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I Galactic Empire Even in the distant future men are faced with the one seemingly immutable law of the universe: man cannot travel faster than light. Thus the genius of military leadership remains unchanged from pre-atomic times: it is not a matter of shooting straight nor of being able to maneuver a spaceship through the increasing complexities of microcomputer space. The test of true military genius, as always, lies in the facility for total planning. Military success is a matter of logistical coordination, of delivering ships and men to the right place at the proper time. GALACTIC EMPIRE challenges you to unite the Central Galactic System under a single flag, starting from an inferior position, by acquiring a military and manufacturing base from the planets you control. You are assisted by your officers, each with specific responsibilities for such tasks as scouting potential targets, levying taxes, recruiting new troops, and construction of new vessels for your navy Your onboard computer keeps track of your scouts and construction orders and stores star maps and a planetary directory to give you the tools you need to develop a comprehensive plan. A special save routine allows you to store up to 10 games in progress (TRS-80 version stores 1) if you wish. Single player game. APPLE Disk: 48K with APPLESOFT. GALACTIC EMPIRE by Douglas G. Carlston As commander of Galactica's Imperial Forces, your mission is to conquer and hold the 20 inhabited worlds of the Central Galactic System. Aboard the fleet flagship you are ably assisted by your senior officers and the ship's onboard computer. Computer Central contains star maps of the galaxy and a planetary directory. It also keeps track of all scout ships on missions and on the status of work orders for new star ships at your shipyards around the galaxy. Lieutenant Starbuck is your officer charged with responsibility for all scouting missions. Lieutenant Bayliss is the staff officer responsible for planetside activities. His duties range from enlisting new troops to collecting taxes to contracting for new ships for the fleet. Your navigator is Sergeant Kirman, and you also have aboard a medical doctor, Doctor Henderson, who is an expert in suspended animation techniques. This is important, for one immutable scientific fact stands between you and the empire you wish to carve Out-no one yet has discovered the secret to faster-than-light travel. Even the tiny Central Galactic System is sixty-odd light years wide. Logistics have always been an important facet of any military campaign, and that has not changed. Careful planning is essential if you are to keep your fleet replenished as it moves throughout the galaxy. Because cryonics and high speed space travel stretch the average life span, you will have 1000 years to complete your mission. Except during periods of travel or hibernation, you will actually have about 4 minutes for each year of your command. The ship and the men you control are a potentially deadly fighting force. Commanding all of the day to day activities aboard ship is a complicated task, however, and so the attached manual may give some initial guidance. Good luck, Commander May the stars long shine upon your head. SHIP'S MANUAL 1. THE COMMAND CONSOLE A) Viewport - permits visual orientation in space displays name of current location in upper left-hand corner B) Calendar - in upper right-hand corner of console displays current Stardate C) CRT - displays communications from Computer Central D) Resource Chart - keeps constant track of the number of fighters, transports (loaded and unloaded) and scouts with the fleet, as well as Comptroller's funds (in megacredits) to be used for ship construction. F) Command Controls: =A= Attack (see below) =C= Computer (see below) =E= Embark (see below) =O= Orders (see below) Non-visible Controls: =R= (Rescind, Return, Retreat) - returns you to command modes =0= (Quit) - to abandon your command and secure your final rating based upon your successes to date. (In order to save a game in progress you must first press =Q=). 2. CONTROLS A) Attack - If pressed while the fleet is orbiting a hostile world, this signal will cause the fleet to attack. When attacking technologically sophisticated worlds, it will be necessary to establish air supremacy before landing the troop transports. Computer Central will display both sides' losses as the battle progresses, along with its assessment (based purely upon a non-dynamic view of the battle) of the probability of the fleet's success, an assessment which is revised constantly throughout the battle. You may break off your attack at any time by signalling Retreat. (Beware: If you lose all of your fighters, the Flagship herself may be attacked.) Once air supremacy is established, the planet must be secured by your land forces. Strength of the opposition in the air depends largely upon its technological sophistication; on the ground, upon the size of the population. One final warning-if you inadvertently call for an attack upon an empire world, you will lose half of your forces before you can straighten the mess out. This can be a very costly mistake. B) Computer - When activated, the Computer Central will offer a choice of the following categories: =A= Star Maps =B= Planetary Directory =C= Status Reports The purpose and function of each is as follows: =A= Star Maps: You are given a choice of local or galaxy map, as well as a range finder. Both maps display a view of the galaxy from above. (The galaxy is, of course, 3-dimensional, although it is only about half as