

                                   WARHEAD

QUICK REFERENCE KEY CONTROLS

INTRODUCTION SCREENS

ESC     Skip to title screen
SPACE   Double text speed until next text screen

TITLE SCREEN

ANY KEY skip to save/load/proceed with game screen

IN GAME (GENERAL)

HELP    Go to save/load/proceed with game screen (only when docked in solbase)
D       Data screen
F       Forward view
G       Headup display toggle on/off
W       Weapons display on HUD toggle on/off
SPACE   Define object in crosshairs as primary target
M       Message screen
L       Launch from Solbase
Q       Quad Jump to selected planet
S       Solar system chart
Z       Zoom in
X       Zoom out
ESC     Launch escape pod

T       Tactical screen
ENTER   Alter vantage point
(on numeric
keypad)

N       Navigational screen
SPACE   Bring up dialogue box to type in selected destination

IN GAME (AUTOPILOTS)

1       Manual operation
2       Point at Primary Target
3       Persue Primary Target
4       Fine positioning
5       Slow thrust
6       Auto fly and halt
7       Point in direction of motion
8       Point opposite to direction of motion
9       Stop, then drop into Autopilot 4
0       Re-centre yoke

IN GAME (WEAPONS)

F1      Pseudo-Stellar missile
F2      Stinger missile
F3      Reconnaissance missile
F4      Mine
F5      Target drone
F6      X-ray laser device
RETURN  Mass-driver cannon (MDC)

MOUSE CONTROL

UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT - AS SPACECRAFT YOKE
LEFT BUTTON        - FORWARD THRUST
RIGHT BUTTON       - RETRO THRUST

BASIC CONTROLS

The Mouse

Mouse operates in two modes.

As a conventional mouse pointer, or as the spacecraft yoke.

1. As a mouse, there is a circular crosshair resembling a gunsight serving as
the on-screen mouse pointer. Moving the mouse moves the pointer - pressing the
left button selects whatever is being pointed at. The Mouse Pointer is centred
on the screen before mouse operations.

2. As a yoke, the movements of the mouse control the ROLLing and PITCHing of
the vessel.

As a yoke the LEFT mouse button operates the ship's main engines, giving 6.3Gs
of forward thrust. The RIGHT button operates a 1G retrothruster.

KEY CONTROLS

The keys are bunched into sections.... Numerical keys (NOT on the keypad)
select autopilots.

Alphabetic keys select screens and modifiers.... Function keys launch weapons.

F - Forward View. For most of the game this screen is the default. It shows
the forward view of the FOE-57 pilot looking from the front of his craft.

This display may be modified as follows:

H - Headup display (toggle on or off)

The headup display is superimposed on the outside view. A crosshair appears
at the centre of the display and flecks, which represent fixed spatial points
in the outside world, permit the pilot to visually understand his velocity.
These act in the same way as the stars in games like Elite... in reality, you
would have to be really burning it to get the stars to move! The flecks change
color to show different speeds.

W - Weapons headup (toggle on or off)

The weapons display is another layer of headup. A graphical representation of
the ship, showing the position and the number of remaining weapons appears.

The crosshair is modified to also show weapons and MDC Ammo as little dots
around it, and as a number in the centre.

Red identification tags appear on any vessels visible, green boxes surround
any object other than planets/stars.

Z - zoom in
X - zoom out

These keys alter the magnification of the forward-view image.

T - Tactical screen

The ship's computer knows the position and orientation of every vessel in
the surrounding space. Therefore it is possible for it to generate a real-time
image of space from any vantage point. Including (not surprisingly) the
vantage point of the front of our own ship. Pressing 't' initially does just
that. It brings up the computer generated view of space from the front of your
FOE-57. Planets are not shown. Like screen 'F', the weapon display can be
toggled on or off and the zoom keys still work. The headup flecks cannot be
removed.

