LEGIONS OF DEATH
Lothlorien


Objective and setting
The game is set during the Punic Wars, a major conflict
between the Roman Republic and Carthage which lasted
from 264BC to the destruction of the Carthaginian capital
in 146BC.
	The game concentrates on the crucial factor governing
the outcome of that series of wars - naval supremacy.
	In 264BC, by a vote of the assembly of the people, a
Roman army crossed the Straits of Messina to aid the
Mamertines of Messana (Messina) against Carthage. It
was thus on the economically rich island of Sicily that the
two nations first met head-on.
	The campaign went well for Rome, but it soon became
apparent that she could not hold the Sicilian ports and
coastal plains without a fleet to prevent Carthaginian
supplies and reinforcements coming ashore. With help
from King Hiero of Syracuse, they set about building ships
after the Greek pattern - but with a vitally important
difference.
	Greek ships of the period were designed to ram and sink
enemy vessels. A massive "rostra" projected from the front
of the ship, and was able to cave in an enemy hull at the
waterline. The Romans had more faith in their infantry
than in sailors, though. By fitting their ships with a corvus -
- a manoeuvrable boarding plank - they could transfer
their soldiers to an enemy vessel once it had been grappled
and pulled alongside.
	Once aboard, Roman discipline and training would do
the rest!
	The battle arena covers the central Mediterranean, and
the Cartographic screen display allows close-up views of
specific areas within that zone.
	Your task is to ensure that your fleet gains the upper
hand, while protecting your own ports. Failure to handle
your forces effectively will lead inexorably to defeat, even
though you yourself lay down the conditions for victory.

Computer play
	If you select one player mode, you will be given command of
the Carthaginian fleet.
	The computer will construct its own fleet and place its
ships to its best advantage.
	At the start of each game, the disposition of the
computer's ships will vary according to the victory
conditions you have set.
	Once play starts, the computer will move its fleet
intelligently in order to confound your strategy and to
achieve its own objectives.

Conclusion
The game ends when one side achieves the pre-set victory
conditions.
	The computer will then ask if you wish to start a new
game.

Gameplay - Spectrum version
Load the game, using 48K mode if you have a 128K
machine, and the computer will give you a menu of options.
	All selections can be made by joystick or keyboard. When
using the joystick the usual backward/forward, right/left
conventions apply. Moving on will confirm selections and
call up the next screen where appropriate. To move on, give
the fire or direction instruction as required.
	When using the keyboard, the key designations are as
follows:
Q = Up                  A = Down
O = Left/Less than      P = Right/Greater than
Symbol shift = Fire/Confirm

	If you take the computer opponent option, you will play
Carthage, and the computer will command the Roman
fleet. If yon select the two-player alternative, Carthage will
buy and position first. The program will automatically
switch between the players to give the sequence - Carthage
buys its fleet; Rome buys its fleet; Carthage places its fleet;
Rome places its fleet. In two player mode, Rome issues
fleet orders before Carthage.

Victory Conditions
The Down Cursor key will unroll the scroll for setting
victory conditions. Victory conditions are set by the human
player(s), and cover the three categories of:

1. Gold held in the capital city
2. Cities captured
3. Enemy ships sunk

Care should be taken when selecting victory conditions.
Remember that these criteria apply to your opponent too.
The computer will play aggressively, and will take full
advantage of victory conditions which are too easily
achieved.

Building your fleet
Before starting your campaign you must first build your
ships and man them.
	When buying your fleet you will have an initial treasury
of 1000 gold pieces. You do not have to spend all of this
money.
	The screens allowing you to build your ships introduce
the first of a series of icons which enable you to find your
way through the command structure and make your
decisions. A flow chart of these icons is printed on the inlay
card.

BUY: This icon enables you to start the buying process.
Selection of this option will call up a series of
screens requiring you to decide between types of vessel,
types of crew, and so on. All selections are made by using
the joystick.
	The first choice to be made is that of ship. The types of
vessel are listed on the parchment which unrolls at the left
of the screen. There are five types of vessel, and each has its
own characteristics in terms of size, speed, hull strength,
and the numbers of troops she can carry.
	The smallest ship is the bireme, which has only two
banks of oars. It is nevertheless quite fast, but has
sacrificed hull strength to achieve speed.
	By contrast, the massive Ct Heptares is the slowest of the
five ship designs, but has formidable hull strength and can
carry large numbers of troops.
	Information on each ship type is as below:

		Max	Max	Max	Max No	Max No
Ship		Gold	Speed	Hull	Marines	Archers
Bireme		10	4	2	3	1
Trireme		13	5	3	5	2
Quadreme	23	5	4	8	3
Quinquereme	32	4	5	10	4
Ct Heptares	45	3	7	13	4

Once you have chosen your first ship you may then man and
equip it. A list of options will be displayed on a roll at the
left of the screen. Details are given below:
	Crews. The choice of crews affects the number of moves a
ship can make at full speed. You may choose between four
types - slaves, green, average and expert. The better the
crew the more moves can be made at maximum speed. The
crew type also affects the outcome of grappling actions.
	Naturally, crew costs vary according to type and the size
of the vessel they sail on. Details are given below. The
figures given are the number of gold pieces per crew.

