Games PC IMPERIALISM II-AGE OF EXPLORATION User Manual

4.4 (5)

IMPERIALISM® II

AGE OF EXPLORATION

PRESENTED BY

FROG CITY SOFTWARE, INC.

AND

STRATEGIC SIMULATIONS, INC.

IMPERIALISM II: Contents

 

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

Fast Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

How to Use the Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Comparison: IMPERIALISM and IMPERIALISM II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3

GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

Installing the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6

Starting the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Uninstalling the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Using the Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Saving Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

BEGINNING A GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

Starting a Single Player Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

Loading and Saving Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Starting a Multiplayer Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Difficulty Settings and Game Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

Setting Game Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17

HOW TO GET HELP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18

Help Briefings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18

Warnings From Your Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19

The Game Information Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19

Other Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

IMPERIALISM II BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

An Introduction to the Terrain Map and Orders Screens . . . . . . . . . . .

21

What Order Do Things Happen In? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23

Political Organisation in Imperialism II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23

How the Economy Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25

How to Win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE TERRAIN MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27

Establishing a Capital City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27

The Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28

Terrain Map Screen Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30

The Cycle of Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31

Map Cursors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

31

CIVILIAN UNITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34

Toolbar for Civilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34

Types of Civilian Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35

NAVAL UNITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40

Ordering Your Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40

Missions, Movement and Cursors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

41

Toolbar for Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

42

Ship Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

44

Types of Warships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

46

Your Home Fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

46

Checklist: Conducting an Overseas Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

47

IMPERIALISM II: Contents

MILITARY FORCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Ordering Your Land Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Moving and Attacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Toolbar for Regiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Regiment and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Regiment Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Regiment Abilities and Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Emplaced Artillery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

FIGHTING BATTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Choosing a Method of Resolving Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Tactical Battle Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Sieges and Fortifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

PEACEFUL CONTROL OF OTHER NATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Civilians Working Abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Competing for Control of Minor Nations and Tribes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 THE TRANSPORT NETWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 How Transport Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Using the Transport Network Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Possible Commodities to Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Town Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 INDUSTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Information in Panel Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Using the Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Using the Production Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Using the Unit Construction Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Using the Labour Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 TRADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Giving Trade Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Receiving Trade Offers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 DIPLOMACY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Using the Diplomacy Screen for Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Diplomatic Overtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Foreign Aid and Bribery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Trade Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Control of the Old World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Receiving a Diplomatic Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Understanding the Technology Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Using the Technology Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Benefits of Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 STRATEGY IDEAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 HOT KEY LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 CREDITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Games PC IMPERIALISM II-AGE OF EXPLORATION User Manual

1IMPERIALISM II: Introduction

Improved Infantry Tactics.

An increased understanding of infantry tactics permits the recruitment of Calivermen, and the upgrading of peasant levies. These new regiments are adept at drawing enemy fire and using terrain for concealment.

INTRODUCTION

In IMPERIALISM II: Age of Exploration you rule one of the colonial powers of Europe in the period 1500-1850. Your goal is military or diplomatic domination of the Old World. For players of IMPERIALISM many of the game concepts and much of the interface will seem familiar. However, the game plays very differently, requiring a balancing of different forces and consideration of different problems. The colonial and mercantile periods did not witness the rapid industrial changes that were such an important part of IMPERIALISM. Players of IMPERIALISM II must be concerned with establishing colonies, conquering or befriending native populations, and developing their nations using the riches and commodities found only in the New World. Once these benefits are brought home, your Great Power can attempt to dominate the greater and lesser states of the Old World.

For installation information, see the section Getting Started, which begins on page 5. To start playing IMPERIALISM II: AGE OF EXPLORATION right away, try the Tutorial discussed below. For a brief list of the important differences between IMPERIALISM and IMPERIALISM II turn to page 3. If you want to start your own game without further reading, follow these steps for a fast start:

IMPERIALISM II: Introduction 2

Fast Start.

1.Double click on the game icon to start the game. (In Windows® 95 or 98 you can also start from the Programs menu). When the introductory sequence ends, you are in your Study, a screen depicting your office.

2.Click on the globe on the desk in the Study. Ignore the recommendation to play the tutorial, although you should return and play it, if the game proves difficult or confusing.

3.In the Map Room, wait for the globe to stop spinning, then either accept the preselected country, outlined in white, or choose a different coloured country by clicking on the large map.

4.Select Introductory as the difficulty setting.

5.Click on the up arrow button at the bottom of the Difficulty Level panel to start the game.

6.You are now playing IMPERIALISM II. Each screen includes a help briefing in a dialog box, accessible by clicking on the question mark button. Use these briefings to get going. For more information on using the help, see page 19.

How to Use the Tutorial.

<<CALL IN S_TUTORI.EPS W/CO>> Hot Text Area

Return to Study

Resume Saved Tutorial

Begin Tutorial

From the Study screen where the game begins, click on the scrolls to start a new tutorial or resume a tutorial you saved previously. The tutorial is played on one of several possible maps that all provide easy access to the resources you need at the beginning of the game.

The tutorial presents you with a series of episodes, each with a goal that must be achieved. Once a goal is met, the next episode begins. Since the tutorial is not balanced for long-term play, it is best to begin a new game once you have mastered the skills required for the episodes.

3IMPERIALISM II: Introduction

Comparison: IMPERIALISM and IMPERIALISM II.

There are many differences between IMPERIALISM and IMPERIALISM II. The items listed below are changes to the game that might catch IMPERIALISM veterans unaware.

How to Win.

The council of governors found in IMPERIALISM is gone. Players win by controlling over one-half of the Old World. Control can be obtained by military or diplomatic means.

Since the New World does not directly help a Great Power win, good players will tend to invest in New World development only so far as it leads to greater power in the Old World. This is the model for victory appropriate to the era.

Feeding Everybody.

Agriculture was a more important part of the economy in the sixteenth century than it was in the nineteenth. You will find it a very important element of IMPERIALISM II. Your agricultural productivity acts to limit the size of your army, navy, and labour force. Everyone must eat a unit of meat (fish or cattle) or grain every turn. There is no canned food in IMPERIALISM II, but raw foods may be stockpiled in your warehouse.

The Transport Network.

This area of the game probably changed more than any other. On land, every tile of road counts as a depot; so no depots ever need to be built. To connect a mine, for example, build a road from the capital into any terrain tile adjacent to the mine. It is still necessary to construct ports in order to move commodities over the water.

Another important change is the elimination of land transport capacity. All items moving only over roads (or later, rail) move for free each turn to the capital. Anything that moves anywhere along its route across water must be transported in the cargo holds of your empire’s ships. The same ships are used for exploration, war, and trade, and are subject to hostile interception. Transport is no longer safe—at least across water.

One consequence of the new system is the reduced amount of player micro-management of transport. Your land connections arrive automatically. These commodities are displayed on the transport screen, but you do not need to order them to be moved. Of course, you do have to decide how many ship cargo holds to allocate to sea transport, how many to save for trade, and how many to patrol the seas of the world.

Exploration.

When the game begins one-half of the map is covered. In order to conduct trade, diplomacy or war with the New World you have to uncover it first. For peaceful relations you need to find tribal capitals. To invade the New World, any uncovered land will do. There are two effective ways to explore. A ship placed in a coastal sea zone reveals all the coast tiles of adjacent lands. Once a coast tile is revealed an Explorer unit may be deployed to the New World. Explorers reveal all the terrain adjacent to their location.

IMPERIALISM II: Introduction 4

Developing Minor Nations and the New World.

In IMPERIALISM, developments outside your country did not have to be connected by road to a port. In IMPERIALISM II, there is no distinction between development at home and abroad. A nation or Tribe can only trade or transport commodities that are connected within its borders.

The Merchant unit, who resembles the developer from IMPERIALISM, can protect a Tribe from invasion by purchasing land from the Tribe. Once this is done, other Great Powers can invade only after they declare war on the Power who owns the land.

Riches.

There are now five types of resources that convert directly to cash when transported to your own country. All of them are found only in the New World. In most games you will need to find and exploit these riches as a permanent source of funds. In a game representing the colonial and mercantile period, there are fewer opportunities to make cash by selling commodities than was the case in the nineteenth century

world of IMPERIALISM.

New World Resources.

The special luxury resources of sugar, tobacco, and furs are required to produce consumer luxuries for trained workers. The level of training of a nation’s labour force is limited by the amount of New World resources it can acquire.

