The instructions are best understood by downloading, installing and running the 1914 Schlieffen Plan study, which is referred to throughout and is a good introductory study, being limited in length (24 events), scope and complexity.
An illustrated, highly detailed set of instructions is available in the form of the .pdf file below:
1) The Main Screen
On a The Lessons of History study icon being double-clicked the main screen appears.
The main screen comprises:
a) A map;
b) Written information about Event 1 (an event being the series of incidents which have been reached in the chronological account which makes up the study);
c) Buttons to activate Event 1’s sub-events (which might be i} decisions, ii} events subject to chance or iii} attacks);
d) Buttons through which to access secondary information screens;
e) Boxes within which markers are displayed;
f) A display showing the number of points currently gained by the side which emerged the victor from the historical events depicted.
The study is controlled through the use of buttons, the use of which is described below, which are all selected by left clicking on them once.
Screens are cleared by left clicking on them once.
2) The Event Text
The event text (in white) is at the heart of a The Lessons of History study and should be read with care, as though an essay (it will be noted that each event has a number and a title). The event text is not a servant to the map and the sub-event buttons; the digital displays are servants to the event text, which provides a detailed account of the historical events which are the subject of the study. The event text is vital, not merely insofar as it provides a detailed account of the events being described, but because it gives a clear indication of the purpose of the event’s component parts, the decisions, events subject to chance and attacks, and provides suggestions about the possible consequences of hypothetical decisions and outcomes.
3) The Sub-Event Text
Beneath the event text, displayed in red, blue or green, is the sub-event text, this being a guide to the sub-events for that event. The sub-event text describes the purpose and action of the sub-event buttons below it, red for events subject to chance, blue for decisions, green for attacks. Each sub-event text has a number which corresponds to the number of the sub-event buttons below that it describes.
Decision sub-event text gives the decision’s number, the name of side making the decision, a brief description of each of the two possible choices and a brief indication of the possible consequences of each choice.
Event subject to chance sub-event text gives the event subject to chance’s number and a brief description of what it is that is subject to chance.
Attack sub-event text gives the attack’s number, the name of the attacking side and the name and/or grid reference of the objective being attacked.
4) The Sub-Event Buttons
Beneath the sub-event text are the corresponding sub-event buttons, which, like the sub-event text, are colour-coded (red for events subject to chance, blue for decisions, green for attacks).
Buttons may not appear for every sub-event given in an event‘s sub-event text. This may be because previous hypothetical outcomes have made some sub-events impossible or because they are dependent on outcomes yet to be determined.
Those sub-events for which buttons appear may be performed in any order.
Those sub-events for which buttons appear may be by-passed, but this may have unforeseen consequences.
4.1) Decision Sub-Event Buttons
There will be two decision buttons, DECISION ONE and DECISION TWO, one for each of the two choices that can be made. In most cases the first of the two choices will be that which was taken in reality, which is marked H, meaning historical. If both choices are hypothetical the first button will simply be marked DECISION ONE.
4.2) Event Subject to Chance Sub-Event Buttons
There will be generally be two event subject to chance buttons, ESC and ESC H, the first being used to select an outcome which is subject to chance, the second being used to select the historical outcome. If the event subject to chance is hypothetical, only the first button will be available.
4.3) Attack Buttons
There will be generally be two attack buttons, ATTACK and AH, the first being used to select an outcome which is subject to chance, the second being used to select the historical outcome. In the event that the attack is hypothetical, only the first button will be available.
If an attack cannot take place (most obviously because the objective has already been captured by the attacking side) an alternative attack is sometime possible against a different objective. This being a hypothetical attack, a third button would be available, ALT. ATTACK, meaning alternative attack.
5) The Map
The map is overlaid with a hexagonal grid (each hex having a grid reference), some hexes containing an objective (generally key towns or cities), these being hexes that contain a counter displaying the flag of the nation or the side which at this moment controls them.
