HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: casper@vxcrna.cern.ch (CASPER,DAVI./PPE)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: A Gleam of Bayonets
Date: 8 Apr 92 16:31:00 GMT
Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr8.130837.3828@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, timothy@vansant.gsfc.nasa.gov (Timothy Van Sant) writes...
>A friend and I have completed two turns of "A Gleam of Bayonets" (PBM and  
>phone).  I'm posting a summary of the current game situation for GBACW  
>fans (are you out there?). 
> 
>My hope was to eliminate the Confederate artillery emplaced on Nicodemus  
>Hill (4 batteries total) but uphold a defensive posture elsewhere (along  
>the Miller farm - north edge of the Cornfield - East Woods line) until XII  
>Corps units arrive.  I've taken the top of Nicodemus Hill but the CSA  
>player has maintained a deadly 5-gun smoothbore battery on the southern  
>slope of the hill.  Its fire is murderous at thes close quarters.  But two  
>batteries on the hill have been captured and a third should go this turn.   
>Due to the mounting casualties and an impending attack by Early's troops,  
>I may retreat  somewhat to the relative protection of the reverse slope of  
>the hill.  Unfortunately, Gibbon's Brigade is already pretty badly shot up  
>(3 away from BCE, yikes!).

My comment concerns not "Gleam of Bayonets" specifically, but Antietam games
in general.  I have tried playing several (in fact maybe all of them) solo
(going back to the SPI Blue and Grey Quad and most recently In Their Quiet
Fields).  The position on the CSA left (Nicodemus Hill) has always struck me
as extremely vulnerable.  There are only a few cavalry guns there, and Hooker's
Corps is in easy striking distance, with enough supporting troops to cover them
if they attack (of course Union command is always a problem).  I don't remember
if there is a rule for low visibility in the early morning, but In Their Quiet
Fields has a rule which allows the I Corps to approach fairly close before
coming under fire, if they attack immediately.  Granted we cannot have expected
McClellan to do anything intelligent, but doesn't it seem like enveloping the
CSA left flank is the obvious Union strategy for Antietam? Once they get past
Nicodemus Hill, they are in a good position to cut Lee off from his line of
retreat.  Lee cannot afford to extend his line very much since he is spread so
thin already.  In the real battle, Lee shifted units all over the line, but the
line never really had to get longer since the Union kept hitting it head-on.
If units have to be shifted to the far left, they may not be able to support
when the Union attacks his center and right. 

I wonder 1) if this Union attack can be dealt with somehow and 2) if it was
ever considered in the historical battle.

I'll be interested to hear how your game turns out...I would press the attack
if I were you.


Dave Casper
CERN - Geneva
casper@vxcrna.cern.ch
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: bruno@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Bruno Wolff III)
Subject: Re: Titan: 2 types of megacreatures in one stack
Originator: bruno@convex.csd.uwm.edu
Reply-To: bruno@convex.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:27:32 GMT

From article <1992Apr12.165324.9243@cs.rose-hulman.edu>, by morzinpl@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU:
] In article <1992Apr6.220136.28871@ils.nwu.edu>, lopez@ils.nwu.edu (Chris Lopez) writes:
]>
]>It suprises me how many people actually use tower teleport.  I almost never do 
]>it at any time during the game.  My Titan is far safer when people don't know
]>which stack he is in.  Even if it they can say it is in one of those two or 
]>three.  Am I alone in this philosophy?
]>
]>Chris Lopez
]>
] No.  I hate having to make sure I keep my titan stack extra safe.  All other
] things being equal, my opponents are MUCH more likely to attack a group if they
] know it has a titan in it.  So I keep them guessing.
] 								Pete
] 						morzinpl@rosevc.rose-hulman.edu
] 
Well I like getting a Warlock early so that I don't have to worry as much about
my Titan stack being attacked. It is also a good unit to have in an attacking
stack throughout the whole game.
Titan locations are generally known by the midgame anyway. If you summon your
Angel to fight a battle or if either lord stack fights a battle your Titan
location will be revealed.
Early Titan battles are not likely amoung better players. The other side of
people knowing where your Titan stack is, is that they also know where your
angel stack is. This might keep your angel stack from being attacked by someone
who is a bit desperate. While losing your angel stack doesn't put you out of
the game immediately it could really cripple your position.
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: wesm@mbunix.mitre.org (Miller)
Subject: PBeM games (Flattop)
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 16:44:47 GMT

