Abrams Battle Tank HAS WORLD WAR III finally happened? You are assigned to help stop the advance of Soviet troops into West Germany. Victory hinges on the performance of the personnel and support forces behind the primary weapons system in non-nuclear, mechanized warfare: the Main Battle Tank. The upgraded Main Battle Tank recently fielded by the United States is respected by allies and feared by enemies as the most formidable on-land weapons system in the United States/NATO arsenal. Its state-of-the-art battlefield technology includes thermal imaging night sight capability and an on-board ballistic computer. Powered by a 1,500 horsepower gas turbine engine, and armed with a 120mm cannon for true fire-on-the-move capability, it is 63 tons of destructive power. This is the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, and you are in total command. Stay on your feet, keep alert and don't stop to sight see. Each mission that you undertake brings the Allies one step closer to victory. Or defeat. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º YOUR OBJECTIVES º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Abrams Battle Tank consists of 8 scenarios, or missions. Each one contains a specific goal that you must complete in order for the mission to be successful. Your overall objectives are those of any military commander in combat: on offense, to destroy the enemy and shatter his will to fight; on defense, to create the opportunity to change tot he offense. You can play the scenarios individually as missions, or together as a full campaign. The scenarios have no time limit. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º QUICK START º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ If you are commander who does not use manuals and needs little guidance, these quick start instructions are for you. You will get just enough information to get going. (1) - Make copies of the game and play from the copies. (2) - Select SCENARIO or CAMPAIGN from the menu. Scenario lets you play a single battle while Campaign takes you through the 8 missions until you are killed, finish, or quit. (3) - Go the "Vehicle Specifications" chapter to identify the vehicle on the screen. (4) - If you choose Campaign, select BEGIN, enter a name for your campaign, and press to start. If you choose Scenario, pick a scenario and select BEGIN to start. (5) - Select your ammo mix from the clipboard on the Motor Pool screen. (6) - Seek and Destroy. Don't hesitate to engage in battle, but make sure you're not shelling allies; it won't look good on your military record. And be sure to use the right weapons for the right job. Good luck, commander - you'll need it. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º THE MAIN MENU º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The Main Menu consists of 4 options: Scenario, Campaign, M1-Info & EXIT. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º SCENARIO º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Choose this if you want to play a single mission. Excellent for command training since you control the level of difficulty and choose day or night setting. MISSION - Highlight this and press repeatedly to scroll through all the scenarios. TIME - You can toggle between DAY and NIGHT by pressing . SKILL - Press to choose from NOVICE, MODERATE, and EXPERT. As the level gets harder, it's tougher to hit the enemy (tank movement and angle will affect accuracy); more and tougher enemies will attack you; and it's tougher for you to get a good score at the end of the game. BEGIN - Choose this to start the mission. You'll see the mission title; press the SPACEBAR to continue. You will meet Col. Wilson and then go to the Motor Pool where you can choose your ammo mix and governor setting. Press if you want to return to the Main Menu. You MUST identify the vehicle on the screen before you can begin the mission. (Not any more! HeHeHe...) You only need to do this once each time you initially boot up the game. You can find the vehicle in the "Vehicle Specifications" chapter of your manual. Enter the information requested and press . If you correctly identify the vehicle, you'll see the mission title; press the SPACEBAR to continue. If you don't correctly identify the vehicle, you'll return to the Main Menu. ENDING A SCENARIO - A scenario ends after you successfully complete your mission, get killed, or quit. You can quit a scenario at any time by pressing "Q". Choose CONTINUE THE BATTLE if you change your mind about quitting. Choose QUIT ANYWAY or ABANDON THE M1 if you're sure you want to quit the scenario. The scenario will not be saved. At the end of every scenario, Col. Wilson reviews your efforts and then you receive a mission summary. Your score - from zero to 500 - is based on the number of kills and how completely you fulfill the mission's objective. