus has installed itself into your computer's memory - this will kill a virus if one is present. 2. Insert Boot Disc into the drive and switch the computer on. The game will now begin to load. Swap discs as advised by the program, but otherwise do not remove any disc from the drive during the game. Starting a Game ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To start a game option, select the appropriate button on the main selection screen. THE STRATEGY AND COMPLETE CAMPAIGN. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are two phases in both campaigns - the strategy phase and the combat phase. The strategy phase is where all planning is conducted, with the combat phase resolving all conflicts. The only difference between the Strategy and Complete Campaign scenarios is the way that the combat phase is resolved. In the Strategy Campaign battles are resolved through a simulation. In the Complete Campaign players actually participate by controlling cyborgs. The strategy phases for both cam- paigns are identical. Winning a Game. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The object of both campaigns is to conquer the world of Orion. This is accomplished by destroying all enemy empires. An empire is eliminated from the game when all its forces and countries have been lost. The World of Orion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Orion is a single continent comprising 72 countries. Each country has its own unique attributes which vary in every game. Each country can hold a maximum of 10 cyborgs. Orion contains 5 different environments: arctic, coniferous, desert, volcanic, and city. CAMPAIGN SETTINGS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: all currently selected items are highlighted in red. Choosing the Empires -------------------- Steel Empire can support up to 5 empires (players) each having a unique flag. The 3 buttons under each flag are used for selecting the empires to be included in the game and who will control the empire. Non-Active ---------- A empire selected to this setting will not participate in the upcoming campaign. Human ----- A empire selected to this setting will be controlled by a human player. Computer -------- A empire selected to this setting will be controlled by a computer player. Setting the Map Display ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Show All -------- This allows you to see all enemy country icons. This means that each player knows the number and locations of enemy capitals, factories, and fortifications, as well as the locations of enemy cyborgs. Fog of War ---------- This selection allows a player to see enemies only when an adjacent country is controlled by the enemy. The only icon that will appear on the enemy country is the capital flag . This means that the enemy may have a for- tified country with cyborgs present but, it will appear as if he only has a capital. Note: In a "Fog of War" setting, players know little, if anything, of their enemies' strengths or weaknesses. They must therefore be considerably more cautious and suspicious when dealing with them. It is important to note that if a player's country is adjacent to an enemy, but the enemy has no capital in the country, the country will appear to be neutral. Setting the Planet Type ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each country's net worth is set at random at the start of each new game, based on a value range for the particular type of planet. In the poor planet scenario it is more difficult to produce large cyborgs. They are usually too expensive and most available funds are absorbed by the purchase of new capitals and fortifications. The rich planet scenario provides players with more revenue from controlled countries, thus providing them with the means to purchase more factories, factory enhancements, heavier fortifications and elite battle cyborgs. Planet Type Value Range Table ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Planet Type Vatue Range for City Value Range for Other Countries Countries --------------------------------------------------------- Poor 10,000-30,000 3,000-10,000 Average 20,000-60,000 6,000-20,000 Rich 30,000-100,000 9,000-30,000 Selecting OK ------------ Once the desired empires, map display, and planet type have been chosen you are ready to begin. Selecting the "OK" button at this time will start the game. Note: The only restrictions on selecting empires to par- ticipate in a game are: (1).........there must be a minimum of 2 empires (2).........one must be controlled by a human. Loading a Game ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The "Load" button is used to load a previously saved game. Games saved in one type of campaign can be loaded into another. For example, a game saved in Strategy Campaign can be loaded and played in Complete Campaign. Entering a Player's Name ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Following the selection of the "OK" button the program will prompt you for your name(s). The following screen wlll appear: To enter the General's name for the particular empire simply type it in and press Return. The name entered will be associated with the empire flag throughout the game. (the maximmum length of any name is 13 characters.) Setting the Computer Level ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are 6 computer difficulty levels in Steel Empire ranging from very easy to extremely difficult. Each com- puter controlled empire can be set to any of the 6 levels. The program will prompt for the computer level to be set by displaying the following screen. To set the computer level simply click the mouse on one of the numbered boxes (the lower the number the more difficult the level). Once all players have entered their names, and the computer levels have been selected, the strategy phase will commence. THE STRATEGY PHASE ================== The strategy phase of Steel Empire is where you shape your empire through the purchase of structures and cyborgs. Army movements, repairs, and espionage activities also take place in this phase. All empire manipulations are managed through the strategy control screen. After all the players have completed their respective strategy turns the combat phase will resolve the battles. This cycle con- tinues until one empire stands alone where many once stood Note: Cyborg movements are delayed until all players have completed their respect#ve strategy turns. 1.)Battle Doors --------------- These cloak each player's map and must be opened using the door icon to start a player's turn, and closed via the same icon to end a player's turn. 2.)Message Box -------------- This area is used to provide information to the player(s). It acts as an information window, guiding the player through the manipulations of his empire, providing information concerning the current player and his present vault, as well as the year and season of Orion. It also displays instructions for all strategy activities and some country information. Note, information displayed depends on what activity the current player is involved in. ICONS ~~~~~ 3.Door Icon 4.Scroll Arrow Icons 5.Build Capital Icon 6.Build Factory Icon 7.Factory Enhancement Icon 8.Build Fortification Icon 9.Build Cyborg Icon 10.Move Cyborg Icon 11 Repair Cyborg Icon 12.Check Status / Spy Icon 13.Statistic / Game Options Icon THE STRATEGY TURN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Starting and Ending the Strategy Turn Your name and flag will appear in the message box before your turn. The turn starts when you open the battle doors by selecting the door icon, and is concluded by clicking on the door icon twice. Scrolling Around the Map of Orion --------------------------------- The arrow icons enable you to see all areas of Orion. To scroll the map in a given direction press and hold the button while the cursor is over the appropriate arrow. Capital Buildings ----------------- These are the key structures to any campaign. They provide the controlling empire with the means to exploit the net worth of a country. If an empire does not have enough capitals it will find itself constantly short of funds for further cyborg and structure purchases. In addition to providing revenue from countries they also permit other structures