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LASER SQUAD PLAYERS MANUAL
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INTRODUCTION

Laser Squad is a one or two player tactical wargame system that 
accurately simulates many aspects of individual level combat. It will 
take some time for a new player to become familiar with all aspects of 
the system, and we recommend that you load the program and go through 
the first section of this manual which provides you with a basic guide 
to playing the game.  The second section should be treated as a 
reference manual for the experienced players. Some features of the 
system are not implemented with the five scenarios provided with the 
main program, but the future scenarios will explore the versatility of 
fame play that Laser Squad can provide. The final section in this 
booklet provides instructions for the five scenarios provided with the 
main program.
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KEYBOARD/JOYSTICK     ACTION

q ................... Up
a ................... Down
o ................... Left
p ................... Right
space/button ........ Select/Fire

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PART 1: PLAYING THE GAME
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OVERVIEW

Laser Squad is played in a series of game turns. Each player, during 
his turn, controls a small number of units which represent humans, 
droids or other creatures. Each unit has its own individual name and 
characteristics which affect the abilities and activity of that unit. 
At the start of each game turn each unit is allocated a number of 
Action Points (or APs) which are used for performing all activities of 
that unit such as movement, combat, manipulating objects etc. Once all 
action points are used for each unit, or the player does not wish to  
use any more, the 'end turn' option is selected and the other player 
(or the computer) takes his turn. The winner of the game is the first 
side to accumulate 100 victory points. Victory points are awarded for 
various things, such as eliminating enemy units or destroying certain 
installations, depending on the scenario being played.
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GAME SET UP

You will be asked whether you want a one player game or a two player 
game. If you select the one player option the computer will take 
control of the second side. You will then be asked what level you wish 
to play at. The number of levels varies between scenarios and the 
higher the level other more difficult the computer is to beat. If you 
are playing with two players then only the player whose turn it is 
should be allowed to see the screen. Each player now selects equipment 
and deploys his units.
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EQUIPMENT SELECTION

In each scenario you are allocated a number of Credits to spend on 
armour, weapons and ammunition. The first thing you must do is select 
armour for each unit. Your units are displayed on the left of the 
screen and you select armour for each unit in sequence. Use the UP 
and DOWN controls to select the type of armour and press FIRE when you 
are satisfied with your choice. If you select '0' then the unit will 
have no armour. If you select a number from one to four then the unit 
will be given an armour type according to the specifications displayed 
in the table on the right of the screen. A full explanation of armour 
is included in the reference section.

After you have allocated armour to each unit you then select equipment.  
Initially the object selector is highlighted. Use the RIGHT and LEFT 
controls to change the object currently selected. Each object's unique 
graphics symbol and name is displayed together with the cost of 
purchasing the object. In order to allocate and then use RIGHT to add 
the currently selected object to that unit's equipment, or LEFT to 
subtract the object. You cannot give an object to a unit if you have 
insufficient credits, or if that unit's weight or size limits would be 
exceeded. Once you are satisfied with your selection press FIRE twice 
to continue the game.

All weapons are loaded with ammunition when purchased, but extra 
ammunition for each weapon is available. Consult the weapons table in 
the reference section for details on weapons and ammunition.
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DEPLOYMENT

Each unit is deployed in until all units have been placed on the map.  
The deployment mode shows the name and equipment of the unit to be 
deployed on the right of the screen and the map window on the left. 
Use UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT to move the flashing white cursor around 
the map until you have found the deployment square you want. Each 
scenario will specify which spaces you can deploy on. Place the cursor 
over the deployment square and press FIRE to deploy the unit.
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GAME OPTIONS

Before each game turn starts you will be presented with a menu which 
allows you to save and load games. Press the number of the option you 
require or press fire to continue with the game.

Change Controls:	
Allows you to change the controls of the game between 
different joysticks or keyboard (Spectrum only).

Save Game:		
Allows you to save the current game.

Load Game:
If you select this option then the current game is abandoned in
order to load a new game.
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CURSOR MODE

At any time the game is in one of three different modes; curor mode,
select mode or fire mode. Each game turn starts in cursor mode which
simply allows you to move the cursor around the map using UP, DOWN, 
LEFT and RIGHT. The display on the right of the screen shows
information about the map space under the cursor as follows:

MAP:
The name of the terrain feature such as grass, floor, wall, etc.

OBJECT:
The name of any object on the ground.

UNIT:
The name of any unit under the cursor.

