GC II manual FE 13/01/05 10:08 Page 3

Field
Commander’s
Handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Installing Ground Control II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Game Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Commanding Your Strike Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Calling Down the Dropship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Northern Star Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Viron Nomads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Terran Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Battlefield Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Hotkeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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GETTING STARTED
Please note that the keyboard commands mentioned in this manual are refer-
enced to the default settings. If the default settings have been changed, the
keyboard commands may no longer be true to your system.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
In order to be able to play GROUND CONTROL II, your computer should at
least be equipped with:
Minimum System Requirements
✪ Intel® Pentium III processor or AMD® Athlon™ processor equivalent
✪ Processor Speed: 800 MHz
✪ Windows® 98/2000/ME/XP
✪ 128 MB RAM
✪ DirectX® 9.0b or higher
✪ 32 MB AGP® video card supporting Hardware Transform and Lighting
capability using NVIDIA® GeForce™, ATI® Radeon™, or a more recent
chipset with a DirectX® 9-compatible driver
✪ DirectX® 9.0b-compatible sound card
✪ Up to 1.5GB hard drive space
✪ Minimum 56K modem for online play

Recommended System Requirements

✪ Intel® Pentium 4 processor or AMD® Athlon™ XP processor
✪ Processor Speed: 1.5 GHz
✪ Windows® XP
✪ 256 MB RAM
✪ 128 MB AGP® video card
✪ High bandwidth/Broadband Internet connection for online play

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INSTALLING GROUND CONTROL II

Northern Star Alliance high command recommends that you take the time to
run Disk Defragmenter on the current hard drive before you install the game.
Disk Defragmenter is activated via the Start button on the Windows taskbar.
Follow its instructions.

Before you install the game, make sure that your computer has the latest
hardware drivers installed. Old drivers can stop the game from working properly.

Insert the GROUND CONTROL II CD into your CD-ROM drive. The installation
program runs automatically. Follow the on-screen instructions. At the beginning
of the installation process you are prompted to install Direct®X 9.0b if you do not
have Direct®X9.0b or higher. DirectX®9.0b is required in order to run the game.

If the installation program doesn’t automatically appear, double-click the My

Computer icon on the Desktop, then double-click on the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
drive in which the game CD is inserted. Double-click on the “setup.exe” file to
launch the installation program.

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BACKGROUND
We haven’t always been at war with the Imps, but it’s all
I’ve ever known.
– Captain Jacob Angelus, NSA Armed Forces

THE PAST (2093-2418)

✪ 2093: Humanity is almost wiped out in the

Sixteen Minutes War.

✪ 2110: The Order of the New Dawn is

the first to emerge from the nuclear fallout
shelters and begins to rebuild the civilized
world. It is followed by several surviving
major corporations, most notably
The Crayven Corporation.

✪ 2207: The FTL-Drive

is created, enabling
mankind to begin the
colonization of space.
Travel distances of up to
ten light-years/day are achieved, but the
FTL technology cannot be used to leave
the outer ring of the Milky Way galaxy.

✪ 2208–2400: Mankind manages to

terra-form several uninhabitable worlds
into colonies suitable for human life. Two
groups of colonies are established, the
Inner and the Outer Sphere, separated
by the Henrich Barrier. A string of hadron
particles disrupts all non-tachyon-based
signals that pass through it. To counter these
effects, a belt of Tachyon Com Relays are
set up to permit communication between
the spheres.

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THE DRACONIS EMPIRE (2399)

In the wake of humanity’s expansion from Earth, one of the new nations
emerging was founded by Colony Commander Marcus Augustus. Augustus
established an independent colony on the planet Draconis-5. The Draconis
Empire was declared, and Augustus became its emperor.

Meanwhile the Earth’s government, fearful of triggering a massive war in this

frontier, refrained from military action against the Draconis. Several awkward
political situations arose between the leaders, leading to an increasing use of
military power, much of which was composed of mercenary forces.

THE BATTLE OF KRIG (2419-2420)

In 2419 a battle was fought on the backwater planet of Krig-7b between the
Crayven Corporation and the Order of the New Dawn. The war escalated from
a regular colony acquisition to a dangerous race for the capture of million-year-
old alien technology. It was discovered that Krig-7b was the nexus of a galactic
network of Xenofacts created for an unknown purpose by an ancient race of
unknown aliens. Major Sarah Parker of the Crayven Corporation managed to
defuse the situation by destroying the largest Xenofact. When she did, a strange
beam of light erupted from the spot for a few seconds.

Why Major Sarah Parker sabotaged the Earth’s Early Warning Relay two months
later is unknown, but it left Earth vulnerable and unable to react to the initial
events of the First Stellar War.

INDEPENDENCE WARS (2422-2429)

Under the heavy taxation demanded by Earth, it was only a matter of time before
the corporations began objecting and eventually seeking independence just as
the Draconis Empire had done. They were certain they could survive without the
protection of Earth. The Crayven Corporation, Welby-Simms, and the Order of
the New Dawn already had huge military assets and controlled many colonies.

Welby-Simms Corporation was the first to declare independence in 2422 and so

marked the start of the Independence Wars. The insurrection spread throughout
the colonies like the Black Plague. A few years later, the majority of the colonies
in the Outer Sphere had declared themselves independent. Several alliances,
coalitions and unions were formed. In 2429 Earth’s government had lost most
of its former power and only controlled a handful of remaining colonies.

No one ever won a battle by failing to take advantage of his enemy’s weakness.
–Emperor Augustus
THE FIRST STELLAR WAR (2431-2501)
The Draconis Empire saw the global insurrection as the perfect time to mount
an offensive campaign against the crippled Earth Government. A huge war
erupted between the two powerful nations. The war did not remain confined, as
Crayven Corporation and the other major corporations, coalitions and colonies

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saw the perfect opportunity to gain more power and influence. Mankind had
experienced war before, but the magnitude and scope of the Stellar War was
unsurpassed. Several core colonies were annihilated, others isolated. Several
deep space Tachyon Com relays and space stations were destroyed, severing
communication with the Outer Sphere.

During the First Stellar War, more than 50 colonized star systems fell under
Draconis control, economically and militarily. With the end of the First Stellar War,
the power and independence of the Draconis Empire was unquestionable.

THE AGE OF SILENCE (2501-2699)

The First Stellar War left all of mankind licking its wounds. The Draconis Empire,
though victorious, was forced to commit all its resources to maintaining control
over and stability of the Inner Sphere and Earth. With the interstellar com-relays
all destroyed, no communications could pass through the Henrich Barrier—
the string of hadron particles that intersect the Spheres and disrupts all non-
tachyon-based signals. The supply convoys stopped coming from the Inner
Sphere and the outer colonies were left to fend for themselves. Starvation,
disease and petty rivalry left many worlds devastated. Much of the technology
built by the old corporations was destroyed or worn out; the knowledge to repair
them lost.

But proving yet again that mankind does not suffer defeat lightly, the outer
colonies slowly began to recover. Contact between the outer colonies was
reestablished. As much technology was salvaged as possible, and space travel
between them was again a reality. Alliances were forged and treaties were
signed, resulting in the creation of two star-spanning nations: the Intergalactic
Trade Guild and the Northern Star Alliance.

The Northern Star Alliance is a treaty between twenty-three of the Outer

Sphere’s twenty-nine star systems. In 2690 a treaty was reached after a historic
meeting on Ariel Prime, the outer colony closest to the Inner Sphere. A young
man named Warhurst, from the colony of Morningstar Prime, was instrumental
in uniting the planets. The Alliance is governed by a democratic council, consist-
ing of representatives from each world. Three times a year the council meets on
Morningstar Prime, which has become the NSA capital.

Once the NSA was established, the combined efforts of the colonies enabled
a huge space fleet to be constructed, as well as several large cities on most
planets in the Alliance. No attempt was made by the NSA to cross the Heinrich
Barrier or contact the worlds in the Inner Sphere. What little information filtered
through came by way of the Trade Guild, and that information was always vague
and unsubstantiated. Rumors of tyranny, indoctrination camps, and other terrors
were enough to make members of the NSA cover their eyes and ears and ignore
the Inner Sphere. Until one day in 2699 when everything changed.

