diff --git a/GameSettings.cpp b/GameSettings.cpp
index 5d429fe1..bb6e4815 100644
--- a/GameSettings.cpp
+++ b/GameSettings.cpp
@@ -465,11 +465,19 @@ void LoadGameExternalOptions()
 
 	//################# Gameplay Settings ##################
 
+	//################# Settings valid on game start only ##################
 	//Money settings
 	gGameExternalOptions.iStartingCashNovice		= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "NOVICE_CASH",45000);
 	gGameExternalOptions.iStartingCashExperienced	= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "EXPERIENCED_CASH",35000);
 	gGameExternalOptions.iStartingCashExpert		= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "EXPERT_CASH",30000);
 	gGameExternalOptions.iStartingCashInsane		= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "INSANE_CASH",15000);
+	
+	//Lalien: Game starting time
+	gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime			= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "GAME_STARTING_TIME", 3600);	
+	gGameExternalOptions.iFirstArrivalDelay			= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings", "FIRST_ARRIVAL_DELAY", 21600);
+	
+	//################# Settings valid on game start only end ##################
+
 
 	gGameExternalOptions.fSellAll					= iniReader.ReadBoolean("JA2 Gameplay Settings","CAN_SELL_ALT_LMB",FALSE);
 	gGameExternalOptions.iPriceModifier				= iniReader.ReadInteger("JA2 Gameplay Settings","PRICE_MODIFIER",10);
diff --git a/GameSettings.h b/GameSettings.h
index 3f462bca..2c760eeb 100644
--- a/GameSettings.h
+++ b/GameSettings.h
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ typedef struct
 	INT32	iStartingCashExpert;
 	INT32	iStartingCashInsane;
 
+	UINT32 iGameStartingTime; //Lalien: game starting time	
+	UINT32 iFirstArrivalDelay; 
+
 	BOOLEAN fSellAll;
 	INT16 iPriceModifier;
 
diff --git a/SaveLoadScreen.cpp b/SaveLoadScreen.cpp
index 8b328fe4..9ad3c723 100644
--- a/SaveLoadScreen.cpp
+++ b/SaveLoadScreen.cpp
@@ -1360,7 +1360,7 @@ BOOLEAN DisplaySaveGameEntry( INT8 bEntryID )//, UINT16 usPosY )
 			//Create the string for the current location
 			if( SaveGameHeader.sSectorX == -1 && SaveGameHeader.sSectorY == -1 || SaveGameHeader.bSectorZ < 0 )
 			{
-				if( ( SaveGameHeader.uiDay * NUM_SEC_IN_DAY + SaveGameHeader.ubHour * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR + SaveGameHeader.ubMin * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) <= STARTING_TIME )
+				if( ( SaveGameHeader.uiDay * NUM_SEC_IN_DAY + SaveGameHeader.ubHour * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR + SaveGameHeader.ubMin * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) <= gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime )
 					swprintf( zLocationString, gpStrategicString[ STR_PB_NOTAPPLICABLE_ABBREVIATION ] );
 				else
 					swprintf( zLocationString, gzLateLocalizedString[14] );
diff --git a/Strategic/Game Clock.cpp b/Strategic/Game Clock.cpp
index 4d05981d..face2b1f 100644
--- a/Strategic/Game Clock.cpp	
+++ b/Strategic/Game Clock.cpp	
@@ -68,23 +68,23 @@ extern BOOLEAN fMapScreenBottomDirty;
 
 //These contain all of the information about the game time, rate of time, etc.
 //All of these get saved and loaded.
-INT32				giTimeCompressMode			=	TIME_COMPRESS_X0;
-UINT8				gubClockResolution			= 1;
-BOOLEAN			gfGamePaused						= TRUE;
-BOOLEAN			gfTimeInterrupt					= FALSE;
-BOOLEAN			gfTimeInterruptPause    = FALSE;
-BOOLEAN			fSuperCompression				= FALSE;
-UINT32			guiGameClock						= STARTING_TIME;
+INT32			giTimeCompressMode			=	TIME_COMPRESS_X0;
+UINT8			gubClockResolution			= 1;
+BOOLEAN			gfGamePaused				= TRUE;
+BOOLEAN			gfTimeInterrupt				= FALSE;
+BOOLEAN			gfTimeInterruptPause		= FALSE;
+BOOLEAN			fSuperCompression			= FALSE;
+UINT32			guiGameClock				= gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime;
 UINT32			guiPreviousGameClock = 0;		// used only for error-checking purposes
 UINT32			guiGameSecondsPerRealSecond;
 UINT32			guiTimesThisSecondProcessed = 0;
-INT32			  iPausedPopUpBox = -1;
+INT32			iPausedPopUpBox = -1;
 UINT32			guiDay;
 UINT32			guiHour;
 UINT32			guiMin;
 CHAR16			gswzWorldTimeStr[20];
-INT32				giTimeCompressSpeeds[ NUM_TIME_COMPRESS_SPEEDS ] = { 0, 1, 5 * 60, 30 * 60, 60 * 60 };
-UINT16      usPausedActualWidth;
+INT32			giTimeCompressSpeeds[ NUM_TIME_COMPRESS_SPEEDS ] = { 0, 1, 5 * 60, 30 * 60, 60 * 60 };
+UINT16			usPausedActualWidth;
 UINT16			usPausedActualHeight;
 UINT32			guiTimeOfLastEventQuery = 0;
 BOOLEAN			gfLockPauseState = FALSE;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ UINT32			guiLockPauseStateLastReasonId = 0;
 //***When adding new saved time variables, make sure you remove the appropriate amount from the paddingbytes and
 //   more IMPORTANTLY, add appropriate code in Save/LoadGameClock()!
 #define			TIME_PADDINGBYTES		20
-UINT8				gubUnusedTimePadding[TIME_PADDINGBYTES];
+UINT8			gubUnusedTimePadding[TIME_PADDINGBYTES];
 
