@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Archon (c) 1983 Free Fall Associates (c) 1983 Electronic Arts, inc. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Run/stop pauses the game, Q quits demo or a game. F7 restarts the game after it is over. THE GAME 1. ICONS the various fantastic creatures at your command are represented by specific images - "icons" - stylized pictures of knights, goblins, manticores, and the like. there are twenty icons - a total of eight different kinds on each side, plus four elementals (more on these later). none of yours are identical to any of the icons on the other side. 2. THE TWO SCREENS archon is played on two screens. on one- the strategy screen - you and your opponent take turns maneuvering your icons into favorable positions. when you place an icon on a square already occupied by one of your opponent's icons, the game shifts temporarily to the second display, the combat arena. 3. HOSTILITIES in old fashioned and - admit it - somewhat dull board games (chess, backgammon, and their ilk), the defending piece gets removed quietly from the board, and the "attacker" wins the "battle" - and the square - without a blow being struck. in archon, we do not allow such docility, such rank defeatism on the part of the defender. no! if you want that square, you have to fight for it! when you try to occupy a square held by the enemy, the disputed square expands to fill the entire screen... and then, in the words of a certain orange skinned monster of comic book fame, "it's clobberin' time!!!" 4. THE STRATEGY SCREEN --------------------------------------------- |****|OOOO|****|....|..PP|....|OOOO|****|OOOO| |****|OOOO|****|....|....|....|OOOO|****|OOOO| --------------------------------------------- |OOOO|****|....|OOOO|....|****|....|OOOO|****| |OOOO|****|....|OOOO|....|****|....|OOOO|****| ---------------------------------------------- |****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO| |****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO| ---------------------------------------------- |....|OOOO|****|OOOO|....|****|OOOO|****|....| |....|OOOO|****|OOOO|....|****|OOOO|****|....| ---------------------------------------------- |OOPP|....|....|....|..PP|....|....|....|**PP| |OOOO|....|....|....|....|....|....|....|****| ---------------------------------------------- |....|OOOO|****|OOOO|....|****|OOOO|****|....| |....|OOOO|****|OOOO|....|****|OOOO|****|....| ---------------------------------------------- |****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO| |****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO|****|....|OOOO| ---------------------------------------------- |OOOO|****|....|OOOO|....|****|....|OOOO|****| |OOOO|****|....|OOOO|....|****|....|OOOO|****| ---------------------------------------------- |****|OOOO|****|....|..PP|....|OOOO|****|OOOO| |****|OOOO|****|....|....|....|OOOO|****|OOOO| ---------------------------------------------- ------ ------ |OOOO| |****| |OOOO| = white square |****| = black square ------ (light side) ------ (dark side) ------ |....| |....| = luminosity square PP = power point ------ (changing) 5. PLAYER LAYOUT light side dark side --------------- ---------------------- valkyrie archer manticore banshee golem knight goblin troll unicorn knight goblin basilisk djinni knight goblin shapeshifter wizard knight goblin sorceress phoenix knight goblin dragon unicorn knight goblin basilisk golem knight goblin troll valkyrie archer manticore banshee 6. THE LUMINOSITY CYCLE archon's strategy screen changes. while some squares are always white or always black, others - "luminance" - squares, as shown above, vary in brightness throughout the game in a simple pattern. black - dark - barely dark - barely light - light - white and the reverse back and forth throughout the game, the cycle continues, the luminance shifting after every other turn. your fortunes in the game tend to ebb and flow with the luminosity cycle. this is because icons of the light side are harder to defeat on light squares than on dark ones. consequently, dark side icons are stronger on dark squares and weakest on white ones. 7. POWER POINTS the five "power points" are indicated on the screen by flashing red symbols. icons on power points heal faster than usual and are protected from the effects of magic spells. if your icons occupy all five power points, you win the game. 8. MOVEMENT if the hollow square or "frame" is on your side, it's your turn. use your joystick to move the frame atop the icon you wish to want. once you push the button to confirm your choice, you must move that icon somewhere. (if the icon has nowhere to go, the computer won't let you "pick it up.") once you move the icon to its destination, push the button again, and the obedient image will stay in place. movement comes in three flavors : ground, fly, and teleport. ground movers cannot move through occupied squares. fliers are restricted only in where they land. fliers can also move diagonally; ground icons cannot. only the wizard and sorceress can teleport, but for practical purposes you can think of them as fliers in disguise. on any turn you can move an icon as far as its range allows in any direction or combination of directions. it can stop on any square not already occupied by one of your own icons. NOTE : if you change your mind while maneuvering a ground mover, you must backtrack. otherwise, the computer, being very literal-minded, will assume you are trying to extend your move unlawfully. 