ARTICFOX

Although the alien task force has been active in Antarctica since about 2005, we became aware of its existence only recently, when a member of the doomed Hagerty Expedition managed to escape the alien force field with information about the activities taking place within its boundaries. Most significantly, it seems that aliens have been very productive in the relatively short time they have occupied the area, and have succeeded in building a number of oxygen converters in an attempt to replace the earth's atmosphere with one more suited to their physiological makeup. The atmosphere surrounding their native planet STV-7X, is made up of equal parts of ammonia, methane, and chlorine gas, and is obviously hostile to human existence. It is also volatile, and so long as any traces of oxygen remain in the atmosphere, will cause atmospheric disturbances of a spectacular nature, mainly in the form of intense electrical storms.
At our present stage of technology, we have no weapons capable of penetrating the alien force field directly although indirect methods may be available. One possible approach is to temporarily weaken one side of the force field by causing a magnetic disturbance on the other. Preliminary tests show that this method may cause sufficient disruption of the force field to allow entry of a single combat vehicle into occupied territory. The obvious choice for the combat vehicle is the new supertank from General Polemics, the Slye-Hicks MX-100, Codename: ARCTICFOX.
ARCTICFOX is the most advanced terrain vehicle of its kind. Specially designed for polar combat, it features full missile launching capability as well as standard shelling and mine placement functions. In addition, ARCTICFOX can "dig in" into snow, allowing it to escape detection from all but the most sophisticated radar equipment. Finally, ARCTICFOX's four speed automatic transmission provides low end torque as well as top speed in excess of 100 kilometers per hour.
Combat plan involves, infiltration into alien territory at 0900 hours. This coincides with the enemy's greatest energy usage, and is thus considered optimal for attempting to penetrate the force field. Once inside the enemy territory, all radio communication with HQ will be terminated to reduce the possibility of detection. The ARCTICFOX operator is therefore advised to become familiar with combat strategy as outlined in this manual, as no further information will be available from HQ once penetration has been achieved.

SKILL LEVELS

In addition to two advanced levels (Beginner and Tournament), ARCTICFOX includes two preliminary (pre-game) levels to let you preview the enemy resources and develop proficiency in controlling your equipment. Although you can start playing at the advanced levels right away, you will get more out of the game if you spend a little time at the preliminary levels learning about the enemy and about ARCTICFOX.

PRELIMINARY LEVELS

1. ENEMY PREVIEW. When you select this mode, the enemy's resources parade before you, appropriately labeled, so you can see what you will be up against. While doing this, you may want to refer to the description later in this manual.
2. TRAINING LEVEL. At this level you can roam  round the terrain and shoot the enemy to your heart's content, but you cannot complete the game (which requires blowing up or otherwise disabling the Main Fort). At training level, your armor is tougher, and you have a large supply of ammunition, while the enemy is weaker (i.e., has weaker armor) and is less intelligent. In addition, when you start playing at this level, you don't start at the same map location as you do in the advanced levels, but at a different location.

ADVANCED LEVELS

1. BEGINNER. Start at this level if you are still learning the basics. At this level you have an ample supply of mines and missiles, and your armor is tougher. In addition, there are fewer enemy resources to contend with, and the enemy is weaker than it is at the Tournament level. See map on the center pages for the starting location for this level.
2. TOURNAMENT. This level is for true aficiondo. At Tournament  level the enemy is very intelligent and has use of a tracking device which provides a constant readout of your location. In addition, all advanced hazards (such as slide, friction and acceleration physics) are in full force, making it more difficult to maneuver. Your starting position is Tournament level varies among eight preselected locations. Upon selecting Tournament level, you are given the opportunity to select starting location and enemy configuration from the available choices.

