JOHNNY REB 2 Lothlorien Background ---------- There are very few people in any society that actually want a war, especially a Civil War. Certainly the Northern and Southern States of the USA didn't want to go to war. They found themselves in a conflict on Sunday July 21st 1861 that neither really wanted but from which neither could escape. Although the first shots had been ordered by the Confederate States in April, it wasn't until the skirmish at Bull Run on that Sunday morning that either side was fully committed to war. On paper you would have expected the Union forces to have held the upper hand. They certainly had more regular soldiers but they were heavily committed to the Indian front and this meant that both sides had to depend upon militia-men and in some cases short term volunteers neither of which had any real training and both lacking in discipline. The occupations of the combatants was as varied as the uniforms that they wore - it was not unusual for Confederate soldiers to wear blue uniforms which had the predictable effect of throwing the Union forces into disarray. The New York Heavy Artillery had over 60 different occupations represented within its ranks. Over 70 of the men were farmers or labourers but there were also two musicians, two seamen. five painters, four bakers and believe it or not 12 soldiers. The Confederate force was not quite so varied but had farmers, labourers, students, carpenters and of course the "gentlemen". It was this background of "out door", "cultured" life that gave the south its initial advantage. When volunteers left for the lines from the Southern states they often took their own horses and used their peacetime riding skills to very good effect Although examples are few and far between there certainly were cases where the Civil War split families and "set brother against brother" - Billy Yank versus Johnny Reb. it is difficult to imagine the human effect of such a situation but there is the absolute certainty that mothers in both the North and South were crying themselves to sleep for the four years that the war lasted. Objective and setting --------------------- The game scenario is that a strong Confederate force are trying to break through a lighter Union troupe which, during the course of the skirmish, will receive reinforcements. Computer Play ------------- In one player mode the computer will control either side. It can select from three different forces and scores points by moving units off the Western (right- hand) edge of the map, destroying enemy units and holding territory. If you choose to add extra defensive features (see Setting Up) then more points will be awarded to the Confederate side. Conclusion ---------- The game is ended by time running out and when one side is down to less than five units. At the conclusion the computer gives a read-out of the victory status - major or minor - and offers to allow you to conclude the game in two player mode or the chance to start another game. Gameplay -------- The main menu has seven options which are described in detail below. The ORDER command is given by pressing SPACE or user defined key (keyboard control) or FIRE (joystick control). Option 1 - setting Up the battlefield There is a default battlefield displayed at the start of a game but you have the opportunity to alter this in several ways. You can add walls, houses and fences to the default map. By adding such features, the Union forces have an easier time in their defence of the land and the Confederates are compensated by the award of extra points. Selecting "W" allows the addition of walls, "F" fences and "H" houses. There are five different house styles but that is the only difference between them. The wall and fence styles allow you to create closed areas and to partition land to your desire. You cannot, for obvious reasons, place houses, fences or walls on the road, river or the bridge. Pressing "E" will allow you to exit to the map alteration menu and pressing "A" will accept the map. If you choose not to accept it you can go back to the default map without having to remove all your extra features. Option 2 - Selecting troops Selecting this option allows you to customise your army. You need to select which force you want to alter by pressing "U"nion or "C"onfederate. Please note that when you are playing against the computer any alteration of the Confederate forces will be ignored - you can't make the game easier that way! Using the cursor control keys allows you to change the unit to be altered. You can blank a unit, ie. remove it from the army, or change it by altering the weapon type, morale rating and unit designation. There are four stages in alteration of a unit: a) Name change - type the new name as required, pressing return enters the current name. b) Change type - Pressing "C" will cycle through the types in the order; Infantry - Cavalry - Artillery - Supply Wagon. Press "N" to move to next stage. c) Change Morale - Pressing "C" to select Green - Seasoned - Veteran and Union only - Regular. Press "N" to confirm changes and move to next stage. d) Change Weapon - "C" will cycle the various weapon types and "Q" will end the change command for that unit. To end alterations press "E" to return to main menu. Special notes: Supply wagons don't have morale or weapon ratings so these stages are missed. If a unit is blanked - in which case a dash appears in the unit list - pressing "C" will recreate a unit with the default setting of musket armed, green infantry. Changing units alters their points value and this is shown next to the unit symboL The total army value is updated when you select your unit type. Option 3 - Select positions This option allows you to decide the initial location of the units on the battlefield. It is essential to select the option if you have created new units - you can find the unit status from the main menu