~breakdown: Thinktank cpx, Aggressor sco, Sector (9-square) mdl, Partisan (?Elite Brigade) opt
~die roll= 1 -> auto hit
~nuked unit still exerts ZOC
~Tec typ: "decon" spc fnc listing
~user selectable options= dieFac, Obs, isAi
~"CBR" desig modernized to "NBC"
~combined arms focus - MI/G2 playground - FM30-102/3 sources [see agr_fyi]

GAME DESCRIPTION
 
	Aggressor is a tactical scale wargame, whose units represent battalions for the most part (~right on the fringe of tactical/ stategic : Army doctrine still refers to battalion- size combat units as "maneuver battalions"; whereas brigades are viewed more as administrative organizations (see Elite Brigade option) eg. a brigade may be noted as having 2 bns in advance & 1 in reserve, but a division wouldn't say the same for its brigades, which are charged with independent responsibilities). A round, during which both sides move, represents close to two hours of real time (after the point when an aggressor side is declared). Play is conducted in alternating turns. During his turn, a player moves and attacks with his units in any order he wishes.
 The game map is marked off into locations with each point surrounded by six others; forming a hexagonal network. This hexagonal style is widely practiced by wargaming hobbyists, and was used in the first simple war game designed for the U.S. Army as a mathematical model for use in analytical research studies in 1952 by a Dr. George Gamow. The distance between these points on the Aggressor map represents roughly five kilometers. Terrain on the map may be of two types: either clear or rough, with the possibility of either also being affected by CBR (Chemically/ Biologically/ Radiologically contaminated) conditions. Stacking more than one unit in a single location is not permitted.
	The various unit types in the game are regulated by two attributes assigned to each in varying values: Range & Strength. Units suffer combat losses by step- reduction of these attributes. Range generally affects a unit's movement on the map, and Strength generally affects a unit's attack and defense capability.
	With the Observation option in use, the most noticeable feature of the game is its dependence on what's called hidden information representative of "the fog of war". In general, the type and location of the enemy's units are not revealed to a player by the computer unless the player's own units are moved within observation range of the enemy units.
	The object of the game is to occupy & control a major parcel of the terrain on the game map. For this purpose, the land area is apportioned into sectors representing each side's center, left flank & right flank; plus an initial border dividing the two sides as a DMZ/ no man's land, whose violation determines which side is to be treated as the aggressing player for that game. This border also serves throughout the game to mark off the home territory of each side, which is useful for strategic considerations (mostly non- unit functions), for example for purposes of eligibilty for partisan contact, probable availability of replacements for friendly units and possibly for intensity of local air defense screens.

GAME RULES
 
UNIT TYPES
 
	Each side will begin the game by choosing 18 units which will constitute its army. The color of the unit symbol indicates to which side it belongs: typically one side will use a dark symbol on a light background, the other will use a light symbol on a dark background.
	Each unit occupies one point on the map (which is referred to as a 'hex'), and units may not be stacked more than one to a hex.
	Six types of units are available from which to choose, and there is no stricture upon the combination of types allowed. The six types are tabularized according to their starting (maximum) attribute values and abilities as follows:
 
Type	Rng	Str	Special Function	~?Symbol
Airbase	0	3	Recon/Strike msn
Missile	1	1	Missile launch
Artillery	3	2	Indirect fire
Armor	3	3 
Infantry	2	2	Replacement
Support	2	1	Supply & Replacement
 
	Special functions noted are explained in detail under the Special Functions heading.
 
EXTRA TYPES
 
	Technical (Msl unit w/o msls)
	Unidentified (type not observed)
	Nuked (in CBR hex: type not revealed)
 
MAP BOARD
 
	Initial placement of units on the map, and designation of target locations during play is done using the map's coordinate system. Coordinates are shown by capital letters alphabetically arranged in Column- Row format (left to right top to bottom), and are preceded by the symbol '@'. For example, the bottom righthand hex on the map is @UO.
	The map contains 21 columns and 15 rows. The central column represents the territorial border dividing the two sides and is explained in detail under Movement, & Game Object.
	The Aggressor map uses the most common style of hex numbering; identified as 'orthogonal, side up, 1st column odd, low shift'. Due to the natural stagger of a hexagonal tesselation, hex row labels down the left side of the map are shifted so as to be on a level with what would be the lower half of hexes in odd columns while being level with the upper half of hexes in even columns. Even at this, identifying row components can be difficult, and it may be convenient to count down or up from the top or bottom to exactly place a hex.
	Rough terrain features are depicted on the map by areas of hexes marked off with 'contour' lines. Clear terrain is shown by hexes marked with a dot.