INSTRUMENTS

WARNING LIGHTS. The Warning Light indicates whether or not ARCTICFOX has been spotted by the enemy. A green light means that ARCTICFOX has not been spotted: a yellow light indicates that ARCTICFOX has been spotted by the enemy locally, i.e., only by the enemy in the local sector. A red light means that ARCTICFOX's location is known by the enemy throughout the entire area. When this happens, the Communications Fort will mobilize search patrols and strike forces. However, because the ARCTICFOX's location during Condition Read is relayed through the Communication Fort, destruction of the Fort will effectively counteract transfer of that information.
RADAR/AFT VIEW. The ARCTICFOX's Radar View is a bird's eye view of the surrounding area with the ARCTICFOX in the center of the screen. The radar will not reveal the enemy hiding behind terrain objects. The Aft View is provided by a camera attached to the rear of the ARCTICFOX. The radar view always keeps north at the top of the screen, regardless of the direction the ARCTICFOX is facing, making it easy to coordinate direction with the compass (see below). Pressing the Radar/Aft key when the missile is active toggels between the view from the missile and the radar view, on the small viewport.
OXYGEN. Shows the percentage of oxygen remaining in the atmosphere. The rate of conversion can be slowed down by destroying the enemy's Air Converters.
COMPASS. Shows the ARCTICFOX's heading using standard compass orientation
MINES. Indicates the number of mines remaining.
GUIDED MISSILES. Indicates the number of missiles remaining.
POSITION. Shows the ARCTICFOX's current position in degrees and minutes for both longitude and latitude.
CLOCK. No prize for guessing this one. However, you should be aware that the clock always starts at 0900 hours each time you start the game.
SPEEDOMETER. Indicates ARCTICFOX's speed in kilometers per hour. The needle points to the right of center when the ARCTICFOX is moving forward, and to the left of center when the ARCTICFOX is moving backward. The needle is centered when ARCTICFOX is stationary.
GUNSIGHT. The four converging diagonal lines in the main viewport meet to become crosshairs as soon as an enemy vehicle is within range. Note that during the reload cycle (see Controlling ARCTICFOX, below) the square brackets in the sight disappear until ARCTICFOX's cannon is ready to fire again.
DAMAGE INDICATOR. The Damage Indicator is green when ARCTICFOX is undamaged, and slowly turns yellow and finally red as ARCTICFOX sustains damage.

CONTROLLING ARCTICFOX. To fire the ARCTICFOX's cannon, press your joystick button. Note that ARCTICFOX needs to reload between shots. Although reloading is automatic, it may take up to five seconds.
In addition, you can access the following functions through the keyboard, using either of two sets of keys. Right-handed players may prefer to use the set of keys on the left hand side of the keyboard, while left-handed players may wish to use the keys on the right-hand side, thereby reserving the preferred hand for joystick control. The following table summarizes these extra functions. The first column shows the icon, and the second describes the function.

ICON          FUNCTION
Look like     Guided Missile: Firing a missile changes the view
paper air     out of the small viewport to the camera on the
plane         missile. Once you have fired a missile, you can use
              the joystick to guide it. This means that the
              missiles viewport can act like a mini flight
              simulator, so that you can use it for recon-
              naissance if you wish. When you find a suitable
              target, press the same key a second time to lock
              missile onto the target and return you to ARCTICFOX
              viewport. Missiles have a range of one radar screen
              beyond the current location, in all 8 directions.
Look like     Mine: The function causes a mine to drop out of the
pyramid       back of the ARCTICFOX. These mines are live, so
              it's not a good idea to run over them. In addition,
              mines will self-detonate after a certain time
              period.
Look like     Aft View: This function lets you toggle between the
eyeball       overhead radar and the aft view. The control panel
              lights up when in aft view mode. For more
              information on this function, see above.
Look like     Cannon Inclination. By accessing this function you
four forks    can use the joystick to control your cannon's
              inclination and its sights in the viewport.
              Pressing the button a second time turns this
              function off. When you are using the joystick to
              control cannon inclination, it is not available to
              control ARCTICFOX's forward or reverse movement.
              So while you are manipulating the cannon, the
              ARCTICFOX will continue moving forward or backward
              in accordance with your last joystick command. You
              can still control the ARCTICFOX's heading, however,
              by moving the joystick right or left.
Look like     Relative Reverse. This function is used in
candlestick   conjunction with Cannon Inclination and works only
holder        in that mode. Accessing this function causes the
              ARCTICFOX to reverse direction, so that if it is
              moving forward when the button is pressed, it will
              change to reverse, and vice versa. In addition, 
              pressing the button when ARCTICFOX is stationary
              will cause it to move forward.
Look like     Dig In. This function buries the ARCTICFOX when it
shovel        is in snow, but has no effect at other times. When
              the ARCTICFOX is buried, there is no view from the
              viewport, although radar still functions. You can
              dig out by pressing the same key a second time.
              Note that you can still fire missiles when you are
              dug in.

