THE GAME›Until the 24th Century man was confined›to to earth, exploring the solar system›and nearby stars. Space flight was›measured in fractions of the speed of›light. Then Tamara Newton, inheriting›the genius of her ancestor, developed an›elegant theory that pre›dicted the occurrence of portals in the›universe. Portals drastically cut the›length of space flights. Man quickly›developed ships that could locate the›portals. The galaxy was finally open for›exploration.›Exploration proceeded rapidly. Only a›few worlds were found suitable for›colonization, and a very few of these›advanced rapidly and began to dominate.›Differences in culture arose. Bloody and›devastating wars were fought. When all›that man had worked for›was on the eve of destruction, peace of›a sort was hammered out. Future disputes›would be decided by Star Lords›especially trained to command unmanned›ships and robot satellites, duelling›with other Star Lords in the far reaches›of space. The ultimate vic›tory was now complete control of the›galaxy.›It is now the 27th Century and you are a›Star Lord, competing with up to 3 other›Star Lords for control of a galaxy›having myriad variations. The computer›can play the role of as many as 3 Star›Lords. Your ability to command the robot›fleets and extend yo›ur control will determine the outcome of›the conflict.››SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS›An ATARI computer with 48K RAM, one disk›drive and one joystick.››LOADING INSTRUCTIONS›With the computer turned off, remove any›program cartridges and turn on the disk›drive and monitor. Insert the program›disk in the drive. On 400/800 systems›simply turn on the computer. On XL›systems, press the OPTION key while›turning on the computer. Th›e scenario program will load›automatically. After the title screen›appears, press the START key when ready›to play.››RULES AND BACKGROUND›1 to 4 players compete for control of›the known galaxy. Each player begins›with control of a Home world and a fleet›of 120 ships. By ordering fleets of›various sizes players attack and attempt›to eliminate opposing fleets, gaining›control of worlds. World›s controlled by a player will build›ships every year for the player›controlling the world, and these ships›can then be ordered to attack or sent to›allied worlds. Additional ships are also›built at a rate determined by the total›ships built by worlds unde›r a player's control and placed on them›for future use.›››››GAME LIMITATIONS››                             MIN.›MAX.›NUMBER OF PLAYERS              1›4›NUMBER OF COMPUTER PLAYERS     0›3›NUMBER OF TURNS (YEARS)       10›99›NUMBER OF WORLDS              10›40›SHIP BUILDING, PER YEAR        0›18›FLEET SIZE, IN TRANSIT         1›1,999›FLEET SIZE, WORLD FLEET        0›1,999›NUMBER OF FLEETS, IN           0›30›TRANSIT (PER PLAYER)››THE WORLDS›40 Worlds are available for game›scenarios. Each world has a nominal ship›building capacity that is adjusted›during each turn according to the›stability of that world's economy.››HOME WORLDS››NAME     SHIPS  ECON.›Triton      12     S›Palladia    12     S›Draco       12     S›Knossos     12     S››NEUTRAL WORLDS›NAME     SHIPS  ECON.     NAME     SHIPS›ECON.››Orion        9     S      Kepler       8›C›Artica       7     U      Falchion     6›S›Rhea         5     S      Pyxis        4›C›Volans       3     U      Hydra        9›S›Titus        8     S      Lyrae        7›C›Argos        6     U      Einstein     5›S›Alesia       4     S      Ceti         3›C›Ephesus      9     U      Megiddo      8›S›Terminus     7     S      Centauri     6›C›Amazon       5     U      Luxor        4›S›Ishtar       3     S      Baybars      6›C›Krypton      9     U      Tethys       8›S›Terra        7     S      Oberon       6›C›Tycho        5     U      Galileo      4›S›Sahel        3     S      Helios       9›C›Ocean        8     U      Spartos      7›S›Newton       6     S      Elysium      5›C›Irata        4     U      Janus        3›S››WORLD ECONOMY›A world's economy affects the annual›production of ships. There are 3 levels›of economic stability.››S = Stable, mature economy capable of›building 150% of the nominal building›rate.››C = Fluctuating economy subject to›declines to 50% of the nominal building›rate.››U = Unstable primitive economy where›there may be no ships built.››Example A - Orion, an 'S' world will›build 9 ships 50% of the time and 13›ships 50% of the time. Odd nominal rates›are always rounded to the next lower›even number.››Example B - Lyrae, a 'C' planet will›build 7 ships 50% of the time, 4 ships›50% of the time.››Example C - Ocean, a 'U' world will›build 8 ships 50% of the time, 0 ships›50% of the time.›During scenario design, each player will›be assigned a Home world. The remaining›worlds in the galaxy are selected›randomly by the computer from the›Neutral worlds. If there are less than 4›players, remaining Home worlds may also›be selected to start as N›eutral worlds. Each world is only›selected once, so a 40 world galaxy will›have every available world. Each world›will also be identified by a number.