                              Command : ASSAULT

 SYNTAX:
   [##:##] Command: assault <SECT> <SHIP> troops

The assault command allows your marines to hit the beaches.  It  is  also  the
only  way  to  get  ashore other than by unloading at a harbor, thus it is the
first step to gaining land on a new continent.

Any ship with military can assault an military-less  sector,  however  only  a
landing ship can assault a sector with military in it with its full complement
of troops.  The other ships will only be able to  land  a  fraction  of  their
troops  in any given assault (usually 1/10th).  This represents the use of the
Admiral's gig, the Captain's barge, etc.

Note that with the SEMI_LANDER option in use, some ships will have  the  semi-
lander flag, which allows them to land 25% of their troops.

If you have land units with the 'assault' ability aboard the ship  assaulting,
you will be asked if you wish them to join in the assault as well.  Assaulting
land units go to negative mobility when assaulting.  (by an  amount  equal  to
the mobility gain per update) Marine units go to 0 mobility instead.

                              Command : ASSAULT

NOTE  This mobility loss for units happens whether or not you own  the  sector
being  assaulted.  If  you wish to land troops without suffering this penalty,
make/capture a harbor!

If you have ship #28 bearing 10 military at 31,53 it can assault land  at  any
of the adjacent sectors, (32,52; 33,53; 32,54; 30,54; 29,53; or 30,52).

For example:
   [##:##] Command: assault 32,54 28 9

This command asks to assault sector 32,54 from ship #28 with 9 troops.  Assum-
ing  the sector has no military, and since there were 10 troops on the ship to
begin with, 90% of the food will be taken along by the assaulting troops, (and
each  one  that  makes it will contribute his or her 10% to the conquered sec-
tor). A minimum of 1 food will be left on the ship. Land units will  not  take
any food from the ship, and will only have the food they are carrying.

The program will ask for any information which was not included on the command
line,  (sector  to be assaulted, which ship is doing the assaulting, number of
brave troops to disembark, land units to use).

                              Command : ASSAULT

The assaulting troops face the disadvantage of  having  to  reach  the  beach,
therefore  they  are  less  effective than any land troops they may encounter,
fighting at half strength, with no modified for the sector  they're  attacking
from.  Land units are similarly penalized, and do not get their offensive mul-
tiplier, except for units  with  the  'marine'  ability,  which  are  at  full
strength.

Both capitals and forts fight twice as  hard  as  other  sectors  against  sea
assaults.

Units may not retreat from an assault, and will take extra casualties  instead
if they fail a morale check.

Other than these factors, assault is the same  as  normal  land  combat,  with
forts/units/ships/planes  firing  on  both sides to support, etc. There is one
difference: Each @ or ! printed represents 3 casualties.  Casualties  come  in
bigger  'lumps' in assaults, to more accurately represent the chancy nature of
such operations.  (if there are less than 3 attacking bodies, (total of mil  +
mil  in units), the number of casualties per lump is downsized accordingly, to
prevent the attacker from assaulting with 1 mil and causing 3 casualties)

                              Command : ASSAULT

See info attack for the exact procedure. The sector being assaulted will  have
exactly the same reaction to being conquered as if it were attacked by land.

You may assault your own sectors. In this case, the assaulting mil  are  added
to the mil in the sector, and assaulting land units simply come ashore.

If the SLOW_WAR option is enabled, you will not be able to  assault  a  sector
owned  by  a  country you are not at war with, unless you are the old owner of
the sector.

If the SNEAK_ATTACK option is also enabled, you can assault ONE  sector  owned
by  a  country you are not AT_WAR with, paying $5K for the privilege. Once the
sneak assault is done, you will automatically declare war against  the  enemy,
and  go  through the normal SLOW_WAR sequence before you can assault or attack
again (see info declare).

For every 10 casualties in the battle, the assaulted  sector  loses  1%  effi-
ciency.

See also : attack, board, land-types

