THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE

ARCHON

PUBLISHER
Ariolasoft

AUTHOR
Lynsoft UK

YEAR
1985, July

CATEGORY
Board-strategy (turn based) with combat (arcade) phases

CONTROLS
Keys: 	Light side			Dark side
	    Q		Fire		    P		Fire
	3	4	Cap.Lo		B	N	Sym.Sh
	    A				    L

Joystick: Kempston, Sinclair


INSTRUCTIONS

Playing the Game

Archon is played on two screens: the strategy screen and the combat
screen. On the strategy screen, you and your opponent take turns
maneuvering your regiments of different mythical and legendary
creatures into squares on the board. Whenever you place a creature 
on a square already occupied by one of your opponent's creatures, 
you'll have to fight for it.

From here the struggle shifts temporarily to the combat screen, an
enlargement of the dually occupied square. This is a one-on-one 
combat zone, where opponents fight for their lives. Whichever 
creature wins the battle wins control of the square.

The game is over when either side controls the five flashing green 
"power points" on the board or destroys all the opponent's forces. 

Strategy Screen

On the strategy screen, you take your turn when the square frame is 
on your side of the screen. Move the joystick handle to position the
frame on the creature you want to move; then press the joystick fire
button to confirm your choice. If you make a mistake i.e. change 
your mind, press fire once again. After the creature selection , 
you must move that creature somewhere. If the creature has no place 
to go, the computer will let you know. Move the joystick handle to 
direct the creature to its destination square; then press the fire 
button again. Creatures can move in three ways: on the ground, in 
the air, or via teleporting. Ground movers cannot move through 
occupied squares. Fliers are restricted only in their destination. 
Only the Wizard and the Sorceress can teleport. The computer will 
tell you how you can move when you select a creature.

You can move a creature only as far as its range allows in any
direction or combination of directions. The creature can stop on any
square not already occupied by one of its allies. If you change your
mind while maneuvering a ground mover, the creature must backtrack 
the way it came.

Creatures on the Light Side are harder to defeat on light squares 
than on dark ones; and Dark Side creature are harder to defeat on 
dark squares than on light ones. Watch the shades of the squares. 
Some squares' shading changes throughout the game.

Combat Screen

In the combat zone, you maneuver your creature by moving the 
joystick handle up, down, left, right, or diagonally. You then 
press the joystick fire button to attack -- swing a sword, fire an 
arrow, or cast a fireball -- in the direction the joystick handle 
is pointed. (You creature cannot move while you press the joystick 
fire button.) Timing is important here. Don't just fire away. Each 
creature needs time to ready its weapon between attacks. The 
computer will sound a bell -- a high note for the Light Side, a 
lower one for the Dark Side -- to let you know that you can launch 
an attack.

Check the shades of the barriers in the arena. The more solid a
barrier looks, the more solid it is. Barriers can disappear for a 
few seconds, at which time you can walk over them and shoot past 
them. The "lifelines" at either end of the arena indicate the 
current lifespan of the two battling creatures. If a creature's 
lifeline disappears, that creature is destroyed.

The Opposing Forces

In Archon, there are two regiments of 18, with eight different types
of creatures in each regiment. None of yours is identical to any of
the creatures on the other side. Each creature has its own
characteristics -- its own rules for maneuvering and its own 
fighting style. To win this struggle, get to know each creature 
well, so that you can plan your strategy wisely.


The Light Side
--------------
Wizard: Leader of the Light Side. Rarely ventures from the safety of
	his home power point. Can cast magic spells. (teleport 3)

Unicorn: Swift and agile. Fires a blinding bolt of energy from its
	 magical horn. (ground 4)

Archer: Endowed with magical quivers that can never be emptied.

Golem: Rips boulders from the earth and hurls them with devastating
       force.

Valkyrie: Can stride the air as if it were solid ground. Her spear
	  returns to her hand of its own accord. (fly 3)

Djinni: Cousin to the wind. Can raise a small tornado. (fly 4)

Phoenix: Can explode into a mass of fire in battle, scorching anyone
	 on the perimeter of the blaze. During transformation, 
	 Phoenix cannot be harmed. (fly 5)

Knight: Swings a sword. Must be near opponent to inflict damage.
	Cannot withstand more than one blow from many of his 
	enemies. Speed of attack is important.