MOVEMENT
 
	A Unit moves on the map by displacing to an adjacent hex. The number of moves a unit can make in a turn is determined by its range and the type of terrain it moves from. A unit may not move into a hex occupied by any other unit.
	Terrain in a hex is considered to be one of two types; either clear or rough, for movement purposes. Rough terrain hexes are those through which contour lines run. Contour lines have no effect (in the basic game) other than to indicate rough terrain. Besides those hexes marked with a dot as being clear, border hexes are also positioned in clear terrain (in the standard Sector module). CBR hexes (see under Special Functions) may be in either clear or rough terrain. A special case applies to a unit moving into a CBR hex (see below).
	A unit's movement allowance for a turn is generally equivalent to its existing range value. If a unit traces a movement path through only clear hexes, it would be able to move a number of steps up to its range value. If a unit traces a movement path through only rough hexes, it would be able to move up to half its range value rounded up.
 What determines specifically whether a unit may move another hex at a particular time is the relation between: 1) current range, 2) number of hexes already moved this turn, and 3) type of terrain occupied. While a unit moves, its range is not changed (unless it enters a CBR hex) but the number of hexes it moves is remembered. When a unit attempts to move, the computer takes its current range & divides it by two if the unit is now in a rough terrain hex, rounding up. Then it subtracts from this result the number of hexes the unit had previously moved in that turn: if the remainder is at least one, the unit may move another hex.
	The type of terrain the unit is moving into makes no difference in terms of movement allowance. When a unit enters a CBR hex, it immediately suffers a step loss (see under Combat) which normally reduces Range by one. This will result in any unit which moves into a CBR hex in a rough terrain hex being halted for the rest of the turn; while a unit with a Range of 3 can roll through a CBR hex in clear terrain which it starts next to, stopping in another hex adjacent to the CBR hex since its Range will have been reduced to 2 by the CBR effects.
	A unit which started the game with, or has been reduced to, a range of zero may still attempt to move once in its turn. When such an attempt is made, there is a 50% chance that the unit will be allowed to perform a one- hex move. If the attempt fails, the computer will display the message: "Immobile this turn". The unit is still treated as though it did move one hex. In either case subsequent special functions are disallowed, but it may still attack (see under Combat) if otherwise able.
	A unit which does nothing in a turn, neither moves nor acts, is considered to be 'digging in' (constructing defensive positions) and receives certain bonuses for & against identification in later Observation (qv) and against Combat (qv) until it should again become active.
	Zone Of Control: One side's units exert some local interference over the bypassing movements of the other side's units. A unit which shifts around an enemy unit (moves directly from one hex adjacent with an enemy unit to another hex adjacent with the same enemy unit) must halt for the turn. Aside from this rule of close contact for movements, mandatory engagement with enemy units is not dictated. Technically, they use what has been termed (in SPI's nomenclature) a somewhat elastic, but inactive & permissive Zone of Control.
 
OBSERVATION
 
	Unless the option not to use Observation has been selected, the commander of one side will not know the composition & disposition of the other side's forces automatically. Before enemy troops can be detected, one must maneuver his forces within observation range of them.
	The observation phase takes place at the beginning of each side's turn. The results of an observation are revealed only to the side whose turn it is. A player will not know how much the enemy knows.
	Observation is the second utility of a unit's Range attribute. A unit's observation range is equal to its current range value. This is a normal grid distance whose whole number measurement includes the hex of the observed unit, but not the observer's hex. Any enemy unit within the observation range of a player's unit will be observed by the player.
	An observed enemy unit may or may not be identified. An identified unit will show its full unit symbol, but an unidentified unit will only show its color- coded background. Criteria for identification are:
	Observing unit is not in a CBR hex, and
	Observing unit is dug in; or
	Observed unit is not dug in, in clear terrain hex; or
	Distance to observed unit <= Range/2 rounded up.
	If an enemy unit is identified during a player's turn, that unit will automatically be considered identified for the player's next turn as well. However, if it is not actually within identification range at the start of the ensuing turn, it will be lost to view on following turns until it is under observation again. This does not apply to unidentified units; which must be reacquired in each observation phase, or lost from sight.
 
