Salvo Tutorial 1
Ship Introduction: Basic Combat & Movement
Introduction: This tutorial introduces you to ships and individual ship control in Salvo. After playing the tutorial you should have a basic understanding of how to ships operate in the game, and how to direct a ship to take the action that you desire. Ships in Salvo have real world properties (derived from historical sailing ships) as well as abstracted control/game elements. The ship consists of the hull, rigging, masts, guns and crew. The game elements belong to the user interface and are essentially tools that allow you to control the ship. As the player, you can use the ship UI to allocate crew to specific tasks, change the ship's command mode, load specific ammo in your cannons, or just obtain information about the ship and crew's current state. You can also click on one of the action markers to have the ship undertake the corresponding action, moving, shooting etc. If you do not take any action in a turn, the ship may select it's own action, or may follow thorough with actions already under way.
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Key:
= Action Sections
= Information Sections
= Important Information
A) Orientation
Start Salvo and Select the first Tutorial.
Click on the Salvo Icon, or start Salvo from the start menu:START/Programs/SprueGames/Salvo
Click on the Rolled up maps on the table to open the Help screen.
The Salvo Help Screen provides links to the QuickStart, User Guide, SprueGames Webpage, and the four tutorials.
Click on the 'Start Tutorial 1' button to start both the Tutorial 1 Battle and the HTML Tutorial 1 Document. If you already have the HTML Document open, you can just start the battle by clicking on the 'Battle' button. Likewise, if you only want to view the documentation, you can click on the 'Documentation' button.
The Hood is on the left of the screen, facing two white flags.
Each Battle in Salvo has a "mission text. The mission text for the built in campaigns is visible as you page through the missions. After a battle is started, you can read the mission text, and check your score by clicking on the mission button.
Click on the Mission Button and you should see:
Salvo Ship Tutorial
British vs French
Atlantic Ocean
Fair Weather With Good VisibilityYou have been given command of the Hood, a 52 gun frigate. French forces in the Caribbean have been harassing British shipping, and a large fleet has left Brest, reportedly with the goal of capturing Jamaica. Your mission is to join the English forces protecting the Greater Antilles until the beginning of the hurricane season. Your vessel is newly outfitted but your crew of 418 includes many pressed and quota men. There will be a lot of hard work before your crew is well trained and ready for a real test.
During your Atlantic Passage, you encounter a single French ship....
Also note the 'score' section on the right.
Hold your mouse cursor over the Hood and see what the "ship tips" message says:
This gives you some quick and easy information about the ship, specifically:
Name, Current Action and how many guns are loaded in the port and starboard batteries.
The cursor will also give you some information: A wheel indicates that the ship has not moved this round, and crossed cannons indicate that the ship has a target that it can shoot at.
Cursor Over Freindly Ships
Cursor Over Enemy Ships
Familiarize yourself with the Game UI. The various elements and functions help you control the game and also provide tools for playing.
The flag of the player's country flies in the upper left corner of the Salvo screen. It will vary between being partially transparent during AI turns and fully visible during the player's turn.
This button takes you to the exit screen where you can save your current Salvo game, restart, or exit the game.
The Mission button displays the mission text and your current score based on how many ships you have either sunk or captured, how many ships you have lost, and who is in control of the scenario's Victory Flags.
4 Map Button
The Map Button launches the battle map. The Battle Map is covered extensively in the User's Guide and in Tutorial # 2, where you will learn how to create and control Squadrons. For now - you can still use the battle map as a visual reference. Click on a ship and then click on one of the 'Select and Focus' buttons on the right to return to the main view.
5 Ship List Button
The Ship List Button opens the Salvo Ship List, which both provides important information, and also allows you to quickly jump to any ship.
6 Save Button
Clicking on the Save button will save your current battle to the file that it is currently set to. This starts out as the file that you loaded, but can be changed to your own saved copy from the Exit Screen.
7 Settings Button
The settings Button opens the Salvo settings panel, giving you access to all the customizable aspects of the game.
8 Mermaid Avatar
The mermaid is a visual indicator of what phase the game is in. If the mermaid is responsive to your mouse movement - then it is your turn. If the mermaid is swimming then it is Auto-movement, and if the mermaid is thinking then the AI is planning.
9 Wind Indicator
The Wind indicator points in the direction that the Wind is going.
