Readme.txt for Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles Demo
(c) 1996 Strategic Simulations, Inc.
INSTALLING THE DEMO
In DOS, type: 'INSTALL ' at the DOS prompt. The installation routine will display a default directory of C:\MBDEMO. You can click on the directory name to change the destination for the installation.
Once the program files have been transferred to your hard drive you will be provided the opportunity to read this text file and then be prompted to start the game from the approproate directory.
NOTE: Many of the features of the release version of Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles are disabled in this demo. You cannot save games, create scenario, generate battles, or edit scenarios with the Demo version.
The Tutorial Scenario is included with this demo. The text from the manual that guides you through this tutorial is included in this text file (See below).
This is a tactical game of combined arms conflict in the period 1950 to 1999. There is a strong but not exclusive emphasis on armored vehicles. The game is turn based and one- or two-player. This demo includes the following:
Four scenarios, one of which is the tutorial which has an accompanying text to guide the player who is unfamiliar with the Steel Panthers game.
A computer-vs.-computer version of the Battle Generator. Select the 'Battle' button from the main screen, and watch the fireworks! Note that the buttons and functions of the Battle Generator do not function in the Demo. In the complete version of the game you will be able to generate a variety of battles from this screen.
The Preferences control panel, where you can explore the wide control over the 'rules of the game' and make the scenarios as easy or as hard as you wish.
Changes from Steel Panthers I:
Some of the obvious differences are in the equipment. The effects of technological superiority are much greater than in WW2. The helicopter, cluster munitions and the chain gun also provide new challenges to the modern commander. Overall, firepower is much more deadly and lethality is extended to very long ranges.
The new munitions have changed some of the game options as well. Rather than a series of pre-set difficulty levels, many game functions that affect relative 'combat effectiveness' are individually selectable by the player. Later in this file is a synopsis of these functions.
The most difficult part of the game for most players is indirect fire. This requires a fairly strict order of operations which is described in the indirect fire section below.
Hot Keys
***IMPORTANT!!! If you are using the demo version and the hot keys are used during the computer opponent's turn, the scenario will end and the program will return to the main menu. Hot keys should only be used during the user's turn. An example of where this could be a potential problem is the use of the Fast Artillery hot key (F) when the computer opponent's artillery barrage is occuring. If you hit the "F" key you will end the scenario and return to the main menu. This only occurs in the demo version.
N Next unit
P Previous unit
A All-Formation Command mode
G Go to next formation HQ
L Load / Unload unit
Y Set Range
B Go to Bombardment menu
R Rally Active unit
T Targeting menu
W Weapons control menu
F Fire at targeted unit
Z Fire at targeted hex
X Fire smoke at targeted hex
U Remove / Replace Smoke and Darkness
+ Zoom in
- Zoom out
H Headquarters menu
E Encyclopaedia
S Save game menu
F Toggle Fast Artillery ON (Does not toggle OFF)
PREFERENCES SCREEN
The Preferences screen allows Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles to be configured to suit. The screen is divided into three primary sections: General Preferences, Player Preferences, and Realism Preferences.
General Preferences
The toggle switches and three knobs of this panel control "look-and-feel" items such as Music and Animation. Left-clicking on a toggle switch alternates between on and off. Left-clicking on the left side of the knobs for ##Sound Volume##, ##Animation Level## and ##Message Delay## causes the levels to decrease, left-clicking on the right side causes them to increase.
Music On/Off Toggle
Switches the background music on or off. (This does not relate to the demo as the only music used in the demo is played from the main menu.
Sound Effects On/Off Toggle
Toggles the sound effects on or off.
Hex Grid On/Off Toggle
Switches a hex grid overlay for the Tactical screen on or off.
Game Animations On/Off Toggle
Toggles animations like explosions, smoke, or gunfire on or off.
Objectives Flags On/Off Toggle
Toggles the appearance of Victory Objective flags.
Unit ID. Tags On/Off Toggle
Toggles small national flags next to each side's units. This can help you identify units on the map especially at high zoom levels.
Move Radius On/Off Toggle
Toggles on or off the display of hexes a unit can move to as a circle of lighter hexes, surrounded by darker shaded hexes.
User Preferences On/Off Toggle
This toggle activates all of the selections chosen on the ##Player Preferences panel except ##Troop Quality##. When the ##User Preferences toggle is off, the settings listed on the ##Player Preferences panel represent 100% of the **default** national values. In order to adjust those values, for example to improve accuracy or reduce toughness, this switch **must** be toggled on. See the "Troop Quality" section on page @ for details on this feature's effect on the game.
Sound Volume
Increases or decreases the volume of the sound effects between from 0 to 5. Left-click on the right side of the knob to increase the sound level, left click on the left side to decrease it,
Animation Level
Increases or decreases the amount of animation activity from 0 to 5. Left-click on the right side of the knob to increase the animation level, left click on the left side to decrease it,
Message Delay
Increases or decreases the message duration from 0 to 5. Left-click on the right side of the knob to increase the animation delay, left click on the left side to decrease it,
Fast Artillery ON Toggle
Places artillery file immediately on the battlefield as one event. All the effects and results are the same but in a fraction of the time it would take to watch all the files to hit the map. NOTE: When you use the "F" hotkey you are toggling this setting ON. You can only turn it OFF if you go to the Prefereces screen and select OFF. Aircraft will not be displayed when this preference is selected ON but the results of their attacks will be present following the attack.
Player Preferences
Player Preferences adjust the difficulty of a scenario by adjusting the toughness of either or both sides in several areas within a range of 50 to 200%. These include spotting and fire accuracy, troop quality, and the resilience of tanks and infantry. These preferences allow the player to adjust the abilities of troops they play outside the default ranges assigned by the game. Forces with exceptional ratings can be degraded to simulate lower quality units, nations not known for superior units can be improved to simulate elite units. Of course, forces known for their high levels of training, equipment, and morale can also be made invincible!
For these settings to take effect, the ##User Preferences switch on the ##Player Preferences part of the panel **must** be set to the "On" position.
Spotting
This control adjusts spotting accuracy for calling down artillery and air strikes within a range of 50 to 200% for either sides.
