RAID ON BUNGELING BAY (Broderbund – Commodore 64)
If you’re after a high score, take into account that defeat is especially
costly in this game; when all six war factories have been destroyed, you
receive 5,000 points for each remaining helicraft (including the active one).
This is the same amount that you’ve earned per factory. Postponing repairs is
therefore never to your advantage; when you exceed single-digit damage,
immediately head for the carrier. Even if you’re indifferent to the score, bear
in mind that the more damage your helicraft incurs, the slower it flies. If the
damage level has reached or exceeded 100, and the score doesn’t concern you
enough to restart the game, try to steer your wildly spinning vehicle over the
nearest factory; crashing onto it will inflict substantial harm.
Each factory’s correspondingly colored boats carry supplies that expedite the
reversal of its bombardment damages, and the restoration of its eliminated
defenses. At first, let the boats survive; they’re virtually harmless and worth
only 50 points apiece, whereas the guns and other installations each yield
twice as many points (and each plane fetches four times as many). Excepting
planes (see below), new guardians are gradually added, even if you don’t attack
anything; but production accelerates as the factories diminish. Typically, by
the time you’ve obliterated three or four, the others have improved their
defenses to a highly dangerous degree. You’ll never lack fresh targets from now
on, so the boats that you happen to fly over should be shot. This will delay
some subsequent waves of newly dispatched threats (there’s no significant
benefit in trying to remember the colors of the factories you’ve wiped out).
The tanks are comparable with the boats: While they wreak very little direct
harm, they supplement
the factories and their defenses. Due to proximity, it’s immediately obvious
which factory is tended by each tank. Shoot the latter before starting your
bombardment, in order to slow down the plant’s gradual recovery; this can
reduce the number of bombs required to achieve destruction.
This is the first island whose factory should be bombed to bits. As it’s
farthest from your carrier, it’s the most perilous to receive damage near;
vanquish it while it’s still scarcely fortified. It’s just southeast of the
massive island that holds two factories; note the shape on the radar. At the
beginning, no factory’s destruction requires more than your first load of nine
bombs.
Provided that nothing else demands your immediate attention, shoot every
remaining installation whose factory you’ve just demolished. This steadily
constricts the initially scattered threats, allowing you to avoid nasty
surprises when your momentum propels you near earlier shores. Even satellite
dishes pose risks; they enable their factories’ fighter planes to quickly
locate your helicraft.
This is a fittingly immense island to make safe for flying over, so it’s the
second on your optimal agenda. The eastern half is nearly as far from your
carrier as the first island; it will be certainly be a hazardous place when
less than four factories remain, as all anti-aircraft guns will be firing
heat-seeking missiles.
Another reason for conquering this vast isle without further delay: You’ll be
able to land safely in the pictured airfield and steal a load of bombs. If
repairs are necessary, however, the carrier’s your only prospect. Ensure that
both factories are history before landing here; if either one survives, an
anti-aircraft gun will eventually be installed just north of the airfield. When
you can’t move, it’s a quick killer. Also before setting down, check the radar
for aircraft approaching from the west. If a plane lands on the airstrip and
turns the corner before you can get your rotors turning and lift off, boom.
Finally, you’ll still be attacked by fighter planes while immobile, so it’s
important not to linger. (There’s a second airfield elsewhere, but only enemy
planes can land on it.)
The moment you’re warned of attacking bombers, fly to the aid of your carrier;
if it’s sunk, it will take along all of your surviving helicraft (not to
mention any hope of getting the current one repaired). The quickest way to
destroy the planes is to fly in a tight circle at low speed, firing as rapidly
as possible. If you hold down the fire button for more than a fraction of a
second, you’ll waste a bomb. (You won’t be able to land on the carrier while
it’s in danger.) If only one bomber appears to be attacking, watch the radar
for a few seconds after destroying it; another is probably on its way.
The bomber and fighter planes are launched about a minute after you’ve
destroyed the first factory, so they tend to show up after the second. Engage
the fighters in the same manner as described for the bombers: Rotate swiftly
(nearly every attacking fighter banks around you in a wide loop, just as the
bombers circle above the carrier), fly forward very slowly (your second- or
third-lowest speed is best), and fire unremittingly (you’ll often hit a plane
as it flies back into view; after you’ve seen one exit the screen, continue
tracing it with your shots as you glance at the radar). Flying slowly instead
of hovering in place greatly reduces your chances of being hit by air-to-air
missiles; they usually can’t be anticipated in time to consciously evade. Low
speed also enables you to fly out of the way when you do notice a fighter
heading straight toward you (a sure sign that it’s about to fire). This is
because it takes you an instant longer to speed forward from a standstill.