9. COMBAT action in the combat arena is immediate and simultaneous; there is no taking turns. joysticks direct movement of the icons. pressing the button initiates an attack - swinging a sword, firing an arrow, casting a fireball - in the direction the joystick is pointed. you can attack in any of eight directions: up, down, left, right, and the four diagonals. IMPORTANT: your icon cannot move while the button is pressed. combat is of three general types, knights and goblins are sword swingers and club wielders; they must be very near to an opponent to inflict damage. the banshee and phoenix inflict damage in a circular area around themselves; the longer the opposing icon is in that circle, the greater the damage it sustains. such "area" attacks need not be aimed. all the other icons "throw" missiles of some sort and can, consequently, do damage from a considerable distance. see the quick reference section for detailed information on attack speed and damage. 10. THE ATTACK INTERVAL while combat is fast and furious, you can't just fire away as fast as your finger twitches. it takes a moment to raise a sword into position to strike; longer to conjure even a fast fireball; and the better part of two whole seconds(!) to rip a boulder out of the ground and lift it high enough to throw. pushing the button before your icon is ready to strike will accomplish nothing except to keep your icon from moving. at the exact instant you can launch another attack, the computer rings a bell - a high note for the light side, a lower one for the dark side - to let you know. 11. BARRIERS the obstacles or barriers in the arena go through luminosity cycles of their own. be carefull; they can be as tricky as an opponent! normally a barrier is impenetrable, however when its cycle changes a barrier's luminance to exactly match the color of the background, the barrier disappears... for a few seconds. you can walk over it, shoot past it, anything. it's gone. furthermore, for a few seconds before a barrier vanishes and after it reappears, you can walk or fire a missile through it, but you or the missile will be slowed down. if this seems at all confusing, just remember the more solid a barrier "looks", the more solid it is. if you have any doubts, avoid the barriers entirely - and get out of the way of oncoming missiles. 12. LIFE, DEATH AND WOUNDS the lifelines at either end of the arena indicate the current lifespan (health/strength) of the two battling icons. when an icon is wounded, its matching lifeline is reduced in proportion to the severity of the wound. when its lifeline is gone, the icon is "dead" and combat is over. a victorious icon returns to the strategy screen in control of the disputed square. however, a seriously wounded icon is easier to defeat the next time it is forced to fight. even the strongest icon can be worn down by waves of attackers. on the strategy screen, wounded icons are healed slowly by the simple passage of time; more quickly, by resting on a power point; or instantly and completely by a "heal" spell. 13. MAGIC SPELLS magic is arguably the most significant strategic element in archon. only two mages - the wizard and the sorceress - can cast spells. and each mage can cast each spell only once. while the spells are powerful, they have one drawback: each spell weakens the mage casting it, leaving that mage progressively less able to defend itself against direct attack. a spell may be cast instead of a regular move on the strategy screen. simply move the frame atop your mage, as if you were going to move it, push the button and the usual message appears. without moving the icon, however, just push the button again, and you will get a new message "select your spell". push the joystick up or down to survey the spells still available, and the button when you find the one you want. if further actions on your part are required, additional messages will direct you appropriately. remember that you can't conjure the same spell more than once, and you can't cast a spell against icons on power points. spell details are given below. ***teleport effect: this spell moves - teleports - one of your icons any distance from one square on the strategy screen to another. actions required: after selecting the spell, move the frame to the icon you want; push the button; and then move the icon to its destination - just as if it were a normal