HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: casper@vxcrna.cern.ch (CASPER,DAVI./PPE)
Subject: Re: Classic Games: Which 10 would you pick?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 00:08:00 GMT

In article <17404@mindlink.bc.ca>, a481@mindlink.bc.ca (J.D. Frazer) writes...
>> rleroux1@sol.UVic.CA (Roger Leroux) writes:

>> If you could keep only 10 games on your shelf, what would you pick?

1) World In Flames (ADG - All this, and World War too...)
2) Days Of Decision (ADG - Prequel to WWII)
2) Advanced Third Reich (AH - WWII, Avalon Hill style)
3) Empires of the Middle Ages (SPI - Charlemagne to the fall of Byzantium)
4) Advanced Squad Leader (AH - some day I might even play it! - plus 8 modules
                          count as one game?)
5) The Civil War (VG - the only Civil War game worth playing)
6) Highway to the Reich (SPI - company-level Market-Garden)
7) The Desert Fox (SPI - Rommel's campaigns, in a managable format)
8) Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 2nd ed. (TSR - so sue me!)
9) Air Superiority (GDW - *the* modern air combat game)
10) Pacific War? War in the Pacific?  Carrier War?  (some game on the
                         Pacific theater...maybe Rising Sun once it appears)

What can I say, I'm a WWII fan...


Dave

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: dunger@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Dallace Unger)
Subject: Re: Mayfair games questions
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:59:17 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO  80523

In article <BxKCJs.Ct2@news.cso.uiuc.edu> ken@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu (Ken Primer) writes:
>     Is it true  that Mayfair is going to start releasing it's rail games
>in tubes like they did with Nippon Rails? :-(

What I remeber hearing the people from Mayfair say at Origins was that some
of the games would be released in this form.  It takes them less production
time (I believe) and thus gets them out quicker.  I believe Mayfair is limiting
the tubes to games that they feel do not have mass appeal.  Best way to find
out would be to send a SASE to Mayfair and ask.

Disclaimer:  I don't work for Mayfair and this is all from memory.

Dallace Unger

Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Date: Sat,  7 Nov 1992 11:46:24 -0500 
From: "Thomas W. Pope" <tp1l+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Btech : LRM/SRM ammo

Rocqueforte OLeary writes:
>One other thought...If LRM's are 31st century equivalent of 20th C.
>Folding Fin Areil (spelling ?) Rockets (FFAR), which I kinda seen them
>as being, then their range should be 1,800 Meter's i.e. 3 times normal.
>I then times all weapons ranges by 3, and the ranges seem quite good.
>Haven't play tested it yet, but what do you think of the idea. Makes 
>Clanners even nastier IMHO.

  The ranges in Battletech do not represent the actual limits of the
weapons, but rather the limits of the targeting technology.  An
older issue of Battletechnology (one of the first 8, if I remember
correctly) had rules for extended ranges on weapons (at much higher
to-hit rolls)  The range for a weapon such as a PPC was almost
unlimited, barring only targets over the horizon of targets many miles
away due to diffusion through the atmosphere.  Unfortunately, it's kind
of hard to pinpoint a mech-sized target that many miles away...
  I don't have the issue in question with me, but if someone who does
would be kind enough to post the relevant optional rules, that would
be appreciated...  

						Thomas
						pope@cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: s666@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: The Battle for Armageddon
Date: 13 Nov 92 13:09:39 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    I have some questions about Battle for Armageddon.

1) The construction rules state that new builds must be placed on factories/
hives. What about field fortifications? Must all fortifications be placed
on factories or can they go anywhere?

2) Hive Defence Units. Dead hive defence units can be rebuilt for 2 build pts.
Can they go anywhere or must they go on the hive they are designated to belong
to?


As an aside, I have only played this game a couple of times. Both times I
played the Imperium and won. How have others fared with this game?