Those who are familiar with military and historical computer games may be surprised not to see displayed on the map counters or markers representing individual military units. In The Lessons of History studies military force is represented abstractly. The map displays positions held at any given moment by each side’s military forces and attacks as they occur, but military forces when in action are fluid and constantly changing entities, changing in deployment and position, composition, quality and morale, and these are factors that are dealt with primarily by sub-events.
The Lessons of History maps are always 92 hexes or fewer so that they can always be seen in their entirety. This is to ensure that all changes to the map can be seen at a glance in order to obtain a clear and immediate impression of everything that is happening.
For this reason a map may include boxes containing hexes representing territory beyond the area covered by the main map (which might even be territory in another continent). If the territory represented is adjacent to the area covered by the main map, pairs of small coloured squares show how the two territories are joined.
Both overseas and adjoining territory is shown in the screenshot below:
6) The Objectives
Objectives counters represent the presence in an objective hex (that is to say a hex containing an objective) of military force of either one side or the other (or of a neutral state). The nature of the military force present in the hex is indicated by the objective counter’s appearance (which may alter, a guide to which is provided by the Objectives & Markers secondary screen), but the counters’ essential purpose is to indicate which side owns which objectives at any given moment.
7) The Markers
At the bottom of the screen will be seen, outlined in white, a row of boxes, in which may at various times and for various periods of time be displayed markers, their appearance (and disappearance) triggered by certain sub-event outcomes, historical or hypothetical.
The markers (a guide to which is provided by the Objectives & Markers secondary screen) serve both as a visual reminder that influences specific to a marker have come into play; influences which may alter future outcomes, historical and hypothetical, or make some things possible, some things no longer possible.
8) Points
It will be noted that the points bar at the top of the screen displays the current number of points that have been gained by one side only, that being the side which emerged historically as the victor. (Note: The historical victor gains points lost by the other side and loses points gained by the other side.)
The points bar displays:
a) The number of victory points that the victor would have accumulated at the end of the final event of the study had only historical decisions and outcomes been selected;
b) The number of victory points that that side has accumulated thus far.
The purpose of points, which are gained and lost throughout, is to indicate how well or how badly things are going for the historical victor after each event and sub-event, and to demonstrate at the end of the study how well the historical victor has performed, set against the historical outcome.
Points may represent any kind of asset or resource. If a side gains an objective it gains points; if it loses control of an objective it loses points. A side expends points on mounting an attack, whatever the outcome. A side may gain points on acquiring an ally or lose points while campaigning in what turns out to be particularly severe weather. A side may gain points through acquiring a valuable source of raw materials or lose points following a period of civil unrest.
9) Secondary Screens
Five secondary, information, screens are provided:
a) The Background Information screen;
b) The Terrain Map screen;
c) The Start Map screen;
d) The Historical Outcome screen;
e) The Objectives & Markers screen.
The secondary screens are displayed by selecting the corresponding button located on the top-left of the main screen, being: BACKGROUND, TERRAIN MAP, START MAP, OUTCOME and MARKERS. The secondary screens include a MAIN SCREEN button which on being selected displays the main screen.
10) The Next Event Button
On an event’s text having been read, its sub-events having been carried out (or it having been decided to by-pass one or more of them) and the consequences of the outcomes noted, selecting the Next Event button (top-right) will display the next event.
11) The Remaining Buttons
The remaining buttons are: SAVE, LOAD, BACK, EXIT and i (information).
The SAVE button saves a copy of the current event at the point reached. On the Next Event button being selected, a copy is saved of the situation at the end of the event being concluded.
The LOAD button loads a copy of the study at the point reached when the last save occurred.
The BACK button loads a copy of the study at the start of Event 1.
The EXIT button terminates the study and saves a copy of the current event at the point reached.
The i button provides copyright and ownership information about the programme.
12) Sound effects
Sound effects have been included for atmosphere.
