THE SPECTRUM GAMES DATABASE LASER SQUAD PUBLISHER Target Games/Blade Software AUTHOR Julian Gollop with help from Nick Gollop YEAR 1988 CATEGORY Stragey DESCRIPTION Laser Squad is a strategy game very similar to the Rebelstar series. ORIGINAL INLAY CARD TEXT [These are not the full instructins, but edited highlights.] "LASER SQUAD" By Julian Gollop (1988) OVERVIEW Laser Squad is played in a series of game turns. Each player, during his turn controls a small number of units which represent humans, droids, or other creatures. Each unit has its own individual name and characteristics which affect the abilities and activity of that unit. At the start of each game turn each unit is allocated a number of "Action Points" (or APs) which are used for performing all activities of that unit such as movement, combat, manipulating objects etc. Once all action points are used for each unit, or the player does not wish to use any more, the 'end turn' option is selected and the other player (or the computer) takes his turn. The winner of the game is the first side to accumulate 100 victory points. Victory points are awarded for various things such as eliminating enemy units or destroying certain installations, depending on the scenario being played. EQUIPMENT SELECTION You are given a limited number of credits (depending on the difficulty level selected) to spend on armour and weapons. Armour: Use and to cycle through options, to select 4 is the strongest 1 is the weakest 0 is no armour Weapons: Use and to cycle through available weapons. Use and to select unit to arm and the to add that weapon to his supplies or to remove that weapon if he is already carrying it. Press twice to finish arming NOTE: The Marsec Autogun is generally believed to be the best all-round weapon (backed up with a couple of grenades and level 2 armour) DEPLOYMENT Use , , , to choose which square to start unit on and then to select. SIMPLE IN-GAME INSTRUCTIONS [Most of the in-game stuff is hopefully fairly obvious, and there is a *lot* of it to type up ! So here are some of the less obvious features in the game:] ACTION POINT COSTS OF ACTIONS: Turn 45 degrees & keys: 1 AP Move forwards key: 4 APs (if movement is on diagonal then +2 APs) Move backwards key: 6 APs (if movement is on diagonal then +2 APs) The following actions don't have a fixed AP cost, but use a percentage of the Action Points you started with at the *beginning* of *this* turn: Change object: 25% Pick Up: 25% if units hand are empty 50% if unit already is using an object Drop: 10% (it is be possible to hide objects in certain places) Load Weapon: 50% Prime Grenade: 20% (when priming, "0" means end of this turn, "1" means end of computers next turn, "2" end of your next turn and so on) Open: 20% Close: 20% Unlock: 25% (requires correct key and unit to be facing door) Lock: 25% (requires correct key and unit to be facing door) Throw: 20% (object will be caught if recipient is empty handed and facing thrower) Fire: Depends on weapon type and type of shot used. See table below or in-game menu for actual % AP cost Aimed Shot: Highly accurate single shot, but costs a lot of APs Snap Shot: Single shot, less accurate, but costs less APs Auto Shot: Burst of fire between 2 selected points. A minimum of 3 shots must be made. Least accurate, but cost very few APs per shot. (not all weapons have autofire) LINE OF SIGHT: Each player can only see in a 90-degree arc, which extends 45 degrees to each side from the direction the unit is looking. OPPORTUNITY FIRE: Opportunity fire is an essential feature of the tactics employed in Laser Squad. If a unit is left with at least half its Action Point Allowance at the end of the game turn then it will be eligible for opportunity fire. During your opponents turn opportunity fire will be triggered when an enemy unit moves into the field of vision of your unit. Control will switch to you in fire mode which allows you to shoot the enemy unit. Once you select the option then you opponent can continue with his turn. WEAPONS TABLES % C % R L C A O L N S O G E S E % E D C C L O C % C O C M O % % % A O A % S L B M % A % S A I M M C E O A B A T S N I M B M L S T A U U N A M E A U O C E T T O A P E D T N A S O S O P D I P E M C T A S S S % D T C B O R G S H S H S H S A I O C C A M E I H O H O H O K M O N O O T B N L O T O T O T I A N S S M A G I T T T L G T T B A T T T A A A L E C I A C H Y A C A C A C A W T I T C D P C P C P C F F P E U N U A B B U U U A A A I S T C R M O O C R C R C R C T C G I I M O A A N N O A O A O A T C I H Z O A S C G U U S C S C S C O O T T E N P T Y E S S T Y T Y T Y R R Y -------------------------------------------------------------- AP50 GRENADE 2 2 60 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 90 - AP75 GRENADE 4 3 