THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE



REBELSTAR



PUBLISHER

Firebird



AUTHOR

Julian Gollop



YEAR

1986



DESCRIPTION

Rebelstar is a 1 or 2 player futuristic strategic wargame.



CONTROLS



Q W E

A   D  These keys constitute the 8 directions, for example

Z X C    Q is up-left.



Only certain keys work at certain times depending on which menu

you are in.  All of the following keys are also given on-screen.



N - Next Unit

S - Select

K - Cancel

O - Change object (then select a number)

F - Fire (then select the type of shot)

R - Reload

I - Information

M - Drop object

0 - End Turn





INSTRUCTIONS

Depending on which snapshot you have, it will either be a one or

two player game.  If it is a one player, the human player always

controls the Raiders.



The aim of the game for the Raiders is to break into Moonbase

Delta and destroy the core, located at the middle top of the

base.  The aim of the Operatives is to kill all the Raiders. 

Once one of these conditions is fulfilled, the game will end as

soon as the current turn finishes.



Both sides take turns to move their pieces.  At the start of each

turn, all the units on that side receive a certain number of

Action Points, which they then spend during the turn to complete

certain actions.  For example, moving horizontally costs 2 points

(unless it is over difficult terrain in which case it will cost

more).  Everything costs a certain number of points, and once all

these are spent that unit can do no more for that turn.



To move through the units under your control, you can either

press N to go to the next unit, or simply move the cursor over

the top of them.  Until you actually select a unit, you can move

freely around the map.  Press S to select a unit.



To move a unit, simply press the direction that you want them to

walk in.  Other keys represent other actions.  To attack another

unit, simply walk your own unit into them.



When shooting, the map will change to only show scenery that will

get in the way of the bullets.  You must move the cursor over the

target, and then select the type of shot.  Each has it's own cost

and chance of success.  You will then see the bullets shoot

across the map, and if you are luck, hit the target.



Each of the units has various stats which will determine how good

they are at certain things.  The basic settings for a unit can

be seen on the right hand side of the screen as soon as the unit

is selected, but for a more detailed view, select info.





TIP/CHEATS

- The Raiders will receive re-inforcements during the game if

they manage to destroy all of the laser defences.  

- Don't forget that when a unit has died, his weapons can still

be used.

- There are many objects lying around the base that have various

uses.  There are coffee tokens, which can be used in the coffee

machines, and even a lawnmower.

- Only the Rebel robots are able to destroy the airlocks to enter

the base.  They are also required to destroy the core, although

the Photon does also have a small chance of destroying it.





SEQUELS/PREQUELS

Rebelstar was the follow up to Rebelstar Raiders, a BASIC

program.  In addition, it was followed by Rebelstar 2 and Laser

Squad.  It could also be though of as the precursor to the

PC/Amiga game UFO, due to the strong similarities.





INLAY CARD TEXT



                                  "REBELSTAR"

                            By Julian Gollop (1986)





Instructions taken from "The Rebelstar Collection" Players'

Manual (1991) by Julian Gollop.



COPYRIGHT



Julian Gollop has kindly agreed to this game being made Public

Domain. Anyone is freely allowed to duplicate and distribute this

game for use in Spectrum emulators. It is requested that the

identification of Julian Gollop as the author of this software

is not removed and the code not altered.



INTRODUCTION



The Rebelstar Raiders have discovered the secret location of

ISAAC, the imperial computer intelligence responsible for

breaking the Rebels secret codes. The computer is concealed in

a moonbase disguised as a mining colony.  Moonbase Delta is well

defended, but the ISAAC computer must be destroyed at all costs.



PLAYING THE GAME



There are two sides in Rebelstar. The Raiders are attacking

Moonbase Delta and the Operatives are defending. In the one

player game you control the Raiders and the computer controls the

Operatives. Each side consists of a certain number of soldiers

and droids, collectively known as units. Each unit is allocated

a number of 'action points' each turn, which are expended by

performing all actions, such as movement or firing.  The Raiders

have the first turn. They must break into the base and destroy

ISAAC. The operatives must defend ISAAC.  There are three basic

control modes in Rebelstar; Cursor mode, Select mode and

Fire mode.