Technology Tree.

In IMPERIALISM II each monarch has the opportunity to direct his empire’s researchers along particular research paths. You can craft your empire building strategies according to the new technologies you expect to gain. A technology tree is provided on the enclosed reference card.

Turn-Based Tactical Combat.

Tactical land combat remains an optional game element. If you choose to fight your battles in IMPERIALISM II, you will find that the initiative system for moving and attacking is gone. You are able to move all your units in any order you desire and then watch your foe do the same. Additionally, melee and firing are now two different forms of combat. This means that in melee combat, the defender strikes back even on the attacker’s turn.

Since forts and siege combat were critical in the Old World during this era, you will find artillery essential to your success. Non-artillery units can fire only at enemies posted along the wall, and purely melee units (all those with a range of one) cannot attack a wall or any units in a fort in any way.

A deployment limit is applied to all battles. This begins the game at 10 regiments. If you gain the Nationalism technological advance this limit is increased to 12. A general present in a garrison or an attacking force increases this one additional unit for every medal earned by the general.

This limit in no way affects the number of units that may be stationed in a province. Extra units will not be deployed in battle and will retreat if the battle is lost.

5IMPERIALISM II: Getting Started

Cost of Attacking.

Monarchs during the era covered by this game had an extraordinarily difficult time funding their armies, especially during offensive operations. While you are on the defensive, your troops require only food. If you decide to attack there is a significant cash cost. Don’t declare war without a large cash reserve.

No More Goods.

Although there are more commodities in IMPERIALISM II, the goods that were such an important part of the IMPERIALISM economic model are no more. Players must balance the development use of a material like bronze or lumber directly against the need for cash obtained by trade. This new model seems to fit the earlier time period of the game. Players need to directly exploit the New World for riches instead of investing in factories and mills at home.

Major Changes to Interface.

Although many screens are different, the two that changed the most are industry and the newspaper.

The Industry screen in IMPERIALISM required a mouse-click on each separate production building before the players could give production orders. This is now combined on one screen with (up to) 10 production sliders.

The newspaper of IMPERIALISM has been replaced with a Turn Summary which reports only events that are important to you. Random events, both good and bad, occur and are reported on the Turn Summary.

GETTING STARTED

This section should provide all the information you need to install IMPERIALISM II and begin playing the game. If you encounter difficulties, you can find troubleshooting information starting on page 117.

System Requirements.

To play IMPERIALISM II, be sure your system meets the following minimum system requirements:

IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES:

Pentium 100 MHz IBM PC or compatible (Pentium 166 or better recommended)

32 MB of RAM

Windows® 95 or 98

An Uncompressed hard drive with at least 110MB free for the install

8X CD-ROM drive or faster

A SVGA video adaptor with at least 1 MB of memory and a Colour SVGA Monitor

A 100% Microsoft (or Logitech) compatible mouse

Microsoft mouse driver version 9.00 or higher or Logitech mouse driver version 6.24 or higher

28.8K or better Modem or TCP/IP LAN (for Multiplay)

IMPERIALISM II: Getting Started 6

NOTE: This game is not supported on Windows® NT systems. Multitasking is not recommended when playing IMPERIALISM II.

In addition to the basic system requirements, the game requires that DirectX 6 be installed to your hard drive. The option to install DirectX 6 appears during the game installation. For network play, you need a DirectPlay compatible network adaptor.

At the end of installation, you are prompted to register IMPERIALISM II electronically.

MACINTOSH:

PowerMac 7500 or better

Macintosh Operating System 7.5.2 or better

32MB of RAM or better

An Uncompressed hard drive with at least 110MB free for the install

8X CD-ROM

28.8K or better Modem or TCP/IP LAN (for Multiplay)

Installing the Game.

You must install IMPERIALISM II game files to your hard drive and have the IMPERIALISM II CD in your CD-ROM drive to play this game.

To install the game on an IBM PC or Compatible:

Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive. When the pop-up window appears, click on the Install option. If you have disabled the Windows 95/98 Autorun, or if it does not function, explore the CD and double-click on the Autorun icon. Follow all on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

To install the game on a Macintosh:

Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive. When the game CD icon appears, double-click on the icon, then select the Install Imperialism II option. Follow all on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

7IMPERIALISM II: Getting Started

Starting the Game.

To start the game on an IBM PC or Compatible:

The IMPERIALISM II Autorun program displays a menu with the options to run the game, install DirectX 6, install Quicktime, uninstall the game, view or install other SSI demos, or view the README.TXT file, every time the CD-ROM drive is closed with the CD in place. IMPERIALISM II can also be started by opening the Start menu, selecting Programs, choosing the folder where IMPERIALISM II was installed and double-clicking on the IMPERIALISM II program item.

Note: It is recommended that your computer be set to high colour 800x600 colour mode in the Windows Settings window. Screen saver utilities should be turned off before starting to play IMPERIALISM II.

To start the game on a Macintosh:

Imperialism II can be started by opening the folder where Imperialism II was installed and double-clicking on the Imperialism II program icon.

For complete and specific “how to play” information, please refer to the rest of the manual. Some changes were made too late to include in this manual. Be sure to read the README.TXT file in your game directory for details on these changes and troubleshooting information.

Uninstalling the Game.

To uninstall the game on an IBM PC or Compatible:

Select the uninstall option from the Autorun menu, or choose Settings from the Windows Start menu, and select Control Panel. In the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Programs, click on IMPERIALISM II, and click on the Add/Remove button. The game and all of its components are then removed from your hard drive, except for your saved games and preferences.

To uninstall the game on a Macintosh:

To uninstall the game, drag the IMPERIALISM II application folder into your trash and empty it. The game and all of its components are then removed from your hard drive, including your saved games.

Using the Mouse.

If you are using an IBM PC or Compatible:

In this manual, the term click means moving the mouse pointer to the desired area on the screen and pressing the left mouse button. There are two ways to info-click, either rightclick or shift-click. Right-click means moving the mouse pointer to the desired area and pressing the right mouse button. Shift-click means moving the mouse pointer to the desired area, holding down the Shift key and pressing the left mouse button.

If you are using a Macintosh:

In this manual, the term click means moving the mouse pointer to the desired area on the screen and pressing the mouse button. On the Macintosh, info-click means shift-click. Shift-click means moving the mouse pointer to the desired area, holding down the Shift key and pressing the mouse button.

IMPERIALISM II: Getting Started 8

Saving Games.

IMPERIALISM II requires space on your hard drive for saved games and temporary files. Each saved game can take up to 400KB of hard drive space. Note: If you exchange a saved game with someone, it is important to note which slot it occupied since it will overwrite any other saved game in that slot.

The Autosave Feature.

As you play IMPERIALISM II, your game is saved automatically at the beginning of each new turn. If you want to save during your turn, or after you have entered all your orders, you must save the game yourself to one of the other save slots. In a multiplayer game, there is an autosave at the beginning of the turn, and a second one when players click on the End Turn button.

BEGINNING A GAME

<<CALL IN S_STUDY.EPS W/CO>>

 

 

View Credits

Hot Text Area

 

 

 

 

Exit Game

Go to Preferences Screen

 

 

Start New

 

View High Scores

Single Player Game

 

Load Saved

 

 

Single Player Game

 

Go to Multiplayer

 

 

 

 

Connection Screen

Play Tutorial

 

 

 

 

 

IMPERIALISM II begins with an opening cinematic. You can press any key or the mouse button to bypass this brief movie. The Study screen appears after the cinematic finishes. There are several items in your Study, depicting various game features. Hot text describing each item’s function appears in the centre of the screen. Click on the globe to play a new single player game. Clicking on the scrolls allows you to select the tutorial. To load a saved game, click on the red chest. The battling horsemen statue provides access to multiplayer games, including starting and hosting new games, joining a new game, or restoring a saved multiplayer game. The small picture to the left of the hot text window opens the game preferences menu.

You can exit IMPERIALISM II by clicking on the doorway out of the room.

9IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Starting a Single Player Game.

<<CALL IN S_MAPRM.EPS W/CO>>

Hot Text Area

Old World Map

 

Exit Map Room

Use Historical Old World

Generate New Map

Generate Random

Old World

Selected Country

Open Map

Generation Key Panel Go to Difficulty Settings Screens

Start Game

When you click on the globe in the Study you bring up the Map Room. On this screen, hot text appears on a panel in the upper left of the screen. You can exit the Map Room and return to the Study without starting a new game by clicking on the medallion to the left of the hot text panel.

