Introduction

Welcome to the Airborne Ground Attack Vehicle, the latest and most
revolutionary of the new range of two-seater fighter craft designed and
manufactured by Draziw Industries, Novenias leading armaments company
for the past eight hundred years.

This manual is divided into chapters detailing most of the features of the
AGAV. However, because of the unique flexibility of the craft's design,
notably the ability to upgrade and modify the weaponry, control systems,
and fuel-feeders without needing to rebuild the craft from scratch, you
may need to refer to a number of addendum manuals, detailing particular
upgrades. These are available from Section 1.9.e of the Novenian Alliance
State Archive at Erkalon, or direct from your airbase Flight Commander.

You are reminded that this document is classified at Level 4.2, and is
therefore printed on anti-Holostat paper. Any attempt to duplicate this
manual will result in auto-decomposure of the complete document, and the
simultaneous release of Kryplex gas, which will paralyse the nervous
system of ail known carbon based life-forms in the western spiral arm of
the galaxy.

				Yrag Draziw,

				Chief Designer, Project AGAV.
				Stardate 3429.6.81.

Entering the AGAV
To enter the AGAV craft, follow the standard procedure:-

1. if the AGAV plasma drive is in operation, press the switch marked OPEN
CANOPY, situated below the canopy rim (there is a switch on both sides of
the vehicle). If the drive is inactive, release the safety catch and slide
back the blister canopy manually, using the handles on the rim.

2. Climb onto the wing and stand as far forward as possible, close to the
auxiliary oxygen port.

3. Place both hands either side of the rim of the canopy, and lift your legs
over the rim into the cockpit.

4. Lower yourself into the pilots seat.

5. Adjust the seat until comfortable, using the posture control switches
situated under the seat.

6. Fasten the safety harness.

7. Close the canopy by pressing the small green button to your immediate
left (marked CLOSE CANOPY). If emergency power restrictions are in
force, slide the blister canopy forward, using the handles situated just
behind the pilot's seat.

The co-pilot or instructor should follow steps 2 to 7, standing slightly
further back on the wing.

The AGAV Instrument Panel
Your AGAV has one of the most comprehensive computer control systems
ever developed for a fighter craft. This means that the pilot only has to
concentrate on the vital aspects of flying, such as navigation, combat, and
docking at repair stations for fuel and extra weaponry.

The Instrument Panel consists of the following major instruments:-

A - LOCAL AREA SCANNER
This hexagonal screen displays the position of all objects within the
AGAV's range. The scanner can detect density and movement extremely
accurately, to the extent of sensing the colours of each building, vehicle or
aircraft.

B - ENERGY LEVEL
This instrument shows a constant indication of how much energy the AGAV
has stored for its Plasma Drive Unit. It is advisable to always keep the
energy level above 15%.

C - SHIELD STATUS
The Molecular Neutralising Force-Shields should NEVER be allowed to drop
below 10%, under any circumstances. Shields are replenished when the
craft is repaired at a maintenance silo. The shields are at their weakest
around the undercarriage, therefore it is important that you never allow
the AGAV to scrape along the ground during flight.

D-LASER CELL STATUS
All four Sapphire H laser units are fed from the laser cell. If it drains
completely, your craft will be unable to fire laser bolts. The laser cell
can be refuelled at any Novenian airbase or maintenance silo equipped with
a PosiLok recharger.

E-ALTITUDE METER
The altitude meter shows your current height. If it gets below a safe level
(usually 5%), the meter will flash rapidly and emit a sonic warning. You
are reminded that it is an offence to fly low in a suburban area except in
times of military emergency, unless you have clearance from your Area
Commander.

F - VELOCITY INDICATOR
The velocity indicator displays the current air speed, up to 2550 urads.

G & H - BANK LEVEL INDICATORS
These twin indicators (one indicator is affixed to each wing-tip) display
the ieve! at which the AGAV is banking. The AGAV can bank to 45 degrees
unladen, although cameras or missiles will alter the maximum banking
angle. Both indicators should always display the same bank factor, unless
one of the wings is severely damaged.

I & J - PLASMA DRIVE STATUS DISPLAY
These waveform display units indicate various internal values of the
Plasma Drive. As an AGAV pilot, you need not worry about these unless
they stop completely, or start moving in a reverse direction during flight.

K - SECTOR DISPLAY
The Novenian landscape is divided into 10,000 sectors, on a 100 x 100
matrix. The sector indicator will show the current X and Y position
ranging in value between 00 and 99.

L. MISSILE INDICATOR
The missile indicator shows the number of missiles currently on board.
The maximum number of missiles allowed at any one time is two.