10 North Indicator
The north indicator points north.
11 Enemy Flag
The flag of the Computer's country flies in the upper right corner of the Salvo screen. It will vary between being fully visible during AI turns and totally transparent during the player's turn.
1 Mouse Navigation
Moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the Salvo screen will result in changing the view, provided that there is no ship, or UI element in that section of the game. Placing the mouse in an empty portion of the upper and lower section of the display results in foreword and backward motion.
Moving the mouse cursor to the left and right sides results in left and right rotation.
2 Keyboard Navigation
In addition to using the mouse, you can move around in Salvo with the Arrow keys on the Keyboard. Up and Down result in forward and backward motion, and the left and right keys cause rotation.
3 Focus On Current Ship
Salvo Focuses on the currently selected ship, and sometimes on ships undertaking important actions. The selected ship will be at the center of the screen, and normal navigation functions will not work. During the player's turn, you can rotate around a selected ship with the left and right arrow keys, but normal movement is not possible until the ship is deselected. (Ships are selected by clicking on then, and deselected by clicking on an empty section of the screen.)
4 Ship List
Another option for selecting a ship, specifically one that may not be on the screen is the Ship List, which provides some basic information about each ship, and fast access to any ship in the game. Open the Ship List and click on a ship to select that ship and close the Ship List.
5 Battle Map
A more visually oriented way to select a ship or change your view without selecting a ship is to use the Battle Map. Open the Battle Map by pressing the 'M' key or clicking on the Map Button. The Battle Map has lots of features that will be covered later, so for now just try two things:
a) Select a ship and press the "Select and go to ship" button. This will close the battle map and focus the display on the selected ship.
<Press 'M' to go back to the map>
b) Place the mouse cursor over a blank <open sea - not land> section of the map and press the left button down. This selects that location as your next viewpoint. Then drag the mouse in the direction you would like the display to face and let the mouse button up. This will set the view direction.6 Display Mode
Clicking on a blank section (no ships or UI buttons) of the display with the right mouse button will toggle the display between high and low angle mode. The low angle mode is a better approximation of involvement in the battle, and offers better detail. The higher angle mode is more removed, but provides a better indication of the distances between ships and their relative positions.
Salvo is a turn based game with some special characteristics. Each ship will have a default move picked by it's Squadron, current course or the ship's AI. Unless the ship is already stopped or is stopping, it must move each turn, and if you do not move all your ships - they will follow their default move. Turns consist of :Player Phase
Automatic Movement
Automatic Combat
Computer PlanningThe Player Phase ends when the player clicks on the mermaid avatar, or presses the Space Bar.
Winning a battle in Salvo is based on your control of Victory Markers as well as combat results. Victory Markers are flags that stay at a specific location, and indicate the country that last claimed them. Sinking, and capturing enemy ships is also a good way to improve your score. Keep tabs on your score by clicking on the Mission Button and checking the information on the right. There may also be a victory or defeat option on the mission display. These buttons will allow you to exit the battle early.
Before you go any farther in the Salvo Tutorial, it is important to save the game to a new name so the original file will remain intact.
Click on the Exit Screen button, and then click on the Save Special Button and save the file to a new and unused name. Then click on the Resume button to continue with the tutorial.
B) Movement
Move the Hood by first selecting the ship, and then clicking on one of
the move markers.
Select the Hood by clicking on it with the left mouse button. The display will focus on the Hood and you will see several interface elements. If the Hood is not visible on the screen, then use the Ship List.
When the ship is selected, you have a number of optional actions. Each is represented by a movement marker, and the available options depend on what the ship is doing, or can do. Because the Hood is moving, and is not in contact with the enemy yet, there are only movement options displayed. Clicking on the marker will invoke the corresponding action:Forward:
Left:
Right:
Slower:
Same Speed:
Faster:
Tack:
Try each type of movement. After each move you will need to advance to the next turn, so that the Hood can move again. Advance to the next turn by pressing the Space Bar, or clicking on the mermaid game avatar.
SPACEBAR
The Hood, or any moving ship will need to move each round, unless it's speed has been reduced to 1, and it can stop. If you do not move the Hood, then the ship will chose it's own course and move when you advance to the next turn, unless it has been stopped.
Move the Hood toward the French ship, but try to keep the Hood upwind from the other ship, thereby keeping the wind advantage. Then attack when you come into range.
