Downtown is a game by Lee Brimmicombe-Wood published by GMT games. Some links that are of interest for the game:
The interface consists of four areas:
The text menu contains the default entries for all VASSAL games. Please see the Vassal documentation for a complete reference. To start a new Downtown game choose New Game. To continue an existing game or playback a log file, choose Load Game.
The menu bar contains a number of icons to be used in the game. After loading the Downtown module, only a part of the menubar is shown. Once a game is started, the following menubar should be visibile:
The icons are now explained in order from left to right, available hotkeys are in brackets.
Here a player can write and receive text messages from the module and other players. For example, results of die rolls are shown here or status messages of flights moved.
The game map showing the Sinai and river Nile delta. With the zoom controls in the menubar the level of detail can be controlled. The overview map allows to pan the map.
The counters can be seen after pressing the Game Pieces icon. Dragging the counter from the waiting box to the main map or hangar makes them playable.
A counter may have a specific menu which is accessible by right mouse click. Additionally hot keys are available. The module utilizes the same hot key for similar functions. For example, CTRL-E increases and CTRL-D decreases a given value. Value can be the game turn or a flight's altitude.
A flight can move freely on the map and use hotkeys to travel hex by hex. Unlike the games printed version the flights in the module can maintain their state. The information usually kept on the paper log can be kept on the flight itself ([CTRL-P]). To reduce counter clutter the altitude information is printed on the upper right corner of the flight. Instead of using a separate counter for generic flights, a flight can be turned into a generic version ([CTRL-G]) and given an idea ([CTRL-I]). When a marker needs to be placed, the 'markers' submenu is very useful. Here the ten most used markers generated by a flight are available.
AAA are the mainstay of the ground to air defenses and exist for both sides. The counter can be flipped ([CTRL-F]) between active and inactive states. A colored area that shows the defense systems range can be shown ([CTRL-R]). AAA can be hidden from other players ([CTRL-H]) and are displayed semi-transparent.
A missile counter can be a battery of SA-2, SA-6 or Hawk launchers. Like AAA they change their state between warning on, warning off, located on and located off ([CTRL-F]). Also the Egyptian missiles can be hidden from the IAF ([CTRL-H]). The missile range ([CTRL-R]) shows the area covered by the effective range of the missile. Due to performance issues the maximum range is not shown. The missile counter is generic and can be assigned a specific identity ([CTRL-I]). Like flights missiles may contain their log information ([CTRL-P]). When a missile acquires a target this can be stored on the marker ([CTRL-T]). With help of the markers submenu common markers for missiles can be placed easily.