TANK ATTACK

CDS Software, 1988

[In addition to the board you will need four sets of pieces as described
 in section 2.2.]

CONTROL KEY CARD

Pointer control

The pointer may be controlled by the keys listed below.  These keys are
redefinable.  A joystick can also be used for pointer movement.  This should be
placed in either a Kempston or Interface 2 port.

Abort entry

If you make an error during input sequences on the Communication
and Options panel, pushing the joystick up and then pressing Fire, or
pressing the key listed below, will clear the input and return you to the
icon select mode.

'All at War' rapid selection

To select all four countries at war from the initial screen simply press
the key listed below.

Key
Up                 Q
Down               A
Left               O
Right              P
Fire               M
Abort              X
All at War       Space

1.  AIM OF THE GAME.

TANKATTACK is a computer/board game for two, three or four players where each
player takes the role of the General commanding a country's Tank Corps of one
or more armoured divisions.  Your objective is to capture the enemy
headquarters which will require the planned strategic deployment of your forces
and regular fire duels between your own and enemy units.

Weather, morale, skill, judgement, planning, foresight, careful management of
rebuild and repair facilities and luck, all play a part in deciding the result
of each game.

The computer issues all movement orders, the results of fire duels, the status
of each unit and a daily newspaper, 'War News', which gives a full report on
each day's fighting and the weather prospects for the next day.

One of the unique features of TANKATTACK is the alliances which are formed
before war is declared.  There are four countries which actually form two
alliances - Armania with Kazaidis and Sarapan with Calderon.  Allies share
rebuilding facilities and have a mutual interest in keeping their joint
territory clear of invasion due to their close physical proximity.

Allies never oppose each other but battle together against the other two
countries.  Players will need to interact off the board in order to maintain
their alliances since certain resources are shared by allies and their joint
objective is to capture all enemy Headquarters.

2. DESCRIPTION OF GAME CONTENTS.

2.1 The Gameboard.

The game board shows a map of four countries within which there are
numerous physical features which restrict or deny movement and firing.
These features are towns, villages, forests, mountains, rivers and
lakes.

Superimposed on this map is an hexagonal grid which divides the area into
spaces to help regulate movement and firing.

Each country's border is shown by a red line.  Immediately within this boundary
is the demilitarised zone, the extent of which is shown by the yellow line.  No
units may be placed within this area during game set-up. The villages and
towns are encircled by a blue line and contain buildings.

There are three special types of space on the board, which are
described below.

a) Headquarters.

One space within your country shows your national flag, this is your military
headquarters (HQ).  It is this HQ which you have to defend and which your enemy
is trying to capture.

You may not place one of your units on your own HQ.  If an enemy unit manages
to land on this space then the HQ is captured and the war is over for your
country.

b) Repair Depots.

Each country has two repair depots controlled by the computer program.  If one
of your units suffers damage during a fire duel and a depot is free, the
computer will allow you to choose whether to repair the unit or remove it from
the board.

You may not place one of your units on this space without the computer telling
you to and it is not possible to fire upon or from the Repair Depots or
Rebuilding Yards.

c) Rebuilding yard.

If your attacking unit has been destroyed in a fire duel and the rebuilding
yard is free then the computer will offer you the chance to place the unit in
the yard.

Each rebuilding yard is shared by two countries and when playing as an alliance
countries must confer and reach agreement before any unit may be placed in the
rebuilding yard.  Only one unit may enter this yard at any time and only if the
computer allows it.  Rebuilding units takes much longer than repairing them!

2.2 Playing pieces.

Each armoured division comprises eight tanks and four armoured cars which are
divided into five different types.

Although playing pieces are superficially similar, each different unit type
varies in firepower.  This fire power is indicated by the number of small
projections on the rear surface of each vehicle.

The greater the number of projections the higher the fire power of the vehicle
concerned.

The four armoured cars are of two different types (two of each per division):

1  Light Armoured cars (no projections) and
2 Medium Armoured cars (one projection).

The eight tanks are of three different types:

3 Light tanks (no projection) - two per division
4 Medium battle tanks(one projection) - three per division
5 Main battle tanks (two projections) - three per division.

Each unit must be positioned so that it points towards the enemy.  This
conceals the strength of each unit's fire power from the enemy commanders.

When you are taking part in a fire duel between units you are asked to enter
their power by selecting the correct screen diagram and number as shown above.

2.3 Computer screen layout.

The command screen which appears at the beginning of each players turn is split
into three areas or panels.

a) Status Panel.

This panel forms the top part of the screen and shows the name of the country
currently moving, the number of units that are active and in repair depots,
whether your rebuilding yard is busy, the number of moves for the current turn
and the status of the country's HQ.

b) Communication & Options panel.