In article <tbn.702051604@csd> tbn@csd.cri.dk (Torben Bang Nielsen) writes:
>I have been playing ASL by email for the last few weeks and it seems
>to work out quite well.  So now I have started looking for other games
>which can be played by email. Does anybody have ideas / experiences?
>
>A few games I have been thinking about: (without having any idea of
>the feasibility of using them for PBeM)
>	AH's Flat Top
>	VG's Nth Fleet games
>	Harpoon
>	Tac Air (I guess air operations could cause some problems)

	I'm an avid FLAT TOP player. I have both the AH and the old Battleline
copies. I've tried playing this game via normal mail, but it didn't work out
too well. One requirement is you must have a non-player judge to coordinate
the moves, do sightings, do combat, and report it out to all those players
according to what each one sees. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it. But, in my
experience it can be a nightmare without dedicated players. There are just too
many aircraft to handle (for those unfamiliar with the game, one plane counter
in the game = one plane in real life (basically)...so there are a lot of 
counters to move around!). Ideally, the game should be played with 2 or maybe
3 players per side (max!). Any more than that and you get bogged down with 
too much paper coming from too many places. A lot of orders have to be given
generically, like CAP over airfields. P-40's only stay up for 3 (if I remember
correctly) turns, so you can't just put them up as CAP. You must use ready CAP
that launches them when the base gets attacked, otherwise they are totally
useless. There are other things to consider, but I'll spare y'all. :-)

	So, if anyone is game, I'll try it again!

						Wes Miller
plane 

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: ndj20710@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Nathan D. Johnson)
Subject: Re: Eurorail/Empire Builder
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 17:56:39 GMT

well, our group has come up with a modification to level the playing 
field' so to speak. early on we noticed that if someone gets a good set of
cards to start with then they have a big advatage, and starting with bad cards
can wipe you out. so we deal everyone 4 cards, and let them choose any 3 to 
use. that way noone gets really hosed in the begining. 
	To add a bit more strategy to the game we have tried adding a trading
option to the game. this has two parts: an inter player trade, and a open 
trading board. you can trade with another player at any time, and trade with
the board only on your own turn. this reduces the neccesity of turning in all 3
cards ( and losing a turn ) as well. As it turns out this changes some aspects
of the game, since you might decide to trade a card with the board to keep
someone else from collecting a big payoff from it. 
	As far as general strategies, i have found that once you have 4 or 5
in your net, you then have the freedom to try some of the more adventurous
side tracks, like Scandanavia, or the Balkans. 
	another interesting point is that there is a city, munich i think,
whichh is exacly 12 dots away from the denmark-england ferry, so, with a fast
train you can go from munich to newcastle in one turn. as, they say on
mr rogers's neighborhood, Speedy Delivery!
From: hship@sw.stratus.com (Howard Ship)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Dominoes
Date: 13 Apr 92 13:46:48 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.


I *think* dominoes classifies as a board game.  Haven't played
since childhood (if even then) and discovered I really like 'em.  Something
very rewarding about placing the dominoes, sort of like placing stones in
go.

Anyone have rules to some good dominoes games?

-- 
"Is that real blood?" 
Howard_Ship@vos.stratus.com
From: bill@frog.UUCP (Bill Masek)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Silverton
Date: 7 Apr 92 02:26:00 GMT
Organization: Charles River Data Systems

Would someone please post the address where Silverton can be bought from?
My game store cannot find it among distributors.

					Thanks

-- 

bill masek		charles river data systems, inc
(617) 275-4565 (h)	(508) 626-1122 (w)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: jmj@antwrp.antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov (Schout-bij-Nacht)
Subject: Looking for games...
Organization: Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Science Support Center
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 18:55:05 GMT


Greetings!

I am looking for the following games:

Bunnies & Burrows, and,
Ironclads

If anyone has a copy they would like to find
a good home for, please contact me at:

jmj@grossc.gsfc.nasa.gov

Thanks!

