HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wolfone@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Patrick Chester)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Btech: Favorite Mechs--BOOK MECHS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Date: 10 Nov 92 13:08:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: ut-emx.83320
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Nov5.225538.12392@netcom.com> clarka@netcom.com (Andrew Clark) writes:
]
]phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil ) writes:
]>In article <Bx7JtL.1xy@news.cso.uiuc.edu>  writes:
]>} phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil ) writes:
]>} 
]>} >People actually *like* book 'mechs?
]
]I don't like the vast majority of them.  There are a few . . .
]3050 Marauder, for example.  I prefer to design my own but tournaments  
]require the use of stock 'Mechs.

Yeah, the "stock 'Mech" rule sucks. I had a modified Wolverine (3050 weapons,
w/2x heat sinks :) I wanted to use in a small tournament game. Wouldn't let
me.

]>Ahhhh...I see the problem now--people actually *keep track* of what the prices
]>for various 'mechs are.  Incredible.
]
]I agree.  Keeping track of all those C-bill prices; ugh!  Thank you, FASA
]for all those equations and figures.  They're really useful in balancing
]forces.   Not! 

Well, it does give you an idea of logistics, etc. But that is better for a
role-playing game than straight Btech. The prices give refs a limiting factor
on players who want supermeks. (MarauderFromHell? That'll be 30,000,000 C-Bills
please. Ammunition/spare parts extra.) :) 

]Oh, yes.  All your Aerospace fighters are configured to strafe?  Can
]they strafe my Aerospace fighters (configured for air superiority)?
]I agree that AeroSpace fighters are unbalanced, but they can't hold
]territory: only decimate it.  You can blow my city to shreds (maybe)
]but you can't take it over.  For that you will need ground units: Mechs
]and vehicles.  

What about orbital fire?

]
]>Period.
]
]Nope.  The secret is combined-arms.  Use everything in the roles for
]which it is useful.  Infantry can work in close conjunction with 'Mechs
]to provide close fire support; vehicles can carry the infantry into 
]battle, then harass the enemy from all sides.  VTOLs can be used to
]outflank the enemy force and put down fire (or infantry) at his most
]vulnerable points.  Mechs of different designs can work in the fast
]attack, strike, defense, assault, or reconaissance roles.  Conventional
]fighters can cheaply wreak havoc on enemy units without air defense, or 
]carry vehicles and jump troops behind enemy lines (make the aircraft  
]VSTOL-capable, then escort with Aerospace fighters.)

If both sides use combined arms and have sufficient training/skill, they
are going to chew each other up Real Bad(tm).



-- 
Patrick Chester            |----------------------------------------------------
wolfone@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu |"The earth is too fragile a basket in which to keep
Politically Incorrect      |  all your eggs." Robert A. Heinlein
Future Lunar Colonist      |"The meek shall inherit the Earth. The rest of us
#^%$!! Militarist          |  are going to the stars." Anonymous
(Of the Sun Tzu mentality) |----------------------------------------------------
Xref: sparky rec.games.board:10880 rec.games.video:21776
From: aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board,rec.games.video
Subject: Diplomacy -- The EXCITING version...
Date: 7 Nov 92 20:02:34 GMT
Reply-To: aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink)
Followup-To: rec.games.board
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu


Gotta make this short and sweet...

A few years back I spent a good chuck o' time playing a COMPUTER version
of Diplomacy, and LOVED it.  No rule conflicts, no poor guy sitting
out interpreting the moves written down on little sheets of paper... it was
EXCELLENT.  Unfortunately, I CAN'T find a copy of it ANYWHERE anymore.

	If anyone has it, would they be willing to sell it, or does
anybody know where I can get my grubby little paws on this game?

And, just to extinguish the flames in advance, I know this should be on
some computer game board...  unfortunately I can't seem to locate one...

=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
King Rat                     |  "You got the power, (Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!)
aka Josh Geurink             |   You got the might, (No Way!)
aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu  |   Get ready for battle, (Give me your money!)
                  Defeat the Black Knight!"
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`



Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: mfh@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (mitchell.hansinger)
Subject: Re: Classic games...
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 12:57:23 GMT

>	Has anyone mentioned Tactics II?  I think it qualifies.  Not quite as
>clasic as Risk and Diplomacy, but more so than almost any other game
>I've seen mentioned.
>
>ZZnew guy

Hear, hear!  Tactics II was my first strategic simulation game and is still
worth the paper its printed on.

