Star Raiders/Combat and Targeting

Photon Torpedoes
A photon torpedo is a burst of concentrated energy that can completely destroy an enemy spaceship, meteor, or another photon torpedo. As long as you have energy, you never run out of torpedoes, but each time you fire, 10 units of energy are used up. if you hit another photon torpedo head on, 100 unites of energy are used up (see the refueling section for more information on energy drain). Obviously then, you should make each photon torpedo count and not fire randomly.

Your starship is equipped with two torpedo launchers, on the port and starboard sides. You can only fire one torpedo at a time, except when the Attack Computer locks your torpedoes onto a target; then the fire button launches both photon torpedoes simultaneously.

Lock-on occurs when the target marker is centered in the Attack computer Display and the horizontal (Θ) and vertical (Φ) coordinates in the Control Panel Display read +00. In the image to the right, the lines labeled "A" show that the computer is locked on in the horizontal coordinate; those labeled "B" show that the computer is locked on in the vertical coordinate. When the marks designated "C" appear, the computer is locked on in both coordinates and the target is within range. This is the best time to fire; you have a 90% kill probability at this time.

Note: Of course you can hit the enemy without locking on your torpedoes, but you use up more energy.

When you hit a target (enemy ship, space object, or photon torpedo) it explodes into shiny particles. If your target is a Zylon fighter or cruiser, your hit destroys it and the computer credits you with a kill. If it's a Zylon basestar, a hit does not always destroy it. Basestars are protected by shields and can only be destroyed by a direct hit.

When an enemy ship hits your starship (with shields on), the screen flashes red and blue. If your ship is damaged, DAMAGE CONTROL sounds a warning and flashes a message on your screen telling you what equipment has been damaged or destroyed (see the damage section for more information on starship damage.)

After you have wiped out all Zylon spacecraft in a sector, the target marker in the Attack Computer Display disappears. Return to the Galactic Chart and select another sector.

Control Panel Display
The Control Panel Display appears at the bottom of the screen in the Fore, Aft, and Long-Range Views. The display is interpreted as follows:

Note: Angles are measured in gradons (0 - 99 gradons). Distance is measured in metrons; 100 metrons = 1 centron.

Long-Range Sector Scan
(Note: This option not present in the Atari 2600 version) When there's a target marker in the Attack Computer Display but you can't seem to find the target, use the Long-Range Sector Scan. Press the Scan key. The Long-Range Sector Scan shows you a top view of the sector your starship is in. In this display, your ship is in the center and all objects in the sector rotate around it. To use the sector scan:
 * 1) Select a target.
 * 2) Move the control stick to the left until the target is directly in front of you.
 * 3) Move the control stick forward or back, depending on the position of the target, until the target is as far above your starship as possible.
 * 4) Select a moderate Speed key (3, 4, or 5) and use your engines to approach the target.  On the 5200, remember to enter Speed Mode (#) first.
 * 5) Minor course corrections may be needed as you approach the target.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 if reuiqred.
 * 6) When the target is very close to your starship, press 0 to stop the engines.
 * 7) The target should now be visible in Fore View.  On the 800, press F.  On the 5200, press the Control Mode key (#), then the Fore View key (1).

Manual Target Selector
When more than one Zylon ship is attacking, the Attack Computer decides which target to track and display. The computer selects a target at random unless you are in a space duel, in which case it selects the target that is shooting at you.

If you wish to select a different target, press the Manual key to override the computer and call up the Manual Target Selector. Normally only two Zylons attack at the same time. The Control Panel shows them as T:0 and T:1, target 0 and target 1. If T:0 is displayed, pressing the Manual key automatically selects T:1 and vice versa.

To return to automatic target selection, press the Manual key again.

Tracking Computer
The Tracking Computer automatically tracks the selected target as it moves from the fore to the aft of your starship. The screen switches between Fore and Aft views as the Tracking Computer tracks the target. Press the Tracking key to turn on the Tracking Computer. "COMPUTER TRACKING ON" appears momentarily at the top of the screen and the Aft View is displayed. To turn off the Tracking Computer, press the Tracking key again. "TRACKING OFF" will be displayed at the top of the screen. Note that if you switch off the Tracking Computer in the Aft View, you must press the Fore View key to restore the forward view of space.

Warning! This mode should be used by experienced space pilots only. It is possible to get caught in the cross-fire of two enemy ships, one in front and the other behind your starship. As they alternately fire at you, the computer will constantly switch between Fore and Aft views, so fast that only experienced Star Raiders are able to survive.

Subspace Radio
The Subspace Radio is used to update the Galactic Chart and relay the messages "STARBASE SURROUNDED" and "STARBASE DESTROYED". It also generates the "TARGETS" display below the Galactic Chart. If the Subspace Radio is damaged, the Galactic Chart will not be updated. If destroyed, no radio communication functions are performed.

If the Subspace Radio is damaged, moving the cursor around the Galactic Chart will still indicate the number of enemy targets in each sector on the "TARGETS" indicator at the bottom of the screen.