ESPIONAGE RULES BOOK Your Guide to becoming a Master Spy PUBLISHED BY GRANDSLAM ENTERTAINMENTS LIMITED Unauthorised publication, copying or distribution throughout the World is prohibited. All rights reserved Licensed from Espionage Ltd World Copyright (c)1988 Grandslam Entertainments Limited 1 WORD OF WARNING 1) Remember the name of the game you are playing (ESPIONAGE), your opponents will be looking to attack you at every opportunity. You must be ready, ever alert, and your key to becoming a Master Spy (The Winner) is the cunning and strategy asso- ciated with International Espionage along with the ability and nerve to carry out your game plan without being terminated. Good luck. YOUR MISSION ( BASIS OF GAME ) 2) Your agents must set out from their base and proceed across the board, which now represents the world's capitals, airports and deserts etc. All agents must now decide the world's fate in a game of deadly conflict to reach the four canisters, each containing micro-filmed details for the Ultimate Weapon. Whichever countries' agents bring back all the Micro-filmed information hold the key to world peace or world domination. Should you have the intelligence, cunning and sheer nerve to carry out this most formidable of tasks and return to base with the Micro-film canisters, you are the winner. GOOD HUNTING 2 STARTING YOU QUEST FOR WORLD PEACE OR DOMINATION -------- --- ----- --- ----- ----- -- ---------- (a) First check your contents which will include: A cassette or Disk ( depending on machine ); This Guide; Espionage Sticker; Espionage Poster; 10 Million in one very counterfiet note; (b) Now you must load the game into your computer. Follow the instructions for your machine. Commodore 64/128 (Cassette) SHIFT + RUN/STOP Commodore 64/128 (Disk) LOAD "ESPIONAGE",8,1 Spectrum (48k Cassette) LOAD " " Spectrum (128k Cassette) LOAD " " or use built-in loader Spectrum +3 Disk LOAD " " or use built-in loader Amstrad 464/6128 (Cassette) Ctrl and enter Amstrad 464/6128 (Disk) RUN"ESP" ATARI ST and Commodore AMIGA Insert disk and reset computer AMSTRAD 1512/1640 or PC compatible with CGA ESP and Return 3 CONTROLS -------- All game control in ESPIONAGE is with either a joystick or keyboard, the only exception to this is on the ST and Amiga where the mouse is used instead of joystick. BEFORE YOU CAN PLAY ------ --- --- ---- Before the game starts you will be requested to enter a short word from this Guide , once this is done the game can be setup as required. TIME ---- The first feature you must define before you play ESPIONAGE is 'Time'. You may either play with a time limit for the game or not, the limit may be upto 99 hours and 99 minutes. When the limit set is exceeded the game will be stopped and a victor proclaimed. In addition a restriction on time for individual moves may also be defined, this can be either No limit, 60 seconds or 30 seconds. If one of the latter two is set then this defines 'Blitz' play - if you do not move within the time limit your turn is lost. SANCTIONING(YES/NO) ------------------- Later in this Guide you will be introduced to the concept of Sanctioning, it is a feature which adds a little 'spice' to the play. If this is your first game of ESPIONAGE then set sanctioning to 'No', otherwise consider yourself as a serious player of ESPIONAGE. HOW MANY PLAYERS? --- ---- -------- Once the program has loaded you will be asked to set up how many Players you wish and of what type ( human or computer ). This is done by setting the four players to one of three options: NOBODY, COMPUTER or PLAYER. This enables any combination of human players and computer opponents and is by way of a difficulty selection, i.e. the hardest option is three computers vs one human - the fewer computer players the easier they will be to play against. Human players will be prompted to enter four letters so they be used for identification during the game. READY TO BEGIN? ----- -- ------ Finally the four cards will appear on the screen. One has a gun on it, this is random mechanism for selecting which players starts. The player who gets the gun card makes the first move and each player follows this move in a clockwise direc- tion. You will now be presented with the main screen and a pointer which moves with the joystick. 4 THE MAIN SCREEN --- ---- ------ The main screen is divided into two areas, the board and the status panel. At the bottom of the status panel is the OPTIONS bar, if you move the pointer over the OPTION bar and press fire the Status area is replaced by 8 OPTION Icons. 5 THE BOARD --- ----- The board is displayed in a square to the left, due to the size of the play area it was not possible to show the entire board so the board may be scrolled to reveal the whole area. This is done by placing the pointer over a strip on the left side of the board , holding down the fire button and moving the joystick. The board has black, white and red squares. The white define the play area where your agents may move and engage other Agents in conflict. The black are the no-go areas of the world, on which you may not move or pass over. At the compass points of the board are the red 'Base' areas. These are the points at which the Agents begin their mission and end it if successful. The other important area on the board is the central area, which is the four squares in the very center of the board on which are positioned the Micro-film at the start of the game. THE STATUS PANEL --- ------ ----- Keeping track of the financial success or failure of each player is the Status panel. It is also a useful guide as to which player's turn it is, that player's Agent is the one who is looking over his newspaper. If you are playing a game with less than four players ( Computer or Human ) the absent players will be represented by signs bearing the letters 'AWOL'. This is ESPIONAGE jargon and means 'Absent WithOut Leave'. 