                       A R C H O N  I I - A D E P T

                            T H E   M A N U A L


Typed by SIDEWINDER/LSD
Another golden oldie doc.


INTRODUCTION

Long, long had the Master of Order struggled with the Mistress of
Chaos.  Ancient as time, changeless as death was their conflict -
waged in mundane realms by magically portent Adepts.  No more.  The
old, secure wellsprings of magical energy are failing.  To control the
new sources, the Adepts are bringing forth new armies of reluctant
Demons and Elementals long unsummoned.  Change is at hand and the
battle would find an end.

This is that battle.  The ending is yours.


GETTING STARTED:

Plug a joystick into port 2 for a one player game, or plug joysticks
into port 1 and 2 for two player games.  Joystick 1 controls Order and
joystick 2 controls Chaos.

Kickstart your Amiga, then insert the ARCHON: ADEPT disk in the
internal disk drive.  The game will boot automatically.  Press the
SPACEBAR to page through the title screens and bring up the options
menu.


USING THE MAIN MENU:

Use the joystick to move the onscreen pointer and make selections from
the main menu.  Press the joystick button when the pointer is on the
currect choice.  You can choose from the following player options for
each side.

HUMAN:  You make all the moves for your side.
CYBORG: You control your icons on the strategy board and the computer
controls combat on the battleground.  You can override the computer by
pressing the joystick button when prompted, before the battle begins.
COMPUTER: The computer makes all the moves for its side.


HANDICAPPING:

Before starting your game, select your play level; Beginner, Standard,
or Advanced.  Beginners start with more magical energy, Advanced
players start with less.  The lower a player's level, as compared to
an opponent's, the slower the opponent's icons, missiles, and attacks
will move.  In the case of Adepts, missiles not only move slower,
they're also harder to control.  Choose Advanced for the most
skillful, and Beginner for the least skillful player to obtain the
maximum possible handicap.


STARTING THE GAME:

Select the START option for the side you want to move first.  If you
wait for a little while without making any menu selections, the
computer will begin playing a game against itself.  Press Q to
interrupt a computer-against-computer game.

        NOTE: Because the player who moves first has an advantage, the
     player who moves second receives additional magical energy to
     maintain evenly balanced play.


MOVING ICONS ON THE STRATEGY BOARD:

The selection frame appears on your side of the board when it's your
move.  Use the joystick to place the frame over the icon you want to
move and press the button.  Next, move the icon (or the frame again in
the case of Adepts) to the desired location and press the button
again.

If you change your mind, press the button again before moving the
icon.  If you change your mind after already moving your icon, return
the icon to its original position beneath the frame and press the
joystick button.  For additional information about about board
movements see chapter on MOVEMENT.


MOVING AND FIGHTING ON THE BATTLEGROUND:

You must fight for disputed territory when you enter a space occupied
by an opposing icon.  Use the joystick to move your icon.  To fire,
move the joystick in the direction you want to aim and press the
button at the same time.  See COMBAT TIPS for more information.

    NOTE: Your Wraiths are visible when you play against the computer.
    Because the computer knows where they are, it's only fair that you
    know as well.


CASTING SPELLS:

Place a frame over an Adept and press the button twice.  Move the
joystick forward and backward to scroll through the list of spells.
Press the button to choose the spell you want.  Choose 'Cease
Conjuring' if you change your mind.  Move the frame over your citadel
and press the button if you change your mind in mid-spell.  To change
your mind during a Summon spell, select the blank square at the bottom
of the listed icons.

Casting spells cost magic energy.  Occupying power points increase
your energy.  Your total energy is displayed on the bar that appears
next to the board during your move.

    NOTE: The Apocalypse spell is automatically invoked when you lose
    all your Adepts.


STARTING OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF A GAME:

Press Q to return to the player/move menu choices.


PAUSING A GAME IN PROGRESS:

Press the SPACEBAR.  Press it again to resume playing.


AN OVERVIEW

THE TWO SCREENS

The game is played on two screens.  On one - the main board - you and
your opponent (human or computer) takes turms manoeuvreing your pieces
(called icons) into favourable positions.

When you move to a space already occupied by one of your opponent's
icons, the game shifts to the second display, the battleground.  There
you must fight a fast-action battle to determine which icon will
return to the board in possession of the disputed poosition.


THE MOVES

You begin the game with 4 Adepts on a side.  On each turn you may use
whatever magical energy you have left to: 1) move an Adept or 2) use
an Adept to cast a spell (including Summon which lets you bring new
icons into the game) or 3) move an icon conjured up (with a Summon
spell) on a previous turn.


WINNING

You win if you occupy all six power points at once or if you triumph
in the Apocalypse (evocable with a special spell).  You also win if
your opponent runs out of magical energy or icons.


