Zeewolf PASSWORDS: 01: START 05: IMAGO 09: TIBURON 13: ARGUS 17: MARTEN 21: SOCKIN 25: GANNPAU You will have to complete all of the last eight mission together. After mission 32 you will receive the password 'FRAMPAGE'. This enables you to run through the various missions again, only this time you will be controlling a kestrel jet. PLAYING TIPS: There's only one real way to become an expert at zeewolf and that's to become proficient at the mouse control. Although the joystick method is perfectly fine for beginners, once the missions start getting real tough (from Mission 12 onwards) the joystick doesn't react quickly enough to get you out of trouble. The mouse control is actually not that difficult, just remember to use very small movements. Don't imagine you're sat in the cockpit of the helicopter when you're sort of controlling it by remote control (which you are after all). Don't bother messing about with the throttle (right button) when you first start, just spend some time getting used to how the Zeewolf reacts when you move the mouse. Remember that the Zeewolf is designed to react a bit like a helicopter - just because you've moved the mouse don't expect an immediate change of direction, there's inertia to deal with, which means the helicopter is going to take a couple of seconds to switch to the new heading. It may all sound complicated and the first time you try the mouse you'll find it difficult, but start on Mission 1 and just try flying around the landscape for half an hour and you'll be surprised just how satisfying it becomes. Even when you are proficient with the mouse you'll find that landing without a bump can be difficult, so try this little tip: when you're ready to land, drop you're landing gear and then press [Ctrl] to switch to joystick control - the autopilot now kicks in and you'll land perfectly every time. When you're ready to take off again, simply raise your landing gear and when you're clear of the ground [Ctrl] again to return to mouse control. Vultures (enemy attack helicopters) take two AAMs to down, whereas all the other enemy aircraft take one Mantis (Anti Aircraft Artillery) also take two AAMs to destroy, and Cobras only take one. Use your full range. The enemy installations have the same range as your weapons. As soon as an enemy appears in your gun camera you're in range, so don't take on multiple enemies if you can avoid it. Pick away at heavily-defended areas by attacking the outer defences first. Watch out when you're refuelling and rearming from land-based Camels. On several missions enemy units (usually Hippos and Rhinos) are nearby ready to ambush you once you've landed. Don't get cocky when you've got men on board the Zeewolf. Get them off-loaded as soon as possible so they don't die if you get shot down. To earn extra points rescue extra men - if the mission tells you to rescue 5 out of 7 men then do the rescue before finishing the other objectives and collect all 7 men. Also, before you finish the last objective in a mission make sure you've got as much ammo on board the Zeewolf as possible, because unused ammo gives you more points at the end of the mission - and extra points bring you closer to that extra life! Enemy frigates are armed with turrets that either fire homing missiles or shells - both of which are deadly if the turret gets a bead on you. The turrets, however, have a limited amount of traverse, so always attack them from behind because the turret can't turn round. There's an extra life to be found on Mission 26 - Brass Rubbing. In one of the domes you'll find a replica Zeewolf; pick it up on the winch and carry it back to the carrier to receive an extra life. Make sure you read the briefings properly. Often you'll find that rescue details haven't been included on the tactics screen, and it can be infuriating to fly around a landscape waiting for the mission to end because you've forgotten how many men you're supposed to rescue. In order to mate a lone king with two bishops it is not only necessary to drive the opponant's king to the edge of the board, but also into one of the corners! Sometimes the briefings will indicate that you have to do a particular job (maybe a rescue, or destroy a particular enemy) at one of several sites. Once you start the mission you'll find that all the mystery disappears because the exact location is marked on the tactics screen. Be careful when shooting open bunkers and barracks. Once the doors are blown open, stop firing. There is the risk that you can destroy the building if you keep firing before the little man has chance to get out. Obviously, if you've rescued enough men for that particular mission and are feeling mean, then go ahead, kill as many of 'em as you want! To destroy domes, switch to rockets and approach the dome from a direction that means there's a dead enemy on the other side. Fly low enough and the rockets will zoom towards the dead enemy - hitting the dome. Remember that you lose weapons when you die, so if it looks like you're going to lose a life on a mission, don't overload the Zeewolf with weapons you may not get the chance to use. This is particularly important because you can find yourself on a mission with no weapons left and therefore no way to complete the mission. Take care of payloads. If you're carrying a payload don't go bashing it about. All payloads can be destroyed if you bounce 'em on the ground too much, and if you lose one it can be difficult to complete a mission (Mission 8 - Where The Buffalo Roams for example). Specific Tips ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mission 22 - Berserker: The teasing thing about this mission is that you've got two Buffalos to use (they're on the carrier at the start of the mission. Now, by this time you'll know how useful Buffalos are and how to use them (keep within a certain range and they'll potter about shooting at whatever enemies are nearest to them). But, as you soon discover, all the enemies on this level seem to target the Buffalos immediately and their life expectancy is real low. There is however, a very easy way to complete this mission. The mission objective is to destroy the three bases on the landscape. The first base has a dome (directly south of the carrier and your start point) containing another Buffalo and this is the key to solving the mission. Use your other two Buffalos as best you can to take out anything around the first dome and blow the dome open. The Buffalo inside has a peculiar characteristic in that because it starts in a dome the enemy don't target it. In effect they don't even know it's there, so once it's released it can happily trundle around the landscape taking out anything it comes across without the enemy shooting at it. Like all Buffalos, though, it has a limited operations range, which means if you wander too far away from it, it goes dormant. Also, like other Buffalos, it has a tendency to get itself stuck on wreckage so you'll need to airlift it around the landscape from time to time in order for it to do its job properly. Mission 24 - Hippodome: Remember, the clue is in the name of the level. If you've already got this far you'll have already noticed that the Zeewolf starts with a mere 50 cannon rounds and that's it. There doesn't appear to be anywhere to rearm because there are no obvious Camels on the level. Now, the smart ones among you will have realised that you start right next to a dome, a blue dome. If you shoot open the dome you'll discover a Camel, but you'll also notice there's a Hippo right next to the dome and if you try to land to use the Camel the Hippo will waste you. But if you take out the Hippo you've got no ammo to open the dome. So use the Hippo to take out the dome. Position yourself to the south of the dome, making sure you're close enough for the Hippo to remain in your gun camera (so you know you're in range) and encourage it to shoot at you. With good judgement and control you should be able to duck behind the dome when the Hippo fires and the shots will eventually destroy the dome (you might take a couple of hits and some damage from bouncing off the dome, but don't worry about it too much). Once the dome is destroyed, use your ammo to kill the Hippo and then dock with the Camel - which you'll discover contains loads of ammo. Mission 28 - Bugout: There's a really frustrating area on this landscape and that's the base at the top-right. Basically you've got a Watchdog, a couple of Cobras and a building with friendly men in it. You'll soon discover that AAMs are useless on the Watchdog because it's too close to the building and you'll take out the friendy men in the building if you try to use them (and because all the men on the level need rescuing this makes the mission impossible to complete). You'll also find rockets far too imprecise to be useful. There's no set way of completing this mission. The best way to do it is to tackle this base straight away. Decide where you're going to approach the base from and then pick away at the outer defences, taking great care not to shoot into the middle of the base. Once you've taken out as much as you can you're going to have to summon up some courage and head straight into the middle of the base. The idea behind this is that the closer you are to a target the easier it is to see what exactly you're aiming at. Obviously you're going to take some hits and probably lose at least one life, but it can be done without killing the friendlies (eventually).