This panel forms the area in the middle of the screen and is used for the issue
of all commands, messages, options and views of the battlefield.

Most messages are issued in the form of telexes from HQ and are self-
explanatory.  When player input is required the hand cursor will be moved from
the command panel onto this panel automatically.  This panel is empty at the
start of a game.

Please note that after firing, messages may be issued on this panel for other
commanders, these will contain an appropriate heading to make this clear.

c) Command panel.

This panel forms the lower part of the screen.  Each possible command option
has an associated animated icon.  Only when an icon is moving can the
appropriate option be selected.

The icons are (left to right):

Unit Movement                         Moving tank icon
Fire on HQ                            Tank firing on building icon
Fire on Enemy unit                    Tank firing on tank icon
Exit (pass move to next player)       Moving arrow icon

2.4 Sequence of play.

After the War News has been shown each player takes it in turn to move and
fire.

Before you are allowed to fire you must ask for movement orders.  This is done
by selecting the movement icon.  You then make all the moves you want to before
you are allowed to fire.

You may then fire on any units that your units are within range of, or fire on
an enemy's HQ to capture it.  Before firing you must announce which of all your
units will fire.

In normal play the Exit icon is selected after all firing has been completed,
all battle reports read and rebuild/repair/remove options selected.  The space
to the right of the exit shows the country of the next player or the War News
logo if its the end of a turn, ie. a playing day.

The Exit icon is active during the whole player turn.  This enables you to
forfeit moves for strategic reasons and pass the play to the next player.

In order to help you plan strategy for the next day a new edition of War News
is issued at the end of every day.

3. SETTING UP TANKATTACK.

3.1 Number of players.

TANKATTACK always involves the commander/s-at one side of the board playing
against the commander/s at the other.  Armania and Kazaidis never fight each
other nor do Calderon and Sarapan.  The computer program will reject options
which break this rule.

TANKATTACK can be played in several different ways by two, three or
four players.  The following variations are possible:

Two players - One country each.
Armania or Kazaidis fighting either Sarapan or Calderon.  This game can be
played with either one or two armoured divisions per country.

Two players - Two countries each.
The Armania/Kazaidis alliance fighting the Sarapan/Calderon alliance.

Three players - One country each.
Each player selects a country.  Two players become allies and the third
commands two armoured divisions in order to even the odds.  This player has the
use of the neutral country's repair depots too.

Three players - Four countries.
Each player selects a country and the single player commands the forces of two
countries against the other players' alliance.

Four players - One country each.
Each player controls just one country's armoured division in alliance with the
adjacent player.

3.2 Starting the game.

a) Load the computer program by following the instructions given on the
cassette or disk label

b) Lay out the board in a suitable position, close to the computer and hand a
set of playing pieces, 12 pieces of one colour, to each player.

c) The first computer input screen requires you to select which countries are
at war and which are neutral.  Move the highlight up and down and press fire to
select or de-select the countries at war.

If only two countries are selected then you will need to select the number of
divisions allocated to each commander to either one or two.

When complete, select 'Selections complete' and press fire.  If you have
mistakenly selected only countries at the same side of the board then the
computer will reject the selections and you will need to reselect.

d) Place your units in the desired positions on the board in order to both
attack the enemy and defend your HQ.  Units must always be placed entirely
within the boundary of your country.

No units may be placed in the demilitarised zone, on buildings, mountains,
rivers, lakes, repair depots, rebuilding yards or your own HQ space.

Each unit must be positioned so that it points towards the enemy.  This means
that the strength of each unit's fire power is not revealed to enemy commanders
until a fire duel takes place.

e) The computer selects a country at random to start the war and other
countries follow in the order 'Enemy, Self or Ally, Enemy'.

4. MOVEMENT

The number of moves that a commander may make is given by the computer.  To
receive your movement orders for this turn you select the 'Unit movement' icon.
The computer then displays your movement order in the form of a telex in the
Communications panel.

The number of moves allocated to each division is calculated by the computer
program taking into account the day's weather, the division's morale and an
unpredictable random element.  This can vary from three to eleven moves
depending upon the prevailing circumstances.  The number of moves is
transferred immediately to the status panel.

The moves may all be taken by one unit or allocated to several units in any
proportion.  For each move a tank can be moved one space or an armoured car can
be moved two spaces.

Certain map features are barriers to movement.

a) Buildings, Mountains, Rivers and Lakes.

Units cannot move onto these locations and must always find a way around them.

b) Forests, Towns and Villages.

These features slow down the progress of armoured cars.  Therefore, when
crossing a blue town/village boundary, moving within a town/ village, entering
a forest or moving within a forest area such units can only move one space per
move rather than the normal two.

c) Repair depots and rebuilding yards.

Units cannot move onto these locations and must always find a way around them.
The only time a unit may occupy one of these spaces is if the computer has
instructed you to put it there.

d) Headquarters buildings.

