Battlehawks 1942

1989 Lucasfilm Games

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1. One useful thing to know is the promotion levels relating to the missions. Some ranks are only given to certain nationalities, but for the most part they're the same for both Japan and America. The ranks are, CADET, ENSIGN, ACTING LIEUTENANT, LIEUTENANT JUNIOR, LIEUTENANT, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER and COMMANDER. 2. Learn the characteristics of each plane before embarking on combat missions. While Japanese aircraft are generally more manoeuvrable than their American counterparts they don't have the same sturdy level of protection. Another thing to remember is that the KATE torpedo bomber has no front-firing weapons, so think twice before using this plane. 3. A plane won't necessarily burn up or disintergrate before it crashes into the ocean. Sometimes the pilot can be shot while still flying, so that his vessel will plunge into the Pacific with little visible damage. Keep a look out for pilots attempting to trick the enemy by faking a crash - the sneaky basts... 4. On attack missions, it is sometimes better to devastate the enemy CAP before starting your own attack run. Other pilots in your squadron should meanwhile have carried out their bombing runs and eliminated some of the opposition. If they have, then life should be alot easier, since damaged ships fire little or no flack. It is better to bomb an undamaged vessel, even if it isn't a carrier, because there is a good chance that ships already on fire will sink anyway. Also, your chances of promotion are much greater if several enemy vessels have sunk or been set on fire. 5. Torpedo hits generally do more damage than dive-bombing, because thay hit vessels at the vital point below the waterline. When torpedoing a ship, try to release the missle at the last possible moment. This will cause maximum damage and means that the ship has less chance to dodge the attack. There is a good chance that a ship will sink after just one hit using this tactic, especially if you are using the LONG LANCE type torpedo. 6. Bombers are formidable opponents, since all except the Japanese KATE bomber are armed with front and rear guns. These planes are vulnerable to attacks from the side, but this tactic isn't always possible. Another way to get them is as follows. Fly behind and slightly below the enemy plane, so that the rear guns can't get you. Now when you get in range you should be able to pick them off with relative ease. If any planes break away from the formation to get away from your shots, then this will leave them open to a side attack. This technique is difficult to use against torpedo bombers, as thay fly close to the surface of the ocean will attacking. 7. The more explosions occur on the decks of ships, the more chance they stand of sinking. Hanging around blasting the decks of ships increases the possibility of them sinking, so it's a good idea to inflict as much damage as possible on the ship as quickly as you can, then at least one of the ships will have sunk by the end of the mission. A CARRIER will normally sink after taking three torpedo hits. A BATTLESHIP can be sunk using a single torpedo, particularly if it is launched from close range. 8. If an enemy plane hassles you and causes problems, dive towards the ocean and any nearby ships - even if they're the enemy. You'll have to dodge the flack, but so will any planes attempting to follow you. They'll be so intent on firing at you that they won't avoid the flack and will get it in the neck from their own side!! 9. Japanese pilots occasionally attempt kamikaze attacks on allied shipping. This is usually done for a couple of reasons - either they have suffered heavy losses early in the mission or they've missed with all their warheads. Occasionally, the pilot of a badly-damaged plane will aim it at a ship and bail out just before impact. A kamikaze attack causes so much damage that a ship may sink straight away. Tricky, but the squadron leader is often well rewarded. Remember

only to adopt this tactic on the 16th ATTACK mission - just before retiring. 10. Here's a way to dive much quicker than usual - useful for getting out of tricky situations. Begin your dive as normal, then switch to the rear gunner. The altimeter will now spin round much quicker than usual until you switch to front view. This also works when objects in the distance seem to take a long time to arrive. For more Amiga documents, visit www.lemonamiga.com