move. restrictions: you cannot move an enemy icon. you cannot move onto a square already occupied by one of you own icons, you cannot teleport onto or off a power point. you cannot teleport an imprisoned icon. additional note: do not confuse this spell with a mage's normal three square movement. that is a minor magic, on the same order as casting fireballs, and is not bound by the restrictions of the seven major spells. ***heal effect: this spell instantly heals any icon of all wounds it has sustained in the combat arena. actions required: after selecting the spell, move the frame to the wounded icon, and push the button. restrictions: you cannot heal an icon resting on a power point. you can heal an already healthy icon, but why bother? ***shift time effect: two effects are possible. most often, the spell reverses the flow of time: i.e. the direction of the luminosity of the delta squares. squares that have been growing gradually darker would now grow lighter - until the cycle peaked. however, if the spell is cast when the luminosity cycle is at either peak, shift time will cause the cycle to shift abruptly to the opposite extreme. actions required: none restrictions: none ***exchange effect: this spell causes any two icons on the strategy screen to trade places. actions required: move the frame to one of the icons you wish to transpose, and push the button, then do the same to the other icon. restrictions: neither icon can be imprisoned on a power point. ***summon elemental effect: this spell allows you to attack an enemy icon with a new, temporary icon representing one of the four elementals - animated spirits of the ancient elements of earth, air, fire, and water. combat is conducted in the combat arena as usual, except the elemental vanishes after the battle, win or lose. actions required: once the spell is selected and the elemental appears on your side of the strategy screen, move it to the icon you wish to attack. in the combat arena, direct the elemental just as you would any other icon. restrictions: you cannot attack an icon on a power point. you cannot direct the elemental to a vacant square or one occupied by one of your own icons. you cannot choose which elemental will respond to your summons. ***revive effect: this spell restores an icon previously lost (killed) in combat. actions required: the procedure is similar to a "teleport" spell or a normal move, except that the revived icon comes from a special display by the side of the strategy screen, and its destination must be a vacant square next to the mage. restrictions: you cannot "revive" an icon not already dead. one of the initally five squares adjoining your mage must be vacant, and you must put the revived icon on one of those vacant squares. ***imprison effect: this spell keeps an icon on the strategy screen from leaving its square. the icon can fight its attackers in the combat arena, but it cannot be moved off its square. IMPORTANT: an imprisoned mage cannot cast spells! imprisonment is temporary, a dark side icon would remain imprisoned until the delta squares turn black; a light side icon would be freed when the delta squares turn white. actions required: once the spell is cast, move the frame to the target icon and press the button. restrictions: you cannot imprison an icon on a power point. you cannot imprison any icon at a time when the luminosity cycle would automatically free it. ***cease conjuring this is not a spell; it is a way to avoid casting a spell if you miscalculate, if you change your mind while selecting a spell, or if the spell you want is unavailable or canceled, you may push the button when "cease conjuring" is displayed. this will allow you to start your turn over. ---------------------------------------------------------- QUICK REFERENCE CARD The Opposing Forces THE LIGHT SIDE 1. the wizard an ancient man of cast supernatural power, the wizard is the leader of the light side. in battle the wizard casts devastating balls of fire. he rarely ventures from the safety of his home power point, however, and is more commonly used to cast one of the seven spells. movement : teleport - 3 speed : normal attack mode : fireball attack force : great attack speed : medium attack interval : average lifespan : average number on side : 1 2. the unicorn resembling a great white horse with the tail of a lion and a sharp, spiral horn set on its brow, the unicorn is swift and agile. the beautiful creature can fire a blinding bolt of energy from its magical horn. movement : ground - 4 speed : normal attack mode : energy bolt attack force : moderate attack speed : fast attack interval : short lifespan : average number on side : 2 3. the archer the archers are fearless amazon warriors of legendary skill with their fine, whitewood bows. they are endowed with magical quivers that can never be emptied. movement : ground - 3 speed : normal attack mode : arrow attack force : minor attack speed : medium attack interval : average lifespan : short number on side : 2 4. golem a golem is an artificial being. shaped from stone and gleaming metal, and animated by magic. roughly man shaped, it is huge, twice the height of a man, its weapons are boulders ripped from the earth and hurled with devastating force. movement : ground - 3 speed : slow attack mode : boulder attack force : great attack speed : slow attack interval : long lifespan : long number on side : 2 5. valkyries are beauteous blond war maidens from the legions of valhalla. each of these ferocious females is endowed with two great magical gifts: first the ability to stride the air as if it were solid ground; and second, an enchanted spear, which, when thrown, returns to her hand of its own accord. movement : fly - 3 speed : normal attack mode : spear attack force : moderate attack speed : slow attack interval : average lifespan : average number on side : 2 6. djinni the djinni is a magical being from another dimension, a plane of tempest and storm. in form he is a huge, superbly muscled man whose body is partly flesh and partly swirling currents of air. a cousin to the wind itself, the djinni can raise a small tornado with a gesture and control it with a thought. movement : fly - 4 speed : normal attack mode : whirlwind attack force : moderate attack speed : medium attack interval : average lifespan : long number on side : 1 7. phoenix the phoenix is a flaming bird of immense size and power. in battle it can explode into a seething mass of fire, scorching everyone on the perimeter of the blaze, and burning severely any ememy unfortunate enough to be caught near the incandescent core. not only is the phoenix unscathed by its own flames, but while undergoing its fiery metamorphosis, it cannot be harmed by any attack known. movement : fly - 5 speed : normal attack mode : fiery explosion attack force : great attack speed : slow attack interval : long lifespan : long number on side : 1 8. knights the knights are foot soldiers armed and armored against foes far larger than themselves, although they cannot withstand more than one blow from many of their enemies they need not be mere cannon (or dragon) fodder. provided they are swift and clever, their speed of attack gives them a chance to survive and triumph. movement : ground - 3 speed : normal attack mode : sword attack force : minor attack speed : instant attack interval : very short lifespan : short number on side : 7 THE DARK SIDE 1. sorceress the equal of the wizard only in power, the eternally young and ever beautiful sorceress is his counterpart in all ways. her lightning bolts are swifter and surer than his fireballs, if a shade less potent. fierce in battle but safest on the black powerpoint, she is most often used to cast the seven spells. movement : teleport - 3 speed : normal attack mode : lightning bolt attack force : moderate attack speed : fast attack interval : average lifespan : average number on side : 1 2. basilisk the basilisk is a small, crested reptile with the scaly body of a lizard and the bulbous, glowing eyes of a gorgon. although it is relativly short-lived, the beast's quick movements and deadly glance make it a terrifying opponent. movement : ground - 3 speed : normal attack mode : eye beam attack force : great attack speed : fast attack interval : short lifespan : short number on side : 2 3. manticore the manticore resembles a large golden lion with a human face and a scorpion's thorny tail. this nasty appendage bristles with great quills like spikes, which the fell beast can fling over its head with surprising accuracy. movement : ground - 3 speed : normal attack mode : tail spikes attack force : minor attack speed : slow attack interval : average lifespan : average number on side : 2 4. troll a dweller in caves and dark places, the misshappen troll is a shambling giant, dull but strong, clumsy but hard to slay. like the golem, it carries no ready made weapons; instead, it seizes boulders, tree trunks - whatever comes to hand - and catapults the massive objects at its enemies. movement : ground - 3 speed : slow attack mode : boulder attack force : great attack speed : slow attack interval : long lifespan : long number on side : 2 5. shapeshifter the shapeshifter is a "doppleganger" (germanic term), a demonic creature without true shape or form, save what it steals from its enemies. in battle it becomes the mirror image of its opponent, strongest on squares where its enemies are weakest, turning the enemies powers against itself. it has no fixed lifespan; all wounds that do not prove fatal will heal as soon as it assumes a new form. movement : fly - 5 speed : varies attack mode : varies attack force : varies attack speed : varies attack interval : varies lifespan : unknown number on side : 1 6. dragon the dragon, a monstrous, serpentine reptile, is without peer in the combat arena. one bout of its flaming breath will kill many creatures, and a second blast is