Section | Description |
---|---|
1. | Countdown To Conflict |
2. | Introduction |
3. | Loading |
4. | Game Options |
5. | Control Keys |
6. | Screen Layout |
7. | Unit Types |
8. | Game Turn Sequence |
9. | Victory Conditions |
10. | Computer Opponent |
11. | Saving/Loading Games In Progress |
Battlefield Germany is produced under licence from CYBERCOM ENTERPRISES and is fully protected by copyright. Any unlawful copying or renting may result in prosection.
© PSS 1986
Battlefield Germany has begun. . .
BATTLEFIELD GERMANY simulates war in central Europe between the Warsaw Pact and NATO. It encompasses both Germanies, Czechoslavakia, Belgium, The Netherlands and Eastern France. One or two players may participate with the computer controlling the opposition in the one player game.
BATTLEFIELD GERMANY is a complicated game and it is recommended that the player read this instruction book before attempting to play.
To load the DISC version, simply type RUN “DISC followed by ENTER. The game option select screen will appear. Make your selection between 1/2 player, which side to command etc and the game will now complete loading.
The TAPE version has the one player game on SIDE A of the tape and the two player version on SIDE B so decide which game you want to play and load that side of the tape. The load command is CTRL/ENTER and then simply follow the screen prompts.
Load the game using LOAD″ ″ in the normal way. You will be presented with the game option selection screen. The 1 player game is on side A of the tape, side B has the 2 player version.
use the numeric/function keypad in the following way:
F9/9: | FINISH ATTACKING | |
F3/3: | SELECT/DESELECT current unit for movement. | Keys |
F6/6: | ADVANCE STACK MARKER - This allows certain units in a “stack” of units to be selected whilst skipping over other units. |
OTHER KEYS:
X : END the action phase.
L : AIRLIFT a unit.
D : AIRDROP a unit.
A : ATTACK an enemy unit.
T : TARGET a Nuclear attack.
F : FINISH ATTACKING | ||
Stack Keys |
S : SELECT/DESELECT current unit for movement. | |
W : | ADVANCE STACK MARKER - This allows certain units in a “stack” of units to be selected whilst skipping over other units. |
OTHER KEYS:
X : END the action phase.
L : AIRLIFT a unit.
K : AIRDROP a unit
T : ATTACK an enemy unit
N : TARGET a Nuclear attack.
- In this section are the number of TURNS, the VICTORY POINTS (VP) (see Victory) and the present game phase eg. ACTION PHASE - PACT ROUND.
- The main playing area. It is made up from a 10/11 x 11 hex grid with each hex representing a 30km area. In the hexes are one of the following symbols:
SYMBOL | TERRAIN |
---|---|
Blue | sea |
Light Green | Open Ground |
Khaki Green + Hills | |
Dark Green | Forest |
Dark Green + Hill | Forested Hills |
Grey + Mountain | Mountains |
Black + Grey Shadings | Urban Area |
Yellow Squares on Black | Capital City |
Light Blue Lines | Rivers |
Yellow, Orange & Purple | Neutral Territory
may not be Entered By Combat Units. |
SYMBOL | TERRAIN |
---|---|
Dark Blue | Sea |
Yellow | Open Ground |
Green | Forest |
Green + Hills | Hills |
Red + Mountain | Mountains |
Cyan + Town Symbol | Urban Area |
Cyan + Skyscrapers | Capital City |
NEUTRAL TERRITORY IS SHOWN IN INVERSE (EG CYAN TOWN ON BLACK BACKGROUND / RED MOUNTAIN ON BLACK) AND MAY NOT BE ENTERED BY COMBAT UNITS.
This smaller map displays the entire game play area but in less detail than the main map. Units are displayed as small dots and the cursor is a flashing dot. Neutral countries are shown in orange on the Amstrad version whilst they are in blue on the Spectrum. This map is also used to represent areas in supply during the supply phase.
