The Game Narrative

The story of Combat Crocs is simple. Those evil Rhinos are bad and we (the noble Republic of Crocodilia) have to go and enter into forceful
negotiations to show them what's what. This mostly means blowing them up. The eyes of the nation are on our boys overseas and lots of
victories and not too many casualties will keep the public happy with the war. If the public is happy with the war then resources will keep
coming and there will be more troops and troop types available. The mechanism of this is discussed in the gameplay section.

Battle begins once the player has chosen their troops and pressed the 'Battle' button.
The battle screen is a representation of a battlefield terrain with obstacles and enemy to be overcome.
The screen is divided into three horizontal 'lanes'. Only one lane may be selected at once. Moving selection up and down selects different
lanes.
The GUI bar has buttons for each troop type as well as basic functionality like pause, restart, quit etc. The player deploys troops by
pressing the button for that troop type from the GUI bar. Troops are deployed in small units, from 1-5 depending on troop type.
Deployed troops begin in the currently selected lane and move forward, interacting with obstacles and enemy according to their AI
parameters. Once deployed the player has no further interaction with those units.
Troop deployment has a timeout function to limit the amount of troops which can be deployed at any time. Further troop of that kind
cannot be deployed until the countdown has refreshed.
The player's skill and judgement in exercised in deciding which units to deploy against which enemy and with what timing. Good choices
mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Movement and Terrain

The screen format is landscape.
The screen scrolls to the left as units advance to the right. The screen follows the most advanced units.

AI and Units
The player cannot interact with units once they are spawned. Units move according to their AI parameters: they move forward,
firing at enemy units until they reach an obstacle. Then they take cover, return fire or cross the obstacle.
A degree of variety is achieved by giving troop types different variables which determine whether they will cross. These are
further modified by the proximity of enemy troops, whether they are opposed by heavy weapons, the presence of leadership
units nearby etc.
Different units have different offensive abilities and deploy in different numbers. Grunts armed with weak rifles deploy in groups
of five while bazooka crocs have a powerful offensive capability but deploy in twos and so on.
Some units are faster than others and can take more damage before being killed. Some troops are more aggressive than others.
Grunts will take cover behind the first obstacle and only return fire if there are no heavy weapons firing on them. Assault Crocs
will cross all obstacles and continue firing until they overrun the enemy or are killed.
There is no close combat in Combat Crocs. If advancing units encounter an obstacle with enemy behind it they will return fire
from in front of the obstacle until the enemy is destroyed. If there is no obstacle the units will stop 15% of screen width in front
of the enemy and return fire until the enemy is destroyed.

Unit Variables
Speed: 1-5
Range: expressed in px
Damage: 1-5, auto kill
Accuracy: 1-5
Toughness: 1- 5
Obstacle behaviour: take cover %, return fire%, cross obstacle%
Fire into adjacent lanes: % chance
Morale: high/low (number of enemy units killed, number of own group killed, leadership
unit nearby, friendly heavy weapons deployed)
Cowardly: Y/N (cowardly units flee if 80% of their group is killed and morale is low
. They take cover longer if fired upon.)

AI and Units
Determine unit behaviour at obstacle
Unit in obstacle hit zone Y/N?
If N then continue
If Y then get variable: unit_type(unit)
Calculate variable: obstacle_crossing:
Get variable (unit)_take_cover%
Get variable (unit)_return_fire%
Get variable (unit)_cross_obstacle_%
Modify variable ((unit)_take_cover%,(unit)_return_fire%,(unit)_cross_obstacle%)
Modifier

TC%

RF%

CO%

Incoming heavy weapons fire

+20

--

--

Leadership buff

-20

+20

+20

Distance to enemy <25% screen width

-10

+20

+10

Morale high

-20

+40

+20

Morale low

+20

-10

-20

Select highest value ((unit)_take_cover%,(unit)_return_fire%,(unit)_cross_obstacle_%)

If (unit)_take_cover% then unit hides behind obstacle
If (unit)_return_fire% then unit hides behind obstacle and fires at enemy
If (unit)_cross_obstacle_% then unit crosses obstacle and continues x translation
Send variable: obstacle_crossing to garbage

AI and Units

Crocs

Group

Rhinos

Group

Grunt

basic riflemen, weak, slow, cowardly

Grunt

Basic rifle troop

Grenadier

rifleman with grenades. 10% chance to kill

self

Machine
gunner

Heavy weapon, stationary, tough

Sarge

leadership unit, tough, machine gun,

attaches to other groups

Grenadier

Throws grenades, never blows self up

Assault
Croc

quick, tough, machinegun armed, crosses

all obstacles, high morale

Rocketeer

Heavy weapon, stationary, big explosion

Fido the
Turtle

Bulletproof, destroys mines

Mini tank

Armoured vehicle, bulletproof

Kablooie
Louie

Bazooka croc

Fighter
Bomber

Air strike

Machine
gunner

Heavy weapon, sets up in support

Pill Box

Machine gun armed building, tough

Sniper

Long range auto kill unit

Mines

Can't be defused, only set off

Flame
thrower

What it sounds like, easily killed

Observer

Unarmed, calls in air strikes

Fighter
Bomber

Air strike, big explosions

Observer

Unarmed, calls in air strikes

Photograph
er

No weapons, triple victory points

1 Tutorial 01

Use riflemen to destroy a small enemy force

Tutorial

2 Tutorial 02

Use Sarge and grenadiers to overrun an enemy outpost

Tutorial

3 Border
Skirmish

Clear enemy riflemen out of the forest- push them back over the border

Practice

4 Intelligence
Mission

Capture an officer for questioning

Rhinos are planning to

invade- purchase new
troop types

5 Cross the
Border

Assault the border crossing

Deal with machine guns

6 Seize the
Supply
Dump

Assault a fortified base

Deal with pillboxes

7 On the
Road pt I

Advance deep into enemy territory

8 On the
Road pt II

Continue the advance

Watch out for tanks

9 Clear the
minefield

Mines block the way

Use Fidos to clear mines

1 Into the
0 Guns

Destroy an enemy artillery battery

Be prepared for heavy

casualties

1 Rescue the
1 Kids

Fighting has cut off an orphanage. Clear the road so the kids can be evacuated

1 Defend the
2 Hospital

A huge enemy force is threatening to destroy the Croc base hospital. Hold for
reinforcements

Timed defense

1 In the
3 Balance Pt I

The enemy is fielding a massive army. Push for final victory

Heavy weapons galore

1 In the
4 Balance Pt
II

The enemy deploys a tank division to crush the Crocs.

Airstrikes optional but

recommended

1 The Final
5 Round

Both armies are throwing everything into one gigantic battle