-Mitchel
From: kgnome@cs.concordia.ca (MATIS stephane)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: BTECH: Re: ??Batech vs Robotech
Date: 10 Nov 92 15:31:46 GMT
Organization: Computer Science, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec

From: rb6t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Robert Everett Brunskill)

> On the subject of the VR piloting being stollen from Gundam:
> 
   > It's really tough to say wether the VR pod was directly and
> deliberately stollen from Gundam.  Over the past few years virtual
> ...snip snip ...
> it's only natural and obvious that the advantages of a VR system would
> make it a more popular choice when running a Mech.  I would think a lot
> of BTech fans would have blasted FASA for not implementing the VR and
> DNI control like they did.

Ok, a matter of trivia. BattleTech has had VR at many stages of the Game
already. Noe rules, understand, but the Star League sorucebook described
some of the most "pristine" VR technology. 

First: Aerospace pilots fly in space, without their cockpit and their
fighters being in the way. They simply sit in space, while the VR
equipment maps the sourings of the fighter for their view.

Second: Mechwarrior have helmets with such strong induction, that they
don't even have a view through visor. In fact, the BattleMech's computer
feeds all visual straight into the brain through the enhanced version
neural contacts.

Third: Armor crews have higher tech "Neurolhelmets" then the Inner
Sphere military Mechwarriors circa 3025-3040...

Star League was great, I'd really like to do a "Scenario/Sourcebook" on
it, with optional rules for 2750 Tech. And accroding to the response I
have seen from others on the net, it might be popular.

> Rob Brunskill


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Stephane I. Matis |  E-Mail : kgnome@cs.concordia.ca  | Viva NeXTSTEP 3.0 ! |
|.............................................................................|
|------------ bla bla Mecha*Press bla bla Dream Pod 9 blabla FASA ------------|
| BATTLETECH ----------------------------------------------------- NeXThead ! |
|------------ aka : Major Adrian Hammerhand, WolfNet Intelligence ------------|
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: mclellan@maximillion.mcc.com (David McLellan)
Subject: Re: Jutland - a classic game
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: MCC Corporate Computing
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 16:03:00 GMT

>>And are there better games featuring
>>naval war between the age of sail and the age of air?

I'm not sure what has been mentioned already, but General Quarters 
miniatures rules would compare to Jutland.  It covers WWI-WWII 
emphasizing ship to ship combat, but does allow for air attacks also.  
I've never used aircraft in this rules set.  You also get stats for 
other WWI/II ships, so you can play other scenarios.

I've also played Seekreig, another minis rules set, that puts more 
detail into combat resolution.  Both of these are like Jutland in that 
there are (obviously) no maps or boards.

As for board games, Task Force Games put out Battlewagon, again for 
WWI/WWII. Hexes represented 1000 or 2000 yards.  Those of you who have 
played Star Fleet Battles will find similarities in the movement 
system.

My favorite naval game is Ironclads, from Yaquinto.  Unfortunately, 
this company is out of business.  Combat resolution is detailed, and 
there must be about 150 gun tables.  Movement is preplotted, and 
resolved simultaneously, with the option of using incremental movement 
to resolve possible ramming attempts.  The original game was designed 
for American Civil War combat only, and the scenarios emphasized river 
or coastline combat, although there were high seas scenarios included. 
The expansion kit expanded the game to include some British, French, 
Italian, Austrian, and South American ships, and streched the time 
frame to the 1870's.  There was another game released in the last five 
years, the name of which escapes me, that was compatabile with 
Ironclads.  It might still be available.

>A Star Fleet Battles type damage system, where each hit affects certain systems
>rather than just inflicting generic damage, might benefit this type of game.

The games mentioned above implement this idea to greater or lesser 
degrees.

>How many individual shots had to hit a dreadnought to sink it, anyway?

One, if the target is a British battlecruiser of WWI.  :)


david
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: books@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu (Roger Books)
Subject: BloodBowl: Suggestion for Magic
Organization: FSU nuclear physics
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 92 19:12:52 GMT

I've heard many complaints about the magic system.  Most people don't like
and don't use it.  Here is a suggestion based on the magic system we use
in our custom RPG system.  (It's SAR, if I ever get it retyped in after the
crash it may come out for playtest.)

