The ABC of LSN.
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Less graphic intensive option recommended for slower machines and especially machines without graphics cards.
To set 2D mode, open the client and select SOUND/VIDEO OPTIONS, then set DISPLAY HARDWARE to 2D card. You will need to restart the Laser Squad Nemesis client after you change this setting before it will actually take effect.
There are some known problems with 2D mode: there are only two levels of zoom; the scaling of selected units, icons, and health bars is wrong; graphics generally are poor; plus Marines fire yellow beams rather than red, Greys fire ugly white squares and Spawn may be surrounded by green squares.
Not to be confused with plan mode (keyboard shortcut 'P').
Full 3D rendered option. Game play is the same as 2D mode but with superior graphics.
To set 3D mode, open the client and select SOUND/VIDEO OPTIONS, then set DISPLAY HARDWARE to 2D card. You will need to restart the Laser Squad Nemesis client after you change this setting before it will actually take effect.
Requires DirectX 8.0+. It is recommended that you have a 3D card equivalent to a GeForce 2 or better in order to enjoy the graphics at the maximum quality.
4 FP Machina unit (view stats). The AI is a slow moving but tough and powerful combat unit that also acts as a battlefield repair centre.
AI is an abbreviation of 'Artificial Intelligence', which is rarely used.
The AI has a death explosion.
If an order becomes impossible to complete during the time it takes to carry out, then it is aborted. Normally any time spent is wasted, but in the case of healing and reloading etc there may well be partial success.
Occasionally an order may be aborted after it has taken effect, but before it has been fully completed, resulting in a small saving in time. For example, after a shot has been fired but before the weapon has been made ready again (this is usually about the final 0.4 seconds of the firing action).
Note that since terrain fire is aborted if the targeted terrain is destroyed, it is possible for successful terrain fire to abort itself, thus saving the time that would normally be spent to complete the attack.
Note that since targeted direct fire is aborted if the targeted unit is destroyed, it is possible for successful direct fire to abort itself, thus saving the time that would normally be spent to complete the attack.
A ranged attack is aborted when ammunition falls to zero. This mainly affects Greys, because they use energy for shields to protect themselves, and can run out of ammunition without firing a shot. It doesn't benefit Psykers, nor close combat units who always have zero ammunition. It can affect other ranged attack units on their last shot before running out of ammunition.
In LSN 3-10 terrain fire is no longer aborted for terrain that cannot be seen to be destroyed. This eliminates the exploit of a medic firing at a door to check when it is open; and the annoying bug that aborted MT terrain fire at ground out of LOS that had become destroyed.
The average deviation from true for a weapon shot, in degrees. Note that a higher 'accuracy' value is worse.
The effect of inaccuracy increases with distance; movement by the target will also have a much more adverse effect on your chances at greater distances due to the longer projectile flight time.
A game where both players are online and the turns are flowing thick and fast between them. Such games can finish in a single session.
Amount of time taken for each shot or attack.
In practice, this is often significantly increased by reaction time.
Ammunition is required to attack with most weapons.
Ammunition is not required for attacks by close combat units (Buzzers, Drones, and Queens).
Grey ammunition is called energy because they also use it for their shields.
A ranged attack is aborted when ammunition falls to zero. This mainly affects Greys, because they can run out of ammunition without firing a shot. It doesn't benefit Psykers, nor close combat units who always have zero ammunition. It can affect other ranged attack units on their last shot before running out of ammunition.
Marines and Machina take six seconds to reload fully. Greys vary in their recharge/reload rate, but it's generally a lot longer.
Greys can recharge/reload from a Saucer in the same manner as from a Regenerator, but at a cost to the Saucer's energy.
Spikers and Goo Spitters die if they run out of ammunition. Note that they have no way to reload.
75 degrees to either side of facing; or 150 degrees total.
A unit with no orders; reloading or given hold orders has 360 degree vision.
Toggle vision mode (keyboard shortcut 'V') to see areas the currently selected unit can see highlighted in blue. Use of vision mode may drastically slow down playback.
An image, representing your game persona, appearing below your name on any post you make in the forum.
