The Great Sieges of Gurtex

The elders have gone, leaving the Children of Light with only three 
castles to defend themselves against the forces of Darkness. It 
is up to you to turn this tide of evil back into history.

As the attacker, you will become familiar with the use of bridges 
to cross moats and rivers, ladders to scale the castle walls, and 
battering rams to demolish the castle gates. As the defender, you 
will have catapults, ballistae, and flaming oil at your disposal. 
The game includes twenty-four scenarios in four different castles.

INSTALLATION AND STARTUP

To run Siege from the CD-ROM, log onto your CD-ROM drive and type SIEGE 
[ENTER].  To configure your sound card type INSTALL [ENTER] 
(do not select install to hard disc). See README file for further 
information. Siege CD uses some space on your hard disc for save files. 

To create a boot disc
If you are unable to run Siege CD-ROM due to ‘insufficient memory, 
you will need to create a Boot Disc. Insert a blank disc to be formatted 
into drive A & type ‘Format A:/S’ E at the C: prompt. This will create a 
system disc. Having made a system disc create a config.sys file & an 
Autoexec.bat file referring to the suggestions below, using the MS DOS 
edit command.

CONFIG.SYS
DEVICE=c:\dos\himem.sys
DEVICE=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems
dos=high,umb
files=15
buffers=20
devicehigh=c:\cdrom\cdrom.sys 
/d:cdrom01 /p:340     (1)
devicehigh=c:\dos\dblspace.sys /move     (2)
AUTOEXEC.BAT
lh c:\dos\mouse.com    ( 3)
lh c:\dos\mscdex /d:cdrom01     (4)
d:     (5)
go

Note:
(1)  Replace this line with your specific CD-Rom Driver line 
(check config.sys)

(2)  You will only need this line if you use Dos 6 with Dblspace.
(3)  Change this line according to where your mouse driver is.
(4)  Modify this line according to your present autoexec.bat on your 
Hard Disc or system Disc.

(5) This should be your CD log drive.

Tutorial

To play the tutorial, select the Begin Playing Scenario option on the 
Opening Screen. Select the scenario named TUTOR, and choose to play the 
attacker. The screen will turn red and will begin the scenario paused. 
Hold the right mouse button down (or cursor keys) and move to a border 
to see other parts of the castle and the area. Locate your headquarters 
tent in the southeast corner of the battlefield. Click on the Zoom icon 
(Z) to view close up.

Barracks

Select Barracks (B). This takes you to the Barracks Management Screen. 
Double click on a troop type’s icon to call up a description.
Your first task is to bridge the moat. Create a group of swordsmen 
who will protect the engineers who build the bridge, then cross the 
bridges and assault the castle. To the left of the word Reserve is the 
multiple indicator. Click on it until it reads x 10. Now click on the 
human warriors’ icon to select them, and click the + arrow to move ten 
warriors from the reserves to the active group. Change the multiple 
indicator to x 1 and add a sergeant to the active group. Your swordsmen 
are now ready.

Issuing Orders
Click on Deploy. You will return to the main screen where your group of 
swordsmen is standing next to your headquarters. They are highlighted in 
yellow, indicating they are ready for orders. Four camp-fires mark the 
part of the moat you will bridge. Your swordsmen will start defending 
the bridge site. Select the Defend (D) icon. Select the  area to defend 
by dragging the crosshairs.

Now go back to the barracks and create a group of ten engineers with 
ten bridge pieces and Deploy them. Select Engineer on the Main Screen 
and form a rectangle over the camp-fire area. 

Pause the game and create a group of ten archers and give them an Attack 
command. Create two rectangles: one for their target area and the other 
for firing position. Unpause the game. The computer will defend the castle 
so you may have to create more troops to attack. You can create a team of 
engineers to carry ladders so you can scale the castle walls or try deploying 
a catapult group. To attack with the catapult treat the group as a 
missile-launching unit. You will need to form a rectangle and another 
over the fire that is between your barracks and the castle.

The key to completing a scenario successfully lies in your ability to 
use each troop type to its maximum and inter-managing the troops to make 
a fully functional army.

The Interface

The Cursor
Arrowhead: use to point to units, locations, icons or words.
Crosshair: use for selecting an area.
Rotating circle of red and yellow dots: the computer is busy. 

Making selections
Choices are performed by single or double-clicking the left mouse button. 
Keyboard equivalents exist for most of the menu choices and for commands 
associated with icons.

