SORCERER LORD
(P.S.S.)


[see end of file for control summary]


READY REFERENCE CARD
SPECTRUM

LOADING
LOADING - Use LOAD ""

KEYBOARD CONTROLS

MOVE MOVE OTHER KEYS
E R T - Show terrain
MOVE PICK UP MOVE G - Access garrison
S D F M - Strategic map
MOVE MOVE ENTER - Next unit (in stack)
X C P - Display turn & phase
O - End movement

To attack an enemy unit, move your unit.

UNIT INFORMATION DISPLAY

LEADER: OLPHID OF IMRYTH READY
ARMY: 550 WARRIORS 150 RIDERS
LDR: 6 SOR: 1 FTG: 0 MOVE: 4

LDR - Leadership rating, adds to combat
SOR - Sorcery rating, works best near Rune Rings
FTG - Fatigue rating, caused by forced marches, etc.
MOVE - Number of movement points left

Possible modes are: READY, NORMAL, FORCED, HALTED, ENGAGED.


TERRAIN AND UNIT SYMBOLS

TERRAIN SYMBOL
Plains Green
Hills Green & Hill Pattern
Forest Green & Tree Pattern
Forested Hills Dark Green & Tree Pattern
Desert Yellow Shaded
Icy Wastes White & Cyan
Mountains Green & Mountain Pattern
Water Blue
Fortress Castle Tower Symbol
Citadel Castle Gates Symbol
Rune Ring Bright Green & Ring

ARMIES SYMBOL
Shadowlord Blue Wolf on Yellow
Galanor Red Emblem on White

TERRAIN PREFERENCES
The different nations which make up the Galanor forces fight better
in certain types of terrain.

NATION SYMBOL PREFERENCE
Rovanium Half-moon & Star None
Imryth Sun Forests
Savantor Sword & Two Stars Desert & Plains
Morgalion Axe Hills
Herdach Cross Hills

STRATEGIC MAP COLOURS

Shadowlands Grey
Rovanium Magenta
Imryth Bright Green
Savantor Light Green
Morgalion Medium Green
Herdach Dark Green



SORCERER LORD

The Player's Guide


1. Introduction ......................................... 1
2. Getting Started ...................................... 2
3. The Aim of the Game .................................. 2
4. A Quick Guide ........................................ 3
5. Detailed Guide to the Game ........................... 4
5.1 The Maps ............................................. 4
5.2 Unit Information Display ............................. 7
5.3 Armies and Garrisons ................................. 8
5.4 Shadowlord Movement Phase ............................ 8
5.5 Shadowlord Combat .................................... 9
5.6 Galanor Alliance ..................................... 9
5.7 Galanor Movement ..................................... 9
5.8 Combat ............................................... 10
6. Other Features ....................................... 14
6.1 The Strategic Map .................................... 14
6.2 The War Report ....................................... 14
6.3 Re-centre Map ........................................ 16
6.4 Terrain Type ......................................... 16
6.5 Turn & Phase ......................................... 16
7. Background Information ............................... 16
7.1 The Shadow Legions ................................... 16
7.2 The Elves of Imryth .................................. 18
7.3 [There is no section 7.3 in the manual. JimG]
7.4 The Barbarians of Savantor ........................... 18
7.5 The Mountain Warriors of Morgalion ................... 20
7.6 The Men of Herdach ................................... 20
7.7 The Men of Rovanium .................................. 21
7.8 Sorcery .............................................. 22
8. Strategy and Tactics ................................. 23


1. Introduction

The old race stirred from their millennia of stagnation. The Shadowlord had
died.

The darkness of the shadowlands deepened as the new Shadowlord took up
the mantle of power and flexed his immortal muscles. The new human races
in the kingdoms of Galanor slept on, unaware that the evil that had been
quiet for all recorded time was stirring. They knew of the shadowlands only
as a place of ancient power, where the Old Race of powerful sorcerers followed
their decadent and incomprehensible pursuits. They had never before shown
any interest in the world outside the shadowlands, although it was known that
any man who dared enter their lands might pay for his boldness with his life,
or worse.