130 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 160 - DAGGER 1 2 60 0 17 58 20 13 33 - - - - - - - - - EXPLOSIVE 15 8 80 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 70 - HEAVY LASER 28 34 126 3 50 24 11 17 7 3 3 17 10 33 16 6 45 50 L50 LAS-GUN 16 14 120 2 33 34 10 17 10 5 4 20 12 50 24 5 30 40 L80 LAS-GUN 14 18 112 2 25 30 8 17 8 - - 25 28 50 64 4 48 10 LIGHT SABRE 5 4 180 0 20 46 84 17 33 - - - - - - - - - M4000 AUTO-GUN 10 12 106 2 25 40 8 20 10 3 5 25 16 50 40 8 49 20 M50 AUTO-PISTOL 5 4 103 0 25 26 5 25 13 10 3 20 12 50 30 5 42 12 MARSEC PISTOL 6 4 100 0 20 50 6 17 17 - - 13 10 25 22 7 40 8 MARSEC AUTO-GUN 12 14 116 2 25 38 10 20 9 6 5 25 18 50 45 8 58 20 MK-1 14 12 136 1 25 36 8 17 13 8 12 33 24 33 57 10 53 30 MS AUTO CANNON 26 30 120 3 33 26 11 17 7 13 8 25 20 50 40 7 78 12 PUMP SHOT GUN 9 9 106 0 25 40 8 20 14 - - 25 16 50 38 7 64 6 ROCKET LAUNCHER 12 22 86 3 50 26 9 14 8 - - 33 10 67 18 5 160 1 SNIPER RIFLE 7 8 98 1 20 52 8 20 13 - - 33 26 67 56 13 52 12 EXPANSION KIT (#6: "THE STARDRIVE" & #7 "LASER PLATOON") AP100 GRENADE 4 3 65 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 130 - AP60 GRENADE 2 2 40 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 80 - AUTO-CANNON 26 30 120 3 33 26 11 17 7 12 8 25 20 50 40 7 78 12 H50 LAS-GUN 25 30 126 3 50 25 12 17 12 3 3 17 12 33 18 6 45 40 KASTEC RIFLE 8 9 100 1 25 50 7 20 10 - - 33 28 67 60 12 52 12 KASTEC AUTO-GUN 9 7 100 1 25 45 6 20 14 6 5 20 12 50 35 6 35 20 LIGHT SABRE 1 5 180 0 17 55 90 14 20 - - - - - - - - - MK-2 14 13 120 2 33 45 9 20 9 8 20 25 24 33 55 10 58 30 PUMP SHOT GUN 10 9 106 1 25 45 6 25 7 - - 25 10 50 30 6 40 6 ROCKET LAUNCHER 25 25 90 3 50 20 10 17 8 - - 33 10 67 15 5 130 1 SP30 PISTOL 6 4 90 0 20 50 5 25 14 - - 12 16 25 22 7 45 10 AMMUNITION RELOAD TYPES: WEAPON AMMUNITION TYPE ------------------------------------------------- HEAVY LASER HEAVY LAS-PACK L50 LAS-GUN L50 LAS-PACK L80 LAS-GUN L80 LAS-PACK M4000 AUTO-GUN M4000 GUN-CLIP M50 AUTO-PISTOL PISTOL CLIP MARSEC PISTOL PISTOL CLIP MARSEC AUTO-GUN MARSEC GUN-CLIP MK-1 MK-1 CLIP MS AUTO CANNON CANNON CLIP PUMP SHOT GUN SHOT GUN CLIP ROCKET LAUNCHER ROCKET SNIPER RIFLE RIFLE CLIP EXPANSION KIT (#6: "THE STARDRIVE" & #7 "LASER PLATOON") AUTO-CANNON CANNON CLIP H50 LAS-GUN H50 LAS-PACK KASTEC RIFLE RIFLE CLIP KASTEC AUTO-GUN AUTO-GUN CLIP MK-2 MK-2 GUN CLIP PUMP SHOT GUN SHOT GUN CLIP ROCKET LAUNCHER ROCKET SP30 PISTOL PISTOL CLIP THE SCENARIOS #1 "THE ASSASSINS" The Marsec Corporation manufactures the best weapons in the galaxy, but its boss, Sterner Regnix, uses unsavoury methods to extract the best from his top scientists. THe use of mind control drugs and cybernetic implants is widely used, but officially denied by Marsec. The Inter-stellar Trading Standards Authority is powerless to intervene. A small band of ex-employees have decided to assassinate Sterner Regnix. They have located his private home on the planet CX-1 and will stop at nothing until Sterner is dead. ASSASSIN SQUAD: Deploy: on red and yellow squares outside house. Doors into house at east and west ends Victory Conditions: Eliminate Sterner Regnix DROID SQUAD: Deploy: on blue squares inside house Victory Conditions: Eliminate all assassins and protect Sterner Regnix #2 "MOONBASE ASSAULT" The Omni Corporation's moonbase on Arid-6 holds security information on the 30 billion population of galaxy sector nine. Somewhere in sector nine is the rebel star system, the infamous 'Rebelstar', which still remains a secret from all its enemies. However the Arid-6 moonbase represents the biggest threat to the rebels so far with an increasing amount of data on rebel movements. A small band of rebels have penetrated the moon's outer defences and are poised to launch an attack on the moonbase itself. LASER SQUAD: Deploy: on red and yellow squares outside the moonbase. Entry can only be gained via airlocks Victory Conditions: Destroy enough Databanks and Analysers to achieve 100 Victory Points (VPs). Databank = 5 VPs Analyser = 2 VPs OMNI CORP: Deploy: on magenta squares inside moonbase Victory Conditions: Eliminate all of the Laser Squad #3 "RESCUE FROM THE MINES" A routine rebel mission has gone badly wrong. A reconnaissance mission in one of the Metallix corporation's mine installations has resulted in death of most members of a rebel squad. However all is not lost. Three members of the squad have been imprisoned on one level of the mine and they have vital information on the mine complex. A small squad has been assembled to free the prisoners. LASER SQUAD: Deploy: on red and yellow squares on top right and left of map Victory Conditions: All three prisoners must be moved to a lift shaft. Explosive needed to free prisoner METALLIX CORP: Deploy: on blue squares in mine complex Victory