textfiles/apple/DOCUMENTATION/rescue_raiders_docs.txt

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*                              RESCUE RAIDERS DOCS                            *
*                                      by                                     *
*                                  Swamp Rat                                  *
*                                                                             *
* An original Marauding C.A.M.E.L. BBS file --806<>794<>4362--                *
* Thanks to The Gremlin for cracking it.                                      *
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

OK, most of this is straight from the book, so it will sound strange.

OVERVIEW
     Now suppose that a group of people exists today which has the means to
alter the outcome of D-Day in such a way that the group will benefit.
Using time travel, members of the group will take soldiers and modern weapons
to the Europe of 1944 to influence the Battle of Normandy so that the group
will gain enormous political and economic power forty years later.  Their
desire is to change the past so that they can rule the present.  The danger to
you -to everyone- would be enormous.  If these people should succeed in their
plans, you would be under absolute domination, at the very best.  At worst,
you would never have been born at all. (really nice guys, huh?)
This is the premise of Rescue Raiders.  The group of terrorists does exist;
they have a time machine; they are determined to use their technology to
change the course of World War II so that they can control...YOU. (ooh! drama!)

ABOUT THE GAME
     Rescue Raiders is a strategic war simulation game (and a damn good arcade
game, too).  You command aircraft and ground forces to advance toward the enemy
and destroy him.  Unlike other strategic war games, Rescue Raiders lets you see
and control what happens directly.  You will actually see helicopters, ground
vehicles, soldiers, and missiles.  You do not see a set of odd symbols on a
map.
     To win Rescue Raiders you must use both tactics and strategy.  Tactics is
the "shoot-'em-up" part of the game.  To succeed tactically, you must use your
weapons, men and equipment to win fights against the enemy.
     Rescue Raiders is divided into eight battles.  If you win a battle, you
will automatically proceed to the next battle.  Each new battle is more
difficult than the last.  Your loss of any of the battles will end the game in
total victory for the enemy (not good).