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THE SECOND STELLAR WAR

After the First Stellar War, the Draconis Empire closed its borders to the Outer
Sphere by purposely destroying the tachyon com-relays lining the Heinrich
Barrier and seeding it with grav-mines. So little information trickled out that the
outer colonies almost forgot the horrors of the Stellar War. Many believed that the
Emperor had been unable to maintain control and that the worlds of the Inner
Sphere had succumbed to internal strife and destroyed themselves.

On October 5, 2699, the Draconis Empire, now renamed the Empire of Terra,
struck without warning or mercy. A huge fleet of ships emerged from the Inner
Sphere and began methodically attacking the worlds of the NSA. Ariel Prime was
the first planet to fall, conquered by a young woman-Imperator Vlaana Azleea.
Major cities were obliterated with orbital bombardments followed by the landing of
a huge occupation force.

The NSA war machine rumbled into motion to counter the Terran invasion. While
the NSA fleet engaged Vlaana’s armada in space, plans were set in motion on
the colonies to protect the cities from orbital bombardment. Huge electromagnetic
energy domes and other defense systems were put in place in many cities. The
NSA fleet was able to stand firm against the onslaught.

For twenty-nine years the war continued to be fought in space until, in one
decisive battle, the NSA fleet was finally wiped out. With the Empire’s forces
worn thin and scattered throughout the Outer Sphere, the Emperor charged
Vlaana Azleea, now his right-hand agent, with mounting ground wars in the
last resisting colonies.

THE PRESENT SITUATION (2741)

Imperator Vlaana has managed to gain control of nearly all NSA worlds and
is now laying siege to Morningstar Prime. The brilliant leadership of General
Warhurst has so far kept her from achieving her goal. The war is currently at
a stalemate. The NSA is backed into a corner and cannot hold out for much
longer, but Vlaana’s forces are spread throughout the quadrant as she keeps a
stranglehold on the rest of the colonies. Something has to give and eventually
something will...

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QUICK START
This section deals with commanders who are eager to start their military careers
as soon as possible.

After the game introduction movie is played, you will see the main menu. Click
on the SINGLE PLAYER button. You will see the different options available.
Click on CAMPAIGNS and then select the TUTORIAL. It will teach you the basic
controls of the game and allow you to get up to speed quickly. When you’ve
completed the tutorial, continue on to the next campaign—the NSA CAMPAIGN.

If you just want to get started with a skirmish battle, select SINGLE PLAYER and
then SKIRMISH. This will allow you to select a map and a computer opponent,
and get started immediately.

Multiplayer battles are played over Massgate™ – Click on the MASSGATE™

button and follow the on-screen instructions.

GAME MENUS
MAIN MENU

✪ SINGLE-PLAYER
You can play the GROUND CONTROL II single-player campaigns
(including the tutorial), skirmish battles against computer opponents,
or custom scenarios.

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✪ MASSGATE™
In order to play GROUND CONTROL II on the Internet, you need to
connect to Massgate™. Through Massgate™ you’ll be able to play ranked
multiplayer games, action oriented drop-in games, or cooperative games.

✪ LOCAL AREA NETWORK

Play multiplayer games over your Local Area Network. You can play
against other players or together in cooperative mode.

✪ PROFILE
When you start the game for the first time, the default selected profile
will be named “Player.” Click on the Profile button to create or select a
new profile. All save games, campaign progress and game options will
be saved to the currently selected.

✪ OPTIONS
Change the game settings.

SINGLE-PLAYER MENU

✪ CAMPAIGNS
Click on CAMPAIGNS to start a new or continue a single-player campaign.
We strongly recommend that you play the campaigns in the correct order
to fully enjoy the epic story of GROUND CONTROL II.

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✪ COOPERATIVE
Click on COOPERATIVE to start a multiplayer cooperative game, where
you can play the single-player missions together with friends over the
Internet or on your LAN. To play a game over a Local Area Network,
you must have two or more computers connected to an active
TCP/IP-compatible network.

✪ CUSTOM MAPS
Click on CUSTOM MAPS to list all separately installed standalone
missions. Custom maps can be provided by users who have created their
own maps using the GROUND CONTROL II map editor XED.

✪ SKIRMISH
Click on SKIRMISH to start a multiplayer battle against computer
opponents. Skirmish battle is a great way to get started on multiplayer
tactics without playing against people.
Note that to play against more than one computer AI opponent you should
have a fast computer.

✪ LOAD GAME
Click on LOAD GAME to bring up a list of previously saved games.

MASSGATE™

In order to play GROUND CONTROL II over the Internet, you need to connect
to Massgate™, Massive Entertainment’s free Internet gaming service.
On Massgate™ you can find players from all over the world to challenge in
multi-player games. Climb up the league ladder and earn respect from your
fellow players. To log on, click on the Massgate™ button.

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✪ CREATE ACCOUNT
Before you enter Massgate™, you must first create a new account. Select a
nickname (think it over; you will not be able to change it later on), password,
country, and finally a working e-mail address. Write down your password and
keep it safe.

PLEASE NOTE: Massive Entertainment will never ask for your password!

Also select your preferred region (Europe, North America, or Asia). You can
change this later on if you wish, but it allows you to find players around your
area.

✪ GROUND CONTROL II LEAGUES

In order to play a ranked game in GROUND CONTROL II, you need to join
a league (note that you can join any number of leagues). Whenever you are
playing a game in a league, you will move up or down the league ladder
depending on success, defeat, or tie.

✪ WAITING ROOM
When you first connect to Massgate™, you’ll be taken to the waiting room,
where you are able to Join & Create Games, Read Game News, Edit
Your Account, View Ladder Rankings, Manage Friends, and Chat.

✪ PLAY GAMES
Click on the Games tab to receive a list of available servers. Select a
server and click Join Game to join. You can also limit the amount of
servers you get in the list by applying different filters. You can access
these filters by clicking on the Filters button. You can also host your own
server with the Host Game button.

Note that to
properly host
a multiplayer
game you
should have a
broadband
Internet
connection
and a fast
computer.

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✪ LEAGUE LADDERS
All games played within a league are recorded and displayed in the
League’s Ladder. Players will move up and down the ladder depending
on victory, defeat, or tie in played games.
There is a separate Ladder for normal and drop-in games. In drop-in
games, the ranking is based on the number of kills inflicted and losses
taken on the battlefield.
✪ FRIENDS
In order to keep track of your friends and other players you enjoy playing
with on Massgate™, you can add them to your friends list. This allows
you to quickly send private messages and see if they are online.
✪ PLAYER INFORMATION
You can view player information by selecting a player from the players list
and clicking on the Show Info button.
✪ CHAT ROOMS
When you enter Massgate™, you automatically start in the currently
selected League chat room. You can change or create a new Chat room
by clicking on the Chat room button.
✪ EDIT ACCOUNT
This allows you to change your account information.

LOCAL AREA NETWORK MENU

To play a game over a Local Area Network, you must have two or more
computers connected to an active TCP/IP-compatible network.

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✪ CREATE COOP (GAME)

Click on the Create Coop button if you wish to host a cooperative game
with up to two additional friends. Select the starting map and wait for
your friends to join. When everyone has joined and checked ready,
click Start Game to begin. Your objectives are exactly the same as in
single-player mode.

Note that to properly host a coop game you should have a fast computer.

✪ CREATE GAME
Click on the Create Game button if you wish to host a multiplayer game.
You’ll be taken to the lobby, where the host will be able to set the map,
victory conditions, and the option of allowing players to join after the game
has started (drop-in). You can also add computer-controlled opponents by
clicking on the player slots and selecting an AI (Artificial Intelligence) profile.

Note that to properly host a coop game you should have a fast computer.

✪ JOIN GAME
Click on the Join Game button to join the selected game. You will be
taken to the lobby, where you can set your color, faction, and team.
Check the ready box when you are...ready.

OPTIONS MENU
The Options Menu is where you can change the game settings, audio, appear-
ance and if you need to, change the game to match your computer’s hardware.

✪ GAME OPTIONS
The Game Options menu allows you to change general game options.
✪ CONTROLS
This menu allows you to reconfigure the keyboard shortcuts. Note that
you can have a key assigned to several different commands.

✪ MOUSE OPTIONS
These options allow you to change the sensitivity and other options
related to the mouse.