OBJECT IN USE:
The object that the unit is currently using, if any.
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CURSOR MODE OPTIONS

Laser Squad is controlled via a series of menus which are simply lists 
of all different options available to you at any time. To display a 
menu, which ever mode you are in, press FIRE. Use UP and DOWN to high-
light the option of your choice and press FIRE to select the option. 
The options that can be available in cursor mode are as follows:

SELECT:		
If the cursor is placed over one of your units with APs remaining then 
you will be able to select that unit for movement and other actions. 
Once you select this option you will enter selection mode.  

INFO:
If the cursor is placed over any unit then information on that unit 
can be displayed.

NEXT UNIT:
This option simply moves the cursor to another friendly unit with APs 
remaining.

SCANNER:
A strategic map of the entire playing area can be displayed showing 
the positions of all your units and any enemy units that are currently 
spotted.

CANCEL:
The cancel option in each menu just clears the menu and returns you to 
the current mode.
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SELECT MODE

In Select mode the message display on the right of the screen shows 
essential information about the unit you have selected. Most important 
is the number of Action Points remaining and the direction indicator 
which shows which direction the unit is facing. Once you have selected 
a unit then the directional controls are used to move the unit as 
follows:

LEFT:  Rotate unit left

RIGHT: Rotate unit right

UP:    Move unit forwards in the direction that it is facing.

DOWN:  Move unit backwards.
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SELECTION         WHAT IT MEANS
MODE DISPLAY
   
CORPORAL   ...... Name of unit
JONLAN
APs |---|  ...... Direction indicator (8 possible directions)
34  | o>|  ...... Action point remaining
25  |---|  ...... Minimum action points needed for opportunity fire
MORALE>    ...... Unit's moral
GOOD
STAMINA>   ...... Unit's stamina
SUPERB
WOUN> 2    ...... Wounds
BURD> 6    ...... Burden
OBJECT>    ...... Object in use
M4000
AUTO-GUN
TERRAIN>   ...... Terrain unit is standing on
ROCK
DUST
PROT> 0    ...... Protection value of terrain
2 <ENEMY   ...... Number of enemy units spotted
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MOVEMENT

Moving a unit will always cost Action Points, depending on the terrain 
that is being moved over. Moving diagonally will cost an extra two APs 
and rotating a unit 45 degrees costs one AP. If you attempt to move 
into impassable terrain the unit will attack the terrain and possibly 
destroy it.

You are allowed to move the selected unit over friendly units but you 
can never end movement on top of a friendly unit. The only options 
available to a unit on top of another are to continue moving or to 
select the END MOVE option from the menu. If you select the END MOVE 
option then the unit will be placed on the last empty space that it 
occupied.
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CLOSE COMBAT

In order to engage in close combat simply move your unit into an enemy 
unit. The close combat display on the right will show what weapon the 
unit is using (if any), the accuracy (% chance to hit), the AP cost, 
the damage and the hit location.
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LINE OF SIGHT

Laser Squad uses a hidden movement system which means that enemy units 
will not appear on the map unless they are in the field of vision of 
one of your units. A unit's field of vision extends 45 degrees from 
the front. Various types of terrain such as walls or doors will block 
line of sight. You will not see an enemy unit until it is clearly in 
view.
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SELECT MODE OPTIONS

When you press FIRE in select mode you will have a variety of menu 
options depending on the circumstances of the unit. Most of these 
options cost APs based on a percentage of the units Action Point 
Allowance. For example if a unit is allocated 50 APs at the beginning 
of the turn then changing an object costs 20% of its AP allowance 
which is 10 APs. Actions cannot be carried out if the unit has 
insufficient APs (although the option is still included in the menu 
list).

The following menu options are available in select mode:

END MOVE:
Ends the selection of the unit and returns to cursor mode. The unit 
can still be re-selected provided it still has APs remaining.

FIRE:
If the unit has an object in use then it can be fired or thrown. 
Selecting this option changes the display to fire mode.

CHANGE:
If the unit is carrying one or move objects then this option is used 
to select an object for use or to change the object in use. The unit's 
objects are displayed on the screen with the ammunition amount, weight 
and size of each object. The white pointer on the left shows which 
object is currently in use, if any. Use the UP and DOWN controls to 
move the pointer to the object you want to use and press FIRE to 
change object. Performing this action costs 25% of the units Action 
Point Allowance.