Only enemy units can move onto these spaces when capturing the HQ. Your own
forces and allied units cannot move onto these spaces under any circumstances.

To avoid rivers and lakes units of all types must use bridges.

The following table summarises the number of spaces a unit may move in the
given terrain for each movement factor given on the movement order.

Terrain                       Tank            Armoured car
Open country                    1                   2
Buildings and mountains         X                   X
Rivers and lakes                X                   X
Forests                         1                   1
Towns and villages              1                   1
Repair depots                   X                   X
Rebuilding yards                X                   X
Headquarters          Enemy units only     Enemy units only

Note: An X in a column signifies that unit type may not move onto the
particular terrain.

Please note that whilst no two units can occupy the same board space
at the end of their movement, allied units can move through the same
space occupied by other units.  Enemy units form a barrier to
movement through their space and you will need to damage or destroy
such units by firing in order to move through.

As an example a Movement Order of seven moves might be divided as follows:

A tank moves 3 spaces                                  3 moves
Another tank moves 2 space                             2 moves
An armoured car moves 4 spaces through open terrain    2 moves

Total                                                  7 moves

It is possible, during a prolonged war, that a player may temporarily have no
active units on the battlefield as all those remaining are in repair depots or
rebuilding yards.  In this case no movement orders can be issued but repair and
rebuild activity will continue and as soon as a unit is available for active
duty this will be indicated at the start of a later turn.

5. FIRING.

Before you are allowed to fire you must request movement orders for your units.
After completing as many of your moves as you wish to use, you have the
opportunity to fire upon any enemy units within range.

During each turn you may fire from as many units as you wish but each unit may
fire only once during each turn.  An enemy unit may only be the subject of fire
from no more than one unit.  Before firing you must announce which of all your
units will fire.

Each fire duel takes place between two units.  When you fire upon an enemy unit
they detect your position and fire back.  The results of all fire duels are
calculated by the computer.  The program uses result tables which take into
account distance, unit firepower, weather and morale.  There are advantages in
being the aggressor in such duels, a major one being that only the aggressor
can rebuild destroyed units.

5.1 Line of sight and range.

The firing range between two units is the number of spaces from the firing
unit, without counting the space it occupies, to the enemy unit including the
space it occupies.  This means that when units occupy adjacent spaces the range
is one space. The maximum firing range is four spaces.

To be allowed to fire on an enemy unit there must be a straight line of sight
between the centres of the two spaces occupied by the units in the fire duel.
If any obstruction crosses the line between these spaces then firing may not
take place.

5.2 Firing restrictions

Certain map features impose firing restrictions:

a) Buildings and mountains.

You cannot fire over or through these features.

b) Rebuilding yards and Repair depots.

You cannot fire upon or from units on these spaces.  Also you cannot fire over
or through these features.

c) Forests, towns and villages.

You may only fire from a range of one space within or into forests, towns and
villages.

5.3 Firing sequence.

a) initiate fire duel.

To begin each fire duel select the 'Fire on Enemy unit' icon.

b) Select enemy.

If you are fighting more than one country you must first select the enemy
country from those displayed.  This is done by moving the hand cursor over the
flag of the enemy unit and pressing fire.  If there is only one possible enemy
this option will not appear.

c) Input range.

Next you must input the range between your unit and the enemy.  Select the
firing range by pressing fire when the hand cursor is at the correct range.

d) Input unit strength.

Next you need to enter the strength of the units involved in the duel.  This is
input using the cursor and the numbers shown refer to the unit types described
in Section 2.2.

First enter your unit's strength at the right of the panel and then ask the
enemy commander for the strength of his unit and enter this on the left
of the panel.

As units are destroyed and removed from play the computer keeps a record of 
numbers left and this is used to generate the reports in the status panel.  If a 
player has no active units of a particular type this is indicated on the Input 
Strength screen by a change in the type number.
An 'R' indicates that the only remaining unit of this type is in either rebuild
or repair facilities.  An 'X indicates that all units of this type have been
destroyed.  Enemy commanders can use this information to help their strategic
planning.

e) Abort or confirm firing orders.

If a player makes a mistake during country, strength or range input this may be
corrected either by using the abort order procedure described on the separate
control sheet or by waiting until the confirm orders message is displayed and
aborting the command at this stage.

Please note that the abort facility is only provided so that errors in input
can be overcome.  It is against the game rules to abort a firing command after
you have asked the strength of the opposing unit simply because the enemy unit
is stronger!

f) Watch battle.

After the firing orders have been confirmed you can watch the duel from your
command post.

g) Battle reports.

Each fire duel can result in one of the following; a total miss, damage to
either or both units or the destruction of either or both units.