Jim Jordan

P.S. I am interested in playing the games rather
	than collecting them, so slightly less
	than perfect condition is acceptable, as
	long as all the pieces are there and
	everything is readable.  Thanks!

EOM
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: reynard@susie.cs.scarolina.edu (John Reynard)
Subject: Axis&Allies(new)
Keywords: fighters
Organization: USC  Department of Computer Science
Date:  9 Apr 92 22:22:50 GMT


A tactic I usually employ as Germany is to attempt to build a fighter 
on every turn that I can.  As the Axis wins most of the games I play in
I think that this must greatly improve German chances.

Typically by turn three I have 7 fighters on the eastern front after having 
pounded the Brit fleet into pulp.  I make attacks with massed infantry and 
fighters with some tank support.  The fighters are immesurable once you have
to defend an area such as Karelia from massive allied attacks.  I have in my
last 4 games eliminated the Russians before turn 6 every time.  Each game saw
both U.S. and U.K. giving massive aid to Russia by invading Karelia repeatedly.
By the time Germany was weakened enough to fall against the three of them the 
Japs had taken part of Africa in all four games.  My strategy seems to work
with proper Axis cooperation.

Comments, criticisms

John
From: gt4534b@prism.gatech.EDU (JARRIO,MARTIN MICHAEL)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Tactical Question - answer
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:38:35 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <92104.214204CDF1@psuvm.psu.edu> CDF1@psuvm.psu.edu (Carl Fago) writes:
>I disagree with Bruce, it can be answered in general.  To say that the details

     I don't think Bruce simply meant "it depends on the *game system*. He was
arguing (correct me if I'm wrong, Bruce) that the details of the *tactical
situation* are crucial. In particular, the resources available determine the
approach. What if you don't *have* heavy artillery, Carl?
     Suppose your forces have a distinct mobility advantage over the defender
(say mech inf vs foot inf). The best approach might be a flanking maneuver,
unless the position can't be outflanked. There may be mountains, or perhaps
a river (but if you have engineer units with bridging capabilities, you can
cross the river). Suppose you have the ultimate advantage in mobility: air-
cav. Then you could land your guys on the other side and attack from the rear,
or bypass the position all together.
     What if you don't have an edge in mobility? If you have a numerical edge,
you might again try to flank, *if possible*. If you have the advantage in
numbers and firepower (and air/artillery support), you could assault the whole
line (provided casualties are not a major concern). If you don't have numbers,
but you do have heavy firepower and plentiful support, you would probably
concentrate at a sigle point for local superiority.
     There are still more things that have to be considered before you can
chose how to make your assault. Time may be a crucial factor. If you're under 
a deadline, you might not have time to flank, or to deploy for a frontal
assault. You might not have sufficient time for artillery to soften up the
enemy position. This will alter your approach drastically. Also, supply may
be a crucial factor (for you and/or your opponent). You will have to adjust
your plans accordingly.
     Summarizing, there is no best strategy to attack a uniform defensive line
(and to be nit-picky, there is no uniform line on a *tactical* scale--terrain
will always create strong and weak points in the line). There are a *large*
number of factors (forces, capabilities, supply, time, objectives, etc.) which
have to be considered before you can pick the best approach.
     Somebody e-mail me a receipt for my $.02. I'm on an expense account.

-- 
JARRIO,MARTIN MICHAEL            |       
Georgia Institute of Technology  |      
uucp:	  ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt4534b
Internet: gt4534b@prism.gatech.edu
From: kls@whq-top.Dayton.NCR.COM (Kurt Staiger)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Eurorail/Empire Builder
Summary: Strategies
Date: 6 Apr 92 13:47:45 GMT
Reply-To: kls@whq-top.Dayton.NCR.COM (Kurt L Staiger)
Followup-To: rec.games.board
Organization: Corporate Customer Services, NCR Dayton

I play Eurorails on a fairly regular basis (2 - 3 times a month) and tend to
win.  Here are some of the tactics I use in a semi-haphazard fashion.

Beginning:

If I'm lucky and have a $50-$60 run  I save it as a long term goal and try
to connect shorter runs towards filling that card. If towards the middle of
the game my track isn't even close I get rid of it if possible.

If possible develope into Spain.  Seville is my favorite, having oranges and 
cork never hurt anyone.

