Overview
With the famous comic strip heroes from ‘LES TUNIQUES BLEUES’ (The
Blue Jackets), imagined by LAMBIL, designed by CAUVIN and published by
EDITIONS DUPUIS, re-live the American Civil War with a little bit of
historical realism and a lot of humour!
Your objective is ensure victory for your side (North or South) by
eliminating all the enemy armies. You will be controlling armies
across all the combat zones of the Civil War. You may respect history
or not, as you like.
1. SELECTING 1 OR 2 PLAYERS
===========================
Click on the Window flag behind the character; a computer will appear,
signalling that your computer will play that side. Reclick on the
computer to switch to human mode.
2. DIFFICULTY LEVEL
===================
Click on the character head in the window.
CORPORALS: BLUTCH for the Union, MATHIAS for the Confederacy.
SERGEANTS: CHESTERFIELD for the Union and CANCRELAT for the
Confederacy.
CAPTAINS: STARK for the North and PHILIP for the South.
CORPORAL is the most difficult, CAPTAIN the easiest game level.
3. CHANGE START YEAR
====================
To choose the year when your game begins, click on the calendar to
scroll the years from 1861 to 1864. 1865 is not available, since the
situation was too unfavourable for the South. Each year corresponds to
a certain number of armies and territories owned by each side; the
situation reflects actual historical conditions for that year.
4. DISASTERS
============
These options are available in order to allow you to create some of
the elements that fans of the comic book series know very well. These
disasters will modify the strategic situation.
To activate a disaster, just click on it.
When in play, you will not be able to cancel the disaster.
a) – Indians:
They occasionally attack armies in neighbouring territories. When
the Indians have spotted their prey, they send smoke signals
before launching their attack. The army thus attacked may lose
only some of its units or could be completely wiped out.
– Mexicans:
If you have activated the Indian mode, the Mexican will also be
present. Irritated at being so unceremoniously torn from a much
needed snooze following a refreshing siesta, he will throw a bomb
on the State of Texas, just to calm down whatever army happens to
be there at the time. The poor army will lose some or all its
units.
b) Storms:
A storm cloud travels around above the map. Any army under the
cloud is unable to move until the cloud leaves the territory.
c) European Reinforcements:
Both sides in the Civil War were diplomatically very active in
Europe. The side who owns South Virginia will receive a ship
containing reinforcements. Once on dry land, they will constitute
an army (1 Cannon unit, 3 Cavalry units and 6 Infantry units) if
there is no army currently in that territory; if there is already
an army, then the newcomers from over the ocean will reinforce that
army up to maximum limits (3 Cannon, 9 Cavairy and 18 Infantry).
Any extras are lost.
5. STRATEGIC OR ARCADE MODE
===========================
Click on the Arcade icon to disactivate the Strategic mode and
vice-versa. In the Arcade mode there are three challenges to face:
the battle, the train and the fort.
In the Strategic mode, these three arcade challenges are replaced by
an automatic system for determining the outcome of each challenge,
using a random decision based on the respective strength of the
opposing forces. This option caters for those players who prefer to
concentrate on the purely strategic aspects of the simulation.
THE GAME
STRATEGIC MAP AND GAME
According to the start year chosen, the number and positions of armies
vary. Here is a map of the States over which your armies will move.
What is an ARMY in the game?
An army is made up of a number of units of Infantry, Cavalry and
Cannon. According to the number of units in an army, the soldier who
represents that army or the screen map has a greater or lesser number
of cannon balls at his feet.
ARMY MOVEMENT
=============
Play is organized into Game Turns. Players play one after the other.
When each has played his turn, the Game Turn is then completed. During
each of his turns a player may move some or all his armies; he may move
each army from its current territory to a neighbouring territory
(a territory sharing a border with it). Here are a few examples:
1. Moving to another territory
– Click on the unit you want to move
– The possible territories where your chosen unit may move will
flash.
– Click on the territory you wish the unit to move to.
The unit moves to the selected territory. That unit may not move
again until the next Game Turn.
2. Cancel a move so that another unit may first be moved
– Click on a non-flashing territory.
– The army will stay on its territory and may still be moved this
Turn.
– You may also click on the original territory.
3. You decide not to move one, or several particular units
This operation may ONLY be done when ALL movement has been
played. When one or more armies remain which you don’t want to
move, to finish your turn, click on the Months and Years band at
the bottom of the screen. lt is now your opponent’s turn to play.
4. lt you have moved all your units, your turn ends automatically.
