Download Old Ironsides (Apple II)

Serge 2020-07-28 0 point

Hi, I loaded old ironsides but it is not working correctly on mac os with Virtual II (it freeze after P or K . Please inform on which platform are you using it ? Thank you in advance

BackWhenGamer 2018-01-15 2 points

I played this with my sister, when we were younger. Blue vs Red, each player's half of the screen's border showed:
+ wins so far (between rounds), OR
+ damage so far (current round)
+ current compass bearing (sailing direction)
+ indicators for each 6-cannon broadside
+ ammo (per full broadside) remaining

You start each round in "your" half of the screen, facing your opponent. If you both do not turn, you will pass very very close.
((Collisions aren't registered much at all, really, as your ship sprite can pretty much cut straight through the middle of your opponent's ship, but they will sail on, and neither of you will show any damage..))

Controls take a bit of getting used to as -- rather than pressing a key for a specific compass direction -- you steer "to port" (left / anti-clockwise) or "to starboard" (right / clockwise), so you HAD to make full turns to chase up behind your opponent when you pass, or turn to dodge their broadside.

Damage to sails meant your ship moved more slowly, which meant both that you were increasingly a "sitting duck", but also that there was that chance your less-damaged opponent might "overshoot" as they moved quicker -- depending on your timings and distance, and your opponent's bearing, your 6-cannon broadside might hit with anything between 0 to all 6 cannon. . .

Damage to your ship was indicated by the fires burning on deck, the sails drooping or broken, and an "overall" damage status was given in the upper screen "damage counter" circle.

If you pass very close to your opponent, broadside-to-broadside, you'd both slow down, as your two ships hulls ground against each other..

Typically, a good tactic was to try and get an angular or arced approach, so that you could put an "optimal" distance between you, to allow for the cannon shot.
When shooting, there's a good chance your opponent will be similarly lined up parallel to you, so it becomes a balance of timing your broadside barrage vs turning your ship to avoid a full broadside from your opponent!

Definitely a fun little game for 2, for a little quick head-to-head entertainment, sitting at the same PC.