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BEAST WAR (Strategy & Tactics for 1-4 players)
Compatible: 48K Apple II+, IIe, IIc
Requirements: One disk drive, KB or joystick input
When constant warfare threatened to erase all life from Galaxy Alaxis, it was at last decided to find some less destructive means for settling disputes. The Beast War, a chess-like contest of strategy and tactics, proved the ideal solution.
In "Beast War" you always play against the computer, directing the movement of six different semi-intelligent beasts on a circular, 43-'square' field. In each round of a match, your objective is to maximize your score by destroying opposing beasts and capturing squares. When employed to adjudicate disputes, the player with the highest match score wins and is eligible to have his or her name and score saved to disk.
Each beast is characterized by movement pattern, energy level, strength, and unique combat advantage over one other beast. (Thus the fearsome Dracon can burn the winged Aeroctus to ash but fears the bite of the Saurus.) Any move consumes energy, especially when the target is a square previously occupied by the enemy (as indicated by the presence of an enemy marker). The same is true of combat initiated by moving to an occupied square. If a beast's energy level goes to zero it is eliminated; so control of the center, recharge square is crucial to victory.
Combats are resolved in a brief arcade sequence where each beast may advance, strike, or retreat. Here energy reserves, strength, number of adjacent friendly beasts, and special attributes determine the outcome.
Like chess, this game is easy to play but difficult to play well. As challenging as it is alien, "Beast War" offers yet another enjoyable alternative to traditional strategy-oriented boardgames.
Available from Avalon Hill: 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214. (301) 254-5300. $25.00
GRFX S.M. PLAY DIFF INTR GAME
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