COMBAT LYNX LOADING Place tape in Datacorder. Rewind to beginning. Switch computer off and then back on again. Hold down the <CTRL> key and then press the small <ENTER> key. Press the <PLAY> key on the Datacorder, and then press the <SPACE-BAR>. THE CONTROLS Words or numbers in angle brackets such as <ENTER> are keys on your Amstrad. The function of these is shown in capitals, for example: FASTER. The joystick plugged into your Amstrad is shown as <J1>, while the second joystick which is plugged into the first is shown as <J2>. Positions of the joysticks are shown by for example: <J1U> = <J1> up, <J2F> = <J2> fire, <J1R> = <J1> right, etc. IN FLIGHT <COPY> ............. <J2U> ....................................... FASTER <DEL> .............. <J2D> ....................................... SLOWER <ARROW KEYS> ....... <J1U,D,R,L> .................. UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT THE MAP <M> ................ <J2F> ................................. MAP (on/off) <ARROW KEYS> ....... <J1U,D,R,L> ................... UP, DOWN,RIGHT, LEFT <SPACE> ............ <J1F> ............................. MAP MOVES FASTER ARMING THE LYNX Land at a base START LOADING LYNX <+> ................ <J1U> ................................ INCREASE LOAD <-> ................ <J1D> ................................ DECREASE LOAD <ENTER> ............ <J1R or L> ............. MOVE TO NEXT TYPE OF WEAPON <SPACE> ............ <J1F> .......................... EXIT ARMING SCREENS FIRING WEAPONS SYSTEMS <X> and <Z> ........ <J2R or L> ................... CHOOSE WEAPON TO FIRE <SPACE> ............ <J1F> ........... SIGHTS ON (if sights are required) <SPACE> ............ <J1F> ............ FIRE WEAPON (after sights are on) <ARROW KEYS> ....... <J1U,D,R,L,> ... WEAPON SIGHTS UP, DOWN, RIGHT, LEFT INFORMATION ABOUT BASES <KEYS 1 to 6> ........................ BASES 1 to 6 (numeric keypad only) GENERAL CONTROLS <S> ...................................................... SOUND (on/off) <P> ................................................. PAUSE PLAY (on/off) <K> ........................................................... KEYS ONLY <J> ..................................................... JOYSTICK + KEYS <D> ............................................. DOUBLE JOYSTICKS + KEYS <S> ................................ SAVE SCORE TABLE (onto a blank tape) <L> ................................. LOAD SCORE TABLE (back from a tape) <KEYS 1 TO 4> ................................ SKILL LEVEL (4 is hardest) YOUR MISSION Depending on the skill level that you have selected you will have from three to six bases which you must support with troops and air cover. Base 1 has an endless supply of fuel and weapons, and the ability to instantly revitalise injured troops brought back by your helecopter. All the bases start with 30 able bodied soldiers, and Bases 2 to 6 also have a limited supply of fuel and weapons. Allied land vehicles move around the battlefield independently of your control. You provide the only allied air support. Enemy land vehicles will slowly converge on your bases unless stopped by the allied land vehicles (these independent battles can occasionally be seen on the intelligence map or flight screen), by mines that you have dropped, or by the other weapons of your COMBAT LYNX helicopter. You may attack any aircraft that you see, and all land vehicles that do not appear with circles around them on the intelligence map (the circles show they are allied). Your bases may get instantly wiped out in direct attacks by enemy vehicles, or just suffer a number of casualties as the result of passing or minor attacks. Base 1 will not be affected by passing attacks, but will be destroyed by a direct attack. If not stopped, eventually all the enemy forces will move to attack Base 1, after which you will almost certainly lose the battle. You are allowed three lives’ before the game is reset with a complete new battlefield. ARMING THE HELICOPTER Each time you land at a base you will immediately be presented with a set of screens that will allow you to select weapons and troops to be carried on your next sortie. At the start of the game the helicopter is hovering just above Base 1, so to move into the arming screens you must lightly tap the DOWN key to make your first`landing’. The first arming screen allows you to load up with armed soldiers. Each time you press the <+> key another soldier will be included in your load. You will see the total weight increase with each soldier until you reach the maximum number that you can carry. If you wish to reduce your load press the <-> key. Each press of the <-> key will reduce the load by one soldier. When you are satisfied with your load press the <ENTER> key and you will move onto the next arming screen, which will be for injured soldiers. There won’t be any injured soldiers at Base 1 at the start of the game so just press the <ENTER> key again to move onto the next arming screen. Note that as you increase your load of weapons you will automatically be able to carry less fuel, and may be unable to reach the other bases. To get out of the arming screens press the <SPACE> key. Please note that in this game you are allowed to carry more weapons than would be possible in reality. THE MAP At any time you can inspect the map by pressing the <M> key. A second press of the <M> key will return you to the normal flight screen. The map shows the battlefield in