This area displays detailed information about units that are in the same hex as the cursor. For a typical unit the data might be as follows:
1GTA | + | S4 |
symbol |
CS50 | E2 |
MP08 | F1 |
The information given is:
This is a list of all the identification codes used in the unit data display:
NATO | WARSAW PACT | ||
---|---|---|---|
UK1 | United Kingdom 1 Corps | WSD | Western Strategic Division |
BE1 | Belgian I Corps | 1WF | 1 West Front |
NE1 | Netherlands I Corps | 2GA | 2 Guards Army |
DA1 | Danish I Corps | 20GA | 20 Guards Army |
1WG | I West German Corps | 3SA | 3 Shock Army |
2WG | II West German Corps | 2WF | 2 West Front |
3WG | III West German Corps | 28A | 28 Army |
WGT | West German Territorials | 8GA | 8 Guards Army |
1FR | I French Corps | 1GTA | 1 Guards Tank Army |
2FR | II French Corps | CF | Central Front |
3FR | III French Corps | 10A | 10 Army |
SEF | Spanish Expeditionary Force | 41A | 41 Army |
US3 | U.S. III Corps | 8GTA | 8 Guards Tank Army |
US5 | U.S. V Corps | NF | Northern Front |
US7 | U.S. VII Corps | 1PO | 1 Polish Army |
US11 | U.S. XII Corps | 2PO | 2 Polish Army |
USCC | U.S. Command Corps | 4GTA | 4 Guards Tank Army |
FAR | Force Action Rapide |
5GTA | 5 Guards TAnk Army |
CDN | Canadian Brigade | 7GTA | 7 Guards TAnk Army |
Hexagons are 30km wide and up to four combat units may occupy (or “stack”) in the hex. When units are “stacked” only the top one is displayed but the number of units in the stack is represented by dots on the top unit.
Units are displayed as rectangles where the background (foreground on SPECTRUM) colour indicated the unit’s side (blue for NATO, red for Warsaw Pact). On the foreground is a picture representing the unit type as follows:
Unit | Symbol |
---|---|
Infantry | Rifle |
Mechanised Infantry | Armoured Personnel Carrier |
Armour | Main battle tank |
Armoured Cavalry | Light tank |
Airmobile Troops | Helicopter |
Airborne Paratroops | Rifle and wings |
Mountain Infantry | Rifle and letter ‘M’ |
The game starts at the Warsaw pacts turn. From then on it alternates between the two sides, with each players turn consisting of:
During this phase the computer calculates which units are to receive supplies, and places reinforcements.
In order to operate efficiently, combat units require fuel, ammunition, spares and food. In BATTLEFIELD GERMANY this is represented by the supply rating which indicates the level of supplies held by units. However in order to maintain these supplies, and unbroken line of supply must exist between the unit and a supply point - either a map edge or for NATO units only - a port. This line must not pass through any ememy held territory or ZOC’s (Zones of Control).
During the supply phase the computer uses the strategic map to display the supply status of areas, and calculates which hexes on the map are in supply (displayed in black) and which are not (displayed in green). Once the supply has been calculated, reinforcement units are placed on the strategic map (yellow dots). After a short pause the strategic map returns to normal display and the game continues to the next phase.
The use of nuclear weapons would probably put an immediate end to the conventional military strategy in favour of a nuclear one. The non-nuclear game therfore limits the player’s role to that of commander of conventional forces trying to achieve victory without “going nuclear”. The inclusion of the nuclear option allows players to adopt the role of total military commander, but in this scenario escalation is a very real risk as soon as nuclear weapons are requested. The nuclear option should therefore be used sparingly: it is included to provide a full simulation rather than as a game-winning option.
When the nuclear option is being played, each side has a level of nuclear activity ranging from “none” through “battlefield”, “tactical” and “theatre” to “strategic”. During the nuclear phase the level of activity of both sides is displayed and three options are available to the player: escalate, continue or de-escalate (by one level). Selecting an option does not automatically mean that the policy will be implemented, instead it represents advice to the appropriate president which may be accepted or overuled according to a variety of conflicting factors. To be allowed to use nuclear weapons in the first place, either the other side must already have done so or the military situation must be going very badly. As the level of nuclear exchange escalates so the influence of players on decision-making decreases, heightening the danger of exchanges reaching the strategic level - the point at which the game ends through mutual destruction.
