YEah the guide had an interesting approach in explaining the failing missions. Those were missions involving the TCS Eagle's Talon, instead of the Claw. The manual was set about 50 years after WC1 and Blair (who hadn't been named at the time (in our time)) was actually named Carl LeFong, if I recall correctly. I gave my copy away years ago, which I regret now. It gave some decent background into the Acadamey, and argued that Blair's class was an abreviated 2 year class instead of the typical 4. It wasn't bad, but it does have some continuity conflicts with other novels, games and the animated series.