       DROPSHIP v1.64                                           Page 1
       --------------
       by J. Rodion M. Herrera, June 1996

       I. Introduction

            Mechwar v 1.12, by Klaus Breuer, is an excellent IBM
       PC adaptation of the Battletech boardgame. The only trouble is,
       one must constantly create a new campaign/scenario (using the
       CDESIGN module) if one wants to have a completely new game each
       time the player starts Mechwar. Now, if there was only a way to
       get random maps and random 'mechs...
            Enter DROPSHIP v1.64 (trumpet fanfare in background). This
       program was designed so that Mechwar v1.12 players can have a
       totally new campaign--complete with random 'mechs and random map
       loading--each time they load MECHWAR.EXE.

      II. Program features

            a. Can load MECHWAR maps and randomly choose a map from a
               list of any number of mapnames in the MECHWAR directory.
            b. Can let player choose to get 2, 4, 6, or 8 mechs per
               battle, thus 1, 2, 3, or 4 pairs, or one lance maximum
               per player, and only in pairs.(sorry...my initial
               "uneven number of 'mechs" design failed :(
            c. Randomly select mechs, but makes sure that the two teams
               each have a mech of equal weight-class with the other's
               mech (but not necessarily equal C.E.F., which is fun!).
                   e.g. Red Player Mechwarrior # 1 randomly got a
                        MARAUDER II (100 tons), thus Blue Player
                        Mechwarrior # 2 will get any other random mech,
                        but with the same weight class as MARAUDER II,
                        like an ATLAS or an IMP (100 tons)...and so on.
            d. Makes both lances more or less "face" each other on the
            battlefield, meaning the Blue lance starts at the left part
            of the map, facing the Red lance on the right.

       III. Important Notes

            a. SORTMECH.EXE is run by this program prior to creating
               random maps and mechs, to ensure a nice, "hole-free" list
               of mechs, so it is assumed you have a copy of this.
            b. Player must maintain his/her MECHS.DAT file using the
               MDESIGN module, so that it does NOT exceed 60,000 (248
               mechs in list), otherwise, in the sorted list, your
               heaviest mechs (mech no. 249 and so on) might not be
               included in the game.
            c. Due to a bug I couldn't fix, sometimes you end up with a
               damaged NEWSCEN.MWC file. If this happens, try running
               DROPSHIP over and over again until it creates a working
               scenario file.


                                                                 Page 2
       IV. How to Run the Program

            The player simply types DROP at the command prompt, and the
       DROPSHIP title screen appears. At this point, program asks for
       the number of 'mechs that the players wish to use, and selection
       is in pairs, thus 2, 4, 6 or 8 'mechs can be selected. After
       selecting the number of 'mechs, the program then loads a random
       map, sorts the 'mech list (SORTMECH.EXE) and gets the 'mechs.
       Finally, the new scenario/campaign is saved in a file called
       NEWSCEN.MWC, which the player(s) load in MECHWAR, or if player
       wants to tweak with it further, can load NEWSCEN.MWC using
       CDESIGN. Comments and Suggestions can be sent to:

       Rodion Herrera c/o Jay Lagare - jay@asti.dost.gov.ph
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

            "Mercy? Mercy is something the weak pray for from the
       strong. I have no mercy. The best an opponent can hope for from
       me is my respect. If he has not earned that, then he is little
       more than a pest to be exterminated for the common good, and will
       be treated as such."
                                       -- Unidentified Wolf Clan
                                          MechWarrior, Rasalhague News
                                          Net, 12 July, 3050

            "Clanners? A buncha world-grabbin', friggin'-gene-sop-born,
       blind-chargin' buncha a______s....and tha funny thin' is that
       they even brag 'bout it!"
                                       -- Unidentified Mercenary of the
                                          Kell Hounds, Tamar, ca. 3051

             And there lay the rider ('mechwarrior?) distorted and pale,
             With the dew on his brow and the dust on his mail ('mech?);
             And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,
             The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown (to bits?).
                 ~~~~~~
                                       -- The Destruction of Sennacherib,
                                          Stanza V,
                                          by Lord Byron, 17 February 1815
                                          spoofed by J.R.M.H.

                                                                 Page 3

                   Other Impt. Stuff I Forgot to Mention
                   -------------------------------------

       1. This program launches the MYOMER Virus.......hahaha
          just kidding!

       2. Seriously though, so as not to alarm those fastidious
          subdirectory snoopers out there, my program creates two
          temporary files, namely:

          a. FILELIST.TXT - a list of all the map files you have in
             the Mechwar subdirectory. The program creates this file
             as a source for its random map picker. You can erase this
             if you want...the program just creates another one every
             time you run it.

          b. TEMP.TMP - a textfile of all your 'mechs contained in the
             MECHS.DAT file. The program creates this file as a source
             for its random 'mech picker. Again, you can erase this...
             because the program writes a new one. You can use this as a
             nice little text list of all your available 'mechs. Same
             with the other file.

       3. This program will not work unless you register...to Klaus
          Breuer's Cardware of course! C'mon, send him a postcard! That
          is if you still think other 'Mech freaks aren't having as much
          fun as we do playing Mechwar...after all, they're only playing
          MECHWARRIOR II...(gasp!)...hehehe...(it's a joke, Klaus...
          don't get mad!...I'll send MY postcard soon enough.)



       ----------
       BATTLETECH, 'MECH, 'MECHWARRIOR are trademarks of FASA
       Corporation, registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
       Copyright (c) 1987, 1991 FASA Corp. Used Without Permission.

       MECHWAR v1.12, CDESIGN, MDESIGN and SORTMECH Code (c) by Klaus
       Breuer, November 1992. Also used without permission...err...can I
       ask permission now?     :)