Yet, over the years many men had entered that land, and made their way
to the great and ancient Citadel, seeking knowledge. Some found what they
sought, but were enslaved. A few escaped back to the southern kingdoms,
where they became powerful lords, Sorcerer Lords.

It was thus that the knowledge of Sorcery was passed to man.

The new Shadowlord was young and ambitious. Not content with the
contemplative decadence of his forefathers, he gathered the remnants of the
power of his race, and turned his eye outwards on the world. He wanted the
power of the Rune Rings, the standing stones enchanted by his race before
man was created, when the Golden Empire ruled over all. With this power
he sought to re-found the Empire, and make his race supreme once again.

He used his sorcerous power to breed the Wolf riders and warriors, and since
his people were few and reluctant to relinquish their immortality on the
field of battle, he appointed men, warped and enslaved, as their commanders.
By his will the Shadow Legions were formed.

The world on which this onslaught was about to be unleashed was a quiet
and pleasant place. Galanor was made up of the three kingdoms of men,
Rovanium. Morgalion, Herdach. They fought occasional wars, as was the want
of their race, and were constantly fighting the fierce desert barbarians of
Savantor. In the wooded glades of Imryth, the Elven Lords, distant cousins
of the race of the Shadowlord, contemplated nature rather than the Sorcery
of their cousins, and kept to themselves. But they were not without power.

Even as the Shadowlord, by his will, ordered the Shadow Legions to invade
Savantor, a Sorcerer Lord on the side of Men began, by his will, to direct
the Armies of Man and Elf together, as the Galanor alliance, against the enemy.

You are that Sorcerer Lord.


2. Getting Started

To load the game follow the instructions on the cassette or disk. Once the
game has loaded you are presented with 4 options:
1: RESTART 2: SAVE 3: LOAD 4: CONTINUE
To play the game press 4.

This menu will be presented to you at the end of each turn. The other
options allow you to save game positions and return to them at a later
date, or to go back either to the start of the game, or to the game
position when the game was last saved.
Select 2 to save the game position and follow the prompts.
Select 3 to load in a previously saved position.
Select 1 to go hack to the start. If you have saved the game during that
session, the game will go back to the position at the last save.

You may find it useful to save the game in the start position, since this
will allow you to go all the way back to the start, after subsequent saves,
without having to re-load the game.

Having selected 4 you are presented with the choice:
SELECT DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1-3
This gives the choice of a beginner, advanced or expert game. After choosing
the appropriate option (1, 2 or 3), the game begins.


3. The Aim of the Game

You must mobilise and gather your forces, resist the initial onslaught of the
Shadow Legions, and prevent the Shadowlord from holding any Galanor
fortresses or any Rune Rings for a period of twelve days. If you fail to do
this your power will be broken and Galanor will fragment and fall. The
Shadowlord will also be victorious if the High Citadel of Galanor, in the
southern land of Rovanium, falls.


4. A Quick Guide

The control keys for the game are printed on the ready reference card for
your machine, which you should have found in your package. Various other
bits of useful information are also printed on the card, and will be referred
to from time to time. No doubt some of you, eager to get on with it, will pick
up the card and start playing. If you do, read the section below and good luck,
but you will need to read the rest of the manual to get the best out of the
game.

The game is played around a fixed sequence of turns and phases. Each turn
represents one day of events, and is divided into five phases:

1. Shadowlord Movement
2. Shadowlord Combat
3. Galanor Alliance
4. Galanor Movement
5. Galanor Combat

The main action takes place on the tactical map screen which shows the terrain,
units and fortresses on a hexagon based grid. A cursor can be moved around
the screen using the cursor controls (see card), and placed over any hex.
The map scrolls when the cursor nears the edge.