to be placed on a country. Without a capital, no other structures can be placed on a country. If a capital building is destroyed all other structures on that country are also destroyed. Each capi- tal costs 30,000 credits. Purchasing Capital Buildings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the capital icon by clicking on it, move the cursor over the target country and select it. When a capital has been successfully established a flag will appear in the centre of the country. Note: Capitals can only be established on countries that are occupied. Factories ~~~~~~~~~ Factories are the most expensive and single most impor- tant structures in Steel Empire. They allow an empire to construct cyborgs to use to attack and defend critical countries. If an empire has an inadequate number of factories it will struggle to advance into enemy territory and may be overrun by the sheer size of enemy forces. There are 3 types of factories which can be purchased: Factory Summary Table ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Factory Name Number of Factory Bays Factory Cost (Credits) ------------- ----------------------- ---------------------- Uni-Post 1 500,000 Dual-Post 2 800,000 Quadra-Post 4 1,200,000 Factory Bays ~~~~~~~~~~~~ All cyborgs are constructed in Factory Bays. A factory with one bay can only build one cyborg at a time, but factories with 4 bays can build 4. Purchasing a Factory ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the build factory icon by clicking on it, move the cursor over the target country and select it. The menu permits the purchase of any factory or combination of factories the player desires. To purchase the desired factory, place the cursor over the appropriate factory icon and press the button. A factory is not purchased until the "OK" button on the menu is selected. If a player changes his mind regarding a purchase he can use the "CLEAR" button to cancel it. This voids the previous selection(s) and returns the vault to its previous level. When a factory is successfully built a factory icon will replace the flag ICON and can be used immediately to build cyborgs. Cyborgs ~~~~~~~ A "cyborg" is the ultimate synthesis of human flesh, modem robotics and advanced weaponry. The typical cyborg stands between 10 - 40 metres in height and weighs between 30 to 750 tonnes. The construction of a cyborg is a long process, the fusion of man and machine can take several months - depending on the class of cyborg. After extensive testing and training, elite soldiers are given the honour of becoming a cybernetic Warrior. The cyborgs are powered through a neutrino core with a life span of 4,000 years. The servos and weaponry of each cyborg are controlled through neural connections between warrior and machine. Purchasing cyborgs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the build cyborg icon, move the cursor over the target country and select it. Cyborgs can only be built in countries that contain factories. To purchase a cyborg simply click on the box containing the cyborgs graphic and statistics. All purchases are recorded in the lower left hand portion of the screen. If you wish to cancel any selections made during the cur- rent purchase session the "CLEAR" button can be used, but it will only cancel cyborgs purchased during that specific session. The "OK" button terminates the purchase session and places the selected cyborgs in available factory bays. The number of cyborgs that can be purchased by any one player is restricted by the number of factory bays in that particular country, each cyborg occupying one fac- tory bay during construction. Note: Unlike structures, cyborgs take time to construct smaller cyborgs take one strategy turn to complete while the largest one can take up to 5 turns. Factory Enhancements ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These aid in the construction of cyborgs, so can only be placed on countries that have factories. They assist the factory in 2 ways - firstly, each cyborg's cost drops 10% for each enhancement In the country, and secondly by shortening build time. For example, if you build a Titan on a country that contains 2 enhancements, it will cost 80,000 credits and be be ready for battle in 3 rather than 5 turns. Note: production time can only be reduced by a minimum of 2 for any cyborg. Each cyborg must take a minimum of one turn to complete. Purchasing a Factory Enhancement ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the build factory enhancement icon, move the cursor over the target country and select it. Factory enhancements can only be placed on counties which already have factories on them and are controlled by the current player. Each factory enhancement costs 400,000 credits. Fortifications ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fortifications are the key to any defensive strategy. At best they can completely annihilate an invasion force and at worst can inflict heavy casualties. Fortifications also hinder enemies from spying successfully. When a fortification is purchased a wall immediately surrounds all the structures on the country. The wall can be breached by an attacker if the same wall section is repeatedly slammed by weapon fire. Fortifications are most effective on hot clear terrains such as desert and volcanic, but are also effective on arctic and can be strong in the coniferous provided there is not an abun- dance of trees. There are 3 different levels of fortifications. Note: All fortification weapons systems are automatically controlled. Fortification Summary Table ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Level Weapon Weapon Wall Hit Cost System 1 System 2 System 3 ------------------------------------------------------- Light 4 LAC 4 LRM 100 100,000 Medium 4 HAC 6 LRM 300 200,000 Heavy 4 NC 8 LRM 500 300,000 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchasing a Fortification ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Select the build fortification icon, move the cursor over the target country and select it. The menu allows the purchase of any fortification you desire. To purchase the desired fortification place the cursor over the appropriate fortification icon and press the button. A fortification is not purchased until the "OK" button on the menu is selected. If you change your mind you can use the "CLEAR" button to cancel it. This voids the previous selection and returns the vault to its previous level. Once a fortification has been successfully built a fortification icon will be placed to the right of the centre icon. Fortifications are immediately placed on the country and will automatically assist in the defence of that country if attacked. Upgrading Fortifications ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Light and medium fortifications can be upgraded by purchasing heavier ones. The upgrade replaces the previous fortification, another build space is not used. There is no discount on a fortification cost if used to upgrade. Moving Cyborgs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This permits you to move cyborgs from one country to another. The source and destination countries must be adjacent to one another (ie. they must have a common border or a bridge connecting them). Cyborgs can only move once per turn. Countries which are occupied by you and contain cyborgs will display a cyborg icon. To move cyborgs you must select the move cyborg icon. You must then select the country to move from (source) followed by the country you want to move to (destination). To move a cyborg from the source to the destination country, place the cross hair over the cyborg name and press the mouse or joystick button. The cyborg's name will then appear under the destination column. This indicates the cyborg is moving to the destination country. The cyborg may be moved back to the source country by clicking on the name in the destination column. The maximum number of cyborgs in any given country is 10, the move box will prohibit movement if this is exceeded. Once you have moved the desired amount of cyborgs from the source country select the "OK" button, the cyborgs will prepare to move. Once cyborgs have been moved you can no longer manipulate those cyborgs. If the cyborgs are