The purpose of the game is simple : kill the Bolo, don't get killed. This is not as easy as it sounds. The Bolo wins if it either destroys all of your military units (which means that eventually all your civilian ones will be destroyed), or by destroying all your civilian targets. You win if you destroy the Bolo.
1) Upon booting the game, the user will be asked to pick a Bolo from the popup list, from the Bolo Mk I (basically a German WWII halftrack), to the Bolo Mk XXVII (Planetary Assault Vehicle). The default is the Bolo Mk XIV. Also, the user may pick a difficulty level, either easy, hard, or deadly. The default is easy. If (More Water) is selected, about 30% of the map will be water, as opposed to the default of 15%.
2) Depending upon the Bolo selected, the user gains a certain number of points to spend on military and civilian units.
3) After the selection of the Bolo, the user is shown the computer generated map. The game pauses until the mouse is clicked, which allows the player to study the map and decide where they would like to place their civilian units, etc.
4) The user then selects the civilian units desired, using as many points as possible.
5) The user then selects the military units desired, again using as many points as possible.
6) Next, the civilian units are placed. The menu bar shows how many of each type are available to be placed, while the cursor changes into the unit type. Clicking on the map will place the unit in the selected square. This continues until all civilian units are placed.
7) Note that no civilian unit may be placed in a square containing water, nor upon another civilian unit.
8) Next, the military units are placed. The menu bar shows how many of each type are available to be placed, while the cursor changes into the unit type. Clicking on the map will place the unit in the selected square. This continues until all military units are placed.
9) Note that no military unit may be placed upon a civilian unit. A Battleship, Destroyer, Submarine, or Carrier must be placed in water. A Hovercraft must be placed in water to start, but then can be moved over land as well. A Jet or Bomber must be placed upon land, but then may be moved over water as well.
10) The Bolo is then placed (anywhere within three hexes of any edge of the map), and the game begins.
Combat
1) The player moves all their pieces. The player then fires any piece that is within range. The Bolo then takes it's turn.
2) Click-Drag the blinking piece to move it. The length of the line coresponds to the number of hexes the piece can move. To skip a piece, press 'N' or 'n'. A piece skipped cannot be moved till the next turn, although it can fire if within range.
2) To fire upon the Bolo, click upon your piece and select the weapon to fire. Then
click upon the Bolo and select your target. Any weapon that is out of range will be disabled on the pop-up menu. Note that Weapons and Treads/Antigrave are harder to hit than the body of the Bolo. It is not necessary to click on any player piece that has only one type of weapon, i.e. Bomber, Missile Launcher, Howitzer, Mortar, Army, or Jeep.
3) The Bomber has a range of 0, i.e. it must be on top of the Bolo.
4) Only a Tank has mines. Command-D will drop two mines in the hex the tank is currently in. If the Bolo enters the hex, it will take damage. Keep in mind that the Bolo (depending on the type) may have mines as well.
5) All units have ammunition. When the ammunition for a weapon is exausted, that weapon will no longer be usable. The Bolo has limits to ammunition as well.
6) To fire torpedoes, the Bolo must be in the water.
The File Menu
New: Ends the current game, and starts another. The player is given the option of saving the current game first. The game is only saved after the Bolo finishes it's turn.
Open: Ends the current game, and opens another. The player is given the option of saving the current game first. The game is only saved after the Bolo finishes it's turn.
Save: Saves the current game, after the Bolo finishes it's turn.
Save As: The usual.
New Pieces, Same Map: Keeps the current map, Bolo, and difficulty, but the player gets to select new civilian and military units. The current game IS NOT saved first.
Quit: Quits the game. The player is given the option of saving the current game first. The game is only saved after the Bolo finishes it's turn.
The Edit Menu
Not Used.
The Weapon Menu
Used for Tanks only, for droping mines.
The Sound Menu
Sets the sound level: Off, Low, Medium, or High.
The Message Menu
Gives messages, such as which piece is to be placed next, or who's turn it is, etc.
Misc. Information
A piece can be put to sleep. It will be ignored until the Bolo comes within range of at least one of the piece's weapons, at which time it will automatically wake up. To put it to sleep, wait till it is the current piece (i.e. blinking), and press 'S' or 's'. Note: At least ONE piece must stay awake.
To wake a piece, press 'W' or 'w' at any time. Then click on any piece. All pieces in the hex will wake up, although it may be too late to move the piece(s) in the current turn.
Double-Clicking upon any hex will bring up an information box showing the hex type, how many player mines are currently in the hex, and, if any, the military units present and their hit points.
There are four saved games on the disk, for practice. Most contain larger amounts of water than are nomally found. All games are HARD difficulty, save for the highest, which is easy.
Good Luck. You're going to need it!
NEW FEATURES: Jets and Bombers are rearmed upon landing on a city, town, or village, or Carrier. All bombs, missiles, and ammunition is replentished. Any damage sustained is NOT repaired, however.
The info dialog shows the remaining hit points of any city, town, etc in the selected square.