Issuing  Orders
Once a group is selected, you can give it an order by single-clicking 
on one of the Command Icons or by using the scroll down Orders Menu.

Menu Selections
Clicking on the Menu Bar at the top of the Main Screen and holding 
down the left mouse button lists the Menu Bar selections. Release 
the left mouse button to select a choice.

Scrolling
Scroll the viewing screen to see another part of the castle by pressing 
and holding the right mouse button and dragging the mouse to the edge of 
the screen in the desired direction.

Selecting an Area
Selecting an area for a command to take place is done by forming a 
rectangle outlining the desired area. Click and drag the mouse to 
opposite corners of the rectangle. If the entire area does not fit 
on the screen, hold down the right button as well and the screen will 
scroll when you reach the edge.

The Command Icons
Go (G): orders the active group to go to a specific area. Once the group 
has arrived, it will await further orders, defending itself if attacked.

Stop (S): allows you to cancel the current orders of the group. 
Select a unit in the group and then select the Stop icon.

Attack (A): allows you to attack a certain area within the active group. 
There are two forms of attack:

Melee (hand-to-hand): select the desired group, select Attack and then 
form a rectangle over the area to be attacked.

Missile (ranged weapon): select the desired group and select Attack. 
Then form a rectangle first over the area to be attacked and then over 
the area you want the group to attack from.

Defend (D): allows you to assign the active group to defend a particular 
area. This command applies to both melee and missile combat.

Target (T): in a melee group, the Target command sets the group to seek 
and destroy an enemy unit. In the case of a missile group, the group will 
fire on the targeted enemy unit whenever it is in range. In both cases 
once the enemy is destroyed, your group will return to the barracks unless 
you issue a new order. 

Engineer (E): engineers’ orders are divided into two major groups:
Non-ranged orders: to give the Engineer command, select the desired 
engineer group, then select the Engineer icon, and then form a rectangle 
over the area that you want to engineer. Ranged orders: To fire an artillery 
piece, treat the group as a missile firer (see Attack above).

Return (R): directs the active group to return to the nearest friendly 
barracks.
Barracks (B): takes you to the Barracks Screen.

Escape (q): allows you to cancel a partially completed operation. 
Also use to back out of a command in progress or menu.

Histogram (H): switches between pictorial representations of the 
combatants and bar graph of their health and energy.

Zoom (Z): allows you to switch between the Local View, the Area View 
and the Castle View, and to zoom in.

Pause (P): allows you to make plans, issue orders and react to unexpected 
developments.

The Menu Bar
		Options
 Save Game              Music On or Off
 Quit Game              Auto On or Off
 Sound On or Off        About the Game

Reports
This menu gives you overall information on the status of your troops:

Totals: lists troop and equipment types remaining in your army.

Groups: lists troop and equipment types that have been assigned to groups.

All: status report on all your groups in the field.

Orders
Fire at Will: for archers and other missile groups.

Extended Patrol: when the target is destroyed, the patrolling group will 
seek out other enemies.

Reinforce: allows you to send a group to the aid of another.

Relieve: send fresh troops to relieve tired and weakened ones. Both groups 
must be the same type: melee, missile or engineer.

Replace: sends the active group to another group’s location and sends 
the other group back to the barracks. Groups can be different types.

scort: order the active group to accompany another group and to attack 
any enemies who oppose it.

Release: orders the wounded units in the active group to return to 
barracks while the fresh troops remain in the battle.

Split: divides a group into two.

Double Time: orders the active group to proceed to a location at twice 
the normal speed. The group’s fatigue will increase rapidly.

Full Retreat: send all your troops back to the barracks to recuperate.

Clock
Most start on day 1 and end on day 90 (if not sooner). Each days 
combat starts at 7am and ends at 7pm.

In the Barracks
Select the Barracks command icon from the command bar on the main screen. 
Once you are in the barracks, note that there are three separate sections 
on the screen: the Reserve Section, the Active Group Section, and the 
Command Section.

Reserve Section
A list of the troop types and equipment which are not currently in a 
group, the number available is under each icon.

Active Group Section
Shows the group of troops you are currently assembling. A group can 
hold up to 50 units.

Command Section
Contains the troop management commands.

Barracks Commands
+ and - Arrows move troops and equipment back and forth between the 
Reserve Section and the Active Section, thus creating and reorganizing 
groups. Remember:

Only engineers can use siege equipment.
Engineers can carry only one type of siege equipment per group, except 
that flaming oil can be carried with a catapult.