Sean Dzafovic
Dalhousie University
Subject: Monopoly Rules 
Distribution: world
Organization: Richard Clyne (Home System)
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 21:54:09 +0000


In article <1992Nov6.155332.27860@cbnewsh.cb.att.com> njs@cbnewsh.cb.att.com writes:

>
>In article <1992Nov5.235315.22990@bcrka451.bnr.ca>, mdm@bnr.ca (Diane> MacMartin) writes:
>>
>
>>3.  You must ask for your rent before the next player rolls.  We
>>play anytime until your roll comes up, you can ask, to prevent 
>>collusion.
>
>The actual rule is that you must ask for your rent before the SECOND
>player after you rolls.  This is one rule that I have seen many people
>misinterpret.
>
In British sets of Monopoly, the rule has always been that you must claim
rent before the next player throws the dice.
The are also a few other minor changes in the rules; one of the tax spaces is
slightly different, and you cannot get double rent if one of the properties
in the group is morgaged (Or is that the USA rule and the UK rule is that you
can?)

>
>There are two Monopoly books written that I know of and have read.  The first
>is the Monopoly Companion.  It is fairly recent (late 1980's) and comes in a
>"trade paperback" size softcover format.  The other book was called, I think,
>the Monopoly Book.  This book was a disaster from the word go.  A friend of
>mine borrowed it from our local library and, it is the first book that we
>felt compelled to actually write corrections into.  The book is written with
>this "official" tone to it but, continuously screws up the rules throughout
>the text.  The cruel irony is that the full text of the rules is actually
>printed in the back of the book (to show how big a moron the author was, or
>something).
>
I have 'The Monopoly Book', and agree that it is a disaster. The other book I
have is '1000 Ways to win Monopoly Games' by Jay Walker and Jeff Lehman,
published by Dell, 1975. This book is OK but assumes that deals are binding,
and then discusses the sort of deals that are possible.

>Both of them talk about the history of the game and, neither of them mention
>any changes made to the rules.
>
>
>Nick Sauer
>
>
>
> 
>
>
--
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
From: gschlesi@scott.skidmore.edu (gabriel schlesinger)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Eurorails (or Empire Builder, XX Rails) question
Date: 5 Nov 92 21:48:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: scott.1992Nov5.214849.1804
Organization: Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY

The way I always played it is that upon initially connecting to a city
you must pay the proper fee $5 million, or $3 million depending on
size.  Since that is the only time you are indeed going in.  At all
other times you are coming out because you tracks are indeed in there.
The same is true the first time you come to a ferry.  You build to the
dock and pay for the ferry, but the other end proceeds as normal.

					-Gabe
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: warren@nscf.org (L3 Warren)
Subject: SFB: ISC TC
Organization: National Science Center Foundation
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 19:32:24 GMT

Has anyone out there played the ISC TC in a tournament? Its a rather
fun ship to play, but then, I do like finesse ships.

I think it is the "Klingon" of the plasma slingers!

Warren.
From: mcsbc3maw@dct.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: SFB: Tactical Question
Date: 6 Nov 92 11:02:17 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology

In article <g^#@byu.edu>, $stephan@sasb (Stephan Fassmann, Software) writes:
> -Here is a tactical question. What would you do?
> 
> -Y176
> Your fighter squadron has been ordered to attack an important Fed convoy 
> consisting of two small freighters, one large freighter, a POL and an FF. 
> What kinds of fighters would you use, and their tactics? 
> 
> Thanks.
> _____________________________________________________________________
> |Stephan Fassmann  Internet: $stephan@sasb.byu.edu  GEnie: S.FASSMANN
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> |The Random Acts of Kindness will Continue until Morale Deteriorates|
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	interesting problem, i'd probably take one of the drone fighters
	klingon/lyran of kzinti so that would be ZY or TADS (can't remember
	if these are avaliable in 176 if not ZV or TAAS)

	Basically my tactic would revolve about getting the ff & pol to weasel
	i would do this by launching a drone from each fighter at the FF
	late in the first turn and launching a second wave at the POL
	early in the second turn . There will be so many drones on the board
	that the only drone defence that does not overload in the weasel .
	Assuming he weasels then the fighters will close to range 2 and fire
	Ph 3s into the FF and POL . If the freighters close in to protect
	the FF + POL then launch a few drones at them (i think TADS & ZY can
	launch drones at two different targets in the same turn , if not then
	keep 2 fighters for this purpose)

	This technique should reduce the escorts to scrap , as long as 
	the fighters approach under erratic (Speed 14) to minimise losses
	while closing.(He will fire photorps at the fighters when they get
	closer !) . Remember the phasers on the fighters will be sufficient
	to kill the freighters . So use the drones on the Escorts.

