$1 the NO.8 SPAEE IiAmER
EVIL, MEAN, AND ROTTEN.
A fantasy game for the bad guys? Yea, verily. Monsters! Monsters! is the new fantasy role-playing game from Metagaming Concepts. No more good-guy heroes. In Monsters! Monsters!, you become a monster character - come up from the dungeons - stalk into town - and wreak havoc. The eviller you are, the more experience points you'll earn...
Monsters! Monsters! was designed by Ken SI. Andre, I lavishly illustrated by Liz Danforth, and edited by Steve Jackson of the Meta gaming staff.
As with Our previous game, Stellar Conquest, every effort was made to provide a clear, complete rule system. Major omis sions and contradictions that plague other game systems 3re avoided by a carefully organized format. This is an excellent game for novice Game Masters and new fantasy bu rrs - and should be a relief for ex perienced garners exhausted by confusing rule systems. Monsters! Monsters! is a 52-page, 8 Y, by II rule book with Danforth's full color cover. Also included 3re four maps for the Game Master to use in setting up an initial adventure.
Rulnsn"I(ofl5lf1dud~: IfI,roduC:liofl GomtMasln'lfI' ilfld :klUp CIw~ItrCrHIion £xpH~nc:rPoints :kqu~n(,'t ofPIQ)' Combill (indudin, Gtntrvl Discussion. Combilt Tum StqUtfl", WQndt"nl £lItmltS. Rtoe:lion TQbf" SilvlfII Rolls, UnusuQf Combfll, UIIQrmtt! Combfll, Qnd WtflpomJ MQltic: So put a new twist in your gaming - try Monsters! Monsters! Approved as an outlet for antisocial ten dencies by the American Psychologists and Crazies Association. I METAGAMING CONCEPTS Box 15346 Austin, Texas 18161 Subscribers to our maga zine The Space Gamer get a discount price - $5.00. The Space Gamer appears bi monthly. A year (six issues) is $5.00; two years (twelve copyright © 1976, Melagaming Concepts. issues), $9.00. 3 THE SPAEE GAmER art· nau na. B Where We're Going
Mostly business this time.
Order problems/information: The Computer Games: TSG #7 feedback holiday season is coming so expect showed less support for computer a bit longer than usual delivery games than we'd hoped. Not that time. Third class mail is delivered there wasn't a lot of enthusiastic after first class mail if there is interest. It's just that MicroGames a backlog. and the fantasy role game did IN '!HIS ISSUE Also, be sure and let us know better. Price did seem to be a your new address as soon as you factor based on comments but the make a move- TSG is currently Bulk Universe idea rated a bit higher 3 Where We're Going fIT Mailed. Bulk Mail isn't fowarded than a computerized Metastar system unless you specifically tell the 80. A game that put you into con 16 Books COO U.S. Postal Service you will pay tact with other garners, computer 17 Feedback & Game Ratings postage on all mail fowarded. controlled sophistication, ratings, 21 Otherwise, the TSGs are returned to etc, etc, seemed a natural. News & Plugs us. I wish there were a way of doing 23 Art Showcase: Chung When you write to us it is best more than a bare bones game cheap. to keep your order information on a A$I,OOO hobby computer won't cut it 26 Letters seperate sheet from letters. We are A $40,000 IBM System 32 falls SPIDJIATIONS less likely to miss it that way. short, too. The advent of 16K bit With over 1,000 circulation we do MOS RAMs, cheaper peripheral de 4 Triplanetary: Suggestions for Steve Jackson get lots of mail. All is read at vices, and advanced microprocessor Revision least twice during the normal mail CPUs is going to help. But, it will still cost several times what 7 processing cycle. Actual letters The Soviet Manned Space Program: Robert Taylor of comment, problems, etc., will it takes to get a STELLAR CONQUEST The Next Three Years get handled three to five times. or GODSFIRE to market. Only a fraction of letters can be We do have the expertise to do 8 Sim::msen 's Trinity and Grand Duels Scott Rusch answered but we do listen very well a really superior job on computer FEATURES to all you say. TSG readers have games. More effort will go into taken us at our word about airing lowering cost. It may be that an 10 GODSFIRE Sheet gripes and problems as well as initially simpler version that can 11 Laser Weapons Conpared to Projectile Steven List giving us praise. We can't ignore cost $1 per turn will be offered. you like government and the phone Or, an even more complex version Weapons company. might be offered for the same MicroGames Project: Our Micro 13 THE TIHIU: Innovations Applauded William Brogden price. $1.25-$1.50 per turn may Games were the suprise hit of last seem expensive, but if you are get 14 Present at the Birth of Monsters: Ken St. Andre issue's feedback. All segments of ting 10-20 hours of play value from evolution of a game our readership were favorable to each game turn and corresponding ward the idea except for the com with other players, it's dirt cheap 25 GODSFIRE: Design Notes pleXity/sophistication buffs where A $1.50 paperback reads in two to REVIEWS reaction was still fair. The two three hours. $1.50 in quarters in key elements seem to be price and 18 to one of the new video games like stooting is not the Whole Story: 1bny Watson the shorter playtime. Also crucial TANK, BIPLANE, etc. is gone in fif STI>.RSHIP Review is a playable, well designed game. teen to twenty minutes. So, before Based on your response Micro you sneer at $1.25, think about 19 SORCERER: a review Linda Brzus owicz Games go up on our project list. To what other entertainments cost. 20 S'i'ARSHIP 'IRooPERS: a review Sumner Clarr n be a success, ie. economically Sure, a stand-alone game like possible, they will have to attain GODSFIRE