You'll need WinZIP or PKUnzip to unpack most of the downloads. Most downloads contain .doc or .txt files, often called "readme.txt", read these! They contain valuable information about what you downloaded and how you should install it. The Emperor's Hammer missions all come with premade battle and pilot files which saves you the bother of editting them. In that case you can just overwrite the exsisting files, but do read the notes.

Note: The Tactical Manual has all the data you need for Emperor's Hammer use.

1. Go to your X-Wing Vs TIE Fighter directory. It is probably located in your Program Files directory.  In there find a directory called Combat. Here are your XvT Combat missions. There are also a Train directory for your XvT Training missions and Melee directory for your Melee files.

It will not work to install either of these in the wrong directory. So check if the mission you want to install is either Combat, Training or Melee. Usually this is referred to in the .txt file that comes with a mission, if not use XvTED to see what kind of mission it is.

In general we can state that all Single Player and Multiplayer Co-Operative missions are always Training Missions. Missions in which you have equally balanced Imperial and Rebel Players are Combat missions.

2. Look for any of the three files. Imperial.lst, Rebel.lst and Missions.lst. You should notice they have Window Logos on them. Double click on any of the three. A window should pop up called 'Open With'. On this new window go down the list and find Notepad. (click "always open this type of file with this application" too)  Now the three files should have note-pad Icons on them. Hence you should be able to open them.

Very often custom-missions come with their own .lst files but by using these you lose access to any other  custom-missions you might have installed. If you don't have any others installed - you can ofcourse just overwrite the exsisting .lst files with new ones.

If the mission you downloaded come with it's own .lst files and you don't want to overwrite your exsisting .lst because of other installed missions - you can still use the provided .lst to copy paste from.

3. When you open one of the .lst files  you'll notice that the layout is like this:

//
[Imperial Operation: Clean Sweep]
//
8
8B02W15.tie
Dreadnaught Warlover Attacks Rebel Cargo Operation

I'll try to explain the format used:

- between the first // and the second // there is the title of your operation/battle. The title has to be inside [ and ] to work.
- then comes the number of the mission (in this case the "8").  The highest number in Combat is 15, the highest in Train is 35. This means that the missions you add have higher numbers. If a mission has already a number assigned to it (in the .txt or in delivered .lst files) do not change this number. Especially in multiplay missions all players need to have the same number assigned to the same missions
- the mission file name, ends in .tie:. If the mission is in a subdir, that subdir needs to be there too.
- the mission title, this is what players will see inside the game.

4. You now add your new mission at the end of the .lst file, using a new number, or the number already asssigned to it by the mission's creator (unless already in use). Make sure that numbers are in numerical order. You are not required to put a mission in a new battle or operation, but it does make it more easily understandable.

5. If you want to remove or disable your added missions, replace your new .lst files with those of your CD, or remove them from the .lst files you have that mission in.

Combat Missions:
Make Imperial.lst, Rebel.lst and Mission.lst the same.

Training Missions:
- Imperial Co-Op missions are only added to Imperial.lst and Mission.lst in Train. Imperial Single Play missions are only added to Imperial.lst
- Rebel Co-Op missions are only added to Rebel.lst and Mission.lst in Train. Rebel Single Play missions are only added to Rebel.lst
- Missions that have players on both sides are probably Combat missions, but if not: add them to Imperial.lst, Rebel.lst and Mission.lst

Balance of Power Missions:
Adding missions goes in exactly the same way, only now you go to the directory "BalanceOfPower" inside your XvT directory. DO NOT install BoP missions in XvT directories, the game will crash giving your a resolution-error.

XvTED: I you have XvTED and you know how to use it, you can also install missions using that program by clicking  on the .lst button at the top of the main window. Here you can type in a mission description and click the Add button to add the mission. (which is a lot easier then what I wil explain to you now).

Unzipping: Do NOT just unzip any downloaded missions straight into your game directories. Always use an empty "Temp" directory.

Back Ups: all your original files are backed up on your CD - don't worry, it's easy to repair anything. As long as you keep everything devided over Train, Combat and Melee in the same way they are on your CD.

Overwriting: Do NOT change anything that is already in your .lst files. You can ADD to them but not Replace, or you won't be able to get to your original missions. If the install .txt file of a download "requires" this, ignore it.