PICK UP:
If the unit is standing on a space with one or more objects on the 
floor then they can be picked up. This option displays all the objects 
in the space in a similar manner to the change object display. Use the 
UP and DOWN controls to move the pointer to the object you want to 
pick up and press FIRE to implement the action. If you don't want to 
pick up any objects move the pointer to CANCEL and press fire. This 
option costs 50% if the unit has an object in use of 25% if it does not.

DROP:
If the unit has an object in use then it can be dropped costing 10% of 
its AP allowance. It is possible to hide an object that is dropped, 
depending on the size of the object and the capacity of the terrain 
the units is standing on. For example you can hide a grenade in a 
plant pot but not a rifle, you cannot hide anything on a floor space 
but you can hide most things under a bed. If it is possible to hide 
the dropped object then a small menu is displayed asking you whether 
you wish to hide the object or not.

LOAD:
If the unit has a ranged combat weapon in use and it is also carrying 
the appropriate ammunition for that weapon then it can be loaded with 
new ammunition costing 50% of the units AP allowance.

PRIME:
If the unit has a grenade in use which is not primed then it can be 
primed at a cost of 20%. Use the UP and DOWN controls to alter the 
timer and press FIRE to prime the grenade. The value of the timer 
determines when the grenade will explode. If the timer is set to 0 
then it will explode at the end of your turn. If it is set to 1 then 
it will go off  at the end of your opponent's turn, and so on.

OPEN:
If the unit is facing towards a closed, unlocked door then it can be 
opened. The cost is 20% of AP allowance.

CLOSE:
If the unit is facing towards an opened door it can be closed. 
The cost is 20% of AP allowance.

UNLOCK:
If the unit is facing towards a locked door and it is using the 
correct key then the door an be unlocked. The cost is 25% of AP 
allowance.

LOCK:
If the unit is facing towards an unlocked door and it is using the 
correct key then the door can be locked. The cost is 25% of AP 
allowance.

SCANNER:
The strategic map can be displayed with no AP cost.

CANCEL:
Clear the menu and return to movement.
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FIRE MODE

When you select the FIRE option the main display will change from a 
perspective amp to a Line of Fire map which shows all the terrain that 
blocks shooting or throwing. All units are replaced with a blob 
depicting the target area of each unit. The square cursor is replaced 
by a flashing cross-hair cursor for targeting shots. The information 
display on the right shows the weapon being used and the essential 
information for ranged combat (see fire mode display). In order to 
fire a weapon move the cross-hair cursor to the desired target point, 
press FIRE to display the fire mode menu and select the type of shot 
you require. You will not be able to fire a shot if the cursor is 
outside the unit's field of vision.
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FIRE MODE         WHAT IT MEANS
DISPLAY

SNIPER     ...... Name of weapon
RIFLE
APS> 34    ...... Unit's action points remaining
AMM> 12    ...... Ammunition in weapon
AUTOSHOT
ACC>  AP>
N.A.       ...... Automatic fire not available for sniper rifle
SNAPSHOT
ACC>  AP>  ...... Accuracy / Action point cost for snapshot
31%   16
AIM SHOT
ACC>  AP>  ...... Accuracy / Action point cost for aim shot
66%   33
THROW
ACC>  AP>  ...... Accuracy / Action point cost for throw
45%   10
                  note: accuracy includes weapon skill.
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FIRE MODE OPTIONS

Only ranged combat weapons will have the three fire options for 
automatic fire, snap shots and aimed shots. Some weapons are unable to 
do automatic fire. If the unit is using any other object then only the 
throw option will be available.

The following options are available in Fire Mode:

AUTO: 
Automatic fire is a burst of continuous fire between two specified 
points. A minimum of three shots must be fired and the unit must have 
enough AP's for at least three auto-shots in order to select this 
option. Once you have selected automatic fire you must select a second 
target pint within the unit's field of vision. Press FIRE when you 
have moved the cursor to the desired point. You will then be asked to 
select the number of shots you wish to fire from three up to the 
maximum allowed by the unit's Action Points. Use the UP and DOWN 
controls to change the number of shots and press FIRE to execute the 
shots.

SNAP:
A snap shot is a single shot, but is more accurate than automatic fire.

AIM:
An aimed shot is the most accurate type of shot but requires the most 
action Points.

THROW:
Any object can be thrown up to a distance determined by the unit's 
strength divided by the object's weight. An object will never be 
thrown further than the cursor which allows for fairly accurate 
placing of objects. The accuracy of throwing is equivalent to the 
unit's agility rating and the cost is 20% of the unit's AP allowance. 
If a thrown object hits another unit then the object ca be caught 
provided the unit is facing the thrower and has no object currently 
in use. If the object is not caught then it will fall at the unit's 
feet.

