Cyber Assault (video game)

Cyber Assault
Main character(s):	Charlie Haughton, Arthur King
Featuring:	Jake Simmonds
Main enemy:	Cyber-Leader
Key crew
Publisher:	BBC
Developer:	Fish in a Bottle
Release details
Platform:	Online
Genre:	Strategy
Release date:	c. July 2006
Format:	Adobe Flash game

Cyber ​​Assault was an online game based on the Preachers' war with the Cybermen after the events of The Age of Steel.

Story

In Pete's World, after the destruction of the Cyber-Controller, a new Cyber-Leader appears and wages war against the Preachers, who are attempting to destroy the Cybus factories across the world, sending in soldiers to disable the emotional inhibitors.

Characters

2008 promo image.

In Cyber Assault, you can choose one out of three different commanders to play. There are two Preacher commanders, which offer different advantages, and when you complete the game, you can choose the Cyber-Leader and play as the Cybermen.

• Charlie Haughton - If there's any action going on, Charlie Haughton's bound to be in the thick of it. Her dynamic style of leadership means that the Special Forces units under her command are better trained. Choosing Charlie will make the Base Assaults easier.
• Arthur King - Arthur King is a legend among the Preachers. The mere mention of his name inspires loyalty and hope. Arthur starts the game with more units at his disposal so choosing him will make controlling the territories easier.
• Preacher - During the base assaults while playing as the humans, you control a male preacher as you try to destroy the emotional inhibitor. He carries a gun that he uses to destroy the Cybermen guarding the inhibitor and can still fire while being grappled by the Cybermen. He is "deleted" by allowing a Cyberman to hold on to him for too long.
• Cyber-Leader (voiced by Nicholas Briggs) - After the destruction of the Cyber-Controller, a new Cyber-Leader appears and wages war against the Preachers, who are attempting to destroy the Cybus factories across the world. After completing the game as the Preachers, you can select the Cyber-Leader and play as the Cybermen. When you complete the game as the Cybermen, the Cyber-Leader has served its purpose and is deleted.
• Cyberman - During the base assaults when playing as the Cybermen, you control a single Cyberman and try to destroy the Preachers transmitter. They are stronger than the Preachers as they can blast walls down and can make the Preachers run away by getting close to them. They also kill faster than the Preachers but have to be within grappling distance. The time they take to destroy the transmitter when "deleting" it is fixed, unlike the Preacher who can destroy it faster by increasing their rate of fire.
• Jake Simmonds (voiced by Andrew Hayden-Smith) - Jake appears in this game sending you messages about the war with the Cybermen. While playing as the Cybermen, he taunts you after you fail in a Base Attack.

Game

The World Map

The world map screen gives you a view of the global conflict. The territories shown in white are occupied by the Preachers while blue territories are under the control of the Cybermen. Grey territories are neutral and have not yet been taken by either force.

The dashed white lines show shipping routes that connect distant territories together. Territories with Cybus strongholds contain a factory icon. Territories with Preacher strongholds contain a base icon. To win the war you must destroy the transmitters in all of the enemy strongholds.

Taking Neutral Territories

You can occupy a neutral sector if it borders one of your own territories. To do this, click on Attack then on your own territory and then on the neutral sector. You must move in at least one unit to capture the territory. Neutral territories offer no resistance so you can occupy them without losing any units.

Attacking Enemy Territories

To attack an enemy state you need to occupy one of the territories either next to it or connected to it by a shipping route.

Click Attack. Select the territory you want to attack from and then click on the enemy state. You can then choose how many units to attack with. It is suggested that you try to outnumber the enemy as this will increase the chance of a successful takeover.

Territory Combat

The territory combat screen lets you control your troops by choosing their tactics during each round of conflict.

There are three tactics to choose from: Attack, Defend and Outflank. Your opponent will also be able to choose one of the tactics and the result of both of your choices will dictate how much damage your forces inflict on each other.

Each tactic has its own strengths and weakness. Attack is strong against Defend, Defend is strong against outflank and Outflank is strong against Attack.

The army with units left standing at the end of the battle is the victor. However, if both armies are destroyed, the territory will be designated as neutral.

Recruiting

During each round you will be able to recruit new troops. Clicking the Recruit button will give you an extra unit in each territory you occupy.

You cannot Recruit and Attack in the same round so you are advised to consider your options carefully.

Moving Units

During each round it is possible to move units from one territory to a neighbouring area also under your control. You can only do this once in each round but you can then still Attack or Recruit as before.

Base Attack

Once you have captured an enemy territory that contains one of their strongholds you will have the opportunity to send in troops to attack the base and destroy their transmitter. To do this click on the Base Attack button and then select the stronghold you want to raid.

During a base attack you take control of one of your elite unites as they fight their way through the enemy stronghold and destroy the transmitter. Use the arrow keys to control the direct your unit moves in and use the CTRL key to attack. Fight your way through the enemy units until you reach the transmitter and then attack with everything you've got.

Story notes

Cyber Assault.

• The webpage notes that - "The Cybermen can only be defeated with Flash".
• A promotional image for Cyber Assault featured a curious line-up of four black-handled "Cyber-Leaders" led by a silver-handled drone.
• John Lumic is erroneously referred to as the "first Cyberleader". In The Age of Steel, he named himself Cyber-Controller.

Continuity

• Upon completing the game while playing as the Preachers, Jake announces that the Cybermen have been sealed up in their factories. (TV: Doomsday)
• At the start of the game, the territory containing France is Cyberman territory, and contains a Cybus factory. GAME: Save Paris shows a different account of the liberation of Paris, a hijacked Cybus Zeppelin guided by Mickey Smith moves through the streets of Paris, destroying Cybermen and rescuing civilians, then moving to the factory and transmitting the code to disable the emotional inhibitor. While in Cyber Assault, as is the standard in the Base Attacks, a Preacher is sent to the factory and destroys the emotional inhibitor with his firearm, rather than transmitting the code. It is possible the Cybermen retook Paris after the events of Save Paris.

External links

• BBC - Doctor Who - Games - Cyber Assault - The Game