GAME ELEMENTS
     Rescue Raiders contains a number of stationary and mobile elements.
Stationary elements include time machines (headquarters) for you and the enemy,
helicopter pads and bunkers.  Mobile elements are helicopters, tanks, soldiers,
engineers, anti-aircraft-missile carriers, and demolition team vehicles.
STATIONARY ELEMENTS
--* TIME MACHINES  The time machine located at each end of the field serve as
headquarters for both sides.  A battle is won or lost when you or the enemy
succeed in moving a Demolition Team Vehicle to the opponent's time machine.
Only the Demolition Team Vehicle will destroy time machines, which are
impervious to all other machines.
--* HELICOPTER PADS Helicopter pads serve as the starting point for new
helicopters.  They also serve as refueling, re-arming and repair stations for
helicopters during combat.  A helicopter is automatically (but not instantly!)
refueled, repaired and loaded with a maximum weapon supply whenever it lands
on a helicopter pad.  A helicopter pad is located by each time machine
--* BUNKERS There are different types of bunkers in Rescue Raiders.  Some may
be destroyed if hit by weapon fire, while other types can only be destroyed
by a very high number of hits, or cannot be destroyed at all.  A bunker can be
controlled only by placing soldiers in it.  Bunkers are found at different
locations from one end of the field to the other.
--* BARRAGE BALLOONS Barrage ballons are "semi-stationary" elements which are
moored to some of the bunkers.  Helicopters will be destroyed if they strike
an opponent's balloon or its mooring line.  Helicopters can fly safely past any
friendly barrage balloon or its mooring line.
MOBILE ELEMENTS
--* HELICOPTERS Helicopters serve as primary observation platforms, as fighting
vehicles, and as troop transport vehicles.  Helicopters are the most heavily
armed and destructive game elements, and are also the fastest moving of the
game's mobile elements.  You will have four helicopters at the beginning of
play.  If you run out of helicopters, you will loose the game.  The enemy has
an unlimited supply of helicopters (all's fair in love and war).  Helicopters
are armed with machine guns, high explosive and "smart" missiles at the
beginning of a game.  Helicopters are lightly-constructed and can be damaged
or destroyed by any opposing fire.
--* TANKS Tanks are heavily-armoured ground vehicles equipped with cannon and
machine guns at the beginning of play.  Tank weapons are effective against any
other mobile game elements, including other tanks.  Tanks resist enemy fire
better than any other mobile element in the game
--* SOLDIERS & ENGINEERS Soldiers or men are airborne infantry.  They are
equipped with parachutes, and they wear body armor which provides some
protection against light weapon fire.  They are equipped with automatic
weapons.
Engineers are military construction specialists.  They can repair or replace
certain installations which may be damaged or destroyed in combat.  Engineers
fight as normal soldiers first.  Engineers become soldiers if they are
transported by helicopter.
--* ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILE CARRIERS & DEMOLITION TEAM VEHICLES  Anti-Aircraft
Missile Carriers are jeep-like vehicles.  Each is equipped with a single smart
missile.  This missile is automatically launched when an enemy helicopter is in
range and will seek and "home in" on the helicopter.  Missile carriers will
only attack helicopters.  The carriers have no defensive capabilities, and can
be destroyed by fire from any other element.  A missile carrier is a "one shot"
item: it self-destructs after launching its missile.
Demolition Team Vehicles look like vans or ambulances.  They contain electronic
devices which allow them to neutralize and destroy the time machines.  DTVs
have no other offensive or defensive capabilities and are vulnerable to fire
from any other game element.
WEAPONS
--* MISSILES "Smart" missiles are carried by helicopters and by anti-aircraft
missile carriers.  They are the fastest, long-range and most powerful weapons
possessed by either side.  A smart missile will seek and "home-in" on the
target it is launched against.  Smart missiles launched by the Anti-Aircraft
Missile Carriers will attack only opposing helicopters.  A smart missile can
be launched from a helicopter against any opposing element.
--* BOMBS High-explosive bombs are carried by helicopters only.  An element
struck by a bomb will be damaged or destroyed.  High-explosive bombs must score
a direct hit to be effective
--* MACHINE GUNS  Machine guns are carried by helicopters, tanks, and soldiers.
They have a high rate of fire, but they have the least power and range of any
weapon in the game.  Tanks and soldiers have an unlimited supply of machine
gun ammunition.
--* ANTI-AIRCRAFT & TANK GUNS Anti-aircraft guns are ground-based rapid-fire
cannons.  They are effective against helicopters and in some cases may be
turned against tanks.  Anti-aircraft (or anti-tank) guns fire automatically
whenever the opposing element is in range.
Some bunkers are equipped with machine guns which can be used by the side
occupying them.