A strategic map is available to get an overall view of the play area.

During your movement phase you can move the cursor over a unit, pick it
up (see card for controls), select forced or normal march and move it.

When a unit starts its move in a fortress, you can use the Garrison option
to transfer troops from a leader to and from the fortress garrison. In this
way you can transfer troops between leaders and build up large armies.

During your Alliance Phase, you do not do anything, but the mobilization of
leaders is indicated on the strategic map. Only a few leaders are mobilized
each turn. You can add to this by visiting unmobilised fortresses with your
existing leaders during the movement phase.

To attack a shadowlord legion. you simply move your army onto it. A battle
marker is placed over the battle. During the Combat Phase the battle is
resolved and the results displayed.


5. Detailed Guide to the Game

There are a number of minor variations in the displays and functioning of the
game on the different machines. The following sections describe the features
common to them all. Later you will find a small section describing the
differences between the different versions. Additional information on your
version can be found on the ready reference card.


5.1 The Maps

There are two levels of map available to the player:

The strategic map
The tactical map

The strategic map covers the whole playing area, showing the terrain types,
fortress positions and positions of various active units. Use this to get
an overall impression of your position

[screenshot]

The Strategic Map (Nations) - some versions only

[screenshot]

The Strategic Map (Terrain)

The tactical map is where the action is. There are several different terrain
types, each of which imposes a restriction on movement:

Clear - cost 1 movement point
Woods - half movement rate
Hills - half movement rate
Wooded Hills - one third movement rate
Mountains - one fifth movement rate
Desert - one half movement rate

The colour and pattern for each terrain type are shown on the card. Troops
of different kingdoms have different bonuses for movement and combat in
terrain types in which they feel at home. These are detailed in the section
on the various kingdoms.

The Shadowlord legions are, by sorcerous means. able to cross areas of water,
whereas the forces of Galanor cannot.

[screenshot]

The Playing Map


5.2 Unit Information Display

During the movement phase, information on leaders and the armies they
command is displayed when the cursor is placed over a unit. The basic format
is:

LEADER: OLPHID OF IMRYTH READY
ARMY: 550 WARRIORS 150 RIDERS
LDR: 6 SOR: 1 FTG: 0 MOVE: 0

The LEADER field shows the name of the leader. Each Galanor fortress and
citadel is the start position of one leader.

The READY field shows the movement status of the unit. It is highlighted when
the unit is picked up by the cursor. It shows one of the five possible movement
modes:

READY - Not selected. Move rate undecided
Available for garrison transfer
NORMAL - Move rate normal, some movement points left.
Cannot now use the garrison option
Unit is currently picked up if highlighted
FORCED - Moving at a forced march - 1.5 x normal rate
Some movement points left
Garrison option not available
Unit is currently picked up if highlighted
HALTED - No movement points left
Garrison option not available
Cannot be picked up and moved
ENGAGED - No movement points left
Unit occupies same location as enemy unit
Combat will be resolved in Combat Phase

The ARMY field gives the number of warriors and riders under that leader's
command. Note that this may not be the total army in that location. There
may be garrison troops if the location is a fortress or citadel, or other
leaders, with their own armies may be "stacked" with the currently displayed
leader. Use the key indicated on the ready reference card to cycle through
the leaders in a stack.

The bottom line gives the personal statistics of the leader. They vary from
0 to 9.

