M1 Tank Platoon - Manual Technical Supplement for Amiga Computers Contents Your M1 Tank Platoon should contain a manual, this technical supplement, a 3.5" disk, keyboard overlays and a registration card. Equipment This simulation requires a Commodore Amiga with at least 512K of memory. It runs faster on machines with 1 Megabyte (1M) of memory. You can play this simulation entirely with the mouse, but many "tankers" find the keyboard useful at points. A joystick is also supported for certain tasks. 512K Memory Machines: If your machine has only 512K of RAM (memory), M1 Tank Platoon requires that you use only one 800K 3.5" floppy drive. You must unplug all other drives. If you leave additional drives connected, the operating system leaves M1 Tank Platoon with insufficient memory. Saving Games The game program disk has sufficient room to save all your platoon records. You do not need a separate save-game disk. Installation M1 Tank Platoon is not copy-protected. It can be copied to other disks. If you copy it into a hard disk, make sure everything is in the same drawer. Always play from a copy, never from your original. You can only make copies of the disk for your own, personal use. Selling or giving away any copies of M1 Tank Platoon is a Copyright Violation and against the law. See the copyright notice at the end of the game manual. Loading M1 Tank Platoon can be loaded from the Workbench by double-clicking on the M1 Tank Platoon icon, like any other program. In addition, you can auto-load the simulation by turning off your computer, inserting the M1 Tank Platoon disk, then turning on your computer. (Exception: if you have an Amiga 1000 that requires a Kickstart disk, you must use that disk first, then insert M1 Tank Platoon when the computer asks for the Workbench disk.) If playing from floppy disks, leave the disk in your drive throughout the game. Do not remove the disk until you quit the game. Copyright @ 1990 MicroProse Software, Inc. Amiga is a registered trademark of Commodore-Amiga, Inc. Operating Problems The latest notes regarding this program can be found on the disk in a file named "READ.ME" If the program does not load or run correctly, turn off your computer and restart it. On a 512K machine, make sure only ONE floppy disk drive is attached. Also remove any other peripheral hardware. If you still have trouble, make a new copy of the game on another Amiga and try it on that. If the copy works on that machine, but not your own, your machine has hardware problems. Take it to a dealer or service facility for examination. A common problem is disk drives falling out of alignment. If you have trouble loading on other Amigas as well as your own, you may be one of the tiny percentage with a defective disk. In such cases contact MicroProse Customer Service at (301) 771-1151, Monday through Friday, 9AM-5PM, Eastern time. Please have a pencil and paper handy when you call. MOUSE CONTROLS The Amiga version of M1 Tank Platoon fully supports mouse operations in the Amiga style. This means significant changes from the IBM system described in the manual. For example, mouse actions are activated by the left-side mouse button (a "left-click"), while holding down the right-side mouse button brings up menus (a "right-holddown"). All options outside battle are mouse operated. The keyboard is used only to erase and reenter names. The joystick is not used outside of battle. During battle keyboard, mouse and joystick are supported. You can use the keyboard controls and overlay as described in the manual, or the mouse controls as described below, or any combination that suits you. In battle the joystick emulates the keyboard's cursor keys (the controller). Prepare for Battle You must use a mouse for all these controls. Ignore the manual references to Controllers and Selectors. Instead use the mouse to find and move the highlight, and then left-click to make a choice. In addition, some screens have yellow buttons. Click on these to perform various actions. Staff Briefings (page 31-35): As you move the mouse, a selected option highlights. Left-click to make your selection. On the very first briefing page, where the platoons are listed, you can start a new platoon by pressing the Esc key, typing a new name, and pressing Return. This erases the old platoon and creates an entirely new one. Vehicle Identification Quiz (page 33): As in the briefing, use the mouse to highlight and left-click to make