Conditions: Kill at least 5 rebels #4 "THE CYBER HORDES" In this scenario a small band of rebels must defend a rebel planet station from attack by an imperial droid squad on the large planet of Azar. The base contains seven stabiliser cores which prevent seismic instability under the planets thin crust. The imperial squad leaders have pinpointed the weaknesses in Azars defences and have assembled a squad designed for the task of destroying the cores. If they succeed the existence of the entire rebel colony on Azar would be threatened. REBEL SQUAD: Deploy: on red squares inside base Victory Conditions: 2 player game: eliminate all 8 droids 1 player game: computer receives reinforcements. Kill enough droids to achieve 100 victory points. DROID SQUAD: Deploy: on blue squares in top left and bottom left of map. Victory Conditions: destroy at least 5 stabiliser cores NOTE: This level appears to be bugged at higher difficulty levels with the computers reinforcements not starting on the deployment squares, but instead somewhere else on the map #5 "PARADISE VALLEY" The destruction of the planetary stabiliser base has left the Azarian colony in ruins. Volcanic eruptions have destroyed most of the major installations and the imperial assault ships hover above the atmosphere like vultures waiting for their prey to die. Such a massive attack on such a small colony could only have one objective - to locate and capture the rebel blueprints for their advanced starfighter. Rather than destroy all their work the Rebels have transferred all the data into a small security device. A squad is assigned the task of escaping from the colony with the device in order to reach the distress beacon on the western plains. However the journey is not easy. The route through Paradise Valley is very dangerous because all the local wildlife is hostile and deadly. An underground network of tunnels can make the journey easier, but the entrances and exits are all hidden. A sentient race known as the Sectoids tend to collect and store weaponry taken from humans unfortunate enough to meet them, and they have the ability to use these weapons as well. In the valley above the vegetation provides cover for the vicious Venomous Splurges whose acidic spit is lethal. Only the most ingenious squad leader could possibly negotiate Paradise Valley. REBEL SQUAD: Deploy: on red and yellow squares on left of map Victory Conditions: the security device must reach right hand side of map. Initially carried by Corporal Hansen ALIENS: Deploy: computer randomly places aliens Victory Conditions: kill all rebels NOTE: This level appears to be bugged at higher difficulty levels with the computer gaining reinforcements of Venomous Splurges, who then sit in a corner of the map and don't move (unless you walk too near them). #6 "THE STARDRIVE" A band of mercenaries known as the 'Engineers' have raided a Rebel ship and captured the stardrive controller for the new Rebel fighter. They have taken is back to their base beneath the city of Pashir on the planet Prozine 5. A Rebel squad from the 7th Brigade has been sent to recover the device, but the sewers of Pashir are infested with droids, not rats. 7th BRIGADE: Deploy: on red and yellow squares on left of map Victory Conditions: find, capture and take Stardrive to left hand side of map Note: Need "Las Cutter" gun to destroy doors ENGINEERS: Deploy: on blue squares in building on right of map Victory Conditions: eliminate all rebels #7 "LASER PLATOON" This scenario is a great test of skill and stamina involving up to 74 units. In the two player version each side has identical units and the map is symmetrical. There can only be ten units per side on the map at once, but if units are killed reinforcements will arrive at a rate of one every five turns up to a maximum of 27. In the one player version the Laser Platoon does not have an armoury droid and the rate of reinforcements for the Federation depends on the difficulty level selected. LASER PLATOON: Deploy: on red squares on top and left of map THE FEDERATION: Deploy: on blue squares on bottom and right of map VICTORY CONDITIONS: Same for both sides: completely eliminate the enemy. If you have no units on the map at any stage in the game you will lose even if reinforcements are due to arrive. SCORES RECEIVED: 89% in Sinclair User. SEQUELS/PREQUELS Laser Squad is one in a long line of similar, and all excellent, strategy games by Julian Gollop. These include Rebelstar, Rebelstar Raiders, and Rebelstar Raiders 2. On the Amiga and PC, there is also X-Com and it's sequel, Terror of the Deep, which are again very similar games. GENERAL FACTS Originally, only the first 5 missions were released with the main game, and the other two came as an add-on pack for the game. NOTES