M - HEADING DISPLAY
This instrument displays the heading of the AGAV in relation to the Irralya
Star (discovered by Carrido Otnip in 2601.55.2) in accordance to the north,
south, east, west convention.

Flying the AGAV
Please note that because there are a number of different AGAV models
using a variety of pilot control mechanisms, you should refer to the
specific flight control card which accompanies this manual.

Taking Off
Once all safety checks have been completed, you may take off using the
following procedure:

1. Pull back on the control shoe to increase altitude.

2. Increase thrust and accelerate forwards.

The AGAV has a top speed of 2550 urads. enabling it to outrun any sub
light-speed Alliance craft, as well as all Egron and Aruloid military craft
currently in service. It is quite safe to fly at full speed, as the computer
will monitor the plasma drive at all times, and modify the neutron
stabiliser automatically to ensure the plasma converter is always
operating within its safe range.

Flight Manoeuvres
If you have not had full training in one of Draziw Industries comprehensive
flight simulators, you should familiarise yourself with the more frequent
manoeuvres required by an AGAV pilot. One of the most important
manoeuvres when attacking land vehicles and escaping reprisal from a
nearby enemy is accelerating, banking and gaining altitude in one smooth
operation. Likewise, when at high altitudes, it is essential that you are
able to decelerate, change direction downwards, and accelerate towards an
attacking enemy target as quickly as possible.

When flying at low speeds, the bank factor of the AGAV is so acute that
you will be able to turn by 180 degrees with extreme ease. Even at
maximum thrust, the turning circle of the craft is very tight. The quickest
way to turn by 180 degrees is to decelerate to standstill, bank left or
right to the AGAV's maximum bank factor, and accelerate quickly away.

Landing the AGAV
The AGAV is fitted with all-terrain landing pads, enabling you to land on
any surface, including molten lava, acid rock, and the vast Erialc fungi
reefs.

To land on a surface, bring the craft to level flight, and decelerate until
the computer cuts in and holds you in hover mode at zero velocity. Push
forward on your control shoe slowly until you touch down. If you are
landing on molten lava, do not be alarmed by the loud hissing sound of the
landing pads cooling the surrounding lava streams.

WARNING: During flight testing of the AGAV prototypes in the vast
Tranalua desert, it was found that flying at extremely low altitude over an
inductive energy powerline resulted in the absorption of small amounts of
plasma energy. At the time, this seemed unimportant, but as the mk.1
AGAVs were brought into service in urban areas, where high capacity
powerlines were more commonplace, the full size of the problem was
realised. Daredevil rookie pilots, trying to prove their aerobatic prowess,
decided that flying just above the ground at high speed between the twin
towers at the beginning of a powerline and following the path until
swerving to avoid the apex tower was a great test of skill. This resulted
in large amounts of volatile energy being absorbed by the AGAV's energy
storage pod, and subsequently overloading the neutron stabiliser and
inflicting fatal damage to the plasma drive. Attempts to refuel in this
way will result in severe action being taken by both the Novenian airforce,
and the Plasma Energy Corporation against ail guilty parties.

Weaponry Systems
The AGAV's main weapon is the Sapphire II quadpulse laser system. The
laser is powered from a dedicated laser energy cell situated in the
nose-cone of the craft, directly behind the PosiLok refuelling nozzle.

Two laser cannons are situated under each wing of the AGAV, and each
group of lasers fire simultaneously.

The AGAV has two laser sight operation modes: fixed sights ensures that
the sight is always in the centre of the screen, requiring the AGAV to be
directly in line with its target; whereas floating sights allows the sights
to move freely about the screen in the direction of the control shoe
movement.

The laser fire button has a rapid auto-repeat mechanism, enabling a target
to be hit many times at great speed. The Sapphire If has an armour
piercing factor of 0.45 - powerful enough to destroy a vehicle with similar
armour to an Alliance tank with only six direct hits. The laser cell has a
capacity for around 250 full-power laser pulses and can be recharged by a
PosiLok station at any Alliance airbase, maintenance depot or silo.

Some AGAV's (mainly carried on Interstellar Exploration Fleet Dredgers)
are fitted with short-range mk. 12 and mk.14 proton missiles. Please
refer to the State Archive ref. "Supplimentary Weapons 94/2" for specific
operation details.

As a desperate measure, and provided your shields are sufficiently intact,
it is possible to intercept enemy craft and ram them if no other option is
available. For this to be successful, the enemy should have little or no
shield or force wall of its own.

The AGAV is fitted with a revolutionary new system: The VidiMon
remote-controlled television guided camera.