✪ VISUAL OPTIONS
The Visual Options menu allows you to change the quality of the game’s
appearance. If you experience a slow or jerky game, it could be greatly
improved by lowering some of the game’s visual settings.

✪ SOUND OPTIONS
This menu allows you to change the volume of the sound effects, music,
voices, and cinematic sequences.

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COMMANDING YOUR STRIKE FORCE

In order to become a successful field commander, you need to master how to
order your Strike Force and interact with the battlefield.

CAMERA CONTROLS
The camera is your point of view and it is free roaming, meaning that you can
put it anywhere on the battlefield facing in any direction. The camera view
position on the battlefield is displayed on the tactical map. Note that even though
you can place the camera anywhere, this does not mean that you can see units.
Only enemy units that your own units or allies can see are visible in your view.

There are two different camera control schemes that can be used in GROUND
CONTROL II—you can change between the camera modes in the OPTIONS
under GAME SETTINGS or use the shortcut key (SHIFT+C).

FREE CAMERA (RECOMMENDED)

Rotate the camera view by moving the mouse cursor to the left or the right edge
of the screen. By moving the mouse to the top or the bottom screen edge, you tilt
the camera view upwards or downwards. The camera view is moved forward,
backwards, or sideways with the ARROW keys.

By pressing and holding down the CTRL key while moving the mouse to the
edges of the screen, the view will strafe in that direction.

TRADITIONAL RTS CAMERA

Move the camera around on the battlefield by using the ARROW keys or by
moving the mouse to the edges of the screen. Pressing and holding down the
MIDDLE mouse button (if one is available) allows you to change your viewing
direction. Alternatively, you can also press and hold the CTRL button to rotate
the camera when you move the mouse to the edges of the screen.

GENERAL CAMERA CONTROLS

The altitude of the camera view can be changed with the PAGE UP or PAGE
DOWN key. If your mouse is equipped with a mouse wheel, you can use it to
change the altitude as well.

You can also move the camera instantly to any location on the battlefield by
simply left-clicking with the mouse on the minimap. Note that you cannot move
the camera view outside the boundaries of the map.

You can order the camera view to track a certain unit by selecting it and clicking
with the right mouse button on its portrait. When the camera view tracks a unit,
it will follow it around the battlefield. The camera will remain locked until you
press an ARROW key or double-click on another unit.

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CONTROLLING YOUR UNITS

Giving orders to your units is a simple task mainly handled with the mouse.
When you get more proficient in commanding your units, you should start
experimenting with the shortcut keys.

Left Mouse Button

The LEFT mouse button is used to select units on the battlefield and to use
unit options such as clicking on secondary mode, changing formation, etc.

SELECTING UNITS – To select a unit, simply LEFT-click on the unit. To

select a group of units, left-click and then hold the mouse button pressed
while you drag a box around the group. To deselect a unit, hold down
SHIFT on the keyboard and then left-click on the unit you wish to deselect.

If you LEFT-click on empty ground, you will deselect your current selection
of units.

Right Mouse Button

The RIGHT mouse button is used to give orders to your units on the battlefield.
The mouse cursor is context sensitive so your units will execute their orders
depending on what you click on.

MOVEMENT – To move your selected unit, point the mouse cursor to

the location where you want the squad to move. Then with your RIGHT
mouse button click on empty ground. Note that your units cannot move
on all terrain. Some terrain is simply too steep or is occupied by trees
or other landscape features.

It is possible to decide what direction your units should face after a move.
Click on the desired location with the RIGHT mouse button, hold down the
button and you will see a direction vector appear. Move the mouse to
change the direction, and when you are satisfied, release the RIGHT
mouse button.

ATTACK – If the cursor is over an enemy, it will change to an attack cursor.

Click on enemy units with the RIGHT mouse button to issue an attack
order. Your units will move towards the target if necessary and attack the
target when it gets in range.

STACKING ORDERS (SHIFT + ORDER) – By holding down the SHIFT

button on the keyboard and RIGHT-clicking you can give multiple orders.
Your units will move through multiple waypoints and attack several targets.
It is useful to issue multiple move orders if you want to make sure your
units avoid a certain area.

Note that it is possible to stack both move and attack orders. Your units
will execute your orders in the order you give them.

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GROUPING UNITS (Default: CTRL + number)

You can form groups among your units and assign each group a special
shortcut key to enable yourself to quickly select several units. Select the units
you wish to add to the group and then press <CTRL> and a number key (1, 2,
3...9). To select the group, simply press the designated number (1–9). If you
press the number an additional time, your view will move to the group’s location.
Whenever a group is created, a squad button appears in the interface.

LEFT-click on the squad button to select the squad or RIGHT-click to move the
camera to the squad’s position. The Squad button will flash if any squad member
is under attack.

THE INTERFACE

1 - Unit information 4 - Mini map

2 - Unit orders 5 - Dropship orders
3 - Tactical panel 6 - Status bar

To use the interface, use the LEFT mouse button. If you are required to select a
target (a unit or location), you should also confirm with the LEFT mouse button.
For example, to give a move order through the interface, LEFT-click on the move
icon and then LEFT-click on the location you want your unit to move to.

UNIT INFORMATION
When a unit is selected, its values and statistics are displayed in the Unit
Information panel. If several units are selected, only their icons are displayed.

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UNIT ORDERS
This area of the interface displays the orders available to your selected unit(s).

ATTACK (Default: A) – Orders your selected unit to

attack. Requires you to select a target. The attack icon
is dimmed if the unit lacks attack capability.

MOVE (Default: M) – Orders your selected unit to move. Requires

you to select a location to move to. The move icon
is invisible if the unit is immobile (for example, the NSA Ravager
Terradyne cannot move while in Fortress mode).

STOP (Default: S) – Orders your selected unit to

cease current order.

ENTER BUILDING/TRANSPORT (Default: L) – If you have

infantry selected you can order them to enter a transport,
gun emplacement or building by clicking on the target with
the RIGHT mouse button.

UNLOAD UNITS (Default: U) – To unload a unit from a

building, simply select the unit and give it a move order.
The infantry will leave and move to the selected location.
Unloading a unit from a transport or gun emplacement is
even easier-select the transport/gun emplacement and
LEFT-click on the unit’s portrait in the interface.

MELDING UNITS (Default: E) – The Viron faction can meld units

to create even more powerful ones. If you have a Viron unit select-
ed and RIGHT- click on a Viron unit that you can meld, the two
units will close in and meld. You can see in the interface what the
result of the two melded units will be.

An already melded unit can be UNMELDED to bring back the

original units in the meld. In order to unmeld a unit, select it
and click on the unmeld icon. Note that only already melded
units can be unmelded. For more information about melding,
see the section on Virons.

REPAIRING UNITS (Default: R) – If you have engineers

selected and RIGHT-click on a friendly unit, your engineers
will move up and begin to repair. Note that engineers are
fragile and repairs carried out in the midst of a firefight can
be hazardous to them.

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UNIT SECONDARY MODE (Default: X) – Some units have two modes,

a primary and a secondary. By LEFT clicking on the unit’s mode button
in the unit order interface, you can change its mode. The unit will stay in
secondary mode until manually ordered to change back. Read more about
the secondary modes in the unit guide later in this manual.

TACTICAL PANEL
FORMATIONS (Default: F) – LEFT-click on the formation
button to display available formations. LEFT-click on the
formation you want, and your selected units will move into
that formation.

SUPPORT WEAPONS – LEFT-click on the Support

Weapon button to display available support weapons.

LEFT-click on the support weapon you want to use and

then LEFT-click on the target location. A dimmed support
weapon icon indicates that you do not have enough
Acquisition Points to spend.

UNIT BEHAVIOR – LEFT click on the Behavior button

to display available unit behaviors. Your selected units
will use that behavior. Available behaviors are as follows:
FREE FIRE – Your units will attack enemy on sight.

RETURN FIRE – Your units will only return enemy fire. Especially useful
in missions requiring a more stealthy approach.

HOLD FIRE – Your units will not attack the enemy unless manually
ordered to.
CAMERA TOGGLE (Default: Shift + C) – Left-click on the
Camera Toggle to change between the Free and Traditional
RTS camera mode.

MISSION OBJECTIVES (Default: N) – LEFT-click on the

Objectives button to display your mission objectives.
Each active objective is listed, and by LEFT-clicking on an
objective a more detailed description appears.
These objectives must be completed in order to succesfully complete the map.
Objectives are marked on the minimap with blue circles.