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º FULL CAMPAIGN º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ You'll go on a tour of duty through all eight scenarios with all the settings decided by fate. (If you haven't already identified the vehicle on your screen, you'll need to do so before you can continue.) BEGIN - Choose this to begin your campaign. You'll be asked to enter your name. Enter a name (up to 8 characters in length) and press . You'll meet Col. Wilson and then go to the Motor Pool where you'll select your ammo mix and governor setting. CONTINUE - (This option is only available if you've already started a campaign) Let's you pick up where you left off in a campaign. Choose the campaign you want. REVIEW - (This option is available only if you've already started a campaign) Let's you review a campaign. To find out how many of the 8 missions you've completed in a campaign, subtract 1 from the number of days. Your rating - from zero to 100 - is based on a rough average of your score for each scenario. The ranking you get depends on your rating; the lowest rank you can get is Warrant Officer, while the highest is Captain. You can ERASE this campaign, view the NEXT one (If there is more than one), or RETURN to the previous screen. ENDING A CAMPAIGN - You end a full campaign when you finish all the missions, get killed, or quit. You can quit a full campaign anytime by pressing "Q". Choose CONTINUE THE BATTLE if you change your mind about quitting. Choose QUIT ANYWAY or ABANDON THE M1 if you're sure you want to quit the mission. (If you quit in the middle of a mission, that mission is considered over) After Col. Wilson reviews your efforts, you'll see "Now what, Soldier?" You can choose to TAKE R + R to save this campaign and return to the Main Menu, or CONTINUE to go on with the campaign. All campaigns are automatically saved. To erase a campaign select CAMPAIGN from the Main Menu. The select REVIEW, choose the campaign's name, and select ERASE. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º M1 INFO º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Under M1 INFO, you can find information about your crew, ammunition, and armament. Press to get out of a selection. CREW - Shows your crew and their stations in the tank. AMMO - Shows the specifications on AX, HEAT, or SABOT. ARMAMENT - Shows the specifications on COAX, CANNON, or Smoke. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º EXIT º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ EXIT - Choose this to return to DOS. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º M1 OPERATIONS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ As Tank Commander, your success depends on your overall knowledge of your M1 and your ability to use it to it's full potential. USING THE SCREENS - There are four positions from which you can view the battlefield: the Gunner's station, the Tank Commander's station, the Cupola, and the Driver's station. To be a successful commander, you must be completely familiar with these screens. See "M1 Battle Stations" for complete details on each screen. MOVING THE TANK - You can move the tank from the Gunner's station , the Tank Commander's station , or from the Driver's Station . Press the UP and DOWN arrows to move forward and backward. Press the left and right arrows to turn. Notice that when you use the left and right arrows, you initiate a spin (duh!); the longer you hold the arrow, the faster it will spin. Press the UP arrow to stop the spin and move forward or the DOWN arrow to stop the spin and move backward. To stop ALL movement, press 5. When you turn the tank, note the heading and bearing. The heading is the direction the tank chassis is pointing while the bearing is the direction that the turret is pointing. North is 0, East is 90, South is 180, and West is 270. MOVING THE TURRET - You can move the turret from the Gunner's station or the Tank Commander's station . Look at the tank icon on the screen; the outline of the tank hull and turret are different colors. Press "C" to switch movement control from your tank hull to your turret; the colors of the hull and turret will change to signify the change in control. The color combinations below show what mode you are in. You can also control the turret from the Driver's station , and the Cupola , but you won't see the tank icon. MODE EGA CGA Hercules --------------------------------------------------- Tank White Hull Blue Hull Grey Hull Grey Turret Magenta Turret Grey Turret Turret Grey Hull White Hull White Hull White Turret Blue Turret Grey Turret Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to move the turret. The bearing is the direction that the turret is facing; North is 0, East is 90, South is 180, and West is 270. Notice that when you're in turret mode, the bearing (Turret Direction) changes, but the heading (Tank Direction) doesn't. Use the UP Arrow key to raise the turret, and the DOWN Arrow key to lower it. Press "A" to realign the turret with the front of the tank. SCANNING THE BATTLEFIELD - You can scan the battlefield from the TC station without moving your turret or tank. Press to go to the TC station. The scan works off of your tank's current bearing (the direction that your turret is pointing). moves you to a point 90 degrees clockwise of your current bearing, to a point 180 degrees of your current bearing, and to a point 270 degrees clockwise of your current bearing. returns you to your current bearing. Only your view changes. Your tank and turret never move. FIRING A WEAPON - Press to go to the Gunner's Station. Find a target and press . The TADS (Target Acquisition Device System) box will frame the target. You can press again and the TADS will frame another available target. When there aren't any more targets, it will turn off. If you don't see a box at all, then the target you've chosen is not a legitimate one (You can target anything but trees, mountains, and your own base). Check the Target Readout in the