Ship Type	Slaves	Green	Average	Expert
Bireme		15	23	33	48
Trireme		33	44	65	83
Quadreme	42	55	75	105
Quinquereme	47	62	80	112
Ct Heptares	70	86	108	140

	Marines. Each ship type is allowed a maximum number
of marines. These men are used to fight in the grappling
sequences. The more marines a ship has, the greater the
chance of capturing the enemy vessel. Each marine costs
two gold pieces.
	Corvus. The corvus is a stout boarding plank which is
lowered onto the deck of an enemy ship. A heavy metal
spike at the business end prevents disengagement until
the attacking ship is ready to break off the grappling
action. Possession of a corvus makes boarding a much
quicker and effective operation, but may mean you also
provide a means for enemy soldiers to board your ship.
	The corvus is a Roman invention. Therefore in a game
against the computer you should assume that all enemy
ships will carry it.
	The corvus costs 21 gold pieces.
	Archers. Archers will be of use in any actions, even when
contact is made between ships but neither ship elects to
grapple and board its adversary. Each archer costs 2 gold
pieces.
	Tower. The tower is a wooden structure which enables
your archers to increase their range and have better
visibility of enemy decks and rigging. The tower costs 9
gold pieces.
	Sails. Sails are used to give a ship with the wind behind
it an extra move in each phase. Conversely, a ship will lose
its last move in each phase if the wind is head-on. A wind at
any other heading will have the effect of modifying the set
course and speed according to the interplay of orders and
wind direction.
	The large Cartographic display has a compass-like icon
in the top right hand corner, which shows the direction the
wind is blowing to. It is important to refer to this feature
whenever you are using sails. The wind direction will
change at random during the game.
	Sails cost 10 gold pieces, and can be raised or lowered
during the game, but will be lost if they are up during
ramming.
	Escape. Selection of the escape option and then pressing
P will confirm purchase of your ship as you have specified,
and will move you back to the icon option screen.
		You now have the opportunity to buy further vessels. To
vary the make-up of your fleet, reselect the BUY icon. You
can, however, make other choices.

COPY: This icon will allow you to duplicate the last
vessel bought.

REDO: This will enable you to cancel the last ship you
bought and reformat it to any pattern you prefer.
By moving between BUY, COPY and REDO you
can construct your fleet to suit your preferences and
treasury. If you wish to buy more ships, you may return to
this group of icons at any stage during the game by
selecting REPAIR (see flowchart).

	Once you are satisfied with your fleet select icon RETURN.

Positioning your ships
You will now be asked to position your ships. They must be
placed in your own ports. The program will not allow you to
place vessels at any other location.
	Each port position is indicated by a different coloured
square to the port. It is possible for several ships to be
placed at one port, but each ship must occupy a separate
square.
	Thus ships can be placed by making combined use of the
Cartographic display on the left of the screen, and the
close-up view to the right.
	Note that in the computer-opponent mode you will now
be able to see where Rome has placed her ships. An
important point to remember is that Rome can start the
game with ships already at sea and will begin with a full
fleet complement of 16 vessels.
	Once you have placed your ships, you will be ready to
issue movement orders.

Issuing movement orders
To issue orders to your fleet requires correct manipulation
of the command and enquiry structure of the program. The
flow chart printed on the inlay card will enable you to
follow the correct routes.
	Explanations of the icons shown at each level in the
chart are as follows:

GO: This is a command to carry out the next phase of
ship movements orders. Unless new orders have
been issued the previous courses and speeds will be
maintained subject to collisions, wind changes and other
relevant factors. If no orders have been issued to your
vessels enemy ships will still carry out their own
manoeuvres if this icon is selected. Failure to give orders to
your fleet effectively allows total freedom of the battle area
to your opponent

TAPE: This icon will take you to the screen which
enables you to save or load a part-finished game,
or allow a fresh start by taking you back to the beginning of
the program.

ORDERS: In one player mode this icon also appears twice
on the same screen and will trigger the sequence
of screens necessary to issue movement commands to your
fleet. In two player mode, the ORDERS icons is
replaced by SWAP (see note below).

	It should be noted that orders can only be issued to
individual ships not to all vessels in a blanket fashion.