Whenever you spot a reloading plane of either type, shoot it. This will keep it
from plaguing you later, when it’s airborne – and when turning your attention
toward it will probably be less opportune. Even if there’s nothing here as you
happen by, line up with the airstrip and slightly decrease your speed as you
fly along it to the west, firing constantly. The chances of hitting a plane
that’s just coming in for a landing are greater than they might seem.
The best tactic for bombing a factory is similar to that for fighting the
planes: Circle tightly above it at a low speed (it’s easy to be caught unawares
by an approaching fighter), repeatedly dropping bombs. You should first
eliminate all present fighters and anti-aircraft guns. While your velocity’s
reduced, the latter’s normal shells can be just as harmful as their
heat-seekers.
The fourth factory to annihilate stands on the island just south of the last.
Try to get there before the ground defenses increase; in two spots – near the
western tip and on the isolated portion seen here – new anti-aircraft guns will
eventually emerge and imperil your return for repairs, as the carrier’s channel
runs just to the west.
If you’ve destroyed the first four factories quickly enough, one more can be
taken out before the battleship is launched. Slowly approach one of the islands
that lie west of your carrier’s channel; battleship production isn’t set back
by the destruction of the nearby factory, so either island will do. Now that
several guns wait along the borders, the best strategy is to face one end of
your chosen row of targets (discerned on the radar) and fly straight ahead,
firing continuously. Maintain a speed just below your highest, so there’s time
to blast everything along the short route. Overshoot the island, assessing the
guns further inland as you zip by. If escape from a heat-seeker isn’t suddenly
required – these are possible to outrun at your highest speed, as long as
damage hasn’t impaired your engines – line up again, diagonally this time, and
repeat the strafing run, aiming for the two guns beside the factory.
Unless you’re nearly done bombing the fifth factory into oblivion, head
straight for the battleship the instant you’re notified that it’s been
completed, making a stop only if you’re not carrying at least eight bombs.
Given enough time, the ship will destroy your carrier. (You haven’t bombed its
harbored parts if you’ve awaited its 5,000 points.) Use the radar to align your
helicraft while the battleship’s off-screen. Its heat-seeking missiles are
fired northward, so approach from the south; they’ll take time to swing toward
you. Attacking from the east or west is lethal, as the vessel remains in view
longer. Fly straight ahead at top speed, dropping a bomb every time you fly
over the ship. Timing is crucial; eight bombs will sink it, but it’s easily
missed. As long as you avoid significant damage, you’ll outrun its missiles
(and those from any anti-aircraft guns that you fly past). As you orbit the
planet on your way to another bombing, fire incessantly to dispose of anything
that happens to get in your way.
Without slowing down, swiftly adjust course between attacks; the ship slowly
moves westward. If you turn aside to protect or land on the carrier, and you
can’t subsequently locate the battleship, fly a safe but radar-covered distance
from the northern coast of the largest island; your target eventually drifts
along the shore.
Once you’ve destroyed all major targets but the sixth factory, you can safely
keep the game going as long as you like. New threats will only appear if you
give the factory time to repair itself; its first few ground and air defenses
will reappear shortly after the smokestacks become active again. You can
destroy it right away, or you can put an end to all extant enemies first. The
latter is most easily accomplished as follows: Bomb the factory until it stops
emitting smoke, and then twice more, thus ensuring that you’ll have time to
hunt everywhere. Conduct a cursory search first, eliminating most of your
remaining adversaries (this is a great time to check the airfields). Now revisit
the factory, returning it to a smokeless state if necessary; remember the two
extra bombs. Finally, fly directly northward or southward, watching the radar
for targets. Once you’ve orbited back to your starting point, head about one
screen’s length to the east or west (it’s easiest to gauge this on the radar).
Now search along this entire longitude. Whenever you feel that you’ve taken
excessive time to veer after prey (chasing bombers is especially
time-consuming), fly back to the factory. Damage it as before; if there’s still
no smoke, bomb it only once. Now return to your most recent route. Continue the
process until you’ve searched everywhere, and then complete the game.
You might choose to let the final factory repeatedly generate its defenses;
simply cripple it each time, hunting everything down while it recovers. This
inflates your score, but it has to be carried out numerous times to produce the
5,000 points you’ll receive for each helicraft. Your chances of surviving the
brief but myriad onslaughts of heat-seeking and air-to-air missiles should be
weighed against your willingness to expend the considerable time. It’s up to
you!
©2009 Chris Federico