C) Engage EnemyThe tactical consideration of a small engagement such as this, one ship v one ship, are quite different from larger fleet actions, but the basic ship properties are the same. The primary concept for a ship duel such as this is to gain the initiative by either damaging the other ship's rigging or careful maneuvering, and capitalize on it by raking the enemy ship and staying out of their firing angle.
There are several important ship properties that will help you understand the basic principles of combat in Salvo.a) Ships in Salvo can only fire to their right and left, not forward or backward. The Starboard Battery can fire to the right in a limited ark of file, and the Port Battery can fire to the left. This means that the ship can not move directly towards an enemy and shoot at the enemy at the same time, often allowing an enemy ship to get in several broadsides before the advancing ship is able to return fire.
b) Reloading takes time and lots of crewmen. Under ideal conditions there will probably be enough crew to reload one broadside each turn. However, if the ship is sailing, then a large portion of the crew will be called away to man the rigging, resulting in slower reloading. Disruption also affects the reloading ability of a ship. Each round, the gun crews reload as many cannons as they can, but the full battery may not be reloaded before the next round.
c) Maneuvering, or specifically - changes in direction and speed - require sailors to man the rigging. Sails must be trimmed, let out or adjusted for the wind. If there are not enough sailors allocated to sailing, or there is significant disruption, then the ship will not be able to maneuver, and will maintain the same course from the turn before.
Find out as much as you can about the enemy vessel. Only information that is directly observable is available, but that information will help.
Left Click on the ship to select it, and focus the display on the enemy ship. You should see the ship's name, number of guns, Country, rating and current activity.
For more information you can Right Click on the enemy ship to display the ship's damage report
Name, # Guns
Port Battery: Number Active, (Original # Guns)
Starboard Battery: Number Active, (Original # Guns)
Marines: Approximate Number Active (Original)
Crew: Approximate Number Active (Original)
Sailing Ability: Approximate Percentage Undamaged
Before you come into shooting range of the enemy vessel, plan your approach and strategy. In this case, there are only the two ships, and both are approximately evenly matched. This means you will need to be careful. Take your time, following this general plan:Phase 1) Maintain your distance and attempt to cripple the enemy's sailing ability.
Phase 2) Close in to medium range when you have superior maneuverability.
Phase 3) After the enemy is significantly damaged, move to close quarters and reduce the enemy ship with double shot.
These steps are Detailed more thoroughly in the remainder of this section, C), and in the next two sections, D) and E).
Prepare the crew for battle by checking the crew allocations. Crew Allocation is normally handled by the ship, but the player can make modifications and even totally overrule the computer. Switch between 'Auto' and 'User' modes for crew allocation by clicking on the top of the panel of arrows on the right of the Crew Allocation screen. You can alter the settings, even when the mode is set to 'Auto' but your changes will not be permanent unless you set the mode to 'User' as shown below.
a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) Open the Crew Allocation Panel by clicking on the crew button to the left of the Hood's name.
This will open the Crew Allocation Panel.
c) Remove some of the crew that are allocated to Sailing and Damage control. This will add them to the Idle catagory.
d) Increase the number of sailors who are allocated to the gun batteries
Because your goal is to first cripple the enemy ship, you should set the ammunition type to Link/Chain shot for the maximum Rigging Damage. Switch to the Ammunition panel by clicking on the button to the right of the Hood's name. As with Crew Allocation, ammunition selection is controlled by the computer, unless you change the ammunition type deliberately or set the ammunition selection to 'User'.
a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) Open the Ammunition Selection Panel
c) Set both the Port and Starboard Gun Loads to Link Shot by clicking on the Chain/Link ammunition type for each gun.
Done:
When the enemy ship is within range, and within the firying ark of your guns - you can fire by clicking on the target marker which will be placed on the enemy ship. the Target mareker is placed when you select your ship, and indicates the current ramge of the shot.
1 Select the Hood
2 Click on the Target Marker
3 Your firing message will be shown
4 The damage message will be shown
The distance between two ships is shown in the bottom center of the screen when one ship is selected, and the other is under the mouse.
- Select the Hood by left or right clicking on her.
- Move the mouse over the Nancy, and you should see a docked Ship Tip for Nancy, along with the Distance.