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MINI MAP
In the bottom left corner is the Tactical Map, the Field Commander’s best friend.
The tactical map shows you a top-down view of the entire battlefield.

The units you command show up as dots in your color, with the currently
selected unit(s) blinking. Other players’ units or the computer’s units show up in
their respective color.

A white cone marks your current camera view position, with your view expanding
along the cone. Use the cone to see where your view is on the battlefield.

Blue circles on the tactical map indicate that the position is the location of a
mission objective. The blue circle will disappear when you have completed the
objective.

White-filled circles indicate a neutral Landing Zone or Victory Location. Green-

filled circles indicate a Landing Zone under your control and indicate that you
can order a dropship to land at that location. Red-filled circles indicate a Landing
Zone controlled by the enemy.

Clicking on the tactical map with the LEFT mouse button instantly moves your
camera view to that location. It is also possible to issue orders to selected units
on the small map, just as you would do in the camera view.

ZOOM MAP – The + and the – buttons next to the map allow you to zoom
in and zoom out respectively to get a clearer view of the battlefield.

MAP SIGNAL – You can give signals to other players on your own team
by LEFT-clicking on the signal button (between the zoom in and zoom out
keys) and then on a location on the mini map. This can be used
to quickly coordinate attacks.

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ACQUISITION POINTS (AP)

The Acquisition Points shows you how many AP you have to spend on
reinforcements, support weapons, or dropship upgrades. For more detailed
information regarding AP, see the section on Tactics below.

MAINTENANCE
The Maintenance Display shows how many units you have on the battlefield
and the percentage of AP that you are receiving. As your unit number increases,
it will begin to take its toll on the support cost of maintaining your force. The
maintenance is paid for directly and comes from your AP income.

TEAM
In multiplayer and cooperative games you can give units to your team members.
LEFT-click on the TEAM button. Click on the GIVE UNITS button on the selected
team member, and the units you currently have selected will be transferred to
that player’s control.

CHAT (default: CONTROL + ENTER)

To chat with your fellow players, press CONTROL + ENTER to bring up the chat
box. Type your message and then hit ENTER again to send the message.

TEAM CHAT (default: ENTER)

To send messages to your allied team, press ENTER and type the message.
Press ENTER to send the message.

SCORE SHEET (Default: BACKSPACE)

Activate the score sheet by pressing the BACKSPACE key on the keyboard.
It shows the current score standing depending on number of kills, controlled
zones and general score.

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CALLING DOWN THE DROPSHIP

Your units are brought down to the battlefield in your dropship, huge transport
ships that are capable of taking infantry, vehicles, terradynes and helidynes to
the battlefield.

ORDER REINFORCEMENTS (Default: K)

Click on the Reinforcement icon to call down units to the
battlefield. Click on the unit you want, and provided that
you have sufficient AP to spend, it will be placed in the
dropship’s cargo bay. Should you change your mind, you
can LEFT-click on the units in the cargo bay to remove
them—you will be refunded.

Click on the Deploy button (Default: D), and your dropship

will move to the battlefield and unload your new units on
the currently selected Landing Zone.

UPGRADE DROPSHIP (Default: I)

Click on the Upgrade Dropship to activate the Upgrade
interface. It allows you to upgrade your dropship’s attributes
and make it stronger in battle. Click on the upgrade button
next to the attribute to initiate the upgrade. Note that it will
take a few seconds before the new upgrades are properly
fitted, and during this time, the dropship will not be able to
move down to the battlefield.

SELECT DROPSHIP
Click on the Select dropship icon to quickly select your
dropship. Note that when your Dropship is on the battlefield
this icon displays remaining fuel.

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ADDITIONAL DROPSHIP ORDERS

The dropship can also be ordered to stay on the battlefield and assist you in
battle. The duration it can stay on the battlefield is limited to its fuel tanks—so
if you plan to use the dropship offensively or defensively make sure that you
upgrade its fuel tanks.

SELECT NEW LANDING ZONE (Default: Z) – During the

course of a game, you are likely to capture additional Landing
Zones. To assign a new Landing Zone to your dropship, click
on the Select Landing Zone button and then LEFT-click on the
new Landing Zone on the minimap or directly on the new zone
in the main view.

Note that it is not always wise to quickly select the latest

Landing Zone since the enemy might try to recapture it. If your
Landing Zone is captured while your dropship is in transit, it
will abort the drop and return to base with the units.

TOGGLE STAY (Default: V) – Normally your dropship will

return to base immediately after unloading its cargo, but with
this toggle you can order your dropship to stand by for orders
on the battlefield. Left-click on the button to order the dropship
to stay. Note that your dropship will automatically return to
base as soon as its fuel runs out.

RETURN TO BASE (Default: H) – Order your dropship to

return to the base immediately.

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NORTHERN STAR ALLIANCE

The Northern Star Alliance is a collection of colonies that still resist the might of
the Terran Empire. The capital planet, Morningstar Prime, has now come under
siege by Imperator Vlaana’s forces, but is managing to hold them at bay.

Originally a colony of the now-defunct Crayven Corporation, Morningstar has

survived due to strong leadership and resourcefulness. The colonists are a
resilient people, and this shows in everything they do and create. This is why
Morningstar Prime was the natural choice when it was time to choose the
NSA capital.

Holding true to its philosophy of life even in war, the Northern Star Alliance has
an arsenal that is practical and conventional, relying more on resilience and the
brute force of projectile weapons. The Alliance’s ground-personnel are some of
the toughest men and women in the quadrant, and their commanders are some
of the most brilliant tacticians.

CAPTAIN JACOB ANGELUS

Captain Jacob Angelus grew up an orphan in Victoria City, and like many NSA
children, he was drafted into the military at an early age. The military was the
only family he ever knew apart from Alice McNeal, the daughter of Lucretia
McNeal and his friend since childhood.

Angelus has adapted well to the harsh realities of war, and he is regarded as
a capable young officer and tactician, excelling in his duties. He has an inner
strength and confidence that most can only dream of and his thoughtful eyes
betray a keen intelligence. But constant fighting has taken its toll on this natural
leader of men. Angelus is growing weary of the war. He has begun to see the
end of his people looming on the horizon if nothing is done, and it troubles him
greatly. Jacob will do whatever is necessary to ensure the survival of the citizens
of Morningstar Prime.

Angelus graduated with honors from the NSA military academy at Fort Ike and
was sent to serve with the 49th regiment (commonly called The Death Express)
of the NSA infantry arm. As is their tradition, The D.E. regards new recruits as
cannon fodder until they have proven their worth. The young Lieutenant Angelus
proved himself in a matter of days, earning the respect of even the most battle-
hardened 49er.

The battlefield prominence of Angelus caught the attention of Major Grant, who
took it upon himself to hone his leadership skills to perfection. After leading a
spectacularly successful operation to recapture the strategically important
Corollia Island, Angelus was awarded the rank of captain and transferred to
New Darwin City, the Morningstar capital, to bolster its defenses.

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NSA UNITS
Infantry are generally weak, but can be placed inside buildings or forests for
additional protection. They are weak against explosive weapons such as artillery,
grenades, and chemical weapons. Infantry cannot be targeted by missiles, so
they are immune to all missile-firing units (NSA Rocket Terradyne, Viron Missile
Troopers, etc.)
Light Assault Infantry – NSALAI-94 “Soldat”
The Light Assault Infantry or simply Rifle Infantry are
the backbone of the NSA Military. Rifle infantry fight best
on terrain that favors their ability to hide and entrench
buildings. The light assault trooper is particularly suitable
for defending areas of constricted terrain, such as in
cities, ruins and forests.

MISSILE MODE – In secondary mode, the Light Assault

Infantry will crouch and activate the missile launcher. The
unit cannot move while in secondary mode.

NSA Sniper – NSA/RICI-5 “Raptor”

The Special Forces infantry, also known as Raptors,
are snipers capable of killing infantry at great distances.
Raptors are almost impossible to detect without sensors.
The unit must be placed in sniper mode to fire its
weapon.

SNIPER MODE – The Raptor can go into sniper mode.

