THE SPECTRUM GAMES DATABASE



SPECIAL OPERATIONS



PUBLISHER

Lothlorien



AUTHOR(S)

Keith Hunt



YEAR

1984



CATALOGUE NUMBER

N/A



CATEGORY

Strategy / Wargame



DESCRIPTION

'Special Operations' is a graphics adventure which incoporates

a number of features not commonly found in adventures.

For example, there are 18 different maps in addition to the maps

used for resolving skirmishes with enemy patrols.  This adventure

wargame has seven different levels of play, each of which has a

different objective. Apart from the initial selection of your

team this is a full graphics game and is sold with a separate,

comprehensive set of playing instructions.  When you have enjoyed

this game look out for other AdventureMaster, Adventure games and

Warmaster wargames part of the famous range of Lothlorien

software.



CONTROLS



INSTRUCTIONS

A. Settings and objective



This exciting adventure is set during the latter days of World

War II, and a more detailed scenario is printed on the reverse

of the cassette inlay card.  The game utilizes a split screen and

maps of various locations.  Your position on each of these maps

is shown in such a way that you are only shown what you'd be able

to see if you were actually there on the ground (with the

exception of the COMPOUND scenario as you already have an aerial

photograph of this area ).  Time plays an important role as many

events are timed to occue at various stages of the game. You also

have a time limit which you set yourself.  This is a rendezvous

time for your pickup transport plane.  Although equipment may be

picked up and used as in other adventures there is in addition

to this an important feature which plays a large part in

determining your success or failure with problems you'll

encounter. This feature is the use of 'skills'. each member of

your team possesses 2 specialist skills which will be required

to perform certain tasks. The choice of team members is up to you

- there are 30 to choose from.  The adventure is different each

time you play, but it is possible to use the same setup over and

over again by use of the save game facility.  Finally there are

seven different objectives of varying difficulty to choose

from for your mission.



B. Restart, Objectives and Time



Initially, the following inputs will be required before play can

begin:



-- "continue saved game Y/N". To play a previously saved, part

completed game then enter "Y" and follow the instructions.

Entering "N" will start a new game ( which is always different)

-- "objective ( 1 - 7 )?" select from the list on the reference

sheet (NOTE: The objective for saved games may be changed at this

point)

-- "time ( 1 - 9 )?" The number of hours to pickup time in tens

of hours, eg, time 6 means 'come and collect us in 60 hours time'

( Once again, time may be altered with saved games)



C. Team Selection



From a list of 30 applicants you must choose 4 others to

accompany you on the mission. Each of these men or women has two

specialist skills, although at this stage you are aware of only

one skill for each of these applicants. To find their second

skill you must interview them, but as this process takes a full

day it will only be possible to interview 8 of them before the

mission is to commence. Careful selection is required to ensure

the success of the mission. You do not have to select an

interviewed applicant, nor need you interview one to make a

selection.  As the leader you have 2 skills, one being Leader,

plus one other. These will be highlighted. When asked "which

applicant?", you must answer with the code number or letter shown

at the left of his main skill. When asked "select or interview?"

replying "S" will choose that person for your team.  Answering

"I" will reveal his second skill. After day 2 further

interviewing is not allowed and only s can be used.

Having selected your team the computer will then 'create' the

adventure for you - this takes about a minute.



D. The Three Main Scenarios



Although there are 18 maps, the majority of play will center

around the 3 main scenarios -- FOREST, COMPOUND, COMPLEX.



D1 -- Forest -- You are parachuted into the centre of a forest

close to the target area and the map will initially depict an

impression of the scene as you came down -- it is NOT accurate

and does not show any of the major terrain features.



Your position is denoted by a flashing square ( as in the other

scenarios ).  The true terrain features in the surrounding 4

squares will also be shown.



While in the forest, be careful - there are a number of enemy

patrols about.  Anyone entering their prescribed fields of search

will be considered hostile and combat will result.  A key to the

forest terrain features can be seen by using the 'tf' command.



D2 -- Compund -- you already have a photograph of this area. The

entrance to the underground Complex is in the centre of the

Compound and is guarded constantly as shown. The main gate to the

Compound is also guarded. Movement and position of other guards

and personnel in this area will not bw shown as they will be

constantly moving about - in short, the place is literally

'crawling' with them.