To set an image as your avatar, log in to ezboard. Click on 'My Control Center', then 'Edit Profile'. Make sure that the 'private' box is not ticked for 'My Photo', and enter the URL of the image in the field. Scroll down, and click on 'Save Changes'.
NB The image should be 60x60, and the avatar should be less than 40K. The image has to be hosted somewhere, ideally your own personal web space.
An experimental or test version of the game which may have some kinks to be ironed out.
Beta games have their own Beta web interface
Beta turns should be manually sent to lsnbeta@codotech.com or lsnbeta@codo-linux1.bytemark.co.uk
Blast.
Scheme which allows you to introduce friends to Laser Squad Nemesis and earn an extra month's subscription if they subscribe.
If you have played over twenty five games you also qualify as a trainer. Log into the web interface and click on the RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING tab to find out more.
Death explosion, particularly applied to AI, Missile Tanks and Saucers.
Common name for a military building.
Also the name of one of the first LSN maps.
A unit which breaks cover and deliberately exposes itself to fire in order to draw enemy fire away from another unit which would otherwise get shot. A dangerous but useful tactic.
Occasionally units bunny for its own sake, to waste enemy ammo or time.
- 1 FP Spawn unit (view stats). The Buzzer is a fast and agile scout, as well as a capable close combat unit.
- The Buzzer flies. It can pass over low terrain and is not affected by goo.
- The Buzzer can pass through windows which have no glass in them.
- Buzzers can pass through holes in the top of wired walls.
20 single player scenarios organised into four campaigns. Each mission takes 2-3 hours to play, with three different difficulty levels.
Marine campaign: Dawn Patrol, Rescue from the Hive, Jonlan's Gambit, Friendly Fire, Alien Abduction.
Machina campaign: Expand the Core, Biohazard, Enemy Unknown, Let Me Be, Reboot Shell.
Spawn campaign: Research Completed, Party in Tool Town, Bitch Fight, 14 Hours to Save the Earth, Machina Hatchery.
Grey campaign: Eye Spy, Batteries Not Included, Like Rats, Checkpoint Charlotte, Warped.
To adopt a defensive, static position and allow the other player the initiative. The term often implies criticism.
Invitation to play a game. Not nearly as confrontational as it sounds.
Challenges may be issued via the client or the web interface.
The map may be chosen by the challenger or play on a random map. If the challenger has chosen a specific map, it may be because it suits their preferred faction, loadout, or they know it well - in other words, your opponent may have given themselves a home ground advantage. On the other hand it may be new to them and they chose it because it has novelty value.
Both players may be limited to one specific faction; or any faction may be chosen.
Challenges may be either league (with points, ranking and league position at stake) or friendly (still competitive but for bragging rights only). League challenges can only be made or accepted by players in the same division. Friendly challenges may be made or accepted by any player.
Challenges can be either named (directed at a particular player) or open (for friendly, any player may accept the challenge; for league, any player in the same division).
You do not have to accept a challenge unless it is part of a tournament. Until both sides have deployed, the game has not started and no league points are at stake. You can decline a named challenge by using the 'DECLINE' option at the top of the web interface. It is also considered polite to use either the 'For the Attention Of' section of the forum, or the message in a new challenge to explain why you have changed your mind about a challenge that you issued, open or named.
Challenges are usually removed if after 14 days on the server both players have not deployed. If the challenge was part of a tournament, this deployment time can be less. If one player fails to deploy by then, he will lose through default. If both players fail to deploy, their next opponent gets a bye.
In named challenges, the player issuing the challenge deploys in blue. In open challenges, the player picking up the challenge deploys in blue.
You can distinguish a free trial player in the open challenge list or league tables by looking for an '*' following the name.
Software installed on your computer to enable you to play LSN turns.
After you have watched the results, plotted your orders and tested them, revised them, tested them some more, when you are finally happy with them then they are sent to the server for processing.
Note that there can be subtle but important differences between the way that the client processes orders (test orders) and the way that the server processes them (your results).
The Guardian's Cloaking shield halves the visiblity of all units within its shimmering field.
The Guardian's Cloaking shield has a similar effect on the Scanner's ability as it does on normal vision.