relief with vehicles and bases indicated by black symbols. To move around the map use the cursor keys. If you hold down <SPACE> at the same time as a cursor key you will be able to scan the map more quickly. Allied vehicles are represented by symbols in circles so try to avoid blowing them up! The following symbols are used: T ......................... Tank H ......................... Base H ... on its side ......... Lorry Y ... upside down ......... Gun emplacement X ......................... Helicopter + ......................... Jet Plane FLASHING BLACK SQUARE ..... Mined Area CIRCLES AROUND SYMBOLS .... Allied vehicle The co-ordinate position of any point on the intelligence map may be taken from the North co-ordinate at the side of the map, and the East co-ordinate above or below the map. As soon as you turn off the map it is reset to your LYNX’s current position. You will be able to note your own co-ordinate position and be able to change your direction to make contact with a vehicle that you have seen on the map. Note that you cannot control the LYNX’s direction or height while looking at the map. BASE REPORTS and MESSAGES Press keys <1> to <6> (on the numeric keypad) to get a report on that base’s position and manning levels. If no other messages are issued, then after a short time a list of the fuel and weapons at that base will replace the first report. You will occasionally receive other messsages which might for example, warn of attacks on your bases. FLIGHT CONTROLS Your helicopter is seen from behind. You can see it fly straight (forwards or backwards) and at an angle of up to 45 degrees to the right or left of the four points of the compass (N,S,E,W). As this angle increases beyond 45 degrees the`direction of view’ will flick from one point of the compass to the next, eg: from the North to West. This may appear confusing at first, especially as the helicopter will be seen from the right when North is the`direction of view’ and then be seen from the left as you flick through to West as the new `direction of view’. To keep track of your flight path watch the compass and your flight co-ordinates next to the compass. At the bottom left of your normal flight screen you will see three guages marked`T’ for engine temperature,`S’ for speed (nb: forwards and backwards), and`F’ for fuel. When landing you must use the intelligence map to check that you are directly above a base, the speed guage to check that you are hovering or moving very very slowly, and the height guage to check that you are coming down gently. FIRING WEAPONS This is a two or three stage process. First you must select the weapon system that you wish to fire by pressing the <X> or the <Z> keys. As you press these keys a small white bar will move right or left across the top of the six weapons guages which are marked as follows: R ......... Rockets, multiple strafing type ....... unguided G ......... Gun pods, machine-gun type ............ unguided C ......... Cannon, 20mm Oelikeron ................ unguided T ......... Tank attack, H.O.T. missiles ....... wire guided A ......... Air attack, Sidewinder missiles ... heat-seeking M ......... Mines, underslung for air release ...... dropped You can only fire one weapon system at a time. The active system is the one with the white bar just above it. If you select mines or heart-seeking missiles you can release them simply by pressing the <SPACE> key once. Dropped mines can be seen on the intelligence map, and are effective against all enemy land vehicles. You can have a maximum of sixty mined squares on the intelligence map at any one time. A mined square will be effective against two enemy vehicles, after which you will be sent a message that the minefield has been breached and is no longer effective. The unguided weapons fire in the same direction as the helicopter, and should first be sighted by pressing the <SPACE> key. To aim them you will have to change height and the angle of your flight path. In contrast to these, the HOT wire-guided missiles can be aimed by the cursor keys independently of the LYNX. A second press of the <SPACE> key fires all the weapons that require sights. The sights switch off automatically when you stop pressing any keys. Remember that the enemy will be firing back at you, so don’t hang around! SKILL LEVELS The skill level affects the number of bases that you have to support (from three bases at level 1 to six bases at level 4), the total number of enemy vehicles (which are in proportion with the number of bases), and the rate at which your fuel is used up. Missiles from the enemy aircraft become more accurate as you fly higher. Enemy vehicles will only launch missiles when you are infront of them, so attack from behind. Enemy gun emplacements launch missiles in all directions. SCORE You will receive an efficiency rating on the score table which takes account of the number of bases, troops, and allied vehicles lost; the amount of ammunition used, and the number of targets hit. In addition to this you will score points for destroying enemy vehicles. Jet Plane ........................... 300 Helicopter .......................... 250 Tank ................................ 500 Lorry ............................... 400 Gun emplacement .................... 1000 OTHER AMSTRAD GAMES FROM DURELL HARRIER ATTACK .......... Mike Richardson SPACE HAWKS ............... Simon Francis DEATH PIT ................. Simon Francis