LDR: The Leadership ability rating (in battle)
SOR: The leaders sorcery abilities
FTG: The armies fatigue factor, caused by combat and forced marches
MOVE: The number of movement points left


5.3 Armies and Garrisons

Troops, consisting of riders and/or warriors can either be under the direct
command of a leader, or else be stationed at a fortress or citadel as a
garrison force. On the maps, only the armies under the command of a leader
are shown. Garrisons cannot be moved, except by being recruited by a leader
at the start of his move, and then moved as a normal army. The garrison
option is available at any time during the movement phase (see the reference
card for the key). The cursor is placed over a fortress and the garrison
option selected. If there is no READY leader at that fortress or citadel, all
that happens is the size of the garrison is displayed. If there is a leader
ready. the garrison size is displayed, with three options:

Return - Exits back to the map
Recruit - Move troops from the garrison to the leader
Station - Move troops from the leader to the garrison

Having selected recruit or station, the computer will prompt you to enter
the number of warriors and riders to move. You can enter any number from 0
to the number available.

This option can be used more than once for each leader/fortress.


5.4 Shadowlord Movement Phase

The first phase of the turn is the Shadowlord movement phase. The player
sits back and watches as the shadow legions roll across the map, engaging
in battle as they go. The shadow legions are fast and do not suffer some of
the terrain restrictions the player has to put up with.


5.5 Shadowlord Combat

Once the Shadowlord has finished moving his units, the combats are resolved.
For each battle the totals of the opposing forces are displayed, the effect
of any sorcery is determined, and the casualties are displayed. If any leader
or legion is eliminated, a message to that effect is displayed. If an attack
fails to eliminate all the defenders, the attacker is forced to retreat.
More on combat in the Combat section.


5.6 Galanor Alliance

This phase is also played without any input from the player. The computer
determines which leaders are alerted to the Shadowlord attack, and thus
spontaneously come under your control. The name and army size of each
new unit is displayed. This method of mobilization is slow and unreliable,
and must be supplemented by direct recruitment. This is achieved by moving
leaders onto previously unmobilised fortresses or citadels, during the
movement phase.

The other component of the alliance phase is reinforcement. Each fortress
and citadel recruits reinforcements from the surrounding countryside. These
new troops arrive periodically, and messages are displayed to that effect.


5.7 Galanor Movement

This is the phase in which the player is active. The cursor control keys shown
on the reference card can be used to move the flashing cursor around the
map. This is used to inspect, pick up and move units. To inspect a unit,
simply place the cursor over the unit. The unit information display appears
above the map. If the unit is a Shadowlord legion, the information is limited
to either numbers only (if the unit is within visual range) or nothing at all.

To move a unit, place the cursor over that unit and press the select key. If
the unit has not yet moved this turn you are given the options NORMAL or
FORCED. This is the speed at which the unit will travel. Each unit starts with
a number of movement points to "spend" on movement (4 for warriors, 6
for riders). Selecting FORCED march multiplies this by 1.5. The unit status
is highlighted, showing that the unit has been "picked up". Once a unit has
been picked up, when you move the cursor, the unit will move with the cursor.
As it moves through the various terrain types, movement points will be
deducted, until it runs out. The unit is then automatically dropped and marked
as HALTED.

The unit can be dropped at any time by pressing Select (there is a separate
de-select key on some versions). It will retain any movement points left, and
can be picked up and moved again in the same turn, until all movement points
are used.

Moving at a forced march increases the FATIGUE factor of the troops. This
can seriously impair their fighting ability, if it gets high.

If a unit is moved on top of a friendly unit, they are said to be stacked.
They then fight together if attacked. Only the top unit in the stack is
displayed. On the reference you will see there is a key "NEXT UNIT". Use this
to cycle through the units moving each to the top of the stack in turn.

If a unit is moved on top of an enemy unit, it engages in battle. A battle
marker is placed on the map and the combat is resolved in the combat phase.

When you have completed all movement for the turn, press the END
MOVEMENT key to proceed to combat.


5.8 Combat

There are a large number of factors taken into account during combat
resolution:

1. Relative numbers of Riders
2. Relative numbers of Warriors
3. Fatigue factors
4. Leadership values
5. Terrain type
6. Leader nationality
7. The effect of Sorcery

The relative strengths of warriors and riders is the main factor. Numerical
superiority is generally required to win. A large numerical superiority is
required to inflict the heaviest losses with the minimum casualties on your
side.

