Opening Screen

You have three options when you start Global Conquest: create a new game, create/resume an internet game, or load an existing saved game, which are described below.

Creating a Game

This option brings you to the menu to create a standard game. Each game has between two and five players. You can add/subtract players by clicking the +/- player buttons. To designate a player as human or computer-controlled (the game's AI will make the player's moves each turn), click the toggle button under Control for the respective players. Each player has a unique name and a flag association. Two other options include Randomize and 2vs2. When Randomize is selected, the order in which the players take their turns is random (For example, if there are four players and the option is not set, the order will always be Player #1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1.... But if the option is set, the order is randomized and could be, for instance, Player #2, 4, 1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 3, 2...). The 2vs2 option will create two teams of two players. The default is a free-for-all (every player for himself). Players on the same team cannot attack each other, but can move into the ally's territories (the units then become controlled by your ally).

Loading a Game

This option allows you to load a saved game. A list of all saved games will appear in the darkened box. Once you select a saved game, you can either delete or load it. Loading the game will open the game window, and bring you right where the game was last saved.

Start an Internet Game

You have the ability to play against a single opponent over the internet. A player can either host a game, or join one. Host a game: Set your player name and a port number. Make sure the player connecting to you has your IP address and the port number you selected (NOTE: if you are using a router, the IP address displayed will likely not be the IP address that the other player needs to connect to. Ensure you find out your correct, external IP address.) You do not need the other player's IP address. If you want to load a previously saved internet game, enter the saved game below (The game will save them as InternetGame1, InternetGame2, etc.). The saved game data will be sent to the other player upon connecting. Join a game: Enter the port number, the IP address to connect to, and a player name. You cannot designate a saved game, as only the host can do so. Both players should be using the same game version and game map, otherwise problems will arise. Once you are connected, the main game screen will appear. The host will always be Player #1 and start first (unless it differs in the saved game). If you have problems establishing a connection, make sure you can access the internet. Also, routers and firewalls can prevent you from making the connection. Visit www.portforward.com for details on how to configure a router. Do not email me for help with router or firewall settings. Use the game forum or search the internet for help.

Using an Alternate Map

Additional maps to be used with the game can be downloaded here. Dragging and dropping the map file on the game executable will start the game with that map. Alternatively, you can move the downloaded map file in the game's program directory (C:\Program Files\GlobalConquest), where Global Conquest will use the first map it finds. If one is not found, or an error occurred while loading the map, the default map is used.

Game Objective/Organization

The goal of the game, as the title of the game implies, is to take over the world. This is accomplished by eliminating all enemy contenders (no different than the game Risk). The world is divided up into 65 territories, and you control your units to take over and defend these areas. The world is broken up into sub-regions (indicated as different colors), and players will receive a bonus each turn for each territory group that is completely occupied. As with most turn-based strategy games, a player takes one turn at a time, and when finished with a turn, the game will move on to the next player's turn. The game will cycle through all players' turns until all but one player remains. In addition to units, players have buildings (e.g., barracks, bunkers) and upgrades (e.g., stronger army, nuclear) at their disposal. Every turn, players will earn income from the territories they own, as well as pay to upkeep their army and select upgrades.

Main Game Window

The main game screen contains a large window with a section of the world map, a small version showing the entire map in the bottom-left, territory selection status in the bottom-middle, and command buttons in the lower right. These are described below. The main window is also used to display various menus and messages.

Main Map/Small Map

This window allows you to see a portion of the world in detail. It is this window in which you will select territories and specify moves/attacks. To move around the map, right-click and hold down on the main map, and move the mouse around. Also, clicking on the smaller map will move the map to the location where clicked. To select a territory, simply left-click within the borders of a territory. For designating a sequence of territories (used for moves and attacks), first left-click and hold down on a territory, move the mouse to another territory (if not adjacent, you will have a sequence of moves), then release the button. An 'X' marks the starting territory, and the arrow marks the destination territory. If two territories share a common border, consider them connected. If a solid line connects two territories, it is equivalent as if they shared a land border. A dotted line indicates that although they are connected through a waterway, they are not connected by land (an upgrade is needed to use this path, which is discussed later). All players are represented by a flag (which the player picks) and a matching color, which are associated with a team number. These are used to identify the players. The main map displays the occupier's flag, or no flag if unoccupied. The left column of green marks indicates relative troop strength, and the right column is relative tank strength. Note that the marks do not always represent actual unit numbers; rather, they indicate numbers relative to the entire map. Pressing the Tab button will toggle between this view and a numerical view. Different colored squares below the flag represent the following: White: Capitol Green: Barracks Brown: Factory Black: Bunker Orange:    Nuclear Silo Red: Nuclear Silo with missile The mini-map displays the player's respective color in the area of each territory occupied. Neutral, unoccupied territories are represented by a white dot. The white box outline indicates what portion of the map you are viewing.

