Cannon Fodder manual
- Cannon Fodder
- manual
CANNON FODDER
CONTENTS
1) Box Contents 13) Share and share alike
2) Loading Cannon Fodder 14) Regrouping Troops
3) Trouble Shooting 15) A Mission Reminder
4) What you can expect to see during play 16) Phase Complete
5) From Conscripts to Troopers 17) Saving Games
6) Controlling Troopers 18) Loading Saved Games
7) The Status Panel 19) The Train Spotters guide
8) The Pointer to the enemy 20) To the Terrain
9) Moving Troops 21) To Vehicles
10) Using Weapons 22) To Ranks
11) Boarding and Leaving Vehicles
12) Form a new Troop (or 2)
2) LOADING CANNON FODDER
Note that Cannon Fodder is for One player only (but friends are allowed to cheer you on).
Set up your computer as described in its instruction manual. Ensure that a mouse is plugged into the port `1 JOYSTICK'.
If your computer is turned on, turn it off. Wait for at least thirty seconds before turning on your computer again. This will remove any virus which may be present and so minimise the risk of infecting and possibly destroying your Cannon Fodder disks.
Insert the Cannon Fodder disk 1 into the computers internal disk drive.
The program will load and run automatically. When you are prompted to insert Cannon Fodder disk 2, do so.
You will know that Cannon Fodder has loaded when you see the title screen. Further loading from disk 2 may be required, so do not remove it from the drive unless you are prompted to insert disk 3 or until you no longer wish to play.
3) TROUBLE SHOOTING
In the unlikely event that Cannon Fodder fails to load, turn off your computer and remove any extraneous external peripherals such as printers (leave the monitor or television connected) before repeating the loading procedure.
4) WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE DURING PLAY
All the action takes place in the playfield which takes up the best part of the screen. Here are some of the things you will see.....
TOP LEFT - STATUS PANEL
MID LEFT - AN ENEMY INSTALLATION
LOW LEFT - THE MAP ICON
ON SCREEN- BIRDS, GRASS, TROOPERS, POINTER + VEHICLES!
5) FROM CONSCRIPTS TO TROOPERS
Before you get to see the above screen, you need to call up some fit young men to become troopers. As luck would have it, over at Boot Hill there is a queue of some 360 eager conscripts waiting to go to war - but only 15 of them are allowed to volunteer for each mission. Fortunately for all concerned, the innocent are aided to the experienced troop of survivors from previous missions.
There are 24 missions to complete, each one with a different terrain and objective and split into a maximum of six phases. For more intimate details see know your mission profiles and know your terrain!
6) CONTROLLING TROOPERS
You do not exactly control troopers but instead determine their behaviour thanks to a remarkable interfacing technique involving a mouse, a pointer, and a troop leader. Troopers will only follow their leader but can be encouraged to run around in circles, shoot anything that moves, throw grenades, shoot bazookas, drive Tanx, fly choppas, split up and do their own thing, and die.
At the start of the game all troopers are conscripted as lowly Privates.
Their ranks increase for every phase they somehow survive, but their promotion only happens when the mission is complete. After every three missions the raw recruits receive extra training and so have already risen in rank when called upon to do their duty. The rank of the troop leader is shown above his head, just so you know who's in charge.
Note that the bullets fired by your troopers are clever. They will not kill a fellow trooper - unless he is wounded and squirming around on the ground in agony. However, it must also be noted that all other weaponry kills everyone, regardless of what side they are on.
7) THE STATUS PANEL
It does more than inform....
THE TROOPS LOGO - Shows the logo of the troop.
GRENADES - Shows whether or not the troop has any grenades
and, if so, how many. At first the troop has no grenades. Extra grenades are found in boxes of four. Pick them up - and be careful not to blow them up. Note that, in the interests of public safety, from the phase entitled `Pier Pressure' onwards, each trooper is given two grenades - free of charge.