moving to a friendly country and you are inspecting that country the units will be listed along with "TRN", which means they are in transit and will appear there on your next turn. Movements to an enemy country will result in an attack. Repairing Damaged Cyborgs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Repairing damaged cyborgs is vital to a successful campaign - it is much cheaper than purchasing new cyborgs and maintains your forces' strength in important regions of the world. Cyborgs can be repaired in any country, the cost of repairing damaged cyborgs is directly related to the damage which they have suffered. Repair Cost Summary Table ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cyborg Status Repair Cost -------------- ------------- 100 0% 90-99 6% 80-89 12% 70-79 18% 60-69 24% 50-59 30% 40-49 36% 30-39 42% 20-29 48% 10-19 56% 0-9 60% -------------------------------- Note: The repair cost is a percentage of the cyborg price with no enhancements. Select the repair cyborg icon. When you have selected the target country the repair box will appear in the mid- dle of the display. Within the repair box all cyborgs currently residing in the county will be listed as well as their current status. If the cyborgs status is 100 it is fully operational and needs no repair; if, however, the cyborg's status is less than 100 it is not operating at optimal efficiency and should be repaired. Those needing repair have their status listed in red. To repair any one of the listed cyborgs place the cursor over the cyborg name and press the mouse or joystick button. If you have enough money in your vault the cyborg will be fully repaired and it's status will be upgraded to 100. Note: Cyborgs cannot be partially repaired. If a country has been involved in a battle an explosion icon will be placed on the country to help find damaged units. Checking a Country's Status ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The check status icon allows you to inspect all the char- acteristics of any country which you currently occupy or control. To check the status of a country select the status/spy icon - you must choose a friendly country, if a hostile country is selected the spy option is automatically invoked (see next section). Cyborg Status ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This lists the cyborgs which currently reside in the country. To return to the status box select the "OK" button. Bay Status ~~~~~~~~~~ This lists all cyborgs currently under construction. Only countries that contain factories will display information in this box. The completion time (CT) is the number of seasons (strategy turns) before the cyborg is opera- tional. Once CT reaches zero the cyborg will become active and can be used for attack or defence purposes. Cyborgs are automatically placed in the country of con- struction. If no cyborg is presently under construction (ie. none under construction in a factory bay) @Empty Bay" will be appear in place of the cyborg name. If cyborgs are trapped in the bay (ie. a country currently has 10 cyborgs in addition to those recently constructed) their names will be highlighted in red and the CT column will contain an "R", indicating that they have been con- structed and are ready for combat but cannot be taken out of the bay due to the 10 cyborg limit of every coun- try. To return to the status box select the "OK" button. Spying on the Enemy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spying provides valuable information on the opponent's strengths, weaknesses, and intentions. This option has the potential to be extremely useful when formulating attack and defence plans. The amount of funds spent on the spy operation is directly related to the accuracy the operation will yield (ie. the more money you spend the higher the accuracy of the spy operation). The spy option cannot be used during the very first turn of the game. To spy on a country select the status/spy icon. You must choose a neutral or unfriendly country to spy on. You must spend at least 5,000 credits to perform a spy operation. The double arrows will increase/decrease the amount spent by 10,000, the single arrows will increase/decrease the amount spent by 5,000. Once you choose the amount of money you wish to spend, select the "OK" button and a second box containing the results of the spy operation will appear. Note: When enemy countries are fortified it is more expensive to obtain accurate information, some countries may appear to be neutral when they are actually controlled by an enemy. Statistic/Game Options ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The statistics/ game option allows you to view all the resources of an empire, it also allows you to set game preferences - explained below. To check game statistics and options select the statis- tics/game icon. Empire Statistics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This summarizes an empire's strength, providing counts on every aspect of the particular empire such as: total number of capitals, occupied countrles, factories, factory bays, factory enhancements, fortifications, countries as well as vault and income. It also summarises the cyborg strengths displaying the number of each type of cyborg currently in the empire. Game Options ~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are several game options that can be set by the players involved in a particular game. Message Delay ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first option is the message delay time. This sets the time, in seconds, that a message is displayed before it is cleared. The message delay defaults to 2 seconds but can be increased or decreased by clicking on the arrow button displayed under delay time. Cursor Control Option ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To change the controller click on the mouse or joystick control button located under the control title. Although the mouse control is usually faster for manipulating the strategy phase it is recommended that you select the joystick controller if you are involved in a Complete Campaign. This will eliminate the need for inserting joysticks during the combat phase and replacing the mouse when the combat is completed. Saving a Game ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To save the game click on the save game button, the game will immediately be saved. Do not save games on a the original disk, use a blank formatted disk. Quitting a Game ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To quit a game click on the quit game button. A message will appear requesting the quit game selection to be confirmed. If the quit game button is clicked on again the game will be terminated and the program will return to the main selection menu, if not the game will continue. Country Glimpse ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a quick and easy way to look at several aspects of a friendly country. The information available includes the name, net worth, number of cyborgs, and the cyborg tonnage of a particular country. To use country glimpse make sure no icons are highlighted in red (clicking the mouse or joystick in the message box will clear any highlighted icon). Place the cursor over any friendly country (no selection is required) and the message box will display the information mentioned above. This allows a player to take a quick look at one, some or all of his countries with no need for timely mouse or joy- stick clicks. Country Particulars ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every country in Steel Empire has the following features: Net Worth --------- Refers to the number of credits an empire will receive from a country at the start of each strategy turn provid- ed a capital is established. Build Space ----------- Represents the number of structures that a country can support. This number always falls between one and 7. It is set at random at the start of each game. The first country of every empire will always have 7 build spaces. Each structure whether it is a capital, factory, enhance- ment, or fortification requires one build space. If a country has zero build space further structures will be prevented from being placed on the country. Cities have only one build space. Terrain ------- Each country is one of 5 terrains. The type of terrain significantly influences the outcome of battles. Strategy Campaign Conflict Resolution ------------------------------------- The Strategy Campaign deals only with the strategy portion of Steel Empire, as a result all conflicts are resolved via a battle simulator. Following the last player's turn aU cyborg movements take place, during which battles for countries may occur. Weapon sounds followed by an explosion indi- cate that battles have occurred. There is no way in which to observe the battles, they take place immediately follow- ing the closing of the last empire's doors. The battle simulation considers the attacking and defending cyborg types, as well as the terrain and struc- tures on the defending country. Fortifications add to the defender's fire power and help to protect the structures on the country. Note: during the course of a battle some structures may be damaged or destroyed. Complete Campaign Conflict Resolution ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This form of battle resolution is much more complex than the battle simulation and far more exciting. The attacker can decide to target capitals, factories, enhancements or enemy cyborgs while the defender can set up a cyborg formation to ensure maximum effectiveness against an assault. Both players control the cyborg of their choice. The other cyborgs are computer controlled, and follow orders given by their generals. You can jump from cyborg to cyborg in order to person- ally take control of any given situation. Battles are fought on each country's unique battle map which graphically illustrates the country terrain. The combat phase occurs when battles take place as a result of cyborg movements in the strategy phase. Following the conclusion of all the battles for a particu- lar turn the program returns to the strategy phase. Note: The strategy and action phases are completely transparent to each other. For example, if a player has 2 factories and an enhancement in a country, those structures, as well as any cyborgs, will be represented in battle and can be destroyed. The combat phase is only available under the Complete Campaign scenario. The Participants ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The combat that is involved in the upcoming battle. That particular empire's General is then required to prepare his attack or defence. When the joystick button is pressed the appropriate set up screen, either attack or defend will appear. Preparing an Attack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are several different types of attacks' in Steel Empire. Attack Goal Buttons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are 4 possible attack goals that are used to direct computer controlled cyborgs during a battle. To select an attack goal click on It's corresponding button. Attack goals are very important and can make the difference between victory and defeat. The Guerilla Attack ------------------- Instructs the cyborgs to place equal emphasis on all enemy possessions. This type of attack directs the cyborgs to the closest enemy structure or cyborg in an attempt to destroy it. If the defending country is a city the computer con- trolled cyborgs will pay little attention to the buildings, obliterating them as they try to destroy the enemy cyborgs or capital building. It is not advisable to set a large force to the guerilla attack goal if the purpose of taking the city is to increase revenue. Large portions of the city could be destroyed by the attacking cyborgs thereby greatly reducing the net worth of the city. The Structure Attack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Directs the computer cyborgs to place more emphasis on structures rather than enemy cyborgs. The cyborg,s will seek out the capital building, factories and/or enhance- ments and attempt to destroy them. The purpose is to damage enemy installations before the invasion force is destroyed. It should be selected when the attacker realises he does not have a strong enough force to take the coun- try but can still damage the defending empire. The Capital Attack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Directs computer cyborgs to place more emphasis on the destruction of the capital buildings , rather than other structures or enemy cyborgs. If the capital is successfully destroyed all structures in the country are permanently dismantled as there is no government to direct their operation. The Cyborg Attack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Directs the computer cyborgs to place more emphasis on destroying the enemy cyborgs. Target Priority ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Determines how committed the computer cyborgs are in carrying out their orders. The higher the priority the less likelihood that attacking cyborgs will deviate from their assigned mission. Lower settings allow the cyborgs more freedom in making decisions concerning their target. Target priority is increased and decreased by clicking on the arrow buttons. The Information Box ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Provides details of the attack and target priority selections. Selecting the Control Cyborg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The control cyborg is the cyborg that you will be control. All cyborgs involved in the upcoming attack will have their names and status' displayed in the cyborg attack box. The cyborg that is going to be controlled by the empire's General will be highlighted in red it's picture will be illustrated in the box immediately above. To select an altemate cyborg simply click on the desired name. Ending the Attack Battle Preparation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once you have chosen the desired mission, target priority, and control cyborg the attack preparation is complete. Select the "OK" button to end the session. The "SlM" Button ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Discussed at the end of this section. Preparing to Defend ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Miniature Map Represents the territory where the conflict is to take place. All structures that are in a particular country will be graphically displayed on the map (see defender structure icons). The direction from which enemy cyborgs are attacking is indicated by red arrows. Their relative positions are transferred to the battle map. Setting Cyborg Locations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All defending cyborgs must be separately placed on the miniature map. The current cyborg is highlighted in red, to place it in a certain location on the map move the cursor to the desired location and press the mouse or joystick button. A small coloured square will appear on the map to indicate the location and the next cyborg to be placed will be highlighted. Once all units have been placed on the map the defender can select his control cyborg. Note: One cyborg will always be highlighted in red to indicate the control cyborg. It's location is also high- lighted on the map through the use of a uniquely coloured square. The "AUTO" Button ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The "AUTO" button is used by lazy Generals who do not really care where their cyborgs are placed. Clicking on this button will place the defending cyborgs in a straight line facing the attackers. Choosing a Control Cyborg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To choose a control cyborg place the cursor over the cyborgs name and press the mouse or joystick button - the selected cyborg will be highlighted as well as its location on the map. Ending the Defender Preparation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once all cyborgs have been placed and the control cyborg selected the "OK" button can be selected to terminate the session. Note: All cyborgs must be placed on the map before exiting. The "SIM" Option ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The attacker and defender screens contain a "SIM" button which can be used to bypass the combat phase and have the battle simulation resolve the conflict. If 2 humans are involved in the battle both must select the sim option in order for it to be invoked. In the case of you versus computer, the battle is resolved however you choose. Battles involving 2 computer players are always simulated. The Combat Phase ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Following the battle preparations, the battle screen will appear. The participating empires will have their flags on the respective battle windows along with the control cyborg. The attacker is always placed in the left window and the defender occupies the right window. 