ATARI(R) 7800(TM) Game Manual ACE OF ACES(R) by Accoloade INTRODUCTION Trump That Ace! It's World War II and Britain's Royal Air Force is up to its neck in Axis attacks. As one of the RAF's most aggressive pilots, you're in on flying the most crucial missions to stall the enemy. They attack by land, air, and sea. Your only allies are your DeHavilland Mosquito, your weapons, and your wits. Chase the Nazi bombers, sink the U-boats before they can dive, outrun the V-1 buzz bombs, and stop the POW trains from reaching the enemy lines. Choose your ammunition and fuel wisely -- once you're on a mission, there's no turning back. To be an Ace, you need four enemy defeats. To be Ace of Aces, you've got to be the best! Getting Started 1. Insert the Ace of Aces cartridge into your Atari 7800 Video Game System as explained in your Owner's Manual. 2. Switch on your television; then press [Power] on your 7800 console. The title screen appears, followed by the first select screen. 3. From the title screen, press [Select] or a fire button. In a midnight session your Group Captain offers you the choice of a practice flight or a mission. Move the directional control of your game controller forward or back to mark your choice. Then select a type to begin. 4. Press [Reset] at any time to start a new game with the same mission. 5. Press [Pause] or the right fire button to pause the game and display a status screen. Press it again to resume play. PLAYING THE GAME Practice If you choose a practice flight, the Group Captain offers you three alternatives: * Dog Fight Go nose-to-nose with enemy ME109s and wax their tails. * Train Practice bombing the enemy rail system. * U-Boat Cruise over the North Atlantic for a dry run on a wet target. Move the directional control forward or back to mark your choice, then press the fire button to begin. Man your Mosquito -- it's already loaded with the necessary ammunition and fuel. Now's the time to practice destroying the enemy. (See the other sections of this manual for instructions.) When your plane sustains damage or runs low on ammo or fuel, return to base. Use the practice flight to learn your aircraft and its controls. Once you're back on base, you'll be called again into the Group Captain's pre-dawn session. Mission When you select a mission, the Group Captain gives you four alternatives. * V-1 Rocket The enemy is tossing V-1 buzz bombs, accompanied by an unknown number of ME 109 fighters. * Bomber JU88 and ME109 bomber planes control the skies. * Train Rail transport of Allied POWs to enemy camps is underway. ME109 air support is probable. * U-Boat Enemy submarines are converging on Allied convoys. Each one is a known enemy threat. The mission that's the most crucial at the moment depends on the enemy's total war effort. After a few missions, it'll be up to you to choose the best strategic attack area. Move the controller's directinal control forward or back to point to a choice, then press the fire button to mark it. You can choose more than one mission at a time. Then point to "Begin Game" and press the fire button to start. Intelligence Report Intelligence agents, resistance groups, and aerial reconnaissance work ceaselessly to pinpoint exact enemy positions. Headquarters now makes you privy to their report. This report file contains information on weather conditions, recommended altitude, weapons, and target sequence. Memorize the report -- this information could keep you alive. Move the directional control forward or back to either accept or reject the mission. Then press the fire button or [Select]. Reject the mission when you want to choose another alternative. Accept the mission and there's no turning back. Your navigational map appears. Navigational Map The navigational map shows major European cities and enemy positions based on intelligence reports. Take a good long look. This information is vital to your success. [Navigational map graphic] Review the map often during your mission (see Views from the Mosquito table). Intercept the air and ground enemy weapon carriers before they reach their destinations. Destroy the U-boat pen before the subs can set sail to attack Allied convoys in the Nort Atlantic. Avoid storm clouds -- they spell trouble. Now press the fire button to prepare your plane. Selecting Ammunition and Fuel You now load your ammunition and fuel in the weapons room. Your intelligence report recommended correct ammunition. You'll use cannon shells and rockets for dog fights and bombs for surface targets. If your targets are U-boats and trains, load up on bombs and add a few cannon shells and rockets for surprises (yours and theirs). If you're going for Ace of Aces status by choosing all four missions, select your ammunition based on your bombing and dog fight prowess and the intelligence report. Add fuel tanks for long-range missions. (You automatically have one fuel tank already loaded.) [Weapons Selection graphic] Next to each offering are plus (+) and minus (-) signs. Move the directional control to mark a sign, then press the fire button. Plus signs load ammunition and fuel; minus signs offload them. When you've reached maximum load, you will not be able to load any more items. Once you're armed and fueled, move the directional control back to mark "Done" and press the fire button. A seires of photos appear on screen showing your take-off. Go get 'em! FLYING A MISSION While airborne, you've got five views from which to carry on your attack. Use the directional control and the fire button to change views (follow the table). A double-press on the fire button means two quick clicks. Views from the Mosquito View Controller Action Cockpit Double-press fire button, then push directional control forward. Engine room, port Double-press fire button, then push directional control (left) wing left. Engine room, star- Double-press fire button, then push directional control board (right) wing right. Navigational map Double-press fire button, then pull back on the directional control. Bomb Bay Double-press fire button with the directional control centered. Cockpit You'll look forward from the cockpit into the skies (or cloud cover). Use your controls to keep your Mosquito on course. Press the fire button to fire cannon and rockets. Crosshairs turn red when your target is in firing range. Compass. The initial compass heading is south (S). Change course by pushing the directional control left or right. A dark line on the compass indicates the correct heading for the next target. When all targets are destroyed, the dark line heading shows you the way home. [Cockpit graphic] Airspeed. Your airspeed is show in miles per hour. Adjust this reading with the boosters, throttle, and