Herzog Zwei FAQ v1.0 By Josh Fletcher Email me at: arris@saturnlives.com Last Updated: September 22nd, 1998 --Contents-- 1. About Herzog Zwei 2. Gameplay 3. Units 4. Orders 5. Passcodes 6. Emulation 7. Herzog Zwei Websites 8. Random Notes --FAQ Notes-- Revision History: 1.0 - Original Version - 9/22/98 As of now, this FAQ can only be found on http://www.gamefaqs.com I wanted to write a FAQ just for practice, so to say-I've never done one before, so I thought it would be a good idea for write one on this classic. Besides, it's really hard to find any type of "manual" on it, even on the internet. Anybody who is trying to play the game will have to guess their way through it. This guide is meant to help. ============================================================================ Part 1: About Herzog Zwei ============================================================================ (1.1) What is Herzog Zwei? -------------------------- Basically, Herzog Zwei is a real-time strategy (RTS) game. (1.2) Who made it? ------------------ Herzog Zwei was developed by Technosoft and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis in 1991 (although the copyright on the title screen is 1989). (1.3) So it's a RTS game - what's the big deal? ----------------------------------------------- Herzog Zwei was a revolutionary game. For the most part, the RTS genre simply did not exist before the release of this game. Besides this, it's an amazing game. The 1-player game is tough, but extremely rewarding. The 2-player mode is still some of the most addictive gaming ever. (1.4) How come no one cares about it anymore? --------------------------------------------- Basically, no one cared about Herzog Zwei when it was released, and it came and went without fanfare. The main reason for this was that it was released at a time when the Genesis wasn't selling. When it did start to sell, however it was because of Madden Football and Sonic the Hedgehog - not Herzog Zwei. Today, it has a minor cult following, clamoring for a sequal - which leads us to the next question :) (1.5) Any plans for a sequal? ----------------------------- As of right now, no. But who knows - Sega may suprise everyone and release a sequal on the Dreamcast. Pair the original's gameplay with the power of the Dreamcast, and a Herzog Zwei 2 would most likely be a superb game. (1.6) Where can it be found? ---------------------------- Well, good luck - the Herzog Zwei cart is very rare. You can always try the used game bins in your local videogame retailer (I've found plenty of great 16-bit titles in there). If that doesn't work, try Genesis emulation - check out Part 6 of this FAQ. (1.7) How does it look and play on the Nomad? --------------------------------------------- It's very good - in fact, it may even be a bit better on the Nomad. Although it would obviously be very difficult to play 2-player on the Nomad, it's the 1-player game that holds up very well on the small screen. The fact that most units are microscopic doesn't really hurt anything - it's a testament to the Sega engineers that the game still looks really good on that tiny screen. As for gameplay, it still plays exactly the same. ============================================================================ Part 2: Herzog Zwei's Gameplay ============================================================================ (2.1) Controls -------------- There are two main screens that are used when you play Herzog Zwei. The main screen, the screen in which all the action takes place will be referred to the "Regular Screen" throughout this FAQ. The other screen, the screen that you choose units and orders from, will be referred to as the "Unit Screen" throughout this FAQ. That said, the buttons do different things in both the Regular Screen and the Unit Screen. Herzog Zwei does not support the 6-button controller. Regular Screen Button A - Pickup and Dropoff Units Button B - Fire Gun Button C - Morph Between the Gun and the Mech Unit Screen Button A - Okay Selection Button B - Okay Selection Button C - Switch between Regular Screen and Unit Screen Start is Pause is both screens. It's easy to get into the habit of hitting C instead of Start to Pause - but that's not Pause. The enemy can still attack you or your bases if you hit C instead of Start. Be careful! There is also a Radar in the Unit Screen. There is a map, along with little squares representing each base, with the color of the square signifying who that base is controlled by. White is unoccupied. (2.2) Your role in the action ----------------------------- You control a big plane with heavy firepower which can morph into a Mech. Your main job will be to ferry around your units so they can do battle, but there will be plenty of times when you will have to get dirty and help your units during a heavy battle. If you get destroyed you will be sent back to Home Base and your ship will have to be regenerated. This takes a small amount of time. There are 4 energy meters on the top of the screen. Each letter means: B- The energy level of Home Base. Home Base can't gain energy that is lost. G- The amount of ammo you currently have. E- Your fuel. Moving around takes up fuel. D- Your current shield level. Getting hit will weaken your shields. G, E, and D can all be replenished by sitting on Home Base or a Minor Base that you have occupied. (2.3) Using Units, Orders, and Resources ---------------------------------------- Just like any real-time strategy game, you have to send out military units to do the dirty work. When you build a unit, you also select an order for it to carry out (check Part 4 of this FAQ). Both units and orders cost money. Resources in this game aren't gathered in the typical C&C/Warcraft model. In fact, you don't have to gather any resources at all.. a