An engineer group can only have one catapult, battering ram, ballista 
or siege tower. In addition you must make sure that you provide at 
least enough engineers to operate the equipment properly.

Multiple Indicator: Changes the rate at which troops and equipment are 
transferred between the Active and Reserve Sections.

Deploy: This command places the group shown  in the Active Section 
onto the battlefield.

Disband: This command puts the entire group displayed in the Active 
Section back into the reserves.

Exit: Returns you to the battlefield.

Engineering
Using Bridges
Bridges are used so that the attacker’s troops can cross the moats, 
rivers, pits of chasms that guard the defender’s castle. Engineers with 
mobile bridges can be told to place a bridge by selecting the Engineer 
Command Icon and then defining the area to be bridged.

Using Ladders
Engineers set up ladders so that the attacker can scale the walls and 
gain entry into the defender’s castle. Anyone can climb a ladder, but 
only engineers can place them.

Using Siege Towers
Siege towers provide a means for attacking troops to scale walls quickly, 
avoiding ladders’ fragility and exposure. Siege towers are divided into 
sixteen pieces and are assembled by engineers. To start the construction 
of a siege tower, create a group of at least sixteen engineers in the 
barracks and give them the tower unit. Then use the Engineer Command Icon 
and select the area against the castle wall where you want the siege tower 
built.

Using Battering Rams
A battering ram comes in six pieces, and thus requires at least six 
engineers to carry the pieces to the castle gate. If less than all six 
pieces reach the gate, the ram cannot be constructed.

Using Ballistae
The ballista, a weapon that shoots large spears at a deadly velocity, 
is a lethal weapon that only engineers can properly operate. It takes 
one engineer to move the weapon through the battlefield and four more 
to help operate it.

Using Catapults
A catapult requires five engineers to operate it, although it can 
be moved by only one engineer. There can be only one catapult per group 
of engineers.

Plain boulders can be thrown by catapults or in conjunction with flaming 
oil to create an exploding fireball that causes a temporary fire. Like 
ballistae, catapults are fired using the Attack Command Icon.

Using Flaming Oil
Each engineer can carry a cauldron of oil which they can pour on enemies 
next to or beneath them. Use the Engineer Command Icon to select the wall 
area to defend.

Raising Flags
When an engineer carrying a flag reaches the base of the flagpole, 
the flag is raised symbolizing victory.

Defense against Engineers
Engineers carrying equipment on an invasion mission, or oil on defense, 
can be killed. This weakens the mission and perhaps causes its failure.
When a group of engineers manning a ballista, catapult or battering ram 
falls below the necessary size (five for an artillery piece, six for a ram), 
the weapon ceases to function. The last engineer in a catapult or a ballista 
group—the one carrying the artillery piece—will not die unless the weapon is 
destroyed.

When Night Falls
At 7.00 pm, game time, night falls. Click to see the night screens.

Casualties: The first screen shows the number of your units and equipment 
that were killed or destroyed during the day.

Evaluation: The second screen evaluates your performance during the day 
in terms of a ratio between the attacker’s losses and the defender’s losses. 

Troop Assessment: The final screen, just before dawn, shows the number 
of your troops who are ready to be released from the hospital and the 
number who deserted during the night.

The Hospital
Whenever a group reports to the barracks, all the wounded in that 
group are automatically sent to the hospital.

Victory Conditions
The attacker wins if the attacker’s flag flies over the castle at 
nightfall and through the entire next day until night falls again.
The defender wins if Day 90 ends without the attacker winning. 
(Some scenarios start later than Day 1).

Either side can win an automatic victory if its flag flies over 
the castle and the other side’s engineers have been destroyed.

Game Strategy
Some general rules apply to most situations. For the attacker, first 
have engineers place mobile bridges across a moat, river or chasm and 
return to the barracks for reassignment. Next, engineers carrying assault 
ladders should attempt to place the ladders against the castle wall and 
then return to the barracks. Missile attacks may be used to weaken the  
wall’s defenders, then hand-to-hand soldiers can be sent to climb the 
assault ladders and storm the wall. Siege towers may also be used, 
providing protection as well as enabling more soldiers to climb over 
the wall at one time. For the defender, use missile attacks to harass 
the attackers before they reach the walls. Have engineers use burning 
oil to defend the walls and destroy assault ladders set against the walls.