is $15 for possibly hun a 50% to 100% larger distribution dreds of hours of play by two to than our"first games. So, let your six garners; but, you don't get such FRONI' COVER: Kenneth Rahnan local store know YQQ like SF&F gam complicated servicing and back ing and tell a friend we'll send ground computation either. $2.50 ARTISTS: Chung, Pileggi, Jaquays, Tiffin him a copy of TSG for the asking. to $3.00 per month for unique gamin~ With a little luck and your is pretty cheap. PUBLISHER: Howard T'hcmpson EDITDR: C. Ben Ostrander support TSG #9 (Jan/Feb) may see Let us know your thoughts and the announcement of the first of a ideas on computer games. A more de series of MicroGames. With pricing tailed feedback form based on your THE. SPACE GAMER. is published bi-rronthly by Metagaming Concepts, Box 15346 a sensitive factor don't look for comments will tell us better how to Austin, TX 7876L Copyright fc) 1976 by Metagaming Conc pts. All rights super components. Counters won't -:\0 it. re~erved. A Sl.X-l.ssue subscdjifion is $5, twelve issues $9, USA and Can be fully die-cut but there will be adl.an postal addresses only. Contrirutions are solicited at the base rate a color cover booklet and map. Most Good gaming, of ~¢ per ;..ord cash or l¢ per word purchase credit. Base art rate is $4 per effort will go into making the Howard Thompson page cash, $8 per page purchase credit. News itS1ls and prcxJuct announce rules work. Specialty short games ments accepted subject to editorial discretion. for pros that are also good starts for novices is the Goal. 4 5 get, it rolls to see whether the tion and combat-odds calculation SpEculATioNS next is attacked, and so on. Thus, have become intuitive, it may im if a mine enters an asteroid hex prove the game. Certainly it is more containing a dreadnaught and a cor realistic. TRIPLANETARY: ing. (An extra hexsheet is helpful sa ir, it rolls, first, for the All instructions are written. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION in figuring this). Ships which leave asteroids; then (if it misses) for A ship may be ordered to accelerate under other circumstances are elimi the dreadnaught, and then (if it to the 'hex "northeast" of its pro nated." misses again) for the corsair. If jected endpoint--this is "a". The by Steve Jackson This is both more realistic the mine misses all its targets, it next hex clockwise is "b", and so (although still artificial) and much continues unaffected. on. (See Figure 1.) An overload less fr~strating. ~ote, too, that If and when a mine actually maneuver may be indicated, for in although you may not pursue a dis attacks, no special CRT is need~d. stance, as "aa." Ships not ordered TRIPLANETARY has to be consid abled enemy off the board, you can The mine attacks with a combat to accelerate move to their pro ered a first-class wargame. Because set up a reception committee at the strength of ,4, with no reductions. jected endpoints. of its SF slant, it will never point where he must return. A min~which makes an attack is Combat instructions specify command the following of, for in destroyed, regardless of its effect what shipes) are to fire at what stance, DIPLOMACY. However, it is Mines and Torpedoes on the target. target(s). Obviously, odds cannot be an excellent example of its genre. Under the present rules, tor Since any mumber of smart computed until we see where the The adaptation of "pulp" space opera pedoes are much too deadly. Mines, mines may be placed in the same enemy ships went. If two ships move concepts to viable game situations, on the other hand, are too weak. A hex, their attacks are combined into into the same hex, either may the clean design of the board and torpedo-Iauching ship pushes a one roll. attempt to ram after combat results counters, and, most of all, the circle of near-certain death, three A ship may drop one mine per are applied. classically elegant simulation of hexes in diameter, in front of it. turn. The mine retains the dropping The counterattack rule may then inertial motion and gravity make it If such a ship is heading toward ship's velocity. A ship which drops be dispensed with. Note, though, both a challenge to the gamer and a you at any rate of speed, you're a dumb mine must change course on that this eliminates up to half the great escape from reality. dead. This isn't battle; it's the following movement phase or be potential combat in a given Game Still, there are several prob slaughter. Boring, too. attacked by the mine. Turn. Where two equally matched lems with TRIPLANETARY. A number of As for mines: why have them Smart mines are good for de ships might have fired at each other factors are not handled in the most self-destruct after five turns? fending planets or bases. Dumb twice in one turn (one player's elegant way possible, or involve Mines are much more useful as per mines are excellent for offense, or fire, opponent's counterattack; unnecessary artificialities. To a manent obstructions than as tempo for "sweeping" enemy smart mines. opponent's fire, first player's certain extent, of course, these rary nuisances. And, I think, they (Note that hostile mines in the counterattack), each now shoots only criticisms are only matters of should be stronger. same hex have a 75% chance of de once. Situations which did not per taste. However, I think the game Furthermore, the present rules stroying each other, since both mit counterattack (i.e., attacks on may be tightened up. This article impose no cost penalty for the use attack. ) very small or unarmed ships) are of will present a number of suggestions of mines