D3 -- Complex -- the underground Complex is a series of passages

and rooms in which you can see in straight lines -- you can't see

round corners or through doors! The display will show what you

are able to see plus the areas you've already been in.  Apart

from the east and west edges of the Complex, there are NO dead

ends -- all passages lead somewhere. There are 3 possible

entrances/exits to the Complex these being at the east and west

edges. To exit from the Complex, use the out command 'ou' at

these locations. It is only possible to exit by a particular

route if you came in that way with the exception of the main

entrance.



E. Time



Time elapsed since the start of the mission will be constantly

displayed in hours and minutes. Different actions and skill use

will consume differing amounts of time. This also varies with the

scenario -- eg, movement in the Forest takes 20 min. while moves

in the Complex only takes 2 min.  It's up to you how long you

have to complete the operation so to add a bit more excitement

don't always give yourself the maximum.



F. Actions/Skills



All the actions are shown in the reference tables. There are

mainly self-explanatory but the use of team skills is an

important and unique feature of the game and there are some

restrictions to skill use. Only 3 skills may be used

simultaneously. The leader is considered to be proficient in ALL

skills but due to the strain of this particular mission he will

be allowed to select his skill use on only 5 separate occassions.

Team skills are constantly displayed below the map area. A team

member will use his skills only when instructed to do so. This

is done by the 'su' command. You will then be asked SKILL TO

USE?. You must now enter the first three letters of the skill (

see table ). If one of your team has this skill it will be used

until cancelled. To use the leader skill to use any of the

available skills you must first select 'LEA'. You will then be

asked SKILL TO USE ( Lea )? and must now reply with the first

three letters of the specific skill. To cancel a skill use 'sc'

when asked for ACTION? and the first three letters of the skill

when asked SKILL TO CANCEL?. However, to cancel the special

Leader skill *you must enter Lea and not the skill he is using*.



NOTE -- when entering skills or actions you cannot delete. To

correct errors press 'z' once or twice to complete the

action/skill. If you select su or sc in error the only way to

escape is by keying in a valid skill entry which you *do not

possess* in your team.  Skill use is always cancelled when combat

is joined.



G. Combat



When an enemy patrol enters one of the four adjacent areas to

your party combat will normally occur. During combat your men

will be shown at the bottom of the skirmish zone as numbers

between 1 and 5. 1 is the leader, 2 is the second member of the

team, etc. The enemy will be deployed at the top of the map.

For each of your men you must select an enemy target, then move

each man 2 'squares' using the cursor keys ( 5 - 8 ), or 9 for

'no movement'. After the enemy has moved combat will be resolved.

One hit causes a wound, two death. In order to hit a target there

must be a clear line of sight, ie, unobstructed by either trees

or man. When hit them man will 'flash' on and off.  When combat

has been fully resolved a status report on your men's condition

can be seen by using the 'st' command.  Even though patrols

normally attack on sight it is possible to avoid them, track them

or ambush them.



H. Saved Games



You may save the current game position by using the quit command

'qu'. You will be asked if you you wish to save the game

position. If yes, then enter 'y' and follow the instructions,

having *first ensured that the cassette leads, etc, are correctly

setup for saving* as shown in the user manual. All saves must be

made in one of the 3 main scenarios, Forest, Compound or Complex.

The program is designed to create a different situation each time

you play but it is possible to play the same game over and over

again. To do this, first select objective, time and team then as

your first command enter 'qu' ( quit ) and save the game. You may

then use this for all subsequent games. With saved games it is

permissable to alter the objective and time each time it is

loaded.  In this way, the same map and team can be used to

attempt all 7 objectives in turn.



NOTE -- if the game is saved after the first part of a mission

has been completed the you will NOT be allowed to change

objectives.



I. Help



1. Keep your leader safe -- without him your task will be that

much harder

2. There are at least 6 completely different routes into the

Compound and Complex without being detected. Think about how

you'd get in if you really had to.

3. Be careful in the Compound and Complex -- remember this is a

high security area.

4. Take great care in choosing your team and get the best balance

of skills for your objective

5. Remember your leader can use any of the 30 skills and bear

this in mind when making your selections.