	Hope this is useful
        (its long anyway)

	_______________________________________
	Mark
	 
		
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)
Subject: Re: BTECH: two questions on targetting and leg destruction, and a design
Keywords: multiple targets, leg destruction
Organization: Netcom; Renegade User
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 17:32:42 GMT

In article <Bx8uos.2HB@dcs.ed.ac.uk> re@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Roderick Easton) writes:
>In article <Bx8JAv.I8v@cs.vu.nl>, rfvhout@cs.vu.nl (Houten van RF) writes:
>> But my question is: if after loosing a leg a Mech automatically
>> falls, and if a legless Mech has 1 MP, and getting up costs
>> 2 MP, how does he get up? You can't run with one leg, and even if
>> a Mech has jumpjets, I doubt he could use them lying down.
>    The Battletech rules state that a unit can always make 1 move per
>turn regardless of movement points.  This means that your Annihilator
>can run up a hill into heavy woods if its the only thing he does that
>turn movement-wise.  Thus a one-legged mech can make one attempt to
>stand up per turn and then move off at a rate of one hex per turn.
     _
    (_)f course, that Annihilator still can't enter restricted terrain,
 so the hill better be only two levels high or less
    ___
     |he actual rules for mechs with only 1 MP of movement (from missing
 a leg or whatever else) are on p. 14 of the Compendium.  The rules for
 a missing leg are on p. 30.  (I'm not going to bother typing them in
 here.)  BTW, it doesn't say anywhere that you have to make a piloting
 skill roll every time you move on only one leg.  It only says that all
 piloting skill rolls you MAY have to make are at +5. 

 
>    BTW that Endo-steel only weighs 3.75 tons so you can add a couple
>of points of armour to each leg (0.25*16=4), and depending on the
>engine maybe even more.

    ___
     |hat's a house rule, and should not be considered official.

-- 
   _______________________________________________________
  /         -= Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex     (:      /
 /  lunatic@netcom.com  GEnie: LUNATIC  CI$: 76170,672  /
/______________________________________________________/
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: a481@mindlink.bc.ca (J.D. Frazer)
Subject: Re: R.A.H. Started walking tanks? Was:Re: BTECH: Jap Crap
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 18:55:22 GMT

> Robert Everett Brunski writes:
> [re: Robert Heinlein]
>
> Was it "Space Marines"?  I think that's the title.  With the bugs and
> the 'gorilla suits'.
>
> That was an enjoyable book.  Any one ever play the game based on it?

"Starship Troopers". The game is a pretty good rendition of the book.

--
J.D. Frazer, a481@mindlink.bc.ca, (Vancouver, B.C., Canada)
-----------------------------------------------------------
*BRRRRAPPAPPAPPAPPAPPAPPAPPAPP!*
"MEIN LEBEN!" <thud>
"You shoulda thought about that when you signed up, buddy." - Valaria

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga)
Subject: Re: Btech: New technology?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 00:11:49 GMT

<OPQ@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:


>The turret---

Why build a turret when removing the lower arm actuator lets all your
arm mounted weapons do this for free?

Axly
  
********************************************************************************
*          Axly                  *   BLAM. BLAM.                               *
*      Red Sword Targa           *   "Stop."                                   *
*    "Sword's Path: Glory"       *   BLAM. BLAM.                               *
*                                *   "Police."                                 *
*                                *       -Officer Axly                         *
********************************************************************************
From: terrence@rumba.seas.upenn.edu (Terrence M O'Brien)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Nuclear Proliferation
Date: 13 Nov 92 19:52:16 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <6NOV199216333578@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov> colorado@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (Martin Snow) writes:
>I just saw that Flying Buffalo has produced a sequel to Nuclear War and
>Nuclear Escalation called Nuclear Proliferation.  Has anyone played it
>yet?  Is it worth buying?  The other parts of this game system were
>getting kinda dated, but the box implied that it was a post-cold war
>update.
>
>Any reviews?
>
>Martin Snow
>
>snow@lyrae.dnet.nasa.gov
>snow@cololasp.bitnet
>msnow%cygnus@vaxf.colorado.edu