and torpedoes. It seems course unaffected. Thus, the average for rule changes which retain the more realistic to require that such Asteroids:' Detection engagement lasts longer, giving the game's flavor while improving play. ordnance be paid for at the time it The system given in the rules underdog a better chance to escape. is loaded onto a ship. is neither completely unambiguous The Board We can replace the present or completely realistic. Suggested Rendezvous The only problem with the types of ordnance with two others: revision: Ships which match course and Triplanetary board is that it is too "smart mines" and "dumb mines." "Ships and bases have a normal position for transfer of fuel, small. In order to represent most-ot (Well, they're easy to remember ... ) detector range of 3 and 5 hexes, weaponry, etc., are said to be the Solar System on one moderate Smart mines cost 1/2 point. respectively, in clear space. Aste "rendezvoused." This has advantages sized hexsheet, it was necessary to They do not attack the ships, bases, roid hexes, though, count double. but in reality it would also have take great liberties with scale and mines, etc., of their owner, because Thus, one clear hex and one asteroid drawbacks which should be reflected put all the planets on one side of they are equipped with a device hex are the limit of a ship's de in the rules. the Sun. To add insult to injury, which identifies (possibly by a tection. Two asteroid hexes exceed First: In scenarios where some ships are prohibited to leave the coded beacon) friendly units. Smart the limit; the ship CANNOT detect ships are "undetected" until they board. Violators are considered mines will not attack asteroids if into the second one. A base could approach an enemy ship, any unde eliminated. they are dropped, stationary, in the detect up to two asteroid hexes and tected ship which rendezvoused with This is not only completely asteroid hex; however, they will one clear hex, but could not detect a detected ship is itself detected. artificial (an "edge of space"?) attack asteroids if they are moving. into a third asteroid hex." (Rationale: Whatever is being used but frustrating as well. When a Dumb mines cost 1/4 point. to keep track of detected ships- battle is lost in supposedly endless They will attack anything. Asteroids: Combat long-range cam-operated tracking space because a ship goes one hex Both types of mlne attack in It is only logical--and adds scopes, maybe--would certainly too far, it hurts. But the hexsheet the same way. Any unit that enters a interest to the game--to assume that notice the new ship as well.) is limited, whether we like it or mined hex, or any unit in a hex that asteroids interfere with gunfire. Second: Two or more rendez not, and some rule has to be made mines enter, has a 50% chance of Therefore, for combat in the aste ,voused ships may be attacked in one about the boundaries. So, why not being attacked by each mine. Roll roids, subtract one from the die roll. (After all, it would be make the rule: the dice: on a I, 2, or 3 the mine roll for every asteroid hex in the difficult to hit one without hitting "Ships may not voluntarily attacks. Otherwise, it did not sense line of fire. This is in addition the other.) The dice are rolled leave the board for any reason. They and home in on that target. to all subtractions for range and once, to determine the accuracy of may, however, leave while disabled, When a mine has several targets vector difference. the shot.The odds are then calcu provided that, on an infinitely ex to choose from, it prefers, in order: lated separately for each ship. tended hexsheet, they would be able asteroids, other mines, bases and Simultaneous Movement Example: A Frigate fires on a to return under their own power. ships in order of size. (Freighters, At its best, this is still Tanker rendezvoused with a Corsair. Disabled ships which leave the board tankers and liners are all slightly slower, than sequential movement, and The roll, adjusted for vector and must return by the shortest possible smaller than Frigates.) If a mine should not be attempted by novices. velocity, is a 3. This means that route, including overload maneuver- does not attack the preferred tar- However, for those for whom astroga- the Corsair is D2 (since Frigate 6 7 vs. Corsair is 8 vs. 4 or 2-1), There are three possibilities: This objective is within Soviet THE SOVIET MANNED SPACE PROGRAM: capabilities, but barely. Soviet while the Tanker is 04 (since (1) A ship, by rendezvousing THE NEXT THREE YEARS Frigate vs Tanker is 8 vs. 1, but with a disabled ship, could aid in limitations in the space field are 4 to 1 is the maximum.) If you are repair work. That ship would be twofold. First, the hardware prob lems: The Soyuz spacecraft, the playing with the counterattack come un-disabled at 2D/turn, twice by Robert Taylor ~urrent wbrk~orse rule, all counterattacking ships the normal speed. Thus, a 04 ship of their program, lS not the engineering equal of the attack together. could operate in only two turns. This effectively doubles the (2) A ship might take another U.S. Gemini vehicle, which last flew firepower of a ship attacking ren ship in tow by matching course, in 1966. The Soyuz does not have an dezvoused ships, but is actually linking up, and expending two fuel In attempting to analyze the onboard computer, its inertial more realistic. He's not dividing points per course change (if the Soviet manned space program and its guidance system is suspect, most major systems have no backups, and his fire--he's attacking one big towed ship is the