The Guardian's Cloaking shield does not have a cumulative effect. A unit cloaked by two (or more) Guardians only has its visibility halved, still.
Units covered by the field are often described as cloaked.
LSN uses a Chess style clock system.
Until both players have deployed, the clocks are not started and the game has not properly begun.
Once both players have deployed, results are processed and both clocks are started.
Your clock stops when you submit orders. If you have submitted orders but your opponent has not the game will be displayed as 'WAITING' on the web interface.
Once both players have submitted orders the results are processed.
Your clock is ticking when you have results that you have not submitted orders for. The game will be displayed as 'PLAY TURN' on the web interface.
Note that, unlike Chess, both players may have their clocks ticking.
If you time out you lose; in a league game you will suffer any normal point loss and an additional five league point penalty.
There is no league point bonus for your opponent timing out, but you do still get any normal league points due.
If you allow your subscription to expire, your clocks will continue ticking and you may time out.
- Buzzers, Drones and Queens can only attack enemies next to them. When you issue a fire order by clicking RMB on an enemy, a Spawn unit will attempt to move next to the enemy and bite it once. Issue multiple attack orders to bite more times. If you issue a pursue orders by clicking LMB on an enemy, a close combat unit unit will attempt to attack the enemy continuously.
- The Fire/Attack at Will engagement instruction will cause a close combat unit to move towards an enemy to attack it. This attack will only be triggered by enemies within the vision range of a close combat unit unit.
- Ammunition is not required for attacks by close combat units. They are therefore always combat capable.
- Queens may also attack and pursue friendly units. This allows her to kill and recycle them.
- Enemies standing directly on the other side of open windows, firing slits and sandbags can be attacked with close combat units (bitten).
Company responsible for LSN.
A combat capable unit is defined as a unit which can attack and has ammunition remaining, or at least an HQ to reload from.
Buzzers, Drones, Splatters, and Queens do not require ammunition to attack and are always combat capable.
HQs, Regenerators, Scanners, and eggs cannot attack and are never combat capable.
Notice how Greys benefit from this: they will often recover one energy (ammunition) at the very end of the turn, before the combat capability is checked.
Medic pressed into service on the front line because the situation is grim.
Set as either Fire/Attack at Will or Hold Fire: whether a unit will open fire unordered or not.
The Rules of Engagement (combat reaction and sighting reaction) are triggered by LOF not LOS. They will not be triggered by a unit seen through a forcefield, or a window which has glass in it.
- You may find that you are unable to change the Combat Reaction for a unit that remains stationary. Try setting a forced movement waypoint on their position, and then changing the Combat Reaction.
3 FP Marine unit (view stats). The Commander has a powerful laser cannon capable of breaching walls, allowing sneak attacks or stealthy retreats.
There are no conditional orders as such, but you may create the effect by careful plotting of the available orders.
There is no penalty for issuing orders which cannot be carried out. This means that you can stack large amounts of direct fire and movement to create conditional orders to the effect "Move-shoot at every known target if possible-move-shoot at every known target if possible-move...". This is particularly true of the Machina with their use of Scanners to locate enemy units.
Terrain fire is aborted if the terrain is destroyed. This is handy for looping terrain fire to create conditional orders. The classic example would be "shoot at the door until its destroyed, then go through the doorway".
In LSN 3-10 terrain fire is no longer aborted for terrain that cannot be seen to be destroyed. This eliminates the exploit of a medic firing at a door to check when it is open; and the annoying bug that aborted MT terrain fire at ground out of LOS that had become destroyed.
You may also use forced orders to create conditional orders. A good example is to have a Commander repeatedly terrain fire at a wall, then move aside. A Grenadier stood next to him has been forced ordered onto the Commander's spot, then lob a grenade towards the wall. The effect is that the Commander breaches the wall, steps aside and allows the Grenadier to step up and lob a grenade through the breach. Since it is all in one turn it can be devastating for your opponent. Note the conditional chain of events: the Grenadier can't move unless the Commander vacates his position, and the Commander won't do that until he breaches the wall. Of course, if the Commander is killed somehow before he breaches the wall you are in big trouble...