deep as it is wide). A blinking control bit stands at the top of the display. There are 2 ways to identify star systems. First, if you know the name of the system, type in the first letter of the name. The full name and coordinates will be displayed at the bottom of the screen, and the appropriate star on the map will flash repeatedly. A second method is to move the blinking control bit by use of the keyboard arrows until it is superimposed upon one of the stars on the map. The system will then be identified at the bottom of the screen. (In the Applesoft version of the game, the "/" is used for a down arrow, and the = Return = button is used as the up arrow. The = Repeat = key may be used in combination with any of the above. Typing "?" will identify the name of the star system closest to the current position of the control dot.) The local map will always be centered on the fleet. To use the range finder, merely enter the first initials of 2 systems. Computer Central will then calculate the distance between them. =B= Planetary Directory: The first page of the directory lists all of the inhabited systems, divided into empire and independent groupings. Press any key to turn the page. Computer Central will then provide, at request, all information in its files concerning any system. Note, however, that detailed information is available only about Galactica at the beginning. Until a scout has visited a system and returned or until the fleet has traveled to a system, no detailed information will be available about that star system. Press any key to return to page one, =R= to return to Computer Central's initial list of programs. = C = Status Reports: The first page of the Reports gives the status of all scout ships on missions, their destination, point of return and return date. Press any key for page two, which lists all orders for future ship construction, and when and where the ships are to be delivered. C) Embark - Upon receipt of this order (provided you have properly instructed your navigator), the fleet will leave for the selected destination. D) Orders - This control is used to call one of your officers to the bridge. 3. THE OFFICERS A) Lieutenant Starbuck - If scout ships are available; he will send one to investigate any system you select. Computer Central will notify you when a scout has returned, but you will have to call up the Planetary Directory to study the information which he brought back. B) Lieutenant Bayliss - The Lieutenant is responsible for the following: = 1 = Ship Construction: Computer Central will give you the local prices for construction of fighters, transports, and scouts. Only high technology planets can construct ships. Orders can be placed for construction as far in the future as desired, although all orders must be paid for currently. Upon completion, each shipment will be sent to whatever system you designate. Warning: If the fleet does not reach the star system where a new ship is waiting within 5 years of the new ship's arrival, that ship will run out of rations and fuel and be lost. This is why advance planning of the fleet's movements is of vital importance! = 2 = Enlistments: Computer Central will give you all relevant statistics. Generally speaking, you cannot press into service more than 2% of the population of empire worlds, or 1% during the first 10 years after a world has been conquered (the garrison period). Sparta is a notable exception. Each transport holds 100,000 soldiers. Don't bother trying to enlist troops from an enemy system. = 3 = Taxation: Taxes are assessed at the rate of one (mega) credit per million population up to a maximum of 4000 credits. They may be assessed only once per visit to a system. C) Navigator Kirman - As the Navigator accepts your order to lay a course for whatever system you have selected, Computer Central will calculate and display the expected duration of the journey. You may change your mind as to destination at any time prior to embarkation merely by giving the Navigator new orders. D) Doctor Henderson - The cryonics specialist will take and execute your suspended animation order so swiftly and smoothly that you won't even notice the years rolling by until Computer Central wakes you. Note: You do not need to use cryonics while in transit; only when delaying at a single planet. You must use cryonics if you are attempting to stay and link up with scouts or construction orders )i.e., just waiting for the clock to advance will not cause a scan to be done). Warning: Scouts and other vessels cannot join up with a fleet in hibernation, so it is a good idea to come out of the deep freeze at least every 5 years during any period you are expecting new vessels or scouts to show up. 4. STRATEGY & TACTICS Galactica is not the largest or most powerful system in her galaxy, and it is well to remember that. She is not even the most militaristic?that honor would certainly go to Sparta. Success, therefore, depends upon picking your targets carefully and not squandering your strength in contests where you are overmatched. Once you have 3 or 4 technologically advanced worlds building ships for you, your strength will grow rapidly. Remember: Primitive and technologically limited worlds are useful to raise money and manpower; but sophisticated worlds are the only ones that can build the transports to move your armies. Remember also that time is important. Populations are not static; they increase as time goes on, which means that their armies increase in size as well. If you start too slowly, you may never accumulate enough strength to conquer some of the heavily populated worlds.