same size or future plans, one faces the task of smalleY) or three (if it is bigger. trying to focus on an enigma. The quoting a U.S. astronaut, "almost target, some parts of which are more all activities aboard the Soyuz are vulnerable than others. Thus, de (3) This is the one I like. Russians are still extremely secre You could forget about the "heroism" tive (although not to the degree of controlled from the ground, even fensive strengths are compared, shutting off the lights." The separately, to the attacking rule entirely. If you're really the past years) about their space pro heroic type, your play will show it. gram. They do not announce their life-support and safety features are strength. very limited, and the spacecraft's When this rule is in effect, a Try these suggestions out: you missions or their objectives in ad vance, nor do they volunteer much overall structural design is faulty player must state which, if any, of may like them. A good game is worth and weak. The worst aspect of the his ships are rendezvoused when more improving. specific information even after a successful flight. Soyuz is its flight record. Twenty than one are in a given hex. Yet a manned space program by flve per cent of all Soyuz missions This rule raises interesting have been failures, and two flights tactical problems, expecially in the its very nature is a rather visible thing. During the Apollo-Soyuz ended fatally. But Soyuz is only Piracy scenarios, when it may be mission, the United States learned a one example of the uncertain relia necessary to forego a shot at the great deal about Soviet capabilities bility of Soviet hardware. pirate in order to avoid doing much In the field of rocketry, the more damage to an innocent bystander. and limitations. Through defectors, spy satellites, and sometimes-- Russians have made few advances inadvertently---through the Russians since Gagarin's flight. They have Refueling, Maintenance, and the themselves, more information has been unable to develop rocket en Overload Maneuver gines of any great power since they The rules state that (1) ships been gained about the status of the Soviet space program. do not have the metals 'to withstand may transfer fuel back and forth, the high temperatures. (2) refueling ships "undergo minor It is the intention of this article to synthesize that informa Russian electronic and computer maintenance concurrently," and (3) systems are years behind the West. minor maintenance renews a ship's tion, and present a broad picture of what to expect from the Soviets In fact, the Soviets often buy ability to utilize the very useful Japanese or West German equipment, "double-burn," or overload maneuver. over the next three years. In general terms, the Soviets when they fail to miniaturize com Strict reading of the rules, Figure 1. Notation for simul ponents of their own. obviously, would let two ships in will probably launch three to five taneous movement. Y represents the missions a year. Each mission will The second limitation, and the cooperation undergo indefinite ship's present position, X its po most damaging, is the Soviet overloads. utilize the Soyuz space-craft and sition last turn. The solid arrow, the Salyut space station, where approach to space flight. The It is suggested that minor therefore, was its movement last Russians are very conservative in maintenance, permitting the double scientific, military, and engineer turn; the heavy dotted arrow is its ing activities will be carried out. their thinking. They pursue narrow burn, only occurs when a ship re "projected" movement. That is, the and limited goals. The management fuels at a base. It might be best It is highly probable that on ship will move to Z if it expends no occasions the Soyuz will fly inde behind the Soviet program is quite to limit this even further: the ship fuel. poor. It is dominated by bureau must land on (or stop at) the base. pendent of the Salyut (when the By burning one unit of fuel, the Russians are testing new equipment) cratic inefficiency and political Orbits (of a planet) or flybys (of a ship may alter its course along any demands. Most problems are dealt base), suffice for refueling, but Such was the case on Soyuz-22, an one of the dotted lines, ending up earth resources flight testing new with in isolation. A problem maybe not maintenance. in any of the six hexes marked "a" hardware to be used on future un solved, but its causes are usually through "f". manned satellites. glossed over. Three different Heroism Thus, one letter can be used to Beginning in 1978, cosmonauts Soyuzes, as an example, have failed "Disabled ships often run the describe the course change, if any, from Eastern European countries will to dock. This is representative of risk of leaving the game map, or of ordered for each ship. a lack of technical thinking and a colliding with planets and aste fly as flight engineers on Soyuz missions. These missions will of weak system control. roids. Any ship which successfully This conservative approach has rescues such a disabled ship, and course be commanded by a Soviet pilot, but this type of cooperation stymied any innovations. As long as returns to a planet, becomes a piece of equipment works most of heroic." Thus saith the rulebook. will be of major propaganda value to the Russians. The cooperation may the time, the Soviets see little Heroic status makes a ship fight also give the Soviet space program need to improve it. As a resul t, better. something it sorely needs- fresh there have been few improvements in Cute idea. Unfortunately, no any of their hardware or