6 THE OPTIONS MENU --- ------- ---- ---------- ---------- | ## ##| - Z o o m | /----\ | | ## ##| | |_| _| | |## ## | P a u s e - | | \ | | |## ## | | \----/ | ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- | /====] | - H i n t | /----\ | | //=] | | | | | | || | Q u i t - | | \| | | OO | | \----\ | ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ||| ||| - H e l p | /--\ | |||----||| | | | | |||----||| S o u n d - | _\__/_ | ||| ||| |/______\| ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- | ^ | - L a s t m o v e ||====] | |<--+--> | ||| __>| | v | C o m p u t e r - ||| | | | ||====] | ---------- M o v e ---------- 7 ZOOM ICON ---- ---- This Icon enables the board to be viewed in close-up, were the symbol repre- senting the Agent is more easily identified. Once selected the board is displayed in close-up until the ZOOM icon is reselected. As stated above, the Agents appear as different symbols according to the scale at which the board is viewed. PAUSE ----- For whatever reason, you may wish to pause the game, moving the pointer over this icon and pressing fire will freeze the game till the fire button is pressed. ?HINT ----- If you are new to the game of ESPIONAGE, or you're undecided as what to do, it may be useful to test this option. On selection the computer will give its 'best move' of your pieces by flashing the piece and the position(s) to move it. QUIT ---- Completes the game and returns you to the setup sequence. HELP ---- Gives a short but concise text detailing the objectives of the game. COMPUTER MAKES YOUR MOVE -------- ----- ---- ---- Not only does the computer decide what move is best suited to the situation but it also moves the pieces! LAST MOVE ---- ---- Shows what the last move was by means of flashing the board positions con- cerned. SOUND ON/OF ----- ----- Toggles the Sound on/off. 8 MOVING YOUR AGENTS ------ ---- ------ In the previous section the Options menu was activated by moving the pointer over the appropriate icon and pressing Fire. This is also the means by which all pieces are moved. When it is your turn you may click on one of your pieces and then on the square you wish to move it to. If the target square is not valid ( your piece could not move there within the rules of the game ) then it is assumed that you have changed your mind and wish to select another piece. To help you decide your moves quickly, the computer will help you by highlighting the places on the board that a piece may move after it has been clicked upon. IDENTIFYING YOUR AGENTS ----------- ---- ------ Depending on if the ZOOM option is active or not , your Agents will appear to be one of two different symbols. 9 HOW YOUR AGENTS CAN MOVE --- ---- ------ --- ---- (a) All black areas, the 4 squares of the middle sector and termination centres are NO GO areas and Agents may only move around these areas but not across them, except to take a Micro- film from the middle sector. (b) The six Courier Agents ( valued at 2 million each ) may only move diagonally across the board. (c) The four Secret Agents ( valued at 6 million each ) may move in any direction across the board. (d) The two Surveillance Agents ( valued at 4 million each ) may only move forwards, backwards or sideways. (e) All pieces may move as many squares as they wish in the direction as outlined in (b),(c) and (d) but not through black areas or the middle sector. 10 AGENT EXCHANGE ----- -------- This is a classic move which can completely change the game play in one second and be totally devastating to your opponent, but most important the move allows each player, no matter if he or she is losing heavily, to turn the game to his/her advantage. HOW TO EXCHANGE --- -- -------- Wherever your Agents are positioned and no matter what role they play i.e. Secret Agent, Courier Agent or Surveillance, they may interchange with any member of their own team, no matter what their value. To perform an Exchange is the same as making a standard move, the only difference is that both squares selected contain Agents which will then take up respective positions. Please note that should your Agent be in possession of a Micro- film when making an exchange, the micro-film travels with the possessing Agent. HOW YOUR AGENTS TERMINATE THE OPPOSITION --- ---- ------ --------- --- ---------- Your Agents travel in their designated lines of travel/fire ( see HOW Your Agents move ) and may take out ( neutralise or terminate ) an Agent or Agents, by travelling along their line of travel/fire and as long as you have a square after an opposing agent to be taken, you may terminate. This also continues to the termination of more