COMBAT
 
	Ground combat is resolved between one attacking unit and one defending unit at a time. The attacking unit must be adjacent to the defending unit and not in a CBR hex in order to attack. A unit can only attack during its side's turn, and can't attack more than once per turn. A unit may not attack if it performed a special function (qv) earlier in the turn.
	Combat is affected primarily by a unit's current Strength attribute, both in attack and defense. Combat results in either a 'hit' or a 'miss' scored by the attacking unit versus the defending unit. Following is the procedure used to determine the odds for a hit in an attack: Base probability for a hit is 50%.
	Add to the base probabilty 10% times the remainder of the attacker's current strength minus the defender's current strength.
	If the defender is in a rough terrain hex or any CBR hex, subtract 10% from the result.
	If the defender is dug in, subtract a further 10% from the result. The computer resolves an attack by selecting a number at random & comparing that number to the likelihood for a hit or miss. The attacking unit is unaffected by making an attack. If an attack is resolved as a miss, there is no effect on the defending unit either. If an attack results in a hit, it causes a step loss to the defending unit. 
	A unit which suffers a step loss has its Range attribute reduced by one, unless its Range is already at zero. A unit with a current Range of zero which takes a step loss has its Strength reduced by one instead.
	In addition to this normal Attack, there are two other forms of combat which may be applied; contingent upon the attacker's circumstances. (1) An attacker which moves more than one hex distant from its starting hex to attack is considered to be making an Assault. The effect of an Assault is a 50% chance that the defender's Strength will be reduced by one directly, even if the unit still retains a Range value. (2) An attacker which was not observed in the preceding (enemy's) turn, and makes its attack without moving is considered to be making an Ambush. The effect of an Ambush is two consecutive attack attempts by the attacker against the defending unit instead of the normal one.
	There is no adjustment to combat for attacking an unidentified unit. The type of a defending unidentified unit is not revealed by combat. ~? or, use standard score to hit vs unId'd
	When an attack is made, the type of the attacking unit, the coordinates of the defending unit, the form of attack and the result of the attack are reported to both sides. If the defending unit is dug in, a {DEF} indicator is also displayed. If a unit's Strength is reduced to zero by any means, it is removed from the map and irretrievably eliminated from play.
 