In this mode its view range is vastly improved as well
as its weapon range. The Raptor cannot move while in
sniper mode and its cloaking will be disabled.

NSA Siege Soldier – M4340HC1 “Ogre”

Siege infantry are heavily armored soldiers in exoskele-
tons that allow them to carry heavy fire-power and armor.
The standard issue Siege Soldier exoskeleton is armed
with a P97h Assault Minigun capable of sending a deadly
hail of uranium rounds at supersonic speed toward the
enemy.

FULLAUTO MODE – The Siege Soldier can fire the

minigun in Fullauto, dramatically increasing the rate of
fire. The unit is both slower and more prone to damage
in this mode.

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NSA Light APC – LAPC-780 “Rhino”

The Light APC is an armored four-wheeled vehicle
designed to quickly carry infantry into combat. The APC
is armored, but will not stand heavy cannon fire for long.
It is armed with a heavy machine gun to provide support
fire to deploying infantry.

SMOKE SCREENS – When activated, the APC will fire

smoke grenades that block the line of sight.

NSA Recon Terradyne – ATPJS90

“Watchman”
The ‘Watchman’ is a wheeled jeep that comes with
a mounted Scalletti Industries H-975 AT cannon. The
jeep is faster than tracked vehicles and can withstand
one or two direct hits from AT weapons. It is designed to
quickly move in front of the main NSA forces and scout
the enemy. It is not strong enough to take part
in major battles, but its speed makes it ideal for hit
and run tactics.

STEALTH MODE – When activated, “the Watchman” is

extremely hard to detect. It cannot fire its weapon and
only moves at half speed in stealth mode.

NSA Rocket Terradyne – AMRLV-320

“Marauder”
The “Marauder” provides the NSA with a missile system
designed for the neutralization and destruction of enemy
frontline targets, ground as well as air. Its weak armor
requires it to be protected from direct assaults. Infantry
are too small and too nimble to be targeted by the missile
system.

ANTIMISSILE SYSTEM – The Marauder plays a vital

part as a defensive unit due to its Anti-Missile System.
It will protect itself and surrounding units from incoming
artillery and missiles in AMS mode. It cannot move or
attack in secondary mode.

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NSA Combat Engineers – ACEUV-905

“Zappers”
The NSA Combat Engineer vehicle is designed to
support military units on the battlefield. Inside the
vehicle is a full complement of mechanics and medical
personnel capable of conducting extensive field repairs
and giving medical assistance. Combat Engineers are
lightly armored and unarmed.
REPAIR MODE – The Engineer repairs all vehicles within
its proximity. The unit cannot move while in repair mode.

NSA Fortress Terradyne – DTU-7499

“Ravager”
A moving fortress, the heavy Ravager stops for no
one. It is very heavily armored and its turret carries two
powerful large caliber guns that easily pulverize enemy
vehicles and terradynes. Its heavy armor makes it a
very slow tracked vehicle.
FORTRESS MODE – While the Ravager is impressive
by itself, it truly excels when taking up a defensive
position in Fortress mode. The side armor slides up
front for additional frontal protection.

NSA Main Battle Terradyne SEK-450

“Liberator”
The Liberator Terradyne is the backbone of the armored
forces of the Northern Star Alliance. The purpose of the
terradyne is to provide mobile firepower with sufficient
capability to close in and destroy any opposing armored
fighting vehicles.
One of the main threats for Liberators is enemy infantry
sneaking up from behind and firing AT rockets at its thin
rear armor.
MACHINE GUN – In its secondary mode, the Liberator is
equipped with a heavy machine gun to take out enemy
infantry.

NSA Assault APC – AAPC-D90 “Volcano”

The Assault APC is a massively armored tracked
terradyne designed to carry 8 troopers into hot fire zones.
It is heavily armored and can withstand several direct hits
before being disabled. It is armed with the Genti GTT-30
Heavy Incinerator—a heavy flamethrower capable of
melting both infantry and vehicles at very close range.

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FIRESTORM – In its secondary mode, the “Volcano” fires

phosphorus grenades that shower the target location with
quite a burning sensation.

NSA Mobile Artillery – AFAS-109 “Hailstorm”

The AFAS-109 (Advanced Field Artillery System)
consists of a quad-barreled 175mm self-propelled
howitzer operated by three crew members. It is
capable of firing grenades at extreme ranges, and
is lethal to all but heavy armor. The vehicle is lightly
armored and fairly slow.
SIEGE MODE – The Artillery vehicle can enter Siege
Mode to fire even more powerful rounds at a greater
distance. The Artillery cannot move in Siege Mode.

NSA Light Helidyne – IRH45 “Shade”

The Shade is a fast recon helidyne of instrumental value
when obtaining battlefield intelligence. It is armed with an
advanced AA/AG missile system capable of penetrating
heavy armor.
It relies on speed and is only lightly armored. Being an
airborne unit, it cannot capture Victory Locations or hostile
Landing Zones. Its missiles cannot target infantry.
TURBO THRUSTERS – The Shade can activate turbo
thrusters to dramatically improve its speed, but it cannot
use weapons in turbo mode.

NSA Transport Helidyne – AVTCH-6 “Bigbird”

One of the drawbacks of the NSA military is its units’
inability to cross deep water. For that purpose, the NSA
has developed the Bigbird—a transport helidyne capable
of airlifting terradynes and other ground units over great
distances.

The helidyne is heavily armored and can withstand

severe punishment. In order to ensure maximum payload
capacity, it has no weapons. Being an airborne unit, it
cannot capture Victory Locations or hostile Landing
Zones.

MISSILE COUNTERMEASURES – The unit can activate

missile countermeasures that will defend against incom-
ing missiles. However, it comes at the sacrifice of flying
speed.

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DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURES
NSA Sentry Gun – TTP-90 “Sentinel”
The sentry gun provides excellent point defense,
capable of dealing with both ground and air units.
It is relatively weak against heavy armor, but excels
against large concentrations of infantry. The sentry
gun is immobile, but can be transported using an APC
or Combat Engineer.

NSA KZ Sensor – MSRS-4 “Detector”

The NSA KZ Sensor allows the military a great view of
the battlefield. It covers approximately an area 500m
around its position. The KZ Sensor cannot move and
must be transported using an APC or Combat Engineer.

NSA SUPPORT WEAPONS

Air-Dropped Battlefield Sensor
By air dropping a battlefield sensor the NSA commander can
quickly detect any enemy activity within its sensor range. The
sensor has no defensive capability at all and is extremely
vulnerable.

Smoke Screen
By calling in smoke screens to a location the NSA commander
can hide his troops under a veil of smoke. The smoke is actually
a combination of electronically charged particles that will inter-
fere with most passive and active sensors alike.

Air Strike
The NSA commander can call in an air strike from a nearby
outpost. The bombers will drop fragmentation bombs lethal to
infantry over the area.

Heavy Air Strike

The heavy air strike is used to severely cripple large concentra-
tions of enemy forces. The number of bombs deployed is usually
sufficient to penetrate most antimissile systems deployed at the
target area.

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VIRONS
Humans first came into contact with Virons after their space was violated in the
25th century by the rogue corporate agent Sarah Parker. In the years that fol-
lowed, attempts were made to establish relations with the Virons, but these met
with little success. The Virons proved to be extremely reclusive and xenophobic.
Little is known about them, except that they are bipeds and are wielders of a high-
ly advanced nano-organic technology.

When negotiations with them failed, reports began coming in of battles being
fought in the Ragnarok Nebula, the unconfirmed location of the Viron homeworld.
In these reports there are several references to Viron units combining, or “melding”
together, on the battlefield to become new units.

Officially, no further human contact has been made with the Virons since that time.

G’HALL VI’CATH
While the Viron race is split into clans, each with its own military and
spiritual elder, there is one leader who speaks collectively for all:
G’hall Vi’cath. G’hall has held the position of Viron Overlord for
three decades and has established himself through strength
and order, using the Viron Code of Honor (No’He’Khum) as a
base from which to justify his ideals.

G’hall Vi’cath is a creature of war, always sharing the bat-

tlefield with his brethren. Together with his personal
guard, the Gr’mehk’Khass (The Tempest Gray), he
can strike fear into even the most battle-hardened
soldier. G’hall’s face and body is covered with
scars, remnants of battles and rituals of self-muti-
lation. He lost his left eye in battle and a patch, stitched
directly into his leathery skin, covers the empty socket.

