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Elite on the BBC Micro and NES

Tactics: TACTICS (Part 4 of 7)

[6502 Second Processor version]

Name: TACTICS (Part 4 of 7) [Show more] Type: Subroutine Category: Tactics Summary: Apply tactics: Check energy levels, maybe launch escape pod if low Deep dive: Program flow of the tactics routine
Context: See this subroutine in context in the source code Variations: See code variations for this subroutine in the different versions References: No direct references to this subroutine in this source file

This section works out what kind of condition the ship is in. Specifically: * If this is an Anaconda, consider spawning (22% chance) a Worm (61% of the time) or a Sidewinder (39% of the time) * Rarely (2.5% chance) roll the ship by a noticeable amount * If the ship has at least half its energy banks full, jump to part 6 to consider firing the lasers * If the ship is not into the last 1/8th of its energy, jump to part 5 to consider firing a missile * If the ship is into the last 1/8th of its energy, and this ship type has an escape pod fitted, then rarely (10% chance) the ship launches an escape pod and is left drifting in space
LDA TYPE \ If this is not a missile, skip the following CMP #MSL \ instruction BNE P%+5 JMP TA20 \ This is a missile, so jump down to TA20 to get \ straight into some aggressive manoeuvring CMP #ANA \ If this is not an Anaconda, jump down to TN7 to skip BNE TN7 \ the following JSR DORND \ Set A and X to random numbers CMP #200 \ If A < 200 (78% chance), jump down to TN7 to skip the BCC TN7 \ following JSR DORND \ Set A and X to random numbers LDX #WRM \ Set X to the ship type for a Worm CMP #100 \ If A >= 100 (61% chance), skip the following BCS P%+4 \ instruction LDX #SH3 \ Set X to the ship type for a Sidewinder JMP TN6 \ Jump to TN6 to spawn the Worm or Sidewinder and return \ from the subroutine using a tail call .TN7 JSR DORND \ Set A and X to random numbers CMP #250 \ If A < 250 (97.5% chance), jump down to TA7 to skip BCC TA7 \ the following JSR DORND \ Set A and X to random numbers ORA #104 \ Bump A up to at least 104 and store in the roll STA INWK+29 \ counter, to gives the ship a noticeable roll .TA7 LDY #14 \ Set A = the ship's maximum energy / 2 LDA (XX0),Y LSR A CMP INWK+35 \ If the ship's current energy in byte #35 > A, i.e. the BCC TA3 \ ship has at least half of its energy banks charged, \ jump down to TA3 LSR A \ If the ship's current energy in byte #35 > A / 4, i.e. LSR A \ the ship is not into the last 1/8th of its energy, CMP INWK+35 \ jump down to ta3 to consider firing a missile BCC ta3 JSR DORND \ Set A and X to random numbers CMP #230 \ If A < 230 (90% chance), jump down to ta3 to consider BCC ta3 \ firing a missile LDX TYPE \ Fetch the ship blueprint's default NEWB flags from the LDA E%-1,X \ table at E%, and if bit 7 is clear (i.e. this ship BPL ta3 \ does not have an escape pod), jump to ta3 to skip the \ spawning of an escape pod \ By this point, the ship has run out of both energy and \ luck, so it's time to bail LDA #0 \ Set the AI flag to 0 to disable AI, hostility and STA INWK+32 \ E.C.M., so the ship's a sitting duck JMP SESCP \ Jump to SESCP to spawn an escape pod from the ship, \ returning from the subroutine using a tail call