Center Display

The middle lower space of the game window is divided into four sections. The first row indicates to whom the turn belongs, along with the player's identifying flag and color. The second row displays what territory the mouse cursor is over, and left blank otherwise. The third row displays the first and last territories of a sequence of territories, and also left blank if no sequence has been specified on the main map. The last section contains information on the current selected territory. For occupied territories, the occupier and respective color and flag are shown, along with unit and building info. If at least one unit or building is on a territory, that territory is considered occupied. A green bar represents the morale of that specific territory. A full green bar indicates the highest morale, whereas an all-gray bar is the lowest morale. Usually it is somewhere in-between, and starts at 50%. Also shown are nine icons. The three on the left, going down, represent troops, tanks, and bunkers, with the corresponding quantity to the right of the icon. When a "number + number" is shown, the value on the right being added represents troops/tanks that are not currently active, but will be added when the turn ends. The icon is colored when the value is not zero. The bottom six icons indicate when colored, starting from the left, whether a capitol is built, a barracks built, a factory built, a nuclear silo built, a nuclear missile ready for use, and radiation is present (from a nuclear attack).

Actions/Menus Overview

Lastly, the bottom-right of the main game window contains twelve buttons, which will be explained in detail in the Actions subsection below. Each action will bring up a menu or an explanation as to why you can't perform a specific action. The ? button will bring up general information, but no detailed guide or help information can be found inside the game.

Units

The units in the game are solely troops and tanks. They are used to attack and defend territories. Morale affects the effectiveness of these units. The units can either be bought or trained/produced through buildings, or hired/bought on the market. Troops The troop is the basic general-purpose unit. For the money, it is generally more effective than the tank against other troops and tanks. Drawbacks include a higher upkeep cost than tanks, a higher cost to move from one territory to another (affecting attack costs as well), and vulnerability to nuclear strikes and radiation. Tanks The tank can be considered as a more specialized unit than the troop. It is primarily used for destroying bunkers in attacks. Although still effective against tanks, using them to fight troops is not cost-effective. As referenced above, tanks cost less to upkeep and move, are less vulnerable to nuclear strikes, and are immune to radiation.

Buildings

Every territory is capable of having five different buildings. Except for the bunker, only one of each type can be built per territory. If a player loses control of a territory through losing an attack, the buildings are destroyed. Capitol The capitol building is the base of a player's economy. This building allows for twice the income per turn, and also enhances the effectiveness of defending units. Players can build the first capitol without cost. Even if you lose your capitol, you should make it a priority to build another, as it will quickly pay for itself. Having more than one capitol building will not further increase your income per turn. Barracks Troops are trained at the barracks each turn. The troops that are finished training become part of the normal troop force for the territory the barracks occupy. Note that barracks pay for themselves quickly, and it will save you money if you place the barracks at places where you will need troops as to avoid moving costs. The total number of troops trained per turn is shown at the upkeep window. Factory Same principle as with the aforementioned barracks, except it produces tanks. Nuclear Silo Nuclear missiles are developed at the nuclear silo every several turns. The number of turns it takes to develop a missile is dependent on the nuclear upgrade. This is the only building that is susceptible to a nuclear attack. Bunker Bunkers greatly increase the strength of defending troops. Note that the bunkers themselves do not provide defense, but rather they enhance the effectiveness of defending troops.