INFO:
If the cursor is over a unit then information on that unit can be 
displayed.

END FIRE:
Ends fire mode and returns to select mode.

CANCEL:
Clears menu.
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OPPORTUNITY FIRE

Opportunity fire is an essential feature of the tactics employed in 
Laser Squad. If a unit is left with at least half its Action Point 
Allowance at the end of the game turn then it will be eligible for 
opportunity fire. During your opponents turn opportunity fire will be 
triggered when an enemy unit moves into the field of vision of your 
unit. Control will switch you in fire mode which allows you to shoot 
the enemy unit. Once you select the END FIRE option then your opponent 
can continue with his turn.

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PART TWO: REFERENCE GUIDE
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UNIT CHARACTERISTICS

Each unit has a unique set of attributes which affect the game in 
various ways.

MORALE VALUE:
Each unit's morale value represents the value of the unit to the rest 
of its squad. If the unit is eliminated then the morale of all units 
on its side will decrease by an amount equal to its morale value and 
all enemy units morale will increase by the same value.

MOVEMENT TYPE:
Different types of unit have different AP costs for certain types of 
terrain. For example the droids in scenario one are unable to trample 
over the household furniture.

ACTION POINT ALLOWANCE:
This represents the number of Action Points that the unit is allocated 
at the start of each turn. However, a unit's initial AP allowance is 
modified by a number of factors. the weight of the unit's armour and 
the unit's burden are both subtracted from this value.

CONSTITUTION:
A unit's constitution is the amount of damage it can take before its 
eliminated.

WOUNDS:
If a unit's constitution is reduced then the unit will receive a number 
of wounds which are subtracted from the unit's Action Points at the 
start of each turn.

WOUND RATE:
The wound rate is the number of constitution points lost needed to 
generate one wound.

STAMINA:
This value represents the physical fitness, or energy, of the unit. 
If a unit spends more than half its APs on energetic tasks like 
movement then stamina will be reduced. Unused APs will help recover 
stamina. If Stamina reaches such a low level that the unit is feeble 
then it will receive half its AP allowance at the start of each turn 
until stamina is recovered through rest.

MORALE:
A unit's morale is adversely affected if friendly units are eliminated 
or if a unit is wounded. Morale will increase (but not beyond the 
initial morale) if enemy units are eliminated. If a unit becomes 
panicked then it may drop objects that it is using. The morale of droids 
is never reduced.

WEAPON SKILL:
This value affects ranged combat only. Combined with the skill factor 
of a weapon the accuracy of firing can be increased.  

STRENGTH:
The weight of objects that can be carried is determined by a unit's 
strength. In close combat strength can increase the damage done by a 
weapon.

AGILITY:
The accuracy of throwing depends on a unit's agility. The accuracy of 
hitting in close combat is affected by the attacking unit's agility 
and the defending units agility.

BURDEN:
A unit's burden is subtracted from its AP allowance. The burden value 
is calculated according to the strength of the unit and the total 
weight of all objects carried.

ARMOUR:
Each unit has an armour rating for its front side, left side, right 
side and rear. The unit's directional facing and the source of each 
shot is used to calculate which armour rating is used in combat 
calculations. Armour can be damaged if a damage value from a shot or 
hit is greater than the armour rating. A unit's constitution will only 
be affected by a damage value which is greater than the armour value.

VICTORY POINTS:
A unit's victory point value is added to the enemies total victory 
points when the unit is eliminated.
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WEAPONS AND OBJECTS

There are three basic categories of objects in Laser Squad, weapons, 
ammunition and other objects. There are three types of weapon, close 
combat weapons, ranged weapons and grenade type weapons. Most ranged 
weapons can be used in close combat. Objects can have some or all of 
the following characteristics:

WEIGHT:
All objects have a weight value.

SIZE:
All objects have a size value. Units are limited in the total size of 
objects that they can carry depending on the type of armour worn. When 
there is more than one object in a space then the largest object is 
displayed on the map.  

CONSTITUTION:
All objects have a constitution value which represents the damage 
factor needed to destroy the object.

ACTION POINT:
When an object is on the ground there can be an AP cost for moving 
onto it in addition to the AP Cost for the terrain.

CLOSE COMBAT COST:
The percentage of APs required to use the weapon in close combat.

CLOSE COMBAT ACCURACY:
The basic chance of hitting with the weapon. This is modified by a 
number of factors in close combat.

