Contents

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Contents

Overview

Game Options

Star Systems

Starships

Moving Ships

Network Play

Naming Star Systems


Overview

Solar Vengeance

Overview

Solar Vengeance is a game of interstellar conflict and conquest for 1 to 6 players.  Each player takes on the role of an interstellar empire, seeking domination in a cluster of stars.

The objective of Solar Vengeance is to eliminate enemy empires.  An enemy is eliminated when its capital star system is conquered.

The Solar Vengeance game map is composed of a grid 100 by 100 squares.  Within this area is a star cluster containing 10 - 100 star systems.  Each player has a hidden capital star system.  The remaining star systems are independent and may be conquered by the players.  These independent star systems have varying values and defenses.

Solar Vengeance is a game of hidden movement.  When viewing the playing area, you will only be able to see enemy ships and details of star systems if they are within the scan radius of one of your star systems or starships.  Starships may be built with scanners, but ships that do not possess scanners still have an inherent scan radius of 1 square.  That is, they will spot an enemy ship as soon as they move within 1 square of the ship.

In the tactical map, when you move the cursor over a star system, you will be presented with information on the star system if the star system is visible to you.  Otherwise, you will only see the star system's name.

Game Options

Star Systems

Starships

Moving Ships


Stars

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Star Systems

Star systems are identified as hollow circles in the strategic map and large, filled circles in the tactical map.  Star systems may be either owned by a player, or independent.  Star systems have the following characteristics:

Owner

Indicates the name of the player that owns the star system, or "Independent".  A star system that is owned by a player will be the same color as the player.  Un-owned star systems appear as white.  If a star system is outside of your scan radius, it will be gray in color.

Value

The number of resource points that the star system generates each turn.  A star system's value is displayed next to the star system on the tactical map.

Resource Points

The number of resource points currently located at the star system.  Star systems you own will generate resource points at the beginning of each turn.  These points will accumulate until spent.

Scanners

The scan radius of the star system.  Scan radius is displayed visually as a gray circle surrounding the star on the strategic map, and as a dotted circle in the tactical map.  You may improve the scanners at your star systems by pushing the Scanners button on the tactical display.

Shields

The number of shields defending the star system.  When a star system is attacked by a WarShip, shields will be lost equal to the WarShip's combat value.  If the WarShip's combat value is greater than the number of shields surrounding the star system, the system is conquered.  You may improve the shields at your systems by pressing the Shields button on the tactical display.

Game Options

Overview

Starships

Moving Ships


Ships

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Starships

Press the Build button to build a Starship from one of your star systems.  Starships are identified on the strategic map as small dots, and on the tactical map as either a graphical symbol or a solid rectangle containing a 3-character insignia.  If the Starship is owned by you, or you have spied the ship with a SpyShip, you will see the ship's symbol, and some of the Starship's stats below.  Otherwise you will only know that a ship is present at that location, and will see only the solid rectangle.

All starships must have 1 or more engines.  Moving a Starship one square consumes one movement point, and moving diagonally consumes 1.5 movement points.

There are 6 types of starships:

WarShips

WarShips may attack enemy ships and star systems.  If a WarShip attacks an enemy WarShip, the WarShip with the higher offensive rating is the victor, and the defeated Starship is destroyed.  If the starships have equal offensive ratings, the defender wins.  A WarShip will destroy any non-WarShip automatically.  Even if a WarShip survives after making an attack, its movement for that turn is ended.  If a WarShip attacks a star system, the WarShip is automatically destroyed, and the star system loses shields equal to the WarShip's Combat Value.  The star system is conquered if the WarShip has an offensive rating greater than the star system's shields.

Drones

Drones may attack any enemy Starship.  Any Starship that the drone attacks is automatically destroyed, but the Drone is destroyed as well.  Drones cannot attack star systems.

ScanShips

ScanShips are used to explore areas and to reveal enemy positions.  ScanShips cannot attack enemy starships or star systems.

SpyShips

SpyShips are advanced ScanShips.  When a SpyShip moves within scan radius of enemy ships, all of the ship's information is revealed, not only the enemy's location.

E-Mines

Any enemy Starship that moves within 1 square of an E-Mine will detonate the mine, destroying both the ship and the mine.  Moving a mine within 1 square of enemy vessels produces the same results.  E-Mines may only move 1 square per turn.

Freighters

Freighters can transport resources between star systems, allowing you to move resources to a system in need of defense, or closer to the front.

Game Options

Overview

Star Systems

Moving Ships


Network Play

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Network Play

Solar Vengeance is played over a network by sharing a common network save file among players.  While you are taking your turn, other players will be able to view the maps, but not perform actions.  When your turn is up, the next player will receive a message box notification that it is time to begin their turn.

To start a network game, select the "Begin Network Game" from the Game Options dialog, or select this entry from the Game menu.  You must make Player 1 a Human player for network play to operate properly!  Then proceed to set up the parameters of the game, and selects the common network save file that all players will point to.

Once this is done, you will proceed to begin turn 1.  Other participants may now select the "Join Network Game" option, selecting the save file that was created by you earlier.  Each player joining a network game will be asked to choose from one of the player names that were entered by you.

Each player's machine will periodically check the save file to see if it their turn.  When it is, they will receive a notification.  Other work may be done in Windows while you are waiting for your turn in a network game, making this game a good(?) candidate for office play!


Naming Star Systems

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Naming Star Systems

Solar Vengeance names star systems based on a file of syllables named SYLLABLE.TXT.  Each line in SYLLABLE.TXT contains a pair of syllables, first and last.  Solar Vengeance reads this file and the syllables are mixed and matched to come up with random star system names.

You may modify SYLLABLE.TXT (using an editor such as Windows NOTEPAD.EXE) to create your own unique star system names.  Just make sure to separate the first and last syllable in each entry with a dash (-) character.


Moving Ships

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Moving Ships

There are three methods of moving starships in Solar Vengeance.  Note that you cannot move a Starship on the same turn that the ship is built.  Also, once a WarShip completes an attack, its movement is ended for that turn.

You may move a Starship by pressing one of the eight directional buttons to the right of the tactical display.  Each time you press a directional button, the selected Starship moves 1 square.

You may also direct a Starship to move up to its full movement allowance in a single direction by depressing the button labeled Full, then pressing the directional button.  If the Starship encounters an obstacle along its path, movement will cease.

The third method of movement involves selecting the Starship's destination square.  To select a destination, click the mouse on the Starship and drag a line to the destination.  When you release the mouse button, the Starship will proceed to move toward the destination, and will move around obstacles blocking its path.

Game Options

Overview

Star Systems

Starships


Game Options

Solar Vengeance 2.0

Game Options

When you begin a new game of Solar Vengeance, you are presented with a number of game options, described below.

Number of Star Systems

This may be set from 30 to 100.

Maximum Cluster Diameter

Solar Vengeance is played on a grid of 100 by 100 squares.  Normally, the star cluster is spread out evenly within this area.  You may reduce the maximum cluster diameter, however, and create a cluster that is more tightly compressed, if desired.  The minimum diameter is 30.

Player Options

You may set each player to Human, Computer or Inactive status.  Also, you may specify a name for each player.

Scenario

Select one of the custom scenarios if you do not want to play on a randomly generated map.  By selecting one of the scenarios provided, can effectively eliminate the element of chance from play.  A Scenario Editor is available as Freeware from Silicon Commander Games.

Overview

Star Systems

Starships

Moving Ships