Actions

Below are the details about all of the actions that can be performed throughout the game. Attack This command is used for both regular attacks and nuclear strikes. If a single territory is selected, the nuclear attack menu will be displayed (only if you have at least one nuclear missile on any territory that you own). If a territory sequence is specified, then the regular attack menu is shown. If both of those conditions are true, the game will check if only one of those moves is valid, and will redirect you to the valid attack's menu. Otherwise, if both selections are valid or invalid, an error message will be displayed. A regular land attack is used to take control of an enemy-occupied territory. The attack force and number of previous attacks that turn affect the cost of the attack (as well as any additional cost of moving units between territories you own, which will count toward moves per turn). Each successive attack during the same turn will cost increasingly more money. The "strength" of the attacker and defender factors in army sizes, military upgrades, defense buildings, and the morale of the attacking and defending territories. No attack results in a tie; an attack ends when either the attacker or defender loses all of an attacking or defending force (troops and tanks). When an attacker wins a battle, the surviving units of the attacking force occupy the new territory (existing buildings are destroyed). The winner of the attack has a raised overall morale (even more so for the newly defended or conquered territory), and the loser's overall morale is lowered. The attacker's strength is lowered if the attack is within the first few turns of the game. Simply put, this "attack strength," which applies to both the attacker and defender, determines the probability (hence the semi-randomness of the attack outcome) a given unit will do damage in an attack volley (Think of the attack as units on one side firing on the enemy with a chance to hit, then having the other side counter-attack. The attack volleys cycle until a player loses all units.). In other words, having a higher attack strength means dealing more damage with fewer units. When setting up attacking and defending forces, keep in mind all of the different factors and roles of units and buildings. Experienced players should check the algorithms link referenced in the Miscellaneous/Strategy section. A nuclear attack can be initiated once a nuclear missile has been developed. Nuclear missiles can be launched from any territory that has one to any enemy territory. These missiles destroy a high percentage of troops and leave radiation that gradually kills troops over time, with its strength depending on nuclear research upgrades. The missile also has a 1/3 chance of destroying the nuclear silo and the missile, if the territory has one. See the two nuclear upgrades for more details. Move To move your units to an unoccupied territory or another territory owned by you or a teammate, use this command. The cost of movement depends on the number of units, the previous number of moves made during the turn, and number of hops for the current move. Each territory hop is considered an individual move, and the number of hops is limited to five at a time. Although moving your units one territory at a time amounts to the same number of moves/turn, it is more efficient to combine as many hops into one move command because the initial move premium is paid only once. Just as it is for attacks, each successive move during the same turn will cost more. For these reasons, it is generally a good idea to do moves involving large numbers of units first. You cannot cross unoccupied or enemy territories. Moving into an unoccupied territory incurs an additional fee. Construct Construct the buildings that are discussed earlier in this guide. Each building can only be built once per territory, except bunkers. Buy/Sell This command allows you to buy and sell troops and tanks. Units that are bought will not be added to your attacking force on the selected territory until your turn has ended. Note that the selling price for units is less than what you can buy them for. Also, there is a small fee for each selling transaction. Research/Upgrade Here you can invest in different upgrades. The upgrades on the right side of the menu are paid for once and then are permanent, while the left-side upgrades have an activation cost and upkeep cost. The details of the seven upgrades are covered in the next section. View Overall Status To view the status of your overall standing, attack force, and upgrades, use this command. View Player Information All players are listed in this menu. Clicking on the box next to a player's name will show you the overall status window for that player as described above. End Turn Use this command when you have completed your turn. This will end your turn and start the next player's turn by bringing up the respective upkeep window. Save Game This will save the current game at the exact point when saved. Saved games can be loaded from the main menu. The name of the saved game file will contain the game type and date, and will be displayed briefly on the main window. Different games with these same conditions will be followed by a number. Saving the same game again will replace the older file, and not create a new saved game. Although I do not recommend it, you may edit saved games with any text editor. While it is not too difficult to do so as the layout is simple and the file is not binary, you do so at your own risk! When the game loads a saved file, it will check to make sure all the data needed is present, but will generally not check for value validity. Changing values can give rise to a number of problems, many of which could crash the game. Internet Messages The Internet Messages button will only be available for internet games, as the name implies. This opens up a message window for players to communicate by text.

Research and Upgrades

Upgrades are crucial to stay competitive as the game progresses. For example, players will often find that maintaining large armies can be costly; some upgrades allow for a player to reduce costs by increasing the effectiveness of units. As mentioned above, some upgrades require a one-time fee, while others also have a continual fee, which is a percentage of money earned each turn. All seven upgrades are described below. Border Defense Border Defense helps defend your territories. For each friendly territory that surrounds the defending territory, its defense strength is increased when attacked. Waterway Borders Players with this upgrade have the dotted-line borders enabled. This upgrade does not take effect until your next turn. Nuclear Response This defensive upgrade is a must if you or your enemies have multiple nuclear missiles. The upgrade enables a missile defense intercept system, with a chance of destroying the missile before it can do damage when launched at a territory you occupy. Also, if you have a territory that is about to fall or a missile to be destroyed by a nuclear attack, that missile will launch to an enemy territory where it can do the most damage. The retaliatory nuke cannot be intercepted or retaliated against. This prevents an unpreventable chain reaction. Also, this nuke will do about 15-20% more damage than if you launched it in a normal strike. Propaganda Using this upgrade allows players to increase the effectiveness of their armies without adding more units. Propaganda raises overall morale, which, in effect, raises the morale of all territories over time. Military The Military upgrade also increases the effectiveness of tanks and troops. This upgrade and the next two have a maximum level of 5, with each level having a larger effect than the previous level. Economy The Economy upgrade increases a player's income earned each turn. The increase, by percentage, does not apply to the bonuses gained from occupying group territories. Nuclear Each level of the Nuclear Upgrade lessens the time it takes to develop a nuclear missile at nuclear silos, increases the damage of nuclear missiles, and raises the number of turns the radiation is present. Radiation kills a small percentage of troops each turn.