Hitting
This control adjusts direct fire accuracy for either side within a range of 50 to 200%.
Rout / Rally
This quality represents two aspects of a unit's performance during combat: how likely they are to suffer morale loss and break, as well as how easily they rally.
Troop Quality
This control displays and can be used to override the setting for training in campaign games, battles made with the Battle Generator and scenarios created with the Scenario Editor. It can only be changed with the ##Country Training## toggle in the ##Realism Preference## panel turned "Off."
Tank Toughness
This quality effects how resilient a tank unit is to damage once a hit has been scored.
Infantry Toughness
This quality effects how resilient an infantry unit is to damage once a hit has been scored.
Troop Type
This control changes the basic choices available when purchasing infantry units on the campaign game Purchase screen, or choices made when the Battle Generator chooses troops for a battle. The choices are Foot Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, and Air mobile Infantry.
%%Note:%% Remember, all of the preferences listed above are only in effect if the ##User Preferences switch on the ##Player Preferences part of the panel is set to the "On" position.
Realism Preferences
The toggle switches of the ##Realism Preferences panel affect features of &&Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles&& which make the game more (or less) realistic. This includes features such as a realistic ammunition limit. breakdowns, command-and-control, spotting, and more.
Breakdowns On/Off Toggle
If this control is switched on, tanks and APCs which drive through structures may be damaged and become trapped. When off, armored vehicles which drive through buildings take no damage.
Ammo Limit On/Off Toggle
This toggle controls whether or not units are subject to running out of ammunition.
Command On/Off Toggle
When on, normal rules for command and control are in effect. When off, penalties for not having a CHQ Link established are eliminated.
Morale On/Off Toggle
When on, normal rules for unit and formation morale are in effect. When off, morale penalties are eliminated.
Spotters On/Off Toggle
##Spotters## on means that only formation headquarters units, which are the "0" units of a formation (A0, B0, etc.), can act as artillery spotters. When off, any unit can call for artillery.
Move and Shoot On/Off Toggle
When this option is "On," units that move a significant portion of their movement allotment have their shooting accuracy penalized. When "Off," no penalties are applied due to the firing unit's movement.
Mines On/Off Toggle
This option enables or disables mines.
Country Training On/Off Toggle
This control enables or disables the ##Troop Quality setting for use with the Battle Generator and Scenario Editor.
Unit Summary Screen
The Unit Summary screen is reached by right clicking on an active unit. This screen displays the most complete details about the unit, its weapons, and its leader.
This screen is also where you can configure the unit by changing:
ò what the unit's name is,
ò which weapons the unit is ordered to use, and
ò what the leader's name is.
Mouse and Other Controls
&&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& features an active mouse pointer; whenever the mouse pointer is passed over a unit, a button, or an icon, a description of that item appears in the bar at the top of the screen. This allows for quick and easy gameplay.
In this book, the term "click" means move the mouse icon (an arrow) to the desired area on the screen, and press either the left or right mouse buttons.
"Left-click" means move the mouse icon to the desired area and press the left mouse button.
"Right-click" means move the mouse icon to the desired area and press the right mouse button.
When viewing video footage (no video in the Demo version), simply hit the Spacebar or ESC key on the keyboard to stop the video. Also, the spacebar can be used to stop a game if the computer is playing itself.
You can play &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& several ways - scenarios, campaigns, or custom battles. Even if you are familiar with many of the features of this game, you should play the tutorial scenario to become acquainted with some of the features of modern warfare that have been included in this game.
The tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to help familiarize you quickly and easily with the screens, options, and units in a &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& scenario. A glossary on page @ is also provided for quick definitions of terms, and the on-screen Unit Encyclopedia provides information on over 200 individual tanks and aircraft of the major powers.
Selections Screen
The Selections screen provides the basic game choices for &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&&. Left-clicking on the red notches at the top of the large dial allows you to start a ##Scenario##, start a ##Campaign##, or ##Load## a previously saved game. The buttons below the knob allows for the creation of a single ##Battle##, access to the ##Editor## for more extensive scenario/campaign design, opens the ##Preferences## screen, or ##Exit## to return to DOS and end the game.
Scenario
Allows you to load individual scenarios without having to play through a campaign. Left-click on the scenario you choose
Campaign
Offers six campaigns to choose from, made up of several scenarios each. For more information, see the "Campaigns" section, starting on page @.
Load a Saved Game
Allows a saved game to be loaded. Left-click on the slot you desire and left-click again on the ##Start## button at the bottom of the screen.
Battle Generator
Allows for the quick creation of new battle scenarios. You determine the nationalities for the battle, as well as the battle size, year, and more. Please note that this option is **not** the same as the Scenario Editor, below. For more information, see the "Battle Generator" section, starting on page @.
Scenario Editor
Allows you to build custom scenarios literally from the ground up. You create the actual battlefield, complete with streams, hills, buildings, and other kinds of terrain. For more information, see the "Building Custom Scenarios" section on page @.
Preferences
The Preferences screen is where several functions can be set which affect game play and appearance of &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&&. For more information see the "Preferences" section, starting on page @.
Exit
Exits the game and goes to the DOS prompt.
TUTORIAL SCENARIO
Like the modern battlefield it simulates, &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& requires a fairly complex combination of skills. Mastering the topics covered in the following tutorial should give you a good idea of how to successfully command the combined arms forces that make up the armies that have evolved since World War II.
For this tutorial, left-click on ##Scenario##, and then find and left-click on the ##Tutorial## entry. An on-screen briefing of the scenario situation appears along with a brief video clip. Left-click anywhere on the screen when you are ready to continue. The Player Control screen appears where the choice can be made to play the US or Iraq, or neither, or both. The default is set up for the US forces to be human controlled and the Iraqi forces to be computer controlled. Left-click on the ##Continue## button without changing these positions. Later, you can try playing the Iraqi side if you want a challenge. The next screen contains options to ##Start Turn##, ##Save Game##, ##Quit Orders## or ##Exit Game##. Left-click on ##Start Turn## to go into the game.