6. Use your skills to the utmost -- keep trying them and find out

what they are capable of.



Objectives



1. Find the location of the enemy compound and take photographs

of it.  You need not enter the compound itself to do this.

2. Find a method for getting inside the compound and out again.

3. Find a method for getting inside the underground complex and

get straight out again.

4. Get a sample of an experimental chemically-based rocket fuel.

5. Get a sample of the viral agent.

6. Get details of the rocket guidance system ( plans,

specifications, etc )

7. Destroy the Production area in the complex.



NOTE -- to complete an objective you must rendezvous with the

plane on the opposite edge of the map to the compound.



Reference Table

Actions



mn, ms, me, mw - Move N, S, E, W ( N is always at the top of the

screen ) 

in - Enter a terrain feature or vehicle (skills/equipment are

sometimes required to accomplish this action )

ou - Get out of caves etc, by the same route you entered it, ie,

fast exit

su - skill use ( enter 1st three letters of skill. Lea(der) can

use any skill )

sc - skill cancel ( for Leader enter Lea NOT the skill he's

using)

eq - List all equipment found

se - Search ( does not need to be selected in caves, etc )

ta - Take a piece of equipment

hi - Hide ( yourselves, not equipment )

at - Attack guards ( Forest only )

no - Do nothing ( short periods )

wa - Wait ( longer periods )

st - Status report on team's health

tf - Terrain features used in forest scenario

qu - Quit game ( includes save game options )



Skills Table

Acr(obat)           Loc(ksmith)

Act(or)             Mec(hanic)

Bio(logist)         Mid(get)

Car(tographer)      Nav(igator)

Che(mist)           Pho(tographer)

Cip(hers)           Phy(sicist)

Cli(mber)           Pic(kpocket)

Div(er)             Pil(ot)

Doc(tor)            Rad(io Operator)

Ele(ctronics)       Sap(per)

Exp(losives)        Sco(ut)

For(ger)            Sni(per)

Int(errogator)      Str(ong Man)

Lea(der)            Una(rmed Combat)

Lin(guist)          Veh(icles)



J. Loading



Follow the instructions in the relevant user manual for your

machine, always ensuring that the cassette recorder head is clean

and the volume control and leads are correctly adjusted.



K. Copyright



Copyright of this cassette software and self explanatory notes

resides in M. C. Lothlorien and it is illegal to copy the

programme for disposal to a 3rd party. Similarly, this cassette

must not be hired to any 3rd party without the express written

consent of M. C. Lothlorien and no parts may be used in other

programmes.



It is also sold subject to our standard terms and conditions of

trading, copies of which are available on request.



     M. C. Lothlorien

     56A Park Lane

     Poynton

     Cheshire SK12 1RE

     Tel: (0625) 876642



(c)Copyright 1984 M. C. Lothlorien



MCL 122(N) 3/84

Addendum: Commodore 64 and Oric Atmos para G. in combat your own

men are named A-E ( not 1-5 ) and you must press the RETURN key

for no movement ( not 9 )



ORIGINAL INLAY CARD TEXT

-> Background



( Extract from a letter to the leader of the Special Operations

Squad )



Two months ago during a routine reconaissance mission one of our

planes took a photograph of what appears to be a highly guarded

security area.  We now have intelligence report to suggest that

there is a vast underground complex beneath this enemy compound.

It seems likely that this is the location of their Advanced

Weapons Research Centre, the exact whereabouts of which has

been a mystery to us for some time now.  We also have had

periodic reports on the activities of some of the Research

Centre's scientists, and together with other intelligence reports

it had led us to be fairly certain that work is now well advanced

on the development of a new and highly sophisticated weapons

system. It is probable that this system includes a highly

powerful bacteriological virus capable of untold  death and

disease. Furthermore, we believe that the virus will be used in

conjunction with a new type of rocket which infers that they must

have made tremendous advances in rocket technology - rocket

fuels, guidance systems, etc.  It is imperative that we get a

team in there as soon as possible in order to assess the progress

and potential of this project. It may be necessary to destroy

this installation.  Please read the attached notes and reports

and be prepared to commence the operation in eight days time.



HINTS/CHEATS



SEQUELS/PREQUELS



SCORES RECEIVED



URLS



GENERAL FACTS



NOTES