BAZOOKAS - Not to be confused with the crude trombone-like musical instruments of the same name - or indeed, bazoomas, which are something else entirely - these bazookas are weapons of war. This symbol shows whether or not the troop has any bazookas and, if so, how many. At first the troop has no bazookas but a keen eye will soon spot the barrels in which four bazookas are stored. Pick them up - and be careful not to blow them up.
Note that, in the interests of Public Safety, from the phase entitled `My Beautiful Skidoo' onwards, each trooper is given a free bazooka.
TROOP STATUS - Shows whether the troop is on foot or in a vehicle. This box is highlighted when the troop is active.
TROOP TROOPERS - The names of the troopers in the troop are shown along with their ranks, in order of importance, with the leader at the top.
8) THE POINTER
This is the aforementioned mouse-controlled pointer used to determine the behaviour of your troopers (and troops). As you will see, the pointer changes to reflect one of three types of trooper conduct:
A) TROOPER (OR TROOP) DESTINATION POINTER
B) WEAPON DESTINATION CROSSHAIR
C) VEHICLE IN, OUT POINTERS
9) MOVING TROOPS
Use the mouse to move the pointer around the screen until its tip touches the desired destination. Not that the way you can view the immediate area surrounding the active troop.
Press the left hand mouse button to make the troop leader move towards the pointers tip. The rest of the troop will follow in rank and file.
10) USING WEAPONS
It couldn't be simpler ...
Press the right-hand mouse button to turn the pointer into a crosshair and make the trooper or troop shoot at the centre of the crosshair.
Press and hold the right-hand mouse button then press the left-hand mouse button to make the troop leader throw a grenade or fire his bazooka at the centre of the crosshair.
11) USING VEHICLES
Five types of vehicle become available in Cannon Fodder. Each vehicle holds up to eight troopers. For details of the vehicles and their special functions, see know your vehicles!
Boarding Vehicles
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Use the mouse to move the pointer around the screen until the tip touches the desired vehicle. The pointer will change to show that the empty vehicle may be boarded.
Press the left-hand mouse button to make the trooper (or troop) board the vehicle.
Press and hold the left-hand mouse button to make the trooper (or troop) shoot the vehicles weapon (if it has one). Note that grenades and bazookas cannot be used while inside a vehicle.
Leaving Vehicles
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Use the mouse to move the pointer around the screen until its tip touches the occupied vehicle. The pointer will change to show that that occupied vehicle may be abandoned.
Press the left-hand mouse button to make the trooper (or troop) leave the vehicle.
A Little White LIE!
Actually, the pointer has a fourth state. When a trooper (or troop) is in a Choppa flying above the terrain, touching the choppa with the pointer will change it into a `the choppa can land symbol' - This obviously means that the choppa can land!
Press the left-hand mouse button when the `The choppa can land symbol' is shown to make the choppa land. Once the choppa has landed, select it to make the troop disembark.
12) FORM A NEW TROOP (OR TWO)
There are times when the strategy dictates that the troopers split up - perhaps to execute a pincer movement. So long as you have enough troopers you can make a maximum of two new troops from the original Snake Troop, and those are: Eagle Troop and Panther Troop.
Select the names of the troopers you'd like to form a new troop (the names will be highlighted). Notice that the troops logo has been split in two.
Select the troops logo to form a new troop with the troopers whose names were highlighted.
Note that new troops may be formed inside a vehicle, but only the highlighted troop will exit the vehicle.
13) SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
Hold on - who takes all the grenades and bazookas when a troop splits? Its up to you to decide. Notice that when you split a troop, any grenades and bazookas are outlined. By selecting the grenades or bazookas, the outline changes to reflect the quantity of weapons - all, half or none - that the new troop will take.
The solid outline represents all the weapons.
The dotted outline represents half of the weapons.
No outline represents none of the weapons.
14) REGROUPING TROOPS
To bring separate troops together simply walk into each other whereupon the troopers will automatically regroup as a single troop.
15) A MISSION REMINDER
Select the map icon for an overview of the surrounding area.
