User manual GAMES PC VIETCONG

[. . . ] The scope of their power and technical advancement has surely been enhanced by hyperbole, but that they were far superior to anything now known is indisputable. The legends paint the Antarans as ruthless, xenophobic killers, but we all know that history is written by the victors. The Orion-Antaran war was a protracted holocaust of galactic proportions. While we can never know if they truly flung entire star systems across deep space as weapons (as the storytellers claim), our astrophysicists have uncovered evidence of directed energy bursts the power of which staggers the imagination. [. . . ] This is the largest class of ship possible and a military ship of incredible effectiveness. A Doom Star requires 6 Command Rating points or 60 BC in maintenance each turn. Artemis System Net (Satellite) The Artemis System Net is a gigantic spherical network of high-yield mines that surrounds an entire star system. Any enemy ship entering that system has a chance of being damaged based on its size: Small = 20%, Medium = 30%, Large = 40%, Huge = 50%, Titan = 80%, and Doom Star = 100%. When a mine is encountered, the ship involved suffers 150­550 damage-- absorbed by armor and internal systems, in that order. Research and Development HYPER-ADVANCED ENGINEERING None Power NUCLEAR FISSION (GENERAL) Nuclear Drive (Ship) The Nuclear Drive is the slowest of the faster than light (FTL) propulsion systems. It relies on the inefficient fission of heavy nuclei to move a ship between the stars at a rate of 2 parsecs per turn. Nuclear Bomb (System) Nuclear bombs are high-yield explosive devices engineered to destroy ground forces, colony installations, and ships. They inflict 3­12 points of damage. COLD FUSION (GENERAL) Colony Ship (Ship) The Colony Ship is a long-range mobile version of the Colony Base. This ship is the only way you have of establishing a new colony in another star system. When the ship is built, a new unit of population is gathered to board the ship; the planet that builds the ship does not suffer any loss of population. Colony Ships move at the capability of the best drive you've developed. They have no weapons at all, no shields or armor, and Colony Ships never engage in combat. The cannon inflicts 2­14 points of damage to shields and internal systems, but does not affect armor and structural integrity. This weapon has no effect on monsters and Antarans. Shield Capacitor (System) The Shield Capacitor triples the recharge rate of a ship's shields. This means that recharge equal to the maximum strength of a single shield facing is distributed evenly between all the damaged shields, rather than the usual one-third. ANTI-MATTER FISSION Anti-Matter Drive (Ship) Harnessing the total annihilation reaction between equal particles of matter and anti-matter, this drive is capable of moving a ship 5 parsecs per turn. This drive is added to all your ships as soon as you complete your research. Anti-Matter Torpedoes (System) Anti-Matter Torpedoes are tiny lumps of anti-matter contained in a magnetic plasma. On contact with a target, this magnetic shell collapses, releasing the anti-matter to inflict 25 points of damage. Torpedoes do not miss unless distracted by jamming systems, but can only fire once every second turn. The anti-matter type travels at speed 20. Anti-Matter Bomb (System) The Anti-Matter Bomb is essentially a torpedo modified to survive atmospheric reentry. These unguided projectiles do 5­40 points of damage apiece. MATTER-ENERGY CONVERSION Transporters (System) Transporters allow a ship to send Marines onto an enemy ship from a range of 12 squares--if the shield facing the attacking ship is disabled. These Marines can then attempt to capture or sabotage the target ship. Furthermore, transporters extend the range at which a ship can drop bombs on a planet to 12 squares from the normal 3. Food Replicators (Building) Food Replicators alter the molecular structure of inorganic material, remaking it into edible foodstuffs. Having this facility in a colony allows you to convert industrial production into food on a two-for-one basis, as needed. [. . . ] Tone Dial: tells the game what sort of dialing to use with your phone line. Multiplayer Galaxies Once you start or join a multiplayer game, you need to wait until all of the required players show up and whoever started the game accepts them all. When everyone has finished that and the galaxy is built, the game begins in earnest. THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS For the most part, a multiplayer game proceeds in the same way as any other. The few differences are important ones, however, and it helps to understand them. [. . . ]