I bought Nuclear Proliferation about a month a go.It's alright.
The new additions are:
Each person takes a country with a special power ( a la Iluminati)
The are new weapon systems such as the Stealth bomber (holds 100 megs
can only be shot down by Stealth fighter)
Submarine (give it a warhead and set it a aparticular target)
Also new special cards like the Trading session (all players must trade at
least one card to any other player)
Smart Bomb (doubles effects of 10 and 20 meg warheads)
Guardian Angel (nullifies effects of one Secret or TopSecret)

Alll in all i thought it was worth the $20

	-->Terrence<--
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Btech: Favorite Mechs--BOOK MECHS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
From: phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil )
Date: 5 Nov 92 10:17:48 -0600

In article <Bx7JtL.1xy@news.cso.uiuc.edu>  writes:
} phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil ) writes:
} 
} >People actually *like* book 'mechs?
} 
} >Incredible...I haven't come across a one that I like.
} 
} Oh, they aren't all bad. Most of them are good as places to start.
} They do tend to be cheap in comparison to player designs. FASA's stuff
} is supposed to be the basic models that get used. The variants most
} people design are often frightfully expensive. I could never afford
} to make all the modifications to my basic Warhammer in Mechwarrior
} that I make everytime I use one in basic Btech.      

Ahhhh...I see the problem now--people actually *keep track* of what the prices  
for various 'mechs are.  Incredible.

I don't see BattleTech as all that decent of a campaigning system, and so I  
don't campaign.  Here's the problem:  In a campaign, you can't eliminate any of  
the weapons...AeroTech, BattleTech, and CityTech all have to be there (unless  
you're on one planet, in which point drop AeroTech). 

But here's the problem:

I can smear any mech lance with artillery (no problem--none).
I can take out a city with artillery. 
I can take out a lance with elementals.
I can take out anything that I want with an AeroTech fighter.
I can take out infantry with Mechs, elementals with artillery (or AeroTech).

All I really have to do is say "I want all artillery (plus some of my handy  
spotters: 30/45 5-ton heilos with...C3 (or TAG--take your pick), or all  
AeroTech fighters (configured to strafe, of course)", and you can't win.  

Period.

So, I just play 500-1000 ton battles, pure BattleTech (well, vehicles, too--but  
no infantry/elementals/artillery/AeroTech), and enjoy the strategy of the game.

Phil
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: casper@vxcrna.cern.ch (CASPER,DAVI./PPE)
Subject: Re: Jutland - a classic game
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 00:28:00 GMT

In article <17206@mindlink.bc.ca>, Bruce_Harper@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Harper) writes...
>Maybe it's because it harkens back to simpler times, but I always liked the
>Avalon Hill game Jutland, even though the rules didn't really give an meaning
>to everything that was happening.  I never have gotten around to redesigning
>it.
>Are there any Jutland fans out there?  And are there better games featuring
>naval war between the age of sail and the age of air?
>And I always though Jutland would play better with a board...

Jutland was one of the first games I played a lot.  I had a Junior High
teacher who was a wargamer, and we used to do big battles on the bio lab
floor after school.  I haven't played the game in about 15 years now though...

We had a system where there were several players per side, and no communication
was allowed between players on the same team except for 1 written note per turn
which could be at most 10 words.

I have to disagree with your suggestion to give the game a board.  I think the
free-form manuevering is a good part of the game.

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


Dave Casper
From: re@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Roderick Easton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Btech: Favorite Mechs
Date: 10 Nov 92 10:50:20 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh

In article <BxBAqv.4sr@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (RedSwordTarga) writes:
> aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink) writes:
> >If you want class, you want style, and you want conservative power,
> >	NOTHING tops the COPPERTOP
> >		That is, a slightly customized Warhammer.
> 
> The Warhammer, from what I've seen, is the basis for more customizations
> and modifications of any 'Mech FASA has issued yet. I don't really know
> why, but I know that I can list at least 10 Warhammer variants that I've
> seen and that's 10 in 3025 and 10 in 3050/3055 era. It seems to be the
> hot rod of the FASA world.