The Dark Side
-------------
Sorceress: Equal to the Wizard in power. Her lightning bolts are
	   swifter and surer than his fireballs. Safest on the 
	   power point. Can cast magic spells.

Basilisk: A crested reptile, with quick movements and deadly glance.

Manticore: Can fling spike-like quills over its head with surprising
	   accuracy. (ground 3)

Troll: Dull and clumsy, but strong and hard to destroy. Seizes
       boulders, tree trunks -- whatever comes to hand -- and hurls 
       the mat enemies. (ground 3)

Shapeshifter: No shape or form of its own. In battle it becomes the
	      mirror image of its opponent. No fixed lifespan. All 
	      wounds that are not fatal will heal when it assumes a 
	      new form. (fly 5)

Dragon: Without peer in combat. Destroys with flaming breath. Very
	mobile and difficult to slay. Second in value only to the 
	Sorceress. (fly 4)

Banshee: Undead spirit that feeds off the souls of her opponents.
	 Attacks with her wail, destroying anyone within range of 
	 her sound. Enemies should stay clear of the circle. (fly 3)

Goblin:	On dark ground, its club is more than a match for the 
	knight's swords. Must be near opponent. (ground 3)


Magic Spells
------------
Only the Wizard and the Sorceress can cast magic spells, and they
cannot cast the same spell twice in one game. Cast spells from the
strategy screen when it's your turn to move. Position the frame on 
the Wizard or Sorceress; then press the joystick button. Press the 
button again to summon your choice of spells. Then move the 
joystick handle up or down to survey the spells still available. 
Follow the directions on the screen to cast your spell. You cannot 
cast a spell against power points or creatures sitting on them. 
Each time the Wizard or Sorceress casts a spell, the creature 
becomes weaker and less able to defend itself against attack.

*Teleport
The Teleport spell moves any of your creatures any distance from one
square to another. You cannot move an opponent's creature or an
imprisoned creature, move onto a square occupied by one of your own
creatures, or move onto or off a power point.

*Heal
The Heal spell instantly heals any creature's wounds. You cannot 
heal a creature resting on a power point.

*Shift Time
Shift Time reverses the flow of time (reversing how squares' shading
changes) or causes the shading cycle to shift abruptly to the 
opposite extreme (from black to white or white to black).

*Exchange
Exchange causes any two creatures to trade places. Neither creature
can be imprisoned or on a power point.

*Summon Elemental
Summon Elemental calls into battle one of the four elements -- 
earth, air, fire, or water. The elemental vanishes after the battle 
is over.

*Revive
The Revive spell restores a creature previously lost in action. One 
of the squares next to your Wizard or Sorceress must be vacant, and 
you must place the revived creatures onto one of these squares.

*Imprison
The Imprison spell prevents a creature from leaving the square
temporarily, although it can continue to fight its attackers in the
combat zone. Prisoners cannot cast spells. Creatures on power points
cannot be imprisoned. Dark Side creatures remain imprisoned until
squares whose shades change are black; Light Side creatures remain
imprisoned until the squares become white.

Scoring
Whoever controls the five flashing red power points or destroys all
the opponent's forces wins the game.


Strategy Tips

Stay on your color! The effect of a square's shading on your
creatures' lives is significant.
Avoid traffic jams. Make openings in your front line for ground 
movers to pass through. The greater your force's mobility, the 
greater its flexibility and strength.
Protect your Wizard or Sorceress. Doom is nigh should you lose them
early in the game.Don't be predictable. Dodge and weave during 
combat. Use diagonal shots while fighting. They're very effective.
Revive only strong creatures.
Imprison a threatening intruder to blunt an attack or to immobilize 
a strong creature on a square whose shade changes; then attack when 
the creature is most vulnerable.


*********
The instructions are taken from "The Project 64" page (yep, that's 
c64 site, sometimes these people can be usefull ;-) 
'Speccy adaptation' is done by Aleksandar Lukic, alexlux@eunet.yu . 