SPECIAL FUNCTIONS
 
	Special functions are activities which units may perform outside of their normal functions of movement and combat. Certain special functions are restricted to specific unit types and conditions. Performance of any special function requires that a unit have done no other movement nor action during the turn, and denies any further activity to the affected unit for the turn. A unit in a CBR hex may not perform any special function.
	There are two varieties of special function which may be performed by any type of unit: Partisan Contact and Supply Request to a Support unit.
	Partisan Contact is attempted by a unit which begins its turn in enemy territory (having crossed the border on a prior turn), while no aggressor side has yet been declared. The chance that a unit will successfully contact a partisan group is generally 50% minus 10% times the unit's rated attack Strength (which for a Missile unit is the missile attack value). If contact is made, the number of partisans available to the contacting side is increased by one. Partisans may be used to interfere with enemy activities in later enemy turns. Partisan Contact cannot be attempted after the aggressor's side has been declared (see Conduct of Play Turn Sequence for more information).
	Supply Request is accomplished by a unit which is adjacent to a friendly Support type unit, and has had one or both of its attributes reduced. When a unit requests supply, the supporting unit takes a step loss and the supplied unit's Strength is incremented, if below maximum, otherwise its Range is incremented.
	The remaining special functions are available only to certain types of units under certain conditions: Recon/ Strike Air Mission, CBR Missile Launch, Indirect Fire, and Replacement.
	Airbase type units may fly two kinds of missions. In both cases, the player specifies the airbase to fly the mission and the target hex for the mission. In a Recon (~period Mohawks), the computer traces a straight line from the base to the target: if any unobserved enemy units lie in one of the hexes traversed, they are revealed to the player as unidentified types. In a Strike (~period Phantoms), the enemy unit at the target coordinates is attacked with the airbase's current Strength. Range is unlimited for both kinds of mission, but the greater the distance to the target, the more chance that the airbase will suffer a step loss (after the mission) due to enemy anti- aircraft measures. The probability formula for such a loss is [~100% times distance divided by 28 divided by the airbase's current Strength] 2d <= (Dist (+ Airbase Str, if Strike msn))/ 2 (allows for d8, d10, d12).
	Missile units may employ the CBR Missile Launch special function once each during the game. When a missile unit has launched its missiles, it reverts to simply a Technical unit, with the usual attributes but no further missiles. In launching, the unit must specify a target hex. Missiles may be launched to a distance of up to 8 hexes from the unit. If any unit is the target of the launch, the unit is attacked with an implied Strength of four. If this attack results in a hit of any kind, the target unit is immediately eliminated. CBR missiles launched at any hex cause the terrain in that hex to be marked with a CBR hex. Any unit moving into a CBR hex suffers a step loss. Any unit that begins its turn/ round in a CBR hex other than one it voluntarily entered on its last move suffers a step loss. [~timing note: although a unit moving into a CBR hex takes an immediate hit automatically, one which survives a launch (isn't hit by the attack) doesn't take a hit from the CBR hex until the beginning of its turn/ round - mechanism= tgt of Lch #hexes moved set to 0 (Dug) [~?or 9 (Imm)]; & CBR hex hits those with #hexes moved =0 or Immobile]
	Artillery units may use Indirect Fire on any turn as a special function. Indirect fire may be directed against an enemy target out to a distance of the artillery unit's current Range. An attack is resolved versus the target unit using the artillery unit's current Strength.
	Infantry and Support type units only, may attempt to restore their depleted Range & Strength attributes without recourse to the Supply Request function, by employing the Replacement special function. When this function is invoked, there is the probability that the unit's Strength first, or else Range, will be incremented within the limits of the unit's maxima. This probability is 60% while the unit occupies a position within its original home territorial borders, or 40% when it lies within the enemy's territory.
 
GAME OBJECT
 
	The object of the game is to gain control of sectors of the map by occupying them with your forces and evicting or eliminating any contesting enemy forces in those sectors. If a player is confident that no enemy will return to intrude upon those sectors he controls, he can move away and still retain control the last occupying player is the controlling player.
	The map is partitioned into 9 conceptual sectors. To win the game, a player must control 5 of them (for exact information on sector locations and control check intervals, see Conduct of Play Victory Conditions). These sectors are arranged in a 3x3 square block like a Tic-Tac-Toe board, with one side beginning in control of the 3 leftmost sectors and the other side beginning in control of the 3 rightmost sectors. Down the middle of the central column of sectors runs the border.
	The border is important for determining which side will act in the aggressor role for a game. The first side to attack in any manner a unit which is located on the enemy's side of the border is assigned the role of 'aggressor' for the duration of the game. This includes the launch of CBR missiles, even into an unoccupied hex in enemy territory. Becoming the aggressor carries with it one provision for winning the game: the minimum of 5 sectors under the aggressor side's control must include at least one in each of the 3 columns of sectors.
 
 CONDUCT OF PLAY
 
SET UP
 
	When the INIT program is loaded as defined in the instructions (see Program Start Up), the map will be drawn on the screen and the player will be asked to choose which side of the board he wishes to be his territory. If the (E)ast side is chosen, the player will set up his units on the right side of the map; otherwise, the player will be given the left side of the map for his units.
	After choosing sides, the machine proceeds to select and position the 18 units it has decided to play with for this game, without revealing any of this information to the player. Upon completion of its setup, the computer, acting as referee, prompts the player to select and place his own 18 units.
	[~not freeware cap: Once both sides are set, the computer asks for the player to assign a name to the data file that will record this particular setup on the disk for future reference. This, or another similar file on disk, can then be used when the Aggressor game program reads in its starting data; so one can set up a game the same way more than once by using the same data file, instead of setting up all over again, if so desired.]
 