THE ARCTIC TERRAIN

Your theater of operations is made up of geological formations and conditions that can work either for or against you, depending on your strategic ability. This means you not only have to outfox the enemy, but you also have to be aware of your geological surroundings to avoid problems with the terrain. At the very least, you should be aware of the following features.

RIDGES. The ARCTICFOX can drive up and over this type of terrain to obtain strategic viewpoints and hide from the enemy. Best of all, ridges are fun to drive over. On the negative side, however, because ridges provide better views of the surrounding area, the enemy tends to install strategic gun and radar enplacements there.
CREVICES. Driving into crevices is not recommended, since it spells death for the ARCTICFOX and the end of the game.
MUD FLATS. The ARCTICFOX behaves unpredictably on mud flats. In particular, the rear of the tank has a tendency to slide, making steering and stopping less accurate than it is on snow or ice. You should be especially careful around crevices when driving on a mud flat.
SNOW FIELDS. The ARCTICFOX is slowed down by snow (by a factor of about 50%), but so is the enemy.
ROCKS. Watch out for the enemy hiding behind rocks. On the other hand, you can use rocks to hide from the enemy.
MOUNTAINS. You can use the larger mountains as landmarks to give you a better sense of where you are.
FORCE FIELD. The enemy force field is impossible to drive through. The force field appears as a red line on the ground and on the radar screen.
WEATHER. Watch for lightning and blizzards. As more of the oxygen is converted, the sky becomes darker and lightning more prevalent. Blizzards can cause a whiteout, resulting in partial loss of visability for both you and the enemy. Nevertheless, radar will still function in a lightning storm. Fog looks similar to a blizzard except that there are no snowfields and it dissipates more quickly.

ENEMY RESOURCES

HEAVY TANK. Slow moving, heavy armor, heavy shells. This tank is likely to be defending strategic areas rather than patrolling. Its heavy shells will do extensive damage on a direct hit, so you will need to exercise your tactical skills in its presence. You will know when a heavy tank is shooting at you by the presence of large shells.
LIGHT TANK. Medium speed, light armor, light shells. The Light Tank is usually implemented in patrols as protection for the Recon Tank or in ground strike forces.
RECON SLED. Medium speed, light armor, does not shoot. The Recon Sled has long range spotting capability and is usually found in patrols.
FIGHTER. High speed, light armor, light shells. The Fighter is very dangerous because of its speed. It is usually found in strike forces or accompanying Recon Flyers for protection.
RECON FLYER. High speed, light armor, does not shoot. The Recon Flyer is usually found in long range recon patrols.
ROCKET LAUNCHER. Stationary, heavy armor, shoots guided missiles which can do massive damage on a direct hit. Guided missiles do not need to make a direct hit to do damage, so you should approach a Rocket Launcher with extreme caution. If you spot a Rocket Launcher, it is best to approach it from the rear, since it only has a forward field of vision of 140 degrees.
RADAR STATION. Stationary, heavy armor, does not shoot. Radar stations have very long range spotting capability. In addition, Radar Stations are able to cloak other enemy resources from detection by ARCTICFOX's radar, and to jam missile-tracking systems.
FLOATING MINES. Stationary until the ARCTICFOX is spotted, light armor, does not shoot. Floating Mines are strategically placed to guard stationary objects or passages. Once a Floating Mine spots you, it will continue to track you slowly.
AIR CONVERTER. As the name implies, Air Converters do nothing but convert oxygen into an alien atmosphere that supports the enemy. Destroying these installations slows down the conversion of oxygen, thereby extending the amount of time you have to destroy the Main Fort.
COMMUNICATIONS FORT. The Communications Fort handles all radio communication between enemy patrols and strike forces. By destroying the Communications Forts you can disable the enemy's ability to call in strike forces against you.
MAIN FORT. Destruction of the Main Fort will effectively destroy the enemy, and is the goal of the game. Needless to say, the Main Fort is strategically placed and heavily guarded (by Heavy Tanks, Fighters, Floating Mines, etc.), so its destruction will require strategy and tactics of the highest order. Destruction of the Main Fort requires two direct hits with missiles or ten direct hits with cannon shells.