LOOK!: Selecting this icon will enable you to explore
the battle area by making use of LEGIONS OF
DEATH' Cartographic display screens.
	Ships can be identified on the larger map as tiny dots,
enabling you to home in for a closer look more easily. Use of
this feature will enable you not only to focus on your ships,
but also those of your opponent. By positioning the central
sighting square over an enemy ship, you will be given a
limited amount of information about the vessel, ie. name
and type. Reference to the specifications given above will
then enable you to make an educated estimate of the
possible strength of crew and weaponry on board, as well
as its potential speed and hull strength.
	Use of this option is a mandatory first step when issuing
orders to any vessel outside the range of the close-up
Cartographic display.

STATUS: By selecting this icon you can discover how the
game is proceeding, and remind yourself of the
victory conditions you have set down.

SELECT: This icon is a mandatory selection when you wish
to issue instructions to your fleet.
	As mentioned previously, orders can only be given to
individual ships. This icon allows you to target that ship,
thus enabling you to gain access to the rest of the command
structure of the program.
	When this icon is chosen, you are asked to select a ship.
This is done by positioning the sighting square as
described previously, but over your own vessel.
	Details about this ship will then be displayed, and by
leaving the SELECT mode you have identified which vessel
the orders which follow relate to. By pressing Fire, you may
continue with your instructions to the selected ship.

GOLD: By selecting this option you will be able to carry
various operations in port, such as collecting
tribute and carrying out repairs. It is also the first step in
buying vessels to enlarge your initial fleet

SAILS: Selecting this icon will reverse the status of your
sails. By selecting and reselecting you can put
your sails up or down at any point during the game.

SPEED: This option icon will allow you to check the
current and target speeds of your ship, and
amend them as required. Note that only one unit of speed
change is possible in each cycle of moves. To move from
speed of 1 to 3, or vice versa, will therefore take two moves.

COURSE: By selecting this option you will be able to alter
current course being followed by your ship. If
the vessel is at rest, you will be given the course last
ordered. Move Up, Down, Left or Right as required to alter
course. The faster a ship is moving, the more difficult a
course change will be.
	Whatever speed your ship is doing, however, you will be
unable to make radical course changes unless the vessel is
stationary. In that case, you will be asked to select a new
course or you may continue with the old course if
preferred.

SWITCH MENU: This option allows you to toggle between two
option screens (see flow chart for icons on each
screen).

REPAIR: This icon allows access to several useful features
(see flow chart). With the exception of buying new
ships, however, the icons reached through this option can
only be used if the ship selected is actually in port. Once
the game has started, and unless you are positioning newly
bought vessels, the different coloured squares which show
the available berths in a port will disappear. It is therefore
possible to be just outside a port unless you pay close
attention to your game.

COLLECT: Largely self-explanatory, but can only be used in
friendly port which has gold ready to pick up.

DEPOSIT: As the previous icon, but in reverse. The same
conditions on ship position apply.

SWAP: In two player mode, this replaces one of the
ORDERS icons and initiates a change of turn,
allowing your opponent to make his moves.

NEW GAME: This option allows you to return to the beginning
of the program and start a new game.

SAVE: This option icon allows you to save a part finished
game onto cassette.

LOAD: This icon enables you to load a part finished
game from cassette.

REPAIR SHIP: Selecting this option automatically repairs a
damaged vessel, provided it is in a friendly port.

REPAIR SAIL: Selecting this option automatically repairs
damaged sails, again provided the ship is in a
friendly port.

RETURN: This icon appears at several points in the
program. It enables you to return to the previous
screen, ie. the screen immediately upstream on the flow
chart. A quick look at the chart itself will show exactly how
this works. From the diagram you can see that on some
occasions you may have to engage several RETURN icons
in succession ta order to travel between any two screens.

Playing hints
Whether playing against a human or computer opponent,
beware of making the victory conditions too easy, since
they apply to both parties in this contest of skill and
planning.
	If you are playing against the computer remember that
Rome will start the game with certain advantages. You
must therefore spend your money wisely when building
your fleet, and it may be advisable to economise on
equipment in the opening stages in order to buy as many
ships as possible. With the tribute you can then collect, you
can construct more formidable vessels to attack enemy
ships and ports.
	Again, when playing against the computer, you must
expect your opponent to play very aggressively. Rome will
try to send large numbers of ships against any isolated
vessel, and due allowance must be made for this tendency
to hunt in packs.
	The realistic use of grappling engagements requires you
to use your judgement when involved in this type of action,
and where possible you should avoid situations where you
cannot inflict damage relatively safely.
	LEGIONS OF DEATH is designed to incorporate all the
skills of judgement, forethought, and quick effective
response to rapidly changing circumstances which a fleet
admiral would have needed in this type of warfare.
	Without close attention to detailed tactics and overall
strategy, mistakes will be punished heavily and often with
remarkable speed.