1. Battle Windows ----------------- Contain the control cyborg and small portion of the battle map. 2. ShortRange Radar ------------------- Short range radar is centered around the control cyborg and is used to fire at enemy cyborgs from a distance. The cross hair in the middle represents the control cyborg. Attacking cyborgs are represented by red dots and the defender by gray dots. Weapon bursts are represented in yellow. 3. Long Range Radar ------------------- Long range radar reveals the location of all the cyborgs involved In the battle. Again the attacker is represented by red dots while the defender's cyborgs are gray. No weapon fite appears on the long range radar. The con- trol cyborgs for each side are highlighted in yellow. 4. Armour Meter --------------- Used to graphically illustrate how many hit points the control cyborg has left. A completely red bat indicates that the cyborg has not been damaged. Every shot that strikes the cyborg causes its armour to decrease. Once the bar is completely black the cyborg has no hit points left and will explode. 5. Heat Meter ------------- Represents the accumulated heat level of the control cyborg. As the heat level increases the meter becomes increasingly red. If the heat meter is pushed past the critical level (red pointer), the cyborg will shut down automatically. If a cyborg shuts down it is unable to move or fire its weapons. The cyborg will begin to func- tion once it has cooled to a caution level (yellow pointer). If a cyborg reaches a melt down temperature (heat meter is completely red) it will explode. 6. Weapon Selection Icons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each cyborg has a unique set of weapon systems illus- trated by weapon icons - the current weapon is high- lighted by a red square. Since different cyborgs have a varying number of weapon systems some weapon loca- tions will be empty. 7. Ammunition Meters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Located directly under the weapon icon they represent. Red ammunition meters indicate full ammunition and black meters indicate the weapon is out of ammunition. Keyboard Controls ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The keyboard is used to change control cyborgs, retreat, hold fast, and change the current weapon of the control cyborg. The Esc (escape) key can be used to pause the battle. Player control keys are summarised below. Attacker Keyboard Controls ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Key Stroke Function -------------- ------------------------------------ Fl changes the control cyborg (next) F2 changes the control cyborg (previous) F3 sets all cyborgs to holdfast F4 instructs cyborgs to retreat Space switches the control cyborg's current weapon Defender Keyboard Controls ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Key Stroke Function --------------- ----------------------------------- F10 changes the control cyborg (next) F9 changes the control cyborg (prev{ous) F8 sets all cyborgs to holdfast F7 instructs cyborgs to retreat Enter Switches the control cyborg's current weapon Starting a Battle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To start a battle both players must press their respective joystick buttons. The empire flags will disappear and the screen will spring to life. Remember the battle can be paused by pressing the Esc key. Movement ~~~~~~~~ All control cyborg's movements are controlled by the joystick. The possible movements are summarised below. Joystick Position Cyborg Direction -------------------- --------------------- Centre No movement Up North Upper right North East - diagonal Right East Lower right South East - diagonal Down South Lower left South West - diagonal Left West Upper left North West - diagonal Weapon Firing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To fire current cyborg weapon press the joystick fire button. For rapid fire hold the button down. Changing Weapons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Although a cyborg can only fire one weapon system at a time, the weapon to be used can be set to any of the weapon systems supported by that cyborg. To change the system press appropriate key (see keyboard con- tools) and the next weapon will be selected. As soon as the desired weapon is highlighted it can be discharged toward the enemy. Changing the Control Cyborg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To change the control cyborg simply press the appropri- ate key (see keyboard controls). The switch to the new cyborg will usually take place immediately. If the con- trol cyborg is destroyed during the course of battle another cyborg is provided. There are 2 reasons why a cyborg switch will not take place: 1. there are no other cyborgs left in the attack or defense. 2. all computer cyborgs are firing long rang missiles. Holding Fast ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Although there is no way to direct the computer con- trolled cyborgs during the battle, a General may give the hold fast order. Hold fast instructs all computer con- trolled cyborgs to hold their positions and fire at any approaching cyborg. Cyborgs with long range missile capabilities will only launch them if the hold fast order is given. This prevents long range missiles from smashing cyborg comrades in the back. To place cyborgs on hold fast press the hold fast key (see keyboard controls), to remove the hold fast order press the key again. When hold fast is engaged "HOLD FAST" will appear at the bottom of the screen. Retreating ~~~~~~~~~~ During the course of a battle a General may decide to retreat his remaining cyborgs. Attacking cyborgs can only retreat to the country where the attack was launched. When defending cyborgs retreat they scatter amongst friendly countries. If a General attempts to retreat and there are no adjacent friendly countries the cyborgs will be destroyed. To break off an engagement press the retreat key (see keyboard controls) and all computer controlled cyborgs will head toward the battle map boundaries. When a cyborg walks onto the boundary it will dissappear, and be placed in a friendly country, if possible. Note: retreating cyborgs do not defend themselves as they retreat, they merely turn their back and run. Ending a Battle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A battle ends when all cyborgs from the attacker and/or the defender side are destroyed, or one General withdraws all his cyborgs from the battle. Immiediately following the battle a summary screen showing the losses of both parties will appear. Each side's cyborg losses will be listed for inspection. To exit this screen click on the "OK" box. The Battle Map. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each country has a unique battle map where combat takes place. Each map is bordered by a yellow zone. Cyborgs can travel anywhere within the zone. If a player is retreating, then a cyborg coming in contact with the zone will be removed from the battle. Critical Pieces ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To destroy any structure in the combat phase the critical piece for the that structure must be destroyed. Although each empire's structures have their own unique architecture, they all contain the same critical piece. Critical Factory Piece ------------ Represents the empire flag: _ _ | -- | |____| | | Critical Factory Piece ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Represents a factory bay. When it is destroyed the factory will lose this bay as well. The cybolg it is constructing. __ /__\ |__| Critical Factory Enhancement Piece ---------------------------------- Represents the power supply for the enhancement. Location of Structures ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On all terrains, except for the city, the structures are placed on the side opposite the attacker. In a city the capital is always placed directly in the mid- dle of the map. TERRAINS ======== There are 5 types of temin in Steel Empire. They are arctic, coniferous, desert, volcanic, and city. Every country has a unique battle map which corresponds to its strategy phase appearance (ie. if a country is arctic on the strategy map the battle map is arctic as well). Each of the terrains affect battles in different ways. Arctic ~~~~~~ This is a barren landscape sometimes containing small rivers and lakes. It is the coldest climate on Orion and the easiest to fight on. Due to the low temperatures cyborgs cool much faster and can use all their weapons with little fear of over heating. This causes most cyborgs to be destroyed as a result of losing their armour. Coniferous ~~~~~~~~~~ The coniferous terrain contains lakes, rivers and trees which seem to constantly spoil good shots. Coniferous countries are the most abundant on Orion. The amount of trees on any given country can vary from extremely sparse to terribly dense. Small cyborgs can experience difficulty on this terrain as they struggle through the trees with their small weapons. This terrain is fairly difficult to battle in as the trees restrain the maneuverability of the cyborgs. Over heat- ing is also more of a concern on this terrain. Cyborgs often accumulate heat while they blast through the trees trying to confront the enemy. Desert ~~~~~~ The desert terrain is similar to the arctic landscape except that it is very hot. Over heating is a major concern here. Large weapons that produce significant amount of heat when fired, can quickly over heat a cyborg and render it immobile. The water pools in this terrain are often a welcome sight as they help cool the blistering cyborgs. Volcanic ~~~~~~~~ The volcanic terrain is arguably the most difficult to bat- tle on. Its extreme temperatures and lava pools cause the mightiest cyborgs to disintegrate. Unlike the desert terrain it offers no water sanctuary from the torrid heat. If a cyborg becomes disabled due to heat while in a lava pool it will soon cease to exist. Firing weapons that produce large amounts of heat in this terrain must be done with extreme caution. Being hit by high heat weapons is also not advised. City ~~~~ The city terrain is the most unique of all. Cities are extremely valuable as they provide an abundance of revenue. During the course of a battle buildings will undoubtedly be destroyed causing damage to the city and reducing the net worth of the country. Fierce battles have been known to decimate cities making them almost worthless. If a city has been damaged it will rejuvenate itself slowly (2% per turn). Cities are unquestionably the most difficult to defend as they cannot be fortified. BATTLE PRACTISE =============== Showdown ~~~~~~~~ Showdown allows you to immediately assemble a cyborg force and take it into battle against either another human or computer controlled enemy. To start a game select the Showdown button. Selecting the Players ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To select the human or computer opponents use the arrow buttons. The buttons will toggle through all available combinations. Selecting the Terrain ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To select the terrain use the arrow buttons. The buttons will toggle through all available terrains. Selecting the Credit Amount ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Before the battle you will be allocated a sum of credits from which cyborgs must be purchased. To determine the amount of money for each player use the arrow icons. Purchasing Cyborgs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once the credit limit has been established you will be given the opportunity to purchase your cyborg force. Purchasing cyborgs is identical to in the strategy phase - you can purchase one to 10 cyborgs. Note: Computer controlled forces will purchase their own cyborg force based on the credit limit. The Battle ~~~~~~~~~~ Once you have selected your forces the combat phase will begin. The only difference in the combat phase is that you cannot choose missions or set cyborg forma- tions. Both parties are lined up against each other at opposite ends of the battle map with computer con- trolled cyborgs looking to destroy the enemies' units. At the end of the battle the battle summary screen will appear listing each sides' losses. Survivor ~~~~~~~~ The Survivor scenario allows you to hone your fighting skills with each type of cyborg. To start the Survivor scenario select the survivor button by clicking on it. Selecting the Cyborg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use the arrow buttons until the desired cyborg is dis- played. Selecting the "OK" button at this time will start the first battle. The Battles ~~~~~~~~~~~ Battles begin immediately after the cyborg selection. The initial battles are fairly easy. However, the more bat- tles you manage to survive the stronger the attacking computer controlled force will become. A player's cyborg is given full hit points and weapon ammunition before every battle. Note: You have no control over the enemy cyborg types or battle map terrain. Becoming a Cybornetic Legend ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you destroy more tonnage than the current legend for a particular cyborg you will be ushered into the select group. The following screen will appear requesting your name to be entered. When you have entered you name the tactical screen will appear listing the new legend. STRATEGY POINTERS AND HINTS =========================== Purchases (Rich Planet) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You are advised to build an abundance of small cyborgs dur- ing the early stages of the game. It is better to have a large amount of inferior cyborgs than a small amount of slightly superior units. Factory enhancements should be purchased as soon as possible, although they are expensive they will allow you to produce lar~er cyborgs more efficiently. Expansion ~~~~~~~~~ Initial expansion should be fast. Although it is important to gain control of countries to increase revenue, it should not be done with reckless abandon. Try to gain control of neighbouring cities as quickly as possible. This will sub- stantiaUy increase your income and reinforcements can be sent out to defend the country. Try to surround cities with countries of other terrains. These countries can be fortified making it difficult for enemies to damaging or take control of the city. Encountering an Enemy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once you have encountered an enemy try to consoli- date the countries already held - fortification at this stage should be a priority. Placing a light fortification on a country adjacent to the enemy will act as a major deterrent. As the controlling empire you will only need to hold one cyborg in the country, safely behind the fo tification walls. This frees other cyborgs for further expansion, attacks or country defences. Although light fortifications will hold off the smaller cyborgs the enemy will undoubtedly begin producing larger units which are capable of quickly over running the fortification. Do not let the fortification lure you into a false sense of security, upgrade light fortifications on fronts that may be subject to attack. Invasions ~~~~~~~~~ Invading an enemy country can be difficult and costly. Combined attacks from 2 or 3 countries may be neces- sary to oust the enemy. Attack the enemy in the weak- est possible location. Cities cannot be fortified and have a high net worth and therefore should be a prime target for initial attacks. Once you have taken an enemy coun- try fortify it immediately, this will make it difficult for your opponent to recapture it through a counter attack. Harassing an Enemy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are not capable of launching a successful attack, harass the enemy by sending Dragons into it's cities and destroying larger cyborgs, followed up by a prompt retreat you will whittle away the opposition's forces and may force him into an premature attack. Defending (Fortification Present) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Place