If you want to use forced orders to move to another unit's position before carrying out further orders, a fire order must be plotted at the desired waypoint. If you don't want a fire order, then you need to use The Tharg Method™ : plot a zero range direct fire order right on top of your unit at the desired forced waypoint, before the rest of the orders. The fire will be ignored but first it will force the movement to be carried out. If a fire order is not plotted the movement is aborted and the unit skips to its next order.
To concede a game, click the 'Options' button (the small tick immediately to the left of 'Time') and select it from the list.
Some players prefer to play to the end and take great satisfaction in wiping the enemy out completely, so you may want to ask permission before you concede.
There is a bug which means that the final concede message will not be received by your opponent.
Classic move, also known as window dancing or simply dancing.
Typically, to move a unit out from behind a corner, fire (usually opportunity fire), move back behind the corner, then repeat. Often a hold order is added when the unit is in cover for added safety.
The main advantage is to breaking LOF before the opponent can return fire, especially if he has a slow firing unit. In this way a Grunt can pose a deadly threat to a Sniper.
Also provides partial cover for the 'dancing' unit, especially valuable at long range when the flight time of projectiles is long.
Dead body, or the remains of a Machina, HQ or Regenerator.
When eaten by the Queen, corpses provide her with food value to lay eggs.
Corpses can be destroyed by explosions.
Controlling or denying access to corpses is often decisive in games involving Queens.
Continue on Sight: sighting reaction which means that a unit will carry out its orders regardless of whether it spots a new enemy.
The Rules of Engagement (combat reaction and sighting reaction) are triggered by LOF not LOS . They will not be triggered by a unit seen through a forcefield, or a window which has glass in it.
Damage is inflicted by a successful attack, by nearby explosions or by goo.
Damage from attacks varies randomly between 50% and 150% of the stated average damage.
Damage from explosions varies according to the distance from the centre of the blast.
Damage is applied to health, after armour protection value has been subtracted.
Greys are protected by their shields before they take any damage to their health. This damage is subtracted from their energy. Note that armour does not protect shields.
Damage from Psykers is not protected by shields, it is always applied directly to health.
Classic move, also known as corner dancing or window dancing.
Typically, to move a unit out from behind cover, fire (usually opportunity fire), move back behind cover, then repeat. Often a hold order is added when the unit is in cover for added safety.
The main advantage is to breaking LOF before the opponent can return fire, especially if he has a slow firing unit. In this way a Grunt can pose a deadly threat to a Sniper.
Also provides partial cover for the 'dancing' unit, especially valuable at long range when the flight time of projectiles is long.
HQs, Regenerators, AI, Missile Tanks, Splatters and Saucers explode on death.
Even if their death was caused by an explosion, there will still be a subsequent death explosion.
Damage from explosions varies according to the distance from the centre of the blast.
Players very near the bottom of Veteran or Elite division may be demoted. Rookies are never demoted.
Demotions are not automatic and will only take place to ensure that the three divisions are roughly equal in size (based on total league points).
Demotions, if any, take pace at the same time as promotions: about 3pm GMT.
Initial turn in which units are chosen and placed.
In named challenges, the player issuing the challenge deploys in blue. In open challenges, the player picking up the challenge deploys in blue.
You don't have to deploy a HQ unless it is a HQ scenario.
In HQ scenarios, Queens count as Spawn HQ and obviously the Regenerator counts as the Grey HQ.
Units can be deployed half on, half off a deployment zone. This can be important when trying to squeeze large units such as AI, MT, HQ etc into a small area.
Units can't be deployed in doors but Buzzers can be deployed in windows which have no glass in them.
Direct fire (RMB) can be targeted on an enemy (red line) or untargeted (purple line).
Direct fire requires little or no reaction time.
If there is no LOF to the target unit the action is aborted.
There is no penalty for issuing orders which cannot be carried out. This means that you can stack large amounts of direct fire and movement to create conditional orders to the effect "Move-shoot at every known target if possible-move-shoot at every known target if possible-move...". This is particularly true of the Machina with their use of Scanners to locate enemy units.