CONQUERING A TERRITORY
======================
6 cases are possible when a unit moves into a territory
1. The territory is VIRGIN.
– The territory is owned by the first player
to move an army onto it.
– If the army moves away from the territory, then the player’s
flag will appear in it.
2. The territory is enemy-owned but currently unoccupied by
an enemy army.
– The new army conquers the territory
and the enemy flag disappears.
– When the new army leaves, the owning side’s flag appears.
3. The territory is already occupied by an enemy unit.
– In this case there will be a battle. lf the attacker wins, then
the territory will change sides.
4. The territory is already owned by the player. Nothing changes.
5. The territory has a town and is occupied by an enemy army.
– The enemy army must then be defeated in the battle
or forced to retreat.
– You must then win the fight in the fort.
– If you win in the fort, your army may stay in the territory. If
not, it will stay in its original territory.
6. The territory has a town and is enemy-owned but no enemy
army is prosent.
– You must win the fort game to conquer the territory.
– If you fail, your attacking army will remain in its
original territory.
FUSING TWO ARMIES TOGETHER
==========================
It can sometimes be a good idea to fuse two or more armies into one
big force. This is done during movernent:
– Click on an army.
– Move that army to an adjacent territory containing an allied army
in order to be fused with.
– You now have a new reinforced army which you’ll be able to move
next turn.
NOTE: The same system of maximum possible force as with European
Reinforcement is used here. You cannot have an army greater in
strength than 18 Infantry, 9 Cavalary and 3 Cannon.
ATTACKING AN ENEMY ARMY
– Click on the army you want to use.
– Click on the territory containing the enemy unit you wish to attack.
– The two opposing armies will now switch to the arcade ‘Battle’ mode,
unless the players are in strategic mode only.
ATTACKING AN ENEMY ARMY WITH SEVERAL ARMIES
If several allied neighbour units can move onto the same enemy-
occupied territory, then they may attack that enemy at the same time.
– Click on one of your attacking armies.
– Click on the enemy territory.
– All allied armies which can attack that enemy will automatically
move to the enemy territory.
NOTE : Remember that the sum of attacking armies may not exceed the
maximum of 18 Infantry, 9 Cavalry and 3 Cannon. lf, after this fusion,
there are extra units, they will remain as an army in one of the
original territories. The computer is supreme judge in tricky cases!
RETREATS
========
If the battle situation seems grave enough to suggest an orderly
retreat, in arcade mode, the joystick/keyboard 1 player should press
the E key; the joystick 2 player should press [arrow pointing up].
If you have taken the decision to retreat, there are two possible
cases:
– You are the attacker: your army moves to its territory of origin.
– You are the defender and the computer moves your army back from the
front line to one of your territories. In both cases the retreating
army loses an artillery unit.
– If none of your territories are available to move back to, then the
retreat won’t be possible and the retreat keys (E and ) will be
inactive.
THE SUPPLY PHASE OR GETTING NEW ARMIES
At the end of each Game Turn, according to the number of territories
you possess, you should receive a certain number of bags of gold.
You will only receive the gold, however, if two of your towns are
connected by a railroad crossing only territories of your own.
Getting the gold
—————-
If two towns are correctly connected, a train will travel at the end
of your turn from one to the other. The bags of gold will then be
deposited in the players central Bank.
Getting new armies
——————
When a player has 5 bags of gold in his bank, a new army is created in
exchange for the 5 bags. The new army will flash at the bottom left of
the map.
To move the new army into play, click on a flashing territory. The new
army (6 Infantry, 3 Cavalry and 1 Cannon) can only move to a territory
containing no other army and which lies on a railroad line that
belongs entirely to the new army’s player. The available territories
will flash.
What happens lf you cannot move a new army into play.
—————————————————–
lf no appropriate territory is available, the bags of gold will remain
in your Bank until you are able to move a new army onto the playing map.
How to collect your enemy’s taxes.
———————————-
-You must block the line between the two enemy towns by capturing one
of the territories along the line.
-No link between another two enemy towns must be possible (otherwise
the train will always take the safest route, the one with no hostile
army present).
-Once and once only, the enemy train will try to get through (if no
other possible line exists). You will then switch to the Train arcade
sequence. lf you win the arcade (or strategic) sequence, the enemy’s
taxes will arrive in your Bank.
THE TRAIN SEQUENCE: ARCADE MODE
The character you control is on the ground. First you must climb up
the back end ofthe passing wagons onto the roof of the train. lf you
fail to climb on, then your interception attempt is over.
Your objective is to reach the front of the train in order to stop it
and overcome the driver.