Fatigue is very important. It seriously impairs the troops fighting capacity.
When fatigue reaches 9, the troops cannot move at all, and have little or no
fighting capacity.

Leadership values add to the combat rating. The leadership values of the
Shadowlord Legions vary, and are not known to the player.

Certain terrain types restrict the fighting ability of troops. This effect
is negated in certain terrains for certain nationalities of leader. For
example, Elves fight well in the woods. Some racial types have a bonus in
attacks on fortresses and citadels.

Sorcery adds to the combat power of the troops. It ranges in power from weak
to devastating, and is determined by the leader's sorcery skill, and the
distance to the nearest Rune Ring. It is described in detail in the section
on Sorcery.

Engaging in Battle

[screenshot]

Looking at Shadowlord Unit

First choose which unit you are going to attack by looking at the strengths
of possible targets.

[screenshot]

Looking at Your Unit

Move onto your chosen foe. A battle marker is placed on the map, and your units
status changes to ENGAGED. The battle is resolved when all other movement is
completed.

[screenshot]

Battle Sequence

First, the strengths of the forces are displayed. Here the player gets a
nasty shock. What he thought was one unit with 1800 warriors is in fact a
stack of units totalling 9700 warriors and 7100 riders. The player should
have cycled through the stack.

[screenshot]

Since the battle is close to a Rune Ring. and the Galanor leader has a good
SOR of 7, the player is probably disappointed that only STRONG SORCERY was
summoned.

[screenshot]

The losses are now displayed. Alas the player's losses are heavy.

[screenshot]

In fact, the player lost all the warriors and riders in the unit. When this
happens, the unit is destroyed and the leader eliminated.


6. Other Features

During the movement phase there are a number of features which you can
access by pressing the indicated key on the reference card.


6.1 The Strategic Map

This can be accessed at any time during movement. It gives a map of the
whole playing area.


6.2 The War Report

This gives a detailed report on how the war is going. The current day, losses
on both sides, and details who is in control of which fortresses, citadels and
Rune Rings. The exact layout may vary from version to version, but the
information is the same. Note that some versions do not give you a key to
bring this display up, but put it up automatically after each combat phase.


[screenshot]

The Strategic Map (Terrain)

[screenshot]

The War Report


6.3 Re-centre Map

Some versions give you the option of re-centring the map on the current
cursor position. This can be useful while moving, since it allows you to see
where you are going.


6.4 Terrain Type

A key is provided which allows you to enquire exactly what terrain type is
under the cursor. If the cursor is over a fortress or citadel, the name of
the owner is displayed.


6.5 Turn & Phase

For those of you who forget what day it is, in some versions a key is provided
which causes the current turn and phase to be displayed. This can be useful
at the end of the game.


7. Background Information

This section gives details of the races, troops and nations involved, and of
Sorcery. It is not essential to read this before playing the game, but it is
essential if you wish to play the game well.


7.1 The Shadow Legions

The troops of the shadow legions are of a new race created by the Shadowlord,
using men, elves, wolves and more sinister beasts as source material. They
are grotesque featured, short and heavy. They breed fast and have an in-built
love of fighting. The troops are heavily armoured in chain and scale mail (of
crude manufacture). Their stamina, and ability to forage and eat almost
anything, makes them fast, and they do not fatigue as easily as men.

Their warriors are armed with wickedly barbed pole arms and morning stars.

The riders favour heavy spears and morning stars, and ride into battle mounted
on huge wolves, specially bred for the purpose.

They all carry the wolves head emblem on their shields.

[illustrations]

They are commanded by men, enslaved by the Shadowlord. and trained in
the arts of Sorcery. This sorcery allows the legions to cross water and other
barriers, as well as being useful in battle.