Using a high-definition video camera, the AGAV pilot is able to transmit
pictures directly back to Military Headquarters at Qazalon City. An
automatic sliding visual display has been incorporated into the craft
which monitors the flight of the camera.

The camera's flight is started by pressing the LAUNCH button on your
keyboard console.

Once the camera has been launched, you can guide it using the normal AGAV
flight controls (the AGAV itself will simply hover in its current position
under computer control). The plasma drive should be able to transport the
camera for at least twenty minutes. If the camera is not returned to the
proximity of the AGAV within that time, or if it is intercepted by the
enemy, it will self-destruct.

Docking and Maintenance Procedure
Routine maintenance checks are made on all Alliance craft, before and
after every flight. The AGAV has a major overhaul after every five flights,
or if any mechanical or computer related faults are discovered.

During a flight, if you need to refuel the plasma drive, laser ceil. or
replenish the shields you should establish a datalink with the nearest
airbase and follow standard docking procedure. During a state of military
emergency, or if the AGAV has been damaged and is in need if immediate
attention, you may dock at an Alliance space station repair silo.

The Alliance silos are vast underground chambers with a sloping entrance
building at ground level. The entrance hatch to the silo is marked by a
laser strobe which is easily detectable by the AGAV's Enhanced Vision
System. The silos are used to build and maintain all Alliance space
stations and large military air vehicles, but also have facilities available
for the AGAV. Not all space stations maintain geostationary orbit, so as
they approach the entrance, the silo will rotate to face the space station
using the NavSynch system, and then pull it in using its tractor beams.

The current docking procedure is as follows:

1. Establish a datalink with the Chief Engineer at the silo, and wait until
clearance is given. The silo will rotate to face you, and then stop, unless
you adjust your flight path. Manual flight into the silo is necessary, since
the AGAV is too small to be automatically pulled in using the tractor
beams.

2. Slowly guide the AGAV through the doors to the silo. Keep the AGAV
central at all times, as hitting the door or a wall could result in major
structural damage being inflicted upon your craft.

3. Once inside the silo, your Enhanced Vision System should alter your
display so that only relevent sections of the silo are visible.

4. If you need to collect any new equipment, such as a replacement
television guidance camera, or armaments for special projects (such as
sonic bombs, or Mk. 14 proton missiles), instruct the Chief Engineer to
deposit the equipment at an AGAV collection point, which is usually
situated near the centre of the silo.

5. When the equipment is ready, fly towards the collection point, where an
AGRO unit will lock it into place on the AGAV's fuselage.

6. To refuel your laser cell, fly towards the end of the silo, and slow down
to an almost stationary speed.

7. Align centrally with the PosiLok Refuelling Point, and fly forward until
you lock into position. When your laser cell has been refuelled, the force
shields will be replenished, and any superficial damage will be repaired by
the AGRO androids.

While the AGAV is being prepared, you will be able to obtain food, liquid
input, medical treatment, or a place to sleep in the recreation sector of
the silo.

The Alliance Information Computers are installed at strategic places in
the silo, and provided you have security clearance, you can call up any
military or local information that is available to the Alliance using the
Interrogate Silo Computer option.

When the AGAV has been prepared, you will be escorted to the launch pad.
To launch from the silo, wait until an AGRO unit has started up the plasma
drive. When the drive reaches full power, press the button on the console
marked LAUNCH FROM SILO.

Once you have launched from the silo, accelerate slowly forward, but do
not try to increase altitude until your are clear of the silo.
AGAV Specifications

The main features of the AGAV are as follows:-
Plasma Drive

The retro-thrust plasma power units are a development of the Mk. 6
neutron fusiondrives which were used to great effect in the single-seater
GS20 fighter class craft. They have been substantially redesigned to
incorporate a neutron-stabiliser circuit, which has almost completely
eliminated the spontaneous explosions occasionally experienced by
unfortunate GS20 pilots who flew above plasma storms in the ionosphere,
against the advice of their Atmostat data reports.

Molecular Neutralising Force Shield
These are the latest concept in shield technology and have been developed
at great cost by the Irata University Molecule Research Unit.
The shields work by fusing all unstable molecular structures into an
integral part of the shield shell, therefore minimising the destructive
force of any solid matter coming into contact with the force shield. The
second advance in the shield design is in dealing with laser bolts, by
converting laser energy into sound waves. This is a great improvement
over the energy-thirsty fission based shields used on all previous Alliance
units.

Laser Cannons
The AGAV class craft retain the tried and tested Sapphire II laser system,
which has been fitted with a new longer-lasting laser energy cell, using
the new PosiLok cell refuelling system now installed at all airbases and
outlying service depots. The original duo-pulse unit has been modified to a
quadpulse system for the first time to take advantage of these
developments.