Each commander with units involved in the fire duel will be informed of the
status of his unit, starting with the attacker.  The commander may be required
to make a decision at this point as to whether or not a unit is repaired or
rebuilt.

If a unit is damaged and repair facilities are free then the option to place
units on these locations is given and must be answered before play can
continue.  Damaged units must always be placed on their nearest unoccupied
repair depot.

In the case of unit destruction only rebuild facilities can be used if free.
Note that during a player's turn they are assumed to have complete control of
the battlefield and enemy units destroyed during a fire duel will not be
recoverable in order to rebuild them.

NB.  If no depots are free then any damaged units must be abandoned and removed
from play.

5.4 Repairing and rebuilding units.

As the game progresses commanders will have units in the rebuilding yards and
repair depots.  If any of these locations have a fully repaired unit then you
will be instructed by the computer to move the unit off the depot or yard and
you may then pass movement or firing commands to that unit in the same turn.
These instructions occur at the beginning of a turn and must be acknowledged
before other options can be selected.

Repairs can take any number of days but the computer will always tell you at
the beginning of a turn when your units are ready to join the battle again.

6. WINNING THE GAME (Capturing an enemy HQ).

The game is over and victory claimed only after the capture of all enemy HQ
locations.  Where an alliance has been made both headquarters must be captured
to secure full victory.  An allied country may fight on after their HQ has been
captured.

To capture an enemy HQ you must move one of your units onto its space.  The
'Fire on HQ' icon can then be selected and after confirming the order the
resulting occupation can be viewed from your command post.  If you are fighting
more than one country you will have to inform the computer which one you are
firing on by selecting the appropriate flag.

Please note that when an enemy HQ is captured the rebuild and repair units are
also destroyed.  Any units on these locations are destroyed and repair /
rebuild facilities will not be offered to any remaining forces from this
country even though they may continue to fight on behalf of their ally.

If the country is a partner in an alliance then an occupying unit must remain
on the HQ space for the remainder of the game until total victory is claimed.
This need not be the same unit which destroyed the HQ if its fire-power can be
better used elsewhere, but at the end of all movement a unit must occupy the HQ
space.

7. NEWSPAPER -'WAR NEWS'.

The newspaper is generated by the computer based upon the players actions of
the previous day.  Just like real newspapers, the facts will occasionally get
distorted and propaganda reports will be printed that could easily mislead the
unwary.

The paper is normally divided into four sections:

a) World news.

This report is based on the day's battle activity and can prove to be accurate
or pure propaganda.  It may give clues to the morale of troops and this is
important when deciding the next day's fighting activity.

b) Battle and strategic reports.

These give details of the battle activity seen the previous day and the current
relative strength of the combatants.

c) Political news.

Is there such a thing as truth in politics?  Only you can decide but you would
be foolish to ignore this column completely!  Take particular note of any
statements about each country's morale, this can be a major factor affecting
firing accuracy and movement orders during the next day's action.  This should
be taken into account when planning both defensive and offensive strategy.

d) Weather forecast.

This meteorological report is always accurate and can be depended upon when
planning the next days action.  Only fools ignore the influence of weather on
the outcome of warfare.

8. ADVANCED RULES.

The aforementioned rules cover the usual game but there are variations which
can help to make a game shorter or longer, easier or harder.

It is important, however, that all players understand the rule variations
before the start of the game so that no misunderstandings occur later.

8.1 Occupation of HQ.

In order to capture an enemy HQ, players must reach its location and then
remain there for a full day before being allowed to capture it the next day.
This gives the defending force just one day in which to fire upon the occupying
unit and attempt to destroy it.

This additional rule changes the firing rules slightly.  Units are now allowed
to fire on and from an HQ space during the period of occupation.  After an HQ
has been captured the occupying unit can no longer fire or be fired upon.

Changing this restriction to two or three days of occupation will make the game
even more difficult and longer.

8.2 Multiple offensive fire.

A single enemy unit may be the subject of fire from several units in the same
turn, if all your units are within range and as long as each of your units
fires only once per game turn.

This makes the game shorter and allows for better planning when a particular
unit needs to cleared from the board.

8.3 Firing out of forests, towns and villages.

This rule means that there is an advantage to be gained by positioning units
just within forest, town or village boundaries overlooking open terrain.  Such
units may fire over the normal range of up to four spaces as they are not
firing into or within forests, towns or villages.  Enemy units trying to fire
upon them, however, must be only one space away as they are firing into the
forest, town or village.

8.4 Other rule variations.

Other variations of rules will change the gameplay in less predictable, more
subtle ways.  You could remove certain firing restrictions, for example
allowing firing at a range of two or less in town areas.  You could change
movement rules by allowing greater movement in open terrain or to different
armoured units, you might allow light armoured cars to move three spaces per
move for example.