by checking the UNION/CONFEDERATE box at the bottom of the screen. If either of the words UNION or CONFEDERATE is missing then you need to assign position to some of the units. Upon selection of Option 3 you need to specify which force you wish to modify. After selecting the force you will be told how many units still have to be placed. Pressing SPACE allows you to continue. The map screen appears and the first unit is selected. The right hand panel gives unit information and current map co-ordinates of the unit concerned. Pressing R removes a unit "N" moves to next unit "G" moves to next unplaced unit "SPACE/FIRE" assigns a new or removed unit to the current cursor position All the default units are already assigned to a position but these can be re-assigned by removing them from the map (press "R" to do this) and then selecting the new position with the joystick/cursor before pressing space bar to replace them. If you have created new units, or re-created old ones, by using Option 2 then these will need to be assigned to a position before play commences. If you are happy with the current placings of the old units then pressing "G" allows you to place only the new units. If you press "G" with all units assigned then you are returned to the main menu. Please note that units can be assigned to the same physical position particularly if they are reserve forces that don't appear until later in the game. The cursor will still move to the correct position and they can be removed to be placed elsewhere. It is normal that reserve forces, see Option 4, should appear at the edge of a map but they can be assigned to any North or South position by using this option. Option 4 - Select Reserves By using this option you can select the point in the game when reserve units make their appearance. As with Option 3 you will need to assign appearance times to all new units or they will not join the game at all. It is important to remember that: Level 1 games last 30 turns Level 2 games last 35 turns and Level 3 games last 40 turns The keys for this operation are: "C" changes the entry turn for the unit currently selected "N" moves to the next unit "0" (zero) means that the unit will be in position at the start of the game Option 5 - Redefine keys & colours This option is fully menu driven and by following the on-screen prompts you can change the control and display options to those which you prefer. The Spectrum and Amstrad screens also allow you to select joystick control whilst on the Commodore both joysticks can be used at any time. Option 6 - Saving and Loading COMMODORE 64 & SPECTRUM These versions allow you to save or load battlefield designs and the current game status. After these operations your are returned to the appropriate point in the game. Commodore games allow you to select TAPE or DISC too. AMSTRAD This version allows the loading and saving of games but instead of moving straight back to the game after this operation you return to the main menu and confirm that you want to restart by selecting option 7. Option 7 - Play the Game From this option you select the game type - one or two player - and the level you wish to play. Options 3 and 4 from this sub-menu allow you to reset the forces to their default status. Please note that if you select the one player option the computer will not use the forces that you have altered but will choose one of three default forces already assigned. DIFFICULTY LEVELS Level 1 is the quickest - a 30 turn game. If you are playing against the computer - ie. one player option - the "invisible unit" option is set. This means that you only see the opposing forces when they come within viewing distance. In two player games all units are visible at all times. Level 2 has all units visible and the game runs slower than level one and takes 35 turns. Level 3 is similar to the two player game in that it stops after each turn and requests new orders. Only after these have been entered will the game continue. This level has 40 turns. Giving orders ------------- The giving of orders to the units under your control is the key part of the game but so that the game isn't slowed down at all this part has been made as simple as possible. Before giving new orders to a unit you can examine its strength and current status by moving the cursor over the unit icon on the screen. The information is displayed at the bottom of the screen and comprises the following data: Colour Code for Spectrum Unit Ammunition & Commodore ---- ---------- ------------ Green Well supplied Green Seasoned Less than 10 Yellow Veteran Less than 3 Red Regular Purple/Blue Colour Code for Spectrum Strength Morale & Commodore -------- ------ ------------ All healthy Very high Green Some casualties Rather shaken Yellow Weak In a bad way Red Purple/Blue If you move the cursor over an enemy unit then you will only be allowed to see the name, strength and unit type. Information about morale and ammunition levels is not available for enemy units. POSSIBLE ORDERS When the cursor is over a unit icon, the right hand panel will display the possible order options for that unit. The possible orders will differ for each unit type, eg. supply wagons can't fire, but the first positions that the cursor can occupy will always be blank. The first of these positions - top left - is CONTINUE. Selecting this option means that the unit will carry out the same orders they were given in the turn before. The top right position is CANCEL. This means that the previous order is cancelled and that the unit wilt do nothing during the next turn - except run if fired upon. The centre left icon is the MOVE symbol. This option allows you to order a unit to move and you are given the option of whether they should fire or not too - selection is via cursor or joystick. The destination of the unit is set by moving the cursor to the required position and then pressing