Generating a World.

As you enter the Map Room, the large globe on the stand is spinning to indicate that a new world is being generated. When the world is complete, a map appears on the right side of the Map Room screen. The map shows the political boundaries of the countries. The selected Great Power is outlined in white. A list of the terrain found in this country appears next to the map. If you prefer to play a different Great Power, click on that country on the map. Great Powers appear in colour; the other countries are Minor Nations. When you change countries, new terrain information appears. You can generate a different world by clicking on the Map Room globe.

Using a Historical Europe.

Underneath the map are two oval buttons, which control whether the Old World is randomly generated or not. By default, the button to the right is selected. This selection means that both the Old World and the New World are generated randomly whenever you click the large globe.

If you click on the button to the left under the map, the Old World is no longer random. Instead it will be a map of Western Europe depicting the Great Powers most involved in colonial expansion in the Americas. You can generate more maps with this selection as well. All the worlds created have the same historic Old World, but have randomly created New Worlds.

IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game 10

Using a Known World.

You can choose to play on a world you already know, rather than a random one. Click on the small key next to the globe to bring up the Map Generation Key panel. Any word typed in this panel functions as a seed for the map generator. This means if you type in the same word for each new game, you will end up with exactly the same world. If you generate a map you particularly like by clicking on the globe, enter the Map Generation Key panel to find out the name of that world. You can then add this name to your list of favourite worlds. You can find out the seed name for a map after you have started playing by holding down the control key and clicking on the Zoom button at the top of the Terrain Map toolbar. Below are listed some recommended words to enter into the panel. These words were found to generate maps that provide a particularly fun game for the recommended countries. When you enter the name of a world, it must be typed exactly as written.

RECOMMENDED WORDS FOR MAP GENERATION KEY:

 

Recommended Maximum

 

Name of World.

Number of Human Players.

Recommended Great Powers.

Caugi ............................

2............................................................

Holland, France

Rhymnerdi ....................

2............................................................

Sweden, Spain

Cewys ............................

2............................................................

England, Holland

Mella ............................

2............................................................

France, Portugal

Iostavigarthyr ................

4............................................................

Portugal, Holland, Sweden, Spain

Pig ................................

3............................................................

Portugal, France, Spain

Llesti..............................

4............................................................

Portugal, Sweden, France, England

Cineg ............................

3............................................................

France, Sweden, Spain

Nansollaff ......................

2............................................................

Portugal, England

Manta............................

2............................................................

France , Portugal

Dintag Memrys ............

6............................................................

(all okay)

Ciy ................................

2............................................................

Holland, Portugal

Kernaegh ......................

4............................................................

England, Portugal, France, Holland

Astenidas ......................

2............................................................

Sweden, Holland

Sworriy..........................

4............................................................

England, Spain, France, Portugal

Cauyorthyr....................

2............................................................

England, Spain

Rhon..............................

5 to 6 ....................................................

(Holland is worst)

Cordigh ........................

3............................................................

Holland, Spain, Sweden

Egininerk ......................

4............................................................

England, Holland, France, Portugal

Allormonawys ..............

4 to 6 ....................................................

(Holland and Portugal are worst)

 

 

 

Starting Your New Game.

When you have a map, and have selected a Great Power, choose a Difficulty Level from the panel below the map. You also set play variants from this panel; see page 15 for more about difficulty levels and customising your game. To begin the game, click on the arrow button at the bottom of the Difficulty Level panel.

11 IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Loading and Saving Games.

To load a saved game, click on the red chest located on top of the desk in the Study. This brings you to the Chest Room. When you enter the Chest Room to load a saved game the autosave is selected. To load this game, simply click the Load Saved Game button at the top of the chest. To load other saved games follow these steps:

From the Study screen:

Click on the red chest

In the Chest Room, click on the save slot you wish to load. The map of this game appears on the lid of the chest.

Click on the Load Saved Game button at the top of the chest.

You can also load saved games during play from the Terrain Map screen:

Click on the Game Controls button, marked with a computer icon.

In the dialog box, click on the Load Saved Game button. The Chest Room screen appears.

In the Chest Room, click on the save slot you wish to load. The map of this game appears on the lid of the chest.

Click on the Load Saved Game button.

Saving a Game.

IMPERIALISM II provides nine slots for your saves. There is also an extra slot (the tenth) for the autosave game. Multiplayer and tutorial saved games use different slots.

To save your game follow these steps:

From the Terrain Map screen, click on the Game Controls button marked with a computer icon at the top of the toolbar.

On the dialog box, click on the Save Game button. A screen that looks like a large open chest of scrolls appears.

There are nine scrolls representing your nine save slots and an autosave slot. Click on one of the scrolls.

Type a name for your game.

Click on the Save Game button at the top of the chest.

If you want to exit the Chest Room without saving, click on the medallion to the left of the screen.

IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game 12

More Than Nine Single Player Saves.

If you want to keep more than nine saved games, go to your Imperialism II saved games folder before you start the game and move old saves into a separate folder. Normal saves are labelled as slotX.imp, where the X represents a number 0-8. The autosave is labelled slotA.imp, the tutorial save is labelled slotT.imp, and all your multiplayer saved games are labelled multX.imp. Once you move your old saves out of the Imperialism II saved games folder they will not appear in the Chest Room and new saves can be placed in those slots.

Starting a Multiplayer Game

<<CALL IN S_CONNEC.EPS W/CO>>

 

Create New

Join Multiplayer

Multiplayer Game

 

Game

 

 

Play on Mplayer.com

Return to

Load Saved

Study Screen

Multiplayer Game

 

IMPERIALISM II supports LAN and Internet multiplayer games of up to six players. To create or join a multiplayer game, click on the battling horsemen statue from the Study screen. This brings up the Connection screen. Here you may decide to join someone else’s game by clicking on the statue. If you are playing over a Local Area Network you shouldn’t need to enter an IP address; IMPERIALISM II automatically scans the network for available games and provides a list for you to choose from. However, if the game you wish to join does not appear, you can still manually enter the host’s IP address. If you are playing over the Internet, enter the host’s IP address. The host of the game can find their IP address by holding the mouse over the ruler portrait in the Multiplayer Lounge. The IP address is shown in the hot text area. You can also find out your IP address before entering the game by running the Winipcfg.exe utility. This can be found in your Windows folder.

To host a game of your own, click on the map to start a new game or the red chest to load a previously saved game.

13 IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Joining a Multiplayer Game.

<<CALL IN S_MPLOUN.EPS W/CO>>

Hot Text Area

Display IP Address

Exit Multiplayer

 

Lobby

 

 

Open Chat Box

Old World Map

 

Player Country Player Name

Start Game

Player Status

Once you join a game you enter the Multiplayer Lounge, which includes a map display of the game you chose. In the foreground of the screen are panels displaying the six Great Powers in the game. To choose a Great Power, click either on the map or on the panel. Any panel with a computer icon is available. If the panel has a green check mark, another player has already selected that country.

Hosting a Multiplayer Game.

If you are hosting a game, you leave the Connection screen by loading a multiplayer save or by hosting a new game. Each of these options starts up a game in much the same way as the single player game of the same type, except that other players are able to join the game you begin after the world is formed or restored.

Once you have created (or loaded) your game you enter the Multiplayer Lobby. As host, you choose your Great Power first, and then wait, while other players join your game by selecting their Great Powers. When everybody has joined up, you click on Begin Game.

You can chat with other players while waiting for your game to begin. Once you have selected your country, click on the right-hand bell pull to bring up a chat box.

 

IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game 14

Difficulty Settings and Game Variants

 

<<CALL IN S_CUSTDI.EPS W/CO>>

 

 

Hot Text Area

 

 

 

 

Exit Difficulty

Get Help

Settings Screens

 

 

 

Difficulty Settings

Indication of

Go To Next Page

Relative Difficulty

There are five pre-set difficulty settings. It is also possible to customise the difficulty setting using a wide variety of options. The point values listed after each level on the Map Room Difficulty Level panel express an estimate of the relationship of each level to the others.

If you click on the arrow button found to the right of the words Custom on the panel, you can view all the settings that create each difficulty level. Changing these settings is called customising the difficulty level of the game. Each setting is explained in the customising section below.

