HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: I think the AXIS may be able to
From: oberland@vax.sonoma.edu
Date: 20 Nov 92 05:02:16 -0800
Organization: Sonoma State University

What the strategy does:
1: forces UK to loose/leave Asia open.  NOT a single piece coming out of
Africa(they have to fight through ME(Germany) to even get TO Asia).
Easy walk-in with EVERYTHING from Japan racing towards Russia.

2: no IC option in Asia for Allies, PERIOD.

3:Germany has 40IPC to spend if it works correctly, 39 otherwise for
the first turn, and about the same the next turn, and turn 3!

4: Allied bombing of Germany delayed until turn two or three
  They get to USE all that $$$ against Russia... 8A for 2 turns will
  turn Russia into an open wound.  Also, the Japaneese are able to
  REALLY make a difference, since Russia has to fend off invasion of its
  capitol by turn 3 or 4, and Germany is still hammering them with 35-40
  IPC per turn(vs their 8-11 infantry).

5: delays Allied action for one round.  This round is enough to make Russia
  NOT receive the help it needs on turn two and three in adequate amounts.
  This delay has proven to make life VERY difficult for the UK and US, and
  critical to Russia.

6:  If Japan takes Hawaii, the US now has to waste $$ in the pacific, or
  risk invasion of W. US or Mexico, Panama, or Alaska.  Every little bit helps,
  and hitting the UK *SO* hard makes the US almost have to forget about the
  Pacific to the point where Japan need spend little, if ANY effort there, 
  and maybe even take 2-6 territory.

7: Germany owns the Suez, more often than not.  This makes the UK HAVE to
  waste that transport to block it, or risk invasion in S. Africa next turn.

8:  Defending against invasion on turn 3 or 4 is a joke.  Just
  send a I or two there for the first few turns.  Hm... 7/8I in W europe and
  double that defense in Germany will NOT fall on turn 3.

9:  This saves the German air-force until turn 3.  By then, frying the fleet
  to hinder invasion until turn 4 is worthwhile.  Russia should be crippled
  and ready to fall.

10: forces the Allies to choose between reinforcing Russia *OR* attacking on
  turn 3 and 4.  Either way, they are going to have a harder time of it come
  the following turn(esp if I bomb their split fleet).

Seems like it *is* different than "normal", afterall...

Joe
From: marc@Software.Mitel.COM (Marc Beauregard)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Warhammer mailing list.
Date: 19 Nov 92 22:53:39 GMT
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.




Me too me too !!! I want to be part of the Warhammer Mailing List....

If you know that Info , Post it ... It might be useful to some others too...


                                    (.....)     (   )
-Marc Beauregard                      0 o        O O
marc@Software.Mitel.COM              \___/      =====
-----------------------------------%%-----%%---%%---%%-----------------------
Views, opinions and whatsoever expressed here are            
mine , and don't you forget it !!!                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 


Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: richard@smok.demon.co.uk (Richard Clyne)
Subject: Rail Barons 
Distribution: world
Organization: Richard Clyne (Home System)
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 21:21:52 +0000


In article <1e3ofhINNlrg@gap.caltech.edu> jeff@smoggy.gg.caltech.edu writes:

>
>In <1992Nov10.164003.2086@sco.COM> paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson) writes:
>
>>It sounds like you're playing with a lot of players or people aren't buying
>>up efficient networks. In my experience, the best strategy by far is to
>>build up ones own network so as to get into as many divere places as
>>possible. I've only seen real problems with coming up with a network in 5 or
>>6 person games (one player will often be fatally unlucky, however). In most
>>games, networks are sufficiently efficient that there is a reasonable cash
>>inflow.
>
>That doesn't quite make sense---payment to other players (in the
>endgame, for example) is zero-sum.  In fact, the game runs a little
>better than that, because if you use other folks' rails you don't pay
>the 1K for yours or the one for the banks.  That means if everyone
>has an inefficient net, the endgame should go faster, not slower.  
>
>>>      Has anyone come up with a way to speed up the second part of the game?> 
>>>Are there any optional rules out there for making the game better or
>>>faster?  Any alternate winning conditions that seem reasonable?
>
>"Play fast or we'll hit you" seems to work ok for us.  Rail Baron is not
>a very serious, high-strategy game, so the mood should be one of relaxation
>and unconcern (preferably augmented by beer) in order to enjoy the game most
>fully anyway.  A common technique we use is to just concede the game to
>whomever we feel confident will win.  They might not, but you can't get
>a faster endgame than that.
>
>>>      It was easy for players to forget to pay the bank a thousand to move> on
>>>their own or unowned track, any ways of fixing this easily with out
>>>added book keeping?
>
>Make the banker responseible for this.  An option (especially later in the
>game) is to have each player put a stack of ones in front of him.  The 
>banker just grabs them each turn.  Pick someone greedy to be banker; they'll
>even enjoy the chore. "Money! Power! It's all mine!"
>                                        --Jeff
>
>
Best speed up we have found s to give each player a copy of the fare chart,
and get the player to look up their own run, AND WRITE IT DOWN!. This can all
be done in other peoples turn, and then there is no delay when you need to
collect your revenue. It also allows you to think ahead and consider which
lines you will be able to afford when you reach your destination.

--
Richard Clyne
319 Violet Lane, Croydon, Surrey, CR4 4HN. Tel +44 (0)81 686 7159
richard@smok.demon.co.uk (Prefered)    rclyne@cix.compulink.co.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: kschroe2@ua.d.umn.edu (Kurt Schroeder)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Germ of a game idea: RoR vs. Junta
Date: 19 Nov 1992 16:42:16 -0600
Organization: University of Minnesota, Duluth
NNTP-Posting-Host: ua.d.umn.edu

In article <1992Nov18.163132.21109@cis.ohio-state.edu> farrell@blackfoot.cis.ohio-state.edu (christopher k farrell) writes:
>	What is needed is a model where each player can control a faction of
>nobles/princes/whatever in a government; each must have his own personal
>agenda, but also must cope with events that effect everybody; no player
>should be able to survive on his own.  In addition, the possibility of 
>territorial expansion should be available; the inter-player wars should be
>kept down (only in Civil wars, wars of sucession, etc).

I know that this is not quite what you are looking for, but a similar game
which had fascinating game mechanics, and described a situation like the
one you are interested in is:

       Plot to Assasinate Hitler (SPI)

Now out-of-print.  Situation: a collapsing Nazi Empire.  As Winston said,
'This is not the end.  This is not even the beginning of the end.  But,
perhaps, it is the end of the beginning.'  SS and Obwehr (military
intel types) fight for control of the levers of power in the labyrinth 
of the German government.  Rules for political recruitment, treachery,
and the dreaded SS Interogation Cell.  ("No! No! Not the dreaded SS
Interogation Cell!!!!")  The board shrinks as parts of Greater Germany
fall to the forces of Godless Communism and Faceless Capitalists.  A
great game, if one of the players can stomach being the SS.  The other 
player gets to hide and maneuver people, collecting Fuhrer access chits
and waiting for 'Der Tag'.

Again, I realize this is not what you are looking for, but thank you for
reminding me about this interesting game.  Does anyone else have thoughts
about this game?


-- 
Kurt Schroeder                  kschroe2@ub.d.umn.edu (Internet)
Dept. of Geography / 328 Cina   KSCHROE2@UMNDUL (BITNET)
University of Minnesota-Duluth  (218) 726-6226
Duluth  MN  55812               On the cutting edge of the normal curve.
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Eastern Front Poll
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 00:00:04 GMT

ksoutor@unlinfo.unl.edu (kevin soutor) writes:
>What is your favorite game dealing with the Eastern Front during
>World War II?  I would like a short review/synopsis; I want to
>build my meager collection.

Columbia's EastFront.  The wooden blocks simplify two vital game
mechanics: semi-hidden movement (fog of war, limited intelligence,
whatever you want to call it) and step reduction.  They also create a
very simple, smoothplaying combat system which doesn't involve the
usual looking around for 4-4 instead of this 3-4 because that'll give
you a 3-1, and so on.  Instead you focus on the tactics.