THE BOARD

The main board is composed of four bands representing the classical
elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire.  Additionally there are four
squares which are not part of any band.  Two are black, neutral
squares representing the Void.  The others are citidels, the home
squares of Order and Chaos.  While the Void squares can be occupied by
icons just like any position in the four bands, the citidels remain
empty throughout the game.


   +---------------------------------------------------------------+
   |                              Fire                             |
   |   +-------------------------+---+-------------------------+   |
   |   |                         |   | - The Void              |   |
   |   |                         +---+                         |   |
   |   |   +-----------------+           +-----------------+   |   |
   |   |   |                 |    Air    |                 |   |   |
   |   |   |                 +-----------+                 |   |   |
   |   |   |   +---------+                   +---------+   |   |   |
   |   |   |   |  Temple |       Water       | Fortress|   |   |   |
   +---+---+---+---+---+ +-------------------+ +---+---+---+---+---+
   | A | A | A | A | T |         Earth         | F | A | A | A | A |
   +---+---+---+---+---+ +-------------------+ +---+---+---+---+---+
   |   |   |   | of Chaos|                   | of Order|   |   |   |
   |   |   |   +---------+                   +---------+   |   |   |
   |   |   |                +------------+                 |   |   |
   |   |   |                |            |                 |   |   |
   |   |   +----------------+            +-----------------+   |   |
   |   |                         +---+                         |   |
   |   |                         |   | - The Void              |   |
   |   +-------------------------+---+-------------------------+   |
   |                                                               |
   +---------------------------------------------------------------+

     A = Adept   T = Temple   F = Fortress

There are 6 flashing power points.  Two are the Void squares.  The
other 4 'move' from turn to turn through the outermost corners of each
of the four elements.  Occupation of the 6 power points is the major
goal of the game.


MOVEMENT

If the hollow square (or 'frame') is on your side, it's your turn.
Use your joystick to move the frame atop the icon you want, and push
the button.  Next, use the joystick to move the icon (or the frame, in
the case of the Adepts) to your intended destination and press the
button again.  (If you accidentally press the button over an icon you
don't want to move, press the button again without moving your stick
to cancel the selection and start over.  Once you've moved an icon at
all, you cannot cancel your selection.  NOTE: The rule for cancelling
an Adept move is different.  See Magic Spells below.)

ELEMENTS AND DEMONS (conjured up with the Summon spell) slide freely
along the element they are on.  You may slide them as far as you like
with two restrictions: they cannot pass another icon and they cannot
end their move atop a 'friendly' icon.  Alternatively, you may jump
them from one element to an adjacent one on a turn.  No icon may slide
and jump on the same turn.

ADEPTS can teleport anywhere on the board, but it costs them a bit of
magical energy to teleport from one element to another.


MAGIC SPELLS

Instead of a move, on any turn an Adept can cast any spells it has
enough energy for.  Simply select the Adept with the frame, press the
button, and press the button again.  Instead of cancelling your
Adept's move, this action produces the message 'SELECT YOUR SPELL'.

Move the joystick forward and backwards to produce the different
choices described on the next page.  Press the button to select the
one you want.  If you change your mind and decide you would rather
move the Adept (or another icon) instead, select 'CANCEL SPELL'.  To
cancel a spell after you've already selected it with a button push,
move the frame over your citadel and press the button again.

Magic lies at the heart of the action - and so does the fact that it
costs.  The amount of magical energy you have (shown by a vertical bar
next to the board when it's your turn) varies throughout the game.
You gain energy from each power point you occupy and - for the first
few turns only - from your home citadel.

Moving icons is mostly free, but it takes magical energy to maintain
each Demon and Elemental on your side and substantial amounts to cast
spells.  The cost of different actions is shown by the mark which
appears next to the energy bar as you explore your options.  You will
not be allowed to take actions you do not have enough energy for.

The effect of spells are limited to the element of conjuring Adept is
on.  Adepts cannot cast spells from a Void square and Adepts are
immune to all spells except Heal.


THE SPELL LIST

SUMMON - This is far and away the spell you will use most often.  When
you select it you may choose among 4 Elementals and 4 Demons by moving
the frame from monster to monster.  The cost in energy goes up as you
move up the column of choices.

Remember, Adept magic works only within the element of the conjuring
Adept.  An Adept in Fire cannot, for instance, summon an icon to the
band of Earth.

You may summon an icon and directly attack an opposing icon, but it
takes extra magical energy to do so.  And Adepts are immune from such
attacks.  For them, you must use icons already on the board.

HEAL - This spell cures half of an icon's wounds and paralysis.

WEAKEN - Use this to cut an enemy's icon's current lefespan in half.

IMPRISON - Cast this spell and the imprisoned icon cannot be moved.
The cost of maintaining imprisoned icons fall on the imprisoner and
not the original conjuror.