Although you cannot change any of these settings once the game begins, you may check them for reference using the Show Difficulty Settings button in the Game Controls panel. The Game Controls button can be found in the upper right portion of the Terrain Map toolbar.

Difficulty Levels.

Introductory.

This level is designed primarily as a learning game. It is usually winnable for new players because there is plenty of time for mistakes. The computer players are severely disadvantaged in almost every variable in the game. Still, if you click buttons randomly, or actively try to lose, you will eventually be defeated.

Easy.

Beginners may have a tough time playing on this setting. Even though there are advantages, until a player really understands the game the computer AI is capable of catching up and surpassing the human.

15 IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Normal.

On Normal, humans and the computer AI are playing essentially the same game. This is the level most players should choose once they have learned how to play. If you don’t have any idea what to do, try an easier setting first.

Hard.

This provides significant advantages for the computer AI, in most ways a mirror image of the Easy level. Unless you are a proficient player, it will be common for the computer to defeat you.

Nigh-On Impossible.

If you must try to play IMPERIALISM II on this setting, choose your country and your city site with great care. Your only hope of catching up before your nation is invaded and destroyed lies in choosing to play the best country on the map. Be willing to give up and start again, if things don’t go well at the beginning.

Customising Difficulty Settings.

You reach the Difficulty Settings screens by clicking on the arrow button found to the right of the words Custom. There are four pages to the customising screen, and you may page through them using the red arrows in the lower corner of each page. Hot text describing each setting can be found in the panel at the top of the screen. To return to the map room click on the arrow found on the candle on the left side of the screen.

Game Play.

On the first page at the top of the screen, you may decide the Gameplay option of choosing your own capital city site or allowing the computer to choose it for you. You can also decide to turn Random Events On or Off.

Food and Luxury Economies.

Under the heading Difficulty Settings on the first page you see two economic settings that can be either Simple or Complex. If you play on Easy or Introductory settings these are set to Simple automatically. The AI plays the same way regardless of these settings so, for the most part, Simple setting only makes it easier for the human players in the game.

Simple means that any food satisfies a food demand, or that any luxury satisfies a luxury demand. This makes it much easier to keep your labour force fed and happy during the game. You don’t have to worry as much about creating an empire with access to diverse commodities. The Complex setting means that a worker who demands a particular food or luxury must receive that exact item or he does no work. Even on the Complex setting, workers never die if given the wrong food or luxury. They merely perform no work that turn. On both settings, workers eventually starve if fed no food at all.

Five Level Difficulty Settings.

The rest of the settings on pages 1 and 2 of the Customising screen control game elements including diplomatic relationships (friendliness to other nations), faster technology research ability, beginning the game with extra technology already learned, beginning the game with extra military forces, extra commodities, extra cash, and a larger negative spending limit.

IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game 16

The five settings found in each of these categories correspond to the five difficulty settings available in the Map Room. For instance, if you play at Normal difficulty, all of these categories are set to Normal. Normal means no advantages to either computer or human.

If you find Normal too easy, but find Hard too difficult, use these settings to craft a challenging game for yourself. For instance, if your problems on the Hard level seem related to technology, change the technology categories to Normal, and leave the rest of the settings on Hard.

Game Variants.

On the third and fourth pages you will find a number of Game Variants. Most of these options have no effect on the difficulty of the game and are included here for convenience. Use these variant settings to decide what kind of a world you would like to play in, not how difficult the game will be.

Computer Player Personalities: If the AI personality is By Country, the Great Powers use strategies loosely based on history. For instance Spain will play a “Cortez” strategy in the New World; England will research naval technology and build privateers. If you choose to randomise this, the strategies selected are unpredictable.

Foraging Rules: This variant makes food gathering much easier for all the Great Powers. If this setting is on, a number of units of population eat for free each turn equal to the number of provinces owned by a given empire. Although this might seem to make the game easier, the AI benefits as well, and tends to become more aggressive earlier in the game.

Cost of Attacking: Altering this setting can make a game more peaceful or more violent. It effects all Great Powers, and so does not affect game difficulty directly.

Old World Minors’ Military Strength:

A strong military in the Old World makes it more difficult for all the Great Powers to win by conquest. This tends to cause a more diplomacy-based game.

New World Military Strength: A strong New World (Tribal) military encourages the use of Merchants by the Great Powers. A weak New World military encourages rapid invasion and conquest of the New World.

Native Horsemen: This variant controls the beginning date and rate at which native units acquire firearms and horses and upgrade their military units. Native Tribes in which a Great Power establishes an embassy begin to upgrade their old units to horsemen when the Great Power learns how to build light artillery. If this is set to Early, this happens when the Great Power discovers Horse Artillery. The other settings mean that the Tribe does not upgrade its troops until a later type of light artillery is discovered. The effect of this setting is to control the rate of conquest of the New World.

17 IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Special AI Rules: This variant affects only Great Powers under computer control so it does have an impact on difficulty. In the Development Game the AI is hesitant to use violence to get what it wants. In the Aggressive Game it is unlikely to consider other options before attacking.

Adjustment to Relationship Penalty for Humans Getting Province: This variant effects only human controlled Powers so it does have an effect on game difficulty. In Not Modified games all players suffer a similar penalty to their diplomatic relationships whenever they gain an Old World Province. This is basically intended to force weaker nations together against the winning Power. If you change this setting you are adding to or reducing this penalty for human controlled countries only.

Computer Player New World Exploration Advantage:

This setting governs the speed of which computer controlled Great Powers discover and evaluate provinces in the New World.

Setting Game Preferences.

<<CALL IN S_PREFER.EPS W/CO>>

Hot Text Area

Get Help

Exit Preferences

Screen

Go To Next Page

To set preferences before starting or loading a game click on the small picture on the Study screen. To set preferences within the game, click on the Set Preferences button at the top of the Terrain Map screen. This button has a check mark icon on it. The Preferences screen saves your selections, so that next time you play, your preferences are restored. The following options are available:

Army Battles: When this preference is set to Manual resolution, each battle you fight takes place on a battlefield, where your regiments manoeuvre individually against those of the enemy. If this preference is set to Automatic resolution, the battle is fought automatically, and a result displayed when you click the End Turn button. For more information on tactical battle, see page 59.

IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game 18

Automatically Produce Materials:

If this is turned On, the computer uses your available unassigned labour to produce materials when you end your turn.

Warnings: You can turn Off only non-dire warnings. Your advisor warns you about dire events such as an upcoming attack on the capital regardless of your preferences. Turn this preference Off if you do not need advisor reminders about less urgent matters. For more information about these warnings, see page 20.

Help Briefings: You may click On this preference to automatically see briefings on every screen. Of course, even with the preference Off, you can access the briefings through the Help and Information dialog. For more information see below.

Audio: These slider bars allow you to set volume. Drag the mouse left and right, while pressing and holding the mouse button, to raise and lower volume. If the entire bar is dark, the volume is completely muted.

Animations: You may choose to turn Off the animations on the battlefield and for working civilian units. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a civilian unit is working or available if the animations do not play.

Random or Historical Names: This setting is self-explanatory. Even on the Historical setting, however, many of the historical names are not really based strictly on history. This is especially true in the New World.

HOW TO GET HELP

On all game screens where you make decisions, a question mark button appears. It is in the lower part of the toolbar on the main Terrain Map, and on most other screens the question mark is found in the upper right. This button always supplies a help briefing related to the screen you are on.

Help Briefings.

The briefings provide basic information on several topics for each new screen. Both information on strategy and on basic functions of the screens are included. Additional briefings are provided on the Terrain Map screen because more action takes place there. Only one briefing is provided for the other screens.

Using the Briefings.

In each briefing dialog you see the title of the briefing and a list of blue underlined topics. Click on a topic, and the list of topics is replaced by text about the topic you selected. Once you have read all the information, click on Show Topics to return to the selection of topics for the briefing. You can close the briefing by clicking on the button in the upper left corner of the briefing panel.

When you are learning to play, the briefings are best used by reading about one activity or interface and then putting the briefing aside while you try out what you have just read. If you close the briefing window, you can easily bring it back using the question mark button.

19 IMPERIALISM II: Beginning a Game

Warnings From Your Advisor.