lower left hand corner of the screen for an identification on the target, its range, and what weapon is ready. Press "L" to lock the crosshairs on the target in the TADS box. Press the SPACEBAR to fire the cannon. USING THE RADIO - Whenever you hear something that sounds like a Morse code signal, press "R" to turn on your radio. You will be informed about conditions. Nothing will happen if you have no messages. USING THE GOVERNOR - The Governor monitors your tank's engine. When it is off, you can operate the tank at top speed - approximately 100 km/h - but you also run the risk of overheating. As your engine overheats, your tank slows. If you continue to push your tank, the engine will burn out and the tank will stall; there is no way to get the tank running again. When the governor is on, your tank speed is limited to a maximum of about 72 km/h, but you will protect the engine from overheating. You can change the governor setting anytime by returning to base. There is at least one base in each mission; some have more. RESTOCKING AMMO AND REFUELING - To restock ammo and/or refuel, you must return to your base. There is at least one base in each mission, some have more. You start each mission near a base. There is no limit to how many times you can return to your base to refuel and rearm. When you refuel, your ammo is replenished as well, or vice-versa. IF YOUR TANK RUNS OUT OF FUEL, YOU WILL COME TO A DEAD STOP, AND YOUR COMMAND WILL BE OVER. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º M1 BATTLE STATIONS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The M1 holds four crew members; the Tank Commander, the Gunner, the Driver and the Loader. Except for the loader's station, each station has a screen that lets you view the battlefield. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º GUNNER'S STATION º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The Gunner is responsible for acquiring, identifying, and firing on targets. He has a sight looking down the barrel with multiple magnifications that lets him view distant objects. He also has a thermal imaging system which enables him to see in the night time or smoke-covered operations. Press to go to this station. The Gunner's Station is the first screen you see each time you enter your tank and whenever you press . You'll work with the following items at this station: GUNNER'S VIEWSCREEN - The Gunner's Viewscreen is the gunner's eye on the battlefield. You can look out onto the battlefield through the front of the turret. Across the top of the screen is the turret's bearing; North is 0 degrees, East is 90, South is 180, and West is 270. TANK ICON - The small tank on the moving grid pattern is your tank icon. It displays three types of information: * A visual representation of the direction the tank is moving (North is the top of the grid). It's important to always know where the front of your tank is so you can determine whether you're going forwards or backwards and determine where your turret is in relation to the tank's body. * The current mode of tank control. M1's independent turret allows two types of tank control: tank mode and turret mode. Tank Mode lets you control the Hull and Turret as one unit. Turret Mode lets you control the Turret independently from the Hull. The color combinations below help you identify what mode you're in. EGA CGA HERC -------------------------------------------------------- TANK MODE White Hull Blue Hull Grey Hull Grey Turret Magenta Turret Grey Turret TURRET MODE White Turret White Hull White Hull Grey Hull Blue Turret Grey Turret * Structural damage to the M1's armor. As individual areas of the M1 protective armor become damaged, the area and severity of damage is represented on the tank icon by colored lines: ARMOR EGA CGA HERC --------------------------------------- Okay Green Blue Grey Severe Damage Yellow White Grey Destroyed Red Magenta White If an area of armor is destroyed, the M1 is completely vulnerable in that region. Another hit in this section could destroy the M1. BEARING - This is the direction (In Degrees) in which the turret is facing; North is 0, East is 90, South is 180, and West is 270. Since the turret operates independently of the tank body, it can be facing an entirely different direction from the front of the tank. HEADING - This is the direction in which the front of the tank is pointing; North is 0, East is 90, etc., etc. SPEEDOMETER - The M1 Abrams has a top speed of 100 km/h with the governor turned off and 72 km/h with the governor turned on. Top speeds are lower if you are travelling off the paved road. WEAPONS - Weapons include HEAT rounds, SABOT rounds, AX rounds, Coaxial (COAX) Machine Gun Rounds, and Smoke Canisters. Next to each weapon you'll see the amount of ammo remaining. TEMPERATURE - When the temperature of the engine goes up, the color changes. TEMP EGA CGA HERC -------------------------------------------------- Normal Green Blue Grey Hot Yellow White White Overheating Red Magenta Grey In addition to the color code for overheating, the temperature box will blink when the tank is overheating. ZOOM - Press "Z" to choose from Normal View (1x), 3x, or 10x. THERMAL IMAGING - This lets you effectively operate in smoke and darkness. Press "T" to toggle it On/Off. The screen turns red and black when thermal imaging is on. (Hercules Monochrome users: You will only see black and different shades of grey.) TARGETING