Command Control is handled very smoothly, also.

While the little details are not as "realistic" as more complex game,
the decisions you make as you play the game tend to be very realistic,
in terms of what a general would do in a given situation.

Low-end-of-moderate complexity is my favorite type of game, though, so
that accounts for my preferring it to more complex games.

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         sos@oz.plymouth.edu
From: ci590@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael J. White)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: EiA: Problems
Date: 19 Nov 1992 06:58:45 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Just a few thoughts about some of the recent comments and
complaints about EiA.  First, I'm puzzled by the critcism of the
foraging rules.  True, one would assume that a small corps 
could forage more easily than a large one but why would anyone
want to bog the game down with this type of micromanagement
bookkeeping?  One could create a dozen rules to make foraging
more realistic or "logical."  Think about it.  Why not reuce
reduce the forage value of areas in which corps have foraged?
This could be in effect for a number of months depending on
the size of the force which foraged there.  Or why not let
nations delibrately reduce the value to reflect scorched earth
practices?  Or have cavalry and artillery corps forage with
negative modifiers to reflect the greater difficulty of 
obtaining suitable feed for horses?  You could even create
national modifiers to reflect different attitudes toward
foraging.  The British were vehemently opposed to it and 
often sent squads of provosts to find, try and execute
plunderers.  Certainly, that would discourage foraging.  But
EiA isn't about beancounting, unlike so many "BIG" games.  
Players achieve success by crafting a long term plan and 
attempting to fulfill it by maximizing their geopolitical
advantages while minimizing their weaknesses.  Players may
achieve short term success by manipulating the system but
long term success is determined by how they interact with
the other players.  
Lastly, in regards to Turkish feudal corps... Yes, it was
common for feudal corps to be raised in one part of the
empire, sent to another province and disbanded when its
job was done.  Mehemet Ali, who ruled Egypt from 1804 to
the mid nineteenth century, was an Albanian.  He found
himself stranded in Egypt when his unit was dissolved after
the British forced the French army out.  
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Michael White
Engineering Library
The University of Michigan         Michael White@um.cc.umich.edu
From: maxxon@swob.nullnet.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Centurion ground vehicles
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 00:40:12 EEZ
Distribution: world
Organization: Sweet Oblivion

gyugyi@leland.Stanford.EDU (Paul Gyugyi) writes:

> I'm using some ground vehicles in a centurion game.
> Are there any data sheets for non-grav tanks?

Yes, in the 2nd edition table booklet.

> If not, what do you think I should do about the
> "shields" and "grav drive" sections on the data sheets:
> 1) treat them as balistic protection

Ground vehicles under current (2nd ed.) do no have ballistic protection.
Their entire internal hit structure is (slightly) different.

> 2) mark them off as destroyed before the game starts
> 3) create my own data sheet with the internal boxes
> re-arranged without the grav-specific parts.

If you can't get or don't have them, try #3.

> Also, a related question:  What do you do when an Interceptor
> (with no gunner) gets a "gunner hit"?
> 1) mark off the gunner entry as destroyed before starting,
> shifting all hits to the next higher range,
> 2) treat it as a no-op, just rerolling without applying
> any damage,
> 3) treat the empty gunner place as "balistic protection" and
> apply up to four hits there?

The rules don't seem to state this, but I'd go for #1. The effect is
nearly the same as with #2 but less rolling.


--------
maxxon@swob.nullnet.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio)
Sweet Oblivion (+358 0 8092678, V.32bis 8N1) Official SRP Headquarters


Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga)
Subject: Re: SFB: Which Cruiser is the Best?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 04:07:13 GMT

$stephan@sasb (Stephan Fassmann, Software) writes:

>I maintain that the D7 is the best cruiser in the game. It's varients are 
>very powerful and while the standard cruiser doesn't have a lot of one turn 
>crunch power it has enough manueverablity to defeat most opponents.