When your computer advisor believes your orders may have unfortunate results, it provides a warning. Your advisor explains the situation and often provides suggested changes to your orders. You can always choose to ignore the warning; after all, you rule the Great Power. In fact, on the Preferences screen you can prevent most of the warnings from appearing. Sometimes your advisor does not know all the facts of the situation. For example, it may report that your army is weaker than that of the other Great Powers. If you are trying a naval strategy this might not concern you. The most dire warnings involve the safety of the capital. If you lose the capital you lose the game. These warnings can still be ignored, at your own risk, but they cannot be eliminated via the Preferences menu option.

The Game Information Panel.

The upper right button on the Terrain Map screen toolbar brings up the Game Information panel. On the panel are eight buttons that access different game information. You can also reach this panel by pressing the F1 key.

Game Status: The Status button takes you to the Game Status screen which consists of various graphs charting the progress of the Great Powers. Click on the scrolls to the sides of the chart to look at different statistics. You can compare your country’s performance against the other Great Powers in such areas as Merchant Marine, World Exports, Industry,

Labour,

and Overseas Profits. The Military Strength statistic is a good indicator of how much danger you are in. Click on the Return to Map arrow in the upper left corner of the screen to exit the Status screen. You can also press F5 to access the Game Status Screen

Turn Summary: The Turn Summary appears at the start of every turn. Click on the Turn Summary button on the Information panel to review events for this turn. You can also press F6 to access the Turn Summary.

Battle Reports: You receive a Battle Report after you end a turn during which any Great Powers fight a battle or battles, on land or sea. Often, especially in a multiplayer game, you won’t have enough time between turns to review all the details in the report. If you want to look at the report again during your turn, click on the Battle Report button on the Information panel. You can also press F7 to bring up the Battle Report.

The Battle Report screen gives you the composition of the forces involved and the result. Use the arrows to cycle between multiple battles, or click on the map icon that marks each battle on the world map. If the battles fought involved your country, click on the Detailed Information button in the centre to see the details on the two armies or fleets that fought the battle. Details are not available if your forces were not involved in the battle.

The forces for both sides are displayed, along with their health after the battle. Eliminated regiments and ships are marked as KIA or SUNK. All regiments and ships also display their experience medals, including experience just earned in that battle. For naval actions you may also see cargo captured or lost when merchant ships are intercepted and captured or sunk. Sometimes, if you take a province, you receive plunder.

IMPERIALISM II: How to get Help 20

The Deal and Market Book: At the end of every turn, trade deals are made between your Great Power and other countries. After all deals have been made, a summary called the Deal Book appears for your review before the next turn starts. During your turn, you might want to look at these deals again, especially in a multiplayer game where other players may urge you to move swiftly to the next turn when the Deal Book is first shown. Click on the Deal and Market button for a review. For more on how to read the Deal Book, see page 90. You can also press F8 to access the Deal Book.

The Terrain Book: The Terrain Book provides a summary of the production and transport of resources and materials from all of your provinces. You may also use it to centre the map on a particular province, by clicking on the magnifying glass associated with that province in the Terrain Book. You can access the Terrain Book by pressing F9.

The Unit Books: Each of the three unit books supplies a complete list of all of your naval, military, or civilian units. These books can be used to centre the map on a particular unit, and they are also useful when you must upgrade a large number of your ships or regiments. You can access these books by pressing F10 for the Army Book, F11 for the Navy Book, and F12 for the Civilian Book.

Other Help.

Info-Click.

On the Terrain Map screen you can often obtain more information about something by info-clicking on it (holding down the Shift key and clicking). This is the best way to get the facts on a particular terrain tile or its contents. Each item in the tile has a separate definition.

Hot Text.

In the upper-right part of most screens, text is displayed as you move your mouse cursor across the screen. You can obtain useful information by placing the cursor over an icon, picture, or other object you are wondering about. For example, on the Industry screen, hot text identifies each production slider, and on the Trade screen, hot text identifies each commodity. Most items in the Terrain Map toolbar are defined here. On the Transport screen, hot text identifies commodities and shows industrial usage of them.

IMPERIALISM II BASICS

IMPERIALISM II: AGE OF EXPLORATION is a turn-based game in which you rule one of the world’s Great Powers. The game is played from the year 1500 until it ends. From 15001700, each turn takes two years. From 1700 until the game ends, turns take one year. Each new turn begins with a Turn Summary of events from the last turn.

Once you have read the Turn Summary, you go to the Terrain Map screen, your central command centre. During your turn, you command your military and civilian units, industrial workers, traders, diplomats, merchant vessels, and warships, as do the rulers of the other Great Powers. The rulers of each Great Power, be they a human player or a computer player, enter their orders simultaneously.

When all rulers have ended their turns, the commands entered by each Great Power during that turn are carried out simultaneously.

21 IMPERIALISM II: How to get Help

An Introduction to the Terrain Map and Orders Screens.

You govern your empire using six screens: a central Terrain Map screen and five Orders screens accessed from the Terrain Map.

The Terrain Map screen is your command centre and consists of a map of the world and a toolbar. Each turn begins and ends on the Terrain Map screen. Here you access game controls to save your game or start a new one, set game preferences, and manage all your military and civilian units. For details on how to use the Terrain Map screen see page 28.

From the Terrain Map screen you access five Orders screens called the Transport, Industry, Trade, Diplomacy, and Technology screens. Their icons can be found on a ribbon at the bottom of the Terrain Map. You need not use all these screens every turn; most players use the Industry screen every turn, while the other four screens need to be visited only occasionally.

<<CALL IN R_TRANSP.EPS>>

Transport Screen.

This is where you order commodities to be moved from the rural and mining districts of territories you rule, to the industrial centers where the commodities can be used. The screen displays the total of all the commodities your empire can transport whether they move by land, by sea, or by both methods. However, since transport over land occurs automatically, you never need to use the Transport screen to change land transport orders. Visit this screen to check how many commodities your empire is moving and to assign ship’s cargo holds to sea transport. Each turn, when you click the End Turn button on the Terrain Map screen, the commodities you ordered transported move to the warehouse in the Industry screen for use during the next turn. You can access the Transport screen by pressing the 1 key. For more information on this screen, see page 73.

<<CALL IN R_INDUS.EPS>>

Industry Screen.

This screen consists of three separate panels. On the first, commodities you transport and commodities you trade for are used to produce more expensive or useful commodities. On the second panel, you build all your naval, military, and civilian units. On the third panel, you recruit laborers and manage your work force. Each turn, when you click the End Turn button on the Terrain Map screen, all the orders you entered on all three panels are carried out. The things you build are available next turn. You can access the Industry screen with the 2 key. For more information on this screen, see page 79.

<<CALL IN R_TRADE.EPS>>

IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics 22

Trade Screen.

This screen is where you offer commodities for sale and enter bids for commodities you hope to buy. Each turn, when you click the End Turn button on the Terrain Map screen, you may receive offers to buy some or all of the items you bid on. The items you offered for sale may be sold to other countries. If you accept an offer to buy, the commodities you bought appear for your use on the Industry screen during your next turn. Commodities you sell are deducted from the warehouse. Press the 3 key to access the Trade screen. For more information on this screen, see page 84.

<<CALL IN R_DIPLOM.EPS>>

Diplomacy Screen.

This is where you view information about the other countries in the game, declare war, take diplomatic initiatives, set trade policies, and grant foreign aid. Each turn, when you click the End Turn button on the Terrain Map screen, the policies you set are carried out. If you offered a treaty to another country, its ruler accepts or rejects your offer. If another country offered you a treaty or pact, you act on it. Any changes in diplomatic status take effect next turn. You can access the Diplomacy screen by pressing the 4 key. For more information on this screen, see page 91.

<<CALL IN R_TECHNO.EPS>>

Technology Screen.

This is where you decide which research projects to work towards and how much of your hard-earned cash to invest in research. You can also see what technologies other countries in the game know. Each turn, when you click the End Turn button on the Terrain Map screen, the investments you made result in a chance of success for each project you have begun. As time passes, and the overall amount of money spent on a project increases, the chances of success increase as well. If other Great Powers know a technology, your research project can succeed without spending money, since the knowledge will eventually find its way to your country. Spies can be used to increase your rate of progress. The Technology screen can be accessed by pressing the 5 key. For more information on this screen, see page 100. For more about Spies see page 40.