your choice. Bivouac-Outfitting (page 35-36): You can highlighy the text areas in the top half of the screen. Left-click on your platoon name, a vehicle name, a crewman's name, or ammo supply. In each case you'll see detailed information on the bottom half of the screen. To transfer a crewman to another position (either in that tank or another tank), click on the man's name, click on the "XFER" button, then click on the position he'll occupy. Illegal positions (see the lower box on page 36) will not highlight. To promote or decorate a crewman after a battle, simply click on his name and press the appropriate button. A man's current rank and task may prevent promotion (see the lower box on page 36). You can change a crewman's name by clicking on it, pressing ESC, typing a new name, and pressing Return. This permanently changes that name with the new one (you'll never see that old name again!). Bivouac-Briefing (page 36): Although the briefing is automatic, you can "speed read" through it using the yellow buttons. "PREV" sends your back to the previous page, "NEXT" to the next page, and "EXIT" to the bivouac options. Battle Controls Overview Controllers: The "controller" swings your view left or right, elevates it up or moves it down. You can use the joystick, cursor keys, and/or mouse as the "controller". Each operates somewhat differently; select the method(s) you prefer. Mouse Controller: In crew positions (TC, Gunner or Driver), use the mouse to manipulate the device illustrated on page 40. The mouse moves the small "Controller Position" boxes like "slider" switches along their respective tracks (the left-right horizontal track, and the up-down vertical track). To move the box, left-holddown on the box, wait until it changes color, then drag it along the slider. The further you drag it, the faster the movement. When you release the mouse button, the slider jumps back to center position (the slider is "spring loaded"). For small movements, you can "left-click" along the slider beside the box. This produces very slow movement as long as you hold down the mouse button. When you release it the movement stops. Joystick Controller: Holding the joystick left, right, up or down causes accelerating movement in that direction. To move slowly, flick or tap the joystick repeatedly. Movement stops when you release (center) the stick. Cursor Controller: One tap of a cursor key starts movement very slowly in a direction. Repeated taps, or holding the key down, accelerates the movement. To stop movement, tap once in the opposite direction. You can use both the special cursor keys and the direction keys on the numeric keypad. Up and Down: Unlike the IBM version, the "up" button or control position device moves your aim upward, while "down" moves it downward. The Pop-Up Menu: During battle a right-holddown with the mouse pops up a general-purpose menu. This menu lets you change viewpoints, your OP (personal location) and leaders. These options are described in more detail on page 37 and pages 66-67. The menu options duplicate certain function keys. Selector #1: Frequently referenced in the manual, this is always the Return key or the Joystick fire button. Selector #2: Also referenced in the manual, this is always the Space bar. There is no joystick equivalent. TC Unbuttoned View This view is illustrated on page 39 of the manual. As shown there, a mouse left-click in the appropriate area fires a Smoke Grenade Launcher. The Controller: Moving the controller left or right (with the mouse, joystick, or cursor keys) swings the TC's cupola that direction, including his machine- gun. Moving the controller up or down elevates or depresses your view and the gun. Firing: To fire the caliber .50 M2HB machine-gun, left-click on either handle, or the area between them. A single click fires a short burst. Hold it down for sustained fire. Zoom/Unzoon: To use your 7x35 binoculars, left-click anywhere in the outside view. To remove them, left-click again in the same area. New Controls: There is a new switch, not illustrated in the manual, to the right of the Round-Loaded and Laser Warning lights. This switch toggles on/off the image intensifiers (a night vision aid) in your binoculars. Obviously, if you aren't using the binoculars this switch has no effect! TC Buttoned View This view is illustrated on page 41. A mouse left-click in the appropriate area fires a Smoke Grenade Launcher. In addition, left-clicking