CLOSE COMBAT DAMAGE:
The average amount of damage points inflicted by the weapon in close 
combat.

CLOSE COMBAT STRENGTH BONUS:
The percentage of a unit's strength that is added to damage in close 
combat.

CLOSE COMBAT AGILITY BONUS:
The percentage of a unit's agility that is added to the accuracy in 
close combat.

AUTOMATIC FIRE AP COST:
The percentage of a unit's action point allowance used for a single 
automatic shot.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ACCURACY:
The percentage chance of being on target.

SNAP SHOT AP COST:
The percentage of unit's action point allowance used for a single 
snap shot.

SNAP SHOT ACCURACY:
The percentage chance of being on target with a snap shot.

AIMED SHOT AP COST:
The percentage of unit's action point allowance used for one 
aimed shot.

AIMED SHOT ACCURACY:
The percentage chance of being on target with an aimed shot.

SKILL FACTOR:
The value determines how much of a unit's weapon skill is added to 
accuracy in ranged combat.

RANGED COMBAT DAMAGE:
The average amount of damage inflicted by the weapon in ranged combat. 
If the weapon has explosive ammunition, or if the weapon is a grenade 
type, then this value represents explosive power.

AMMUNITION:
The type of ammunition that is used if the object is a ranged 
combat weapon.
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CLOSE COMBAT CALCULATIONS

The accuracy of close combat is determined by the sum of the following 
factors: 

1. The basic close combat accuracy of the weapon.
2. Add the agility factor determined by the weapons agility bonus and 
   the attacking unit's agility.
3. Subtract all the enemy unit's agility if it is being attacked from 
   the front.
4. Subtract half the enemy unit's agility if it is being attacked 
   from the side.
5. Subtract a quarter of the enemy unit's agility if it is being 
   attacked from the rear.

The damage in close combat is determined by the sum of the following 
factors:

1. The basic close combat damage of the weapon.
2. Add the strength factor determined by the weapons strength bonus 
   and the attacking unit's strength.
3. Add a random factor which modifies the damage value calculated so 
   far between 50% and 150%.
4. Subtract the defending unit's armour rating for the side in which 
   it is hit.
5. Subtract the protection value of the terrain occupied by the 
   defending unit.
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RANGED COMBAT CALCULATIONS

The accuracy of ranged combat is determined by the sum of the 
following factors:

1. The basic accuracy of the weapon depending on the type of shot.
2. If the shot is a snap shot then add the skill bonus determined by 
   the weapons skill and the firing units weapon skill.
3. If the shot is an automatic shot then only add half the calculated 
   skill bonus.
4. If the shot is an aimed shot then add double the calculated skill 
   bonus.

Ranged combat damage is determined by the sum of the following values.

1. The ranged combat damage value of the weapon.
2. Add a random factor which results in a damage amount between 50% 
   and 150% of the initial damage value.
3. Subtract the target unit's armour rating for the side in which it 
   is hit.
4. Subtract the protection rating of the terrain occupied by the 
   target unit.

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PART THREE: THE SCENARIOS
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SCENARIO ONE: THE ASSASSINS

INTRODUCTION

The Marsec corporation manufactures the best weapons in the galaxy, 
but its boss, Sterner Regnix, uses unsavoury methods to extract the 
best from his top scientists. The use of mind control drugs and 
cybernetic implants is widely used, but officially denied by Marsec. 
The inter-stellar Trading Standards Authority is powerless to 
intervene. A small band of ex-employees have decided to assassinate 
Sterner Regnix. They have located his private home on the planet CX-1 
and will stop at nothing until Sterner is dead.

DEPLOYMENT

ASSASSIN SQUAD:
Deploy on the red and yellow deployment squares around the house. 
Entrance to the house can be gained through opening the east or west 
doors.

DROID SQUAD:
Sterner Regnix and his body guard of combat droids deploy on the blue 
squares inside the house.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

ASSASSIN SQUAD:
If the Assassins manage to eliminate Sterner Regnix they win the game.

DROID SQUAD:
The droid squad wins if they eliminate all the assassins and Sterner 
Regnix remains alive.
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SCENARIO TWO: MOON BASE ASSAULT

INTRODUCTION

The Omni Corporation's moonbase on Arid - 6 holds security information 
on the 30 billion population of galaxy sector nine. Somewhere in sector 
nine is the rebel star system, the infamous 'Rebelstar' which still 
remains a secret from all its enemies. However the Arid - 6 moonbase 
represents the biggest threat to the rebels so far with an increasing 
amount of data on rebel movements. A small band of rebels have 
penetrated the moon's outer defences and are poised to launch an attack 
on the moonbase itself.