Begin laying track from a major city but always check and double check that
$40 will get you to the city with the product you need to PICK UP not the
final destination.


Middle Game:

The most efficient track to aim toward seems to be an east-west backbone
(Madrid - Zurich/Ruhr - Berlin/Wien) with north-south spurs.  The England
to Italy route can pay off but it just seems too slow.

If Scandinavia looks good run the track thru Copenhagen and up. Don't be seduced
by the ferries. It costs a little bit more to build bridges but you make it 
up in time saved. I personally like Scandinavia lots of high payoff runs and
goods and generally no competition for track.

When my track is fairly complete and I have a hand of low payoff cards (< $30)
I throw them in.  There are plenty of better runs and filling the $50 and up
seems to be the way to win.  This tactic doesn't work as well if using open
contracts.

Never dead head a run.  Take something where you're going and pick up something
while there (preferably somthing you have a payoff for).

Runs where I can drop two loads in the same city or close proximity are
preferred to longer single drop runs with the same payoff ie. churning cards
is better.  This increases the chances of getting the really good runs.


End Game:

Count your money, count it again.  This will worry people; worried people can
make mistakes. Plus you need to know your exact ECU count.

I do the quickest combo of runs that nets me $250.


Have fun

Kurt Staiger kurt.staiger@whq-top.daytonoh.ncr.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: pckyip@athena.mit.edu (Patrick C Yip)
Subject: Re: PBeM games (Flattop)
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 23:28:48 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.164447.2855@linus.mitre.org> wesm@mbunix.mitre.org (Miller) writes:
>many aircraft to handle (for those unfamiliar with the game, one plane counter
>in the game = one plane in real life (basically)...so there are a lot of 
              
I have CV, and I remember one plane counter represents one squadron. 
Does CV has a bigger scale than Flattop, or I've got it wrong?


Patrick
From: ranger@cs.utexas.edu (Andy Keller Streiker)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: BTECH-engine formula
Date: 6 Apr 1992 18:57:54 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: tokio.cs.utexas.edu

Hey there,
        I was wondering if anyone out there knows what the
formula is for the Btech engines.(i.e. A formula to k ow that
T
the e gi e weight is x if the rati g is y a d the mech to  age z.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: sgccstr@citec.oz.au (Shaun Travers)
Subject: Re: Empire of the Middle Ages & Sword and Stars
Organization: CITEC
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 00:52:02 GMT

>It's one of my all-time favorites also.  I've only managed to complete the
>campaign scenario once however.  Please describe your games!

Another Interesting Event happened playing France. I had just
ruled Ille de France to +4, built a 2-fort and was extremely happy.
The last card (kept for defense) showed a leader check which lead to 
a 9-9-9 leader (never seen one before or since!). I am now estatic.
Next turn I draw a Leader dies Heirless (all areas). Rolled snake-eyes
(a 2) on the Unrest table (column 3) for Ille de France
(no other area rebelled). My wonderful leader become a 1-2-1,
My former court was independent (with a 2-fort and at +4) and
required 3 attacks to get it back with a -6 modifier.

I never got it back. I now tend to use 3-forts in my court (especially
when playing France).

Also, when someone else was playing France and doing well, the Byzantine
player put 70 gold on Normandy and said it was for anybody that
conquered it. England didn't take up the challenge. Germany had a good
go though. I guess that was the whole aim of it.

Shaun Travers,The Cheerful Crusader (we always choose to go through
Constantinople when on a crusade).
From: phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Zaphod, or should I say Phil? )
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: 5-6 player games
Date: 6 Apr 92 17:09:47 GMT
Article-I.D.: gacvx2.1992Apr6.110948.652


 writes
} 
} 	I have a question for all you folks out there...
} 
} 	I have a group of 5 people (occasionally as many as 7-8) who get
} together fairly regularly, and we're interested in what games you might
} recommend.  We enjoy Dune, Civilization, 1830, 1835, and Republic of Rome.   
Any
} suggestions for other games?  Just as a thought, we're operating on the 
} constraints of no more than 12 pages of rules (RoR is at maximum), the board
} will fit conveniently on a medium-sized table, 2 or fewer pages of rules is
} a bad sign (Dune is about at the minimum with 3 pages), play shouldn't
} be too badly "phased" (i.e., turns are short or interactive ... that's the
} reason Titan doesn't make the list), and it can be completed comfortably in
} 6 hours (yeah, I know, 1835 goes over, but we don't play it too often,  
either).
} 
} 	I'm especially interested in other 18xx series games, but only if I can
} get them for less than $50.  I seem to remember there was a posting comparing
} these games a while ago; if whoever posted that still has a copy, could you 
} forward me one?