SYSTEM - The targeting system is composed of five parts: * TAD (Target Acquisition Device) Box - This toggles through all the onscreen targets. Press to activate the TADS Box; keep pressing to toggle through all the onscreen targets. The TADS Box will disappear when there are no more targets. * SIGHT - The crosshairs of the sight show the current position of the targeting system (where the turret is pointed). When you lock onto a target through the TAD, the sight will center on the TAD Box. Press "L" to lock onto a target. * ID - Located on the Targeting Readout, this identifies the target currently in the TAD Box. * RANGE - Located on the Targeting Readout, this gives the distance of the target in the TAD Box. Range gives one of four color-coded readouts, depending on the distance of the target from you and the weapon selected: PROBABILITY OF HIT EGA CGA HERC -------------------------------------------------- Less than 25% Grey ---- ---- Less than 50% Green White White Greater than 50% Yellow Blue Grey Greater than 75% Red Magenta ---- * WEAPON LOAD - Located on the Targeting Readout, this displays the current weapon selected, loading status, and in-flight tracking status for guided weapons. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º TANK COMMANDER'S STATION º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ As the Tank Commander, you make strategic decisions from inside the turret. You have access to all maps of the area and a 360 degree periscope station. Press to go to the Tank Commander's Station. MULTIVIEW TC WINDOW - This window shows you the battlefield. You can pan 360 degrees by revolving the tank or the turret. You can also use keys through to scan the battlefield without moving the tank or turret. TANK ICON, BEARING, HEADING, SPEEDOMETER - See descriptions under "Gunner's Station". OVERHEAD MAP DISPLAY - This shows you an overhead view of the terrain. You can choose from two views by pressing "Z". This toggles between the entire scenario territory, or a closeup of your immediate area. FUEL GAUGE - Your M1 holds 100 gallons of diesel. When you run out, you are stuck. There is nothing you can do but to wait for enemy attack. MICRO DAMAGE SCREENS - This shows you a miniature version of your System Damage screen. It is color-coded so you can immediately spot damage: SYSTEM EGA CGA HERC -------------------------------------------------- Fully Operational Green Blue Grey Partially Operational Yellow White Grey Non-Operational Red Magenta White If you see any damage, you'll want to switch over to your System Damage screen. Press "D" to inspect the System Damage screen close-up. Press any key to return to the TC screen. CUPOLA ------ In addition, the Tank Commander can "go up top" and view through his hatch in the tank turret to get a better view of the outside world. This "up top" station is called the "Cupola." The view from the Cupola is especially useful in spotting airborne enemies. Press to go to this station. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º DRIVER'S STATION º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The driver sits below the main gun in front of the turret's hull. He is responsible for navigating the M1. Along the bottom of the screen is the tank's heading, speed, fuel, and temperature. Press to go to this station. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º LOADER'S STATION º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The loader is responsible for loading ammo into the turret's main gun. This function is handled automatically here, so you have no screen for this station. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º AMMUNITION º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ You have three types of ammunition to choose from, each suited for a particular target. SABOT (Armor-piercing, Fin-stabilized, discarding sabot) - Also called a kinetic energy penetrator, this round discards a sabot upon exit from the barrel, leaving a sub-caliber, high-velocity, hard dart which travels on to the target. * Very effective against armor. * Ineffective against infantry, constructions (Bridges), and aircraft. * Range of up to 2500 Meters. HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) - HEAT rounds have a warhead with an explosive shaped around a hollow cone. The warhead is detonated before contact, producing a fiery tongue of gas which melts the target's armor. * Very effective against infantry and constructions. * Effective against armor. * Ineffective against aircraft. * Range of up to 2000 Meters. AX - This experimental anti-helicopter, anti-armor round is effective against all targets. Because of the large shell size and wire guidance, loading is slower than for other rounds. * Very effective against aircraft. * Somewhat effective against armor, infantry, and constructions, especially at extended ranges. * Range of 770 to 4000 Meters. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º ARMAMENT º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ You have three types of armament to choose from, each with a different purpose: COAX (AA Machine Gun) - This multi-purpose weapon is intended for use as an anti-infantry and anti-aircraft device. (Not much good against a HIND) * Mildly effective against infantry and very light armor. * Marginally effective to ineffective against aircraft. * Quick loading independent of Main Gun Rounds. * Range of 0 to 1000 Meters. CANNON (120 mm Rheinmetall Cannon) - Main Gun. Fires Sabot, HEAT and AX rounds. * Range and effectiveness depends on type of round fired. SMOKE DISCHARGER - This defensive weapon makes it difficult for an enemy without thermal imaging equipment to see and target your tank. * Used as a defensive weapon against sight-guided weapons like Spigots and Saggers. * Lasts about 20 seconds. * Range of up to 100 Meters. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º SURVIVAL TACTICS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Here are some useful tactics which, when used properly, will greatly improve your chances of success and survival. AGAINST GUIDED WEAPONS ---------------------- * Maintain a vigilant missile watch in missile areas. * Move cautiously and under cover in missile areas. * When a missile is on the way: 1 - Return fire to disrupt guidance; HEAT and AX rounds are effective, sabots are not. 2 - Lay smoke and hide yourself. 3 - Run for cover! AGAINST TANKS ------------- * Spot them first and fire first! * Use sabot rounds. * Use smoke cover and switch on thermal imaging if you find yourself in a tight spot. * When no cover is available moving will decrease the chance of being hit. * Point the front of the tank towards the enemy. never expose your flank or rear. * Attempt to engage the enemy's flank or rear. AGAINST HELICOPTERS ------------------- * Lay smoke and switch on thermal imaging. * Use AX Rounds. IN GENERAL ---------- * Before you start a mission, decide whether you should have your governor on or off. If you think a mission will require fast movement, you will want the governor off so the M1 can travel at top speeds. Also, make sure your ammo mix is appropriate for the fighting you anticipate. * Keep enemies to the front of the tank. * Fire at the most dangerous targets first. * Minimize exposure to the enemy's guns and eyes by using natural terrain for cover. * When an enemy does hit you, you will get a bearing readout of their position. Quickly point your turret to this bearing and fire back. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º THE EIGHT MISSIONS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ The following details your missions and lists your specific objectives. THE MOSSEL DEFENSE ------------------ A crisis code has been transmitted through the intelligence hotline. The Soviets have broken though the Allied defenses and are heading right for the Mossel River and your current position. But that is only part of the problem. Reports are coming in that it is not just a few Soviet vehicles progressing toward your position, but waves of them. Your mission is simple: Survive the onslaught and destroy all of the attacking Soviet vehicles. SIEGEN INFILTRATION ------------------- In the last two weeks, critical supply convoys from Essen have been disappearing around the area of Siegen. Rumors point to the presence of one, possibly two, Soviet bases somewhere in the Siegen hills. The area is extremely hilly, which provides a perfect setting for both ground and air attacks on unsuspecting targets. Your mission is to seek out and destroy the base or bases. This mission is vital to the survival of Allied cities, but poses great risk to the infiltrating team due to the reported sightings if Hind helicopters in the vicinity. These sightings have not been confirmed, but extreme caution is nevertheless advised. NUREMBERG HIGHWAY ----------------- An Allied base along the Nuremberg Highway has been cut off from resupply by Soviet interdiction forces. Two supply convoys sent out to the base never made it. Intelligence reports heavy ATGW activity in the hills along the road. Your assignment is to clear out all Soviet forces along the highway to reopen the supply route to the stranded base. MASS DESTRUCTION ---------------- Positioned near the Emes River in West Germany, the M1 base has found itself in a potentially devastating situation. Soviet troops have pulled down from the North and West and threaten to completely envelope the region unless they are stopped. Your mission (should you decide to accept it.....) is simple yet extremely dangerous: Destroy the three enemy bases located in your vicinity. Destruction of the command centers will severely weaken the Soviet movement and ensure the safety of your own base and its personnel. THE ROAD TO BONN ---------------- The tide is turning against the Allies. Frankfurt has just fallen and intelligence reports describe a massive Soviet Armor convoy en route toward Bonn. While small, Bonn has become important in front line control. Undoubt- edly, the Soviets intend to avoid the Allied forces stationed at Koblenz by crossing the Rhine River at Mainz. The Mainz crossing is the site of the only remaining bridge into the Rhineland, one of the few unprotected routes through the Allied front line defenses. The Soviet forces will attempt to secure this bridge to prepare the way for a full scale invasion force. You must stop them. Your primary mission is to destroy the Mainz bridge. Without this passage, Soviet forces will have to face the Allied front line head on. Your secondary mission is to destroy as much of the Soviet reconnaissance team as possible. HANNOVER PUSH ------------- The Soviet forces have overrun Hannover and installed a base near the city. Intelligence informs us that they have built up a large store of weapons and vehicles and are planning a full scale sweep