HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bs428@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John J. Brassil)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Talisman
Date: 9 Oct 1992 12:49:50 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Does anyone know of a direct mail outfit that carries Games 
Workshop products?  I am looking for the "city" expansion set for
Talisman.  I already have the catalog from Wargames West, who has
games by everyone but them.  Perhaps it's because GW is a British
Co. ?
Thanks,
John
8-{)
-- 
*****************************************************************
*                                                               *
* What's all this then?       jbrassil@mgmserv1.mgm.saic.com    *
*                                                               *
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: eda858xcot@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au
Subject: Re: Btech/RoboTech comparison
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 02:28:27 GMT

>> Just had to say something about this. Have people out there read the 2750
>> Tech Readout for BTECH ? The mechs in that are meant to represent how good
>> things were. Not a lot better than what they use in 3025 is it ? Not a LOT
>> worse than what is used by clans in 3055. Clan technology is DEFINITELY
>> superior, but after 300 years of unhindered development shouldn't they be
>> a lot better ? After all, if you had about a 1000 strong army from 1692, you 
>> would only need about 50 to 100 1992 regular infantryman to achieve total
>> victory. Why is this not the same with BTECH ? Don't answer that, I already
>> know. GAME BALANCE. But that's okay, it's just that if FASA reduced the time
>> frames, it could work better. BTW If people want to see FASA combat that
>> looks realistic you should play Renegade Legion, especially Centurion.
> 
> Yeah, I know. The biggest difference with 2750 TR stuff is the warship
> tech. NAC and so on just don't exist in the 31st century...
> 
> It's slightly confusing why the Clan don't use it. Maybe all the naval
> vessels were lost in the Exodus Civil Wars? Clantech is far superior to
> Star League *mech* technology, but not in the domain of aerotech...
> 

Clantech is superior in aerospace tech as well. The reasons they don't use
warships often (Turtle Bay -1 City in a day) is that they are just a tad TOO
powerful to use against the inner sphere. The range of there weapons is large.
around 30 hexs (aerospace) for some. [I'm not to sure just how far across an
aerospace hex is as i don't play it that often, mainly stick with BT]

So now why I think about it what is everybodies opinion of the ships of the two
different systems!! (Please don't flame me for this suggestion)
From: mcsbc3maw@dct.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: SFB anti retrograde responce
Date: 16 Oct 92 08:52:35 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology

Thanks for your fast responce on the retrograde ,
	It looks like there are a number of tactics to use against this
	cursed fed trick. 

	1) get loads of range 40 disruptors(B10/C9,8,7/DX) stick to range
	31+ and let the fed have it with P1s + disruptors while sending
	pfs + fighters behind him (it doesn't hurt these units to go
	at high speed) and launch waves of drones at the ships at the edge
	of the federation formation (hard to overlap Adds) .

	2) Close to range 13 and stay there the fed'll probably go to standard
	loads just in case you close suddenly.At this range , as we all
	know disruptors are great . Wait until he has fired , then close
	the range the next turn for an overloaded volly , using mid turn
	speed changes to drop back at the end of the turn out of range 8 
        try  to stay near the edge of the feds formation
	
	With any luck I might win my next engagement against a retrograding
	fed .

	With reference to the comment that it is no use controlling empty
	space (Thats where a retrograding fed WILL be) . The Objective
	will probably be the destruction of the FED fleet at the start of
	the combat . With no pretence of any other objective .

	The other Thing i'l like to ask is -

	What is the OBLIQUE-30 maneauver ?
	sounds like a sideslip by the feds from range 31-30 and launch
	prox photons . Very hard to manage - how do you control the range
	at 31 for so long ?
From: shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: A&A House Rules
Date: 14 Oct 92 00:22:40 GMT
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

In article <Bw0v1v.A5s@news.udel.edu> barich@bach.udel.edu (Dewey H Barich) writes:
>>>>Some of the rules have been adopted in some of the MB editions.
>>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Were they adopted because of you?  Or did you and they make the same
>decisions?

Well, I did not write these house rules (Howard Muhler did most of the work,
I am just bringing it to the attentions of net-landers). It is my understanding
that MB was made familiar with this variants and that influenced the decisions
of the 2nd edition (as mentioned earlier, I am not sure about this, it could
be unsubstaintiated club folklore).

>>>>RESEARCH:
>>>I try to avoid research period, so I don't have any reall comment here.
>>>I simply play the game strategically, and thus try to leave out the luck
>>>factors that are created by technology.  My loss, perhaps.
>>
>>Under MB rules, research is a HEAVY randomizer! the house rules make for
>                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>This is what I just said above.  I think its use usually favors the
>Allies, bacause they can (overall) afford it much more.  They don't need
>it until the Axis have some, and the axis can't (necessarily) afford the
>risk.