Communication Systems
The standard issue military two-way radio system has been fitted to the
AGAV. A sub-etha data link, using the new NetCell cellular communication
system developed by Novenia Telecom has been added for remote tracking,
and other computer controlled operations.

Computer System
The AGAV is the first craft to have a ship's computer specifically designed
for a single craft. Draziw Industries have worked in conjunction with
Imperial Business Machines, to produce the P-CAT (Protointelligence -
Communication and TransProcessor). The P-CAT is the pilots main
interface with the AGAV, and informs the pilot of the ships status at all
times using its inbuilt SynthaVoice circuitry, message projection, and the
ergonomically designed control panel instrument displays.

Because the AGAV has been designed as a low-flying attack and
reconnaissance craft for use in unchartered landscapes, there is no
computer controlled navigation system. The advantage of this decision is
that in the event of the enemy gaining control of an airbase, they would be
unable to control an AGAV remotely, or follow its exact flightpath.

•The P-CAT development team have been assigned to develop the computer
control systems for the newly-announced Sentinal Defence Initiative
(referred to as the "Sky Wars" program by the media), and will therefore
be unable to produce updated versions of the P-CAT system in the future.

Television Guidance Systems
One of the most important developments in the AGAV program has been the
VidiMon system.

VidiMon is a remote-controlled television reconnaissance system,
consisting of a high-definition video camera mounted on a miniature
Plasma drive unit, a result of 15 years research at the Hibbard Technology
Centre.

The AGAV pilot can launch the camera on a surveillance flight, lasting up
to 20 minutes. A special control display has been incorporated into the
AGAV which is automatically activated when the camera is launched.

*N.B. Although early tests using the camera mounted on a short range
proton missile were unsuccessful, the option is still available for the
camera to be mounted on a lightweight remote guided weapon of some kind.

Computer Enhanced Vision System
Probably the most spectacular feature of the AGAV is the enhanced vision
system.

The greatest problem encountered by most attack craft in the past has
been searching out tanks and armoured vehicles in built-up areas, in order
to destroy them. Tanks can easily hide behind buildings or under bridges,
and take pot-shots at fighter craft.

The blister canopy of the AGAV is actually part of a complex display
system. Rather than looking at the outside world with standard infra-red
goggles, the canopy actually intensifies the normal levels of background
gamma and x-ray radiation, and enhances the edges of all solid matter to
give a stunning translucent display of anything within its visual range,
even if objects are behind solid buildings.

The inclusion of the enhanced vision system makes the AGAV the most
potent seek-and-destroy craft ever developed for the Alliance.

Pilot Control Mechanisms
The AGAV is unique amongst modern fighter craft in its control
mechanisms. The pilot (and co-pilot) manoeuvre the vehicle using the
'control shoe' situated to the right of the central computer console.

There is a secondary control system, used by the co-pilot or flight
instructor, consisting of a keyboard module, with a smaller control shoe.

In the event of a control-shoe failure, the AGAV may be completely
controlled from the keyboard module.


STARGLIDER                

SPECTRUM OPTIONS
The following options are available from the control screen before each game.

1 Control                  		Keyboard / Sinclair / Kempston

2 Define Keys

3 Cursor Type              	Moving / Fixed

4 Speed Control            	Keyboard / One Hand Mode

5 Sound                    		All / None / Effects / Speech

6 See Top Scores

7 Centering                	Both / None / Y Axis / X Axis

<ENTER> to Start Game

Control
This option defines whether the keyboard, or joysticks are used to control the
AGAV. Both Sinclair (Plus 2/Interface 2) and Kempston standards are supported.

Define Keys
This option allows you to redefine all keys used in the game to your own settings.

Cursor Type
The AGAV craft cross-hair sights can be either fixed in the centre of the screen, or
floating (they move in relation to the movement of the AGAV itself).

Speed Control
This option allows AGAV pilots to choose between Normal and One Hand control.
In Normal mode, you use the joystick for left/right/up/down/fire, and two keys for
accelerate/decelerate (or the keyboard for all functions). In One Hand Mode, you
can use the joystick (or the up/down/left/right keys) as usual, but when fire is
pressed followed by up or down, the AGAV will accelerate or decelerate.

Sound
This option turns the sound on/off in the 48K version. In the 128K game, you can
select whether to have sound and speech, just sound, just speech, or no sound at all.

See Top Scores
This option allows you to view the high-score table.

Centering
This option allows you to define the way in which the cross-hair sight auto-centres.
If both is selected, the sight will move towards the middle of the screen. If Y Axis
or X Axis are selected, the sight will only be centred along that axis.