The italicized sections discuss specific actions that you can perform with the units under your command. The other sections explain the game mechanics pertinent to a particular type of activity, such as movement, shooting, or ordering an air strike. In other words, the paragraphs in italics suggest what you can do, and the non-italicized paragraphs explain why it works that way.
Battle in the Desert
In this tutorial scenario, you'll be leading the advance elements of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm. As overall commander of a force which includes armor and infantry supported by Apache helicopters and A-10s, you have been given the task of breaking through the Iraqi lines.
This tutorial is intended to cover some of the more commonly used features of a typical scenario: the game interface, moving units, firing units, opportunity fire, artillery missions
Tactical Screen
When the scenario begins, your units are deployed on the map along a ridge line, facing a known Iraqi position. You begin the scenario in command of the following units:
A0 HQ ( squad of infantry)
B0-3 M1 Tank Platoon (four M1 Abrams tanks)
C0-1 M901 Anti-tank Section (two APCs mounted with TOW ATGMs)
F0-5 U.S. Rifle Platoon (three rifle squads and three TOW ATGM teams)
G0-2 APC M2 Bradley Platoon (three Bradley APCs)
H0-1 A-10 Aircraft (two ground attack aircraft)
I0-5 155mm Artillery Battery (six 155mm howitzers which are off-map)
J0-3 M1 Tank Platoon (four more M1 Abrams tanks)
The units are roughly spread out from north to south on the map, with the A0 HQ unit in the center. We will go through the first 2 turns and show you how to move, fire, load troops onto transports, and call for aerial and artillery support.
Battle Map
The Tactical screen is where most of the game is played. The Battle Map, the actual playing area, is composed of individual hexes and each hex equals about fifty yards.
There are four main display sections of the Tactical screen: the Battle Map which displays the battlefield terrain and your units; the Unit Information bar; a small Overall Map; and a set of twenty-two Tactical Control buttons which permit orders, other than straightforward fire and movement, to be given to your units. control. These buttons also make options available such an extensive equipment encyclopedia, the Preferences screen, and the Save Game screen.
To see different portions of the Battle Map, moving the mouse to the upper border scrolls the map up, moving the mouse to the right border scrolls the map to the right, and so on.
Unit Information Bar
During gameplay, the Unit Information bar along the bottom of the screen displays the current active unit's information as follows:
The current unit's formation designation such as A0, A1, and so on.
The unit's name.
The movement status such as ##Ready##, ##Dug-in##, ##Pinned,##, or ##Moving Fast##.
##ENEMY SEEN:## indicates the number of visible enemy units.
##SHOTS:## shows the number of times this unit may shoot during this turn. If there is more than one number, the unit has more than one type of weapon available. The number of shots for each weapon type is listed in the order in which the weapons are listed on the Unit Command screen. You can view the Unit Command by right-clicking on a selected unit. For example, a tank always has a main gun and usually has one or more additional machine guns.
MOVES shows the unit's number of movement points remaining. If "Moves" is not displayed then it means the unit may not move.
##RANGE:## shows the unit's attack range in hexes. If the range is 5, then this unit automatically starts shooting at enemy targets when they move within 5 hexes (250 yards away).
##Turn## is the current turn number.
##Length## is how many turns the current scenario lasts. A scenario normally lasts 10 to 20 turns.
The units nationality indicated by a flag symbol.
Unit Command
Right-click directly on the active unit to switch to the Unit Command screen containing details about it. The unit's name, HQ Link (which is whether it is in or out of contact with its leader), weapon type(s), amount of ammunition, experience, morale, and leader information is displayed. The amount of ammunition remaining is displayed for all types of ammunition carried by the unit. This can include High Explosive (HE), Armor Piercing (AP), and the armor diagram indicates a unit's front, side, and rear armor ratings for both the turret and hull separately where applicable. Red armor numbers indicate that the top of the unit is not covered with armor (open topped), and is more susceptible to enemy attacks. For more information about the unit statistics and controls available on this screen see the ##Unit Command Screen## section on page @
Overall Map
The Overall Map (in the lower-right corner of the screen) provides a view of the entire battlefield. To quickly move to an area, left-click over what you wish to view on the Overall Map. Note that the farthest distance in hexes any unit can see (visibility) given the current weather conditions is displayed above this map when the Options Menu is active.
Hex Description Bar
At the top of the Tactical screen is a red Hex Description Bar which describes the hex which the mouse pointer is currently over. If the hex is occupied by a unit, the red bar describes the unit's identification, combat status, and the height and terrain type. If the hex is empty, then the hex coordinates and type of terrain appear.
Zoom In and Zoom Out
To view the entire Battle Map at different magnifications, left-click on the ##Zoom In## or ##Zoom Out## buttons.
Hot Keys and Menu Buttons
For easy play in &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& , the Tactical Control buttons have their keyboard equivalents marked in their lower-left corners. For example, the "Zoom In" and "Zoom Out" buttons have a "+" and a "-", respectively. The hot keys are only available when the appropriate active menu is visible on screen.
Game Turns
Each scenario in &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& is made up of a number of turns, and each turn equals several minutes of real time. Basically you move and fire all your units and then your opponent does the same. This scenario has twelve turns. In each turn you and the enemy are given a chance to move or load units, attack enemy units, rally troops, and call for artillery and air-support bombardments.
For complete descriptions of the Tactical Control buttons, see the "Tactical Controls" section, starting on page @. Now for some important game concepts.
Your Turn One
First thing you will notice is that your A0 HQ unit is centered in the Battle Map. The A0 unit is the command unit for your entire force. Its a vital unit that is best used for rallying and spotting for artillery support so be careful with it. You'll eventually want move up the A0 unit for a closer look of the battlefield. For now we'll start by moving a more robust unit such as a tank.
Reviewing the Troops
To cycle forward unit by unit through your roster, you can press the %%N%% key on the keyboard or left-click on the ##Go to Next Unit## button. Pressing the %%P%% key on the keyboard or left-clicking on the ##Go to Previous Unit## button cycles through the roster in reverse order.
To cycle foreword through all of the formations in your force. left-click on the ##Find Next Formation HQ## button, or press the %%G%% key.