DEPLOYMENT

LASER SQUAD:
Deploy on the red and yellow squares outside the moonbase. Entrance 
can only be gained by opening the airlocks.

OMNI CORP:
Deploy on the magenta squares inside the moonbase.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

LASER SQUAD:
A sufficient number of Databanks and Analysers must be destroyed to 
guarantee victory. A Databank is worth five victory points and an 
Analyser is worth two. The Laser Squad wins if 100 victory points are 
gained.

OMNI CORP:
The Omni Corporation wins if all the Laser Squad is eliminated.
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SCENARIO THREE: RESCUE FROM THE MINES

INTRODUCTION

A routine mission has gone badly wrong. A reconnaissance mission in 
one of the Metallix corporation's  mine installations has resulted in 
death of most members of a rebel squad. However all is not lost. Three 
members of the squad have been imprisoned on one level of the mine and 
they have vital information on the mine complex. A small squad has 
hastily been assembled to free the prisoners.

DEPLOYMENT

LASER SQUAD:
Deploy on the red and yellow squares on the top left and top right of 
the map.

METALLIX CORP:
Deploy on blue squares in the mine complex.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

LASER SQUAD:
All three of the prisoners must escape to guarantee victory. Once a 
prisoner is released from his cell move him to an elevator door and 
move into the elevator to escape.

METALLIX CORP:
The Metallix corporation wins if at least five of the rebels are 
killed.
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SCENARIO FOUR: THE CYBER HORDES

INTRODUCTION

In this scenario a small band of rebels must defend a rebel planet 
station from attack by an imperial droid squad on the large planet of 
Azar. The base contains seven stabiliser cores which prevent seismic 
instability under the planets thin crust. The imperial squad leaders 
have pinpointed the weaknesses in Azars defences and have assembled a 
squad designed for the task of destroying the cores. If they succeed 
the existence of the entire rebel colony on Azar would be threatened.

DEPLOYMENT

REBEL SQUAD:
The rebels must deploy on the red squares inside the main base area 
on the right of the map.

DROID SQUAD:
The Droids must deploy on the blue deployment squares on the top left 
and bottom left of the base.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

REBEL SQUAD:
In the two player game the Rebels must eliminate all eight of the 
droids in order to win. In the one player version the droids receive 
reinforcements. The Rebels must destroy 100 victory points worth 
of droids in order to win.

DROID SQUAD:
The Droid squad wins if at least five of the stabiliser cores are 
destroyed or if all the Rebel squad are killed.
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SCENARIO FIVE: PARADISE VALLEY

INTRODUCTION

The destruction of the planetary stabiliser base has left the Azarian 
colony in ruins. Volcanic eruptions have destroyed most of the major 
installations and the Imperial assault ships hover above the 
atmosphere like vultures waiting for their prey to die. Such a massive 
attack on such a small colony could only have one objective - to 
locate and capture the rebel blueprints for their advanced starfighter. 
Rather than destroy all their work the Rebels have transferred all the 
data into a small security device. A squad is assigned the task of 
escaping from the colony with the device in order to reach the distress 
beacon on the western plains. However the journey is not easy. The 
route through Paradise Valley is very dangerous because all the local 
wildlife is hostile and deadly. An underground network of tunnels can 
make the journey easier, but the entrances and exits are all hidden. 
A sentient race known as the Sectoids tend to collect and store 
weaponry taken from humans unfortunate enough to meet them, and they 
have the ability to use these weapons as well. In the valley above the 
vegetation provides cover for the viscous venomous splurges whose 
acidic spit is lethal. Only the most ingenious squad leader could 
possibly negotiate Paradise Valley.

DEPLOYMENT

REBEL SQUAD:
The Rebels must deploy on the red and yellow squares on the left hand 
side of the valley.

ALIENS:
The Aliens do not have a deployment phase. They are deployed randomly 
in their natural terrain.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

REBEL SQUAD:
The Rebels must take the security device, which is initially carried 
by Corporal Hansen, over to the right hand side of the valley.

