A World at War [VIC-730x] - English

(c) Handic Software AB

Instructions

BEFORE GAME
-----------
Read through the instructions carefully. Ensure (with VIC turned off!) that
VIC is correctly connected and the game cartridge is properly inserted. Then
you can turn on the power, adjust sound and light on your TV and start the
game.

BACKGROUND
----------
You rule one of two superpowers, a peace-loving people whose biggest wish is
to live in freedom and safety.

The other superpower is controlled by a cold-heartedly scheming computer
without emotions, programmed to keep its subjects in an iron grip and
annihilate all resistance and every attempt at opposition both within and
outside the country.

Based on mutual suspicions about the neighbour is planning dangerous 
operations, hostility is growing between the two countries. Although you know
the world well enough holds you both, each side feels an increasing risk for a
hostile attack.

Both sides soon discover that the only possibilty to manage this threat is to
show who is the strongest, and the countries get into a cold war with choppy
rearmament with no turning back. Soon the open warfare is an unavoidable fact,
and you have to choose between to obliterate or to be obliterated.

But by act tactical, spy on the Enemy and activate your missile bases at the
right moment, you can manage to save your country and possibly even set free
the oppressed neighbouring people from the ruler's claws.

THE GAME
--------
VIC is your channel of information which mediates the development of the war
to you and simultaneously carries out your commands. 

Push the 'f1'-key to start the game. VIC shows a map over the two countries,
yours to the left and the Enemy's to the right.

The land area is in black colour on the map. A blue gulf starts in the South
and serves as a natural border between the countries. Above the gulf the
border continues vertically through the picture, between columns I and J.

Both countries are equally large and have equally many inhabitants. These are
marked with purple colour. Each small purple square represents one million
inhabitants.

PHASE I: COLD WAR
-----------------
You enter the action in the first phase of the cold war, right when the
rearmament is starting off. To uphold yourself towards the Enemy, you build
missile bases on strategically chosen places. Without you noticing it, the
Enemy will place similar bases at about the same pace as you. The position
of each base is kept secret to the opponent but through espionage you have
the possibility to acquire secret information. Obviously the Enemy also is
spying on you, although you never notice it.

Each turn in phase I is run as follows:

When VIC is waiting on your orders, 'COMMAND:' is written. You can answer in
three different ways:

1. If you want to build a missile base, you push the 'B' key. VIC then asks
   for 'POSITION' and you answer by first pushing the letter corresponding
   to the column, then the row number and last the 'RETURN' key. A white
   square is placed on the map to mark the position of the base.

2. If you instead want to spy, you push 'S'. Then all unused bases in a
   randomly chosen area of three rows and three columns on hostile territory
   will be drawn on the map.

3. If you want to activate any of your bases, you push 'A'. VIC asks 'FROM:',
   i.e. from which base missiles are to be launched. State the position
   (column and row) in the same way as in point 1.

   Every base contains 2-4 missiles. When VIC asks for 'TARGETS', you enter
   in due order in the same way as above column and row for the destination
   for each of the missiles.

   The map gives continious reports about the position for each missile. An
   activated missile will orientate on it self to the target, but you can't
   count on complete accuracy.

   Used bases are considered consumed and are removed from the game.

   When you push 'A' this also means you are declaring war. With that, you are
   into phase II.

PHASE II: OPEN WARFARE
----------------------
Anytime during the arms race you or the Enemy can declare war (assuming this
country has any bases to activate). The more time that has passed, the more
unavoidable is the war and the risk that the Enemy without forewarning will
start the war in the next turn quickly increases.

The country which starts the war has a few turns lead over the opponent.

During a turn in phase II you give your command in the same way as in phase I.
You can choose between to spy ('S') and to activate a base ('A'), but you may
not build any further bases.

During the time, the Enemy is launching missiles from its bases. You can not
see the hostile missiles until they are above your territory.

Keep in mind the map doesn't show which hostile bases have been activated. But
if VIC during espionage discovers a base which previously was drawn, has been
activated since then, it will be removed from the map.

The war is over then any side is missing several bases or no inhabitants are
left to activate those. Metioned in confidence is that the Enemy hardly
settles with this but will continue the war until your country is completely
annihilated, if you don't succeed in beating a sufficient number of his bases.

THE PEACE
---------
A nuclear weapon war carries so huge losses for everyone involved in it that
it hardly can been said to have any conqueror. But VIC awards different scores
depending on your popularity in your country and the rest of the world. The
highest possible score you get if you:

1. have eliminated all the Enemy's bases and still has bases left. This means
   you take the power over the Enemy's territory and set free its inhabitants
   from the dictatorship.

2. have managed to save as many inhabitants as possible. It is important not
   to lose lives unnecessarily on any side of the border.

3. proven yourself work for peace and not started the war earlier than
   necessary. An act of diplomacy is to wait until the Enemy has started the
   war instead of doing it yourself, but remember the one who opens the war
   gets a certain lead.

When the game begins you and the Enemy have exactly the same prerequisites to
win. You have equal weapons and perform each turn according to the same rules.
This is a struggle on equal conditions which it's your lot to fight. Don't
neglect the responsibilty you have undertaken towards your compatriots and the
whole democratic world!

(typed in and translated from Swedish by Anders Carlsson, dal95acn@mds.mdh.se)
