ATTACK OF THE MUTANT CAMELS

By Jeff Minter

SCENARIO
It is 100 years after the infamous Grid Wars. You, one of the few survivors of
the Gridrunner Squadrons, are sitting watching TV when suddenly an
announcement breaks in:

"All pilots with gridrunner experience report to base immediately. This is an
emergency!"

Arriving at base, you are shown into a briefing room, already thronged with
pilots. The briefing begins:

"We have brought you here because once again Earth is in danger. The
droids have returned - with superior weapons and tactics! We intend to form
a new squadron - codename MATRIX - of the best pilots to combat this
menace!

"You will be flying the latest fighters - capable of operation on or off the
power matrix and with improved firepower and maneuverability.

"However, the droids have better weapons too... scouts have reported
droids dropping bombs and flying at crazy angles, and areas out in space
with forcefields which are liable to hurl your fire straight back at you!

"We also believe the droids are attempting some kind of bizarre psychological
disorientation tactics --- some pilots have reported sighting what
appears to be camels running down the matrix.

"We can only advise you to be prepared for anything to happen. You will be
assigned twenty sectors each --- please do your best to clear all sectors!

"The Earth depends on your success."

So now you find yourself seated in your fighter as the power matrix slips
gently by below you, every nerve taunt as you wait to unleash a steam of
white-hot death on the enemy.

STARTING ATTACK OF THE MUTANT CAMELS
    1. Be sure your computer is turned off.
    2. Plug the Attack of the Mutant Camels cartridge into the expansion
       slot.
    3. Then turn on the power.
    4. Insert the joystick into control port 1.

To remove the cartridge, turn off the power to your computer, and then pull
out the cartridge.

Press the fire button on the joystick to start the game.

Pause - you may freeze the action by pressing the Commodore Key and any
letter key. Re-start by pressing any letter key.

SKILL LEVELS
There are 20 zones (skill levels). Only the first 6 are selectable before play.
To achieve levels above 6, you must do battle. Press the F1 key to select
skill level.

SHIP CONTROL
Control the ship using the joystick. You can move anywhere except the four
top lines. Press the fire button on the joystick to fire. Hold the button down
for continuous fire.

DROIDS
These attack in squads which fragment when hit. They may drop bombs if
feeling nasty. They will begin diagonal tracking on reaching matrix base.

COSMIC CAMELOIDS
These appear in two situations:
    1. Target waves - cameloids on their own. Your score counts down
       during these waves. Blast cameloids fast to keep score level or
       increasing.
    2. In normal waves --- cameloids mix with droids, confusing player and
       causing droids to descend faster.

DEFLEXORS
On waves with deflexors, your bullets can be deflected into different paths.
Watch out for richochets, and learn how the deflexors change.

DIAGONAL WAVES
These appear only above wave 6. Droids are liable to begin their attack in
diagonal tracking phase.

ZAPPERS
Beware the Y beam!

THE SNITCH
The snitch is a traitorous humanoid who appears on zones after zone 2. He
runs along the top of the matrix and, if he finds you, waves to the aliens to
point you out. If he is waving when the Y Zapper goes by beneath you, it will
zap and destroy you.

MYSTERY BONUSES
There are seven bonuses from 2,000 to 8,000 points. It is up to you to
discover how to score them!

SCORING
For a leader droid  --- 400 points
For a drone droid   --- 100 points
For a cameloid      --- 106 points
For a pod           ---  10 points
For clearing a zone ---   1 extra ship

High score is kept and displayed. Look for over 150,000 points