Unlike screen 'F' this image is generated by the ship's computer and can
therefore be presented looking from any arbitary vantage point.

ENTER (on the numeric keypad) will alter that vantage point. What it will do
is give the image from the nose of any other object or vessel. Repeated
pressing of 'ENTER' will cycle through all objects in the vicinity. You can
see what the space station sees - see what an attacking alien sees or even
look out from an asteroid or the nose of a missile. If the object you are
viewing from 'dies' in the course of viewing from it then the screen will
flash and the next object will be selected. The technical term for the object-
you-are-viewing-from is the Eye-Particle.

The computer has another way of depicting space around the vessel. Pressing
't' again from within the tactical screen will bring up the Tank screen. At
the centre of the screen is the token representing the Eye-Particle. Space
around the vessel is shown as a sphere of points - other vessels are shown as
tokens. As the eye-particle rotates the ship at the centre appears to stay
still but the sphere around it rotates. 'Enter' still works, allowing any ship
to become the eye-particle.

A zoomed-in view of the eye-particle ship is shown in the centre of the circle
at the bottom left of the screen.

The Z and X keys work in this screen but in a slightly different manner.
Bringing the sphere closer and further away. The tank-screen enables the pilot
to have an overview of three-dimensional space.

The tactical screens and the forward screen both feature annunciators. These
flashing mnemonics are superimposed on the display to inform the pilot of some
matter.

Annunciators:

PwS     - meaning Proceed with Sortie
NOr     - meaning New Orders received
IcM     - meaning Incoming Missile
FMO     - meaning Fresh Message Outstanding

NOr and FMO both prompt the pilot to consult the message screen. In fact,
close examination of some annunciators will reveal a small letter M. This is
to suggest to the pilot that he consults the message-display screen.

Pressing the M key brings up the message screen.

Message screen (for reading orders and incoming messages).

The message screen is shock-mounted electoluminescent display mounted beneath
the main viewing screen. It's purpose is to display incoming messages - both
from Solbase and from other vessels.

D - Data on other vessels

The D screen brings up a menu of names of all known vessels. As we learn about
our alien adversaries this list grows to include them. Pointing and clicking
on any of these will bring up a technical description sheet of that vessel.
The latest addition to the list is shown in red.

N - Navigational starchart

This navigational screen shows a three-dimensional representation of all of
the known star systems around the Earth's Sun. A flashing blue highlight
indicates our present position. The mouse pointer can be used to select any of
the control buttons to manipulate the screen.

Clicking on any star will select it.

Selecting a star will track this screen onto that star such that it now
appears at the centre of the screen. Selecting a star has the effect of
locking it into the navigational computer - hence making it the destination
of any future quad-jump.

There is another way to select a desired star: by name. Pressing the space-bar
brings up a small dialogue box. Typing the name - or the first part of the
name - followed by return will select the named star, exactly as if the star
were clicked upon.
E.g. to select Sirius, type:
SIRIUS or SIR

Text at the bottom of this screen shows present location and selected
destination.

S - Solar system chart.

This is the other half of the Navig screen, permitting fine destination
control. Use it in the same way as the Navig screen.
Note that any star or planet with '-' in it's name (e.g. Sirius-Five) can
only be entered by using the - key on the KEYPAD!

Pressing 'S' will display the solar system of the Navig screen Selected Star.
Not all stars have solar systems.

This screen displays the planets and their orbits. Satellites (moons) and
their orbits are also shown. Because of the huge difference in scales, this
screen dynamically alters scale.

Selecting any body makes it the destination for the quad-jump.

NAVIGATIONAL CONTROLS

The Fist-Of-Earth interstellar attack craft is employs a fly-by-wire system.
All the pilot has to fly is the computer - the computer flies the ship. The
ship may operate a selection of automatic pilot options. Some offer full
manual control whilst others are fully automatic - permitting the pilot to
attend to other tasks. Experienced pilots employing manual modes will be able
to out-perform the computer on basic manoeuvres.