into Cologne. We have also learned that they have established a communication fort somewhere to the East of this base. They will use this communication link to coordinate invading forces and to report back to Soviet headquarters. Your primary mission is to destroy the Soviet base. If the Soviets are allowed to secure this base they will gain a major foothold into the Allied front line. You are to do whatever is necessary. Your secondary mission is to locate and eliminate the communications fort near the Hannover base. Without this link to the front, the Soviets will have no way to coordinate attacks or communicate with their forces. This will severely weaken their efforts on the front line. CONVOY ------ There has been some serious trouble in the Seigen area. Despite numerable seek and destroy missions by the Allies, the Soviets continue to attack Allied supply convoys destined for Weller. The supplies these convoys are carrying are needed desperately by the civilians in that area and the safe transport of these convoys must be ensured. Your mission will be as escort and guard for the five truck convoy destined for the Allied Base Weller across the Rhine River. You MUST protect these trucks at al costs until their arrival at the Weller Base. The supplies that they are carrying will then be loaded onto cargo planes for immediate air drop to the needy cities. THE MOSSEL INTERCEPT -------------------- While at your current station between Pirmansens and the French border, you receive a distress signal from a damaged Allied troop to your west, across the Mossel River. It seems that they were surprised by a Soviet reconnaissance group and had several of their units damaged before they were able to destroy the Soviets. Air scouts have reported a small but powerful Soviet patrol heading southward along the Mossel, a route that will take them directly past the downed Allies. As the closest military base, you are their only hope. Your mission is to locate the downed Allied vehicles before the Soviet patrol reaches them and to escort them back to your base. Although patrols have been reported the area fairly clear of Soviet activity, we recommend that you remain on guard. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ SOVIET vs NATO TANKS -- The comparison between Soviet tanks and their NATO counterparts is a comparison between quantity and quality. The Soviet tank force is much larger than NATO (about 95,000 active Soviet tanks versus 32,000 NATO tanks), but technologically, Soviet tanks are about six years behind NATO tanks. Soviet tanks are lagging most in the areas of armor protection, accurate fire control, and night vision equipment. Current Soviet tanks are not equipped with Chobham armor, which offers excellent protection against shaped charge warheads (HEAT Rounds). Since most infantry anti-tank weapons use HEAT-Rounds, Chobham armor makes a tank impervious to nearly all infantry weapons. Soviet fire control systems are not as accurate as NATO's, and this results in a lower chance of a first-round kill. Recent NATO tanks also have excellent fire stabilizing systems which allow fire-on-the-move accuracy equal to that of stationary Soviet tanks. The Soviets also have not been equipping their tanks with thermal imaging systems, the best systems for night operation. This is probably due t the cost (the thermal system on the M1 accounts for 10% of the cost). To the Soviet's advantage, their tanks are much lighter, require a crew of only 3, and there are a lot more of them. The main tank of the Soviet Army, the T-72, costs about half that of the M1 ($500,000 vs $1,000,000 dollars). Soviet military experiences have led to a preference of a large mediocre force rather than a smaller, more skilled one. NATO units still believe they can exact a disproportionate kill rate against Soviet tank formations. The Soviets believe that even though they may suffer heavy tank losses, in the end quantity has a special quality al its own. A popular phrase in the Soviet military is "number annihilate." ACRV-3 Command Vehicle ---------------------- Introduced: 1974 Combat Weight: 13 Tons Length: 6.32m Width: 2.84m Height: 2.34m Maximum Speed: 58 km/h Primary Armament: None Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Negligible This basic tracked vehicle can serve as a mobile command post. It is not designed to fight on the front lines. BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle ------------------------------- Introduced: 1967 Combat Weight: 14 Tons Length: 6.74m Width: 2.94m Height: 2.15m Maximum Speed: 78km/h Primary Armament: Sagger Missile (5 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 73mm gun (40 rounds) Reload: 3 seconds Range: 1500m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Moderate This is the original IFV, an APC designed to fight. It has thicker armor and better armament than an APC. It is also equipped with a Sagger ATGW. The BMP carries a crew of three, and can carry s nine man infantry squad. BMP-2 Infantry Fighting vehicle ------------------------------- Introduced: 1981 Combat Weight: 16 Tons Length: 6.71m Width: 3.09m Height: 2.06m Maximum Speed: 62km/h Primary Armament: Spandrel Missile (4 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 30mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 3 Seconds Range: 2500m Armor: Moderate Overall Threat Level: High The logical development of the BMP-1. The main