STRATEGY AND TACTICS

1. It is inadvisable to stand in one spot during battle. Keep moving if you can. One way of doing this is to use Relative Reverse, which causes ARCTICFOX to follow its last command.
2. Dropping mines is one of the most effective ways of dealing with ground units.
3. Destroying the Communications Fort will make it impossible for Recon Sleds and Recon Flyers to reveal your position. This will make it easier for you to approach the Main Fort when the time comes.
4. Destroying the enemy's oxygen converters will reduce the rate of oxygen conversion, giving you more time to succeed in your mission.
5. Following the force field protects one side of the ARCTICFOX.
6. Make sure you reserve at least two guided missiles and/or ten cannon shells for the last stand against the Main Fort.

COMMAND * SUMMARY

Getting Started. After loading Kickstart (version 1.1 or later), eject the Kickstart disk and insert your ARCTICFOX disk. It will load automatically. Note that ARCTICFOX disables the Amiga's multitasking capabilities, so you will not be able to have another program running in the background. The startup screen and theme music will last about 60 seconds. You can short-circuit the startup by pressing the Spacebar or one of the skill level keys (see below). You can restart the game at any time by pressing Control R. In addition, Control S toggles the sound on and off; ESC pauses/restarts play; Control M for mouse mode; Control J for joystick mode.

To select the desired skill level, press the appropriate Function Key. See Skill Levels discussed earlier for more information about the various skill levels

A-Preliminary Levels
ENEMY PREVIEW: F1                  TRAINING: F2

Training Mode gives you access to the following features:
F1: Turbo           ARCTICFOX moves at 400 kph missiles at 800.
F2: Invisible       ARCTICFOX cannot be spotted by enemy.
F3: Blizzard        Starts/Stops blizzard (toggle)
F4: Storms          Starts/Stops storms (toggle)
F5: Pop up          ARCTICFOX pops up into the air and back down.
F6: Big Radar Map   Shows all 8 sectors near your location.
F7: Smart Bomb      Destroys all the aliens in your sector.
F8: Big Screen Mis  Uses big screen for missile view (toggle).
F9: Touch Fox       Renders ARCTICFOX indestructible
F10: Cockpit Off    Hides all the cockpit instruments.

B-Advanced Levels
BEGINNER: F3                        TOURNAMENT: F4
When you select F4, you will be given the opportunity to choose the enemy configuration and your starting location through additional keyboard commands, or you can let the computer make the selection randomly. Just follow the on screen prompts to make your selection.

CONTROLLING ARCTICFOX
Right Screen Hand: Your joystick controls the right screen hand, which in turn controls the motion of ARCTIC FOX. By manipulating your joystick you can move the right screen hand to nine different positions (including the "home" position), causing the ARCTICFOX to move in the corresponding direction.

To fire the ARCTICFOX's cannon press your joystick button. This will cause the screen hand to push the cannon firing button.

Left Screen Hand: The left screen hand controls a number of additional ARCTIC FOX functions. You can access these additional functions through the keyboard, using either of two sets of keys. Right-handed players may prefer to use the set of keys on the left hand side of the keyboard, while left-handed players may wish to use the keys on the right hand side, thereby reserving the preferred hand for joystick control. Note that as you press each key, the left screen hand reacts accordingly, pressing the button in the control panel on the screen. The table on the following page summarizes these extra functions. See above for more information on these functions.

EXTRA FUNCTION CONTROL

Function                       Key Control

Guided Missile                   S or 5
Mine                             E or 3
Aft View                         W or 2
Dig In                           D or 6
Cannon Inclination               Q or 1
Relative Reverse                 A or 4
Big Screen Missile               F8

You can snap roll the missile to the left or right by using the left and right arrow keys when in missile mode. Each press rolls the missile one quarter turn, so four presses will spin the missile 360 degrees.

Note that with the exception of the F8 key, the configuration of the icons on the screen mimics the configuration of the corresponding keys.