**==IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!==** Technological development is very rapid during
wartime.  Some weapons may change as you progress from battle to battle.
>>>>>-----PRESS "S" FROM DEMO MODE TO START THE GAME!!!!!-----<<<<<
HOW TO PLAY
     The play area in Rescue Raiders is a long battlefield.  Your headquarters,
consisting of a time machine and a helicopter launch pad, are located at the
right end of this battlefield, and the enemy's headquarters are located at the
left end.
--* THE GAME SCREEN The game screen is divided into two main areas from which
you can obtain information.  The larger area, consisting of most of the screen
from the bottom up, is a television-like display.  This display is roughly
centered on your helicopter, and shows objects, equipment and men in the
immediate vicinity of your helicopter.  The smaller area stretching across the
top of the screen is your "tactical radar" display: it depicts every element
on the battlefield, including missiles.  You use the large display to maneuver
your helicopter in combat and on reconnaissance missions.  Use the tactical
radar display to obtain an instant summary (or "map") of the positions of all
the elements belonging to you or the enemy.  One important use of the tactical
radar is to detect enemy weapons which may be homing in on your helicopter.
Objects in the tactical radar display are color-coded according to what type
of element they are.  The helicopters are represented as white squares which
are larger than any other element on the tactical radar.
--* HELICOPTER MANEUVERS AND OPERATIONS Your helicopter is the only game
element which you directly control and operate.  You use your joystick to fly
the helicopter: simply push the stick in the direction you want the helicopter
to go.
Helicopter weapons are controlled by the joystick buttons.
Button 0 fires the machine gun.  The machine gun will continue to fire as long
 as button 0 is pressed or until you are out of ammunition (you have 50 rounds)
Button 1 drops bombs.  Bombs will be released as long as button 1 is pressed.
You can carry up to ten bombs at a time.
Press both buttons simultaneously to trigger the helicopter smart missiles.
The helicopter must be at the same altitude as a target before the missiles
will
launch.  The missiles will "lock in" on the closest enemy element at the
helicopter's altitude, which may not be the target you wish to hit.  Your
helicopter carries a maximum of two smart missiles at a time.
     No weapons can be fired or launched while your helicopter is on the ground
or on a pad.  If you press button 1 while on the ground, bombs will not be
released, but men who are in the helicopter will get out and begin to march
toward the enemy.
     Your helicopter can carry up to five men at a time, in addition to the
pilot.  If you land in front of any group of your men, they will climb into
the helicopter as they reach it, until five are on board.
     If you press the space bar while the helicoptr is flying and carrying men,
one of the men will bail out and attempt to parachute to the ground.  You can
drop a full load of men by pressing the space bar five times.  Sometimes a
parachute will not open, and the man will fall to the ground and be killed.  If
your helicopter is destroyed in the air, a man will sometimes survive to bail
out and parachute safely to the ground, where he will fight as an infantryman.
This man may be the helicopter's pilot or an infantryman that is being
transported.
     Your helicopter will be damaged if it is hit by enemy weapons, even if it
is not destroyed.  You can tell when your helicopter has been damaged, because
it will emit puffs of smoke from the lower rear part of its fuselage.  These
puffs of smoke will increase in size as damage becomes more severe.
     If your helicopter is destroyed and you still have additional helicopters
remaining, the screen will continue to show the helicopter's last location for
a few seconds, then will switch to your headquarters helicopter pad.  At times,
you may wish to continue watching the action taking place at the site where
your helicopter was destroyed:holding down either joystick button will allow
you to see events occurring after the destruction of your helicopter.
Releasing the joystick button(s) will then return the screen view to the new
helicopter at the right end of the field.
     Return your helicopter to the launch pad if you want to replace depleted
weapons and ammunition, or if you wish to refuel or repair damage.  When the
helicopter has been completely repaired, re-armed and refueled, a green bar
will appear across the top of the screen immediately below the tactical radar
display.  The more supplies and repairs your helicopter requires, the longer
it will have to wait on the pad before the green bar appears  If men are on
board the helicopter, they may be able to make repairs without returning to
the launch pad under certain circumstances.
     When your fuel becomes low, the "Low Fuel" message will appear in the
center of the display screen.  When fuel becomes dangerously low, an audible
warning will begin to tick, and a fuel gauge will be displayed at the top of
the screen.