Troop assignments can be very important. Some troops are likely to retreat 
if wounded slightly; others fight to the bitter end. Adding a sergeant to 
watch over troops instils courage in those troops, and they perform better. 
Selecting when to use heroes, wizards and other special troops is also 
important, as their numbers are usually limited.

The Pause Command Icon can be very helpful, especially in coordinating 
the actions of different groups. When issuing orders to missile troops, 
make sure that the target area is within weapon range. When giving orders 
to large groups, pay close attention to their destination locations. 
Selecting too small an area or too large an area can have a major effect 
on the troop’s performance.

The Editor
The editor allows you to create your own scenarios and to modify scenarios 
that already exist. (It is recommended that you do not replace the original 
24 scenarios that come with the game.)

Opening Screen
To use the scenario editor, select Make/Edit Scenario from the 
Opening Screen. Select the scenario you want to modify, and you 
will be placed into the editor on the main screen.

Main Screen
The Command Icons: In the editor, there are a few changes to the 
functions of the Command Icons:

o All orders issued to groups in the field are on hold. When the game 
starts, each group will begin to execute the last order given to it in 
the editor.

o Barracks allows you to choose the attacker’s or defender’s barracks.

o Pause has no effect.

The Menu Bar: there are also a few changes to the functions of the Menu Bar:

o Save Game in the Options Menu serves the same purpose as the Save button 
on the Configure Screen, described below.

o Quit Game in the Options Menu leaves the editor and returns you 
to the Opening Screen.

o Totals in the Reports Menu allows you to choose the attacker’s 
or defender’s totals.

o Groups in the Reports Menu shows groups on both sides.

o As with the Command Icons, orders issued from the Orders Menu are 
on hold until the game begins.

The Edit Menu

Configure brings up the Configure Screen.

Place Group moves the selected group to a new location.

To Barracks returns the selected group to the barracks.

Place Att. H.Q. puts the attacker’s headquarters tent on the field.

Place Camp puts a smaller tent on the field. (Atmospheric).

Place Fire puts a small camp-fire on the field. (Atmospheric).

Place Flag Base indicates where in the castle the defender’s flag will fly. 

Place Bridge erects one section of a bridge. To bridge a moat, river, pit 
or chasm completely, you will need to Place Bridge several times.

Place Ladder erects a ladder against the castle wall.

Place Crater indicates places that have already been damaged by catapults’ 
boulders.

Place Tower puts a fully assembled siege tower against a castle wall.

Place Rock and Place Splinters are purely atmospheric additions.

Erase Items removes items previously placed on the field.

The Configure Screen

On this screen you create the armies that will battle one another. 
The display is divided into three sections:  Attacker’s and Defenders: 
both of these sections function in the same way. The arrows are used to 
place troops into and remove troops from the armies.

Roster: The roster section displays all of the troop types and equipment 
available for use in your scenario. It is also the command centre for the 
Configure Screen.

The Arrow Icons allow you to add and remove troops and equipment to and 
from an army. The multiple Indicator setting determines the number of  
units that will be displaced with a single click of an arrow key. 
The Exit Button returns to the Main Screen. The Save Button saves the 
current scenario. The New Unit Type Button adds another type of troop 
to the roster of available forces. The Kill Unit Type Button deletes 

all occurrences of the selected troop type from the Roster and both 
armies. Equipment cannot be deleted.

In the Roster of unit types, double-click on an icon to see its 
description.

o Personality: A rating of how eager the troop type is for battle.

o Specialty: The function of the troop type.

o Equipment: A full listing of what the particular troop type carries 
in terms of weapons and armor.

o Statistics: The last four entries are innate statistics of the group 
type being viewed:

Damage Adjustment: The amount of damage that is added to the intrinsic 
damage of the weapon carried by the troop. 

Armor Adjustment: The amount of damage that is deflected above and 
beyond the intrinsic protective value of the armor that the troop wears.

Attack: The percentage chance that particular troop has to hit.

Defense: The percentage chance of avoiding being hit. This percentage 
is subtracted from the attacker’s chance to hit in order to determine 
the chance of hitting the opponent.

Guidelines

The following are some rules you need to know in order to create 
a playable scenario.

Required conditions: 

o On the Attacker’s side, each scenario must have at least one flag, 
one engineer, and an Attacker’s Headquarters. 

o On the defender’s side, there must be a flag base and at least one troop. 

o Each scenario can have no more that 17 different troop types in both 
armies combined.




Copyright ©1992 Mindcraft Software, Inc.
Distributed under license by Digital Integration Limited, 