ALIENS:
The Aliens will win if all the Rebels are killed.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LASER SQUAD WEAPON CHART
________________________________________________________________________
  
                               CLOSE COMBAT 
                               -------------
                                        %  
                            A           S  %
                            P           T  A                    %   R  A
                        C               R  G   %     %     %    S   A  M
                        O   C           E  I  AUTO  SNAP  AIMED K   N  M
                        N   O           N  L  SHOT  SHOT  SHOT  I   G  O
                        S   S     %     G  I  ----  ----  ----  L   E
                        T   T     A     T  T     A     A     A  L   D  C
                        I         C     H  Y  A  C  A  C  A  C         A
                  W     T   O     C  D        P  C  P  C  P  C  F   D  P
                  E     U   N  %  U  A  B  B     U     U     U  A   A  A
                  I  S  T      C  R  M  O  O  C  R  C  R  C  R  C   M  C
                  G  I  I   M  O  A  A  N  N  O  A  O  A  O  A  T   A  I
                  H  Z  O   A  S  C  G  U  U  S  C  S  C  S  C  O   G  T
WEAPON            T  E  N   P  T  Y  E  S  S  T  Y  T  Y  T  Y  R   E  Y
------------------w--s--c--ap--close-combat---auto--snap--aim--sf---d--a
AUTOMATICS:
M4000 AUTO-GUN   10 12 106  2 25 40  8 20 10  3  5 25 16 50 40  8  46 20
MARSEC AUTO-GUN  12 14 116  2 25 38 10 20  9  6  5 25 18 50 45  8  58 20
L50 LAS-GUN      16 14 120  2 33 34 10 17 10  5  4 20 12 50 24  5  30 40
HEAVY LASER      28 34 126  3 50 24 11 17  7  3  3 17 10 33 16  6  45 50
MK-1             14 12 136  1 25 36  8 17 13  8 12 33 24 33 57 10  53 30
MS AUTO CANNON*  26 30 120  3 33 26 11 17  7 13  8 25 20 50 40  7  78 12
M50 AUTO PISTOL   5  4 103  0 25 26  5 25 13 10  3 20 12 50 30  5  42 12
------------------w--s--c--ap--close-combat---------snap--aim--sf---d--a
SINGLE FIRE:
SNIPER RIFLE      7  8  98  1 20 52  8 20 13  -  - 33 26 67 56 13  52 12
L80 LAS-GUN      14 18 112  2 25 30  8 17  8  -  - 25 28 50 64  4  48 10
PUMP SHOT GUN     9  9 106  0 25 40  8 20 14  -  - 25 16 50 38  7  64  6
MARSEC PISTOL     6  4 100  0 20 50  6 17 17  -  - 13 10 25 22  7  40  8
ROCKET LAUNCHER* 12 22  86  3 50 26  9 14  8  -  - 33 10 67 18  5 160  1
------------------w--s--c--ap---------------------------------------d---
EXPLOSIVES:
EXPLOSIVE*       15  8  80  0  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  70  -
AP50 GRENADE*     2  2  60  0  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  90  -
AP75 GRENADE*     4  3 130  0  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 160  -
------------------w--s--c--ap--close-combat-----------------------------
BLADES:
DAGGER            1  2  60  0 17 58 20 13 33  -  -  -  -  -  -  -   -  -
LIGHT SABRE       5  4 180  0 20 46 84 17 33  -  -  -  -  -  -  -   -  -
________________________________________________________________________

* Explosive impact
Note: Distance of throw = strength of unit divided by objects weight.


WEAPON                   AMMO CAPACITY & TYPE
---------------------------------------------
M4000 AUTO-GUN ......... 20 - M4000 GUN-CLIP
MARSEC AUTO-GUN ........ 20 - MARSEC GUN-CLIP
L50 LAS-GUN ............ 40 - L50 LAS-PACK
HEAVY LASER ............ 50 - HEAVY LAS-PACK
MK-1 ................... 30 - MK-1 CLIP
MS AUTO CANNON ......... 12 - CANNON CLIP
M50 AUTO PISTOL ........ 12 - PISTOL CLIP

SNIPER RIFLE ........... 12 - RIFLE CLIP
L80 LAS-GUN ............ 10 - L80 LAS-PACK
PUMP SHOT GUN ..........  6 - SHOT GUN CLIP
MARSEC PISTOL ..........  8 - PISTOL CLIP
ROCKET LAUNCHER ........  1 - ROCKET

________________________________________________________________________
This is the end of the original manual. Added information follows...
________________________________________________________________________


WEAPON NOTES

M4000 AUTO-GUN: High rate of fire for close to medium distances.

MARSEC AUTO-GUN: High powered auto-gun. A bit more accurate than M4000.

L50 LAS-GUN: Low powered with large ammo pack.

HEAVY LASER: Medium power - high rate of fire - very large ammo pack.

