This game is not so simple ... the expansion only manual included with the release says:

"However, if this is your first time playing either Battle Realms or Winter of the Wolf, then we
suggest that you first read the original Battle Realms manual, which you'll find in the box.
Doing so will get you acquainted with the game's interface, control scheme, combat,
resource management, structures, training methods, and the unique yin- and yang-based
gameplay mechanics."

So it is absolutely important to have it ... please provide.

Thanks in advance!

Roberto

It does indeed suck that the base game's manual is not included with the GOG release (and oddly enough not even replacementdocs.com has it while they do have the Winter of the Wolf manual that GOG has). I have a retail version of the base game lying around somewhere, it was from a compilation so the manual should be on the disc, I'm not sure whether it's German only or whether the English version is included. If I find it I'll see whether GOG would add it to the release or see whether I can supply it to the community otherwise.

Anyway, the manual isn't *that* important. The tutorial (which you can run from the single player menu) explains most stuff pretty well and the other things are pretty typical RTS stuff (like that you can generate groups by pressing CTRL + number etc.). I really don't think that the manual is crucial to understanding the game or that it provides that much information not covered by the tutorial. If there's still a few things you don't understand after playing the tutorial you can just try asking in the community, other GOGers probably know pretty much everything about the game.

It was actually nice playing the game with no idea what was going on. It gave me Otomo's perspective.

While a manual isn't important in playing a game, we should all remember that manuals do not exist only to teach you how to play.

My brother bought this just when it came out. I'll see if he has a manual and if we can somehow get that distributed. It could be a copyright issue.

Agreed that this would be very nice to have. I'm on the last level of the Dragon campaign and only just now realized that I could upgrade units through cross-training. /facepalm

From support:

We also have the original game's manual, it is awaiting the approval of the publisher before we can add it to the downloadable content. So while we understand that the users need it, there is not much we can do until Liquid Entertainment agrees to add it.

Regards,
Natalia
GOG.com Support

Ah, good to know, thanks for the info!

Has the original game's manual been added or is that still pending?

Still pending. I have a feeling it's lost in copyright limbo.

Did you contact support again back then? If you not I have just sent another support request to GOG. I would really love to see the original manual added to the game after all this time.

I did (I think I posted it in a similar thread -- I think there were parallel threads of this going around).

GOG staff has the manual, but due to a copyright issue, they cannot publish it. They said they are actively working on it, but I'd imagine it's on the bottom of an intern's to-do list.

I take back the intern comment. :)