certain amount of money is dumped into your account every second. The more bases you control, the more money you get. To Build a Unit, hit C to switch to the Unit Screen. Select a Unit and it's corresponding order and hit A or B to okay the selection. When you do this, you can hit C to switch back to the Regular Screen. There is now a small circular icon with a red wrench, meaning that it is being built. Once the unit is done being built, it will switch to a blue hand. In the Regular screen, go to any base that you occupy and hit A to pickup the Unit. If the unit was picked up, then your plane will have a circular plate underneath it. If you wish to change the order of the unit, go back to the Unit screen and select the order you wish for it to have. This costs a lot of money, however. Move around with the unit until it's at a position you like. Keep in mind, however, that your plane moves much slower and uses a lot more fuel than normal when it is carrying a unit. Once the unit is at a desirable position, hit A (in the Regular Screen) to drop it off. It will start to complete it's mission immediately. (2.4) Securing Bases -------------------- A minor base can be taken over if 4 Infantry soldiers march in. Securing a minor base for your own use has a number of advantages, including: (1) You can pick up built units from any minor base, eliminating the need to shuttle back and forth from Home Base constantly. (2) You can refuel at a minor base. (3) You get extra money for each base taken over. You will get $40 for each base secured (including Home Base). For example, having two bases will give you $80 every second, but having four bases will give you $160. For the most part, minor bases are the key to the game. If your opponent is securing minor bases while you are just sending Tank after Tank to their Home Base, there will come a time when your opponent will have so much more extra resources that you will have no legs to stand on. So make sure you try to secure at least 2 minor bases. (2.5) How to win ---------------- This is simple enough - victory is achieved by destroying the Home Base of your opponent. If your base is being attacked, there will be a little yellow circle on the top with "SOS" written in it, along with a siren sound effect. After the game is over, there is a status screen with a couple of stats on there. The stats are: Time: The amount of time the mission took. Base: The number of bases each side secured. Unit: The amount of units both teams had. Body: The number of times your Plane/Mech was destroyed ============================================================================ Part 3: Units ============================================================================ (3.1) Supply Truck: Costs 1500 ------------------------------ Most units use up either gas or ammo. Send these guys into the area and they will resupply the unit when they are out of resources. A unit is out of resources when it is shouting "!" in a word bubble. (3.2) Infantry - Infantry Soldier: Costs 500 -------------------------------------------- While the Infantry soldiers are very weak, they are vitalk to the success of a mission. To secure a minor base, you must send 4 Infantry Soldiers inside. They don't use any supplies. (3.3) FWA - Motorcycle: Costs 950 --------------------------------- The Motorcycle is a fast unit with moderate power. (3.4) ARM-51D - Armored Car: Costs 1300 --------------------------------------- The Armored Car has a lot of ammo, but it is not as powerful as a Tank. This makes sense, however, since it costs quite a bit less. (3.5) TAX-52 - Tank: Costs 3200 ------------------------------- The tank is a very strong, but very expensive unit. The Tank works great against just about every type of unit, and it is especially effective during Home Base attacks. (3.6) ST-57U - Boat: Costs 3400 ------------------------------- A slow unit with a long firing range. (3.7) GMR-34A - Gatling Gun: Costs 15000 ---------------------------------------- The ability to shoot at air and ground makes this an awesome defensive weapon. Unfortunately, it is very expensive. (3.8) SAM-42 Mobile SAM: Costs 4300 ----------------------------------- This is a pretty good defensive weapon. It works very well when your enemy tries to fly by in the plane. ============================================================================ Part 4: Herzog Zwei Orders ============================================================================ When you build a unit, you also select their order. After you drop a unit, it will automatically start to complete it's order. I also added a little description of what each icon looks like. (4.1) Supply: Costs 580 ----------------------- The only order for the supply truck. It will repair and refuel your units that are located in the vicinity. Icon Looks Like: A white first-aid box. (4.2) Home Base Attack: Costs 3500 ---------------------------------- The unit will take a direct route to the opponent's Home Base and attack it. Icon Looks Like: A flag stuck into a mound of dirt. (4.3) Secure Minor Base: Costs 1500 ----------------------------------- The unit will stand guard at the nearest enemy or unoccupied minor base and attack any enemy units that are in the vicinity. Infantry will enter the base firing. Icon Looks Like: A box in the top left corner, with an arrow pointing to it. (4.4) Enter Minor Base: Costs 1800 ---------------------------------- Only Infantry units have this order. They will enter the minor base right away. Once 4 Infantry units are in a Minor Base, it becomes yours. However, the opponent can send their Infantry into that Minor Base in an attempt to secure it for themselves. Icon Looks Like: There is a large box on the top half, with a small arrow pointing to it. (4.5) Attack when