Using the Game and File Menus
After loading People's Tactics, you'll find yourself starting at a mostly blank screen with a toolbar at the top. From that toolbar, a variety of options can be selected.
Load - This command will open the file browser in which you may select the scenario or save file you wish to open. By default, these files are located in the scenario folder. If you already have a scenario loaded, you will have to exit that before you may load a new one. To begin playing a scenario that you have loaded, select the 'start' command from the menu.
Save - Selecting this command will save the current state of the scenario. If you were in the middle of the game, this will save your progress, if you were in edit mode, it will save the state as a new scenario.
Start - This option is only available when a scenario is loaded. Selecting start will bring you to the Start Game Window (more about this below) in which you'll be able to configure a number of options and begin playing People's Tactics.
Random Game - This option will bring up a window that will allow you to configure a game on a random map.
Surrender - This command surrenders your regime. When playing against humans (as in a PBEM game), it is much more polite to surrender first rather than to just stop playing. If it is a PBEM game you are playing, you should email the save file after surrendering.
Exit Game - This option is only available once you have started playing a scenario, selecting it will clear all memory and take you back to editing mode. This is the de facto "quit" command.
Start Game Window
Here you can configure a new game. You can set the following options:
Play By Email - Enables you to save the game before starting your opponent’s turn. You will have to manually email the file, however.
Use Passwords – You must select a password before you first turn. On every one of your following turns, you won’t be allowed to play without once again entering it.
Fog of War - If this option is turned off, you will be allowed to see your enemies units and statistics. For a realistic game, always have this option enabled.
Fog of Exploration - If you turn this on, all unseen territory will remain black and shrouded. This is advised for playing random scenarios as it adds some extra difficulty.
AI gets production bonus – Experienced players can use this option to add some additional difficulty to their games by giving the AI regimes a production bonus.
AI or Human? - If you don’t enable human, the computer AI will play the regime in question.
The Main Game Screen
The Main Game Screen consists of three parts: The Command bar along the top, the game map in the centre, and the formation / terrain browser at the bottom.
The Map
The Unit Info
Readiness
Experience
Movement Points
Movement Type Used (in this case, infantry speed) The percentage behind it denotes the percentage of mechanization of the unit. 100% denotes that it will move at the speed of a mechanized unit (trucks, tanks, etc...)
Weight, or in case of a naval unit, the amount of weight it can carry
Percentage of supplies received out of what is required
The fame of the Commanding officer
Percentage of Retreat. The higher the number, the sooner the officer will retreat his unit from combat
The ground, naval and air skills of the commanding officer