- Note that since targeted direct fire is aborted if the targeted unit is destroyed, it is possible for successful direct fire to abort itself, thus saving the time that would normally be spent to complete the attack.
Untargeted direct fire is useful for suppressive fire. If a unit keeps popping up in a window or doorway to take a shot, then disappearing from view before you can get a shot off, you might consider firing a shot in anticipation of the unit popping up.
Untargeted direct fire, along with terrain fire, are the preferred firing method for Grenadiers, Goo Spitters and Missile Tanks. Opportunity fire, reaction fire or direct fire targeted on an enemy unit are usually considered to be too unpredictable in their trajectory...of course, if you are up against it and have nothing to lose they can be worth using.
Disruptor beams all have an effective range of 160m and travel at 80m per second.
Disruptor beams are often referred to as Laser beams.
Doors come in three types: locked, sliding and military doors.
Locked doors have to be destroyed to open them; use terrain fire and loop it if necessary. They are quite weak so most any weapon has a fair chance.
Sliding doors may be destroyed or they may be opened by standing near them; about 2m is close enough to trigger the mechanism. You can use this to have scouts open doors to create temporary pathways for grenades or missiles. Until they are fully retracted, sliding doors block vision, LOS, LOF and projectiles just as much as if they were closed. Sliding doors cannot be destroyed when they are retracted into the floor. For this reason sliding doors are often the last thing standing in a building destroyed by explosions.
The military doors are indestructible, and they can be locked (red) or unlocked (green). Locked doors are impassable, but unlocked doors will behave like automatic sliding doors. To lock or unlock military doors you need to select a unit and click LMB on the door control that faces towards the military doors. A blue line will be plotted between the unit and the controls, ending with an 'A' (for action). For some reason it is very difficult to plot these orders in plan mode. If a door control is destroyed, then the doors it controls will become permanently unlocked. Military doors are displayed as they were last seen, red or green, but bear in mind that they may well have changed. This even applies to when you lock or unlock the door: unless you can see the door itself and not just the controls, don't expect it to change colour.
1 FP Spawn unit (view stats). The Drone is fast and a vicious close combat fighter.
The Drone is immune to goo.
Nicknamed dogs or doggies, from the way that they run.
Helpless, fragile and immobile unit laid by the Queen.
Eggs grow rapidly and hatch into a random (non Queen) Spawn unit about one second after being laid.
An egg is worth no victory points, but they are much easier to kill before they hatch into units.
Eggs cannot be Psyked.
Element.
Tactical grouping of units, particularly applied to Marines. A 'Grenadier element' would consist of a Grenadier and a Grunt. Originates with the justly famous 'Grenadiers Bible'.
The top division of the league.
Player in the elite division.
General term for a skilful player.
- Grey ammunition is called energy because they also use it for their shields.
- Greys are protected by their shields before they take any damage to their health. This damage is subtracted from their energy. Armour does not protect shields.
- A ranged attack is aborted when ammunition falls to zero. This affects Greys a lot, because they'll often get hit and lose their remaining energy. It can be used to their advantage by creating conditional orders. Eg issue a Sentry with oppportunity fire until the end of a turn, followed by a swift retreat: hopefully they will fire unless they are hit badly, and in that case simply fade away. It doesn't benefit Psykers, though.
- Greys recover two energy per turn for free, without reloading.
They recover one energy point at the end of every fifth second, beginning from the time in the turn that their energy fell below maximum. If they begin the turn below maximum this will be 5.0 and 10.0.- LSN 3-10 introduced a bug: in Test Orders, the final point of energy recovery at 10.0 will not be gained, even though it will in the actual results.
Explosions anywhere on the map are seen by both players, regardless of the usual LOS rules.
Damage from explosions varies according to the distance from the centre of the blast.
Direct hits with missiles cause double damage.
Explosions gain an additional 'airburst' blast radius for airborne explosions, on trees etc.
Explosion damage laps around walls and through open windows, firing slits and so on. These can act like a funnel for damage and so can be a dangerous place to be stood when a missile slams into the wall outside.
Explosion damage is determined at the exact moment of the explosion for all units within the blast radius, but applied later as the blast spreads. So units can scramble behind cover or even teleport away but still take damage.