Upkeep

At the beginning of each player's turn, income and expenses are calculated. Your income has three components: a base income determined by the number of starting players of your game, the number of territories that you control, and a bonus for each group of regional territories you control. The Economy upgrade increases, by percentage, the portion gained by the number of your controlled territories. The upgrades that have costs associated with them each take the percentage of your total income just described above. Finally, expenses from troops and tanks are subtracted, arriving at your final income. The upkeep window shows some of this breakdown. The game will not allow you to go into debt, although if you do not have enough to pay upkeep costs at the beginning of your turn, your overall morale will plummet. Sustained debt will allow the enemy to easily take over your territories. Players have an overall morale and a territory-specific morale. During the upkeep, unless the Propaganda upgrade enabled, the overall morale will drift to 50%. All your territories will drift toward this overall morale. This morale "drifting" refers to morale levels gradually attaining a certain value over a number of turns, with the speed of this move decreasing as it approaches the equilibrium level.

Shortcuts

Construct: C Market: T Move Units: M Attack: A Upgrade: U Save Game: S Players List: P Player Status: I End Turn: E + Ctrl Cancel/Clear Selections:    Esc OK/Accept: Enter Toggle sound: F9 Toggle quick menus: F10 The Tab button will toggle between two methods for showing the number of troops and tanks on the main map. If the Ctrl button is held down while creating a territory sequence, when you are done specifying the sequence (left-button no longer held down), the game will check to see if it is a valid move or attack sequence. If it is, that menu will be shown. When in the Attack, Move, or Market menus, pressing 'A' will select all of the possible units (sliding bars will be at the maximum value). Pressing 'B' or 'S' in the Market menu selects between buying and selling, respectively. Pressing 'B', 'F', 'C', 'N', or 'K' in the Construct menu toggles the checkboxes for Barracks, Factory, Capitol, Nuclear Silo, and Bunker, respectively.

Computer AI

The computer AI difficulty is displayed on the player information menu, and defaults to level 5 when creating the game. This difficulty level can be changed during game creation by pressing Ctrl + # in the game setup screen, where # is 0 - 9 (#0 represents level 10). A message in red will flash when a change was made. The computer AI takes all actions based on two methods. The first method is ordering, and the second is probability. Ordering is done by running through a number of similar actions and determining the effectiveness of each action. The actions are enumerated and then ranked by this effectiveness, and a number of best effective actions are taken if they meet some requirement. A probability for a certain action is increased or decreased based on a number of factors within the game, which gives the AI an element of randomness. Actions are determined using the basics of these two methods. Players intent on defeating higher-level computer AI opponents should note that the AI does not base actions upon history (no memory of players' moves), nor does it simulate potential moves like a chess AI would. The computer has different spending restrictions than human players, so don't be surprised if it can spend more than you some turns.

General Tips

Sell troops and tanks you won't be using, or can't afford to move to where they are needed. This applies even to the first couple of turns. On a similar note, Barracks and Factories can be used to boost your income if you find yourself unable to expand into other territories by selling the troops and tanks they give each turn. Because of the transaction fee, it may be best to wait until a number of troops/tanks have accumulated. Rather than using a nuclear missile as soon as you get one, you can use it as an attack deterrent if you have the Nuclear Response upgrade. You will not have to worry about wasting the missile if you lose the territory, and the missile is more powerful and cannot be intercepted. Also, watch for enemy territories with silos, as a nuclear attack has a chance to destoy it. If you are attacking a territory with bunkers, ensure you have enough tanks to help destroy the bunkers so the troop attack becomes more effective. The defending position can be considered to have an upper hand over the attacking position. First, the defender has the added bonus of building bunkers. Second, it costs the defender nothing in an attack, whereas it costs the attacker a substantial amount to initiate the attack. Use this to your advantage to prevent your enemies from attaining an entire region of territories. Even if you have a territory isolated from the rest of your territories, it may be worthwhile to keep that territory occupied by you. Make efficient use of your moves and attacks. Remember that successive attacks and moves cost more, so make the most out of these actions. Don't let yourself get behind if you see your enemies building a nuclear arsenal. If the enemy has a large number of nukes before you have any, the enemy can take down your silos before you have a chance to develop any.

Numbers, Formulas, and Algorithms, Oh My!

The majority of players don't need to know such specific details, so they were left out of the guide. But for those serious players out there that would like to know precisely how much of an effect a certain level upgrade has, or how the price or attack algorithm works, I'll provide such information: The numbers and math behind the game

Uninstallation

The game has no installation, so you will not need to uninstall the game. Simply deleting the files that were in the .zip file you downloaded will remove Global Conquest. The program files folder, likely C:\Program Files\GlobalConquest, contains any remaining saved games that you may want to delete as well.