››NEUTRAL WORLD ACTIVITY›At the beginning of a game, each Neutral›world will have a fleet equal to one›full year of its nominal ship building›rate. If during scenario design the›Neutral worlds are instructed to build›fleets, then each year they will build›ships equal to one-half›the nominal rate, adjusted to their›economy. If not ordered to build the›initial fleet is never reinforced. Until›a player conquers or scouts a neutral›world its' ship building rate is›difficult to determine. Neutral world›fleets never attack other worlds›.››Example A - Neutral Worlds build fleets.›Falchion, an 'S' world has a nominal›ship building rate of 6. A player›invading Falchion on turn 1 would›encounter 9-10 ships (6+3+1 possible).›Unless the world is conquered it will›continue to build defensive ships at the›same rate.››Example B - Neutral worlds do not build›fleets.›Tycho has a nominal ship building rate›of 5. The first player to invade Tycho›will encounter 5 ships on any turn. No›additional defensive ships will be›built.››Once a Neutral world has been conquered›it will always be allied to a player. It›will build ships at the nominal rate,›adjusted by its economic type. These›ships are controlled by the player in›control of the world.››ROBOT SHIPS›Each player selects a ship design. There›are 6 ship designs which differ in both›appearance and accuracy of their weapon›when Attacking and Defending. The Attack›and Defense factors have a range of 0.8›to 1.2. With 0.8 as a basis the accuracy›of fire incr›eases on the average as follows:››0.8  0.9  1.0  1.1  1.2› 0%   2%   4%   7%   9%››Each ship design Attack and Defense›factors when added together always equal›2, so no ship design has an overall›advantage. A design can only be selected›once. Ships used to defend Neutral›worlds will be of a design not chosen by›a player and have a Defen›se factor of 1.0.››THE GALAXY AND FLEET TRAVEL TIME››The galaxy will vary in size according›to the number of worlds it has, and is›represented by a grid.››# OF WORLDS        SIZE OF GALAXY›  33-40                18x20›  25-32                16x18›  17-24                14x16›  10-16                12x14››During scenario design, the galaxy will›be constructed and worlds placed on the›grid by the computer. Each player has›their own color to indicate their home›world, with Neutral worlds shown as one›size colored blue on white. Players have›the option to hav›e the galaxy reconstructed. In order to›determine if the galaxy is acceptable,›it is important to understand Fleet›Travel Time.››TIME AND DISTANCE TABLE››Distance from one point to adjacent›horizontal or vertical point›500 light years›One year flight, maximum range›1000 light years›Two year flight, maximum range›3000 light years›Three year flight, maximum range›6000 light years››For 4 or more years, add 3000 light›years range for each added year.››Using this table and the map "THE›GALAXY" on the following page, a fleet›sent from world 01 to world 02, e.g.,›would arrive at the end of the same›turn(year) if world 02 is 1000 or less›light years away, at the end of the next›turn if 1001-3000 light year›s distant, and so on. A galaxy of›reasonable design should have about 20%›of the worlds within 2 years flight time›of your Home world.››SUGGESTED SCENARIOS››Beginner: One player, 10-16 worlds,›10-20 turns and Neutrals build fleets.››2 player games: 17-24 worlds, 30-40›turns and Neutrals build fleets.››3 player games: 25-32 worlds, 50-75›turns and Neutrals do not build fleets.››4 player games: 33-40 worlds, 50-100›turns and Neutrals do not build fleets.››SCENARIO DESIGN››NEW OR SAVED GAME?›To start a new game, press 'N'. To›continue a game previously saved, press›'S' and follow the simple instructions.››NOTE that pressing the 'ESC' key during›scenario design will restart the entire›process.››NUMBER OF PLAYERS (1-4)›Enter the number of players, including›any computer opponents that are going to›play.››# OF COMPUTER PLAYERS (0-X)›Enter the number of computer players. At›least one human player is required.››HOW MANY WORLDS (10-40)›Enter the number of worlds that the›galaxy will have.››HOW MANY TURNS (10-99)›Enter the number of turns(years) that›the game will be played.››WILL NEUTRAL WORLDS BUILD DEFENSIVE›FLEETS (1-YES 2-N0)›Press '1' if the Neutral worlds are to›build fleets. Press '2' for no›additional defensive ship building.››ENTER PLAYER'S NAME›The Home world that you control is›indicated. Enter your name which will be›prefaced by 'Lord'. If your name is less›than 6 letters long, press RETURN after›entering it.››ANY CHANGES (1-YES 2-N0)›Press '1' if changes to the scenario are›desired. All preceding steps will be›repeated. If no changes are needed,›press '2'.›Now plug a joystick into the left port.››SHIP SELECTION›The ship designs are now displayed.›Select a ship by moving the joystick up›or down until the number corresponding›to the design is shown at the bottom of›the screen. The ship is assigned to you›and erased from the screen. The other›players then select fr›om the remaining ships until all players›have a design.›ed from the screen. The other›players then select fr›om the remaining ships until all players›have a design.›