Another fun Game for that number of people is Illumaniti.  I think that it is  
relatively cheap (I use someone else's game), and it makes for an interesting  
3-5 hours.  Note that it is a game of negotiation (not to the extent Diplomacy  
is, though).

Phil Miesle
From: casper@vxcrna.cern.ch (CASPER,DAVI./PPE)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Empires of the Middle Ages
Date: 15 Apr 92 12:38:00 GMT
Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41


Empires of the Middle Ages Players,


Does anyone know if there were errata released for this game?  I bought a used
copy without any errata sheet.  I don't recall any major problems with the game
but then I've never tried playing it against an opponent (yet).

If someone could post the errata (or a summary), it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave Casper
CERN - Geneva
casper@vxcrna.cern.ch
From: timothy@vansant.gsfc.nasa.gov (Timothy Van Sant)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: A Gleam of Bayonets
Date: 8 Apr 92 13:08:37 GMT
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center

A friend and I have completed two turns of "A Gleam of Bayonets" (PBM and  
phone).  I'm posting a summary of the current game situation for GBACW  
fans (are you out there?). 

I placed the 0, 1, and 2 McClellan chits in the I, XII, and II Corps boxes  
respectively at the start of the game.  I activated Hooker's Corps  
automatically on the first turn, and was fortunate to draw Mansfield's XII  
Corps as well.  On the second turn, I made no draw from the Hooker bin so  
as to activate the V Corps artillery reserve.  So far no luck in drawing  
any of the McClellan chits or in activating Sumner's corps.  Hopefully  
I'll get lucky on turn 4.

My hope was to eliminate the Confederate artillery emplaced on Nicodemus  
Hill (4 batteries total) but uphold a defensive posture elsewhere (along  
the Miller farm - north edge of the Cornfield - East Woods line) until XII  
Corps units arrive.  I've taken the top of Nicodemus Hill but the CSA  
player has maintained a deadly 5-gun smoothbore battery on the southern  
slope of the hill.  Its fire is murderous at thes close quarters.  But two  
batteries on the hill have been captured and a third should go this turn.   
Due to the mounting casualties and an impending attack by Early's troops,  
I may retreat  somewhat to the relative protection of the reverse slope of  
the hill.  Unfortunately, Gibbon's Brigade is already pretty badly shot up  
(3 away from BCE, yikes!).

The CSA player boldly positioned Stuart and three cavalry regiments in the  
NW corner of the board hoping to threaten the I Corps right flank.  Well,  
I've surprised him a great deal by bottling them up with Patrick's  
Brigade.  I got lucky with offensive fire on turn two, pinning two of his  
mounted regiments.  On turn 3, I intend to advance to positions which  
should give him poor defensive fire while I'll have excellent offensive  
fire opportunities.  If I can rout a unit or two this time, JEB Stuart and  
his cohorts may become POW's.  Of course,  I'll desperately need Patrick's  
men around Nicodemus Hill in a turn or two.

He has attacked I Corps along the Hagerstown Pike and in the East Woods  
(shooting up Seymour's Brigade in the process).  His attack along the Pike  
went especially poorly on turn 2 (I rolled three 2* results!), but he's  
just one good turn away from blasting through here.  I detached Gordon's  
brigade from the XII Corps last turn and it will just get to the Pike this  
turn.  Gordon and Duryea's brigades will be my only reserves in this  
sector.   

Mansfield's advance units will begin arriving in the second line in the  
East Woods this turn (none too soon!).

I'd love to hear about other's opinions about the strategic and tactical  
dilemmas the Union faces in AGoB, especially since the CSA player has  
studied this game alot more than I have.  Also if people are interested in  
the progress of the game, I'll keep posting brief periodic updates.

-Tim Van Sant
timothy@vansant.gsfc.nasa.gov