Funny, I think MB research rules favor the Axis. We agree it is a heavy
randomizer. A common view that I share is that the game is biased in favor of
the Allies. It is easy to show that heavy randomizers favor the side AGAINST
which the game is biased!

Generally, I consider MB research to be TOO expensive. Since half the results
are nearly useless, it takes $60 to get a good one. That's too much. When I am
clearly losing (more often as Axis) I spend on research! It gives me a 1/12
chance of getting back in the game for a mere $5 (assuming I am not losing so
badly that a good result can't save me). A 1/12 chance is better than none!
If I fail in the research, then my position is even more losing than before
and hence I do further research. (After losing most of my money in such a
desperation tactic, it may be needed for me to win TWO good results to get
back in the game!). Of course, if other desperation tactics are also available,
I consider those too (specifically, "desperation" attacks).
>
>Dewey
>

Dan Shoham
shoham@ll.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: ahabig@bigbang.astro.indiana.edu (Alec Habig)
Subject: Re: Empires in Arms
Organization: Indiana University Astrophysics, Bloomington, IN
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 12:43:37 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.093227.613@tdb.uu.se> t89dsp@tdb.uu.se (Daniel Spahr) writes:
>I've just recently been introduced to Avalon Hills superb game: Empires in Arms
>and I'm playing Spain. So far things are quite calm due to all the peace trea-
>ties that have been signed. I'm playing Spain and I'm wondering if there is 
>anyone that has any hints and/or reccomendations on Spanish tactics.
>
>I'm allied w. the Englishman and I've been at war with the Turk. The Turk is 
>allied w. France (Yuk!).

The most basic two rules of being Spain you've already followed : 

1) Suck up to one of the major powers (either one will do, but don't change
sides!)

2) If you feel like fighting a war, only fight the Turks!

Other hints - keep your fleet safe!  Without it Spain is entirely worthless.
The easiest way to lose a fleet - get it caught in port (blockaded by a
superior force).  Then let an army land and take that port.  Instant death with
mega political problems.

Spain's usefulness lies in being a key ally.  Britain doesn't want to tick you
off, because if your fleets join the French, they've got problems.  France
would like to keep you happy, because you can be mighty annoying if you march
up from the south while Nappy is off beating on germans.  If you can keep both
biggies off your back, or get lotsa help from one against the other, Spain is
really sitting pretty - you need virtually no PP's to win, and so just need to
avoid repeated thrashings to be in the hunt for the win.

If France invades you and you don't get enough british help to replay the
peninsular war, either a) get the germans to take advantage of the french
armies being far away; or b) surrender fast.

The turks and the spanish can generally have a real fun time warring on each
other all game, if the big boys are content to leave you fairly much alone.

Enough ramblings for now, let's hear lots of EIA strategy posts!

Alec

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: obbe@ph.tn.tudelft.nl (Obbe Vermey)
Subject: A&A: Calculated risks
Organization: Delft University of Technology
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 12:18:21 GMT

Hi guyz,

I wrote a short program to simulate battles and here are some
of the results :

Attacker : 1sub;1transp   Defender : 1sub;1transp
(Russia fleet attacks German fleet in 1st turn)

Def left 2 	26.1 %
	 1	25.2 %
Att left 1	28.2 %
	 2	20.4 %

The program gives the unit left for attacker and defender as
you can see. It doesn't specify the remaining units but removes
them from low to high defence(attack) capabilities.
The program accounts for flak and submarine kill shots.
Some confusion may arise when AAA is present. How many of the
units left are planes and how many are tanks ? You can't
tell but that's bad luck!
Some more :

Mantchourije:
Attacker : 5inf;1tank   Defender : 3inf;1plane
2nd collum : Attacker (Russia) brings 1 extra plane

Def left	4	1.4 %		0.1 %
		3	5.1 %		1.3 %
		2	11.8 %		2.5 %
		1	14.3 %		2.7 %
		-	5.9 %		1.7 %
Att left	1	11.8 %		6.2 %
		2	14.1 %		11.0 %
		3	17.2 %		18.2 %
		4	12.2 %		23.9 %
		5	5.0 %		20.0 %
		6	0.8 %		10.2 %
		7			1.9 %

And what about this one :
East-Europe :
Attacker (Russia) : 2planes;3inf;3tanks
Defender (Germany) : 3inf;1tank;1plane
2nd collum : Attacker (Russia) leaves one plane (or tank) at home.
 