I used to really like the D-7D Drone Cruiser. It was pretty nice. 
The C-7 is like a D-7 on steroids, but I think that might qualify as
a battlecruiser though. 
The standard D-7 is a little fragile, and I tend to do better driving
a D-5 and spending some points for special options like fast drones 
and a larger shuttle bay. 

I'll admit, I don't play as much as I used to. The fact that Doomsday came
out and is so expensive that I haven't managed to steel myself to lay down
the 45+ smackers they are asking for it. Youch..the thought that I have
to lay down *that* much money at once to upgrade..it sort of took my 
heart out of SFB..which is too bad, it used to be my favorite game.

Axly

********************************************************************************
*  Axly       *   "Just because its my gun doesn't mean I'm the one who fired  **             *    it."                                                        *
* Red Sword   *   "OK, I fired it, but I didn't think I'd hit any civilians."  *
*  Targa      *   "Well, yes, it did occur to me that I might hit one or two   *
*             *    civilians. But I really never thought I would hit all of    *
*             *    them. "                                                     *
*             *      - Axly                                                    *
********************************************************************************
 

Axly

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: carlton@apollo.hp.com (Carl Hommel)
Subject: Re: SFB: Who are these FRAX people anyway?
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 15:09:42 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

Palmer T. Davis asks:
>Who are the FRAX, and why should I care about them?
The FRAX are an attempt to recreate "wet water" navy ships and fighting
in SFB.  They were "created" by the Klingon War College to train their
cadets against a totally new race.  The name comes from the firing arcs
of their weapons, FX and RX.  So, all of their weapons can bear into the
L and R firing arcs, just like battleships.

They were first proposed on Genie, and the fans were interested enough
in the concept to demand some SSDs and senarios.

Carl Hommel
carlton@apollo.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: wschip76@ursa.calvin.edu (Tom Schipper)
Subject: Re: BTECH Advice Wanted: Moving to high tech finally
Organization: Calvin College
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:09:28 GMT

drevik@utkvx3.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve) writes:
>After years and years of playing with the original "vanilla"
>weapons, we have bought the new tech readout with gauss guns,
>turbo engines, lock-on-SRM's, etc.  It's time to learn tactics
>all over again!

>I would appreciate postings or e-mail providing advice on
>the following topics:
>  (1) What are the better mechs in the new tech readout, or
>      what are important design criteria for mechs under high
>      tech?  It seems that with the advent of the gauss gun,
>      maneuverability is now foremost, with firepower next and
>      survivability (armor) last.

Don't know a lot about the tech readout since we usually play with
custom mechs.  However, in the tournaments I have played in, almost 
all the players maxed out the armor.  The most popular weapons are
Medium/Large Pulse lasers, Streak SRM-6's, and for small mechs or close
combat ER-Smalls or Meds.

>  (2) New tactics to employ given the new weapons and turbo
>      engines?

The big debate tactically centers around the use of jump jets.  IMO,
manuverability is very important.  In a custom 75 ton competition I
use a mech with 4,6,4 movement.  (I've played with 5,8,5 but don't think
the extra weight is worth it.)

Tom Schipper
From: alr@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (andrew.l.reibman)
Subject: Re: Discount game stores (mail order)
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 22:39:37 GMT


Well I may get flamed for saying it, but here goes...

PATRONIZE YOUR RETAILER!

Disclaimer:
I'll be the first to admit that I have, and still occasionally do,
patronize discount mail order folks, but I'm starting
to  feel guilty about it and change my ways now
that there is a neighborhood store that meets my needs.
I am also (according to my spouse) the worlds
largest purchaser of used pieces of cardboard not
intended for recycling.

If you have a decent retailer who does at least 
some of the following 

(a) customer ordering,
(b) provide gaming space 
(c) sponsor local events, 
(d)  keep a decent stock that you enjoy browsing.
(e) make efforts to introduce new people to the hobby

then spend your money there and support the hobby and your retailer
or they will go away. If your retailer is lousy - see if you 
can get them to improve. If they're hopeless, then go ahead
and mail order - but do it from the manufacturer and not
from a discount house - from a mail order house a good 
portion probably goes to a distributor. Send the money
to the original company and vote with your dollars for
products you like.