TURN SEQUENCE
 
	A) ACTIVE SIDE DETERMINATION: When the Aggressor game program commences, it extracts the information on which side moves first (which was randomly figured into the INIT setup data) from the disk data file specified. Turns thereafter alternate between sides. The computer allows the player to change its arbitrarily assigned first move data if desired, but this interferes with normal game set up balance in a factor unknown to either side.
	B) MAP PROJECTION: The map is laid out for the player at the start of the game. The first thing that happens at the beginning of a turn is a projection of the map board for the player whose turn it is showing that player, alone, what his units can observe in the existing situation. For a person playing against the computer, the board will not appear to change at all on the machine's turn, but the computer will have its memory adjusted to 'see' the current apparent state of affairs from its point of view.
	C) ENEMY PARTISAN USE: At the start of each side's turn, the computer will check to see if the opposing side has any partisan forces that it could use. If so, the computer will ask the enemy if partisans are to be used in this turn. If either check or response is negative, the computer passes to D). If the enemy decides to use some of its partisans, the computer will generate a random location for the partisan activity within the acting side's borders and freeze/disable for one turn all those acting units within 3 hexes distance of the spot (these units are considered to be busy suppressing local fighting). They may take no action this turn, and yet are not considered dug in on the following turns.
	D) CBR HEX EFFECTS CHECK: The computer then automatically scans the board for any friendly units located in CBR hexes that did not move into them on their last turn, and inflicts a step loss on each one that it finds (shown by blinking the unit).
	E) UNIT ACTIVITY CYCLE: During a player's turn, each surviving unit on that side will have the opportunity to execute any actions permitted to it, according to the following guidelines: A unit may move and attack in the same turn. A unit may not perform a special function if it has moved at all or performed a previous special function in that turn. 
	The method used to allow each of a player's units an opportunity to act is to cycle through them in the order they were initially chosen by the player, pointing them out one by one, and letting the player stop at the one he wants to have act next. While a unit is being pointed to, it flashes on the map and its current Range & Strength values are shown below the bottom left corner of the map board.
	Now an explanation of the keys that control a unit's actions: When a unit is blinking on the map, hitting any number key 1- 6 will cause it to move to the appropriate adjacent hex, if it can. These directions are coded as: 1=hex to upper left, 2=hex to lower left, 3=hex above, 4=hex below, 5=hex to upper right, 6=hex to lower right. Hitting number key 7 will request that the unit perform a special function. Hitting number key 0 ends the player's turn. A player's turn will also end automatically if all his units have no other options for action. Hitting any other key causes the indicator to cycle to the next unit in order.
	If a unit wants to attack an adjacent enemy unit, it simply hits the key that indicates the direction of the attack. The same applies to a unit that wants to request supply from an adjacent friendly support type unit. When a special function is contemplated (key 7), the player will be asked for a target coordinate. If the special function is Partisan Contact, enter @@. If the special function is Replacement, enter the hex of the unit itself. 
	The computer is able to keep track of every action performed by each side's units. A player need not confine himself to completion of one unit's turn activities before leaving it & moving on to the next unit. It's allowable to move a unit a fraction of its capability, pass to another unit & move it some or perform some action, return to the first unit and complete its move (or not) ... and so on. The computer will remember what's legal at any point.
	F) ENEMY VICTORY CONDITIONS CHECK: At the end of a player's turn, the computer will check to see if the opponent controls enough territory to win the game. This means that one can only be assigned victory at the end of his enemy's turn. To win, the appropriate side must control 5 of the 9 sectors, and must control at least one in each of 3 columns if that side is in the aggressor role.
	The vertical sector boundary lines are between hex columns G/H and N/O. The horizontal sector boundary lines are between hex rows E/F and J/K. [~rej: Because the horizontal boundaries overlap on these rows, a unit is considered to be in 2 sectors at once when it is located on one of these rows.]
 
OPTIONAL RULES [~not freeware cap]

Map Expansions: ~

Mobile Attacks: In order to be able to attack an adjacent target unit, the attacking unit must have one or more movement points remaining. With this option, an Assault is qualified by the tgt unit not being adj to the atkg unit's beg hex. If any atkd tgt is destroyed, the attacking unit must be moved into its place. The tgt unit might optionally be forced to retreat and the atkg unit moved to replace it if a hit is scored, or misses by 1 spot on the die. Note this would allow Aty units to decide to use special attack vs adj tgt if the attacker didn't want to displace. This might make the game somewhat slower- paced (lessened atk rngs) and more defensive in tenor.