systems, where in the rules is it explained, thinking and input. The main objectives of the and very little thinking toward any or even implied, HOW a ship can redesign. rescue or aid a disabled comrade. Soviets over the next three years will be a permanent manned space With all these shortcomings Maybe figuring it out is the heroic how will the Soviets achieve their part? You could transfer fuel, but station. They are certain to attempt this before the U.S. space shuttle objective of a permanent manned that won't get it un-disabled any space station? Essentially through faster. can begin constructing an American space station. over kill. No matter how poor the 8 9 ;,I:lnagement, ho,,, faulty the equip Each player is put at a star any other reasonable combination. ment, enough missions will succeed SIMONSEN'S TRINITY ANr GRAND DUELS system, which he may never leave, For four player games use Scorpii, to get the job done. with nothing but himself and his Canis, Ceti, and Bootis. The Russians have enormous transmutor. He has all the technolo Now, the reasons for these resources. They have and can pour by Scott Rusch gical levels, but may only buy SCTs, rules. For one thing, most of the hu?e amounts of materials; lorJ.'.e ATKs, ESCs, DNs, MBs, and AMBs--no other stars are used by people un PFS, TUs, RIUs, or CTs. The trans involved in the spat, and so cannot nu~bers of scientists, engineers, mutor puts out 120 TU's each year be used directly, though the spaces whatever is needed to reach their not just every production year. One goals. And among those resources is around these stars will be fought In "rSG'6 a very interesting may also buy another transmutor by for by the robot ships. For this money. The Soviet space budget is article appeared. It was written by expending 120 TUs. ~Bs and AMBs may reason, and to limit the spread of believed to be twice that of the Lynn White, and was named "SPECULA only be emplaced on the home system, combat so the authorities can con U.S. program. This method is waste TIONS: Space War Games-Avoiding and no moving transmutors. Object of trol it, the duelers have to stay in fUl, costly and dangerous, but it the game-to win decisively by de ,,,ill work. Cliches." In it, the author pointed their particular systems. The duel out that technological progress, stroying all the MBs and AMBs of the ers will use the same technology The actual configuration of the enemy's home system, thus killing from fairness and from lack of re space station will probably be typified by automation, transmuta tion, and fusion power, would him; or to win marginally by having search personnel (with only one limited to two or three Salyuts more stars occupied or last passed joined together. The reputed eventually result in a world of human on the planet, and him busy abundance and leisure. This article through by your ships at the end of running a war, not much R&D can be Saturn-S class booster of the Rus is to carry her ideas a little turn 40. For two player games use done). And no PFS-it defeats the sians is still experiencing diffi farther. either Ceti and Canis or Scorpii and entire purpose of the duel. culties, and there have been some Bootis and ignore the other half of So now, like the gods of old, reports the booster has been For one thing, very complicated mechanisms will be controlled by the board. For three player games go and enjoy your wars! scrapped. use Diphda, Aurigae, and Tauris or Therefore, it will take a individuals with computer-link im series of launches to get up the plants. These implants (see necessary material. Construction Pournelle's article in the September will require EVA. Something the '76 Galaxy) will feed information Soviets haven't attempted since directly into the brain as though 1969, but they do have the ability. you were remembering it. This will This space station will have a crew allow you to keep track of many capacity of six, and will be re different factors (such as a space supplied by unmanned Soyuz type fleet) as well as have instant know vehicles. ledge of anything in the computer's The purpose of this space sta memory banks. Expertise will no "G?? Al1€ INNOVATION ?!?JJ tion will be varied, but its major longer be knowledge of something, emphasis will be on military re but rather experience in doing it. "HAVE; I GOT IlJNo- connaissance. Both Salyut three and The human race, therefore, will have five were military space stations, three different pastimes, come the VATIONS FOR. ly!OU.'!)) and the Soviets are eager to have a millenium: the search for knowledge, permanent on station orbital the creation of art and sport (war reconnaissance system. Their current fare comes under this category), and unmanned method is both severely the pursuance of public business. limited and unreliable. Do not be deceived by this There will of course be a great utopian picture; there will be com deal of scientific work done. The petition and conflict. Rivals for Soviets are developing a new tele power (such as is left) for a woman, scope for planetary studies, and man, or boy, or leadership in a they will continue to investigate hobby or sport will at some time or such areas as crystal growth and the other come into conflict. And earth resources photography. they will not be easy to control, as For the next three years, while each can command the production of armies at a thought. For safety's the U.S. space program is dormant, sake a "code duello" will be deve the Soviets will dominate the head loped. 1 ines. They wi 11 probably score many How will these duelers fight? space firsts, and perhaps pull off a I suppose there will be a great few surprises, but with their rigid variety in the methods used, from thinking, their limited technology, pistols at dawn for traditionalists and their emphasis on military to interstellar wars for connois oriented flights the Soviet space seurs. And there may indeed be program will remain a narrow and connoisseurs, for death may not be self-constrained endeavor trying to serious anymore (memories in the conquer an area where unbridled ima computer could be fed into a cloned gination and initiative are the most body after the first one's demise). important assets. Old age will also thus be dealt with, so that time may easily be spent on a long-term interstellar duel...... _- _-_ _- _------... To see how such a duel may be performed, let us use Stellar Conquest. 10 11 feature
