Readme

10/31/97

The following are both changes from the Manual and additional helpful
information regarding War Wind II.

Network Games/Editing Maps

1. When you make a map using the Map Editor and save that map, it is
saved to a default directory from which it can be loaded from the Main
Menu, Options Screen, or Game Screen Menu. It is actually saved in the
same directory as your saved games and can be loaded from there. If
you wish to use that map as a network playable map, the only change you
need to make is the directory into which you save it. From the Map
Editor, save your map to the War Wind II\Data\Network directory. It
will be saved with the Network map files and can be loaded from within
the Multiplayer set up screen. Note: In order to see the map as a
network playable map in the Multiplayer set up screen, you must name
it in the Map Editor. This is done with the Scenario button in the Map
Editor.

2. Saving and Restoring Network games is no longer an option in War

Wind II.

3. Since the S.U.N. lack any air or water-bound vehicles, the Burrower
range of underground movement has been increased to 16. This allows you
to use the Burrower as a long-range transport and scouting vehicle.

4. There is no training cost when a Cavalier mounts a Bonca to create a

Mounted Cavalier. Cavaliers can mount and dismount bonca at will,
without cost.

5. The Fog Device has been removed from the game. Sorry.

6. Timing and supporting your units:

When the "Supplies Option" is turned on, Supply Sources each
produce 5 supplies about every 45 seconds (organic units consume their
necessary supplies at the same rate). Butanium Synths, Butanium
Refineries, and Workbots each produce 7 butanium about every 75 seconds
(mechanized units consume their necessary butanium at the same rate).

7. The Fog of War:

The standard mode for the Fog of War is gray on the game screen with a
black minimap. On the game screen, the Fog is ever-present, a grayness
covering areas unknown and previously explored. These gray areas do
not reveal enemy troop movement or terrain changes. Areas near a
faction building or within your unit's sight range are clear. Various
terrain objects, such as thick forests or cliff walls, will restrict
visibility. The minimap is black, except for where your troops and
buildings are present. If you build a Communications Device, the
entire minimap will be revealed.

8. Supplies:
If the supplies option is turned on, this number will show the amount
of Supplies you have. In order to sustain your units, you must build
supplies production facilities. Approximately one is needed to sustain
every five units, though supplies consumption rates vary by unit.
Once Supplies are exhausted, units begin to move more slowly and attack
with less effectiveness.
If the supplies option is turned off, each supply facility will sustain
five units. With supplies turned off, such facilities are only
necessary if you wish to hire more units. If you select a supply
facility, you will be shown how many units your current supply
production can support, and how many active units are consuming
supplies. The difference between these two numbers (production versus
consumption) lets you know if you can hire more units, or need to build
more supply facilities.

9. Saw'Shaw has no leader status, hence no War Song.

10. In the interest of playability, statistics of some units have been

modified.

* Marine Sappers have 60 Life Points.

* Marine Grenadiers have 65 Life Points.

* Marine Grunts have 50 Life Points.

* Marine Gunny Sgts. Have 55 Life Points.

* Marine Dogs have 45 Life Points.

* The Incinerator has 330 Life Points.

* The Elder Bonca has 220 Life Points and 3 Armor.

* The Bonca has 110 Life Points and 2 Armor.

* The S.U.N. Rook has 4 Armor.

11. No butanium cost is required in order to build a Descendant Workbot.

See, you need a workbot to get butanium, and if you need butanium to
build a Workbot. . .

12. When your faction resources, butanium, or supplies reach their

maximum, the corresponding number at the top of the screen will turn
red. This indicates that you have reached capacity with your current
storage facilities. In order to acquire more resources, butanium, or
supplies, you must build another Town Center or Storage Facility.

