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Steel Talons - Atari - Atari Lynx     HTML Manual   

Lynx Steel Talons

Warning lights flash on the control panel of your high-tech AT1196 Steel Talon 
combat helicopter. You know what that means! Your on-board sensors detect 
incoming missiles. You lower the helicopter to just a few feet of the ground to 
avoid desaster. Youe eyes grow wide as you see an enemy tank appear suddenly, 
right in front of you, guns blazing. You press the trigger and pound the tank 
with a volley of rounds from your machine guns. BOOM! That's one less tank to 
worry about. As you rise to avoid the flying debris, a missile flies within 
inches of your tail rotor. That was a close one! 

Getting Started
1. Insert the game card into your Lynx Machine. 
2. Press ON. The title screen appears. 
3. Press A or B. The Title, Credits, and High Scores screens cycle. 
4. Press A or B again. The Mission 1 screen appears. Press up or down on the 
joypad to see the missions you can fly. When you start the game, the only 
available missions are Training, Mission 1 and Mission 2. As you gain 
experience, more missions will become available. 
5. To start the selected mission, press A or B. 

Pre-Flight Briefing
You may have flown before, Captain, but you've never flown anything like the 
AT1196 Stell Talons combat helicopter. Listen to me and listen carefully while I 
tell you how to fly that baby. Remember everything I say. You mess up and we 
lose this battle. That could mean the whole war. The AT1196 is a 
state-of-the-art machine designed for only one thing: finding and destroying the 
enemy. I'm going to explain the controls one time and one time only. Get it 
right or you'll never make it back alive. 
Views
There are two different views available. You can follow the computer and look at 
your helicopter from behind and slightly above. This view provides a clear 
picture of your ship and targets. You can also use the cockpit view. This view 
lets you look straight out the cockpit window. Press B and Option 1 together to 
change the view. 
In either view, you have some gauges to help you. Top center is your compass. On 
the right side is your altimeter, with the total score below it. Along the left 
side is your speed indicator (for forward and backward speeds), and below that 
is the elapsed time for your current mission and the mission's number. 

Map/Target Computer
The AT1196 has a sophisticated on-board computer. Press the Option 1 button on 
your control panel to call up the computer screen. The Map/Target computer will 
display a map of your entire target area. Every enemy target in the area will be 
shown. If your target sights are locked on to a target, first a detailed picture 
of the target will show up on the screen. Your AT1196 appears as a small V. The 
point of the shows the direction you are headed. 
But the Map/target computer shows more than the map or target. It also provides 
information that is crucial for your success. Look at hese data areas, Captain. 
You'd better memorize what they mean. 
  Radar: Shows the location of nearby targets relative to your craft. The point 
  of the V represents your helicopter. Anything within the V is within sight and 
  range. 
  Lives remaining: The AT1196is a strong craft. It can be shot down four times 
  before it is destroyed. If the Steel Talons craft is destroyed, so are you, so 
  be careful. 
  Enemy count: The computer shows how many targets are left before the target 
  area is clean. To complete the mission you must destroy all enemy targets. 
  Time: Clearing the target area is good, but not enough. If you take too long, 
  there will not be enough time to complete all the missions you must fly. The 
  amount of time varies from one mission to the next. 
  Missile count: Your machine is equipped with eight guided missiles. Use them 
  only when things are critical. 
  Rocket count: You have 38 rockets at your disposal. Learn to use them. They 
  will keep you alive. 
  Ammo count: Your (guided) machine gun is loaded with 1200 rounds. This is no 
  ordinary machine gun. A couple well-aimed shots at close-to-medium range can 
  take out a highly armored vehicle. 

Weapons
Now that you understand the on-board computer system, it's time to get down to 
the real business of war. A crosshair target sight will guide you to your 
target. If you are too far right or left of a target, an on-screen display will 
tell you which way to go. 
  Machine Guns: Press A to fire your machine guns. The rounds will go in the 
  direction of your target sight. Pound the target and BOOM! No more target. 
  Rockets: Press B and Option 2 together to fire a rocket burst. Rockets are not 
  guided, but if they hit a target, it will be gone without a trace. (Hint: 
  Aiming is easier in cockpit view) 
  Guided Missile: Press Option 2 when the sights lock on a target to fire a 
  guided missile. The missiles are great for long-range targets, but you have 
  only eight so use them wisely. 
If there are multiple targets, the target indicator will lock onto the closest 
one. When the indicator is white, you can only use your rockets or missiles. 
When it turns red, the target is in machine-gun range. 

Flying
I'll make this quick. You must learn to keep the AT1196 Steel Talons in the air. 
The ground is just as deadly as the enemy tanks. Land only if you have no 
choice. And whatever you do, don't crash into a mountain! We lose you, we lose 
everything. 
First you have to get off the ground. Press up on the joypad while holding down 
the B button to increase your altitude. Watch the altitude gauge on the right of 
the screen. 
To descent, hold down the B button while pressing down on the joypad. Again, 
watch the altitude gauge. If you hit the ground, you will crash. 
Press up on the joypad to increase your forward speed. Remember, speed is 
important. You must clear the target area as quickly as possible if we are to 
succeed. Press down to decrease speed. This is especially important when 
approaching a mountain or an enemy. 
To steer, press right or left. You will go in the direction you press. Some of 
the missions you must fly require quick turns, so be sure you know how to steer 
well. 
You cal also rotate your helicopter by holding down B while pressing right or 
left on the joypad. This is an important move when you are flying over multiple 
targets. 
If necessary, you can land. Pick your spot, slow to zero, then descend slowly 
until you touch down. Yu can do this (carefully!) on any piece of flat land, but 
the best bet is to look for the helipad. 
Well, that's all I can tell you. The rest is up to you. Go out there and win us 
a war! 

Strategy
Use the machine guns whenever possible. Only use missiles on very dangerous, 
long range targets. You only have eight, and you will need them. Rockets are 
more plentiful than missiles, but you will run out more quickly than you think. 
The target sight may lock on a target that is behind a hill. If you fire at 
hidden targets, you may put a dent in a mountain, but you will not do any damage 
to the enemy. That's a real good way to waste a missile. 
Use the map as often as possible. You cannot afford to waste time searching for 
targets. When you look at the map, notice the mountains, rivers and roads. Use 
them to navigate toward your target. If you fly over the edge of the map, you 
will wrap to the other side. 
Watch out for the enemy radar message at the bottom of the screen. When this 
message appears, they'll start throwing everything they've got at you. 
Dont't waste time flying slowly. You have to move if you want to win this war! 
Listen carefully to the instructions I will give you at the start of each 
mission. I will tell you what you must do to succeed.