on the Ammunition Switch or the Main-Coax Switch instructs the gunner to change ammo or weapon types. The other switches and lights are informational only. To operate them you must move to the gunner's position. The Controller: Performs the same function here as the TC Unbuttoned View (above). Firing: AS in the real M1A1, you an fire the TC's caliber .50 M2HB machine-gun with the hatch closed. Left-click on the small handgrip to the far right, just below the vision slot. As before, a single click fires a burst, holding down the button produces sustained fire. Zoom/Unzoom: The TC can toggle between 1x (normal) and 3x (zoom) vision. To do this, left-click anywhere in the vision slot view. Night Vision: When buttoned up the TC has no night vision aids. The thermal viewer is only available to the gunner, not the TC. (The US Army is aware of this limitation and has proposed additional night-vision aids for future versions of the M1.) Gunner View This view is illustrated on page 43 of the manual. A left-click in the appropriate area operates each of these controls: Smoke Grenade Launchers, Thermal (night) Viewer Switch, Computer (Norm)/Battlesight Switch, Main-Coax Switch, Ammunition Switch, and the Magnification Lever. The Controller: Moving the controller left or right (with the mouse, joystick, or cursor keys) rotates the turret and your viewpoint. Moving the controller up or down elevates or depresses the main gun, the coaxial machine-gun and your view. Firing Laser or Gun: The Gunner Controls Handgrip buttons are "clickable" with the mouse. The LEFT button fires the laser rangefinder once. The RIGHT button fires the gun. If the gun is set to "main", the 120mm cannon fires one round and the loader immediately begins reloading. If the gun is set to "coax", the coaxial machine-gun either fires a burst (with a click), or gives sustained fire (if you hold down the mouse button). Zoom/Unzoom: To toggle between the 3x and 10x views available to the gunner, either left-click in the view area, or on the Magnification Lever. Gun Stabilization: Whenever your laser strikes a target (i.e., any vehicle or ground troops), the turret stabilization system is automatically engaged. From that moment onward, the turret automatically rotates, elevates, or depresses to keep the weapon aimed at the target, regardless of either your movement or the target's movement. An "*" appears in your gunsight after the range when your stabilization is running. Stabilization is very handy. You just "zap" the target with the laser, then sit back and watch the weapon track the target. If you don't fire soon, it's wise you occasionally update the range with another laser flash. If you move the controller, the stabilization turns off. If you leave the gunner's position, the actual crewman takes over and makes his own target selection (which may not match yours!). Driver View This view is illustrated on page 47. As shown there, a mouse left-click operates the Engine Exhaust Smoke Generator, the Night Periscope, and the Brake Pedal. The Parking Brake (the smaller pedal) is not used during battle, and is therefore inactive. The Controller: Moving the controller left or right (with the mouse, joystick, or cursor keys) turns the hull in that direction. Moving the controller up causes the tank to accelerate forward. Moving the controller back causes the tank to slow down; if the tank is already halted and you move the controller back, the tank moves in revers. Firing: The driver has no weapons, and therefore cannot fire. The joystick fire button or the Return key apply the brakes. Remember that because of your viewing angle, the brakes are off when the pedal is down, and applied when the pedal is up. Zoom/Unzoom: The driver has no zoom viewer. His vision slot is always 1x (normal) power. New Controls: The driver's handgrips in the M1 operate like motorcycle controls. Rotating them controls vehicle acceleration. For convenience, a mouse left-click on either handgrip immediately "puts the pedal to the metal", accelerating the vehicle to maximum speed as fast as possible. The tank continues at maximum speed until you use the brakes. Driving Notes: The mouse and joystick controls recenter when you release them, causing the tank to coast to a stop. The cursor keys do not. Therefore, you may find it convenient to accelerate to speed with the cursor keys, then steer with the joystick or mouse. The Mapboard The mapboard is illustrated