13. BUILD HOTKEYS

S Supply Synth (Overlords)

V Defense Satellite (Descendants)
U Surveillance Satellite (Descendants)

Hints & Strategies:

* Build a town center before hiring new units. Don't hire many new
units as a first move in a scenario. This will severely deplete your
resources and may make it impossible to build a town. Be sure to place
your town center near forested areas to make harvesting quicker and
easier - then you can use those additional resources to swell your
ranks.
* Place guard towers on the outside of your town or along routes that
seem to be likely avenues of attack. Once you've built a guard tower,
place a unit with long visual range and weapon range inside. Assign a
"defensive" stance to units in towers. This way, they'll fire upon
enemy units but won't leave the tower to pursue them.
* Conduct research or use leader songs immediately before razing an
enemy town. Each building you destroy will raise your faction's
influence counter. The same rule applies to hiring neutral units.
If you can, do research before hiring a large group of townsfolk.
* The unit grouping feature works best to create small armies of like
units. These units all move at the same speed, and attack from the same
range. If the "friendly fire" option is turned on, similar units are
less likely to interfere with each other. This way, hand-to-hand
attackers don't get hit by long-range attacks when engaging the enemy.
* Set aside a few workers and expand their construction skills. Don't
train all of your workers to become warriors and mages. Workers will
remain necessary to harvest resources, repair damaged buildings or
vehicles, even construct special objects such as bridges and bombs.
* When choosing workers to train into warriors or mages, use units
with potential first. These individuals can achieve far greater heights
when given the opportunity in training. And while a worker with
potential may have higher building skill levels, the same effect can be
achieved by expanding the skills of any regular worker.
* Use quick airborne and stealth units to explore the map and rescue
other units or steal empty enemy vehicles. If you're fast and careful,
you can even rescue units behind enemy lines. But once you've got them,
fighting your way out can be a tough job.
* Vehicles can shield troops within as they advance on the enemy. In
addition, you can unload individual units from any vehicle as it moves.
Select a moving, occupied vehicle and click on the "more info" button.
From the new control panel, you can select units and drag them outside
the vehicle to make them jump clear. Note, while having troops leap out
of moving helicopters might look pretty cool, they'll still drown if
they jump into water (the same goes for units jumping out of moving
boats).
* Since you can repair your own vehicles at any time, it's usually a
good idea to have a worker pilot vehicles. Whenever a vehicle is badly
damaged, you can pull your vehicle away from combat, repair it, and
then go back for more.
* Use a control bridge to thin out enemy ranks. First you need a
control bridge spanning a body of water. Now, send a strong, fast unit
(on evasive stance) towards the enemy. If the enemy units are set at
aggressive, they'll follow your fleeing unit. Send your unit over the
control bridge. When the enemy steps onto the bridge, click on a bridge
square to retract it. Enemy land units will drown in the water.
* Use a teleportation device to hijack enemy vehicles. Select a unit
carrying a teleportation device and send him towards the enemy
(the unit might need a small force to provide cover fire). Once an
enemy vehicle is within a few squares, click on the teleportation
device, then on the vehicle. Enemy units will get booted out of the
vehicle, and your unit will be driving. An added bonus: If you perform
this action on an enemy water-bound vehicle, the enemy units get
dunked.
* In a multi-player game, you can cripple your enemies by hiring
townsfolk near an opponent's base - provided they are a suitable type.
Even if they're not, you can kill enemy townsfolk, thus depleting your
opponent's source of manpower.
* Train and expand the skills of your animal handlers. Their ability to
tame animals can be extremely useful on certain maps that are loaded
with creatures. Taming animals can increase the size of your forces at
no cost. Of course, animal rights groups might not appreciate your use
of simple Bonca as shock troops.
* Three words: Freeze ray armies.

TCP/IP

We recommend games of 2-3 players during non-peak hours. We have

experienced slow and choppy game play during peak hours. We also
experience a slow down when each player has over 30 units in their
faction.

We have experienced choppy game play with four player scenarios with a
large amount of units during non peak hours and thus do not recommend
playing with four players.

Vehicles

We have experienced a "rare" bug with units getting into vehicles. This
is an extremly rare situation but we are aware of it. Our suggestion to
you is to save your game often, so that if you do happen to experience
this bug, you will be able to restore your saved game without losing
too much game time.

And a Very Special Thanks to Scott "The Grand Poobah" Evans for all of
his hard work and dedication.