MechWar ver.003 Alpha Manual

What is BattleTech?

BattleTech is a turn based wargame set in the 31st century, where
the primary combatants are 40-foot tall BattleMechs. BattleMechs are
vaguelly humanoid shaped walking tanks armed with a mixture of missles
cannons and lasers.

Each turn in BattleTech is divided into seven phases :

Initiative Phase (Hidden)

  The order in which the mechs move is decided.

Movement Phase

  In which the mechs maneuvre. Mechs usually have 3 options :

  Stand : The mech does not move, making it an easy target,
          but also allowing it to fire more accuratly.

  Walk : The mech moves slowly, helping it evade some attacks
         but costing it some accuracy.

  Run  : The mech moves at top speed, making it tougher to hit
         but less accurate.

  Also some lighter mechs can take to the air and :

  Jump : Jumping only costs 1MP per hex, turning also costs nothing.

    Once movement type has been chosen mechs can :

  Advance (Up Arrow) : Advance into the next hex
  Turn Left (Left)   : Turn Left 60
  Turn Right (Right) : Turn Right 60
  Reverse (Down)     : (Only in Walk) mech steps back ward.

Reaction Phase

  In the reaction Phase a mech can :

  Torso Twist (Left/Right) : Allowing it to fire at enemies in a different arc.

  Eject : Make the pilot bail out, saving the pilot but immobilising the
          mech.

  Get a Club, Pick up Item : If a battle mech is in a light or heavy wood
                             it can uproot a tree to use as a club in the
                             physical phase.

Weapon Phase

  Fire : Select a target and fire some or all of its weapons. The ToHit
         number is shown beside the Weapon Name. Battlemechs can engage
         multiple targets in a turn but can only fire each weapon once.

         To select a target either use the arrow keys to place the reticule
         over it or use <TAB> to cycle through units, <ENTER> or <SPACE> to
         select.

         To select which weapons to fire press the corresponding number, to
         toggle all weapon that can hit press <BACKSPACE>.

Physical Phase

  If a mech ends its turn next to another mech, it my engage in hand-to-hand
  combat. Its options are to:

  Punch : If one arm has not fired any of its weapons it can make an attack
          to the upper body of a battlemech. Its strength is proportional to
          its weight.

  Double Punch : If neither of the arms has fired any weapons, a mech may
                 throw two punches in one turn.

  Club : If a mech is equiped with a hatchet or is hold a tree, it can make
         an attack to the upper body that is twice as strong as a punch.

  Kick : An attack to the legs of an enemy battlemech, twice as strong
         as a punch. May cause a fall.

  Push : Pushes a mech back one hex, possibly causing a fall.

  Charge : If a mech does not fire any of its weapons, and the target is
           directly infront of the Mech it may charge. Damage is proportional
           to weight and hexes traveled.

  DFA : Like Charge, but preformed by a jumping mech, it can not have fired
        and the target must be directly ahead.

  To quit press <ESC> and <Y>.

  Also at any prompt, you can pull up INFO on a target by pressing <I> then
  <TAB> to select a target.



  