As is typical for Virons, G’hall rarely speaks. He is able to com-

mand his troops with mere gestures and glances from his one
remaining eye. When he does speak, it is usually to intimidate and challenge his
opponents to battle, and he chooses his words carefully. Those who see him say
that he seems to walk around in a controlled perpetual rage, always on the verge
of losing control of his impatient nature.

Throughout his reign, few have dared to question him, but now tensions have
begun to grow between the clans since some Clan Vi’Caths (Elders) are unsatis-
fied with the direction he is leading them. They have reacted to his recent erratic
behavior. Those who have seen it, say that his remaining eye is dilated and cloud-
ed, a telltale symptom of addiction to the drug Pronocol. If this is indeed true, it
would be an enormous blow to G’hall’s power since drug addiction is
seen as deeply dishonorable in Viron culture.

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VIRON MELDING
One of the unique aspects of Viron warfare is the ability to meld units on the
battlefield to create a more advanced unit.

Mortar Clanguard (Missile Clanguard + Missile Clanguard)

Infector Clanguard (Assault Clanguard + Assault Clanguard)
Mortar Centruroid (Engineer Centruroid + Engineer Centruroid)
Missile Centruroid (Gun Centruroid + Gun Centruroid)
Thumper Centruroid (Corruptor Centruoid + Corruptor Centruoid)
Hellfire Centruroid (Penetrator Centruroid + Penetrator Centruroid)
Screamer Helidyne (Fighter Helidyne + Fighter Helidyne)
Corruptor Helidyne (Surveillance Helidyne + Surveillance Helidyne)

VIRON UNITS
Viron Assault Clanguard “Kah’meh”
The Assault Clanguard is armed with a strong Bio-Pulsar
gun. The weapon projectile’s molecular acid component
swiftly eats through any known material before the kinetic
impact deals a massive energy discharge well inside the
target.
Clanguards are highly suitable for urban warfare as they
are capable of taking shelter within buildings. Two Assault
Clanguards can be melded together to create an Infector
Clanguard.
COMBAT DRUGS – They carry capsules of Pronocol,
a synthetic combat drug that gives the user a massive
dose of adrenaline at command. Effectively boosts the
unit’s regeneration process.

Viron Infector Clanguard “Maalh’bul”

The Infector is armed with a spore rifle that sends
engineered viral spores against its intended target.
The Infector is extremely useful against infantry but
can also damage vehicles and tanks.
INFECT – the Infector constantly surrounds himself
with viral spores dangerous only to the enemy.

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Viron Missile Clanguard “Pack’changh”

The Missile Clanguard is the Virons primary anti-air
unit. These troopers are armed with “missile launchers”
that fire homing objects. They excel in taking out enemy
air units but are somewhat less effective against vehicles
and tanks. They cannot target infantry. Two Missile
Clanguards can be melded together to create a Mortar
Clanguard.
TORMENT MISSILE – The unit can choose to fire
torment missiles that do very little damage but shower
the target with acidic spray, temporarily lowering the
target’s armor.

Viron Mortar Clanguard “Tah’changh”

The Virons have a very flexible unit arsenal,
and when dealing with infantry or light vehicles, the
Mortar Trooper is an obvious choice. The unit is armed
with a rapid-firing mortar mounted on the soldier’s back.
The mortar fires a seed case containing a highly volatile
compound mixed with piercing needles. The mortar’s
high rate of fire allows it to penetrate enemy missile
defense systems.
INTERFERENCE GRENADES – In secondary mode, the
Mortar Clanguard can fire grenades that release a cloud
of highly active spores that will interfere with combat and
targeting systems effectively acting as a smokescreen.

Viron Gun Centruroid “Bah’ko”

The fast and furious Gun vehicle uses a direct spike
cannon to deliver razor-sharp bio-spikes at its enemies.
While the spikes are capable of penetrating the thickest
armor with ease, their small size severely limits their
damage potential. The Gun Centruroid fills the role as
a fast long-range recon unit. Two Gun Centroroids can
be melded together to create a Missile Centruroid.

FRONT SHIELDS – Like certain Earth reptiles, the

“Bah’ko” can extend a hard carapace in the front to
protect the unit from frontal attacks. The unit is however
immobile while the shields are up.

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Viron Missile Centruroid “Haai’tah”

The “Haai’tah” is a fast missile-armed support unit. Its
main purpose is to target enemy air units, but it is also
useful against vehicles and terradynes. The missile
system cannot target infantry. The unit fires a swarm of
homing pods against its target.
ANTI-MISSILE MODE – The unit has a second purpose
of defending against incoming missiles and ballistic
shells. It must change into AMS mode to automatically
target missiles within its operating range (approx. 50m).

Viron Engineer Centruroid “Kee’on Rimah”

The Engineer Centruroid is armed with a medium
spore thrower and a transport compartment capable of
taking up to 8 Clanguards. The unit, which is able to heal
friendly units, fills an important role on the battlefield.
Two Engineer Centruroids can be melded together to
create a Mortar Centruroid.
REPAIR MODE – The unit activates its repair equipment
and is capable of spraying friendly units with mucous
capable of accelerating the Viron regeneration process.
It cannot attack in secondary mode.

Viron Mortar Centruroid “Chingh’geh’ohn”

The Mortar Centruroid is the Viron’s answer to field
artillery. The units powerful seed launcher fires a larger
version of the volatile seed cases used by Mortar
Clanguards. Like its smaller cousin, it is designed to
detonate above the target, showering everything below
with razor-sharp spikes. The range of the weapon is far
shorter than the NSA and Imperial counterpart.
TORMENT GRENADES – Instead of firing its usual
volatile seed-cases, it fires an acidic grenade effectively
reducing enemy units’ armor in the target area.

Viron Corruptor Centruoid “Geom’raah”

The Corruptor tank is a huge lumbering armored infantry
transport with a heavy spore thrower mounted topside.
It spews forth a huge cloud of bioengineered spores
that instantly corrode the material they come in contact
with. After a weapon discharge, a huge spore cloud
remains on the battlefield. Contact with the cloud results
in instantaneous damage every second. Two Corruptors
can be melded to create a Thumper Centruroid.

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SACRIFICE – The unit emits a highly lethal virus that

eats through friends and foes alike. Even the unit itself
sustains damage during this mode.

Viron Thumper “Bull’gasaalh”

The Thumper tank is a huge Viron unit, heavily armored
and fitted with a unique and ingenious bio weapon—the
Thumper. With a distinctive “thump” the weapon spews
forth a wave of organic mass with supercharged protons
that travels along the ground toward the target. As the
organic mass travels forward, it loses some of its
destructive power.
GUARDIAN MODE – The Thumper projects an energy
field capable of enhancing the armor of itself and those
units in its immediate proximity.

Viron Penetrator “Hun’muh”

The Penetrator is the Viron Nomad’s main armored
Centruroid. The unit is a very direct and brutal way to
deal with enemy units, especially heavily armored
targets. The unit fires a single nano-engineered chitin
spike, heated to near cataclysmic temperature. The
nano-spike easily penetrates armor up to 200 cm thick.
The energy released when the hyper-velocity nano-
spike hits its target is equal to that of a small nuclear
detonation. Two Penetrators can be melded to create an
even more powerful unit—the Viron Hellfire Centruroid.
PRECISION MODE – In its secondary mode, the
Penetrator is capable of shooting at a greatly increased
range. In order to fire accurately, the unit becomes
immobile. It requires forward observers to fully utilize
its increased range.

Viron Hellfire Centruroid “Chee’woh”

The “Chee’woh” is an impressively armored giant of
a unit, armed with hard-hitting nano-drones. The unit
can deliver a punch even capable of denting a fortified
Ravager terradyne. The nano-drones are not capable
of hitting air or infantry.
TURBO THRUSTERS – In its secondary mode, the unit’s
speed is greatly improved at the sacrifice of its weapons,
allowing it to reach intense fire zones quickly.