than one opposing Agent, should the square configuration allow. You may move as many white squares as you wish along your line of travel/ fire. 12 SANCTIONING ----------- The last question you are asked before the game begins is Sanction (Yes/No) If you set Sanction to 'Yes' then this is what you have agreed to . As in the real world of ESPIONAGE signs of weakness are penalised. If an opposing Agent is in your line of travel/fire, you must terminate. Should you miss this opportunity intentionally or un- intentionally your piece will be removed with a suitable noise or the words "YOU ARE SANCTIONED!" ( ESPIONAGE terminology for complete removal from the situation ). If you are the Sanctioning Agent then you will be prompted to 'SANCTION? Yes/No'. Please Note : An Agent in possession of a Micro-film cannot terminate or sanction any other Agent who is in possession of a Micro-film. If you are in possession a Micro-film and do not take another Agent who is not in possession of a Micro-film, YOU could be SANCTIONED, and the Micro-film would then pass to the Agent you didn't remove. 15 DETENTE - THE GAME STARTS ------- - --- ---- ------ Detente is the classic situation regularly discussed by politicians and strategists the world over. This is a totally unique situation, which to our knowledge is not represented in any game other than ESPIONAGE. Before conflict begins the first twelve moves ( one move per turn for each player, during the detente phase of the game) are to place your highly trained team of Agents anywhere on the board, regardless of their normal movements i.e. lines of travel/fire. This is where your Agents are only as good as your strategy allows. Be careful, watch your opponents moves and remember on move thirteen Detente is at an end and the game of ESPIONAGE takes on all the intrigue that the word suggests. In fact, you may well see aspects of your opponents' nature that you would never believe existed. In the game where no quarter is expected or given, you will not believe the thoughts that run through your mind to terminate your opponents' agents. NOTE. No sanctioning or terminating is allowed in this period. THE CONFLICT BEGINS - MOVE 13 --- -------- ------ - ---- -- As already pointed out in the heading ( your mission ) the object of the game is to remove the Micro-films back to your home base along with terminating as many of your opponents Agents as possible, thus increasing your value at the end of the game. Please remember if you choose to attack any or all opposing Agents, and leave the Micro-film where they are this is also a form of strategy, so, as in all other aspects of this game, the final game play and how you win is entirely up to you. HOW TO REMOVE MICRO-FILM FROM THE MIDDLE SECTOR --- -- ------ ---------- ---- --- ------ ------ Only Secret Agents and Courier Agents can remove the Micro-films from the middle sector, as the Micro-films can only be taken in a diagonal move from any square surrounding the four Micro-film canisters, therefore the Surveillance Agents who only move vertically and horizontally cannot remove Micro-films. Once you are back at base ( where your Agents began their mission - shwon by flags in close-up ) with your micro-film, your Agents value is increased by Ten million and this is added to your score. 16 REMOVAL OF A MICRO-FILM ------- -- - ---------- A Secret Agent or Courier Agent must jump over the Micro-film diagonally, thus picking up the Micro-film which changes the symbol for that Agent. The Bottom half of the symbol will appear to have a line of a different colour running through it, showing that the Agent is holding a Micro-film. THE TAKING OF A MICRO-FILM FROM AN OPPOSING AGENT IN TRANSIT --- ------ -- - ---------- ---- -- -------- ----- -- ------- This can be achieved in the normal course of the game when an opposing agent has obtained a Micro-film and is in transit, sanctioned or terminated. The Micro-film then passes to the Agent who terminated or sanctioned, all types of Agent can perform this function. Please note any agent in possession of a Micro-film cannot terminate another Agent who is also in possession of a Micro-film. AGENT BACK AT BASE WITH THE MICRO-FILM ----- ---- -- ---- ---- --- ---------- Once this operation has taken place the Agent and Micro-film will remain at base, not able to re-enter the conflict . The score is increased by the value of the ten million that the micro-film is valued at. 17 N.B. AN AGENT WITH A MICRO-FILM BACK AT BASE REMAINS ON THE SQUARE HE ENTERED AND CANNOT MOVE AGAIN, (ALSO CANNOT BE TERMINATED OR SANCTIONED). THE GAME ENDS --- ---- ---- The evaluation of the winner is given when all Micro-film canisters have been removed and are safely under guard at one or more of the players bases. GOOD HUNTING 18 ESPIONAGE THE COMPUTER GAME Below are notes which were omitted from the instruc- tions; please read carefully for the game to be played correctly. (1) TO SANCTION ANOTHER PLAYER Should you be able to sanction another player, you may do so by selecting his offending Agent and then answering "Yes" to the request "Sanction Yes/No". If the Agent was holding a micro-film it will pass to the Agent who was not terminated in the previous move. (2) Press 'Q' to Quit from a 4 player game.