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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 <UP> and <DOWN> to cycle through options, <FIRE> to
select
4 is the strongest
1 is the weakest
0 is no armour
Weapons: Use <LEFT> and <RIGHT> to cycle through available
weapons. Use <UP> and <DOWN> to select unit to arm and the
<RIGHT> to add that weapon to his supplies or <LEFT> to remove
that weapon if he is already carrying it. Press <FIRE> 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 <UP>, <DOWN>, <LEFT>, <RIGHT> to choose which square to start
unit on and then <FIRE> 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 <LEFT> & <RIGHT> keys: 1 AP
Move forwards <UP> key: 4 APs (if movement is on diagonal
then +2 APs)
Move backwards <DOWN> 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 <END FIRE> 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