16) PHASE COMPLETE
You did it - you saved the day. And you can save your state of play, too - but only if you manage to complete the whole mission.
Saving Games - See that little picture in the top right hand corner of Boot Hill? That's a save icon, that is, Use the mouse to select it and call up a special Save Screen with three new options: save, format and continue game.
SAVE -You can only save `situations' to a specially formatted disk (see the format option for more details). Having selected the save option you will be prompted to insert your save disk, do so and select ok (you will be prompted if you have inserted the wrong type of disk). Use the keyboard to type a name for your save (a maximum of eight letters and numbers are allowed, but spaces are not). Press the enter key to save the state of play to the disk. Select exit and return to Boot Hill.
FORMAT - Having selected this option, insert a blank disk into the disk drive then select ok. The Cannon Fodder program will check the disk and you will be prompted to decide whether or not you wish to destroy its contents. Select either yes (in which case, wait until the disk is formatted) or no.
LOADING SAVED GAMES - See that little picture in the top left hand corner of Boot Hill? That's a load icon, that is. Use the mouse to select it and call up a special load screen. You will be prompted to insert a save game disk.
If the Cannon Fodder program detects a suitable disk, its contents will be shown on screen (if more than five filenames are stored on the disk, select up or down to view them). Select the filename you wish to load. You will then be returned to Boot Hill.
HOLD IT!
~~~~~~~~
If you need to halt your assault ....
Press the P key to freeze the action.
Press the P key when the action is frozen to resume play.
TRY AGAIN!~
~~~~~~~~~~
So you screwed up? Never mind, surrender and try again. but wait! What if you have some remaining troopers but, say, not enough grenades or inclination to continue and you want to try anything?
Press the ESC key to surrender. Your surviving troopers will be available to replay the phase.
HIGH SCORING HEROES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a trooper dispatches an enemy, one point is added to his personal score. Note that all grenades, bazookas and vehicle weapons are activated by the troop leader, so he gets all the credit (and points, of course).
When a trooper dies, his performance is not forgotten - unless he didn't score enough points to register with the High Scoring Heroes Bureau (who manage the High Scoring Heroes Table).
KNOW YOUR MISSION PROFILES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Those seven primary objectives are revealed in full ...
KILL ALL ENEMY - Including troopers, enemy BigGunz, vehicles and the rest.
DESTROY ENEMY BUILDING - All those buildings with doors from which the enemy emerge.
DESTROY ENEMY FACTORY - Or Computer even.
RESCUE ALL HOSTAGES - Return up to four hostages to safety. Free a hostage by shooting his (or her) captor, then take the trooper (or troop) up to the hostage to `tag' him (or her). The hostage will follow the trooper (or troop) to the nearest friendly MASH outpost - so take him (or her) there as quickly as possible.
KIDNAP ENEMY LEADER - This cunning fellow is dressed to look like a hostage, but Hess not. Donut be angry and kill him - take him to the nearest allied outpost.
PROTECT ALL CIVILIANS - Whatever happens, donut let any civilians die.
GET CIVILIANS HOME - Innocent civilians are caged like wild animals. Destroy their barricade to free them then ensure that they make it home alive.
KNOW YOUR TERRAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are five different climes to conquer in Cannon Fodder - and here's a low-down on all of them ...
THE JUNGLE
~~~~~~~~~~
Look out for the following
Trees - And plants for that matter. They aren't just here for decoration they also provide much needed cover for exposed troopers. Note that you can blow up some trees (and plants).
Quicksand- Or `sucky sucky' as its known. every time we put up warning signs they disappeared, so beware.
Water - Its either shallow or deep. Troopers cannot use their weapons when they are in deep water - because they need to swim across it.
Birds - You cant shoot them down - or can you? If not, why not?
Otherwise, why are they here? Or are they simply red herrings?
ARTIC WASTES
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Igloos - Packed with eskimos - or are they the enemy?
Snowmen - They often hold a surprise.
Ice - Perfect training ground for the Torvilles and Deans of this world, but not for the troopers in Cannon Fodder.
