********************GLOBAL CONQUEST README********************
                          2002-2003

(To view this Readme file easier, enable Word Wrap.)


I.  Game Outline, Getting Started:

Global Conquest is a multi-player game that incorporates strategy with chance.  Four players vie for world dominance, waging war on 42 different territories.  During the players respective turns, they may choose to buy, attack, or move tanks or troops and upgrade different aspects of their territories.  The last surviving player is the winner.

**Note** You will need at least an 800x600 screen resolution for you to see the entire window.



II.  Game Options:

1) Buy or sell oil, troops, or tanks- Troops ($10/Troop) and tanks ($40/Tank) are your attacking and defending force.  This option allows a territory to purchase these goods in exchange for money.  Requirements to buy if you have enough money: the territory you purchase tanks or troops must be occupied by you and have a factory on it.  Oil doesnt need a factory to be bought, and is bought/sold by a factor of 3.  You may sell any number of your troops ($7/Troop), tanks ($30/Tank), or oil, but at a lower price than it is to buy them.

2) Upgrade your economy or warfare/build factory or defense- Upgrades are essential as your army grows but number of territories and income is limited.  The economy upgrades increase your income you receive from your territories each turn.  Warfare upgrades increase the strength of your tanks and troops.  Nuclear upgrades increase the chance to develop a nuclear bomb each turn.  These three upgrades can each be researched three times, each upgrade better but more costly than the first.  On any country you own, you may build a factory on it ($180), or enhance its power of defense ($100).

3) Attack a bordering enemy territory- To gain control of territories already occupied, you can have your troops and tanks attack an adjacent enemy territory.  While the outcome is random, you can increase your chances by having a larger army and having warfare upgrades.  If you win the battle, your remaining attack force will occupy the territory you just attacked.  The casualties of both the attacker and defender will be displayed.  A nuclear bomb can be sent to any enemy occupied territory, eliminating half their troops and a quarter of their tanks.  You have two attack moves per turn (a nuclear strike does not count towards one of your moves), but may not attack your first turn.

4) Transport troops within or to a bordering country- If a territory is unoccupied, you may take control of it by sending troops or tanks to occupy it.  You have two regular moves per turn.

5) End your turn- Once you are done with your turn, this one move on to the next players upkeep and turn.

8) Save/Load- Because games can be lengthy, you may choose to save.  Games can be loaded at the spash screen.



III.  Additional Features/Tips:

-It is not important which player types in his/her name first.  Order is randomized.

-To add a computer-controlled a player, click the computer icon to the right of the name input box.

-Computer players will always choose their territory after real players and will not choose one that is adjacent to one that is already occupied.  Computer players are not allied with each other and may attack anyone near them (free for all).  They are also not bound to the same rules human players are.

-On the main screen world map, each occupied territory will display the respective players color and factory/defense by different icons, and the number of troops and tanks below it.

-Regardless of nuclear upgrade, you still have a percentage to develop one each turn.  You may not stockpile nuclear weapons.

-For the offense and defense troops provide they are cheaper than tanks, but have a higher upkeep.  Tanks cost more initially for what they provide but have a much lower upkeep.

-Each turn your upkeep is applied.  This includes the revenue you receive from territories (based upon CPI value), oil gained each turn (only some territories provide oil each turn), the upkeep to maintain your troops ($2/turn), tanks (1 oil barrel/turn), and factories ($1/turn).  If you do not have enough oil to maintain your tanks, oil will automatically be bought for you, but at $1 a barrel.

-Whenever attacking or moving, it is wise to leave some units behind so you are still in control of that territory.  Once you leave a territory, the factory and defense is destroyed.  Also, when the attacker gains control of a new territory, the factory and defense do not stay.

-Occasionally your upkeep will surpass your income, and you may become in debt.  If you have been in debt for three turns, you die and lose everything.

-You may die by being in debt for three turns or not owning any territories.  To own a territory, you must have either 1 tank or troop occupying it.  The last player alive wins.

-Each nuclear upgrade increases your chance of developing a nuke by about 8% a turn.  Each economy upgrade increases income by 10%.  The warfare upgrade is more complicated and varies depending on you and your opponents warfare upgrades, and whether or not the country is defended.

-If you encounter any errors while playing, or have any questions/comments/suggestions in general, please email me at alangk@mail.com.



Notable changes in version 2.03:

-The game no longer requires the COMDLG32.OCX component, and now has a different method to load games.
-The difference between the income of territories is now significantly reduced.  This means that unpopulated territories such as Greenland, that originally did not provide much income, are now almost as lucrative as populated ones.
-Improved the computer AI.
-Added additional keyboard shortcuts.
-Now runs better on slow computers.