almost always fatal. highly mobile and very difficult to slay, its awesome powers make it second in value only to the sorceress. movement : fly - 4 speed : normal attack mode : fiery breath attack force : very great attack speed : medium attack interval : long lifespan : very long number on side : 1 7. banhsee the banshee is an undead spirit that feeds off the souls of her opponents, a ghostly apparition that attacks with her keening wail, draining the life from anyone in the range of the sound. (the shaded area around her). prolonged exposure to the terrifying shriek can be fatal. movement : fly - 3 speed : normal attack mode : scream attack force : moderate attack speed : instant attack interval : long lifespan : average number on side : 2 8. goblins goblins are hideous dwarves, twisted of limb and misshappen of feature, unfriendly and often violent. their mutual antagonism is kept in check only by the powers of the sorceress. on dark ground their knarled clubs are more than a match for the swords of the knights, and if well directed they can bring down the most potent of enemies. PLAYING HINTS & Tips on Strategy STRATEGY SCREEN: OPENINGS 1. conservative opening this involves moving your unfavorably placed icons onto more favorable squares. (white squares for light icons, black squares for dark icons). the idea is to establish a strong, balanced position early on. since the corner icons (the valkyrie/banshee) are mobile and especially vulnerable to magical attack (via summon elemental or teleport spells), these are often the first to be moved. being a ground mover, the unicorn/basilisk will be stuck on the "wrong" square until you clear an escape route, either directly by moving the knight/goblin in front of it or indirectly, and more slowly, by moving other knights/goblins and then adjacent icons in the back rank. 2. magical assault ("big juju" or "major mana" opening) the aim is to wipe out the strongest enemy icon right off the bat, before it can do any harm. this is most easily done with a combination of spells: imprison, summon elemental, teleport, and, if needed, reverse time. the first spell holds the victim immobile while you attack with an elemental and then one of your strongest icons teleported across the board. shift time may be used to prevent the imprisoned icon from getting away before you can finish it off. 3. monster romp this is risky but fun, and sometimes surprisingly effective. just fly or teleport one of your icons (the djinni/dragon or phoenix/shapeshifter) to the other side of the board, and take it on a rompin', stompin', tour of all the occupied squares unfavorable to the icons stuck on them. this procedure tends to throw new players into a panic, which is always helpfull. more experienced players will either imprison the attacker or counter with a monster romp of their own. rapid attrition on both sides follows such a counter attack. STRATEGY SCREEN: GENERAL HINTS stay on your color! the effect of a squares luminance on the life of your icons is large-often as much as 50%. attack on unfavorable squares only if you have an overwhelming superiority over the defending icon. plan ahead. most succesfull attacks require more than one move to execute. before taking a square, consider what you will do afterwards. what icon will continue the assault if the first attacker dies? avoid traffic jams, make openings in your front line for ground movers to pass. the greater your forces mobility, the greater its flexibility and strength. protect your mage! the wizard/sorceress may be a tough hombre in the combat area, but doom is nigh should you lose your mage early in the game. since power points are immune to magic spells,it is a wise idea to keep your wizard/sorceress "at home". STRATEGY SCREEN: SPELLS teleport. this spell is handy for tossing a slow moving or unfavorably placed icon into your opponent's back rank to raise a ruckus. alternatively, you can teleport a wounded icon out of danger. heal. never heal the shapeshifter! since it regenerates completely between battles, the spell would be wasted. shift time. use this spell to prolong an imprisonment by reversing the flow of time before the luminance cycle peaks, freeing the enemy icon. conversely, especially if you are playing second, you can free your own imprisoned icon early by casting the spell at the opposing luminosity peak: in that case, the cycle will jump to your peak, and your icon will be freed. a more strategic use of this spell could allow you to make a concerted attack on the power points and possibly win the game by keeping the luminance favorable. exchange. an enemy advance can be frustrated temporarily by exchanging a menacing intruder (e.g. an opposing dragon/djinni) in your territory with a weaker icon (a goblin/knight) from your opponent's rear ranks. summon elemental. since elementals are neutral beings, unaffected by changes in luminance, they are well suited to attacking an annoying