Left-clicking on the ##Unit Menu## button displays the Unit Menu screen, where all of the units in your force are listed. Each unit identification, A0, B2, and so on, is actually a button which returns to the Battle Map and selects that unit. For information of the other feature of the Unit Menu screen, see the "Unit Menu Button" section on page @.
Moving Your Units
An activated unit is basically in one of two display modes, either "view move radius" or "view LOS." First, left-click on a unit to activate it. A red hexagon-shaped border surrounds the currently-active unit. When a unit is first selected it displays lighter-shaded hexes around it to show where it can move to given its movement points. This is the "move radius." The darker-shaded hexes are areas where the unit cannot move to. To move the active unit, simply left-click on a light-shaded hex and the unit moves toward that hex.
You have two M-1 tank platoons, B and J, under your command. The 'B' platoon is just north of A0, while 'J' platoon is on top of the southern hill. Move just 'B' platoon and leave the 'J' platoon on the hill for now. This will allow 'J' platoon to provide cover fire or "overwatch" for 'B' platoon while it moves forward. This is an important tactic to remember while playing the game. Moving 'B' platoon forward can be accomplished one of two ways; the first way is to select each unit by itself and move the tanks one by one. The other way is to click on the "Formation" button to toggle it to "Formation mode." Doing this allows all of the units to move together as a group. Before you actually move them, however, there are a couple things you should know about moving units and how their "facing " can effect their survival.
Moving Several Units at Once
The ##All Formation Mode On/Off## button allows you to select whole formations at a time. Just left-click where you wish one unit to go and the others follow it. Bear in mind, however, that when units move as a whole formation, they seldom stay in a straight line. "ALL" is displayed next to the formation ID (A0, B0, and so on) which lets you know that you are currently moving entire formations with one left-click. Left-click on the ##All Formation Mode On/Off## to switch back to single unit move mode.
Movement Status
A unit's current movement status affects its ability to hit targets and to be hit by enemies. There are many types of movement status.
Ready - Ready for action. Your units have a much higher chance of hitting targets and of spotting enemy units if they haven't moved.
Dug In - Entrenched in a prepared position. All units start every scenario Dug-in. Visually this looks like a trench for infantry, and circles of piled-up sandbags for artillery pieces. Units are difficult to hit when "Dug-In," or in protective cover such as under trees or inside buildings.
Moving - Moving in a direction no more than half of its possible movement. Moving units do not spot enemy units as well as positioned units.
Moving Fast - Moving half of the unit's possible movement or more. Fast moving units do not spot enemy units very well.
Pinned -Unit may not move. Shoots and spots enemy units less effectively. Being pinned is caused by taking a lot of suppression (basically being shot at). Suppression is discussed in more detail a little later.
Routed -Unit is running away from the battle. Basically their morale is broken and they have panicked and don't want to fight anymore. Routed units are out of control, they move on their own, cannot shoot, and are basically useless unless or until they can be rallied by a leader.
Retreating - Unit is falling back from an untenable position. They move on their own but halt to rally rather than leaving the map.
Immobilized - Units that pass through buildings or take damage from fire may lose the ability to move. Turreted vehicles may still be able to fire, but lose the ability to change chassis facing. Rallying immobilized vehicles keeps the crew in place to operate the weapons.
Buttoned - Hatches are closed, spotting ability is reduced, but the unit can still move and fire. HE artillery fire can cause tanks to become buttoned, as can small-arms fire.
Keep in mind that if a unit such as a tank is moving at its fastest rate it is going to be difficult for the enemy to hit, but it also limits the tank's accuracy if it tries to shoot while moving.
Movement Cost
Each terrain has a different point cost to cross. Below is a table listing the four types of ground units and the movement costs to cross different types of terrain.
Unit Type Terrain Type and Cost to Cross
Clear Plowed Field Slope Tree Stream Stone Bld
Infantry 2 3 1 6 2 2
Truck/Jeep 3 4 4 6 12 18
APC/IFV 2 2 3 4 9 15
Tank 2 2 2 2 6 12
Unit Type Terrain Type
Dirt Road Bridge Pavement Swamp Rough Shell Holes
Infantry 1 1 1 3 3 3
Truck/Jeep 2 1 1 12 15 6
APC/IFV 1 1 1 9 12 4
Tank 1 1 1 6 9 3
Line of Sight (LOS) and Unit Facing
With one of your units selected, if you right-click on any hex durrounding the unit, a cone of lighter shaded hexes sweeps out in the direction of the hex you clicked on at a 45 degree angle. This shows you the area this unit can visually see or it's "Line of Sight" (LOS) given it's current facing.
Facing is important since obviously you can't shoot what you can't see and units such as tanks generally have their best armor at the front of the vehicle and less armor in the rear. You should turn your units to face the enemy to receive the benefits of the better frontal armor and so you can see the enemy. To change a unit's facing simply right-click several hexes away from the unit in the direction you want it to face. Notice that the cone of view changes and if you changed the facing far enough, the unit actually turns in place. Try right-clicking one hex at a time in a clockwise direction to slowly spin the unit 360° to see the unit's LOS change. Changing facing costs no movement points. This is the "view LOS mode." Simply left-click again to see the unit's move radius displayed.
%%Note:%% It is much easier to destroy vehicles when shooting them in the rear or in the side. However, if you move a tank within two hexes of an enemy tank they have time to turn to face you (they see you coming). The ideal range for a rear shot on a tank is from about 3 hexes away. If the target vehicle is out of ammo, then you can move adjacent to it and shoot at it from behind, without it turning to face!
Units are able to fire directly only when enemy units have been spotted, or in other words, are in the unit's LOS. Keep in mind that some units are difficult to spot, depending on their type and the terrain they are in. in general, infantry can spot enemy units much better than vehicles.
Smoke is often used to obscure an enemy's LOS, masking either attacking or retreating enemy units.
Stacking
You may purposely stack up to two units in the same hex by holding down the Shift Key and left-clicking on the hex containing another unit while you are issuing movement orders.