approached: Costs 1000 ---------------------------------------- The unit will attack any enemy unit that comes in it's vicinity, and return to it's original position if not killed. Icon Looks Like: A large arrow on the left side, with a small curved arrow going from the top to the middle of the large arrow. (4.6) Circular Defense: Costs 500 --------------------------------- The unit will circle the area and attack any enemy that approaches. Icon Looks Like: A large circular arrow. (4.7) Base Defense: Costs 100 ----------------------------- This is the only order for the Gatling Gun. It will attack any unit that approaches, but will remain in a stationary position. Icon Looks Like: A big cross. ============================================================================ Part 5: Passcodes ============================================================================ These codes were taken from the Classic Brilliance Herzog Zwei site. The URL is listed below. It's a big list, but here goes: Level Passcode Level Difficulty ------------------------------------------------- LVL 1 GOGHCACACNI Abgrund A LVL 2 NLHHGFGJEMB Eifei A LVL 3 BBGIGBCAGOA Stadt A LVL 4 HCEBEOCAINF Loch A LVL 5 FEGIGBGOKMD Vulkan A LVL 6 AEGBGLHFMML Waldung A LVL 7 BLGBHJGPOLJ Strand A LVL 8 LHGFHCHKAMI Oase A LVL 9 JAGOCACACOE Abgrund B LVL10 KFHEGFGJEMH Vulkan B LVL11 NPGPGBCAGLP Loch B LVL12 LIEOEOCAILO Strand B LVL13 JMCHGBGOKLM Waldung B LVL14 IMDOGLHFMLB Stadt B LVL15 JLBOHJGPOKJ Eisfrei B LVL16 LHJKHCHKAMA Oase B LVL17 JAJICBCACNO Abgrund C LVL18 KFIIGGGJEMB Vulkan C LVL19 NPJHGGCAGLP Loch C LVL20 LILOEBCAIME Strand C LVL21 JMJHHOGOKKH Stadt C LVL22 IMJOFEHFMLD Eisfrei C LVL23 JLJOAGGPOKL Waldung C LVL24 LHJKINHKALE Oase C LVL25 JAJINPCBCME Abgrund D LVL26 KFIIJKGKELJ Vulkan D LVL27 NPJHJOCHGKN Loch D LVL28 LILOLBCPIKO Strand D LVL29 JMJHJOHBKLB Stadt D LVL30 IMJOJEEKMKN Eisfrei D LVL31 JLJOIGBAOLH Waldung D ============================================================================ Part 6: Emulation ============================================================================ I am no big fan of emulation; I always feel that the cart and the original hardware is the best way to play. Nonetheless, Herzog Zwei is so good that it deserves to be played.. and it's really hard to find a HZ cart nowadays. This is where Emulation comes in. Genesis emulators allow you to play Genesis games on the PC, with varying degrees of success for each emulator. I never tried these programs, so I don't know how they work. Use them at your own risk - I am not responsible for any system damage or time loss that using this software will cause. Emulators --------- http://zophar.malicia.com/genesis.html This is a URL with a list and a short description and critique of a bunch of different Genesis emulators. Very cool. Herzog Zwei ROMs ---------------- Sorry, but I don't know where to find a HZ ROM - so you're gonna have to go looking on your own. Here is a couple of sites to help get that search going: http://emureview.ztnet.com/sega/ ============================================================================ Part 7: Herzog Zwei Websites ============================================================================ Considering Herzog Zwei's age (it's almost 10 years old), I was suprised to find one site, let alone two. Classic Brilliance - Herzog Zwei http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/6511/ Copycat's Herzog Zwei Guide http://www.canvasnet.com/rts/html/herzog/herzog.cfm ============================================================================ Part 8: Random Notes ============================================================================ Next Generation's Top 100 Many people consider Herzog Zwei one of the best games ever made. Next Generation wrote a "Top 100 of All Time" article way back in the September 1996 issue (number 22), and Herzog Zwei was ranked #31, between WipeOut XL and Madden Football. This is pretty impressive, considering it was above such classics as Asteroids, A Mind Forever Voyaging, and Centipede. Here is the little write-up that is in that issue about Herzog Zwei ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- #31: Herzog Zwei Released: 1991 Platform: Genesis Publisher: Sega What's the game: A two-player, split-screen, realtime, action-strategy game in which gamers build tanks and troops and other equipment at a home base and then use a hovercraft-plane to ferry them around the battlefield, taking over neutral bases along the way. To win the game, players need to get their troops into the enemy's home base. What's the big deal: Herzog Zwei is arguably the inspiration for such two-player hits as Return Fire, Cannon Fodder, and perhaps even Command & Conquer. But what makes it a classic is the fact that the level design in single-player mode is absolutely phenomenal, with a smooth learning and difficulty curve. The play is tuend to require a combination of strategic and arcade skills-possessing only one simply won't cut it. Despite it's obvious appeal and influence, it was never a typical "console game" and the franchise was never expanded by Sega. Memorable moments: In two-player mode, dropping some troops next to your opponent's home base as your first action in the game, beating him before he produces even one tank. (A tactic that tends to work only once.) ============================================================================ Part 9: Closing Thoughts ============================================================================ If anyone has any info on Herzog Zwei, please send me an e-mail at arris@saturnlives.com. E-mail is also welcome on tactics, corrections, help, or anything else. I don't have any instruction manual, so this info was gathered from intense gameplay sessions :) Thanks for reading! -Arris