cyborgs with long range missiles outside the forti- fication walls and let the computer control them. Computer controlled missiles rarely miss their target. Place the remaining cyborgs within the wall. This keeps them fresh in case the enemy breaches the wall. If you suspect your opponent is attacking with long range mis- siles, Crossbolts in particular, place some of your faster and more powerful cyborgs close to the attacker. These cyborgs may be able to destroy some Crossbolts before they have unleashed many of their missiles. Defending (No Fortification) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If there are long range missile cyborgs present place all cyborgs in a straight line as far away as possible from the enemy. This gives the long range missiles the opporunity to inflict heavy damage. Retreating ~~~~~~~~~~ If a battle is obviously lost do not be a hero, retreat and save your remaining cyborgs, they may be useful in a counter attack. TERMS ===== Strategy Turn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A turn in which a single player makes all his strategic moves. The turn is st~ts when the battle doors are opened and ends when they are closed. Selecting a Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In order to manipulate a country you must select it. This is accomplished by moving the cross hair over the middle of the country and pressing the mouse or joystick button. Whenever you are required to select a country a message to that affect will appear in the message box. Occupied Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A country which has no capital but has cyborgs present. Controlled Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A country that has a capital. No cyborgs need be present for a country to be controlled, only the capital. Structures ~~~~~~~~~~ This is a general term which refers to the buildings avail- able in Steel Empire (ie. capitals, factories, factory enhancements, and fortifications). Friendly Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A country occupied or controlled by the current player. Unfriendly Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A country occupied or controlled by a any player other than the current player. Neutral Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A country that is not occupied or controlled by any empire. Taking Over a Neutral Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A neutral country has no means by which to defend itself and can be seized by moving only one cyborg into it. However, you must oust the ruling government and establish your own in order to receive the countries' net worth. This is accom- plished by purchasing a capital building for the country. Attacking an Enemy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To attack an enemy move the cyborgs you wish to use to the target country. During the simulation (Strategy Campaign) or combat phase (Complete Campaign) the conflict will be resolved. Country Icons Capital ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Indicates that a country is under government control. Factory (Empty Bays) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Indicates that a factory is present and some factory bays are idle. Factory (No Empty Bays) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Represents a factory producing cyborgs at its capacity. Fortification ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Indicates that a fortification is present in the country. An L (Light), M (medium), or H (heavy) is used to indi- cate the fortification level. Battle ~~~~~~ This icon appears on all countries that were involved in a battle the previous turn. It allows you to see where cyborgs need to be repaired. Cyborg ~~~~~~ This appears on all countries that have cyborgs in them at the beginning of the turn. WEAPON AND CYBORG SPECIFICATIONS ================================ Each cyborg has it's own weapon configuration. Firing a weapon induces many side effects: Damage on impact, heat on impact, and heat on firing. All weapons have dif- ferent ranges, fire rates and projectile speeds. Light Laser ~~~~~~~~~~~ Light laser (IL) uses a concentrated pulse beam of light particles to inflict damage. The LL has a range of 250 metres and inflicts one point of damage and one point of heat for every pulse. Each pulse fired will cause one point of heat for the firing cyborg. The LL is the poor man's weapon. Its' limited range and low power make a difficult to cause serious damage to any cyborg. The LL is powered through the central core of the cyborg,- so it can be fired indefinitely. Light Laser Summary Table Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 250 Very fast 1 1 1 Fast Heavy Laser ~~~~~~~~~~~ Heavy laser (HL) uses a more concentrated and focussed pulse than the LL, making it much more effective in battle. The HL has a range of 500 metres and inflicts 3 points of damage and 4 points of heat for every pulse. Each pulse fired will cause one point of heat for the firing cyborg. The HL is a formidable weapon in any terrain and is greatly feared in hot terrains, it is powered through the central core of the cyborg so it can be fired indefinitely. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 500 Very fast 3 3 1 Moderate Light Auto Cannon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The light auto cannon (LAC) fires 40mm armour pierc- ing shells and can fire several streams of shells inflicting significant damage on even the heaviest cyborgs. The LAC has a range of 350 metres and inflicts 4 points of damage for every shell. The LAC does not cause any significant heat when fired. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 350 Slow 4 None None Very Fast Heavy Auto Cannon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The heavy auto cannon (HAC) is the most powerful weapon employed on any cyborg. It is only mounted on a Titan Class cyborg because of it's size requirements. The HAC is similar to its younger brother except it fires l00mm armour piercing shells. A single salvo can criti- cally damage or even destroy a heavy cyborg. The only weak point of this weapon is its limited range and shell speed, it has a range of 350 metres and inflicts 10 points of damage for every shell. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 350 Slow 10 None None Very Fast Short Range Missiles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The short range missile (SRM) is a very effective weapon, it is designed with auto-mounting missile bays and can release deadly salvos in rapid succession. The SRM has a range of 400 metres. Each missile carries a heavy-duty payload that inflicts 16 points of damage and 2 points of heat per missile. SRMs severely damage heavy cyborgs and obliterate lighter ones. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 400 Slow 16 2 None Slow Long Range Missiles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Long range missiles (LRM) employ the latest in cyberdine camera mounted missile technology. This guidance system allows cyborgs to guide missiles to their targets. The guid- ance system combined with the missiles' range makes this weapon deadly on open terrains. The LRM has a range of 3200 metres and carries a medium payload which delivers 10 points of damage and 2 points of heat for every missile. The missile bays for the LRM are auto-mounting but signifi- cantly slower then the SRM, used correctly in open terrain and at long distance these weapons are deadly. At close range or in duttered terrain it is virtually useless. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 3200 Fast 10 2 2 Very Slow Hell Fire Launcher ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The hell fire launcher (HFL) is a specialised close range weapon that is mounted on the dragon, it fires concen- trated napalm - making it devastating. It has the ability to bring any cyborgs' core temperature to a critical level. It is not commonly mounted on all cyborgs because of their tendency to explode and destroy their host in battle. The HFL has a range of 80 metres and can add 12 points of heat for every burst. The HFL is extremely effective in city terrains where close range fighting is impossible to avoid. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 80 Very Slow 0 12 1 Very Fast Neutrino Cannon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The neutrino is the smallest particle known to man and travels faster than light. The neutrino cannon (NC) emits highly charged neutrino particles - this burst of energy is extremely dense and carries a force equivalent to several metric tonnes. On contact the NC brings both devastating damage and heat to its target. It can be fired repeatedly. The NC has a range of 700 metres and inflicts 20 points of damage and 10 points of heat for every burst. It is considered the best all round weapon and is deadly in any terrain. However, it must be used with caution in hot terrains as it adds 4 heat to its' host for every burst. The NC is powered through the central core of the cyborg so it can be fired indefinitely. Range Pulse Speed Damage Heat on Impact Firing Heat Salvo ------ ------------- ------- --------------- ------------ ------- 700 Very Fast 20 10 4 Very Fast Weapons Summary =============== Learning to use the each weapon to it's best advantage is one of the best ways to become an effective cybernetic warrior. Each weapon has it advantages and disadvan- tages, so understanding these differences can make the difference in a battle. CYBORG SPECIFICATIONS ===================== In Steel Empire there are 9 different class of cyborgs. It is crucial to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each cyborg. Below is a detailed specification of each cyborg. To understand the abilities of each cyborg it is essential to learn the following terms: Speed ~~~~~ There are 2 speeds available - slow and fast. Generally, the large cyborgs move slowly. Cooling Factor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Each cyborg has the ability to dissipate the heat it accurnulates. Cooling units are forged into the heavy titanium armour of each cyborg. Due to the cooling unit's intricate structure they often become inoperable when cyborgs are damaged. Armour ~~~~~~ The armour of a cyborg is how many hits points that it can take. A cyborg with 30 armour can take 30 hits before being destroyed. Weapons ~~~~~~~ Each cyborg has its' own weapon mountings. Although most cyborgs support more than one weapon system only one can be fired at a time. Mercury ~~~~~~~ The Mercury was designed to be a low cost fighting cyborg. It's quick speed and high maneuverability make it difficult to hit, especially in confined or cluttered terrains. The Mercury's weakness lies in its light armour. This 30 tonne cyborg cannot withstand much punishment. It's only weapon is the light laser. These cyborgs are most effective in numbers, 3 to 4 have been known to destroy Larger cyborgs. Mercury Tactical Details Speed Fast Cooling Factor 3 Armour 30 Weapon System 1 Light Laser (3) Ammo System 1 Unlimited Cyclops ~~~~~~~ The Cyclops is a low cost cyborg capable of inflicting substantial damage on enemy targets. It is equal to the Mercury in speed and maneuverability but superior in armour and weaponry. Although this 90 tonne cyborg can withstand a small amount of punishment it's main advantage over the Mercury ls it's single barrel light auto canon, which can cause significant damage. The Cyclops is also equipped with 2 light lasers. Lilce the Mercury, Cyclops' are most effective in larger groups. Cyclops Tactical Details Speed _ _ Fast Cooling Factor 3 Armour 0 Weapon System Light Laser (2) Ammo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Light Auto Cannon Ammo System 2 25 rounds Dragon ~~~~~~ The Dragon is fast and maneuverable. Unlike the Mercury and Cyclops a single Dragon has the capability of destroy- ing the mightiest cyborg. This 90 tonne cyborg has light armour and can be destroyed easily by Larger cyborgs. However, if it releases its' hell fire few cyborgs can escape, it also has 2 light lasers. Dragons are always a valued member of a cyborg force particularly in a City. Dragon Tactical Details Speed Fast Cooling Factor 3 Armour 90 Weapon System 1 Light Laser (2) Ammo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Hellfire Ammo System 2 25 bursts Mars ~~~~ Mars is fast, maneuverable and heavily anned. It was the first cyborg to incorporate the dreaded neutrino cannon into its arsenal. The NC can strike fear into any cyborg on the battlefield. This 150 tonne cyborg is capable of absorbing a fair amount of punishment, however, the more damage it sustains the more difficulty it has in dis- pensing the heat created by firing the NC. The Mars' alternate weapon is a double barrel LAC which can be used when heat levels are high. Mars Tactical Details Speed Fast Cooling Factor 2 Armour 150 Weapon System 1 Neutrino Cannon Ammo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Light Auto Cannon (2) Ammo System 2 150 rounds Crossbolt ~~~~~~~~~ The Crossbolt is a slow cyborg which has great difficulty in close range battles. It's speciality is long range encounters where it has no equals. Its long range missile salvos can relentlessly pound enemy units, severely damaging them before they unleash their weapons. Several Crossbolts can quickly breach the heaviest forti- fication walls and destroy the capital within. At 150 tonnes it can sustain a fair amount of damage. It should, under no circumstances, be involved in close range bat- tles as it's 2 LLs have difficulty warding off the smallest cyborgs. The Crossbolt is an expensive and specialized cyborg which is known best for its awesome missile bombardments. Crossbolt Tactical Details Speed Slow Cooling Factor 2 Armour 150 Weapon System 1 Light Lasers (2) A nmo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Long Range Missiles Ammo System 2 80 Missiles Achilles ~~~~~~~~ The Achilles is a mid to close range combat cyborg. It is fast, maneuverable, durable, and heavily armed. It's heavy lasers can quickly overheat and destroy enemies in hot terrain, it's short range missiles can rapidly strip armour. At 270 tonnes the Achilles can hold it's own against any cyborg. Its major disadvantage is the absence of a long range weapon. Achilles Tactical Details Speed Fast Cooling Factor 3 Armour 270 Weapon System 1 Heavy Lasers (4) Ammo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Short Range Missiles (2) Ammo System 2 30 missiles Hercules ~~~~~~~~ The Hercules is an all purpose battle cyborg. It has the ability to fight long range with it's powerful neutrino cannons and short range with it's heavy lasers and short range missiles. The double barrel NC can shatter any cyborg or structure in it's path. The Hercules' one weak- ness is it's cooling factor- the double neutrino fire will cause the Hercules to accumulate heat quickly, especial- ly in hot terrains. At 390 tonnes the Hercules can absorb a considerable amount of punishment. Hercules Tactical Details Speed Slow Cooling Faclor 5 Armour 390 Weapon System 1 Neutrino Cannon (2) Ammo. System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Heavy Lasers (2) Ammo System 2 Unlimited Weapon System 3 Short Range Missiles (2) Ammo System 3 30 Missiles. Behemoth ~~~~~~~~ The Behemoth was the first elite battle cyborg to be constructed. Although slow it carries an intimidating array of weapons. It's intense heavy laser fire can rapid- ly over heat any cyborg while its light auto cannons and short range missiles peel armour away from opposing cyborgs. At 600 tonnes the Behemoth can sustain a tremendous amount of punishment. It's only weakness is in the mid range battle. An enemy cyborg equipped with neutrino cannon(s) can pound the Behemoth before its weapons come into range. Titan Tactical Details Speed Slow Cooling Factor 15 Armour 750 Weapon System 1 Neutrino Cannon (2) Ammo System 1 Unlimited Weapon System 2 Heavy Auto Cannon (2) Ammo System 2 200 rounds Weapon System 3 Long Range Missiles (2) Ammo System 3 20 Missiles. Copyright Notice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This program is protected under UK copy- right law, and may not be copied, hired or reproduced, or otherwise modified without he consent of the copyright owner. Warning It is a criminal offence to sell, hire, offer or expose for sale, or otherwise distribute infringing copies of this computer program and persons found doing so will be prosecuted.