23 IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics

What Order Do Things Happen In?

When all Great Powers have ended their turns the series of commands are always carried out in the same order:

Diplomatic offers are exchanged and either accepted or rejected.

Victory conditions are checked.

Trade deals are offered and accepted or rejected.

Naval interceptions take place.

Military conflicts are resolved.

Industrial production occurs.

All commodities transported internally, or successfully delivered by traders, are placed in the industrial warehouse for use on the next turn.

Civilian units do their work on the map.

Money is spent on technology research.

Debts are collected and a bankruptcy check is made.

Your Deal Book for the turn is displayed.

Your game is autosaved, and the Turn Summary appears on the Terrain Map.

Cancelling Orders.

On the Terrain Map screen the End Turn button appears in the lower right, marked with an exclamation point on it. Until you click this button, you can cancel any of the orders you have entered (with the exception of disbanding troops). Almost nothing is permanent until you click the End Turn button.

Political Organisation in IMPERIALISM II.

Old World and New World.

In IMPERIALISM II there are two distinct regions in every world. The Old World is made up of Great Powers and Minor Nations whose provinces count toward victory. Old World Great Powers are actors in the game ruled by a human or by a wily computer foe. Old World Minor Nations serve as regions for exploitation and battle by the Great Powers.

The New World is different. It is hidden from view at the beginning of the game. Although the Tribes of the New World are frequently targets of great Power expansion, the provinces of the New World do not count toward victory. Tribes are exploited (whether economically or militarily) because they contain resources not found in the Old World. The riches found in the New World lead successful rulers to control of the Old World.

Neither Minor Nations nor Tribes in IMPERIALISM II ever develop into Great Powers, nor can they win the game.

IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics 24

Countries and Control of Territory.

Tribes, Minor Nations, and Great Powers may be conquered by other Great Powers. When provinces are taken by conquest they become part of the conquering Great Power. The country that lost the land is smaller. Tribes, Great Powers, and Minor Nations can be eliminated from the game by conquest.

Tribes can be colonised by Great Powers. In IMPERIALISM II, colonisation refers to a “peaceful” takeover that could be the result of economic power over the Tribe, an unethical treaty, or bribery of the Tribe’s leaders. Colonies retain some independence and control over their own land. Minor Nations and other Great Powers do not become colonies in this way. When a Great Power takes over land in the Old World peacefully, it is as if the land was conquered. The Great Power gains total ownership and control of all the territory of the Old World state that joins its empire.

Although the methods used (primarily on the Diplomacy screen) to take lands peacefully are basically the same for Tribes, Minor Nations, and Great Powers, the consequences of success, and the difficulties along the way are quite different. Other Great Powers feel threatened by and hostile toward an empire that takes over land in the Old World because this land leads directly to victory.

All worlds contain six Great Powers, six Minor Nations, and ten Tribes.

Provinces and Victory.

A province is a political division of a Great Power, Tribe, or Minor Nation. Every province includes a capital city or a town which is the location of the garrison and fort (if any) that guards that province. Military conflict happens at the province level. This means that each province has only one owner at the end of a turn; provinces are fought over but may not be divided. Each province counts as one space for military units. If anyone invades the province, the regiments and emplaced artillery in the province defend it.

Victory in IMPERIALISM II depends solely on the number of provinces controlled in the Old World. When one Great Power obtains control of one more than one-half of the Old World’s provinces, that Great Power wins the game. Control can be gained by conquest or by economic and diplomatic successes.

The number of provinces in a single country can vary a great deal. However, the Old World usually contains around 60 provinces. This means it is usually necessary to control over 30 Old World provinces to win the game.

Conquests with the Military.

Conquered territory functions in the game exactly like territory you start the game with; you may develop the terrain, build ports and forts, and station troops in it. Resources gathered at ports and by roads and rail in conquered territory appear in your transport network.

All territory you conquer must be taken province by province. Although you can eliminate a country by taking the province containing its capital, the remaining territory of the country does not join you; instead it enters into a state of anarchy. Provinces in a state of anarchy produce no resources, and regiments stationed there do not conduct attacks. However, these local forces will defend themselves if the province is invaded.

25 IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics

No declaration of war is required to attack provinces that are in a state of anarchy. If you eliminate another country by taking its capital, other Great Powers may see this as an opportunity to grab the remaining provinces without paying costly declaration of war penalties.

Conquest by Peaceful Means.

Your empire can obtain all the territory of a Minor Nation or Great Power by convincing the rulers of that country to join your empire peacefully. Not only do you gain control of more than one province at a time, you also gain control of all the military forces of the other nation. This can be a mixed blessing since you may find it difficult to feed the military forces you suddenly gain.

These lands are just like land you start the game with or conquer; you may develop the terrain, build ports and forts, and station troops in them. Commodities gathered at ports or by roads and rail appear in your transport network.

Colonies.

Only Tribes can become colonies. When your Great Power gains a colony, the entire Tribe including all its provinces joins your empire at once. However, owning a New World colony is slightly different than owning conquered territory. Colonies retain a small amount of independence and the owning Great Power must develop the resources of the colony by purchasing land from the colony. For more information see page 67. The resources produced by colonies are traded on the world market and not directly added to your transport network. As owner of the colony, your country enjoys a right of first refusal on these resources.

How the Economy Works.

The success of the Great Powers in IMPERIALISM II depends on the ability of the rulers to overcome shortages and limited supply. You usually find yourself with insufficient money and insufficient commodities to do everything you wish, especially at the beginning of the game.

The Money Supply.

Each Great Power begins the game with a limited amount of cash that is totally inadequate to meet its needs. There are three ways to expand the cash available to your Great Power.

First, you must expand the trading might of your country. Every time you sell commodities to other countries you receive a cash payment for the sale.

Second, spices, silver, gold, gems, and diamonds are not traded. Instead, these commodities, often called riches, provide a cash bonus to you whenever you transport them to your capital. All riches are found only in the New World.

Third, you can receive profits from the activities of your Merchant units and other civilian units in those Minor Nations and Tribes where you have established embassies. These profits are added each turn to your cash reserves and are called Overseas Profits on your balance sheet.

IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics 26

It is difficult to be successful as an isolationist in IMPERIALISM II. There is no income from taxation. Exploitation of other lands is the easiest way to build a substantial treasury.

Classification and Value of Commodities.

All commodities in the game are classified as resources or materials.

 

 

 

 

R

 

.

 

R_

 

.EPS,

R_SILVER.EPS.EPSGEM.EPS,

 

R_DIAM.EPS,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUGCAN EPS,

R_

TOBACC.EPS, R_COTTON.EPS, R_FUR.EPS,

 

TIMBER

 

 

_I.EPS, R_ORE_C.EPS, R_ORE_T.EPS, R_COAL.EPS,

 

R_FISH.EPS,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAIN

 

 

RCATTLE.

 

 

_

 

EPS,

 

HORSES.EPS.EPS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources.

Resources are commodities that are grown, such as livestock, or mined, such as coal. They generally are the most common and least valued commodities. Certain resources can be obtained only in the New World. This classification includes all the riches: spices, silver, gold, gems, and diamonds. Also included are the products: sugar cane, tobacco, cotton, and furs. New World resources are critical both as a source of funds and as the means to supply trained workers with the consumer goods they require. Some of the resources present in the Old World are found in the New World as well. This includes timber, iron ore, copper, tin, coal, and fish. A few resources can only be found in the Old World: grain, livestock, wool, and horses.

R_

PAPER

BRONZE.EPS, R_IRON.EPS,

R_STEEL.EPS, R_FABRIC.EPS, R_SUGAR.EPS, R_CIGAR.EPS, R_HAT.EPS>>

Materials.

Materials are used for production and for trading. Deciding when to sell and when to use materials for expansion is one of the difficult decisions a ruler faces. Materials are produced directly out of a resource or resources. Materials include lumber, paper, bronze, cast iron, steel, fabric, refined sugar, cigars, and fur hats.

How to Win.

Victory in IMPERIALISM II is obtained by control of the Old World. The number of provinces each player owns measures this control. When one player controls one more than half of all the Old World provinces in the game, his empire is victorious and the game ends. In most games this total is slightly more than 30 Old World provinces. The exact number required varies depending on the map, but you can find this number using the Diplomacy screen. See page 91 for details.