MK-1: Best all round auto weapon.

MS AUTO CANNON: Most powerful auto weapon with explosive impact. 
                Warning - Use only in wide open spaces.

M50 AUTO PISTOL: Light and cheap auto weapon for close range.

SNIPER RIFLE: Inexpensive, accurate weapon for any range.

L80 LAS-GUN: The most accurate weapon for any range.

PUMP SHOT GUN: Powerful weapon for close encounters.

MARSEC PISTOL: Light and cheap close up weapon.

ROCKET LAUNCHER: Very powerful explosive impact weapon. Use only in 
                 wide open spaces. May even destroy walls!

EXPLOSIVE: Good for getting friends out of prison.

AP50 GRENADE: Moderately powerful grenade that can be thrown long 
              distances.

AP75 GRENADE: Powerful grenade for up to medium distances.

DAGGER: Cheap close combat weapon. Most effective when used on enemy 
        unit from behind.

LIGHT SABRE: Powerful close combat weapon.

________________________________________________________________________

LASER SQUAD TIPS
________________________________________________________________________
  
1. Select the equipment that best suits the mission. For example: You'll
   need at least 3 explosives to get the prisoners out of prison in the
   "Rescue from the mines" scenario, and you might want to have a couple
   of light sabres in "Paradise valley" to save on ammo when hacking
   through the undergrowth.

2. Don't go through a door if your movement points are almost used up.
   Wait for the next turn when you have full movement points.

3. If possible - ambush the enemy by waiting for them to come to you.
   You will have full movement points to use during opportunity fire.

4. Use your units as a team. One unit might open a door while another
   moves inside, while still another stands ready to fire.

5. Never use up more than half of your movement points unless you really
   need to. Your unit will not have opportunity fire and be at the
   mercy of any enemy unit that moves into line-of-sight.

6. Explosive weapons are usefull for taking out multiple targets but
   they are also good to use against enemy units that are around a
   corner or just behind a door.

7. Sometimes it's good to use one of your less effective units as a
   scout by keeping them outside a building and looking thorough the
   windows to spot enemy units for the rest of the squad inside.
   "Moonbase Assault" comes to mind as the windows are bullet-proof.

8. Generally - Use aim shot for long distances, snap shot for medium 
   and auto for close range. These are not hard and fast rules and
   can and should be broken depending on the situation, unit's
   shooting skill, etc.

9. If you notice that the computer controled units are not moving
   very much, be cautious when going through doors and around corners -
   they could be waiting to ambush you. Here's where the grenades come
   in handy.

10 Some objects such as chairs and plants can provide limited cover.

11 Don't bunch up your units when you know the enemy has an auto-cannon
   i.e.- "Cyber Hordes".
________________________________________________________________________

SO, YOU'RE A LASER SQUAD ELITE PLAYER...

Try these ideas against the computer:

1. Limited Weapons.
   Play the hardest level of any game but don't spend all your credits.
   See how little you can spend and still win. Keep track of how much
   you have left over and see if you can spend even less the next time.

2. Take from the dead.
   Play a scenario where you can take weapons from the dead enemies
   (Moonbase, Rescue). Give each man ONLY a dagger to start. NO armour.
   Good luck! (If this is too tough, go ahead, put on some armour).

3. A hunting we will go.
   Play the scenario "Paradise Valley", but don't bother to complete 
   your mission, instead, see how many aliens you can eliminate, and 
   see if you can better your previous number.

4. Less is more.
   Play any scenario with less men. Outfit the men you are going to
   use any way you like. The ones you aren't going to use will not
   need any armour and give them each a grenade. Place the men you
   are not going to use together and away from the rest. Prime their
   grenades and next turn you will have less men ;)
   See how few men you need and still complete your mission.

5. Rambo.
   Similar to above, but you will only use one of your best men.
   Outfit him with the best armour and weapons. Give him at least a
   couple of grenades to give him a fighting chance. "Moonbase Assault"
   is a good scenario for this idea.
______________________________________________________________________

GAME HISTORY

Title: Laser Squad

Release date: 1988

Publisher: Target Games/Blade Software

Designed and programmed by: Julian Gollop (Mythos Games)

Additional artwork and scenario design: Ian Terry

Additional programming: Ian Tory, Nick Gollop

Conversions: Krisalis

Format: Sinclair Spectrum, Amtrad CPC, Commodore 64, 
Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, IBM PC

Go here for more free games (you'll need a Sinclair Spectrum
emulator to play them on a PC):
http://www.mythosgames.com