A mage has X magic points, much like alchemists.  4 would probably be a good
number.

Variant one.  A mage has a list of spells he knows, he can cast any of these
at any time until out of spell points. One of these spells is Dispel magic.
This spell cancels an opposing mages spell.  A Dispel cannot be dispelled.
(A dispell "fuzzes out" the opponents spell, you can't fuzz out something
that is already fuzzy.)  A Dispell costs a magic point, of course.

Variant Two.  As above except the mage has to choose his X spells before
the game and can only use each one once.

Two is the AD&D approach, One is the SAR (my game)/Rolemaster/Gurps/most 
other spell point games  approach.

Now if everyone will tell me what method they like best and if some people
will send me likely spells (I'll look over the ones in the book myself) I'll
write it up and post it to the net.

Here some starters: 

Spell Name: Weather Control
Cast Cost:  1 MP  
Description: Allows the caster to move the weather 1 step on the weather 
chart.  Each team may cast this spell once per Touchdown.  To cast roll a 
d6 and add the casters max Magic Points (assumes points go up with 
experience,) if the total is 7 or over the spell goes off.  On a roll of 1 
the spell has the opposite affect.

Spell Name: Dispell
Cast Cost: 1 MP
Description: This allows the caster to dispell an opponents spell.  The
caster rolls and adds his max Magic Points.  The amount rolled over 6 is
subtracted from the opponents casting.  If this brings the opponent to
less than 1 the opponent must roll an injury.  If the caster of the Dispell
rolls a 1 he must roll an injury on himself.


As another suggestion any spell points not used by an undead teams mage
may be used later for maintaining/reanimating.

Roger
books@fsunuc.physics.fsu.edu
From: pmenard@cse.unl.edu (Patrick Menard)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: A&A - Can Allies ever win (II)
Date: 10 Nov 92 23:45:09 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln
NNTP-Posting-Host: cse.unl.edu

pca8c@Virginia.EDU ("Phil Abel") writes:

>It's difficult to determine a good "general" strategy for the
>allies because so many of their decisions are based on
>responding to the axis. However, a few ideas...

>The Soviet first move is fairly clear: Maintain Karelia at all
>costs, hit Germany in either Ukraine or Eastern Europe on first
>turn, hit Japan on the first turn and buy time in Asia,
>transfer naval units to Britain. If you're playing 2nd ed. and
>don't allow USSR to attack, then build up heavily in Karelia
>and string a couple reinforcements out east.

I still believe the Allies can best benefit from attacking the German navy
with a fighter and sending its navy to the coast of western europe to take out
the German Sub.  This leaves fewer things that Germany can attack with and also
puts the Russian navy in a position to use the sub's offensive power.

>Germany would then be wise to hit all the British sea units

my plan eliminates this possibility unless Germany doesn't like having an air
force around.

Britain: either build bombers to bomb Germany into submission,or build a carrier
and invade on land.

USA: retake Africa and then concentrate on Japan.

Japan: well, invade Russia as best you can.(which isn't very well)

Shadow
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: BTECH:  On artillery
From: phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil )
Date: 9 Nov 92 15:19:02 -0600


The point has been brought up that my VTOLs will die off easily. 

This is indeed true, especially against the Clan.  

*However*, in my own defence, I should like to state:

1) You think that the VTOL is going to be *in front* of you?  No way!
2) I've added another plus one to your modifier if you want to shoot against     
     anything other than one VTOL (secondary target)--not bad for a 
     five-tonner.
3) If worse comes to worse, I'll charge your legs, knocking you to the ground, 
     essentially crippling you.  (granted, it would take roughly 6 of the 
     buggers to knock out a leg, but...)
4) I would (with spare tonnage) have VTOL's with a ton's worth of lasers...just 
     pile them up in the hex behind an assult mech (I can put 1000 of them 
     there if I had them), and watch his rear armour vapourise!

The artillery force that I have posted is simply a point that I was trying to  
make--I wouldn't seriously have 600 tons of artillery tanks...though it can be  
done!