The mouse-yoke controls the rotational movement of the vessel. Left-right
movement proportionally determines the roll. Up-down controls pitching. There
is no direct yaw control.

The Mouse buttons activate primary and retro-thrusters, this way the vessel
either accelerates exactly along the forward axis or accelerates along the
reverse axis. Pilots of terrestrial aircraft are often disoriented when first
flying a spacecraft. There is no necessity for a spacecraft to point in the
direction of motion. Often in combat it is advantageous to be travelling in
one direction and pointing the weapons in another.

The piloting computer has ten operation modes which the pilot may select,
depending upon the circumstances.

Numerical keys (not those on the keypad) select different piloting modes
(autopilots):

                                           Orientation/Thrust

1. Manual operation - mouse piloting       MANUAL/MANUAL

2. Point ship at the primary target        COMPUTER/MANUAL

3. Pursue primary target                   COMPUTER/COMPUTER

4. Fine positioning (creep mode)           MANUAL/MANUAL

5. Auto creep and halt                     COMPUTER/COMPUTER

6. Auto fly and halt                       COMPUTER/COMPUTER

7. Point in direction of motion            COMPUTER/MANUAL

8. Point opposite to direction of motion   COMPUTER/MANUAL

9. Stop (then drop into pilot mode 4)      COMPUTER/COMPUTER

0. Re-centre yoke

Mode 4 is most important when trying to establish an exact position. It
simulates an inertialess movement system where the ship only moves when under
thrust and stops instantly. Only low velocity movement is possible in this
mode. This mode cannot be entered unless the ship is stationary.

L - (When in the Solbase launch bay) This key initiates the launch sequence.

Q - Quad jump

This key initiates the quadspace jump to the selected location. This will not
operate in the launch bay. If Quad Space motors are not attached, this key
will not effect a quad jump.

ESC - Launch the pilot recovery vehicle. If the explosive bolts have been
primed, this key will fire the cockpit and primary life support pod out of the
nose of the ship and hopefully to safety. The micro-quad leaper pack will
automatically return the pod back to Solbase. The intelligence division have
insisted that an abandoned ship be destroyed to prevent it from getting into
enemy hands - so this procedure will also initiate the self-destruct sequence
in the fusion system.

WEAPON SYSTEMS

There is provision for five classes of weapon aboard the vessel. Each class is
tied to a separate launch circuit. Each launched weapon may have an
independent target.

Weapon Systems Overlay

The W key in tactical or forward screens brings up the display from the
weapon system computer. The display shows number and type of weapons remaining
as well as their position on the hull pylons. This display also shows possible
targets known to the system. Target tokens appear as green boxes and are
placed over possible targets. Symbols within the boxes aid identification of
the target type:

If a vessel is overlaid with a gunsight symbol, then that is the current
primary selected target. To select a new primary target, point the ship at a
new vessel and press the space bar.

When a weapon is launched  the current primary target is what that weapon will
be attempting to destroy.

Skilled pilots will be able to rapidly launch many missiles at many different
vessels by targetting, firing and rapidly re-targetting and refiring etc. Once
a weapon is launched it cannot be recalled or re-targetted.

Function keys launch weapons

F1      Launch Pseudo-Stellar missile

F2      Launch Stinger missile

F3      Launch data gathering probe

F4      Launch mine

F5      Launch X-ray laser mine

Missiles are launched at any selected target. Missiles are piloted like mini-
spacecraft. They take time to orient themselves and fly a path to their
targets. When launched they are accelerated forwards by mini-thrusters. It may
take some seconds for the missile to orient itself towards their chosen path
before their main thrusters are ignited. It is therefore useful but not
essential to launch a missile in the direction it wants to go. Missiles can be
even launched at other missiles.

Each vessel class is unique. Some vessels are heavily armoured and can only be
destroyed with the appropriate weapon.