Once the escalation decision has been made, either the phase ends if the nuclear level is “none”, or a number of warheads are assigned to the player. These are fired in the launch segment of the nuclear phase via the following keys:
When nuclear weapons are being used it is inadvisable to stack more than one unit in a hex as these are usually the first targets to get selected. In the game one “warhead” is equivalent to a multiple missile strike sufficient to obliterate all combat units in the hex. The effect of fallout is displayed by displaying devasted hexes in black or flashing colours after the attack - units moving into such hexes pay extra movement points and may incur fatigue.
This is the main activity phase during which units are moved and attacks made on enemy units.
Within the action phase there are 3 modes:
The cusor can be moved onto any hex (except sea and neutral territory) on the main Tactical Map. Units are moved using the following sequence:
Place the cursor over the unit you wish to move
You should now see information about the unit displayed in the “Unit Data
Display” area of the screen.
Using the “Stack Keys” individual units within a stack may now be selected for movement provided they have at least 1 movement point (keys F3/3 & F6/6 Amstrad, S & W Spectrum).
Once the correct units have been selected, use the cursor to control the direction of movement.
The computer will deduct movement points for each unit as follows:
Terrain Type | Unit Type | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Infantry | Mechan’sd Infantry |
Armour | Armour Cavalry |
Air- Mobile |
Airborne | Mountain | |
Sea | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Open | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Hills | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Forest | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Forest/hills | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Mountains | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Urban/capital | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
River | + 2 | + 2 | + 2 | + 2 | + 0 | + 2 | + 2 |
In or out of ZOC | + 2 | + 2 | + 1 | + 1 | + 1 | + 2 | + 2 |
In and out of ZOC | X | X | + 8 | + 8 | + 2 | X | X |
Units are automatically de-selected if their movement point total reaches zero. If the cost of movement is greater than available movement points for each unit in the stack, the movement is not allowed and a warning beep is heard. Another contraint is the proximity of enemy units. Units exert a Zone of Control (ZOC) into the neighbouring six hex’s. Units leaving or entering an enemy ZOC pay extra movement points. Units moving from one ZOC to another pay even more points.
To enter this mode the Airborne Unit must NOT:
If all the above are satisfied, then pressing “L” will airlift a unit. Its MP (Movement Point) rating is then set to zero and the selection status + sign is coloured blue. The unit may then be moved to any hex on the map (except neutral or sea hex’s). Pressing “D” (Amstrad) “K” (Spectrum) will initiate the airdrop at the cursor position. The unit is now unable to move for the rest of the turn.
Airborne units may move as standard ground units if required.
An attack may be made on a stack of enemy units by pressing A (Amstrad) / T (Spectrum), providing the defending units have not already been attacked this turn. The following sequence will then be followed:
The above sequence is then repeated 6 or 12 times depending on your game length selection.
Victory is based on Victory Points (VP), which are awarded for occupying enemy cities or re-taking captured cities. Every hex has an occupation status: either NATO or Pact controlled, or neutral. This is shown by the cursor flashing between yellow and either red (Pact) or blue (NATO). Control of a city is awarded to the side whose unit was last in that city.
Allocation of VP:
Victory Level | 6 Turn Game | 12 Turn Game |
---|---|---|
Total Pact Victory | 150 or more | 200 or more |
Major Pact Victory | 120-145 | 160-195 |
Narrow Pact Victory | 90-115 | 120-155 |
Narrow NATO Victory | 60-85 | 80-115 |
Major NATO Victory | 30-55 | 50-75 |
Total NATO Victory | – ve and up to 25 | – ve and up to 45 |
NOTE: If the VP is shown in red then this indicated a Warsaw Pacts advantage otherwise it will be blue for NATO advantage.
When playing the one player game the computer handles the role of the opponent and also:
When the opponent initiates combat, the defending unit stack is displayed. Pressing SPACE will display the first attacking stack, and repeating this will display further attacks. Once all attacks have been set the combat continues.
At the end of an action phase the following options are available:
If you want to continue a saved game, simply load Battlefield Germany as normal, ensuring that you select the same options as in the saved game (if you choose to play NATO in a one player game you will have to wait through the computer’s turn before you can load your saved game). Then, in the first phase press the X key and select the Load option.
452 STONEY STANTON RD. COVENTRY,