GROUND FORCES
     You must advance ground forces to take ground and to win the game by
destroying the enemy time machine.  Ground forces include all mobile elements
except helicopters.
Ground forces are deployed by using the keyboard.
 PRESS:    FOR:
 T         Tanks
 M         Men (soldiers)
 E         Engineers
 A         Anti-Aircraft Missile Carriers
 D         Demolition Team Vehicles

Pressing T, A, or D will bring one vehicle onto the field.  Pressing M will
deploy a squad of five men, and E will deploy two engineers.  You must
wait until a vehicle or squad is on the field before deploying something else.
You will hear a click as an element is deployed, and the lines above and below
the tactical radar display will change from blue to white while elements are
moving onto the field (this change is visible on a monochrome monitor, although
the colors are not).
Ground forces advance and fire on enemy forces automatically.  A ground force
element stops moving forward only when it is actually firing at an enemy
element.
Ground forces should be deployed in such a way that they will overcome
resistance on the field.  Remember to anticipate normal losses and casualties.
Your helicopter is an invaluable tool for supporting and defending ground
forces.

FINANCE

     Like a real army, your forces require money to operate.  Everything you
use, except for your initial allotment of helicopters and the fuel and weapons
for them, must be paid for.  Every time you press a key to deploy a mobile
ground element, the price of that element will be subtracted from your balance.
You may purchase additional helicopters by pressing the H key if you have
sufficient cash.
     You receive money according to the time you spend in combat.  Every
fifteen seconds, one small bag of money is added to your account.
You will be charged at the following rates, in small bags of money:

Item (quantity)                         Price
1 Helicopter                            20 bags
1 Tank                                  4 bags
5 Men                                   5 bags
2 Engineers                             5 bags
1 Anti-Aircraft Missile Carrier         3 bags
1 Demolition Team Vehicle               2 bags

     If you do not have sufficient cash to pay for an item, pressing the key to
deploy it will have no effect.
     The game imposes limits on the total number of each mobile element which
can be on the field at one time.  If you attempt to exceed these limits, press-
ing a key will not deploy a new element, even if you have enough cash to buy it

COMPUTER STATUS REPORTS

     You can obtain a report from your command computer at any time by pressing
C.  This report shows you the amount of cash you have and displays your
helicopter combat readiness.  The amount of cash is displayed first, followed
by the number of bombs, smart missiles and men aboard your helicopter.  Last,
the number of helicopters remaining to you is shown.
     Cash is displayed as moneybags of two different sizes.  One large bag
represents four small ones.  The prices of equipment and men listed above are
listed in small bags.
     You will see the symbols for bombs, missiles or men only if they are on
board your helicopter at the time of the report.
     A guage showing the fuel supply for your helicopter will be displayed
across the top of the screen just below the tactical radar display during a
Computer Status Report.  On a color monitor, white represents fuel remaining,
and red represents fuel already used.  The white bar will shorten to the left
and be replaced by red as fuel is consumed.  You will be able to see the
difference between the "white" and "red" portions on a monochrome monitor,
even though the actual colors are the same.

SCORING

     The objective of Rescue Raiders is to win battles.  The only way to
achieve total victory and truly win the war against the Time Terrorists is to
defeat them on all eight Rescue Raiders battlefields.  To help you measure
your progress and your achievement even if you fall short of this goal, a
point score is provided.
Rescue Raiders is scored according to two factors:The amount of damage done to
the enemy; and the cost of damaging the enemy.
     Your point score is an indication of how well you have achieved the
objectives of Rescue Raiders.  Your goal should be the highest possible point
score while winning the eight battles.
     War, however, is not a black-and-white issue.  the winner of a war pays
an enormous price for victory.  There are the obvious financial burdens
involved not only in the purchase of weapons and equipment, but in the shifting
of a nation's production from consumer goods to military supplies.  The
civilian population must bear the cost of this production directly, in the form
of taxes, and indirectly, in th form of goods and services which become scarce
or unavailable in a wartime economy.  Even so, the financial cost of a war is
less important than its moral cost.  No amount of money will restore those who
are killed.  A nation at war has a moral obligation to balance the advantages
of victory against its costs.
     Points are deducted from your score for each mobile element which you
deploy.  Points are also deducted for time spent in battle: the longer it takes
you to win, the lower your score will be, with all factors equal.
     Press ESC to pause the game and view your score.

OTHER FEATURES

Save game-press ESC to freeze, then type SAVE.
To restore saved game, press ESC to freeze, then CONT.

Call these super-duper K-K00L rad boards!!!!
The Marauding C.A.M.E.L. BBS 806-794-4362 Apple II
The Missing Link             806-799-0016 Apple II
Bloom County                 806-762-6787 Mac
Sunset Strip II              806-793-7011 Commodore 64/128