LASER WEAPONS COMPARED Another problem is weight and TO PROJECTILE WEAPONS power supply. With no more than 20 pounds of rifle, ammo and access by Steven List ories, a single man is very mobile This is a systems sheet for GODSFIRE. Enjoy it and hold on and well fixed for a fire fight. I for the game. It will be out in time to play at Christmas. Charles Bowles' recent article have no idea what the weight of this on laser weapons was an interesting laser is, but an output of 60 KW at survey of currently available tech 1% efficiency requires 60000KW of nology, but I think he failed in one input. For a thermally-pumped laser, important respect: a comparison of this means heat at the rate of 6 laser weapons to conventional wea million joules per second. This heat pons quantitative terms. The table has to come from somewhere, and in shown at end of article gives data concentrated form (the heat is pre on several "popular" German weapons sent in the air, but since the of WW II, with the final column, average-sized window air condition Muzzle Energy, being the kinetit er needs about an hour to pull six energy of the projectile as it million joules out of the air, this leaves the gun tube. The chemical is not a practical source), which explosive that some of the projec indicates some sort of chemical re tiles carry is not counted. That is, action. About the simplest is burn the energy transferred to the target ing fuel at atmospheric pressure. A is solely a function of the energy gallon of "2 oil (diesel) has a heat output of the gun. value of 146 million joules. Assum Muzzle energy is chosen as ing as much as 80% of this heat can .. 10"""' .. tTl equivalent to Mr. Bowles output be captured and pumped into the t::l~ power figure. Just as a laser beam laser, the fuel consumption of con ~ ... tinuous operation would be about 3 ~~ ... ..~ in air loses energy through thermal <:l" ~ '. blooming and other dissipative gallons per minute. Of course, there !a. " ~ tg~ mechanisms, a projectile slowed by are other ways of generating heat, .,,~ ~ atmospheric drag loses kinetic en but they would require heavier ergy. When the projectile has slowed equipment. After all, the gun is a to about 71% of its muzzle velocity, device for burning fuel under pres it has already lost half its muzzle sure in order to extract mechanical energy. Kinetic energy is propor work rather than heat. tional to the square of the velocity, Regardless of the way the heat but so is the drag. Therefore, as is obtained, even if 100% is pumped the projectile slows, drag decreases into the laser it will waster 99%. and less speed is lost. As the laser In one second, for 60,000 joules of power loss to thermal blooming are useful output, 5,940,000 joules of related to the inverse cube of the waste heat must be disposed of. That distance, the power level falls off is nearly enough to vaporize 100 faster. To make a meaningful com cubic centimeters of iron. parison of the two types of Examine the pulsed electrical weapons, an exact range should be CO 2 laser, which is 24% efficient specified. But for qualitative and puts out 2000 joules per pulse. purposes, a comparison of muzzle It only takes two pulses to equal :.. energy to power output is valid. the German machine gun bullet, a ...... ",,, ..... Since a watt is a joule/sec, or mere twenty pulses per second to 10"" tTl ...... "'''' ..... ~ tl~ '" "" '" rg~ tTl a joule is a watt-sec, the match its rate of fire. Twenty ~ ~ ~ '"E:: thermally-pumped gas-dynamic laser pulses/sec at 2000 joules/pulse is ... .. "" ~~ ... .. ;>...... ~ .., <;: 40 kilowatts. To get this output ~~ ~ .~ <:l" ,.., Mr. Bowles cites must operate for a " "" '" "" " """'. 'i " R "!a. " " r-; full second to put out 60,000 joules. from a 24% efficient electrically .:;; ~§.: .~ '> 1::0""-"" This is little better than one per pumped laser requires 166 KW of .,,~ ~ t:3 ~~ ~ ~ 5 cent of the over 5 million joules of electric power, which is about the '" kinetic energy for the King Tiger output of a generator driven by a '"' gun. While it is 15 times as much as '200 HP engine. Sure, there are more "'8'" efficient power sources, such as Q~ "'8~:..:'" the small arms round, a typical ..... 9 ..... 