7.2 The Elves of Imryth

The Elves are descended from the immortal race that created the Golden
Empire, and are thus related to the Shadowlord. They turned away from the
lure of worldly power, and spend their time in quiet contemplation in the
woods that they love. They are tall, slim and elegant, but when war threatens,
the accumulated knowledge of the centuries makes them skilful and powerful
warriors. They wear finely worked shirts of chain mail under their camouflaging
cloaks, and fight with long bows and swords. Their riders carry shorter bows
and spears.

The woodcraft of the Elves is legendary. They move faster through woods
than anyone would think possible, and can use their bows through the trees
unlike less skilled troops. They strike without warning, wreak havoc, and then
melt back into the woods. Their method of fighting makes it difficult to
estimate their numbers. What may seem to an enemy or an ally to be a unit of
a hundred men may only be twenty. But who cares - they look and fight like a
hundred. They carry the sun emblem of the Golden Empire on their shields.


7.4 The Barbarians of Savantor

These men have historically preyed on the other mannish kingdoms, but are
now united against the Shadowlord. They are all riders, riding their white and
nimble horses into battle with unrivalled skill. They are armed with lances
and swords, but wear no armour. They are completely at home in the desert and
plains, and prefer to fight in the open. They carry the sword and star emblem
on their shields and pennants.

[illustrations]


7.5 The Mountain Warriors of Morgalion

These sturdy men look as if they have been carved out of the mountains
themselves. Their long hair and beards adds to their fierce appearance. They
wear tough armour of chain mail and carry huge battle axes into battle. Indeed,
they are so fond of the axe that they have adopted it as their emblem. They
are very skilled at warfare in mountainous areas, but dislike the open plains.
They have also developed considerable skill in the art of siege-craft, and
their siege engines generally accompany them around the battlefield. This
makes them slow. and useful when taking fortresses.


7.6 The Men of Herdach

These men, cousins of the mountain men of Morgalion, inhabit the colder
mountain areas to the north. They are thus generally seen wearing the
traditional fur jerkins rather than cumbersome armour. Like their cousins,
they do not use horses in battle, but prefer to go on foot. They are armed
with spears and axes, and carry the cross emblem on their shields.

[illustrations]


7.7 The Men of Rovanium

Rovanium is the most developed of the mannish nations, and their troops are
well equipped and equally able to cope with any conditions. Their warriors
wear full length chain mail coats, and fight with sword and spear. Their riders
are fewer in number, since they are fully armoured knights with lance and
morning star. Some of their leaders are well skilled in the art of Sorcery.

[illustrations]


7.8 Sorcery

There are two main factors which affect the effectiveness of sorcery in
battle. These are the skill of the sorcerer and the distance to the nearest
Rune Ring. The sorcery generally consists of the summoning of a number of
demons who will attack the sorcerer's enemies. The power of the sorcery
varies as follows:

Weak - No demon is summoned, but the weather
conditions are altered in the caster's favour.
Mild - A single minor demon is summoned.
Strong - A number of minor demons are summoned.
Very Strong - A single major demon is summoned.
Devastating - A host of demons is summoned.

The major demons may well change the course of the battle, but they often
merely inflict additional casualties on the enemy, and ignore the plight of
the summoning sorcerer. Many battles have been lost despite their aid.


8. Strategy and Tactics

This section is deliberately short, since the whole purpose of playing the
game is to develop a winning strategy. You should start off playing the beginner
game, and when that is mastered, move up a level of difficulty.

When playing, keep in mind what your resources are:

Troops
Leaders
Fortresses & Citadels
Terrain
Rune Rings

Try to arrange it so that the right number of troops, with the right leader
are in the right place at the right time. Use the racial bonuses of the
leaders to full effect. Try to mobilise as quickly as possible. Never fight
a battle if there is no chance of winning. Retreat, gather your forces, and
counter-attack. Beware of forced marches and fatigue. Use forced marches only
when essential. Read these instructions to get clues as to how to win. Play
to win, and enjoy it.