Def left	4			0.3
		3	0.1		1.3
		2	0.3		2.2
		1	0.8		3.0
		-	0.4		2.4
Att left	1	1.6		6.2
		2	4.5		13.7
		3	9.9		21.1
 		4	20.4		23.2
		5	26.0		17.7
		6	23.7		6.9
		7	10.0		1.7
		8	1.9

In some previous discussion someone wanted the results of the next fight.
(Russia attacks east-europe in the 3rd turn or something like that)
I won't restate the starting positions but here are the results :
   
Def left	17-0.2		16-0.7		15-2.3		14-3.9
		13-4.9		12-5.9		11-7.3		10-7.8
		9-8.8		8-8.5		7-7.5		6-6.0
		5-5.6		4-4.0		3-3.6		2-1.9
		1-1.4
Alles kaput (as they say in Germany) 0.6 %
Att left	1-1.7 		2-2.8		3-2.6		4-2.5
		5-1.7		6-1.9		7-1.7		8-1.3
		9-.8		10-.8		11-.1		12-.2
		13-.1

A heavy atvantage for the defender (Grm)

if you want to have some battle calculated just put the begin units on
the net and I'll simulate the battle for you.(result next day)
Email me for more discretion.(read: you don't want your opponent to know
the results).

					Bye, Obbe.

Obbe Vermeij
Obbe@ph.tn.tudelft.nl
(Holland).

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: baldwin@carina.unm.edu (Chris Baldwin)
Subject: Blood Bowl -- Undead Stars
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 13:39:42 GMT
Organization: Atheist for the Development of a Better God

	These rules were mostly stolen from the Dervish Football League, but we
have changed them slightly and I have not seen anything from the DFL posted.

	We no longer play with Undead Champions. All undead stars are now Zombies.
When a star player is killed in a league game and he is not eaten by a 
Minotaur or Troll(can only happen if the Troll tries to Throw Teammate),
he is added to the list of avaiable undead stars. 
	The coach of an undead team may try to get one of these players on
his team by hiring Grave Robbers to steal the body. Chance of success is:
	 GC     Succeeds on
	-------------------
	1000        1
	2000        2
	3000        3
	4000        4
	5000        5
	6000        6

	If a coach tries to steal a body and fails, he may not try again
until the next draft period, but the coach of another undead may still
try. 

	Wehn anitmated, Zombies have the same stats that they did while alive
with these modifications: Ag: -1, MA: -1, AV: +1. They retain all star
player abilities that they had while living, except for racial feelings.
All Zombies have animosity for living creatures.

It cost 1 magic point/SPP of the Zombie to maintain it and they receive
no wages.

	I have been playing an undead team this season using these rules. The
fun part has been picking up the deadliest(pun inteded) thrower our league
has ever had(Elf. killed by the Ogre mentioned below) and pairing him with 
one of the greatest catchers(Dark Elf. Assassinated).  These are the ony 2 
stars I have, however, because a lot of the players killed have been eaten 
by Minotaurs. Even on my other team with an Ogre w/ MB(L4) and a Minotaur 
w/ MB(L3) the Ogre never gets injury rolls as high as the Minotaur. We have 
had ~8-10 players killed this season and all of them have been eaten. 
Wierd.

	I, also, have a standing bounty of 5000GC to any team who kills a
star whom I later pick up. This has caused a scrable for Body Gaurds(I
will post these rules later) to help protect some of the better stars.

-- 
"Hey, Guido! It's all so clear to me now. I'm the keeper of the cheese and
you're the lemon merchant. Getit? And he knows it! That's why he's gonna kill
us. So we gotta beat it. Yeah, before he lets loose the marmosets on us! - Ren
Organization: Doctoral student, Mathematics, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: s903609@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au (ACE)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Btech/RoboTech comparison
Date: 12 Oct 92 05:38:04 GMT
Organization: RMIT Computer Centre
NNTP-Posting-Host: minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au

Greetings,
	  Well I did some looking at RT and BT, found the only thing consistent
was that people are involved in both. 1000 years of evolution adds up to diddly
squat, so we can use them as a basis for comparison. In BT, one point of damage
from a weapon KILLS, NO chance of survival, one infantryman. No problem, taking
a look at RT, I decide to create the most obscenely powerful infantryman I can.
Using RT, this is not hard. 30 stats are used, 15th level OCC. Basic details
follow :
	HP 30 	+ 90	= 120
	  ^^^^   ^^^^    ^^^^^
	  base   OCC     total
	  stat
	SDC 40	+ 24	+ 18	+ 10	= 92
	   ^^^^  ^^^^    ^^^^    ^^^^    ^^^^
	   OCC   wrest   boxing  body    total
		 -ling          building

	Total damage to kill = 212 SDC/Hit points. These are interchangeable.
	This equates to AT LEAST 2 MDC, more likely 3 MDC to kill this person.
Taking into account that the BT damage MUST kill this guy with one point, it
is therefore equal to 3 MDC. This ratio can then be used to compare the two
systems. Just remember to take into account the 15 second to the 10 second
combat turn difference. Use this information as you will. Further comparisons
are forthcoming, so stay tinned !