the order key. On-screen prompts will tell when this is required. All units start to fire, if this is selected, when they arrive at their destination. Supply wagons never fire. The FIRE icon is the middle right. Selecting this allows you to suggest a target by moving the cursor to that position and pressing the order button. Fire will then be concentrated around the target set. If you leave the cursor on the unit icon and press the button then fire will be concentrated on the nearest enemy unit. In order to CHARGE you select the bottom left icon. After using the cursor and order button to select your target your unit will move quickly to that position. However, it should be noted that units do get tired easily and this means that they start walking. They regain their strength when stationary. If you wish a particular unit to maintain a defensive position then you should order them to DIG IN by selecting the bottom right icon. Digging in aids morale and gives a better defensive position in combat situations. FIRING IN DETAIL All units, except supply wagons, can fire at the enemy. The effect of this fire depends upon the skill and experience of the troops concerned (veterans and regulars are very accurate); the range to the target; and the target's defensive terrain and mobility. Once a unit has fired then they must re-load. If you choose to move a unit that fired at the end of a turn they will still re-load before commencing to fire again. If your unit is under enemy fire then two effects are felt. Firstly there are casualties inflicted and secondly morale is affected. A unit is considered to be dead when its strength rating falls very low. Morale, being the effect of the action upon the mind, is much more difficult to assess and calculate. This game uses the following criteria: losses and casualties; presence of other troops - enemy and friendly; seeing friendly troops broken and run; being under enemy fire; being subject to an enemy charge and the type of cover that your current terrain gives. If the morale of a unit is reduced by a large amount then it can have four different effects. The unit may carry on as planned, they may get confused and disrupted causing them to do nothing for a while, they may retreat (run back) a distance or they might run away completely and suffer a high level of desertion. This final effect tends to be seen after vicious hand to hand fighting. Playing hints ------------- Keep your units in terrain which gives you greater defensive advantage. This includes houses, hills, the bridge and those units which are dug in. Unfortunately houses, hills and friendly troops also obscure your view. Have a support troop at the rear of your main fighting force, even if this is only a supply wagon. Units which are breaking under the strain can be rallied much easier and more quickly if there are friendly troops to the rear. Picking up a unit which has broken is mainly a matter of luck. Let the unit move back one position between each unsuccessful attempt to rally them. Confederate players should try to use the fords, at the top and bottom edges of the river. Union players should, of course, try to guard them. Firepower is at its most deadly when at point blank range, so it can pay to hold off firing until the very last moment. Hand to hand fighting is more effective if you approach the units by charging at the enemy. REINFORCEMENTS SCHEDULE If you haven't changed the appearance schedule by using optIon 5 from the main menu then this list gIves details of the union forces that will appear during the game. Turn Unit Type Morale Weapons 7 Infantry Regular Musket 9 Supply 10 Infantry Veteran Rifle 15 Infantry Green Musket 17 Artillery Seasoned 6lb 19 Infantry Veteran Rifle 20 Infantry Seasoned Rifle 22 Infantry Veteran Musket 24 Artillery Seasoned 12lb 26 Cavalry Regular Carbine/Sabre 28 Cavalry Veteran Carbine/Sabre 30 Artillery Regular 3inch Rodman 32 Cavalry Veteran Carbine/Sabre Further background details ---------------------------- TROOP EXPERIENCE LEVELS The experience of each unit is expressed in this game as their morale rating. There are four different ratings and in order from worst to best they are: Green - troops who have never fought before and are freshly recruited volunteers or conscripts. Seasoned - these troops are green troops who have been into battle once or twice and can be relied upon not to desert immediately. Veteran - Battle hardened soldiers. Regular - Union army only. These are professional regular soldiers. The difference in experience/morale is reflected by faster rates of fire and a better fighting ability. During the American Civil War inexperienced troops had a tendency to run away in the face of battle, especially when under heavy fire or if charged upon. This means that you should try to avoid using green or seasoned troops in critical areas as they are far more likely to run away than the other troops. WEAPONS The Confederate Army had a better industrial base than the Union force and one consequence of this was the larger number of smoothbore weapons that they could muster. Infantry use either a musket - a muzzle loading smoothbore weapon, or a rifled weapon. Guns like the repeating Winchester 3030, which regularly featured in the western films, were only very slowly starting production and hadn't reached the armouries of either side in any great quantity. Cavalry use a variety of weapons, carbines - a short rifle type, pistols of all types, shotguns and swords. These have been listed in this manual as Carbine/Sabre. Many different types of artillery were used and three different types feature in this game: 6lb, 12lb and the rifled 3inch. The rifling of the barrel makes the bullets and shells spin and this makes them more accurate. Rifling also keeps the shell In the barrel longer and the effect of this is that the great pressure ensures a greater range.