difference lies in the fitting of a larger turret equipped with a 30mm cannon, a 7.62mm coaxial MG, and a Spandrel ATGW. BDRM-2 Tank Destroyer --------------------- Introduced: 1966 Combat Weight: 8 Tons Length: 5.75m Width: 2.35m Height: 2.31m Maximum Speed: 95km/h Primary Armament: Sagger Missile (14 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 14.5mm MG Reload: 3 Seconds Range: 1500m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Moderate This wheeled vehicle is employed by the Soviet Army as either a reconnaissance vehicle or a tank destroyer. In a reconnaissance, it is usually not equipped with an ATGW. BDRM-3 Tank Destroyer --------------------- Introduced: 1974 Combat Weight: 9 Tons Length: 5.87m Width: 2.38m Height: 2.61m Maximum Speed: 95km/h Primary Armament: Spandrel Missile (15 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 14.5mm MG Reload: 3 Seconds Range: 1500m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Extremely High The BDRM-3 is an improvement over the BDRM-2 with the largest difference being that it has replaced the Sagger with the more powerful Spandrel missile. BTR Armored Personnel Carrier ----------------------------- Introduced: 1978 Combat Weight: 12 Tons Length: 7.85m Width: 2.80m Height: 2.45m Maximum Speed:80km/h Primary Armament:14.5mm MG Secondary Armament: None Range: 750m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Negligible This amphibious wheeled APC is widely used by Warsaw Pact forces. It has a crew of two and can carry up to 9 passengers. It is adequate as a troop transport but should avoid combat due to its thin armor. FST-1 Main Battle Tank ---------------------- Introduced: 1978 Combat Weight: Unknown Length: Unknown Width: Unknown Height: Unknown Maximum Speed: Unknown Primary Armament: 135mm smooth bore cannon Secondary Armament: Unknown Reload: 4 Seconds Range: 2250m Armor: Heavy (Reactive) Overall Threat Level: Extremely High This recently introduced tank is undergoing full-scale field trials in an inner-military district of the Soviet Union. This tank is believed to be turretless. It is rumored to have an automatic loader and a thermal blinder. It supposedly holds a crew of two. M113 Armored Personnel Carrier ------------------------------ Introduced: 1960 Combat Weight: 12 Tons Length: 4.86m Width: 2.28m Height: 2.54m Maximum Speed: 67km/h Primary Armament: 12.7mm MG Secondary Armament: None Reload: -------- Range: 750m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: N/A The standard APC of the US Army. It serves as an excellent troop transport. However, it is not as heavily armored as the IFV's. It first entered service in 1960, and there have been numerous variants and improvements. The M113 has proven to be a reliable, practical troop transport. M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank ---------------------------- Introduced: 1981 Combat Weight: 63 Tons Length: 7.91m Width: 3.65m Height: 2.37m Maximum Speed: 72km/h Primary Armament: 120mm smooth bore cannon (40 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (80 Rounds) Reload: 4 Seconds Range: 2250m Armor: Very Heavy (Chobham) Overall Threat Level: N/A The US introduced the M1 in 1981 as a replacement for the M60. It is equipped with the most advanced systems available: a 120mm Rheinmetall smooth bore gun, which fires both the APFSDS and HEAT shells; Chobham armor, a ceramic steel composite nearly impervious to existing shaped charge warheads; and a thermal imaging system which enables night operations. M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle ------------------------------------ Introduced: 1981 Combat Weight: 24 Tons Length: 6.45m Width: 3.23m Height: 2.56m Maximum Speed: 66km/h Primary Armament: TOW Missile (6 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 25mm Chaingun (40 Rounds) Reload: 4 Seconds Range: 2500m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: N/A This Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) was developed as a counter to the Soviet BMP. The M2 is designed to be used in conjunction with the M1 as part of a tank/infantry team. he tank provides long range firepower, while the IFV provides firepower against softer targets, and assists in spotting and destroying anti-tank weapons. The M2 has 3 advantages over the M113 in this role; better mobility and cross-country speed, greater firepower, and superior armor protection. M60a3 Main Battle Tank ---------------------- Introduced: 1977 Combat Weight: 57 Tons Length: 6.94m Width: 3.63m Height: 3.27m Maximum Speed: 48km/h Primary Armament: 105mm rifled bore cannon (6 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 4 Seconds Range: 750m Armor: Heavy Overall Threat Level: N/A The M60a3 is the most recent version of the highly successful M60 series. The M60a3 is a solid tank, but its small bore gun, slower speed, high profile and relatively light armor make it no match for more modern tanks such as the Soviet T-80. Mi-24 Hind Assault Helicopter ----------------------------- Introduced: 1971 Combat Weight: 11 Tons Length: 17m Width: 12m Height: 6.5m Maximum Speed: 320km/h Primary Armament: Spiral Missile (4 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 23mm Cannon (40 Rounds) Reload: 3 Seconds Range: 2750m Armor: Light Overall Threat Level: Extremely High The Hind is a large, fast heavily-armed helicopter. The Hind-C version actually set a series of world records, including