DIRECTION KEYS



Q   W   E       each key corresponds to the direction

A       D       you want the unit to move in

Z   X   C



CURSOR MODE



CURSOR MOVEMENT: Use the direction keys to move the cursor around

the map. The map will scroll when you move the cursor to the edge

of the map window.



S - Select a unit under the cursor for movement and other

actions. The computer will change to select mode, shown by a

flashing unit.

0(zero) - End turn. Control is passed to the other player, or the

computer in the one player game.

I - Display information on a unit under the cursor

N - Go to next unit



SELECT MODE



In this mode the direction keys are used to move the selected

unit. Other controls are as follows:



F - Enter fire mode. This is only possible if the unit is

carrying a ranged combat weapon

M - Drop the object in use

P - Pick up an object

O - Change the object in use. Units can carry more than one

object, but only one object can be 'in use' at any one time

L - Load weapon. The unit must have a weapon in use and be

carrying the correct ammunition



FIRE MODE



When you select fire mode the map will change to display only

things which block the line of fire. Units will change to a round

blob.  The aiming cursor is moved using the direction keys.  When

you fire a weapon there are three different types of shot you can

make:



1 - Fire an aimed shot. Accurate, but consumes many action points

2 - Fire a snap shot. Less accurate than an aimed shot but much

quicker

U - Set opportunity fire. This is a special form of fire which

is not taken immediately, but is 'activated' during the opponents

turn.  The shot will be fired if an enemy unit moves in the line

of fire you have set between your unit and the aiming cursor.



The following ammunition is required for each weapon:



          Laser Gun                     Laser Pack-1

          Laser Pistol                  Laser Pack-2

          Photon                        Laser Pack-3

          Pistol                        Pistol Clip

          Auto-Rifle                    Rifle Clip



DAMAGE, DESTRUCTION AND WOUNDING



When a shot hits a unit it may cause damage, wounding or death.

Each hit will inflict a random number of damage points depending

on the power of the weapon being used and the distance the weapon

is fired. Damaged units have their action point allowance

reduced.



USING OBJECTS



Certain objects have special uses in the game. When you want to

use an object on something you must have the object in use and

then move into the unit or terrain. The yellow security doors can

be open and shut with keys. Medi-probes can be used to heal

wounded human, and droid-probes can be used to repair droids. The

droid key is needed to activate droids.



A GUIDE TO PLAYING THE GAME



Only the combat droids with their blast torches can destroy the

airlock doors and security doors. However a blast torch has a

very short range and low ammunition capacity. There are three

laser defense computers in the complex.  If these are destroyed

by the Raiders then Raider reinforcements will arrive a few turns

later.





SCORES RECEIVED

Sinclair User - 8/10



URL

There are two versions of Rebelstar; for 1 and 2 players.



GENERAL FACTS

Julian Gollop is famous for thinking up strange names for

characters in his games.  With names like Stike Vomit, Leon

Trotsky and Leeder Krenon, we have to ask ourselves; is this man

sane?



There is a also a missing droid in Rebelstar!  There isn't a name

in there so it must be a Graphic Julian did but never put in the

game. So I thought I would alter this, here are the pokes that

changes the graphic of the Sentry Droid to the new droid.  You

can enter these pokes via your Spectrum emulator,multiface or you

can merge the basic loader and place the following program.



10 For f=61519 to 61550:Read a:poke f,a:next f 

20 Data 7,207,121,205,31,23,21,55 

30 Data 224,243,158,179,248,248,248,252 

40 Data 37,39,109,77,73,255,137,255 

50 Data 252,124,254,126,222,255,223,255 

60 Poke 44292,71:Poke 44293,85:Poke 44294,78:Poke 44295,129 

70 Poke 44358,71:Poke 44359,85:Poke 44360,65:Poke 44361,82 

80 Poke 44362,68:Poke 44363,129 





NOTES

Julian Gollop, as well as the sequels to Rebelstar, has also

written Nebula.