 
 
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ extern			UINT32		guiEnvDay;
 
 void InitNewGameClock( )
 {
-	guiGameClock = STARTING_TIME;
-	guiPreviousGameClock = STARTING_TIME;
+	guiGameClock = gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime;
+	guiPreviousGameClock = gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime;
 	guiDay = ( guiGameClock / NUM_SEC_IN_DAY );
 	guiHour = ( guiGameClock - ( guiDay * NUM_SEC_IN_DAY ) ) / NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR;
 	guiMin	= ( guiGameClock - ( ( guiDay * NUM_SEC_IN_DAY ) + ( guiHour * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR ) ) ) / NUM_SEC_IN_MIN;
diff --git a/Strategic/Game Clock.h b/Strategic/Game Clock.h
index 749ba22a..d26c1c62 100644
--- a/Strategic/Game Clock.h	
+++ b/Strategic/Game Clock.h	
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ enum
 //dereferenced with the above enumerations to provide the actual time compression rate.
 extern INT32 giTimeCompressSpeeds[ NUM_TIME_COMPRESS_SPEEDS ];
 
-
-#define			STARTING_TIME						( ( 1 * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR ) + ( 0 * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) + NUM_SEC_IN_DAY )		// 1am
-#define			FIRST_ARRIVAL_DELAY			( ( 6 * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR ) + ( 0 * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) )		// 7am ( 6hours later)
+//Lalien: externalized game starting time
+//#define			STARTING_TIME				( ( 1 * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR ) + ( 0 * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) + NUM_SEC_IN_DAY )		// 1am
+//#define			FIRST_ARRIVAL_DELAY			( ( 6 * NUM_SEC_IN_HOUR ) + ( 0 * NUM_SEC_IN_MIN ) )		// 7am ( 6hours later)
 
 #define WORLDTIMESTR	gswzWorldTimeStr
 
diff --git a/Tactical/Merc Hiring.cpp b/Tactical/Merc Hiring.cpp
index 5c8b0882..46306be2 100644
--- a/Tactical/Merc Hiring.cpp	
+++ b/Tactical/Merc Hiring.cpp	
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ INT8 HireMerc( MERC_HIRE_STRUCT *pHireMerc)
 	if( DidGameJustStart() )
 	{
 		// Set time of initial merc arrival in minutes
-		pHireMerc->uiTimeTillMercArrives = ( STARTING_TIME + FIRST_ARRIVAL_DELAY ) / NUM_SEC_IN_MIN;
+		pHireMerc->uiTimeTillMercArrives = ( gGameExternalOptions.iGameStartingTime + gGameExternalOptions.iFirstArrivalDelay ) / NUM_SEC_IN_MIN;
 
 		// Set insertion for first time in chopper
 		pHireMerc->ubInsertionCode				= INSERTION_CODE_CHOPPER;
diff --git a/gamescreen.cpp b/gamescreen.cpp
index c3681fca..18575636 100644
--- a/gamescreen.cpp
+++ b/gamescreen.cpp
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@ void InitHelicopterEntranceByMercs( void )
 		AIR_RAID_DEFINITION	AirRaidDef;
 
 		// Update clock ahead from STARTING_TIME to make mercs arrive!
-		WarpGameTime( FIRST_ARRIVAL_DELAY, WARPTIME_PROCESS_EVENTS_NORMALLY );
+		WarpGameTime( gGameExternalOptions.iFirstArrivalDelay, WARPTIME_PROCESS_EVENTS_NORMALLY );
 
 		AirRaidDef.sSectorX		= 9;
 		AirRaidDef.sSectorY		= 1;