Keep the Hood 6-9 spaces away, and upwind from the French ship, but also try to find opportunities to shoot when the enemy cannot return fire. This will be much easier if you achieve a critical mast hit, or even if you just do a lot of rigging damage. After you have crippled the French ship's ability to maneuver, move in to medium Range
Notes:
Because ships travel at different speeds depending on the wind, there is a significant advantage to being up wind of your enemy. Being up wind gives you more options for movement, and lets you choose how to engage.
Disruption is anything that interrupts or impedes the ability of your crew to perform their functions, from clearing wounded sailors off the gun decks to removing debris from major rigging damage, or even just undertaking difficult sailing maneuvers. Disruption is incurred when the vessel takes damage, or from sailing related actions.
Disruption is a temporary interference, and the amount of disruption is halved each turn. So even a highly disrupted ship (75% or more) will quickly sort it's self out - unless it incurs more disruption.
Changing the type of ammunition that a battery has loaded can involve actually removing the shot that is in the guns, and this has an adverse effect on the load level of that battery. Changing from a battery fully loaded with Grape/ Canister to Link/Chain shot will result in a less than fully loaded battery. Going from Ball to double shot Ball causes less of a penalty. If you change the ammunition just after the battery has fired, then you will have a smooth transition to the next ammunition type.
A single lucky hit can remove or cripple a mast by hitting it near it's base. This will directly impact the ship's sailing ability for the rest of the scenario, and will also cause a lot of immediate disruption as the wreckage is cleared away.
Each Battery, Port and Starboard, has a designated gun crew, but these crews will both work to reload ether side that needs to be reloaded. If both batteries fire in the same round, then the designated crews will reload their own battery first, and help out the other side when their cannons are 100% loaded.
Link or Chain shot is specifically designed to expand after being fired from a cannon. This increases the likelihood of hitting something, but somewhat reduces the damage done. Most rigging elements are fragile enough that they will not stand up to Link /Chin Shot, which can even take out a mast.
Under optimal conditions, and with sufficient crew, the Port and Starboard gun crews should be able to load a single battery in a single round. So - if both batteries fire, they will not both be able to be fully reloaded in the next round. Disruption and the number of allocated crew can have a dramatic impact on how many guns are loaded each round.
D) Medium RangeAt medium range, you can do further damage to the enemy vessel with ball shot, and start to take out more guns and crew.
Because your goal is not to cause maximum damage to the enemy ship, set the ammunition type to ball, which provides the best damage at medium range.a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) Open the Armament Selection Panel
c) Set both the Port and Starboard Gun Loads to Ball Shot
Check your Crew Allocation To see if there are Repairs you should be attempting.a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) See if there any repairs that need to be done by opening the Information Panel. Click on the Ship Info Button:
Check the Ship Informaiton Panel for the follwoing things:
1) Crew And Marine Losses
Casualties are reported in the left hand panel, and represent the current level of the ship, compared to it's original level.2) Guns Dismounted
The gun hits that each battery has sustained are listed in the middle panel.3) Hull & Rigging Damage
The structural damage to the masts, sails and hull are listed on the bottom right.4)Damage Thumbnail
Additionally, the upper right corner of the Information Panel provides a visual thumbnail of the ship for instant information. The condition of the masts, loss of steering, fire and repair options are all displayed.
If there is repairable mast damage then the corresponding 'Repair' marker will replace one of the 3 gray 'X's beside the masts.
c) If there are any 'Repair' markers, the ship is on fire, or the vessel has lost steering, then you will need to allocate crew to Damage Control to deal with the problem. Switch to the Crew Allocation Panel.
d) Check the Damage Control Category and see if there are an adequate number of men allocated.
Stay 3-6 spaces away from the French ship, and attempt to Follow in the enemy's wake. This should provide you with opportunities to shoot when the enemy can not return fire. Additionally - it may be possible to rake the enemy ship when she turns.After You have had the opportunity to significantly damage the enemy vessel, you can move into close action and finish her off
Notes:
Some damage is ether reparable, or can be circumvented. Hits to the steering apparatus of a ship (the wheel and rudder) will make the ship un maneuverable because it can not turn. Ether the damage can be repaired, or an alternate steering system can be implemented, given a few turns and a repair crew. Less severe rigging hits may also be repairable, restoring at least some of the lost sailing ability.