Pseudo-Stellar Missiles are the most powerful and the most dangerous. Not only
will they destroy the target vessel but will also destroy any other vessel
within the kill-radius including the vessel which fired it. If you fire off
one of these, get well away. 5km (5000 m) is safe distance, so remember it!

Stinger missiles are general purpose missiles and are indentical in most
respects to the Ship-to-Ship missiles used by the alien forces.

The probe or reconnaissance missile simply gathers data on its target. On
impact, it deep-scans the target and relays the data back to the ship. Once
scanned in this way the examined vehicle will appear in the data-screen.

RETURN fire MDC

The MDC or Mass-Driver Cannon provides limited anti-missile fire, as such it
is classified as an entirely defensive weapon. It fires iron slugs at high-
kinetic energies which vaporize any small targets. Beam and particle weapons
have proved ineffective for this task. Effective use of this weapon demands
that the pilot attempts evasive manoeuvres before trying to shoot down a
missile.


Game Operation

The game starts with the pilot sitting inside the FOE-57 which is docked in
one of the four launch bays of Solbase.

Solbase is rotating to provide artificial gravity. Text on the headup display
prompts the player to read the message screen. This can be viewed by pressing
the 'M' key. After the orders have been received the player can launch the
craft. It is launched by dropping out of the bottom of the launchbay. If
weaponry is loaded onboard then the ordinance screen appears, showing the
weapons as they are loaded. Once in space the yoke controls motion. Pilot mode
1 is selected by default. The player can tumble the craft around and view the
large solbase structure rotating. A series of four blue-flashing Navig Markers
indicate the Solbase docking axis.

Solbase is in a polar orbit around the Sun, some 90 million miles out. Turn
on the headup-display to see movement queues. Turn weapon systems on and off.
Accelerate the craft up to blue speed (the headup queues turn blue to indicate
a higher speed). Use autopilot 9 to stop the craft. Practice stopping and
turning. This is not an aircraft! Turning without acceleration does not result
in a change in velocity! The 'S' key brings up the solar system chart. The
mouse now operates a cursor. Clicking on the buttons results in rotation or
zooming. Clicking on a planet causes the planet to be selected as a quad space
destination. The name of selected planets appears on the screen. The screen
tracks so as to place the selected planet in the centre of the display. The
'N' key brings up the Star navigation screen. This permits the selection of
other star systems as destinations. The present selected destination is shown
flashing. The 'M' key brings up the message screen. This is the pilot's way of
receiving text information from the outside world. Ignoring the messages will
result in game penalties being incurred.

DOCKING

Docking with Solbase is not difficult but demands patience and attention to
detail. So pay attention. Dynamic magnetic buffers prevent slight inaccuracies
from damaging the ship or Solbase. It is important that the ship is on the
precise axis and moving precisely along it. The orientation of the ship is
unimportant. There is an easy way to dock. There are four flashing Navig
Markers which indicate the exact docking axis of Solbase. The outermost of
these is important. For some people it helps if they select it as primary
target. That way it is always marked with a cross and is harder to lose.


MISSION ONE 'WALK THROUGH'/GUIDE TO DOCKING

Once the game has loaded and done through the introduction sequence, the title
screen showing the FOE-57 spacecraft will appear.

PRESS ANY KEY

The save/load game screen will now appear.

CLICK ON 'PROCEED WITH GAME'

You will now see the view from the front of your spacecraft in the docking
bay. 'FMO' and 'NOr' will be flashing.

PRESS M

You will receive your welcoming message.

PRESS M AGAIN

You will receive your first orders.

PRESS F

You will now see the cockpit view again. 'PwS' (Proceed with Sortie) will be
flashing.

PRESS L

This launches your craft.

PRESS 9 (stops and goes to fine positioning mode)

You will now be stationary and you should see the Solbase and the four Navig
Markers (flashing blue dots). 'FMO' will appear.

PRESS M

You will be told to fly away from Solbase.