9 machine gun could fire about 10 fuel cells, but they all have their h,~ own drawbacks. What it boils down to '") "'.::::;:; round per second, making that ad vantage minimal; modern small arms is that a laser with a power output such as the M16 or AK47 have even comparable to that of an automatic higher rates of fire and muzzle ve rifle, with current technology, locities; - on a time rate of energy would require a vehicle to cart it output (i.e. power), the laser is and it's power supply around. Nobody about the same as a modern infantry- is going to bother unless it's worth man's weapon. . it. 12 13 Is it I,orth it? Well, in little power rates would be required to get over a second, the thermal laser's sufficient energy onto the target in 60KW output (neglecting losses in a very brief time. To make an effec to interfere with the movement of air) will vaporize a cubic centi t i ve anti-aircraft a ran t i -miss i 1e THE YTHRI: I 'NOVATIONS APPLAUDED Terran forces and supplies. The meter of iron. This is dandy if you system, much greater laser efficien Ythri atmospheric units can give want to shoot at one centimeter cies are required, with a computer by William Brogden some flexibility if unopposed, so cubes of iron which will obligingly ized target aquisition and ranging it is extremely important for the hold still for as much as a second. system to bring a converging beam to In my opinion, this game breaks Ythri player to destroy Terran Don't, however, plan on making a point-focus on a rapidly moving new ground for science fiction gam atmospheric unit transports in the little craters in the side of a target. ing and for war gaming. The major space warfare phases. tank with such shots. Even assuming Considering the power levels innovation is a way of handling The instructions are very clear you can keep your laser beam on the involved, Mr. Bowles infantry laser movement and combat on three level~ with good examples and have been same spot of a moving targ t several weapon is currently impossible. And space ships, atmosphereic craft, kept simple enough so you can begin thousand meters away, you won't even unless the waste heat problem is and ground forces. Another innova play very rapidly, yet the game has warm it up. Iron (of which armor solved, we would indeed have "a very tive aspect is the extremely asyme~ a lot of depth. There is a big plate is an alloy) is a tremendous interesting picture of night com ric distribution of forces. The psychological difference between conductor of heat. To melt a holein bat", as a firearm-equipped sniper invading Terran player has over the sides of the game which reflect it, you have to put heat in faster with an infra-red viewer would have whelming force, so a "win" for the the spirit of the novel it is based than it can disappear by conduction. a wealth of targets literally light Ythri player consists of putting on. As the Ythri, you watch the huge And a 60 ton tank can absorb a lot ing up like beacons with each shot off the inevitable for more than Terran war machine move in on your of heat before getting very warm. An fired. IS turns. planet. You can't hope to beat the~ automatic rifle won't put a hole in Do lasers have any future as Space warfare typically lasts but you may be able to hold out un a tank no matter how many shots hit weapons, as opposed to tl.eir use as only a few turns, during which the til external p61itical forces make the same spot; a laser of this power triggers, ranging devices, etc? Ythri space force attempts to delay the Terrans withdraw. As the won't either. (A short digression is Maybe not on earth, but quite poss the invasion and to destroy as many Terrans, you almost feel sorry for in order. Some may argue that a ibly in space. Re~earch is being troop transports as possible. This the pitifully small Ythri forces, laser beam is hotter than the 1600 conducted on nuclear-pumped lasers is a very critical phase for the but they turn out to be surprisingly or so degrees of an oxy-acetylene which have a gas laser tube coated Ythri player, and good or bad luck hard to eliminate. torch, which cuts iron quite readi with uranium oxide. Slow neutrons here can have a large influence on . This is an innovative and ly. However, the torch cuts the iron are directed into the tube. These the rest of the game. I think the mind-stretching game with a lot to by providing an excess of oxygen, neutrons react with uranium nuclei movement and field of fire rules offer, both as the basic game and which at the elevated temperature to cause fission and the release of are extremely good; accounting for as a base to build on. literally causes the iron to burn more neutrons in a chain reaction. inertia in terms of turning ability up. Also, such a torch is very poor The energy released pumps the laser. is nicely handled, and I really at punching holes in the middle of Current lab models of such units are like the orbiting guardian sa a thick plate.) woefully inefficient, with power tellites. Since a rifle can kill a man outputs about that of a flashlight. Combat on the planet's surface much more easily and economically But far greater efficiencies could works well, with the atmospheric than the laser, its use as an anti be achieved if the neutron source and ground forces having different personnel weapon is distinctly were combined with the laser. The movement and sphere of influence secondary. What other targets might tube of the laser would contain both rules. However, based on playing 8 be worthwhile? Vehicles are out- the lasent gas and a gaseous nuclear or 10 games, it seems to me that the those worth the effort are too well fuel, forming laser and reactor in Ythri player has rather restricted armored. Nobody builds armor plated one. The total available energy of defense strategy possibilities. aircraft. The thin skin of an air the reactor would emerge in the This is due in part to a lack of plane would be far easier to melt laser beam, providing power in the guerrilla tactics which the highly holes in than armor plate, and most gigawatt range with negligible heat mobile native forces could utilize of the interior components are un waste. Such units are envisioned as protected. It is far easier to hit orbital power plants, beaming energy a plane with a beam of light than to remote users such as spaceships with a projectile, as well, but or lunar installations. Needless to there are still serious problems. say, a laser with that much power Most aircraft have highly-polished would be a formidable weapon. About skins that would reflect most of the the only drawback would be the in incident energy-meaning incredible ability to rapidly turn it on or off. _._._-_._._-_._._._.-.-._._.-
