Empire for Windows

Welcome to Empire! This documentation will explain the basics of game play. The rest is up to you!

Basics

Empire is a traditional, turn-based strategy game played on a grid of 100 by 60 squares. During your turn, you have the opportunity to issue orders for all of your units and cities. Your enemy (played by the computer) will then do the same. Finally, the computer will resolve all activity for the turn, and report back to you on the results. Play then continues with the next turn, until either you or your opponent is forced into surrender.

The Empire game screen consists of three windows. Filling much of the bottom of the screen is the game map. Click anywhere on this map to see information on any particular location in the window at the top right, and to issue orders to any units or cities in that location. Note that fog of war is very much in place here. The map is not a perfect representation of reality, but rather your best guess based upon the most recent data provided by your forces. Reconnaissance is key!

The window at the top left displays dispatches from the front describing events in the game. Clicking on any item here will select the location on the map where that event occurred.

Cities

There are a total of 75 cities in the game, spread randomly over the map. Each city can by controlled by you, the enemy, or can be neutral.

Each city must be dedicated to the production of one type of unit. You can change the unit type at any time, but any partially completed unit of the old type will be lost forever when this is done. It is thus best for efficiency’s sake to change a city’s production on the same turn that a unit of the old type is completed.

Cities can repair any naval units in port. One point of damage is repaired per turn spent in port.

Only armies can capture cities. When an army attempts to move onto a neutral or enemy city, it has a 50% chance of claiming the city for your empire. If successful, the army will be dispersed to occupy the city. Any enemy units in port are destroyed automatically. If the attack fails, your army is destroyed and the city remains out of your hands. The same odds apply to enemy armies attempting to occupy one of your cities.

Units

The forces at your disposal consist of the following:

Armies

Turns to build: 5
Attack strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 1
Movement Speed: 1
Armies are the most basic units in the game. They are only units capable of moving overland, and the only ones capable of attacking neutral or enemy cities.

Fighters

Turns to build: 10
Attack Strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 1
Speed: 8
Fighters can move over any type of terrain with the exception of neutral or enemy cities. However they must land for refueling at a friendly city or carrier every 32 moves. Failure to do so results in the obvious consequences. Their high rate of speed makes them most useful for short-range reconnaissance.

Patrol Boats

Turns to Build: 15
Attack Strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 1
Speed: 4
Patrol boats are fairly cheap to build and make excellent advance scouts. Their limited weaponry and armament means they will have little chance in direct combat with heavier units.

Destroyers

Turns to build: 20
Attack Strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 3
Speed: 2
Decent all-around naval units.

Submarines

Turns to Build: 20
Attack Strength: 3
Damage Sustainable: 2
Speed: 2
Submarines are quite devastating on the attack, capable of sinking even a destroyer with one hit. They cannot sustain as much punishment as other units, however.

Troop Transports

Turns to Build: 30
Attack Strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 1
Speed: 2
These vessels are the only units capable of transporting armies from continent to continent. Up to six armies can be loaded onto one transport. Transports are extremely vulnerable to enemy forces, and must be protected carefully.

Aircraft Carriers

Turns to Build: 30
Attack Strength: 1
Damage Sustainable: 8
Speed: 2
The main purpose of these massive, heavily armored vessels is the transportation of fighters for strike and reconnaissance missions. Each carrier can transport up to eight fighters.

Battleships

Turns to Build: 40
Attack Strength: 2
Damage Sustainable: 10
Speed: 2
The capital ships of the fleet, these huge vessels can both deliver and sustain a great deal of punishment.

Satellites

Turns to Build: 50
These units will provide you with a bird’s-eye view of the map for 50 turns, at which time they fall out of space and are destroyed. They are invulnerable to enemy action, and cannot be directly controlled by you either, for that matter.

Orders

Issue orders to your units either through the Orders menu on the status bar, by right-clicking the mouse to bring up a popup menu, or by using the order’s shortcut key. Any unit’s orders can be updated at any time.

You can relay the following orders to your units:

Stand By (F2) – Any current orders will be cleared, and the unit will hold its current position until receiving further instructions.

Move to (F3) -- The cursor will change to a pointing hand. Click on any square on the map, and the unit will attempt to move there. If it finds the passage blocked, the unit will alert you and revert to stand by mode. As a shortcut, you can also simply double-click a unit, then click on that unit’s destination to accomplish the same task.

Move in Direction – The unit will move in the direction specified until the passage is blocked or new orders are received.

Explore (F4) – The unit will seek out unknown territory for exploration and move there, until no more unexplored territory can be located nearby.

Move Randomly (F5) – The unit will move in a random direction each turn.

Attack Nearest Enemy (F6) – Applicable only to armies. The unit will seek out the nearest neutral or enemy city, or enemy unit, and attack. If no worthy targets can be found, the unit will alert you and revert to standby mode.

Load at Nearest Transport (F7) – Applicable only to armies. The unit will seek out the nearest available troop transport and embark.

Land at Nearest Base (F8) – Applicable only to fighters. The unit will return to the nearest friendly city or aircraft carrier for refueling.

Repair at Nearest Base (F9) -- Applicable only to ships. The unit will put in at the nearest friendly port for repairs.

Have fun!