RELEASE - Use this when you can no longer afford to keep an icon
imprisoned - or no longer need to.

BANISH - Very expensive to cast.  On the other hand, an icon you can't
defeat can be very expensive to live with.  And occupied power points
on elements without Adepts make very tempting targets.

APOCALYPSE - This spell begins a battle that ends the game.  In that
apocalyptic battle, your icon's lifespan, missile power, and missile
speed depends on your magical energy, icons remaining, and Adepts
left, respectively.  Use to put a hopelessly overwhelmed enemy out of
his or her misery or as an act of suicidal desperation.


COMBAT TIPS

ATTACK METHODS - On the battleground, icons hurl, hammer, flame, sing,
fling, stare and otherwise harass the enemy in whatever direction you
move the jpoystick while simultaneously pressing the button.  (See the
hints under Attack Styles below for some exceptions and variations.)
The lifelines at either end of the arena indicate the current lifespan
(health/strength) of the two battling icons.  When an icon is wounded,
its matching lifeline is reduced.  When its lifeline is gone, the icon
is dead, the battle over.  IMPORTANT: Except for the Juggernaut and
the Wraith, you cannot move icons while pressing the joystick button.

THE ATTACK INTERVAL - Combat is fast but you just can't fire away as
rapidly as your finger twitches.  It takes a moment after all to
conjure a whirlwind or generate a tidal wave.  At the exact moment
your joystick button can launch another attack, the computer rings a
bell - a high note for Order, a lower one for Chaos.

ATTACK STYLES - Each icon is most effective when it is used in
friendly - or at least neutral - elements and when its special
strengths and weaknesses are understood and exploited.  The hints
below are intended only to help you begin thinking about how to use
the 6 icons which have the most unusual attack styles.

1. ADEPT missiles can be steered as long as you hold the button down.
Of course, Adepts cannot move as long as the button is down.  Nothing
comes free.

2. THE GORGON does not wound; it paralyzes.  After every hit from the
Gorgon's eye beam, an icon moves more slowly.  When it can no longer
move, it dies.

3. WRAITHS are not nice.  They are invisible except when they're
trying to hurt you (and to 'reload').  They can move even while they
attack.  Their circular attack aura steal the life force from all
caught in it.  Wraiths can leave battles stronger than when they
entered them.  They can be devastating in the hands of the skillful.

4. When the FIREBIRD explodes it cannot be hurt nor can it move.  But
unlike Archon's PHOENIX, you can early end the explosion by releasing
the button.

5. SIRENS don't have to aim.  Press the button and they start singing
and their opponents start dying.  If you're attacked by one, don't
waste time wondering what to do or the problem will be solved for you.

6. JUGGERNAUTS are in effect they're own missiles.  In 'missile' mode,
they only travel in straight lines and they are invulnerable - except
to the song of the Siren.


             MAGICAL ENERGY CHART ADDED BY PAZZA AND SHAGRATT!

   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X
   X                                    O
   X                                    O
   X                                    O
   X                           O        X
   X                           O        X
   X                           O        X
   X                           X        X
   X                           X        X
   X         X                 X        X
   X         X                 X        X
   X         X        X        X        X                   X
   X         X        X        X        X        X          X
   X         X        X        X        X        X          X

Normal   | Income | Income | Elem   | Demon  | Maintain | Maintain |
Starting | Corner | Void   | Summon | Summon | per icon | per icon |
Energy   |        |        |        |        | per full | per full |
                                             | turn -   | turn -   |
                                             | Elem     | Demon    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
                                                      O
   X                                                  O
   X                                                  O
   X                                                  O
   X                                                  O
   X                                                  O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X                                        O         O
   X   -----------------                    O         X
   X   | KEY           |           O        X         X
   X   |               |           O        X         X
   X   | X = MINIMUM   |           O        X         X
   X   |               |           O        X         X
   X   | O = MAXIMUM   |           O        X         X
   X   -----------------           X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                               X        X         X
   X                    O          X        X         X
   X                    O          X        X         X
   X         O          X          X        X         X
   X         X          X          X        X         X
   X         X          X          X        X         X
   X         X          X          X        X         X
   X         X          X          X        X         X
   X         X          X          X        X         X

Normal   | Heal     | Heal     | Banish | Banish | Apocalypse |
Starting | Weaken   | Weaken   | Elem   | Demon  |            |
Energy   | Imprison | Imprison |                              |
         | - Elem   | - Demon  |                              |
---------------------------------------------------------------


             BATTLEGROUND EFFECT OF CONTACT WITH BARRIER

        ELEMENT         MISSILES        ICONS

        Earth           Destroyed       Stopped
        Water           Slowed          Slowed
        Air             Deflected       Slowed
        Fire            No Effect       Wounded
        Void            ---------       -------

end.