Andrew
alr@hoqaa.att.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: gletty@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Bruce Gletty)
Subject: Re: EIA: Spain
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 19:29:28 GMT

ahabig@bigbang.astro.indiana.edu (Alec Habig) writes:

>That is an excellent idea.  It would not tip the balance too far, all it would
>do is make Spain less prone to repeated bashings every 18 months.  Besides, the
>only reason someone would take provinces from Spain is to set up to thump Spain
>all over again, which is what makes Spain so nasty to play.

>	Alec

>PS - maybe one could even justify this historically by saying "the guerrillas
>are to strong to hold on".  Wait, this gives me an even better idea - let
>people take provinces from Spain, but then let the guerillas breed the whole
>time these provinces are occupied.  That would make people think twice about
>taking Spainish provinces.

That would be historical, and would work out well. I like it better
that just saying 'You cannot take any of Spain's provinces'.

>Another idea - do not make standing down the guerillas automatic come peacetime
>(the normal ones, I mean, not the ones mentioned above).  Make it a peace
>condition to disband them, else there's a ready made stock of little yellow
>counters already ready for the next invasion.

This would be unrealistic. Guerillas have a nasty habit of bothering whoever
is in charge. The Spanish government would be quick to disband them.


I agree that Spain is an unpleasant country to play. I think I dislike 
Austria the next most.
-- 
This post is mine, and does not necessarily reflect the views of C.C.S.O.
From: rollins+@cs.cmu.edu (Gene Rollins)
Subject: Re: 183x:  Info Wanted
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 15:24:08 GMT


You can get 1829 and 1853, as well as the others at "Games People Play",
an excellent game store in Cambridge MA.  They do mail order.
617-492-0711.  They are well stocked in all categories, and deep in
railroad games and other economic simulations.

They import 1829 and 1853 as well as other games from Europe themselves.  They
order small quantities and must pass the shipping onto you.  However, these
are hard to find elsewhere in the USA. I wonder if there is a way to somehow
order directly from Europe. ...gene
From: tlim@cats.ucsc.edu (Thanh Hieu Lim)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Discount game stores (mail order)
Date: 15 Nov 1992 18:46:21 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: si.ucsc.edu
Summary: Looking for list of places


  Every now and then someone mentions one of the many game stores
that offer discounts on purchases and do business via mail order.
Well, the itch to buy a few new games has struck me again, but
I'm not in a hurry to pay full retail for several games listed
at $30-50 each. And seeing as how I haven't seen any stores
mentioned in over 2 weeks on r.g.b., I decided wasting net resources
to ask was warrented. So if anyone has a list of mail order game 
stores, please email it to me.

-Robert Stetler, tlim@cats.ucsc.edu-

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: markg@engrg.uwo.ca (Mark Gagnon)
Subject: Re: Btech: Clans will win easily 
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 15:14:07 GMT
Keywords: Stupid questions - Patience required.

Please excuse my apparent ignorance: Where do the individual Houses
of the Inner Sphere stand in all of this mess? I've been following
most of the discussions and there's been no mention of Inner Sphere
tactics... Would it not be feasible for one of the Inner Sphere Houses
to ally with the Clans in an effort to avoid annihilation?
Another burning question (for me anyways...) Who leads House Davion at
this point? (Yes, I know. It's probably in one of the MANY supplements
which I have neither the money to buy or the time to read at the moment.)
What happened to the Steiner-Davion alliance? Would this group not be able
to present a united front against the Clans (assuming they wanted to)?
I understand that the Clans started coming into Inner Sphere space from
the Draconis Combine; What's happening there?

Thank you for you patience.


-- 
Mark Gagnon (markg@prism.engrg.uwo.ca)  University of Western Ontario
=====================================================================
              Great Wits are sure to Madness near ally's 
              And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide 
Newsgroups: rec.games.board