*****

On another note, is there a way to PBM BattleTech?  I realise that the dice  
thing would be a little difficult to overcome (perhaps a C program that will  
interface SMTP servers?) , but it'd be a neat idea.  I'd really like to try out  
my strategies against people that I haven't been playing with for years :)

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: kabreuer@cip.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Klaus Breuer)
Subject: Re: BTECH: Jap Crap
Organization: CSD., University of Erlangen
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 09:26:31 GMT

tdunn@ecst.csuchico.edu (Tim Dunn) writes:

>>Please oh Please FASA get rid of the Jap crap out of the Battletech manuals.
>>I have just purchased the COMSTAR sourcebook and they have got the same jap
>>animators [.....]

>3) Seeing as the entire sub-genre of walking tanks was popularized by the
>   Japanese (though arguably started by R.A.H) why not have the units in
>   Battletech look japanese-designed?  Asthetically, they are much better
>   looking to my eyes than the Waltrips' stuff.
Weeeeell, thay don't look THAT bad, but I sure wish they wouldn't pose
like that. For example, the Shadow Hawk IIc looks like he's dancing. You
are supposed to _fight_ in these (stiff, unwieldy) things, not _dance_.
I also don't much appreciate the way fe the Baboon is drawn - quickly,
messily (I know these overhanging lines are in, doesn't mean I like them),
unlovingly. Compare it to the Marauder in the 3025 book!

Grumble.

Ciao,
Klaus

---
Klaus Breuer, Rudelsweiher Str. 6b, 8520 Erlangen, Germany
** "Geez, I need a _reason_ for everything?" --Calvin 
** "Should I or shouldn't I? -- Too late, I did!" --Hobbes
From: kuaxe@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Blood Bowl--Need copy of Centaur,Lizardman
Date: 7 Nov 92 00:17:16 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <1992Nov5.165825.21391@plx.com>, shumaker@plx.com (Jim Shumaker) writes:
 
> 	I don't know if this helps anyone but some rules for centaurs were 
> published a year or so back (could be longer) in _SpaceGamer_ magazine.  The
> rules were Ok, they did not include race special skills however.  They also
> did not include dislikes and animosities.  However those are easy to remedy
> and sometimes fun to create.  Also in that article were Leprechauns and Pixies
> which are the "equivalent" of Halflings and Snotlings for the Good team.  I 
> use all three in my teams and like the feel they give them.  
> 	While we are on the subject however I would like to find out if anyone
> has any other races they have created.  These are the extra races that my 
> group has come up with, (Mind Flayers, Werebears, Werecats, Wereboars, Gnomes,
> Hobgoblins, Vampires, Mimics) we are also working on a few more including Yetis
> for the Norse teams. 
	Could you post the rules for the teams you've made up?  I'm very
curious about other races people invent.  Mind Flayers, et al. sound really
interesting.

				Tim Benninghoff
				kuaxe@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: BTECH: What would you do???
From: phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil )
Date: 11 Nov 92 11:26:29 -0600


} > Objectives:
} >   Player 1: capture the city or destroy 800 tons
} >   Player 2: destroy Player 1 completely or force his retreat
} 
}    By capture the city, I assume that you mean more or less intact?

Right.  No nuking the city--what's the point in having a city if it's rubble?

Phil
From: re@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Roderick Easton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: BTECH-Gamer/Player which are you?
Date: 13 Nov 92 09:39:41 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh

In article <BxM24n.E1G@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga) writes:
> re@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Roderick Easton) writes:
> 
> >   Whilst combined arms may sound dandy and even work well on 
> >the game board only a small percentage of units use it (Fed-Com
> >RCT's, Gray Death Legion, pre-Misery Dragoons).  There must be
> >some reason.  There is: inter-service rivalry.  Unless they are
> >properly trained two units of different military arms will become
> >bogged down with command and control problems ( actually I'd like
> >to see the Command and Control for 60 v fast, one man vtols!),
> >rivalry (Mechwarriors look down on Tankers and groundpounders,
> >who don't trust Aerospace pilots, who hate Mechwarriors and 
> >nobody likes somebody elses officers...) and plain old lack
> >of experience of this kind of warfare.  It would not work in
> >"real life".
> 
> That's assuming you have different 'services'. This may be a problem
> for house units where you actually have different branches of service.
> In mercenary units of battalion size, these sort of problems are 
> minimized by the fact that the group is too small for very great
> rivalries to develop. *smile* Besides, dealing with this sort of thing
> is what that Leadership score is for.
> 
> Axly

My main point was that whilst these problems would plague house units and
large Merc units only can you see a small battalion size Merc unit with
as many assets as some of the combined arms forces being sent in
eg:  60+ recon vtols with expert suicidal spotters
     8-12 Arrow IV equipped vehicles  &
     Supporting units at the missile site
A small unit just couldn't field that force.  Any unit which could would
be subject to the leadership snafus but there is no rule in battletech to 
cover or prevent this misuse of combined arms.