27 IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics

Scouting.

Superior equipment and training of light cavalry forces permits the recruiting of Scout regiments and the upgrading of Hussars.

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE TERRAIN MAP.

The Terrain Map screen provides you with a central command centre for managing your growing empire. Although you make decisions each turn using a variety of screens and dialogues, you always return to the Terrain Map screen before advancing to a new turn.

Establishing a Capital City.

If you play on Normal, Hard, or Nigh-On Impossible settings, you build your own capital city upon starting a new game. The capital must be constructed on flat terrain with access to water. Your computer advisor warns you if you try to build on an illegal tile. While choosing a site for your capital city, scrolling is limited to spaces over your own country.

Generally, you should search for a tile near plentiful food with easy access to timber and wool to assist your early development. Capitals built on a river in a province with no coastline are much safer from seaborne invasions.

IMPERIALISM II: Imperialism II Basics 28

The Map.

<<CALL IN S_TERRMAP.EPS W/CO>>

Current Funds

Hot Text Area

Zoom Map

Set Preferences

Game Controls

Current Year

 

 

 

Game

 

 

 

 

Information

 

 

 

 

Mini Map

 

 

 

 

Unit Buttons

 

 

 

 

Selected Unit

Go To Orders

 

End Turn

Screens

 

 

 

Help Briefings

Tool Bar

 

 

The map provides a view of the entire world. You scroll by moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen. Holding down the Control key and clicking on the map centers the screen where you clicked. On randomly created worlds you may scroll around the world to the east or west, but you will be blocked in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Borders.

Countries are divided from each other either by sea or by a wide, coloured border if two countries appear on the same land mass. These borders include the colour of each country on that country’s side of the border. White lines between friendly provinces represent provincial borders. Borders in the sea divide the sea zones from each other.

Terrain Tiles.

Although for military units a province is considered one space, for the purposes of building and development, which are the realms of civilian units, a province is divided into terrain tiles. Each terrain tile is a space for a civilian unit to work in. Civilian workers function only in certain types of terrain tiles. Info-click on any terrain tile to find detailed information about the tile. Basic information can be obtained more quickly by placing your cursor over a tile and reading the hot text in the upper right part of the screen. For information about the resources and developments of each type of terrain tile see the table on page 39.

Towns.<<CALL IN TOWN.EPS>>

Each province contains one town, unless the capital of the country is located there instead. Towns supply no resources at the beginning of the game. Once the technology called National Bureaucracy is discovered by your empire, a Builder unit may upgrade a town or a capital city, if it is connected by road or rail.

29 IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map

An upgraded town produces materials based on the production of resources in its province. For instance, if a province produces 8 timber per turn, the town produces 2 lumber per turn. This does not replace any of the timber, it is in addition to the timber the province already makes. Four resources of the correct types in the province are needed for each material produced. As Builders increase the resource output of the province, the upgraded town produces more materials.

Towns produce these materials and then they appear in the transport network of the controlling Great Power. If the province where the upgraded town is still owned by a Minor Nation or Tribe the materials produced by the town become available for trade, just like all the other resources the country produces.

Capital Cities.<<CALL IN CAPITAL.EPS >>

Capitals are treated as towns for most purposes. However, capitals are never upgraded like towns and never produce extra materials. Remember that when a capital falls to an enemy, that nation is eliminated and its remaining provinces go into anarchy. If you lose your capital, the game ends.

Forts & Emplaced Artillery.<<CALL IN FORTTOWN.EPS >>

For much of the period covered by this game, military forces in the Old World were severely restricted by the difficulties in attacking forts. All large cities were fortified, and as engineers learned to design fortifications against cannon, it became increasingly difficult and time consuming to take large cities.

In IMPERIALISM II, every town and capital in the Old World begins the game with a level one fortification. A level one fort includes within it one piece of emplaced artillery. It can be extraordinarily difficult to take a fort without cannon of your own. As forts and emplaced artillery are upgraded, it can become even more difficult. You must take account of the level of fortification shown on the map when planning your military strategy. For more on fortifications see page 63.

Rivers and Coasts.

Rivers wind from mountain terrain tiles to the sea coast, passing through other terrain along the way. With two exceptions, a tile with a river is identical to a tile without one. First, a port may be constructed on a river tile by an Engineer. Ports may not be constructed in hill or mountain terrain. Second, rivers, like coasts, produce one unit of fish per turn for adjacent ports.

Sea Zones.

The world’s oceans are divided into sea zones just as the land is divided into provinces. In most respects, sea zones function for naval conflict in the same way that provinces work for land battles. However, the sea is a big place, and it is possible for more than one fleet, even hostile fleets, to occupy the same sea zone at the same time. Hostile fleets in a sea zone near a port may intercept transport and trade originating in or directed to the port.

IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map 30

Terrain Map Screen Toolbar.

The buttons of the toolbar change slightly depending on the type of unit (civilian, navy or army) currently selected. The buttons which are used to give orders to units and the central display area on the toolbar are discussed in their respective unit sections beginning on pages 36, 44 and 51. The rest of the buttons supply game functions and are always available on this screen.

The Top Buttons.

At the top of the toolbar you see four buttons: Zoom, Set Preferences, Game Controls, and

Game Information.

The Zoom Button.<<CALL IN B_ZOOM.EPS>>

The Zoom button controls the zoom level of the Terrain Map. The default view is normally best, but when you are moving fleets or civilian units long distances, it can be useful to zoom out. There are two zoom levels.

The Set Preferences Button.<<CALL IN B_PREFER.EPS>>

The Set Preferences button takes you to the Preferences screen. See the section on preferences, starting on page 18, for information on how to use this screen.

The Game Controls Button.<<CALL IN B_GMECNT.EPS>>

Click on the Game Controls button to bring up the Game Controls panel. This allows you to save, load, quit, and start a new game. This panel also allows you to view the difficulty settings of the game, although these cannot be altered once a

game begins.

The Game Information Button.<<CALL IN B_INFO.EPS>>

The Game Information button accesses the Game Information panel. This is used to track the current state of the game. You may review battles, trades, and the events of the past turn. You can also compare the strengths of the

various Great Powers in the game and evaluate your empire’s progress. For more on how to use the Game Information panel, see page 20.

The Mini-Map.

When you look at the Mini-Map, you see in miniature approximately one-quarter of the world. The Mini-Map shows political and military control over the continents, but does not show any terrain. It provides the easiest method for moving vast distances. Click on the Mini-Map to jump to a new location on the Terrain Map. Note: The map often has blackened out spaces, which represents unexplored areas.

31 IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map

The End Turn Button. <<CALL IN B_ENDTRN.EPS>>

The End Turn button appears only on the Terrain Map screen at the bottom of the toolbar. When you click here, you are committed. No orders can be cancelled or changed once you end your turn.

The Help Button.<<CALL IN B_HELP.EPS>>

The Help button appears on the Terrain Map screen at the bottom of the toolbar. On other screens it can be found in the upper right. Click here to access help briefings that explain the details of playing the game. For information on how to use the help system see page 19.

The Cycle of Units.

The Terrain Map screen provides a method for commanding all your units: civilian, military, and naval. Available units are selected for you one by one and shown both on the map and in the toolbar. As each unit appears, you have the opportunity to give it new orders. This process is called the units cycle.

The selected unit (or units in the case of fleets and garrisons) has a flashing white outline on the Terrain Map. In the toolbar you see a picture of the unit or units you can currently command. On the map, army units are grouped into garrisons, naval units are grouped into fleets. When a garrison or fleet is selected, the toolbar breaks down the garrison or fleet into its component parts, showing the individual types of units in the group.

As the units cycle each turn, you may give orders using the toolbar buttons or by clicking directly on the map. Units that receive orders that take more than one turn to finish do not appear in the cycle while they are still working. Of course, you can seek them out, observe their actions, and, if you wish, cancel or change their orders. When a unit finishes its job, it returns to the cycle automatically.

Map Cursors.

A variety of cursors assist you in commanding your units, obtaining information, and selecting units.

Command Cursors.

Command cursors are used when a unit, garrison, or fleet is already selected. As you move your mouse across the Terrain Map the cursor changes to reflect the command that will be given to the selected unit by clicking in different locations. If you click on a spot accidentally and give a unit the wrong command, you can cancel the order by running the cursor over the unit. Click when it changes to the question mark cursor. A window appears with two buttons. Click on Rescind Orders to cancel the command.

IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map 32

COMMAND CURSORS:

 

Pictures of Cursors. Units Commanded.

Gives Order to.

 

Builder

Improve production of tiles.

 

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Construct ports and forts.

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Scout military or steal technology.

 

 

Engineer

Build road into tile.

 

 

 

Rail Builder

Build rail into tile.

 

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Search for minerals.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buy the tile for future development.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Civilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Deploy to tile, no work this turn.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Military Garrisons . . . . . . . . . . March to adjacent province.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Military Garrisons . . . . . . . . . . Deploy to distant province.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Military Garrisons . . . . . . . . . . Attack adjacent province.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Move to new sea zone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrol in current sea zone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blockade port in sea zone.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Move into a friendly port.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Establish a site for a landing on coast of this sea zone

33 IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map

Selection Cursors.

These cursors are used to select a new unit either when another unit is already selected or when no unit is selected. By clicking on the unit indicated by the cursor, you select that unit and a flashing white outline appears. Since the unit cycle automatically selects each of your available units in turn, you need to use these selection cursors only when you want to command units in a different order, or when you have previously removed a unit from the cycle.

SELECTION CURSORS:

 

 

 

Pictures of Cursors.

Units Commanded.

Function of Cursor.

 

 

All civilian units

Select the

indicated civilian.

 

......................................

 

 

All military land units

Select the

indicated garrison.

 

......................................

 

 

All fleets

Select the indicated fleet.

 

......................................

 

 

Information Cursors.

Not surprisingly, these cursors provide information. The question mark cursor also allows you to cancel the orders once you see what they are.

INFORMATION CURSORS:

 

 

Pictures of Cursors.

Units Commanded.

Function of Cursor.

 

 

 

Inform you that the selected units

 

......................................

....................................................

 

......................................

....................................................

cannot move to, deploy to, or work

 

......................................

All your Units ..............................

in that location.

 

 

 

Obtain information on the indicated

 

......................................

....................................................

 

......................................

All your Units ..............................

unit, or cancel existing orders.

 

 

Adjacent enemy units

Delivers a scouting report on the

 

......................................

 

......................................

or provinces ................................

enemy area.

 

 

IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map 34

Propaganda.

Propaganda decreases the diplomatic penalties suffered when an empire declares war. This development leads to the growth of nationalism.

CIVILIAN UNITS

With the exception of the Spy, civilian units purchase, develop, and improve land and transportation on the Terrain Map screen. None of the civilians have any ability to attack or even defend themselves. If present in a province when the province is lost to a hostile Great Power, the civilian is automatically killed.

All civilians are constructed using paper and cash on the Unit Construction panel of the Industry screen. Unlike military and naval units, civilians do not eat food and do not require a unit of population for construction. Once ordered, civilians appear on the Terrain Map at the start of the next turn. For instructions on how to construct civilians see page 81.

All civilians may move any distance each turn. However, only a Spy can enter land controlled by other Great Powers. Only Explorers and Engineers can deploy to Minor Nations and Tribes prior to the existence of an embassy with that Nation or Tribe. Civilians can always deploy to land you own by conquest or colonisation, even if it is overseas. There is no need to conduct a landing or use any ships to get a civilian across water.

Toolbar for Civilians.

For the most part, you command your civilians on the Terrain Map using the map cursors. However, four toolbar buttons can be used whenever a civilian is selected. These buttons appear above the picture of the selected civilian unit on the toolbar.

35 IMPERIALISM II: What Happens on the Terrain Map

The Disband Command.<<CALL IN B_DISBAN.EPS>>

The first button on the left provides the option of disbanding the selected civilian. You do not recover the cost of cash and paper originally spent to make the civilian worker. When you click this button you must confirm that you want to

disband the unit. Unlike most orders, you cannot take this order back.

The Next Unit Command.<<CALL IN B_NEXTUN.EPS>>

The second button advances you from the currently selected unit to the next unit in the cycle. Use this button when you want to delay giving orders to this unit until later in the turn.

The Done Command.<<CALL IN B_DONE.EPS>>

The Done button is third in the row on the toolbar. This command, if given to a selected unit, tells the unit to do nothing for this turn only. The unit will appear normally in the cycle next turn. You might use this button

when a civilian temporarily has nothing to do, or when you lack the resources to pay for the civilian’s improvements.

The Sleep Command.<<CALL IN B_SLEEP.EPS>>

Like Done, the Sleep command ends the unit’s turn. However, ordering the civilian to sleep removes it from the cycle of units for future turns as well. You might decide to give this order when a civilian has nothing to do for a long time,

but you expect to want him later. Once the unit is sleeping, you must use the selection cursor to restore the sleeping unit to the cycle. Since you still see the sleeping unit on the Terrain Map, it’s not difficult to find him and click on him with this cursor. You can also type W and use the Wake all Civilian Units keyboard shortcut, to wake up all sleeping units and return them to the cycle.

Types of Civilian Units.

You begin the game with one Builder, one Engineer, and one Explorer. Other civilians must be built, either right away or later, when you have the money and the required technology. When any civilian has been assigned to work you see an animation on the map. As long as the animation is continuing, the project you ordered is not finished. If you want to stop a project prior to completion click on the animating civilian with the question mark cursor. On the dialog that appears, click on Rescind Orders. Working civilians will not appear in the unit cycle.

Explorer.<<CALL IN CU_EXPLO.EPS>>

The Explorer is used to explore lands that are hidden as well as to search for minerals that can be exploited by the other civilians. Exploration and prospecting are always free.

IMPERIALISM II: Civilian Units 36

To explore, an Explorer must go to the New World. This requires at least one terrain tile be revealed for deployment. This first terrain tile is uncovered when a ship enters a sea zone adjacent to the New World. Ships are capable of revealing all coastal land tiles, however, Explorers must be used to reveal the interior of the continent.

When an Explorer is deployed to a tile adjacent to hidden tiles, he spends the turn exploring. When the next turn begins, all the tiles adjacent to the Explorer are revealed. If the tile he is deployed to is also a possible site for minerals, the Explorer prospects at the same time as he explores.

Most resources on the Terrain Map are automatically revealed to you just by looking at the type of terrain tile. For instance, you know that cotton is present at every cotton plantation terrain tile. You need not search for it. However, minerals must be found by an Explorer before they can be exploited by your other civilians. This is true in your own country as well as in the rest of the world. The exception to this rule occurs when you choose the historical Old World map. In those games, the location of all the resources of every country in the Old World is known from the beginning of the game, and there is no need to prospect there.

With an Explorer selected, an eye cursor lets you know if the tile under your cursor is eligible for the selected Explorer to prospect. Since minerals are found only in swamp, desert, barren hill, and mountain tiles, the eye appears only over those tiles. If an Explorer of your Great Power has already searched the tile, you see a small pickaxe and an “x” on the tile when the Explorer is selected.

In the toolbar, you can see the number of tiles remaining to prospect in the country the Explorer is in. To find these remaining terrain tiles quickly, click on the small terrain icons in the toolbar, and the screen centers immediately on the next unprospected tile.

Engineer.<<CALL IN CU_ENGIN.EPS>>

The Engineer is used to construct roads, ports, and fortifications. Every time you use your Engineer, lumber and one sort of metal material is expended. For roads and ports, cast iron is used. For Level 1 and Level 2 forts, bronze is required. For the Level 3 fort, the Engineer uses steel. The quantity of lumber

and metal required for a construction depends on the type of construction, and is displayed in the toolbar when the Engineer is selected. Roads are the least expensive item, requiring but one lumber and one cast iron per tile of road.

When the Engineer is selected, two working cursors are available. With the cursor over tiles adjacent to the Engineer’s current location, you see the first cursor, a small piece of road. Clicking on one of these adjacent tiles orders the Engineer to spend the turn building a road between his present tile and the tile you clicked on.

Roads gather resources from their own tile and from all the tiles around them. At the beginning of the game the primitive roads can only gather one resource from each tile. Later roads can gather more. For more details on how roads work see page 71.

When your engineer is in a city or on a river and you place your cursor within the tile where the Engineer is located, you see the second working cursor, a hammer. This orders the Engineer to construct something in that tile. Click on the map with the hammer cursor showing. A window lets you select the type of construction. Choices

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