THE DESERT
~~~~~~~~~~
Chasms - They make the Cheddar Gorge look like a small crack - so there's no good reason for your troopers to fall into one.
Hangars - Not for the troopers` clothes you understand, but for cover from enemy fire.
Cacti - Very scarce thanks to the even scarcer giant cactus-eating rodents.
MOOR LANDS
~~~~~~~~~~
Country Cottages - Are they inhabited? Are they indestructible?
Stone Bridges - Are they merely here for the crossing?
B Roads - There's a network of them.
THE UNDERGROUND BASE
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Doors - Destroy them to make progress.
Barriers - Destroy them to make progress.
Enemy Lockers, - They lead to ....
Sewers - Fancy a dip?
KNOW YOUR VEHICLES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note that the enemy versions bear red flashing lights.
Choppas - Join the birds in the sky and flit above the treetops.
There are two types of choppa: one is unarmed Transporta, the other is a Killa brimming to the teeth with bombs, rockets or heat-seeking missles. Choppas are more vulnerable on the ground
Tanx - They shoot shells (and not of the seaside variety - ha he ho). Tanx are slow but hardy, being impervious to all weapons except rockets, heat-seeking missles and shells.
Jeeps - There are two types: one is an unarmed transport vehicle, the other has a front-mounted machine gun.
Skidooz - Just like Jeeps really, except Skidooz are suitable for travelling across snow and ice.
Biggunz - Fixed turrets that fire either rockets or shells and vary in defensive strength depending on the terrain. And, yes, its not a vehicle. So what?
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pay careful attention to the following information - it may help save the lives of innocent troopers.
Grunts - Your basic enemy trooper. Most of them are armed with machine guns, but some of them carry grenades.
Snipers - Tricky blither, Johnny Sniper - he hides in the undergrowth and takes pot shots with his bazooka at the players troopers.
Artillery - They handle BigGunz and Tanx which are best destroyed.
Engineers - They command Jeeps and Skidooz. Watch out! Some of them are armed!
Air Force - They handle Choppas which you should blow up as soon as possible. Beware! When an enemy Choppa parks itself in your area, it will let out Grunts.
KNOW YOUR SUPA DUPA BOOSTAS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you see any of the following gold-coloured Supa Dupa Boostas (which wont be often because they are in such demand), pick it up for a Special Feature!
Supa Dupa - A complement of 50 heat-seeking missles are yours, with
Missle Boosta our compliments.
Supa Dupa - Makes a trooper invincible from bullets and bombs for the
Bullet-Proofa duration of the phase.
Supa Dupa - The trooper becomes an instant General - and will probably
Rank Boosta take control of the troop, too.
KNOW YOUR RANKS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just the thing to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas at apres battle parties. Note that the higher a troopers rank, the better the gravestone he receives on Boot Hill.
PRIVATE - CORPORAL - SERGEANT - STAFF SERGEANT - SERGEANT FIRST CLASS
MASTER SERGEANT - SERGEANT MAJOR - SPECIALIST 4 - SPECIALIST 6
WARRANT OFFICER - CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER - CAPTAIN - MAJOR - COLONEL
BRIGADIER GENERAL - GENERAL . (In order of authority)
BE THE FITTEST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And survive with the following Handy Hints:
Donut wait until you see the whites of their eyes - shoot them before they shoot you.
Look out for secret hidden zones where special equipment may be found.
Please donut leave the screaming wounded to die. Bite the bullet, so to speak, and do the decent thing: finish them off.
Wise men say that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, so look before you leap, so to speak, because the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill.
Watch out for mines and mantraps - they make a terrible mess.
This one`ll kill yak ... When you have shot a man and Hess lying there, dead, shoot him some more to make him jump around like a bunny.
And on a more serious note: donut try playing this at home, kids, because war is not a game - war, as Cannon Fodder demonstrates in its own quirky little way, is a senseless waste of human resources and lives. We hope that you never have to find out the hard way.