Whichever way you choose to move them, have the tanks of 'B' platoon move up onto the hill in front o them for this turn. Its important that they be able to see the ridge on the right (Iraqi) side of the map. your helicopters are the only units with enough movement to get close to the enemy position and possibly reveal hidden troops, so unless you wish to risk them, you unlikely to be able to direct any fire at the enemy this turn. You can check this by cycling through your units and checking in the lower left-corner of the Unit Information Bar. As long as the ##ENEMY SEEN## line reads ##0##, you have no one to shoot at. Don't worry, this situation won't last long.
Victory Objectives
The winner of a scenario is the side with the most accumulated points when the scenario ends. Points are accumulated for all the scenarios you complete during a campaign. Points are accumulated in two ways, by comparing the number of enemy units you destroy vs. how many of your units are destroyed, and most importantly by capturing (being the last unit to have moved a unit into the hex) geographical objectives. Nationality flags mark each Victory Objective hex and which side currently controls it. On the small Overall Map in the lower-right corner of the screen, the objective hexes appear as red dots. When you capture Victory Objective hexes, the enemy flags turn into the flag of your units' nationality. A white flag with a large "V" on it represents a neutral Victory Objective hex which neither side has captured yet. This button acts as a toggle, so if you left-click on it you may hide the Victory Objective flags in order to see the terrain underneath.
Loading Units
To load units onto vehicles, the units must be in a hex adjacent to the transport. Infantry, anti-tank (AT), and artillery units appearing on-map can be loaded onto vehicles by first selecting the unit, left-clicking on the ##Load Unit## button, or pressing the %%L%% key, and then selecting the tank or truck. It is generally an excellent idea to load infantry onto tanks or other vehicles so that they may be moved quickly from place to place. Also, infantry can spot enemy units better than most vehicles, so infantry on a vehicle can help the crew spot enemy units more effectively. This helps the tank avoid being ambushed as easily by enemy infantry who are hiding in trees or buildings.
To unload a unit from its transport, select the transport, or cycle through the units with the ##Next## and ##Previous Unit## buttons until the desired unit is active, and press the %%L%% key, or left-click on the ##Load Unit## button.
At this point you should load up the infantry onto the M2 Bradleys. Go to 'F' platoon (just west of the southern hill) and you will notice that it consists of three rifle squads and three Dragon (anti-tank missile) teams. The M2 Bradleys ('G' platoon) are also right next to the men and ready for loading. Your units must be next to the truck, APC or tank in order to load onto it. The number of men climbing aboard may also prevent you from boarding. In most cases, vehicles can carry at most just 10 men. To load, just click on a rifle squad from 'F' platoon, then click on the ##Load Unit## button (or press the "L" key). You will be asked to select a vehicle, so just click on an M2 Bradley next to the men. You should be able to load one rifle squad and one Dragon team per M2 Bradley. You might want to move one of the SP Mortar carriers of 'D' platoon closer to the HQ unit, A0, and have them climb on board. You can then move the SP Mortar carrier up on the hill and dismount the HQ unit. By doing this you give your HQ unit a clearer view of the battlefield.
%%Note:%% Infantry can be loaded onto any vehicle, but most anti-tank guns or large artillery, like the 105mm howitzer, can only be transported by large trucks. When listed, equipment that requires large trucks is followed by two asterisks "**." In future scenarios with water assaults, barges are needed to carry tanks across the water. Infantry, however, often carry rubber rafts with them and do not need special river transport.
Helicopter Movement
Helicopters travel at a much higher rate of speed than tanks or infantry and thus can move much farther than either. They can also fly at various altitudes, from nap-of-the-earth (NOE) to several hundred feet in the air.
Press the %%;%% key to open up the altitude window, where several options are available. The current helicopter's altitude is displayed as "-1," meaning that it has no altitude. Pressing the 1 through 9 keys, changes the helicopter's altitude to 10x the number pressed. Pressing the %%H%% key changes the helicopter's altitude to 250 feet, pressing the %%V%% key changes the helicopter's altitude to 250 feet.
Units E0 and E1 are Apache AH-64 attack helicopters, which have a variety of uses. They can operate as fast recon platforms, and they mount a 30mm chaingun, Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and twin 70mm rocket pods making them dangerous to both armor and infantry units. Right-click on E0 to bring up the Unit Command screen. The helicopter altitude panel is in the lower-right corner is. Three buttons on this panel allow the helicopter to land, fly NOE, or fly at high altitude. Select NOE and move them forward to the victory hexes to deny them to the enemy and provide additional cover fire as required.
Complete Your Movement, Save the Game, and End Your Turn
Once you have loaded up all the men, move the M2 Bradley's east onto the crest of the hill. Select 'C' platoon and move them up onto the hill to support the Bradleys of 'G' platoon. Meanwhile, 'D' platoon can be used to back up the tanks you moved earlier by moving them up on the northern hill.
Saving Your Game
During play there are several occasions to save a game. To save a game currently being playing, left-click on the ##Go to Save Game Menu## button, or press the 'S' key, from the Tactical screen. You can save up to 198 games plus two Email games, depending upon your available hard drive space. To save a game, left-click on the slot you wish to save to, then type a title at the top of the screen or accept the default title. Press the Enter key when you are finished.
Playing by E-Mail
Only battles created using the Battle Generator can be played as Email games. For specific information on creating an Email game see the "Email Games" section on page @
The easiest way to play a game by e-mail, is to left-click on the ##Go to Save Game Menu## button and then left-click on either the ##Email-1## or ##Email-2## save position to save your game as an Email game. The first player is asked to enter a password before saving. The file is saved in two parts, a .SAV file and a .CMT file. %%Note:%% Both the .SAV and the .CMT files must be sent to the other player in order to continue an Email game. Then send this Email game file to Player 2. To load the game simply place the two save files in the Email directory, start the game, and access the Load Save screen and load either Email 1 or 2. When the game is loaded by Player 2 a password for that player is requested.
After you have moved all your units, left-click on ##Quit the Orders Phase## button, or press the %%Q%% key. It is then the Iraqi turn and the computer moves its units, displays combat results, and your next turn begins.
The Computer's Turn One
The computer now moves the Iraqi side - as its units move you will see some firing from you tanks and M2 Bradley's. This is called "opportunity fire", it means that your units are firing at the enemy as they spot them on the battlefield. Generally the way spotting works, is that until you fire or move, no one can see you. However in some cases depending on distance and type of unit (infantry for example) units may be spotted even if they did not move or fire.