PRESS H

Your HUD (headup display) will appear.

PRESS W

Your weapons display will appear.

PUSH MOUSE GENTLY FORWARD

And when the outermost Navig Marker appears in the crosshairs -

PRESS SPACE

You have now named this Navig Marker as your 'Primary Target'.

FLY AWAY FROM SOLBASE UNTIL 'FMO' APPEARS

PRESS M

You will now be told to fly to the outermost Navig Marker.

PRESS F

GET THE OUTERMOST NAVIG MARKER IN YOUR CROSSHAIRS

(If you cannot do this, then press 2, which will lock-on to the Navig Marker,
then press 4).

PRESS LEFT MOUSE BUTTON BUT DO NOT MOVE MOUSE

(If mouse moves you must press '0' to stop, then 4, then repeat process of
aligning with Navig Marker).

This will thrust you to the Navig Marker. When you are there, 'FMO' will
appear.

PRESS M

You will be told to fly along docking axis to Solbase.

PRESS F

GET SOLBASE IN CENTRE OF CROSSHAIRS

THRUST TOWARDS SOLBASE UNTIL YOU PASS THE INNERMOST NAVIG MARKER

GET SOLBASE IN CENTRE OF CROSSHAIRS

PRESS 1 (normal thrust mode)

PRESS LEFT MOUSE BUTTON GENTLY

You should now be flying slowly towards solbase. When you are almost there,
your view will change to that of the docking camera and you will see your
ship dock.

Your view will now return to inside the ship, looking out of the docking bay.
'FMO' will be flashing.

PRESS M

You will be congratulated on your successful mission.

WELL DONE!


ADDITIONAL: SAVING/LOADING

When docked with Solbase, pressing HELP goes to the 'save/load/proceed with
game' screen. There are five different 'slots' you can save to/load from.
You must have a formatted disk to save on- you must NOT use this Pompey
Pirates disk to save to, as there simply isn't enough room!

Once you've saved the game, click 'proceed' to return to the game.
At a later time, loading the saved game is just as straight-forward. Click
'proceed' to continue the game.

To save to, you can use just about any format of disk- 9, 10 or 11 sectors,
single or double sided. The sectors actually used by the saved games are the
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th sectors of track 79. I.E. if it's a single sided 9
sector disk, those are sectors 714 to 718. If it's a single sided 10 sector
disk, those are 793 to 797. What that really means is that you can use the
same disk for other purposes, as long as the last track is unused- so you
could use the disk to save other games on, e.g. Chaos/DM, Player Manager,
whatever.


PLAYING TIPS from The Alien.

I've completed this game, and it was well worth it- a decent ending for once!
Stop reading NOW if you want to play it through without help...

Right, docking is easy- just take it slow and easy and follow the instructions
given above. DON'T use pilot mode 4 to dock- use mode 3, but go in SLOWLY.

NEVER use quad-jump if you haven't been told to. This will result in a failed
mission and you'll have to do it again.

Two missions involve chasing Sirian vessels which are moving away from you.
The trick here is to make sure you are using pilot mode 3, but don't let it
run away from you. Keep in control. Once you are moving in exactly the same
direction as the enemy, then point directly at them and only fire your
missiles when you are within 500 m, otherwise they will miss- remember the
enemy vessels are moving away all the time. Try and match speeds with the
enemy to make it even easier.

A rather mean character called the Berzerker causes some trouble throughout
the game... when he gets into Pluto-space, shoot all his missiles with the MDC
and then use up all your missiles on him. With luck he will go away... this
mission is one of the trickiest, so keep at it.

Later on, Berzerker has been chasing you. You have to somehow lose him...
what's the best place to lose someone? Somewhere where they can't come back
from? Like a black hole maybe!

In general... as it says, you are not flying an aircraft! Changing direction
without applying thrust will not make you go in that direction! Pilot mode 4
is the most useful mode, so use it!