the current overall helicopter speed record of 386km/h. It can carry eight fully-equipped combat troops, and is armed with anti-tank guided weapons. Soviet forces in Afghanistan have operated the Hind since December of 1979. T-62 Main Battle Tank --------------------- Introduced: 1962 Combat Weight: 44 Tons Length: 6.63m Width: 3.30m Height: 2.39m Maximum Speed: 50km/h Primary Armament: 115mm smooth bore cannon (40 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 12 Seconds Range: 750m Armor: Heavy Overall Threat Level: Very Low The T-62 was developed from the earlier T-54/55 series. It is believed that about 20,000 T-62's were manufactured. It was the first tank to be fitted with a 115mm smooth bore gun (The T-55 had a 100mm rifled gun). When it was released it was an adequate tank, but now it is badly outclassed. T-64 Main Battle Tank --------------------- Introduced: 1965 Combat Weight: 42 Tons Length: 6.45m Width: 3.62m Height: 2.33m Maximum Speed: 60km/h Primary Armament: 125mm smooth bore cannon (40 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 10 Seconds Range: 1250m Armor: Heavy Overall Threat Level: Low The T-64 was a controversial tank design, with many western commentators evaluating it as less than adequate. However, the radical design was a milestone in Soviet tank evolution. Not only did the Soviet designers increase the gun size to 125mm, they also incorporated an automatic loader. This allowed them -- to the great surprise of the West -- to reduce the crew to three. T-72 Main Battle Tank --------------------- Introduced: 1972 Combat Weight: 45 Tons Length: 6.95m Width: 3.60m Height: 2.37m Maximum Speed: 60km/h Primary Armament: 125mm smooth bore cannon (40 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 8 Seconds Range: 1500m Armor: Heavy Overall Threat Level: Moderate The T-72 (also known as the T-74) is the principle MBT of the Soviet Army. It is armored to a level comparable to the US M60a3. During fighting in Lebanon in 1982, Israeli forces had no difficulty in knocking out T-72's with 105mm ARFSDS shells and TOW anti-tank missiles. The 125mm gun is a potent weapon, but suffers from dispersion problems at ranges greater than 1,000m. The gun is stabilized , and although the accuracy is nowhere near that of the M1, it does offer some level of fire-on-the-move capabilities. T-80 Main Battle Tank --------------------- Introduced: 1980 Combat Weight: 46 Tons Length: 6.91m Width: 3.64m Height: 2.28m Maximum Speed: 68km/h Primary Armament: 125mm smooth bore canon (40 Rounds) Secondary Armament: 7.62mm MG (40 Rounds) Reload: 6 Seconds Range: 1750km Armor: Heavy Overall Threat Level: High The T-80 is an evolution of the T-64 design. The T-80 has improved mobility, with a 1,000 horsepower turbine engine and a new suspension system. It also has a laser rangefinder and an anti-PGM electronic warfare system. It is being retro-fitted with reactive armor bricks to protect it against infantry anti-tank rockets and missiles. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º ANTI-TANK GUIDED WEAPONS º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ These anti-tank weapons are either mounted on a vehicle such as an APC or they can be set up on the ground and operated by infantry. They are generally low-velocity HEAT missiles. Most of the systems pass guidance information from the operator to the missile by means of a wire which connects the two. Some are radio guided, but these are susceptible to jamming. All of them fire HEAT missiles. AT-3 Sagger ----------- During the Arab-Israeli War in October of 1973, two-man teams of Egyptian infantry opened what looked like small suitcases and inflicted casualties on Israeli battle tanks the like of which had been seldom seen on any battlefield. Ever since, the little missile Code Named "Sagger" has been treated with great respect. AT-4 Spigot ----------- This is a high-performance infantry missile fired from a tube. AT-5 Spandrel ------------- This missile is mounted on the BDRM-3 and BMP-2 vehicles. It is significantly more effective than the Sagger. The group of Soviet forces in Germany is thought to have replaced all its Swatter and Sager missiles with the Spandrel in 1980, giving them a great increase in anti-tank capabilities. AT-6 Spiral ----------- This is a large laser guided weapon mounted on the Hind-D helicopter. It is capable of demolishing an AFV. In the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the Egyptians employed Soviet Sagger ATGW's. In the opening conflict, the Egyptians shocked the world by knocking out many Israeli tanks. However, after their initial surprise, the Israeli tank commanders rapidly developed the practice of getting ff a quick round in the direction of any puff of dust or other visual sign which might indicate the launching of an ATGW. Since the velocity of a shell from a tank gun is much greater than that of any current anti-tank missile, the tank would usually win these quick draws, or at least cause the missile operator to miss his target Experienced tank commanders maintain a missile watch. Even a missile with little backblast will likely kick up dust, snow, or sand. Even if the backblast is not detectable, the missile itself can usually be seen. A good defensive tactic against anti-tank missiles is to make rapid movement for cover while firing at the missile's operator; this can reduce missile effectiveness by ten or more times.