Sorry I forgot to include the message I was referring to 
TTFN`
Rod
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: charbonn@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (gary charbonneau)
Subject: Re: EIA: Re: Supply limits
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 13:12:14 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.062513.21979@pei.com> fred_s@earwax.pei.com (Fred Scott) writes:

>1st Guy: Bids 30 for GB (would actually have been willing to bid 45 but really
>wanted France so he underbid GB) and 50 for France
>2nd Guy: Bids 35 for GB and 55 for France
>3rd Guy: Bids 40 for GB and 45 for France.

Are bids of this magnitude for Britain and France typical in the various
EiA groups out there?




-- 
Gary Charbonneau
charbonn@silver.indiana.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:53:25 -0500 
From: Erik Lauer <el0g+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: [A&A](No of dice and luck)
Distribution: rec

>It is very fine all the analyses, there has been mede on this
>newsgroup about chanses in defense and attack of varying types of
>units. 
>
>I find that for a simple rule of deciding the chances of an attack you
>simply count the values of the units and add them. that is:
>
>3 inf -> 3 points in an attack and 6 points in a defence situation.
>
>The golden rule is: "the one with the most points will win" 
>
>But if you in an attack have a lot of inf, you don't lose as many
>points as your opponent during combat.
>
>For simple calculation of odds I find this method is fine.
>
>/Joergen

Well, for inf on inf battles, the exact answer is simple:  you need
sqrt(2) times as many inf as your opponents (which will give your
opponent sqrt(2) times the firepower).  Your analysis is usually the one
to use, since it reflects who has the better first turn attrition, and
much of the game is just getting good attrition anyway.  BTW, the axis
often put the game on the line on a "bad" battle, since their chances
will only get worse.


Erik
---=
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: kurtg@yang.earlham.edu (Son of Scribbler)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Btech: New technology?
Date: 6 Nov 92 19:17:26 GMT
Organization: Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

In article <92309.194250OPQ@psuvm.psu.edu>, OPQ@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
> My local group of Battletech players badly needs some more diversity in our gam
> e. Yes, ER PPC's, gauss rifles, pulse lasers, ultra and LBX autocannons, Arrow
> IV's, MASC, CASE, etc. just aren't enough. Please help me by posting your innov
> ative ideas and not-so innovative ideas. Speaking of which, tell me how this ne
> w item that a friend thought up sounds.
> 
> The turret---
> 
> It does exactly what you'd expect, makes it possible to fire one or more weapon
> s in all firing arcs. The tonnage varies, you can put on a turret as heavy
> ou want and it may not hold weapons exceeding the tonnage of the turret. There
> canbe more than one weapon on a turret as long as their combined weights don't
> exceed the tonnage of the turret of course. There can be more than one turret o
> n a 'Mech, although none on the center torso, legs, or head. The critical space
> s it takes up are equal to 1.5xthe tonnage of the turret. A major drawback, (th
> is dosen't make too much sense but there has to be a major drawback) is that if
> the turret recieves a critical hit, it and all weapons mounted on it are disabl
> ed.
> 
> Please give your opinion and edit any flaws and try and post your new Battletec
> h technology.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "It is important to remember that clan weapons are superior in performance to t
> hose of the Inner Sphere."

Why not just use the turret rules for tanks? Have one crit for up to a certain
number of tons of weapons in it, i.e. a larger turret is needed for an AC/20
than for an M.G.

-- 
Kurt Grossman
KurtG@earlham.bitnet
KurtG@yang.earlham.edu

I do not know myself, and God forbid that I should.
		-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Someone got stranded in no man's land, dancing in the spotlight
 To the sound of clapping hands, nobody knows who's side he was on,
 It's a risk that you take in no man's land, nobody knows what made him decide,
 To run for freedom and to certain suicide, when they turn off the guns
 And his fingers uncurl, he's clutching a photograph of a berlin party girl..."