Ball is the standard ammunition type, and the best option for general damage at any range. Loading Ball Shot is a good choice in situations where the next shot is uncertain (several target options) or if you intend to do hull and gun deck damage from moderate to long range.
E) Close Action
The damage done by all types of shot increases as the range decreases.
At close range (1 - 3 spaces) it is possible to dramatically increase
the damage inflicted by "double shotting" the guns.
Because your goal is not to cause maximum damage to the enemy ship, set the ammunition type to ball, which provides the best damage at medium range.a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) Open the Ammunition Selection Panel
c) Set both the Port and Starboard Gun Loads to Double Ball Shot
It may be necessary to board the French ship in order to subdue her without actually sinking her. Or, she may attempt to board you. In ether event - you will benefit greatly from already having a boarding part (or defending party) assembled and armed.a) Right Click on the Hood To open the Ship UI
b) Open the Crew Allocation Panel
c) Set the Boarding Party Category to the appropriate level. If you defiantly plan to board, then the more boarders you have the better your chances will be. However, crew in the boarding party will not be available for any other task, like sailing or loading guns. 20 - 50 should be enough to protect the Hood.
1) Reduce number of crew men sailing, or manning the gun batteries by clicking on the down arrow to the left of each line. .
2) The free crewmen will then be added to the Idle category.
3) Add the idle crew to the Boarding Party category by clicking on the up arrow by that line
This is the time to get close to the enemy ship, preferably within 3 spaces, and crossing the bow or stern will give you a opportunity for a raking shot. Raking the enemy ship with double-shot guns at close range will do significantly grater damage than what you have been able to achieve before.
When the enemy has had enough, they will strike their colors. The flag on the enemy ship will change to white, and the ship will engage in no hostilities. At this point - you can claim the prize directly by selecting your ship, and then clicking on the sward hilt button that shows up on the enemy vessel. It will then be your prize ship. If you do not claim the ship, your ship may claim it anyway - depending on the circumstances.
If the enemy ship does not surrender, then you will need to keep shooting until it is destroyed. After the hull has taken 100% damage, or if the vessel burns out of control, or there is a critical magazine hit, then the enemy ship will be destroyed.
Notes:
A boarding Party is Salvo is a group of sailors who have been pulled from other duties and armed with hand to hand weapons. The boarding party is only available in or after the turn following the crew allocation. They remain assembled on the main deck until the boarding party is disbanded, killed, or boards another ship. Crew in a boarding party cannot perform other tasks because they are encumbered with hand weapons. (Climb to the top Gallants with a musket, shot, powder, a knife and a saber- then take in sail?) Roughly speaking, an armed sailor is equal to a Marine, or about twice as effective in hand to hand combat as an un equipped sailor.
Close range shots from a position at the front or rear of an enemy ship will be 'Raking" shots, and will incur significantly more damage. The extra damage is the result of the shot traveling down the length of the ship, not across the middle, affording much more opportunity to inflict damage.
Double Ball Shot sacrifices range in exchange for grater damage. At extremely close range 1 - 2 or maybe even 3 spaces away, double ball shot will inflict dramatically greater damage than standard single ball shot. However, at medium or longer range, Double Ball Shot will fall short and do little or no damage.
F) Scenario Conclusion Win/Lose
When you have captured or sunk the enemy ship, you have won the battle,
but you may still need to claim the Victory Marker in order to advance
to the victory screen, or next battle.
Click on the Mission Button to view your score.
Several factors determine the score, and different scenarios have different thresholds for victory and defeat. In this Scenario, you will need to sink or capture the enemy vessel, and also control both victory markers, for a total score of 250 or more. Elimination of all enemy ships automatically counts as a total victory, but it is also possible to win before all goals are accomplished. It is also possible to withdraw from a battle that is going poorly, but if the Computer's score gets too great, you will loose.
Exit Options
Total Victory
All struck ships will count as captured, and you are the unquestioned master of the battlefield.
Assured Victory
There is no doubt that you can win and achieve your goals. This option is available earlier then the Total Victory Exit Option, allowing you to go ahead and quit a battle that you have won - without the requirement of tedious moping up. However, enemy vessels that have struck, but are not captured will escape.
Withdraw
When things are not going well, and do not look to be improving - you can take this option to cut your losses. Withdrawing counts as a defeat, and you loose all your struck ships.
Defeat
When the computer's side has a sufficient score for victory, you are defeated.