TTFN
Rod
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: rbr@well.sf.ca.us (Bob Rossney)
Subject: Re: Classic games...
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 18:20:33 GMT


Someone back there praised Parcheesi as an innovative game that changed the
hobby.  Well, sure, in the same sense that checkers and chess and go are
innovative games that changed the hobby.  Parcheesi (which is the spelling
used by Selchow and Righter when they marketed the game in the US; other
spellings are Parchisi, Pachisi, or whatever else you can think of,
including Ludo in England) is a game from India that is at least a thousand
years old.

Bob Rossney
rbr@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: rec.games.board,rec.games.frp.marketplace
From: rleroux1@sol.UVic.CA (Roger Leroux)
Subject: Auction: new items in an old auction...
Followup-To: poster
Originator: rleroux1@sol.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. CANADA
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 10:26:47 GMT


Hi all,

I am conducting an auction via email. The items below are new ones which
have just been included. If you wish you bid on them, please email me with
your bids and I will add you to the mailing list. Please note minimum
bids.

For those of you already involved in my auction, you've received a copy of
this in your email, and the next update will have these items and their
current bids.

Thanks!

Roger

-----

3M
--
Monad				min$2	$0
- a 3M pocket game, 1970 vinatge. Mint, but 22 years is 22 years.

Avalon Hill
-----------
Diplomacy			min$6	$0

Games Workshop
--------------
Chaos Marauders			min$6	$0

Metagming
---------
MicroGames

7. Olympica			min$3	$0

MicroQuests
- these were mini-modules for Melee/Wizard. They don't contain the counters
  because years and years ago, I cut them all up and used them instead of
  minatures (still do!). If you have Melee/Wizard, you have all you need.

3. Grail Quest			min$2	$0

6. Unicorn Gold			min$2	$0

7. Master of the Amulets	min$2	$0

8. Orb Quest			min$2	$0

SPI
---
ZIPLOC
Voyage of the BSM Pandora
- unpunched			min$5	$0

BOOKCASE
Wreck of the BSM Pandora	min$5	$0

TSR
---
Manual of the Planes		min$5	$0

Dungeoneer's Survivval Guide	min$5	$0

Wilderness Survival Guide	min$5	$0

Oriental Adventures		min$5	$0
-- 
Roger Leroux          | "If money can't buy love, why do all dates start 
rleroux1@sol.uvic.ca  |	 at the bank machine?" - Bud Dry tv commercial.
----------------------+ "Everybody lies about sex." Lazarus Long
Be seeing you. DoD#43 | "Six of one, half a dozen of the other." Number 2.
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: rbr@well.sf.ca.us (Bob Rossney)
Subject: Re: Looking for Flying Dutchman Game & Swedish game
Keywords: flying dutchman german game
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 18:19:20 GMT

In <1992Nov6.034609.3075@jato.jpl.nasa.gov> jennifer@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Jennifer Schlickbernd) writes:

>Hi, I'm looking for a copy of Flying Dutchman, a German game that came out
>earlier this year.  I'm willing to trade any in print American game or
>pay   I'm also looking for the Swedish East Indian trad trading game,
>Ostindiska Kompaniet.  English rules not needed for Flying Dutchman,
>but preferred for Ostindiska.  Thanks for any help.

>-- 
>Jennifer Schlickbernd                     Jet Propulsion Laboratory
>jennifer@jato.jpl.nasa.gov or elroy!jato!jennifer@csvax.caltech.edu
>72466.3413@compuserve.com  Voice:(818) 354-1167

I too am looking for both of these games, though I'm not blessed with a copy
of the English rules for Flying Dutchman.  As Ms. Schlickbernd says, thanks
for any help.

Bob Rossney
rbr@well.sf.ca.us
Newsgroups: rec.games.board