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Viron Fighter Helidyne “Geeh’mu’gee”

The Viron Fighter Helidyne is a fast-response unit in
the Viron air cadre. The Fighter is armed with a pair
of highly advanced seed launchers, which spew forth
homing projectiles that are more than capable of
tearing any airborne unit into tiny pieces.
Its dominance on the battlefield is however limited to air
units, leaving it in desperate need of ground support to take
out enemy anti-air units. Two Fighter Helidynes can be
melded on the battlefield to create a Screamer Helidyne.
IMPROVED REGENERATION – In secondary mode
the unit is capable of quickly regenerating its carapace
and vital systems. However, it is defenseless during
this mode.

Viron Screamer Helidyne “Joh’jack”

The Screamer is mainly a support weapon; used with
other Viron units, it truly makes the Virons a foe to fear.
It is armed with a weak sonic cannon that utilizes sonic
waves to pulverize its target.
TORMENT MODE – The Screamer continuously projects
a multi-spectral aura of raw Viron hostility, which disturbs
and disrupts the enemy, grating at the edge of their
brains like a blunt razor blade being scraped across
glass. The aura effectively degrades the target’s ability to
defend itself.

Viron Surveillance Helidyne “Borah’maar”

The Surveillance Helidyne is capable of attacking
both air and ground forces with a relatively weak
bio-cannon. It has great perception and view range.
Two Surveillance Helidynes can be melded to create a
Contaminator Helidyne.
RADAR MODE – The unit can extend battlefield sensors
capable of detecting all enemies within 400-500m. It can-
not move or attack while the sensors are extended.

Viron Contaminator Helidyne

“Wan’greh’ohng”
The Contaminator Helidyne is armed with a medium
spore thrower gas weapon. The combination of being
airborne and armed with a gas weapon strikes fear into
infantry holed up inside a building. Its APC capability
allows it to gas a fortification and unload a full squad of
infantry while the gas dissipates.
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ARMOR MODE – Special glands are activated constant-

ly, feeding the armored areas with new nano-material
effectively reinforcing its armor. The unit moves slightly
slower and is unable to attack in this mode.

DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURES
Viron Prime Sentry Gun
The deployable Bio-Pulsar gun can be used to bolster
the Viron’s defenses. It cannot move on its own accord
and must be transported to its intended position.

Viron KZ Sensor
The deployable field sensor will detect all enemy units
within 400–500m. It cannot move on its own accord and
must be transported to its intended position.

VIRON SUPPORT WEAPONS

Viron Assault Pods
The Viron commander can deploy Assault Pods anywhere on
the battlefield. These pods are launched from the orbiting
Clanship and contain 5 Assault Clanguards. Perfect for a sur-
prise attack, the pods can however be destroyed by enemy
antimissile systems.

Viral Spore Cloud

The Viron commander is able to call down a highly lethal spore
cloud from orbiting Clanships. The spore cloud contaminates an
area with viral spores capable of penetrating and disabling most
vehicles. Infantry are particularly vulnerable.

Graser Strike
The Viron commander can request his orbiting Clanship to fire
its shipboard Graser cannons at a location on the battlefield.
While a Clanship’s Graser cannons are primarily used against
space targets, they are more than dangerous when fired at the
planet’s surface. A lot of the weapon’s destructive energy is
however shredded when penetrating the atmosphere.
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TERRAN EMPIRE
The Terran Empire, a relatively new empire formed out
of the ashes of the old mega corporations, is driving an
iron-willed offensive against the outer colonies and is now
severely threatening the NSA home planet, Morningstar Prime.
The goal of the Terran Empire is to reconquer the outer colonies
and reunite mankind at all costs. The end justifies the means,
and this surely means the end for Morningstar Prime.

The Imperial military relies on advanced technology, using

heavy hoverdynes, lethal plasma weapons, and a seemingly
endless supply of fresh legionnaires. It is also capable of bringing
down heavy orbital bombardment from its orbiting star cruisers.

Emperor Marcus Augustus has entrusted to his most ruthless and

successful agent, Imperator Vlaana Azleea, the task of bringing
Morningstar Prime into the Imperial fold.

IMPERATOR VLAANA AZLEEA

Vlaana is the Emperor’s right hand, charged with bringing
Morningstar Prime under Imperial control. There are many such
agents in the quadrant capturing other colonies, but Morningstar
is the most important and the Emperor has sent his most ruthless
agent to do the job, even branding her face with his personal mark of favor.

In her mind she has been tasked by her Emperor with a divine objective—all of
humanity must be united and those who resist are not worthy of existence. She
follows the Imperial decree with an almost fanatical fervor: give no pardon,
accept no surrender. The end always justifies the means.

Few have seen her in person, and of those who have, fewer still are alive. Unless
you are one of her most trusted envoys, one look into her cold, dark eyes usually
means that you are about to be executed. Shunning human contact, she mainly
commands her forces through two agents almost as ruthless as herself: Imperial
Centurions Cezarus and Dracus. A rumor often whispered among the lower
ranks is that Vlaana doesn’t really exist at all, but is a figurehead for these two
commanders. This rumor is further intensified by the fact that Vlaana was present
in 2699 when the Terran invasion began and that now, forty-two years later, she
doesn’t appear to have aged a day.

Vlaana is known throughout the quadrant as the Butcher of Ariel. It is said that
she, in an uncommon move, walked the battlefield in person on the colony of
Ariel, indiscriminately slaughtering military and civilians alike. Terran legionnaires
even tell tales of her cutting down allied troops if they got in her path, causing all
but the most battle-hardened Terran to shiver at the mention of her name.

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BATTLEFIELD TACTICS
THE BASICS

Victory Locations (VL)

Your main objective is to capture and hold victory locations (tactical positions
in the mission area). Control of these locations will justify your commanders’
requisitions for additional forces. For each victory location under your control
you will gain Acquisition Points or AP that can be used to call down additional
reinforcements, upgrade your dropship, or call down artillery support. If you (and
your team) lose all the Victory Locations—it is all over. You have been defeated.

Landing Zones (LZ)

In order to call down reinforcements you must have control of a landing zone on
the map. Victory locations and Landing Zones are captured by moving ground
units into the marked zone and making sure no enemy unit is present. Note: Air
units cannot capture VLs or LZs.

If all your units have been wiped from the map and your last LZ has been
captured, you no longer have a presence on the battlefield and you have been
defeated.

The Dropship and Reinforcements

You have a dropship to transport your troops to the battlefield—always make
sure you have a landing zone. The dropship initially has a limited cargo bay,
so upgrading the dropship’s cargo capacity is usually a sound strategy because
it allows you to bring more units to the battlefield quicker.

Your dropship can also be damaged while delivering units to the battlefield or
while performing close air support, so watch its health. If your dropship is
destroyed, it will automatically be replaced, but it will take a short time. During
this period, you will be unable to drop additional troops.

THE BATTLEFIELD
Only a foolish field commander would send his strike team into a combat zone
without surveying the surrounding battlefield. Knowing how the terrain affects
your units is a cornerstone on the road to victory.

Line of Sight
To detect enemy units they must be within your own units’ view range, and unless
your units are equipped with radar, they must also have an unobstructed line of
sight to the enemy. Hills and other terrain features block the line of sight. Smaller
targets such as infantry can easily hide in small furrows, while large terradynes
require larger depressions in the ground to stay hidden. Scout vehicles and other
light units have a better view range than the heavier vehicles. Therefore it is

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useful to make sure reconnaissance squads support your heavier units. Note
that the enemy can always detect your units’ presence if they fire their weapons.

Elevated Positions
Units on high ground always have the advantage over units on level ground.
Because of the awkward firing angle, units that are forced to shoot up at the
enemy often miss. At extreme angles, units on higher ground are able to hit
the vulnerable top armor on vehicles, which gives infantry a fighting chance even
against very heavy armor. Always try to place spotters on high ground in lookout
positions that give the best view of the battlefield. Likewise it is important to
prevent the enemy from fortifying the high ground. You can use your artillery to
clear hills captured by the enemy.

FORESTS
Infantry have much better mobility than terradynes and hoverdynes. Only infantry
is capable of moving around in forests. Units in forests receive additional protec-
tion and are much harder to detect. Remember that your infantry is virtually
defenseless in the open.

BUILDINGS
While inside a building, soldiers take up firing positions at the four points of the
compass; however, not all buildings have openings or usable positions in all
directions. In an urban setting it is vital to select positions that provide a good
view of choke points and hotspots while providing cover for your own soldiers.
The structure provides additional protection for any unit inside. Although a
building cannot be destroyed, the infantry inside are especially vulnerable to
gas and fire-based weapons.