on page 56. All keyboard controls for the mapboard work as described in the manual. Function keys F5, F6, F7 and F8 navigate through all mapboard options, and the regular alphabetic keys to issue orders. In addition, you can use the mouse for a different and more intuitive control of the map. Mapboard Area: In the map area to the left, left-click to move the crosshairs to any part of the map. To zoom or unzoom either use the keyboard "z" and "x" keys, or move to the right and click on the "Z-zoom" or "X-unzoom" text in the lower right corner. If you left-click on top of a unit on the map, in addition to putting the crosshairs there, you also see the data window for that unit. Manual references to "move to" and "turn to" orders (pg 13, 57, 59, 62) are inaccurate because of the new mouse controls. The "m" and "t" keys are now used for these orders. Data Window: The data-window (to the right of the map) operates on three levels of detail. The highest shows you a map key. To go to a friendly platoon, left-click anywhere in the list of US forces. You'll drop down to the data for your first platoon (your MBT platoon of M1/M1A1 tanks). The next highest level is platoon data, with a gray background. Left-click in the upper left corner (on the vehicle symbol) to return to the map key. Left- click on the platoon name across the top to go to the next platoon. Left-click on an individual platoon vehicle to see a specific vehicle. The lowest level shows information about a specific vehicle in a platoon (with a white background). Again, left-click in the upper left corner (on the symbol) to move up to platoon data. Left-click on the vehicle's name (across the top) to see the next vehicle in that platoon. For tanks in your platoon, left-click on a crewman to go to that position (which exits the map). Note that whenever you left-click to go to a crew position, your OP (observation point) is automatically transferred to that tank (see page 66 for details on your OP). On both the platoon (middle) and vehicle (lowest) levels you can issue orders to the platoon (page 58-63) or the vehicle (page 56-58). Move the mouse over the order (it will highlight) and left-click. Keyboard equivalents are noted beside each order. To change leaders from one tank to another you must use the keyboard or the right-holddown menu. See page 66 for details. The Outside View This view is described on page 68. In the Amiga version a series of mouse buttons are arranged across the top, with their keyboard equivalents noted in blue. You can accelerate the left or right view by repeatedly clicking on the same button. To stop turning, click once in the opposite direction. As described in the manual, "Turn to this Facing" rotates the vehicle to match your current view direction. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ KEYBOARD CONTROLS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [RYGAR] - They are already done by another person, but i'm gonna type them in aswell, better to have it together with this stuff!!! Viewpoint Controls Control Key Manual Active in these views... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TC Unbuttoned F1 pp.39-41 works from any viewpoint TC Buttoned F1 pp.41-43 works from any viewpoint Gunner F3 pp.43-47 works from any viewpoint Driver F4 pp.47-50 works from any viewpoint Outside Tank F9 p.68 view from OP tank Outside Any Shift F9 p.68 must be on mapboard OP & Platoon Leader Controls Control Key Manual Active in these views... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OP to Next Tank F10 p.66 works from any viewpoint LDR to OP Tank Shift F10 p.66 works from any viewpoint Standard Vehicle Controls Control Key Manual Active in these views... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sabot (AP) Ammo 1 p.46 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) HEAT Ammo 2 p.46 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) Main/Coax 3 p.46 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) Computer(Normal)/Battlesight 4 p.45 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) Input Battlesight Range 5 p.45 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) Manual Range Input Shift 0-9 p.45 Gunner (tiny on TC Buttoned) Magnify Vision 7 39,41,44 none (but view changes) Night Vision 8 39,41,44,47 Gunner, Driver Turn to This Facing 9 40,42,47 TC (both), Gunner Smoke Generator On = p.39 Driver Smoke Generator Off - p.39 Driver (Fire) Smoke Grenades Backspace p.9 TC (both), Gunner TC Controls These controls are unique to the two TC(Tank Commander) positions Control Key Manual Other effects... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ View/Aim Up Up cursor pp.39-42 aiming TC's caliber .50 gun View/Aim Down Down Cursor pp.39-42 aiming TC's caliber .50 gun View/Aim Left Left Cursor pp.39-42 aiming TC's caliber .50 gun View/Aim Right Right Cursor pp.39-42 aiming TC's caliber .50 gun Fire Machine-gun Return pp.40,42 Gunner Controls These controls are unique to the Gunner position Control Key Manual Other effects... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elevate Main Gun/Coax Up Cursor p.43 aims main gun and coax MG Depress Main Gun/Coax Down Cursor p.43 aims main gun and coax MG Rotate Turret Left Left Cursor p.43 aims main gun and coax MG Rotate Turret Right Right Cursor p.43 aims main gun and coax MG Fire Laser Rangefinder Space bar pp.44-45 engages stabilization Fire Gun or Coax Return p.46 Driver Controls These controls are unique to the Driver position Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Accelerate/Move Forward Up Cursor p.48 takes time to reach max speed Decelerate/Move Back Down Cursor p.48 takes time to stop Turn Left Left Cursor p.48 Turn Right Right Cursor p.48 Brake (stop quickly) Return p.48 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMANDS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vehicle Orders Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Advance Fast a p.57 Advance Slow s p.57 Halt h p.57 Backup b p.57 Left Turn l p.56 Right Turn r p.57 Move to... m p.57 Turn to... t p.57 Fire at Will f p.57 Cease Fire c p.57 Engage to Front e p.58 Engage to Rear d p.58 Engage to Left <, p.58 need not hold down shift key Engage to Right >. p.58 need not hold down shift key Smoke Generator On += p.58 need not hold down shift key Smoke Generator Off -_ p.58 need not hold down shift key Platoon Orders Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Advance Fast a p.62 Advance Slow s p.62 Halt h p.62 Backup b p.62 Left Turn l p.59 Right Turn r p.59 Move to... m p.62 Turn to... t p.59 Fire at Will f p.62 Cease Fire c p.62 Form Wedge Shift W p.59 illustrated on pg 60 From Vee Shift V p.59 illustrated on pg 60 From In-Line Shift I p.59 illustrated on pg 60 From Column Shift C p.59 illustrated on pg 61 Form Echelon Left Shift L p.59 illustrated on pg 61 Form Echelon Right Shift R p.59 illustrated on pg 61 Smoke Generator On += p.62 need not hold down shift key Smoke Generator Off -_ p.62 need not hold down shift key HQ Radio Net only if the appropriate support is available Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A-10A Attack Jet j pp.64,65 has Mavericks and 30mm GAU AH-64A Attack Helicopter a pp.64,65 has Hellfires and 30mm Chain OH-58D Observation Helicopter o pp.64,65 has Machine-Gun 107mm Mortar Bombs b pp.63,64 high explosive barrage 107mm Smoke Bombs s pp.63,64 smoke screen barrage 155mm HE Shells h pp.63,64 high explosive barrage 155mm WP Shells w pp.63,64 smoke screen barrage MRLS 227mm Rockets r pp.63,64 large high explosive barrage ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SIMULATION CONTROLS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Outside Tank F9 p.68 view from OP tank Outside Any Shift F9 p.68 must be on mapboard Hide Map Objectives Alt m p.55 toggles graphic on and off Pause Alt p p.68 hardware pause may also work Accelerated Time Alt a p.69 lower number is faster Boss (Hide Game) Alt b p.69 must press Alt b to resume Quit Alt q p.69 exit to DOS Adjust Detail Alt d p.69 adjust graphic complexity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MAPBOARD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Controls Control Key Manual Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mapboard F5 p.54 Your Tank F6 pp.54,56 displays OP tank position, data Next Platoon F7 55,58-63 cycles platoon data windows Next Vehicle F8 55,56-58 cycles vehicle data windows Terrain Color Key Feature Color ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Open Ground Dark green Road Black line Building Gray/black box Stream Blue line Tree Black-green dot Bog or Field Olive green areas Credits Programming Joe Hellesen Graphics Max Remington III Project Leader Arnold Hendrick Quality Assurance Chris Taormino, Diane Baile Playtesting Christopher Hromantic, Arnold Hendrick Technical Supplement Layout Susan Ullrich --- Typed by [RYGAR]