flaps in the engine room. Artificial Horizon. This indicator shows your altitude and the angle of your wings relative to the fixed horizon. Angling (moving the directional control left or right) turns your Mosquito in the direction of the lower wing. Altimeter. This dial reads your altitude in thousands of feet, relative to the fixed horizon. Intercom. The intercom monitors trouble spots in the Mosquito. When a section of the plane lights up, move to that view and take care of the problem. When the center of the plane lights up, the ground target is in sight or a fuel tank is empty. The intercom appears in all views. Yoke. The yoke steers your aircraft. Move the yoke with the directional control -- forward to dive, back to climb, left or right to turn in that direction. Enemy Altitude. This gauge monitors the altitude of oncoming enemy aircraft relative to your altitude. Radar. This sweep dial tells you an enemy's distance relative to your position. Engine Room Control the mosquito's speed and flight position from the engine room, as well as contain damage. Move the cross indicator by pushing the directional control left or right. Then change a control panel setting by pressing the fire button and moving the directional control forward, back, left or right. [Engine Room graphic] Throttle and Throttle Gauge. The throttle controls your engine speed, measured in revolutions per minute (RPMs) on the throttle gauge. Move the lever up to increase speed. The engine is over-revving if the RPM needle is in the red zone. Decrease speed immediately. If you can't slow down, the engine is on fire and you will have to go for the fire extinguisher. Booster and Booster Gauge. The booster controls the pitch of your propellers, measured in angles on the booster gauge. Move the lever forward to increase pitch. The booster must be at the same setting as your throttle for top fuel efficiency. If the throttle and booster aren't balanced the engine will either over-rev or lug. Landing Gear. Keep this control in the up position unless you want to reduce speed quickly -- useful for evading enemy fighters. Trim. Trim controls the tail rudder and determines your direction of flight. Flaps. Wing flaps (ailerons) are your brakes. Move the lever down to brake but be careful -- at high speeds the vibrations could damage the Mosquito. Fire Extinguisher. Move the lever right to spray the fire extinguisher on engine fires. Once an engine is doused, it's out of commission until repaired. Fuel. Check your fuel condition frequently. When a tank is empty, switch to the bomb bay view and take care of the problem. Bomb Bay The bomb bay view tells how much ammunition you have left. Move the directional control left or right to position the cross indicator above a control, then hold down the fire button and move the directional control left or right to change a setting. Bomb Bay Doors Control. Open the bomb bay doors to take aim on U-boats and trains. When a target is in sight, crosshairs appear. Move the directional control to position the target within the crosshairs. Press the fire button to drop bombs. [Bomb Bay graphic] Fuel Tank Drop. Drop empty tanks to improve your fuel use or for a quick getaway. Be sure you have enough fuel to get home. Gun/Rocket Select. Use this lever to choose either the gun (cannon) or rocket to fire on your target. STRATEGY Dog Fights Enemy fighters attack randomly without warning. When an enemy aircraft turns up on your radar, your Mosquito position freezes on the navigational map. You must down the enemy before he gets you. And make it quick -- you're burning up fuel. Enemy aircraft attack in greater numbers once you have destroyed their trains and U-Boats. V-1s are slower than fighters. If they're too close to you when they explode, their shrapnel may damage your Mosquito. Trains You must stop the POW train en route to Berlin. Aim only at cars marked with the Iron Cross. Cars marked with the Red Cross carry captured Allied troops and will cost you points if destroyed. You get only one crack at the train so be precise about altitude and speed. Your best attack position is 1,000 feet at 100 mph. U-Boats The U-boats are preparing to attack Allied shipping in the North Atlantic. Stop them before they launch. Once you open your bomb bay doors, the U-Boats will pick you up on instruments and begin diving. Once underwater, they will not resurface for the duration of your mission. You're in maximum attack position at 1,000 feet at 100 mph. Survival Intelligence advises the following survival tactics: * Check the intercom often for trouble spots. Your chances of survival are greater if you can contain the damage early on. * You'll need extra speed in order to climb when you have a full load of weapons and fuel. * Speed increases as youdrop bombs and fuel tanks. SCORING Rocket hits earn twice the points of cannon hits. Destroying the Enemy Fighter (rocket)...............................1000 points Fighter (cannon)................................500 points V-1 (rocket)....................................300 points V-1 (cannon)....................................150 points Bomber (rocket).................................200 points Bomber (cannon).................................100 points Train Car.......................................200 points U-Boat..........................................250 points POW Car........................................-200 points Completing a Mission Safe Return....................................2000 points Bomb Intact......................................50 points Rocket Intact....................................50 points Cannon Shell Intact..............................10 points Fuel Tank Intact.................................10 points Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation in this manual. However, because Atari Corporation is constantly improving and updating its computer hardware and software, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed material after the date of publication and disclaims liability for changes, errors, or omissions. Reproduction of all or any portions of this manual is not allowed without the specific written consent of Atari Corporation. Atari(R), the Atari logo, and 7800(TM) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. Ace of Aces(R) is a registered trademark of NOVA Game Design, Inc. Copyright(C) 1986,1987, Accolade Inc. All rights reserved. Original license from Artech Digital Productions. ATARI(R) Copyright(C) 1988, Atari Corporation Sunnyvale, CA 94086 All rights reserved. ATARI(R) Copyright(C) 1988, Atari Corporation Sunnyvale, CA 94086 All rights reserved. Printed in Hong Kong. B. T. 1 . 1989 C300018-046 Rev. A