ESPIONAGE!

     This is a great board type game of strategy.  It takes about 20 to 50 minutes to play with two players.  The more players, the longer it takes.  You can play with up to 4 human or computer players.

OBJECT!

     The main object of the game is to Finance your covert operations by killing off the enemy spies.  You must however, retrieve one of the Film Canisters from the 4 in the middle of the playing field.  You must then bring your film back to your home base and it must be carried to one of the 4 rear sections with the Safe Icon in them.  Here, your film is safe from the enemy.  ATTENTION - Once you have moved a man with film to this safe area, he may not reenter the field.  Also, a man may only carry one film.

STRATEGIES!

     First, you must set up your field correctly!  Be sure to watch the placement of your opponents men.  Try to select positions that will give you the edge and good lines of attack.  Don't get too caught up in getting more than one film!  All you need is one film in your base to win the game.  You win by having 1 film and the most money in the end.  To get money, you must kill off opponents.  You lose money each time one or your own men gets killed.  One final strategy if you are losing the money portion is to capture all films.  This is very hard to do, but if you are losing the money quite harshly, it may be the only chance you have!  If you have all 4 films at home, you will win because nobody will be able to fill the 1 film requirement.

THE BOARD!

     As you see your screen, you will notice arrows on the left sideline.  These are to move the board (as you can't see the entire board on one screen.)  Now notice the Players on the right.  The player who is now in turn, will have his newspaper down, all others will be hiding.  Under the Players is the DETENTE box.  This box accesses the options screen.  Here you will see several Icon Boxes.  The description of these boxes follows starting with the Top Left Box and moving Down.  Then up to the Top Right Box and moving Down:

1. Top Left  Board Switch.  This changes the size of the board so that you can see your pieces better.

2. Question Mark.  This is the Computer Suggest key that will tell you where the computer would move.

3. H Box.  This gives a brief (useless) description of the game.

4. Arrow Box.  This shows the Last Move made.  This is helpful if you missed your opponents last move for some reason.

5. Top Right Clock Box.  This pauses the Game.

6. Quit Box.  Quits the Game with Y/N option.

7. Computer Move Box.  This lets the computer make your CURRENT play for you.  Useful if one player must answer a phone etc.

8. Sound Toggle Box.  Turns on and off the music.


     Back to the Board, you will see your playing spaces and in the middle of the board are the 4 film canisters.  These must be captured diagonally.

PIECES and MOVEMENT!

     You have 3 different types of Spies.  Since I don't know the correct names of these pieces, I will call them Couriers, Spies, and Lookouts.  Each of these can capture players, but the have restriction of movements.  In you home base, you will (at the beginning) see 5 Couriers in the back row, 4 Spies in the middle row and 2 Scouts in the front row.  The movements of pieces follows:

Spies.  These are the most powerful of pieces.  In the Closeup Size option of board size, these pieces will show as Gun Icons.  These pieces may move in any direction!

Couriers.  These Show up as Suitcases in the Large Board and may move only diagonally.

Lookouts.  These Show up as Binoculars in the Large Board and move only up and down.

     When a piece has captured a Film Canister, a small DOT will appear on his Icon when viewing in the Large Screen option.  It is not required, in fact may not be wise, to go directly to your base.  You may still need this piece to kill off enemy pieces.  Remember always, you need money.  You will take away Film for yourself if you capture an enemy while he carries it!  

CAPTURING the ENEMY!

     To capture the enemy, all you must do is jump over him.  This is where your initial placement phase is so important!  Cutting off avenues of enemy escape is as important and any other section of the game.  It is also where the restriction of player direction can work TO or AGAINST you during the game.  When your turn comes up, Click on a man and you will see Green squares indicating your possible moves.  You can also Leapfrog and Capture more than one enemy like in Checkers.  After your first move, if you can leapfrog another piece, there will be another Green square showing.  If you Click anywhere but this Green square, you will lose the option to move this additional time.  You can leapfrog as many times as the Enemy was foolish enough to leave vulnerable.  If you have a piece with his back to a wall, he is safe.  If he can't be jumped over, he can't be taken.

SANCTION!

     This is the only area that I have not completely figured out.  I do know this - At the beginning of each turn, you may elect to Sanction an Enemy.  To do this, you click on an Enemy piece and if you can Sanction (kill) him, you will get the sanction option where it usually says DETENTE.  If you elect to Sanction this piece, click yes, if not, click no.  You may click around all the Enemy pieces to decide which (if any available) you would most like to sanction.  This is important as Sanctioning does not count against your MOVE!  You can Sanction one Enemy and then still make your Regular move (Capturing as many Enemies as you can.)  What I still don't quite know is what makes you able to Sanction certain pieces.  This is terrible in that I don't know how to Defense my own players against a Sanction attack!  You may in the startup, decide to play without the Sanction Option by selection Sanction Out.

EXCHANGING PIECES!

    Another option is to exchange pieces.  This is useful to the Player and infuriating to the Enemy.  You click on one Piece and then another of your Pieces and where it says DETENTE it will say EXCHANGE Y N.  Click the Y if you want to trade positions, no if you don't.

Ok,  That is about it for Espionage!  This is a real fun game for up to four players!  It is one of my favorite to play with a friend.  For a faster two player game, don't let the computer play at all.  Just you against your buddy.  Also, you may want to limit the Move time.  This will shorten the game by not allowing one player to click every piece on the board to find out options and it will make players make errors by exerting pressure.

Good Luck.........MAD MEL