			       ACE
                   s903609@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au
	        " How deep is the ocean ? " - Eric
" No Silicon Heaven ? But where would all the calculators go ? " - Kryten
      " Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast." - Hero Rimmer
Engineering : The art of using something without actually understanding it.
From: mfterman@dae.Princeton.EDU (Mutant for Hire)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Boyin Titan - the Rules
Date: 16 Oct 92 21:33:13 GMT
Reply-To: mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire)
Organization: Mutant for Hire, Inc.

Its a neat supplement. Of course the next problem is a way to create
new counters that won't appear appreciably different in a stack than
the regular markers that come with the game.

Now all we need are new terrains to play with. :)


-- 
    Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mad Scientist, Priest of Shub-Internet
    Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu mfterman@pucc.bitnet terman@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"
From: baldwin@carina.unm.edu (Chris Baldwin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Blood Bowl question
Date: 15 Oct 92 20:31:04 GMT
Organization: Atheist for the Development of a Better God

In article <books.32.0@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu> books@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu (Roger Books) writes:
>In the basic game if you block a down player one of the possible outcomes
>is the player is injured.  Nothing is mentioned about this in the veterans
>rules.  What happens if you block a down player when using the Vet rules?
	As I remember, you make an armour check. If it fails, then you
make an injury roll.

>In the list of the teams in the Blood Bowl, which are the best three?  Is
>any one so unbalanced we shouldn't use it for an initial playing?  We
>will be using all the rules, as it's a simple game even with all of them.
>(Well, all in the boxed set anyway.)

	The only race that I have ever seen than having a pure team of
unbalances the game is werewolves. Having 11 guys on the field who are
a 4ST 4AG is tought to beat. 
	We have a team in the league that is pure Minotaur. Initially,
I would have said that they were unballancing, but recently, they can't buy
a win. This team, however, is they only team I have ever seen beat the pure
WW team in the league. Due to the high cost of paying WWs the Minotaur
strategy was to inflict a couple of serious injuries right away, knowing
that the WWs didn't have many reserves. It worked, but that was the last
loss the WWs suffered(last Sept sometime).
-- 
"Hey, Guido! It's all so clear to me now. I'm the keeper of the cheese and
you're the lemon merchant. Getit? And he knows it! That's why he's gonna kill
us. So we gotta beat it. Yeah, before he lets loose the marmosets on us! - Ren
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)
Subject: Re: <Btech> Two Engines Question
Organization: Netcom; Renegade User
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 08:02:44 GMT

In article <1992Oct7.142528.21099@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> rday@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Robert E Day) writes:
>In article <1992Oct7.092533.2420@netcom.com> lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex) writes:
>> Just add a 10 rated engine for .5 tonnes and
>> get 10 points of heat dissipation.  It'll take 6 critical hit
>> locations, but that's still a lot less than the equivalent number
>> of heat sinks.
>
>No, it would take 15 crit. slots.(6 for the engine, 9 for the "free" heat sinks 
>that are not on the engine)
     _
    |_
    |_very once in a while I forget about that heatsink allocation
 rule.  ("Hey, that wasn't there when I first started playing the
 game!  And what's this about 1 and 2 tonne Jump Jets??" :)
 All of my construction tables have it already figured in, though,
 so I don't have to worry about it when designing.  BTW, for the
 original example, it was only a 10 rated engine, so all 10 of its
 heat sinks would have to be allocated.  To "fix" that, just make
 it a 25 rated engine, which can hold that 1 'sink and still only
 weighs .5 tonnes. 
 

