Explanation of special abilities

Special abilities are available to players as a reward for improving their average score. A player at a particular skill level has access to all the special abilities of the skill levels below him. These special abilities are not automatically available during a game, however. They must be earned. Rapid Fire and Invulnerability are earned simply by putting other players down, whereas, the other four special abilities must be earned by accumulating Special Points (referred to as SP).

Special Points can be accumulated in the following ways:

• 1 SP for putting a player down (ie, making their lights go out)
• 2 SP for missiling a player
• 5 SP for destroying a target

Rapid Fire.

Rapid Fire (R/F) occurs by players hitting opponents a number of times without getting hit themselves (see below). Rapid fire is then activated and indicated to the player by a message through their speakers. In rapid fire mode the shot speed is increased. This facility can be used in bursts or in continuous fire, just like a machine phaser! When the player is hit (s)he loses his rapid fire facility. First R/F - 2 consecutive downs; 2nd R/F - 3 consecutive downs; 3rd and subsequent R/F - 4 consecutive downs.

Invulnerability.

 Players become Invulnerable by hitting a number of players in a row (see below). A message through the battlesuit's speakers lets him know he is invulnerable. While invulnerable he will not go "Down" for 10 seconds. However, other players can still hit him and score points (in this case, the "Invulnerable" player will hear the shots "bouncing off his shields"). First invulnerability - 5 consecutive downs, then increments by 2 downs up to 15 downs for the 6th and subsequent activation.

Payback

This ability enables a down player to bring himself back up straight away, simply by holding his trigger in for two seconds. It consumes five SP the first time it is used, then ten SP, 15 SP and 20 SP for the fourth and subsequent uses.

Missile

Successful use of a missile earns a player 500 points (+ 100 points per skill level difference), 2SP, and counts as two downs towards R/F and invulnerability. Missiles cannot be used against Levels 3 and below. If a player missiles a team-mate he will lose 500 points! A missile is activated by holding a lock on the opponent for about one second, and firing the phaser. The lock-on tone for a missile consists of three long beeps, and the player fires when he hears the third beep. Note that the player being targeted will hear a warning tone, and can actually break the missile lock. A missile consumes five SP.

Reset

To activate a reset, the player must hold his trigger in for two seconds. By activating reset, a player can zap someone he has just zapped, without having to reset on another player. It consumes five SP the first time, rising to ten SP for the sixth and subsequent times.

Nuke

A Level 6 player activates a Nuke by holding in his trigger for two seconds. This immediately consumes twenty SP and initiates a Nuke sequence. If the player is zapped during this sequence the Nuke will fail. A Nuke will put down all other Level 6s in the game and earn the player 500 points

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