NOTICE: THIS FLIGHT SIMULATION IS SHAREWARE. IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE THE
GAME AFTER A TRIAL PERIOD OF 21 DAYS YOU MUST REGISTER THE GAME BY SENDING 
TEN POUNDS STERLING TO:

VIPER SOFTWARE
113 BEECH PLACE,
ELIBURN,
LIVINGSTON.
SCOTLAND
EH54-6RE

NB: The software can be registered direct by CompuServe.
See the file REGISTER.TXT for details

DISCLAIMER: THIS SOFTWARE IS SOLD AS IS. THAT IS WITHOUR WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND. USE OF THE SOFTWARE MEANS YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS.

NB: THIS IS THE VGA VERSION. There is also an SVGA 640*480 256 color
version available. The SVGA version needs a fast PC with PCI or LOCAL
BUS Video. Minimum system for SVGA 486DX66*2

Please run the game from the various batch files that are supplied
These are: F4.BAT A6.BAT 

VIETNAM: An air combat simulation From Viper Software.

It may not have been a popular war, yet few wars have sparked as much
interest in the men who fought in them. Perhaps it was the predicament that
the common soldier on the ground found himself in. Fighting a war with
ridiculous restrictions, against an enemy who had an answer for everything 
that the American forces could throw at them. Knowing that he was unpopular
at home in his own country, obviously didn't help matters.

Platoons were often sent to capture a hill, only to give it back to the enemy
the next day. Not only did he have to contend with all of the above, his own
forces were as great a threat as the enemy. American artillery would often 
shell it's own men, after either receiving incorrect grid co-ordinates from
a platoon, or just plain bad shooting. Gunship door gunners, would often shoot
at anything that moved, V.C., cattle, their own troops!

Only the Linebacker air raids by the B52's ever came close to forcing the
enemy to surrender. They dropped more bombs during this carpet bombing
campaign, than all the bombs dropped by all sides in World War Two.

There have been several excellent films of the Vietnam conflict (War was never
declared.) Oliver Stones Platoon was a fine example of the way otherwise
normal troops, could be slowly transformed into mindless, crazed killing 
machines. Apocalypse Now, got just a bit too weird for me.

The hit T.V. series Tour Of Duty is enjoyable for the story lines, but it
really portrays the conflict the way the Americans hoped it would go. It's
just a bit too 'squeaky clean'.

In the air things were just as crazy. F-4 fighter bombers, and A-6 Intruders,
would bomb 'suspected targets' by day and by night. Wild Weasel and Iron Hand
squadrons would seek out and destroy SAM sites. Yet they would often fly within
twenty miles of Hanoi where most of the SAMS were stored. It was a court martial
offence to turn on the master arm switch within fifteen miles of Hanoi!

The film Flight Of The Intruder, was a good example of the air war, but the
book was much better (Steven Coonts.)
             ------------------------------------------------

And so to the simulation. 
I have made a few changes to the 'historic' nature of air combat over
Vietnam. The U.S. Navy was convinced that air to air missiles were the way 
forward, so most of the F-4 Phantoms didn't carry a gun! The early air to air 
missiles were poor to say the least.
So I have opted for F-4's carrying the Vulcan M-61 cannon. The Mig-15's you
run up against carry guns only, but the Mig-21's might have a missile or two,
so be ready.

You can fly the F-4 Phantom or the A-6 Intruder.
In the F-4 you are configured for Close Air Support. That means a mixture of
air to ground and air to air weapons. Rather than give you a handful of dumb
iron bombs, I have opted instead for FFAR unguided rockets. For air to air
combat it's guns only, there is no room for missiles on the F-4 with a full
load of FFAR rockets. Ground defences are AA guns, troops with rifles, and 
maybe a SAM site or three, I'm not giving too much away.

There are plenty friendly aircraft in the sky, so watch your targets. Other
F-4's are in the area, A-6 Intruders and helicopters.

Enemy air cover is Mig-15 Mig-17 and Mig-21's

The following targets can be expected at the listed waypoints.
Waypoint One: Your home airbase.
Waypoint Two: Enemy fighter base, suspected tank and truck depot.
Waypoint Three: Oil storage facility, ammo dumps. Air cover can get pretty thick
here so watch it. To the Northeast of waypoint three, there is a very active
enemy airbase. If you want to get knee deep in Migs, this is the place to be.
Waypoint Four: Enemy oil storage, h.q.'s and more.

The locations and targets stay the same when you fly the A-6 Intruder. However,
friendly air cover is increased. The A-6 does not dogfight, it has no air to
air weapons at all, not even a gun! Your objective is to bomb and stay
alive to bomb some more. If you get hung up by Mig's (and you will) you will
have to get down in the weeds and fly them into an area where the F-4's can
shake them loose from your six. The A-6 cannot even outrun the Mig-15, although
if he spots you from behind, it will take him some time to catch up. The Mig-21
on the other hand, can catch you in seconds. While you plod along flat out
at 640 Knots, he can light the burners and reach 1,400 Knots in seconds!
The Mig-21 is also remarkably agile at lower air speeds. It will take skill
and courage to enter deep into the hot zones, in the A-6. Fly low and stay
low, about one hundred feet AGL is right for approaches, then up to four
hundred feet to drop the snake eye's.

I hope you enjoy playing Vietnam, I enjoyed putting it together. All of
the aircraft shapes are original, as is the Huey chopper. Members of the
FST users group may use this software without limitation. Non FST users are
reminded that the original portions of the game are shareware. That means the
author would like you to send him Ten Pounds Please.

Other simulations available are.

F-86: (Indian ocean based air combat in the F-86. Carrier take offs and landings)

Korea: (Korean War in the F-86 down Mig Ally)

Midway: (Battle of Midway P47 Razorbacks, Mustangs and Zero's)

F-16: (Modern day Mach 2.2 hair on fire action in the Falcon)

Dogfight: (Similar to F-16 but bigger World area with dogfights in valleys,
needs a fairly fast PC (386DX40 and up))

WW2 & WW1: (Spitfire Versus Fock Wolfe, and WW1 slow motion dogfighting for
those with slower reflexes than Chuck Yeager.)

Cyborg Invasion: Sci-Fi flight sim. Halt the Cyborg Invasion by protecting
the computer complex, then see if you can destroy their Mother Ship.

Any comments, and registration of Shareware portion of games to.

Viper Software
113 Beech Place,
Eliburn,
Livingston.
EH54-6RE

NB. No charge is in respect of the FLY.EXE file. This is copyright Domark
Simis Ltd. Registration fees for non FST user group members are to cover
authors time in assembling the games, and for original artwork, shapes etc.

Refer to the help file for more information.