>>     _
>>    |_
>>    |_very time you add a PPC, simply add another .5 tonne engine.
>> Voila, heat problems all solved.
>
>7.5 tons, & 18 crit slots. It could be usefull, but not as overpowering as it 
>may seem at first.
     _
    (_)k, let's start with a 150 rated engine, which can "hide" 6
 heat sinks.  The engine itself takes 6 slots, so you're even on
 crits compared to 10 regular heat sinks.  It only weighs 5.5 tonnes,
 though, as opposed to 10 tonnes for the 10 heat sinks.  Net gain is
 4.5 tonnes.  No change in criticals.  Make it a 250 rated engine, at
 12.5 tonnes, and you have a net loss of 2.5 tonnes, but you actually
 gain 4 criticals.
 
    |\|ow, using double heat sinks....  A 50 rated engine hides as
 many double heat sinks (Inner Sphere) as it takes up space for (6
 criticals).  It weighs 1.5 tonnes.  Net gain: 8.5 tonnes, taking
 up an equal number of criticals (30 total).  The 250 rated engine
 again gives you a net loss of 2.5 tonnes, but frees up a full 24
 criticals.
 
      |
    \_|ust for the heck of it....  A 250 rated XL engine takes up
 12 criticals and weighs 6.25 tonnes (rounded up to 6.5).  It can
 "hide" 10 double heat sinks.  This gives you a net gain of 3.5
 tonnes _and_ 18 more critical spaces, over using 10 double heat
 sinks themselves.
 
    |)epending on how much free space or tonnage you have, using
 more than one engine could be quite advantageous.  Provided that
 you really need 10 extra heat sinks, of course. 

-- 
   _______________________________________________________
  /         -= Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex     (:      /
 /  lunatic@netcom.com  GEnie: LUNATIC  CI$: 76170,672  /
/______________________________________________________/
From: haydenw@elp.aero.org (bill hayden)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Blood Bowl Tournament
Date: 13 Oct 1992 17:14:14 GMT
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hayden.aero.org

In article <1bevp4INNjo@seven-up.East.Sun.COM> pstrem@the-sap-pitt.East.Sun.COM (Paul Strem) writes:
>From: pstrem@the-sap-pitt.East.Sun.COM (Paul Strem)
>Subject: Blood Bowl Tournament
>Date: 13 Oct 1992 17:07:47 GMT
>	I am interested if anyone has had to modify the Advanced rules for 
>Blood Bowl and if so what modifications they initiated.  We are just coming 
>off of our first attempt at a Tournament which fell apart because of a 
>variety of reasons.  We are in the process of planning our second go at 
>it, with a few modifications in place.  I will post these if anyone is 
>interested, but the list is at home (I do remember that Strip Ball was 
>one which was changed).
>
>	Send any correspondence to:
>
>		paul.strem@east.Sun.COM
>			or
>		Paul Strem				  ^
>		c/o The Comic Book Store at The Flea.    / \^.
>		172 Merrimack Ave.		       ^/
>		Dracut, Ma.  01826
>
>
>
>  
>
please do - many are interested
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)
Subject: BattleTechnology development (Was: Re: Btech/RoboTech comparison)
Organization: Netcom; Renegade User
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 08:59:27 GMT

In article <s903609.718351522@minyos.xx.rmit.OZ.AU> s903609@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au (ACE) writes:
>Clan technology is DEFINITELY
>superior, but after 300 years of unhindered development shouldn't they be
>a lot better ?
 
     _
    (_
    __)imple answer: The Clans didn't GET 300 years of unhindered
 development, due to the Clan "civil wars."  I suppose the effort
 required to find new worlds, settle on them, and develop them could
 be factored in, as well.
 

>GAME BALANCE.
 
    ___
     |hat's the reason the Clan "civil wars" were put in.  FASA
 had already detailed the Succession Wars, so they had to put in
 something that would keep the Clans occupied over that time, to
 keep them at a level of technology only slightly higher than the
 Star League.

-- 
   _______________________________________________________
  /         -= Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex     (:      /
 /  lunatic@netcom.com  GEnie: LUNATIC  CI$: 76170,672  /
/______________________________________________________/
From: brendan@cs.uq.oz.au (Brendan Mahony)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: EiA: #of depots in the countermix
Date: 16 Oct 92 00:29:03 GMT
Reply-To: brendan@cs.uq.oz.au

In <1992Oct13.201931.20999@venus.ic.cmc.ca> adrian@scorpio.ic.cmc.ca (Adrian Earle) writes:

>Does anyone know the number of depots that each major
>power has available in AH's EiA?

>Our club copy got dumped and some counters may be missing.

You really should photocopy the counter sheets before you break them up!

Reading from my copies:

Britain: 8
Turkey: 7
Spain: 8
Austria: 9
France: 8
Russia: 8
Prussia: 7

--
When soldiers form lines or hollow squares, you call it reason.
When wild geese in flight take the form of a letter V, you say instinct.
When the homogeneous atoms of a mineral arrange themselves into shapes
mathematically perfect you have nothing to say. You have not even invented a name to conceal your heroic unreason."
Newsgroups: rec.games.board