Opportunity Fire
When moving one of your units in your turn it may be fired on by an enemy unit if the enemy unit is in range and has LOS to your moving unit. This is called Opportunity Fire (OP Fire). A unit's ability to use OP Fire depends on whether or not it has used up all of its ammunition in its own attack turn or not and at what range the unit is set to react at.
For example, if an Iraqi T-72 tank has a total of four shots, and fires two in its attack turn, this leaves it with two shots left over for OP Fire during the opponents turn. The number of shots remaining is shown on the status bar, below the Battle Map. If a unit is fired upon by a previously unseen enemy it stops moving to await your orders to return fire, keep moving, or just stop, and if carrying infantry, the infantry disembark to seek cover.
Range (which is displayed in the information bar below the Battle Map) is important in relation to OP Fire, as your units cannot use OP Fire on enemy units if they are out of this listed range. So, if you wish to have infantry squads wait in buildings, or in the trees to ambush vehicles coming down the road then set the range to 1 so that they do not OP Fire until the enemy vehicle moves adjacent to it. Use the ##Set the Firing Range## button, or press %%Y%% on the keyboard, to view the ##Range## menu. OP Fire happens automatically unless the range of your units weapon is set to 0. Weapons are more accurate closer to the target, however, the default setting for your units in this scenario is ##M.Max##. For more details about the operation of the ##Range## menu, see the "Set Firing Range" button section on page @.
By now several Iraqi tanks have been destroyed by OP fire from your tanks and the Iraqi's may have fired back at them. In most cases your M1 tanks should survive the fire from the Iraqi tanks but the M2 Bradley's may be another story as they are lightly armored APCs. Once the computer is finished, turn 1 is over and turn 2 will begin.
Your Turn Two
Several Iraqi units should now be visible, including tanks and infantry. Your two platoons of M1 Abrams tanks should have destroyed or damaged any vehicles that appeared on the opposite ridge; however, your tanks cannot fire at the infantry because the range of their anti-personnel weapons is too short (as well as being counter to US tactical doctrine). The Bradleys, Apaches, and self-propelled (SP) 120mm mortars of 'D' platoon, however, can and should. In addition, you should use the 155mm guns of 'I' battery to lay down suppressing fire on the Iraqi position. In fact, we'll do that first.
Bombardment Basics
Artillery comes in two varieties in &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&&, on-map units, such as the M1064 SP mortar sections of 'D' platoon, and off-map assets such as those represented by "I' batteries 155mm guns. On-map artillery fire operates much like that of a tank unit - it can shoot at what it can see. Off-map artillery must be ordered by a leader, and it arrives some time later.
Artillery Spotting
Leaders for each unit have an Artillery rating that shows how good that leader is at calling in bombardment missions. To have a successful bombardment, left-click on a unit whose leader has a good Artillery rating, and can see the hex you want to target. Remember that in order to check what a unit can see, you must left-click to select the unit, then right-click on a hex that is in the direction you want the unit to view. Visible hexes are the lighted ones, non-visible hexes are darker. you can check a leader's artillery rating by right-clicking on a selected unit, so that the Unit Command appears. The leader's statistics are listed on the right side of the screen.
Artillery Bombardment Missions
When you left-click on the ##Bombardment Menu## button, or press "B" on the keyboard the Bombardment menu appears. Every unit that can be assigned to perform a bombardment mission is listed here alpha-numerically. Left-clicking on the unit name shifts the view on the Map screen to the currently targeted hex of that unit. If the unit has no target selected, the view does not change. %%Note:%% Once artillery units or aircraft use up their supply of ammunition, there is no resupply and the units are no longer displayed in this menu.
Following each unit's listing are six buttons which control that unit.
Eye
Left-clicking this button displays the Unit Command for the unit.
High Explosive (HE)
This button orders a barrage of High Explosive rounds on the target hex.
Smoke
This button orders a Smoke mission to be fired at the target hex.
Cancel
Left-clicking this button cancels the units current fire mission.
Shift
This button allows a fire mission that has not yet been delivered, or that is arriving on multiple turns to be shifted. Left-clicking this button displays the target hex outlined in red, and a larger red circle. Left-clicking in any hex wholly within the circle causes the unit to change targeting to that hex.
Cluster munitions
Also known as dual-purpose improved cluster munitions (DPICM), cluster bombs can be deployed from aircraft or by artillery shell. They blanket the target area with hundreds of 'bomblets' which are capable of penetrating the top armor of tanks. Cluster munitions are also effective against infantry, whether dug in or not.
Time on Target
The column following the cluster munitions button indicates the delay before the barrage or aircraft arrives. The delay length is the number of turns it takes the artillery to get a fix on the target, fire the shells, and for the shells to strike. For example, a 0 means the unit can fire at the end of the current turn and a 1 means the unit cannot fire until the end of the next turn and so on.
A barrage arrives in the vicinity of the target at the end of your turn, from 0 to several turns later, depending on the type of bombardment requested and quality of the crew in question.
Frequently, the arrival time is expressed as a number plus some decimal fraction, for example, 1.3. This means that the bombardment is going to arrive over two turns, with 30% arriving first, and the remaining 70% arriving in the bombardment phase one turn later.
Finding Your Spotter
Pressing the %%F%% key or left clicking on the ##Current/Spotter Unit## button jumps the view to the firing unit or the unit acting as a spotter if using off-map assets such as heavy artillery or aircraft. you can also zoom the view with the ##Zoom## Buttons, and return to the Tactical screen with the ##Exit## button.
Selecting a Target
Selecting a hex to be bombarded is a simple two-step process. Left-click on the hex to be attacked; the standard red hex outline appears. Now, left-click on the button for the type of ordnance you wish to use: HE, smoke, or cluster bombs. The hex changes to show the "Targeted" icon. The number at the right end of the line of buttons indicates how many turns before the fire arrives. For more information on the Bombardment menu, see the "Bombardment Menu" section on page @.
