Battle Tanks

### Battle Tanks!

"Battle Tanks" is a funny battle on your desk, where you can choose one of three vehicles and eliminate your enemy using the whole arsenal of weapons. It has original cartoon-like graphics and cool music, it's fun and dynamic, it has several network modes for deathmatch and cooperative - what else is needed to have fun with your friends? And all is packed and ready for you in "Battle Tanks".

### Features:

- Multiplayer
  "Battle Tanks" is a multiplayer game in the first place. Network game and split screen mode are available, and also a mixed mode is possible, when two players use split screen on the server computer, and others connect via LAN.Two modes are possible: deathmatch battle and cooperative game.
- Cross-platform
  "Battle Tanks" is cross-platform. Both Windows and Linux fans are welcome on the battlefield where they will settle their quarrels in the name of weapons.
- Free distribution and open source
  The multiplayer version is licensed under GNU GPL. This means two things. Firstly, it doesn't cost anything for you. You can download it for free and share with your friends, with no preliminary or future fees. And secondly, the full source code of the game is available, so any guy who knows C++ can poke his nose there and probably find some surprises that developers have prepared for curious fans.
- Old-school oriented
  Builders of "Battle Tanks" love these good old arcades of the past century. So they have tried hard to implement everything best of these old arcade games.

### Performance characteristics:

- Three vehicles: tank, Shilka, and rocket launcher. Each vehicle has its special features.
- Lots of weapons: four types of ammo, six types of rockets, landing troops, mines, and so on.
- Ten multiplayer maps (seven ones for deathmatch and three ones for cooperative mode) in different locations such as city, village, forest, desert and so on.
- Game world that reacts on player. Roads have traffic, buildings can be destroyed, weather effects are simulated...
- Lots of war objects: troops, vehicles, helicopters and other.
- Keyboard and gamepad are supported.

### Weapon list:

1. Ammo

Gun is the main weapon of tank and Shilka. Guns don't require ammunition, but their piercing ability is much lower that one for rockets.

"Eternal fire" type tank shell

Type shell that is shipped with tank and Shilka. The gun on Shilka is faster that one on tank, but each hit does less damage.
Guns have infinite ammunition.
Primary weapon

Shell with laughset focal point

The main feature of the shell with laughset focal point (also called shell with uncertain orientation) is bouncing from obstacles. This shell is good for urban battles, also it will help when shooting an enemy that has covered behind something solid or impenetrable. The disadvantage of this model is that you never know where it will bounce.
Primary weapon

Explosive shell

The explosive shell is also known as Matreshka shell. Inside the jacket of this shell, several small shells are nested. A small time after the shot, the matreshka opens, and nested shells spread in different directions. Each hit causes relatively small damage, but large area is covered. This model is intended for use against enemy crowds. It is ineffective in close face to face duels.
Primary weapon

Dirt gun

Dirt gun is invented by crazy agronomists. By the aid of concentration of energy in near-surface layers, nano-wave fluctuations cause temporary inversion of field. Lower layers are found on the top, thus introducing a short-time effect of plowing the surface (this is broadly used during the sowing campaign). In battle, the dirt gun can be used for making dirt spots of reduced passability. Enemy troops and vehicles suffer loss of control and speed in these plowed areas.
Primary weapon Secondary weapon

2. Rockets

Rockets are large, so number of rockets that a vehicle carries is limited. Rockets are main weapon of rocket launcher.

Homing missile

Homing missile is a type weapon and is shipped with rocket launchers. It can also be used on tanks as a secondary weapon. After the launch, the rocket finds a target and guides its flight by its own. Unlike the heat-aimed rockets, this model detects delta waves emitted by human brains, and thus can be used against troops and manned vehicles. Unfortunately, this method of detection ignores androids and intellectually challenged individuals.
Another disadvantage is that rocket doesn't avoid obstacles (avoiding function is announced in the next stable release of rocket drivers binary).
Primary weapon Secondary weapon

Uncontrolled rocket

This is a Dumb-fire modification of the type rocket that can be equipped as a secondary weapon. At the expense of electronics, explosive charge and velocity are increased. Due to its high velocity and high damage caused, this rocket is very good for making fire barriers, destroying enemy weapon emplacements, and in face to face battles.
Primary weapon Secondary weapon

Boomerang rocket

Boomerang rocket is an accidental modification of the homing missile that has been found after beta drivers were installed from a damaged CD on some test rocket. On ground tests, that rocket introduced a non-typical behaviour: it didn't select a target after the launch, but just circled around the launcher, following an elliptical trajectory. Nobody can explain still why the rocket does that; however boomerang rockets have been approved and are produced on the line now. They can be used for defense; also boomerang rockets are effective in close battle.
Primary weapon Secondary weapon

Gas rocket

Gas rocket is stuffed with toxic and radioactive wastes of fragrance industry. They are prohibited by Geneva Protocol because of their incredibly disgusting and beautiful smell. A humanoid that has inhaled the gas suffers convulsions, sialorrhea, retching, diarrhea, and dies with happy smile on face.
The gas rockets are perfect for eliminating troops. In multiplayer, they scan be used for making smoke screens.
Secondary weapon

Stop-rocket

This homing missile is filled with artificial viruses-malicious nanorobots. When a rocket hits target, viruses clod between tracks of tank caterpillars, raise pressure of braking fluid in hydraulic systems, and cause temporary paralysis of lower extremities of humanoids. However, these viruses don't affect functioning of weapons systems and other organs of humanoids; side effects or contra-indication are unknown. Stop-rocket does not inflict damage, but it's a great secondary weapon that is very effective if combined with explosive or bouncing tank shells, homing missiles and machine guns.
Secondary weapon

Nuclear missile "Pure Thermonuke"

This 15 kilotons nuke is the most destructive weapon in the game. It destroys everything in range of explosion, and using or thermonuclear reaction guarantees that radiation pollution will be negligibly small. So the ground can be used just after the enemy is vaporized by the heat of nuclear blast.
Secondary weapon

3. Preserved landing force

Five fully equipped troops are frozen and GZIPped into standard rectangular bricks. Before refrigeration, each trooper is prepared using special hormons and steroids, and can be used in action after quick microwave-aided defreezing. Shipped in two versions with machine guns and handheld rocket launchers.