Explosions can destroy corpses.
For practical purposes, implosions are very similar to explosions.
- 1 FP Machina unit (view stats). The Exterminator (XT) is the workhorse of the Machina. Slow moving but tough, it is equipped with a reasonably accurate plasma gun.
"The world's largest discussion board network."
Home of the official Laser Squad Nemesis discussion forum.
Keyboard shortcut for in game help.
Describes impatiently waiting for turns - hitting the F5 ('refresh') key repeatedly.
FAQ.
Frequently Asked Questions. There are a few FAQs to help bring you up to speed:
The official Codo FAQ archive
New Player Help - General FAQ
New Player Help - Game Management FAQ
New Player Help - Game Client FAQ
Maps and mapmaking - Maps FAQ
Joegan's LSN Techincal FAQ archive
smart bunny's Common problems and their solutions
Fire/Attack at Will: combat reaction which gives your unit permission to fire at the nearest enemy if it is not otherwise busy carrying out your orders.
Often accompanied by 'Halt on Sight' sighting reaction which means that the unit will stop carrying out orders if it spots a new enemy in order to fire on them.
The Fire/Attack at Will engagement instruction will cause a close combat unit to move towards an enemy to attack it. This attack will only be triggered by enemies within the vision range of the close combat unit unit.
The Rules of Engagement (combat reaction and sighting reaction) are triggered by LOF not LOS . They will not be triggered by a unit seen through a forcefield, or a window which has glass in it.
Fire/attack On Command: combat reaction which denies permission to fire unless specifically ordered to, even if the unit has no orders and a target presents itself.
Also known as Hold Fire (HF)
Experienced players who volunteer their time to help new players to learn the game.
Would you like to know more? Visit the Field Instructor Roster.
If you have played over twenty five games you also qualify as a trainer. Log into the web interface and click on the RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING tab to find out more.
Select a unit and click the RMB on a friendly unit to issue a follow order. A green line will be plotted between the two units.
Follow orders are always plotted as taking 10.0 seconds. However, you don't have to issue the order at the start of a turn for follow to work.
The selected unit will move towards the other by the best visible route. Greys will take advantage of teleportation if it shortens the route.
There will be a small space left between the units, to allow room to manoeuvre.
If tight formation and exact timing are required, you may want to plot the orders yourself: using forced movement to have one unit immediately occupy the space vacated by another. Units will have less room to manoeuvre and traffic jams may occur if you do not plot the orders carefully.
A Medic or AI can't follow another friendly unit, it must heal them instead. This has much the same effect.
Force Points (FP) are the measure of unit cost and rough indication of their relative strength.
FP translate directly into Victory Points (VP), which are a measure of how many FP worth of the enemy you have killed and the means of deciding the game in 'Wipe out' scenarios not won outright by the turn limit.
In regular games started via the client or web interface games, both you and your opponent will each have between 15 and 30 force points to deploy, depending on the options chosen.
In official and TAS tournaments the force points available may vary between one or and forty.
It is possible to deploy les than the full amount of force points with the T method.
You may wish to issue orders that are not possible at the time of plotting them, but will (hopefully) be possible at the time they are to be carried out. These are called 'forced' orders.
To 'force' orders, press CTRL along with the usual command.
Unlike regular orders which are generally cancelled if they cannot be carried out, units continue to attempt to carry out forced orders until they are successful. This can put them in a dangerous position, as they single-mindedly run into a wall, oblivious to the enemy shooting at them.
You can use this to move through a door or wall you intend to breach during the turn.
You can also use it to force untargeted direct fire, rather than targeted direct fire.
You can move to another units position (overriding follow or heal) or back to a units own original position.
If you want to create conditional orders to move to another unit's position before carrying out further orders, a fire order must be plotted at the desired waypoint. If you don't want a fire order, then you need to use The Tharg Method™: plot a zero range direct fire order right on top of your unit at the desired forced waypoint, before the rest of the orders. The fire will be ignored but first it will force the movement to be carried out. If a fire order is not plotted the movement is aborted and the unit skips to its next order.