Assigning a Bombardment Mission
Now its time to order a bombardment mission. You can use your artillery in one of several ways:
Lay smoke in front of the Iraqi position to obscure your unit's advance.
Suppress the Iraqi infantry in front of the ridge using HE rounds.
Attack the ridge, where tanks have been appearing, with cluster bombs in the belief that more units are due to arrive.
All three plans have their benefits and disadvantages; for the purpose of this tutorial, lets use the last two options. Left-click on hex 84,21 (its directly behind the southernmost Iraqi victory hex along the ridge). Now, left-click on the ##Bombardment## button, or press the "B" key to bring up the Bombardment menu. Left-click on the cluster munitions button for unit ##I0##, a 155mm Section. A Targeted icon appears in that hex. The number next to the button should read "0.1" meaning that 10% of the fire mission is going to arrive at the end of this turn, and the remainder will arrive next turn. Follow the same steps to assign barrages to hexes 83,15 and 83,12. This leaves you with three sections and your A-10 Warthogs. Select three hexes among the Iraqi infantry and assign HE ammunition. After assigning your bombardment mission, left-click on the ##Exit## button to restore the Map screen. Saving the A-10s for something special.
Move the mouse pointer over each Iraqi unit visible. Burning tanks should all have been destroyed, and should be indicated as such. Any Iraqi tank that was not destroyed by OP fire during the previous turn should be attacked by direct fire from an M1 Abrams or using a TOW missile from a Bradley or an M109 TOW carrier.
Ordering Direct Fire
Any unit that can be fired at causes the mouse pointer to change to a target reticle. Left-click on a unit you want to have the Bradley fire at as long as the pointer changes to a reticle. Any resulting casualties are displayed on the right side of the Unit Information Bar. Moving the pointer over the unit afterwards displays the unit's status in the Hex Description Bar at the top of the screen.
You can fire at the current target again by left-clicking on it, left-clicking on the ##Fire Weapons## button, or pressing the %%F%% key. The active unit can fire at the current target until the target is destroyed, the firing unit is destroyed by enemy OP fire, the firing unit runs out of shots for this turn, or the target unit is obscured by something.
Select one of the Bradleys of 'G' platoon and move it around the end of the southern hill. Once there, examine all of the Iraqi infantry units which are visible. Some may be listed as "Ready," some may be "Retreating," and some may even be "Routed." Any units listed as "Ready" should be attacked, either with the chaingun fire of the Bradleys or by the helicopters. If necessary, use mortar fire from the 'D' platoon's 120mm SP Mortars to finish of straggling infantry units or tank crews who have abandoned their vehicles.
Suppression
Whenever a shot is fired at a ground unit, the men in that unit automatically stop what they are doing, seek cover, and return fire if possible. Suppression points measure the unit's chance to recover and are based on the unit's morale. When men are killed, leaders lost, adjacent units rout, or a unit is near a hex which is being bombarded by artillery, the unit suffers the most suppression. Even being in the immediate vicinity of burning tanks, being in a burning hex (forest or building), and being near other friendly units being attacked can cause suppression. Units which are suppressed may suffer the loss of available OP fire and even movement.
For information on how to lower suppression, see the "Rally" section on page @.
Select one of the M1 Abrams of either 'B' or 'J' platoons. Now move the mouse pointer over all of the enemy units one at a time. Iraqi tanks that survive your OP fire are indicated by the mouse pointer changing to a targeting reticle when it passes over them. %%Note:%% This is only true if the active unit is within range of the targeted unit. If all of the enemy tanks have been destroyed, then your tanks should remain in place to take advantage of OP fire. Click on the ##Quit Orders Phase## button to end the turn.
The Computer's Turn Two
Any Iraqi infantry not pinned by chaingun and mortar fire continues to advance. T-55 and T-72 tanks appear occasionally, but they should fall under both tank and artillery fire.
Morale
No one likes to get shot at, so when a unit is suppressed by enemy fire, the unit's morale is checked: the higher the unit's morale, the lower the suppression will be. If a unit has low morale, however, it may become pinned, routed, retreat, or even surrender. To increase a unit's morale, the men look to their formation or unit leaders.
Even though most of the Iraqi infantry should be pinned, retreating, or routing by now, they can still be rallied by an effective leader. Use the Apache helicopters, E0 and E1, to harass any units of any strength, being careful not to move within 10 hexes. This keeps your helicopters out of effective small-arms range, but allows them to use their 70mm rockets.
Keep your units in position on the hills where they are less vulnerable and able to pour fire into any Iraqi tanks that appear on the far ridge.
Leaders
Each formation has a leader with the ability to raise the morale of his units by rallying them. This formation leader is called the HQ Leader. In turn, each individual unit also has a leader, called a Squad Leader, who can rally his troops as well. The A0 or Battalion commander can in some instances also rally units. Some leaders are better than others, and when a leader is killed, he is replaced by the next highest-ranking soldier. To view your formation leaders left-click on the ##Roster## button from the Options Menu. To view unit leaders right-click on the unit you wish to look at.
Leaders' most common function is to affect the unit's chances to successfully hit a target. This ability is expressed as a rating for different types of command; these are "Infantry," which is how well this leader directs infantry fire, "Artillery," which is how accurate this leader is when calling in bombardment missions, and "Armor," which is how well this leader directs fire by armored units. The higher the leader's rating is in a category, the more effectively his units uses that category of weapon.
For example, if a tank targets an enemy tank and the current hit chance displayed on screen is 69%, then this is the base chance to hit the enemy tank. The leader's "Armor" rating is checked against a randomly generated number. The result can have one of three effects:
cause the chance to hit to be lowered by the difference between the rating and the number,
not affect the chance to hit,
double the chance to hit depending on his "Armor" rating and how much the check was passed by.
Rally
Rallying is how suppression is lowered and the morale of units is raised. Left-click on the ##Rally## button to have the highest ranking officer in the area (within 5 hexes) attempt to rally the unit. When a leader successfully rallies his troops the unit gets a boost in its morale and its suppression is lowered. Once successful, a leader may attempt to rally the unit several more times, until he fails. If he fails, then the next lowest-ranking leader may attempt to rally. You may never attempt to rally if the suppression is less than 2.