GUN EMPLACEMENTS
Dotted around the battlefield are gun emplacements that are available to infantry.
In order to use a gun emplacement an infantry unit must be placed inside. A gun
emplacement cannot be destroyed—only disabled. A disabled emplacement can
be repaired and restored by engineer units.

WEATHER
There are several ways that weather affects combat. Rain and other conditions
always decrease visibility and thus weapon range. Use the cover of harsh
weather to assault far-reaching enemies; this will allow your unit to get within
firing range before it is detected.

SUPPORT WEAPONS
Support weapons, a range of “off-map” support weapons and equipment, come
at a significant AP cost. Support can be called in to any part of the map at
any time, regardless of visibility and accessibility. Delivery to the field takes a
while, but the results can be devastating when support weapons hit. They are
particularly effective against a defensive and immobile enemy.

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MAINTENANCE
A lot of work goes into the production of each new unit that you place on the
battlefield. The number of available crews goes down and the Acquisition Points
you receive for holding the battlefield are reduced to represent the fact that your
army is eating up a large part of the entire NSA war budget. The upper right
corner of the interface has an indicator of black slots that fill up with green
markers as the maintenance level goes up. When you reach your unit maximum,
the maintenance costs will be so high that you will gain no new AP and will not
be able to order any more units. Replacing a number of weaker units with more
expensive and powerful units can help you to keep a balance.

FLANKING MANEUVERS
Terradynes and hoverdynes have armor thicker in the front than in the rear. It is
important to use this wisely; a controlled attack from the flanks or the rear will
hurt the enemy a lot more than an all-out frontal assault. It is equally important to
deny the enemy the opportunity to attack your units from the rear or else they will
quickly slaughter your units. When attacking your enemy, have fast units ready to
circle around and attack from the rear.

COMBINED ARMS
You have many different types of units at your disposal; learn their strengths
and weaknesses to create a powerful strike force. A force consisting entirely of
heavy terradynes and artillery vehicles is extremely vulnerable to helidynes.
Similarly, a helidyne force requires ground support to fend off enemy anti-air.

Artillery vehicles have extremely efficient long-range attacks. However, they are
very vulnerable to attacks from enemy units. Make certain to have protective units
around your artillery vehicles or you will quickly lose them. Be sure that you don’t
have any friendly units near the target point or the effect will be devastating.

Scout vehicles and infantry have excellent reconnaissance capabilities and will
detect enemy units at long range. An artillery strike is much more powerful when
forward observers are used to pinpoint the enemy’s location.

Infantry are hard to detect and are capable of hiding in forests and buildings.
Keep them well protected against fast-firing enemies and use transporters to
move them quickly on the battlefield.

UNITS AND EXPERIENCE

A unit receives experience for destroying enemies in battle. When sufficient
experience is accumulated, the unit’s level will increase. An experienced unit will
generally deal more damage than a rookie. You can see the unit’s experience
level on the marker above it.

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HOTKEYS
KEYS ACTION
Up Move camera forward
Down Move camera backward
Left Move camera left
Right Move camera right
Page up Camera Higher
page down Camera lower
A Attack
M Move
C Hold down for Reverse Move
R Repair
Z Select Landing Zone
W Move camera to currently selected Landing Zone
L Load APC
U Unload APC
E Meld (Viron only)
F Cycle formations
H Send dropship home to base
D Send reinforcements buy order & deploy units
V Toggle dropship status
(return to base / stay on battlefield)
X Activate secondary mode
I Activate Upgrade dropship screen
K Activate Reinforcements screen
B Cycle fire behavior (Hold, Free, Return)
N Objectives. Displays mission objectives.
S Halt. Orders the selected unit to stop moving and
cease fire
Backspace Displays the multiplayer score board
SHIFT-C Toggle between Free Camera and Classic RTS camera
modes
ALT Hold down to view health and team color of all
visible units
ALT Display view and fire range radius for selected units
SHIFT Hold down to queue multiple orders
SHIFT Hold down to select multiple units or groups of units
TAB Switches selection focus in current selection
ESC Close active window or abandon game if no window is
open
Mouse1 (Left) Select units
Mouse2 (Right) Give order depending on context (e.g. attack, move,
etc.)
Mouse3 (Middle) Press to look around freely with the camera
Left Ctrl Create squad modifier
Pause Pause
Print Scrn Screenshot
Zoom in on map Numpad +
Zoom out on map Numpad -
Left Ctrl + Enter Chat
Enter Team Chat

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CREDITS
Developed by MASSIVE ENTERTAINMENT
CEO & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ADDITIONAL CREDITS - VOICE RECORDING -
Martin Walfisz Joachim Carlsson
HEAD OF SOUND, VITAL SPARK
Christina Geijer
PROJECT MANAGER Christian Johnson
Carl Fransson CONSULTANTS
DIALOGUE ENGINEER/EDITOR
Joe Dever
LEAD GAME DESIGNER
Dr. Ian "Mad Doc" Davis Andrea Toyias
Henrik Sebring
Tobias Ahlstedt VOICE DIRECTION
LEAD ARTISTS Odd Nydrén Eric Weiss
Tobias Strömvall VOICE CAST
MOTION CAPTURE BY
Pär Green Northern Light Studios / Captain Jacob Angelus:
LEAD SOFTWARE ENGINEERS Starbreeze Chris Edgerly
Niklas Hansson Megafront Falun Dr. Alice McNeal:
Johannes Norneby MOTION CAPTURE STUNTS
Traci Lords
Mikael Brolin Major D. Grant:
TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECT
Fliss Walton Charles Dennis
Martin Rystrand
Henry Laton General Warhurst:
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING TEAM Duane Shepard
Daniel Ljungberg NIMROD SYMPHONY Sergeant Rho:
ORCHESTRA
Asker Brodersen Hank Jacobs
Jonathan Williams
Erik Westerlund Lt. LaCroix:
Tobias Carlsson PRODUCTION BABIES Kath Soucie
Mattias Paulsson Filip Centurion Dracus:
Per-Magnus Olsson Victor Scott Bullock
Viggo Centurion Cezarus:
ART TEAM Selma
Orhan Karagöz Brian George
Thomas Bengtsson SPECIAL THANKS TO Hervon Dreznor:
Joakim Månsson All our spouses, families and Phil Lamarr
Magnus Larsson friends (for understanding) Drahk'Mar Vicath:
Jonas Dahlin Ron Canada
THANKS TO
Rodrigo Cespedes G'hall Vicath:
Christian Pérez
Steve Blum
Jan Benjaminson
GAME AND MISSION K'haunir Vicath:
DESIGN TEAM Tomas Althén
Hans Berglund Steve Blum
Joe Fricano Major Sarah Parker:
Andreas Palmgren John Klepper
Dejan Momcilovic Jennifer Hale
Carl Lundgren Imperator Vlaana:
Per Edman Fredrik "Madfrog" Johansson
Lisa Anderberg Kath Soucie
Nicklas Cederström
Liv Rebecka Hagman UNIT FEEDBACK
MUSIC AND SOUND Sweden Models Chris Edgerly
Ola Strandh Andreas Gustafsson Charles Dennis
Mark Harris / NVidia Duane Shepard
QA TEAM
Jack Bennett II / Newtek Hank Jacobs
Fredrik Svensson
Magnus Robertsson Scott Bullock
Anders Larsson
Mathias "Raven" Wittlock Brian George
Magnus Olsson Kim Nordström
Johan Oldbring Phil Lamarr
David Polfeldt
Ron Canada
PR MANAGER HC sqd, C plat. Sierra coy, 5th
Steve Blum
Elin Bergman Swe Bn, Kosovo
Jennifer Hale
Pizza & Spagetti House No 1
CFO All nearby fast food places John DiMaggio
Annika Ohlsson The Coca Cola guy SPECIAL THANKS TO
Espresso House & Coffee Eric Weiss
SYSTEMS & NETWORK
Maniac Tom Keegan
ADMINISTRATORS
The coffee machine (for being Per Edman
Daniel Ljungberg
open 24/7) Joe Fricano
Nico Davis
www.homestarrunner.com Ola Strandh
All multiplayer beta testers
43