If BREAK-ing fails, then you can generally get the BASIC listing of any speccy program by loading it into an emulator and saving it in SNA format, then using SNAPLIST on the snapshot (downloadable via the WoS archive IIRC or from here http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/snaplist/index.html).
There are other similar programs available and in fact BASin might also work.
I have already exported the "Britain Invaded" listing to a text file and placed it on my website here for your perusal. (as it's a bit too big for a WoS forum post).
I've had a quick peek at the listing and played the game for just for about 20 minutes so far. Looks like there's a small machine code routine in the zeroth line of the listing. Other than that it's a surprisingly easy listing to follow.
I've also read the SU review (via the infoseek entry) which gives further insights into the gameplay.
So far I've learnt the following:-
When the game loads, the border initially goes black, then magenta whilst the data is being initialised.
Eventually the border turns cyan and the game is ready to start.
Press 'C' to start the first turn of the game as instructed.
Thereafter the border is red to indicate it's the British turn to move and black for the German turn.
British units (human player) are red. German units (CPU) are black.
Although units may appear in magenta when they are in a town. British towns are denoted by a single magenta house. London appears as a block of 2x2 magenta houses.
When a red (or magenta) British unit is flashing, the following key commands are available:-
l, r, u, d (followed by a number then ENTER), scrolls the map left, right, up or down by "n" squares.
The map of Southern England is 44 characters wide, so doesn't quite fit on the ZX Spectrum screen. Not sure how high it is.
Cursor keys (5=left, 6=down, 7=up, 8=right) immediately move the current unit one square in the specified direction.
the "9" key aborts the move of a unit for this turn, and goes on to the next unit.
"T" units (tanks?) can move 5 squares per turn
"B" units (battalion?) can move 3 squares per turn
"I" units (Infantry?) unsure yet of maximum momevent
Although I read that getting on to a railway line allows more movements per turn, like the CIV games (think it's 10), for me it makes no apparent difference, well not for tanks anyway.
When a unit is adjacent to an enemy unit, it then changes to a flashing "A".
I take this to mean "Attack?"
The keyboard commands for a unit in "Attack" mode are different:-
As far as I can tell, if you press "y" at this point, the unit will attack the enemy.
In which case you have to specify a number ( 1-8 ) which refers to a direction on the on-screen "compass" i.e.
123
4X5
678
This is presumably needed in case your unit is adjacent to two or more enemy units at the same time, so you must choose which direction to attack in.
If you press "n", the unit will not attack.
The attacking combat appears to have a pseudo-random element. As can be seen in the code, where a "dice" is rolled. Although the random seed is apparently set to constant value at the start of the program.
As for the German units, perhaps "P" refers to a Panzer group. Not sure yet about the other letters.
Not exactly as good as the original instructions I know, but it may be enough to point you in the right direction. If I'd played it some more, I'd probably have learn some more. I feel I now know enough to "get by" in the game. To get good at it though, I'd probably have to play it for a few more evenings!
The above details can certainly be refined/improved/corrected on further playing of the game.
Comments
That looks like a promising strategic game. Instructions for it would be nice.
There are other similar programs available and in fact BASin might also work.
I have already exported the "Britain Invaded" listing to a text file and placed it on my website here for your perusal. (as it's a bit too big for a WoS forum post).
I've had a quick peek at the listing and played the game for just for about 20 minutes so far. Looks like there's a small machine code routine in the zeroth line of the listing. Other than that it's a surprisingly easy listing to follow.
I've also read the SU review (via the infoseek entry) which gives further insights into the gameplay.
So far I've learnt the following:-
When the game loads, the border initially goes black, then magenta whilst the data is being initialised.
Eventually the border turns cyan and the game is ready to start.
Press 'C' to start the first turn of the game as instructed.
Thereafter the border is red to indicate it's the British turn to move and black for the German turn.
British units (human player) are red. German units (CPU) are black.
Although units may appear in magenta when they are in a town. British towns are denoted by a single magenta house. London appears as a block of 2x2 magenta houses.
When a red (or magenta) British unit is flashing, the following key commands are available:-
l, r, u, d (followed by a number then ENTER), scrolls the map left, right, up or down by "n" squares.
The map of Southern England is 44 characters wide, so doesn't quite fit on the ZX Spectrum screen. Not sure how high it is.
Cursor keys (5=left, 6=down, 7=up, 8=right) immediately move the current unit one square in the specified direction.
the "9" key aborts the move of a unit for this turn, and goes on to the next unit.
"T" units (tanks?) can move 5 squares per turn
"B" units (battalion?) can move 3 squares per turn
"I" units (Infantry?) unsure yet of maximum momevent
Although I read that getting on to a railway line allows more movements per turn, like the CIV games (think it's 10), for me it makes no apparent difference, well not for tanks anyway.
When a unit is adjacent to an enemy unit, it then changes to a flashing "A".
I take this to mean "Attack?"
The keyboard commands for a unit in "Attack" mode are different:-
As far as I can tell, if you press "y" at this point, the unit will attack the enemy.
In which case you have to specify a number ( 1-8 ) which refers to a direction on the on-screen "compass" i.e.
This is presumably needed in case your unit is adjacent to two or more enemy units at the same time, so you must choose which direction to attack in.
If you press "n", the unit will not attack.
The attacking combat appears to have a pseudo-random element. As can be seen in the code, where a "dice" is rolled. Although the random seed is apparently set to constant value at the start of the program.
As for the German units, perhaps "P" refers to a Panzer group. Not sure yet about the other letters.
Not exactly as good as the original instructions I know, but it may be enough to point you in the right direction. If I'd played it some more, I'd probably have learn some more. I feel I now know enough to "get by" in the game. To get good at it though, I'd probably have to play it for a few more evenings!
The above details can certainly be refined/improved/corrected on further playing of the game.
Hope it's of some help!
DP