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Today "SPECTROFON" presents to your attention the game "1812".
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to find out in which year and by whom this exciting strategic game was written. The original version of "1812" was completely written in BASIC. Because of this, the program seemed very "slow." The computer thought about each move for too long. During this time, one could easily take a nap, drink several cups of coffee, smoke a pack of cigarettes, meet with a beloved girl, or chat on the phone with a friend.
The authors of the game understood that a game against the computer could drag on, and therefore provided the option to save the state.
When we prepared this game for you, we slightly modernized it by rewriting some blocks. The program became significantly faster, and now you are unlikely to have time to run on a date while the computer makes its move. Nevertheless, for those who wish, we left the option to save the state, redesigning it for TR-DOS.
Now about the game itself.
"1812"
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The game belongs to a genre often referred to as "wargames." Here you command troops, issue orders, and generally feel like Napoleon. Or Kutuzov. However you like. Your main goal is to defeat the superior forces of the enemy and capture the flag located at the enemy's headquarters. You will be able to assess your command talent at the end of the game when your king pays you a fee in golden ducats. The more you receive, the higher your actions as a commander are valued.
Immediately after loading, you will be prompted to load a saved state. If you are starting this game for the first time, press "N." Then you will be asked to enter the name of your army: for example, "RUSSIAN" (if you want to command the American army, enter "AMERICAN," etc.).
After that, you choose the battlefield:
CHOOSE BATTLEFIELD
P - PLAIN
R - RIVERS
F - FOREST
After choosing the battlefield, you need to select the difficulty level of the game. First, choose the morale level of the enemy army:
ENEMY MORAL
L - LOW
M - MEDIUM
H - HIGH
And then the number of enemy regiments:
NUMBER OF ENEMY REGIMENTS
1 - 17 regiments
2 - 25 regiments
3 - 34 regiments
Having set up the game, you proceed to deploy your troops (the enemy troops will already be deployed by this time). Troops can be deployed using the cursor keys + "ENTER."
The game begins as soon as you deploy your regiments.
LIST OF YOUR REGIMENTS
(in parentheses is the quantity).
GUARDS REGIMENT - Guards Regiment (2).
FUSILIERS - Fusiliers (2).
FOOT REGIMENT - Foot Regiment (2).
CAVALERY REGIMENT - Cavalry Regiment (3).
ARTILLERY ' ' BATTERY - Artillery Battery (3).
ENGINEERS DETACHMENT - Engineers Detachment (1).
HEADQUARTERS - Headquarters (1).
Each regiment is characterized by the number of soldiers and morale level. With each victory, the morale of the regiment increases (can reach 10). With each loss of personnel, the overall morale level of the regiment decreases. It is clear that the higher the morale, the more coordinated and precise the actions of the regiment. In one of the games, we managed to hold back the enemy's advance with the remnants of a regiment numbering only 175 men. It should be remembered that the morale of your troops and their fighting spirit play perhaps the most important role in this game. By the way, there are plenty of examples of this in real life as well.
Moves in the game are made alternately with the computer, like in chess. Thus, one cycle of the game can be divided into four phases: enemy advance, enemy attack, your troops' advance, your troops' attack. In the middle of the cycle (after the enemy's attack), you can get a report from the battlefield. From it, you can learn about the number of each regiment and its morale. This will help you plan further actions.
A few words about the capabilities of your regiments.
Cavalry regiments: fast movement and the ability for surprise attacks.
Artillery batteries: can be effectively used for shelling enemy positions before your regiments attack. Most effective when firing from ambush at close range.
Engineers Detachment: building bridges and clearing forests for quick troop movements.
Headquarters: guarded by an elite unit with a high morale level. Remember that the more often you move the headquarters, the lower the morale of the unit guarding it will be.
The other regiments have approximately the same characteristics and capabilities.
When it is your turn to make a move, you will need to use the cursor keys to set the direction of the regiment's movement. The computer will choose and offer you to give an order to the regiment. The Engineers Detachment can build a bridge or clear a forest on its turn.
Control keys for the Engineers Detachment:
B - build a bridge,
F - clear the forest,
M - continue moving.
For all other units, you simply set the direction of movement with the cursor keys. "ENTER" - skip the turn.
When enemy troops appear in adjacent locations, they can be attacked. For artillery, shelling is allowed if the enemy is no more than four locations away from your battery. Just remember that in case of entering an incorrect direction of movement or attack, you will no longer be allowed to proceed.
And hurry! Time in this game is limited. Combat operations are conducted from 6 AM to 6 PM. Each turn is one hour.
Remember that the capture of your headquarters by the enemy does not yet mean your complete downfall. Likewise, the capture of the enemy's headquarters by your troops does not mean complete victory.
The results of the game are summarized at the very end when the game time has expired or the headquarters is captured.
The golden ducats you receive symbolize points earned for successfully conducted local operations and for the entire battle as a whole. Your actions will be commented on by the reaction of the emperor at the end of the game.
For the curious, we provide all possible comments.
0 ducats: His Majesty sees a sea of blood! There is a loaded pistol in your tent - make the right decision.
0-19 ducats: His Majesty is furious. You are referred to a military tribunal.
19-39 ducats: His Majesty did not express displeasure. You remain at your post.
39-49 ducats: His Majesty is pleased. You have become a member of the Order of the Red Ribbon.
49-59 ducats: His Majesty is very pleased. He has granted you a noble title.
59-150 ducats: His Majesty is delighted. He has appointed you Supreme Commander.
We wish you success!
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Contents of the publication: Spectrofon #05
- Экспертиза - Дмитрий Усманов
Description of 'THEATRE EUROPE' game mechanics simulating hypothetical NATO-Warsaw Pact conflict in the 1980s, with emphasis on strategic decisions and potential nuclear scenarios. Players manage military units with options for offensive and defensive strategies. Explores the severe consequences of nuclear warfare.
- Дебют - Дмитрий Усманов
Description of the text adventure game 'Robin of Sherwood: Touchstones of Rhianon' by Adventure International. The article provides a walkthrough for the game's initial challenging locations. Emphasizes the game's real-time mechanics and encourages frequent saving.
- Экзамен
Quiz section 'EXAM' in Spectrofon #05 remains popular, receiving many answers from readers about 'ROBIN OF THE SHERWOOD'. New questions are posed and readers compete for journal issues. First correct answers win issues of the journal.
- Обзор - Анатолий Хоробрых
The article provides an expert review of 'ELITE-3', covering its features and challenges. It discusses civilized software distribution in Russia. Key gameplay elements and missions are explored in detail.
- Архив
Description of the strategy game '1812' involving troop command and battlefield choices. Highlights include game mechanics, strategic options, and in-game scoring based on player performance. Updated version optimized for speed with save state features.
- Фантазия - Анатолий Хоробрых
A computer novella based on the game 'NIGHT RUN' by DIVIDE BY ZERO, following agent John Ladd's mission against double agents and a treacherous general. The story highlights Ladd's dangerous encounters and his relentless pursuit of justice. It’s an arcade adventure for fans of 'VENDETTA'.
- Система
Introduction of 'GRAPHIC ADVENTURE CREATOR' by INCENTIVE SOFTWARE for creating adventure games, featuring an unprotected version with an example. A detailed review is available in 'ZX-REVU' 1994. Includes instructions for using the software to create a standalone game.
- Горячий привет - Сергей Симонович
Analysis of adventure games evolution from text-based to multimedia. Discussion of simplification and challenges in modern adventure games. Nostalgia for classic gameplay and potential for Russian game development.
- Реклама
Advertisement for the Spectrofon magazine with distribution details and call for authors, artists, and musicians.