Machine gun trooper

The trooper takes a position and fires the enemy objects (including missiles). 16 directions of fire are available.
Shilka lands MG troopers for support. Thanks to their high fire rate and mobility, MG troopers can defend a vehicle against enemy missiles.
Secondary weapon

Rocket trooper

The trooper takes a position and fires the enemy objects (NOT including missiles). 8 directions of fire are available. Shilka lands rocket troopers for support. Due to their fire power, rocket troopers are good for attacking the enemy.
Secondary weapon

4. Other weapons

Other weapons include mines and MG turrets.

Mine

Mines are effective equally against troops and vehicles. They have winning appearance, and are easy to install and use.
Using of mines allows unique and great tactical opportunities, both in single missions and deathmatch. Routes, respawn points, hidings of weapons - everything can be mined. Remember that the mine is invisible if covered with dirt or smoke!
Secondary weapon

MG turret

MG turret is a primitive robot that shoots everything that is moving. Some turrets are shipped with "ally-enemy" recognition system. In stationary version, MG turrets can be used for automated security systems. Mobile versions can be mounted on rocket launchers. 16 directions of fire are available.
Primary weapon

### Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

- How to play? Eh?
- What do "Single player", "Split screen player 1", and "Split screen player 2" options mean?
- Fog of war (hardcore difficulty) - what's that?
- I've started the game and don't know what to do!
- I'm out of ammo! Help!!
- I'm stuck in some fence or bush and can't move! What can I do?
- The pass is blocked with houses and fences!
- I saw an unoccupied tank there... Can I drive it?
- How to drive a vehicle of another type?
- How to enable split screen mode?
- How to play via network?
- How to see network game stats?
- Can I play in split screen via network?
- Can I help the developers?
- I am a representative of... Umm... Well, I have an offer for your team.

This FAQ is mostly about playing the game. If you were interested in technical details, please refer to our "technical wiki".

How to play? Eh?
Oh, that's easy: cursor arrows move your vehicle, Ctrl fires, and Alt fires as well, but with alternative weapon. Those are defaults, but you can redefine keys in "Options" - "Redefine keys".

What do "Single player", "Split screen player 1", and "Split screen player 2" options mean?
The game supports a split screen mode - two players can play on the same computer. "Split screen player 1" and "Split screen player 2" options are provided for this split screen mode. Control keys for players can be redefined on "Redefine keys" screen. And joysticks are also supported!

Fog of war (hardcore difficulty) - what's that?
This mode is onl available on screen resolutions that exceed 800*600. When it's on, the player will only see the enemy when they are really close.

I've started the game and don't know what to do!
On map selection screen, a tactical map is available - just click on map info box to see it. The tactical map provides some useful info on how to complete the mission. Help tips will give you more help right in action. Also, the radar (M key) marks mission objects with crosses.

I'm out of ammo! Help!!
Gather small UFOs spreaded across the map - these contain very useful things like health, ammo, or weapon upgrades. BTW, you might be interested in full guide on weapons.

I'm stuck in some fence or bush and can't move! What can I do?
Well, sad but that's possible. Specially for stuck players, we have designed a self-destruct system that is activated by pressing F12 key. Desctruct yourself, and you'll respawn on the last checkpoint.

The pass is blocked with houses and fences!
Many (but not all!) fences and houses can be destroyed, just keep shooting them for some time. After you've inflicted enough damage to the obstacle, you'll see the hole that you can drive through.

I saw an unoccupied tank there... Can I drive it?
Unoccupied vehicles can be found on all maps. And yes, you can drive them. To get into another vehicle, first leave your current one by pressing F1, and then just run into the other one - your trooper will board the empty vehicle automatically. And remember that you can also occupy civilian transport!

How to drive a vehicle of another type?
When you choose a map, there is a panel at the right side where you can choose a vehicle. And also you can choose the vehicle in action.

How to enable split screen mode?
When choosing a map or joining a network game, see a Split Screen selector at the top of the screen. Turn it to Yes to enable split screen mode.

How to play via network?
First of all, start the game on one machine. That will be server. When starting the game, keep some players slots empty, and remote players will be able to join the game and occupy these slots. On remote machines, choose Join a game in the main menu and type in the server host (that can be IP or domain name); you can also click Add to store the address in the list. Then click Join - and you will enter the game if there are empty slots on the server.

How to see network game stats?
Press "Tab".

Can I play in split screen via network?
Sure. On server machine, choose Yes in Split screen mode selector, as explained above.

Can I help the developers?
Yes of course! Please report all bugs or problems using our bug tracker; and share your game experience with us in this blog.

And we will gladly accept your translation of the game (and the website, including this page!) to any new language (currently we have Russian, English, German and French ones).

And the simplest way to help the project is making a donation - our developers are always hungry!

I am a representative of... Umm... Well, I have an offer for your team.
All your valuable ideas and offers are welcome. Please contact Alexander Wagner at wagner@netive.ru.

### Credits:

Programming:
Vladimir "Whoozle" Menshakov.

Graphics:
Alexander "Methos" Wagner.
Level Design:
Vladimir "Private Face" Zhuravlev

Something resembing music:
Vladimir "Petrovich" Volkov.

Sound Effects:
Leonid "Dark Matter" Volkov.

Netive Media Group. (c) 2006-2007