There are three types of ranked leaders:
%%The Battalion Commander%% - Can rally any unit as long as he is within five hexes of the unit.
%%The Formation Leader%% - Can attempt to rally the units in his formation (if he is within five hexes of the unit). Formation leaders are in the '0' unit of the formation, A0, B0, and so on.
%%The Unit Leader%% - Can attempt to rally the men in his single unit.
When failing to rally a unit, a leader has to wait until the next turn to try again. With renewed fighting spirit, retreating or routed units can press on to achieve Victory Objectives.
Units which are out of the five-hex range of the leader cannot accept orders until they have been successfully rallied. If units have radios then they are never out of contact with their leader (called CHQ Link), but still must be within five hexes of the formation leader in order for that leader to assist in rallying the troops.
%%Note:%% Units automatically attempt to rally at the end of each turn. You may still want to ##Rally## units during your turn in order to have them see, move, and shoot more effectively if they are suffering from suppression. When manually rallying your troops don't forget to keep left-clicking on the ##Rally## button until you get the message stating that the unit is unable to rally anymore.
Surrender
A unit's surrender is determined by its losses and morale rating. You must be adjacent to force an enemy unit to surrender.
While many Iraqi troops surrendered during the Gulf War, it is unlikely that any are going to do so in this scenario.
Your Turn Three
This turn should pass pretty quickly, being more of the same. Any Iraqi infantry not in full flight should be targeted by chaingun, mortar, and rocket fire. At the end of your turn, any remaining artillery fire arrives. Based on the regular appearance of tanks from beyond the ridge on the previous two turns, it is safe to assume that more are due to arrive. Using DPICM delivered by the A-10s to attack this position is a reasonable plan. This turn, we'll call in a Tactical Support mission from the A-10s you've been assigned to further soften up the Iraqi position.
The Bradleys of 'G' platoon can emerge from cover and start across the open area towards the enemy position. They should be safe enough, covered by the rest of the units of your force, although they should only use part of their movement this turn. All other units should continue to suppress any visible Iraqi units using direct and OP fire.
Calling for Air Support
Calling for support from attack aircraft such as A-10s, F-4s and other tactical support planes, is handled much the same as calling in a bombardment mission, but there one important difference. Aircraft have to enter and leave the map at specific places. %%These entry and exit positions must be assigned before targets are chosen.%%
Aircraft Entry, Exit Spaces and Target Hexes
After left-clicking on the ##Bombardment Menu## button, or pressing "B" on the keyboard, the Bombardment menu appears. To the left of the Overall Map are five buttons, one of which reads ##Air Off##. Left-click on this button to On the Overall Map in the lower-right corner, are several pairs of squares with the letters ##E## and ##X## in them. These denote the entry and exit spaces for air support. Left-click on an ##E## button, to assign an entry hex, then left-click on an ##X## to select an exit space.
Select a target hex by left-clicking on it, and then left-click on the HE button. %%Note: All targeting for aircraft delivered bombardment must be assigned using the HE button regardless of what kind of ordnance they carry. Assigning a target using the smoke or cluster munitions buttons has no effect. %% %%Note:%% The other buttons which would normally represent munitions in an aircraft row are dimmed out since they cannot be used. The hex changes to show the "Targeted" icon. The number at the right end of the unit row indicates how many turns before the aircraft arrives.
Open the Bombardment menu and left-click on the ##Air Off## button, which activates the entry/exit space overlay. Select an entry space anywhere, but make the exit spaces near the Iraqi's end of the map. On their first pass the A-10s drop a load of armor-piercing cluster bombs so selecting targets that have the A-10s attack the far side of the ridge is more effective than having them bomb the infantry. Target hexes in or around 82,12 through 86,14 for one Warthog and hexes 86,19 through 88,20 for the other. Any visible tanks near these hexes is going be attacked with Maverick ATGMs, and the hexes themselves by cannon fire, and armor piercing bombs, although the A-10s may not arrive this turn.
Turns Four through Ten
You now have been shown the basics of modern combat as performed in &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&&. Finish the scenario by advancing to the Iraqi position with the Abrams tanks of 'B' platoon, the Bradley AFVs of 'G' platoon and their infantry passengers. Be sure to occupy all of the neutral Victory Objectives and drive the Iraqi forces off of their victory hexes. Once the Bradleys get close to the Iraqi position, dismount the infantry to take advantage of the Dragon teams for additional anti-tank power.
Don't forget to make use of your 155mm artillery and the A-10 Warthogs, which can be used several times in the remainder of the scenario. When your ground units near the Iraqi Victory Objectives, use the target shifting option of the bombardment menu to avoid taking "Friendly Fire" casualties.
Above all, don't be in too much of a hurry. Destroy units as they appear rather than attempting to hunt for them because hidden units frequently get the first blow and the first blow is often a killing blow on the modern battlefield.
After the Battle
Immediately after the last turn, the scenario ##Battle Report## is displayed. A description of the types of units on both sides is displayed, followed by Player 1's losses and Player 2's losses. Below that is a score based on Victory Objectives captured and enemy units destroyed. Losses are displayed in two columns, "Battle" and "Total." In scenarios and battles you create with the Battle Generator, both columns contain the same information. Later on when you are playing campaign games, the "Total" columns contain the total losses each side suffers during the course of the campaign.
You now have the opportunity to review the positions and units left on the battlefield for your side. Left-click the ##Player 1## button to review the positions and units left on the battlefield for your opponent. Left-click on the ##Player 2## button to end the game and return to the Selection screen.
Score
The number of Battle Points won for destroying enemy units and capturing Victory Objectives. A Decisive victory occurs when your score is 10 times that of your opponent, a Marginal victory merely requires twice the points. A point total between 2 to 1 and 1 to 2 is considered a draw.
Campaign Summary
When playing a campaign game, the next screen that appears is the overall summary of the campaign, the total number of marginal and decisive victories, and the Campaign Score are displayed.
Now that you have completed your first &&STEEL PANTHERS II: MODERN BATTLES&& scenario, feel free to play another scenario or start a campaign, design a quick battle with the Battle Generator, or go all out and create your own scenarios with the Scenario Editor.