To defeat your enemies:
– Space bar or Fire button: you throw a knife at your enemy, unless
you are in hand to hand combat.
– Space bar or Fire button: you punch your enemy in hand to hand
combat.
NOTE : The number of knives available is limited by the difficulty
level.
The race against time:
The amount of time availabie varies according to the difficulty level.
Time is symbolized by a clock and your progress towards the locomotive
is represented by a boot. You must get there before your time runs
out; your boot must reach the right edge before the clock. lt an enemy
pushes you off the train, you must climb back on as fast as you can
before the train gets away!
2-Player version:
The player who owns the train, and who detends it against the
attacking player, can send men onto the roof to fight off the attack.
– To send a man up to the roof: Direction UP or DOWN.
– To throw a knife or give a punch (in hand to hand combat), press the
Fire button.
NOTE : The man moves by himself from right to left. The defending
player controls the moment when the soldier appears and fires.
THE FORT SEQUENCE
Possession of at least two towns connected by a railroad link is vital
for both players. These towns are protected by forts. To capture an
enemy territory containing a fort, the player must defeat any enemy
army present in the territory (in Battle mode) and also win the fort
game. If no enemy army currently occupies the territory, the attacking
player will still have to take the fort in order to capture the
territory. lf the attack fails, then the attacking army stays where it
was at the start of the turn. A failure has no other consequences.
The arcade game:
Time is limited; the more difficult the level, the less time you have.
Once again, a boot symbolizes your progross in the fort. Your
objective is the enemy flag situated at the far end of the fort. lf
you get there in time, the enemy flag will come down, to be replaced
by yours. You have captured the town.
You move and fight according to the same principle as in the Train
sequence. Some of the obstacles can only be got over by climbing a
ladder. Guard-dogs will appear from time to time and try to stop the
attacker. lf the attacker steps on a box of explosives, he will be
stunned for several seconds.
THE PITCHED BATTLE
A battle is fought when two opposing armies occupy the same territory.
The aim is to eliminate the enemy force or force it to retreat. The
winner keeps the territory where the battle is fought.
Battle play:
1. Choose the unit which is to move or fire:
The selected unit is represented by its symbol. It is displayed at
top left screen for the Union player and top right screen for the
Confederate player.
2. Moving the unit
– Artillery moves only UP or DOWN.
– Cavalry begins facing the enemy, either RIGHT or LEFT. Backward
movement is impossible for horses; the most they can do is stay
where they are.
– Infantry can move in any directon.
3. Firing and Charging
Keep the Space bar or Fire button pressed; a gauge will display
at the top of the screen. The fuller the gauge, the greater the
range. When the gauge reaches the bottom, you reach the end of
the enemy screen.
To fire, release the Space bar or Fire button, The cannon balls
will land at a distance corresponding to the gauge level.
NOTE : The cannons possess only 9 cannon balls. When the
artillery has exhausted its ammunition, it will automatically
leave the field of battie.
– Cavalry: The same principie applies to commands. The first
FIRE-press positions the charge, facing the enemy.
Further FIRE pressing is used for sabre-slashing the enemy
troops. When the Cavalry reaches the opposite screen edge, it
will go round the battle field and return to its original
position, assuming of course that there are survivors!
Changing formation: To switch Cavalrymen to normal or to
single-file formation, direct them once in the opposite direction
to the direction of their charge (RIGHT or LEFT). This particular
manoeuvre is vital for crossing bridges and canyons!
– Infantry: The same command principle applies. The first press
places the footsoldiers into firing position. Further pressing
will make the firers shoot straight ahead. Changing formation:
To return to the original formation, just direct them once in
the direction opposite to their marching direction (LEFT or
RIGHT). lf you continue taking that direction, the formation will
move back.
SURROUNDING THE ENEMY
To capture a territory without fighting a battle, you can encircle it.
When enemy territories with no armies stationed in them are encircled
by several of your armies, those territories change sides.
You cannot ‘surround’ a territory which has a town.
GENTLEMEN, DRAW SABRES!
Review:
I played this first on the Spectrum and then on the Amiga and I have to say both of these games are outstanding and certainly push the Spectrum to the limit!
If you have ever played this game it tries to be a humerous game taking a tongue and cheek angle on the North and South at War and it cracks it.
From the outstanding music and sound effects to the well drawn title screens to the gorgeous pixelated characters to the well drawn nack grounds.
If you have played this game confess you have touched the photographers bum and he giggles.
The only game similar that i enjoyed as much of this is Advanced Wars but this edges fun simple and addictive although a little easy but you wont care as you want to play again and again!