enemy icon that remains on squares favorable to it. the spell is also de rigueur against mages that venture from their home power point. revive. revive only strong icons, also avoid placing a revived icon on an unfavorable square, or it may die again immediately. imprison. the real trick with this spell is timing, coupled with shift time, if neccessary, to prolong the effect. imprison a threatening intruder to blunt an attack, or immobilize a strong icon on a delta square; then attack when the luminocity cycle is most favorable. COMBAT ARENA: GENERAL HINTS don't move in straight lines. monsters are tricky; you should be too. dodge and weave. don't become predictable. hit and run. don't just fire a shot and then sit there waiting for a retaliatory strike. take your finger off the button immediately after firing, and boogie on out of there! if you hit something it can probably hit you. use diagonal shots! although difficult to master, 45 degree angle shots will improve your performance dramatically. few players manage consistent diagonals. trap your opponent in a corner. this is especially helpfull for sloggers with, slow, easily dodged missiles and for the poor infighters (knights/goblins). feint! trick your opponent into attacking by moving into the line of fire momentarily. then, in the interval before the enemy icon can attack again, close in and loose your own attack. confuse your opponent. when at close range, dodge back and forth to keep from being nailed. this is especially important when you cannot afford an exchange of blows and is vital for a knight/goblin. know your icons strengths and weaknesses. different icons require different tactics - sometimes radically different - and the nature of your immediate enemy should also effect your course of action. COMBAT ARENA: THE ICONS wizard. avoid using the wizard in combat unless attacked. in a fight, approach to mid range but no closer. stay in the open; fire balls are easily stopped by barriers. sorceress. avoid combat if possible! the speed of her lightning bolts makes the sorceress effective at long range. play defensively, and use the barriers to trap an enemy long enough to zap it. unicorn/basilisk. speed and distance are their prime weapons. never close, especially if the opponent is in the open. try to use lines of barriers as alleys for fire. archer. the archer's arrows are not fast, so she must get fairly close to ensure a hit. slower targets of course allow greater range. golem/troll. the advantages of these slow moving creatures are their long lives and deadly attacks. (those boulders hurt!) since the rocks travel slowly, the golem/troll must get close to the enemy. be aggresive! djinni/dragon. you have power to spare here, so be brazen in attack. avoid the possible entanglements of cluttered terrain when fighting an icon with a fast attack. valkyrie. the valkyrie is basically a tougher archer with a more damaging but slower-moving attack. use similar tactics. phoenix. get close - the closer, the better -. trap fast foes in corners. avoid firing alleys, and use the explosive attack defensively when neccessary to keep from being hit. never sit still when vulnerable. shapeshifter. the success of this icon is solely dependent on the proper battleground. avoid white squares like the plague! ignore the knights (why take chances on getting killed for such a small prize?) attack strong icons on black or dark squares. manticore. this beast has the advantage of a broader attack than its counterparts, especially on diagonals. be bold against weak opponents, but remain at mid-range when fighting more dangerous adversaries. banshee. the banshee requires - and rewards - great skill. she is worth the extra effort needed. stay out of firing lanes until the moment of attack; then come in from the side, where the area of effect is greatest. release the joystick button immediately after pressing it, and follow the opponent closely to prolong the exposure to the scream. avoid the golem (sometimes known as "the banshee's curse"). knight/goblin. where these infighters are concerned, he who hesitates... is dog food. move quickly but erratically. get in close and stay there! dodge back and forth or circle your enemy to avoid return fire and attack constantly. in a knight/goblin conflict, use feints and stop thrusts. accept an exchange of blows only if you have a significant luminosity advantage. elementals. the four elements are quite different from one another. the earth elemental should be played like a golem/troll, which it greatly resembles. of the other three, fire has the fastest and most damaging attack, and water the longest lifespan. tactically, you can think of fire as a wizard, air as an archer, and water as a manticore. regarless of which elemental you have, however, be aggresive!!! remember that its wounds don't matter, since it will outlast the battle, anyway. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ -END-