------WEAPON TABLE
7.92mm - rifle, machinegun .0128 770 3,990 20mm L/55 Lt.tank, arm. car .115 800 36,800 75mm L/43 - pzr IV £2 "Special" 6.8 740 1,860,000 75mm L/70 - Panther tank 6.8 935 2,970,000 88mm L/56 - Tiger tank, Flak 9.4 810 3,080,000 88mm L/7l King Tiger tank 10.4 1000 5,200,000 15 14 Such polyhedraIs are difficult for He would automatically make all involved in their own intensely per the average person to acquire and flrst and second level Saving Rolls sonal creative efforts. For T&T PRESE T AT THE BIRTH OF MO. STERS: but that's not fair, because even ' the evolutlon of a game are also quite expensive. (Since I you are expected to design at least was unemployed at the time, I was the best of luck fails sometimes.). one tunnel complex; for M!M!, I On the other hand it is not easy by Ken St. Andre strongly opposed to anything that really expect the players to design inflated the price of gaming, and (even when doubles add and roll their own city. That is a lot of on strictly anti-inflationary prin again) to make a 9 or an lIon de work, but the rewards are tremen In a way it is all the fault mand. It also unfairly penalizes of Steven McAII ist.er, he ,,,hose name ciple I still oppose the kind of dous ... and educational. When elaborate equipment that raises the characters who have built up their you get into city planning, the de is immortalized in the Peters luck rating to a fairly high level. McAllister chart in Tunnels &Trolls. cost of my gaming. I am probably a tails of how this place could really minority of one opposing the use of The Saving Roll for a character with work, you will learn a tremendous We had only been experimenting with a luck of 28 should be 7 on the ~ miniatures in fantasy gaming, pre amount about what life must have the most basic rules of for fourth level of difficulty, not 11. a couple of weeks when he rejected ferring the picture in my own been like in the Middle Ages. If you imagination to a piece of painted The other attributes also have a want to run a city of 20,000 peopl~ the notion of Monster Ratings and direct bearing on the play of the started to individualize the crea plastic every time.) So guiding you have to provide a way to feed principle number 1 was: whenever game. A snollygoster with a dex them, a reason for 20,000 people to tures in his dungeons. The first terity of 3 will not turn into a result of such a fairness policy dice were needed they would be the be in one place, a ,,,orld or at least conventional 6-sided cubes that an~ deadly missile weapon fighter. a nation for them to be a part of, was the chart that regularized the Another very important aspect creation of Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, one could go down to the corner and dozens (or hundreds) of other drugstore and acquire. of the design of M!M! is the pre details. Once the geography is taken Hobbits, Trolls, Orcs, Giants, etc. mise that characters who manage to After that, the very nature of The next thing I wanted to do care of, you must be ready to evoke was make a player-character's dice survive will be able to improve the personality of potentially any Tunnels & Trolls, and my own sense themselves. Personal growth is most of fair play, made the development created attributes directly appli one of the 20,000 inhabitants. Not cable to the play of the game. Thus, of the incentive to continue play everyone the invading monsters will of Monsters! Monsters! inevitable. lng the game. Individual ratings For a fair description of how the heavier weapons required greater run into in this city is going to be individual strength to wield them. may get to incredibly high levels a fearless member of the guard who game actually arose I refer you to by the standards of other game like bravely leaps up and attacks every my introduction in Monsters! When using magic, higher level spells are equivalent to heavier, D& D, but within the T& T/M!M! troll he sees. Probably the most Monsters! It only remains to say unIVerse. No matter how-nIgh rat that l!M! already existed in rough more powerful weapons, and so, re fun I ever had creating characters form as early as November 1975, and quired more strength to cast them. ings in an attribute get, they will in Krosht was the time the troll that Howard Thompson had agreed to What is the 'point of giving a be internally consistent. Thus, tore down an outer wall of a print it as early as January 1976. character a Constitution rating if while it is rare to have a human brothel near the city wall and This article really has to be you're not going to use it for any character with a gigantic strength found a houseful of women, one or a designer's explanation of two thing? So I defined Constitution as of 60, it is not impossible, and two of whom were actually good games in one, because I can'treally how much damage it took to kill a granting that there was such a looking. For the rest of the trip talk about the guiding principles of person. Luck has alw~ys played an character, the extra advantages I amused the players by having M!M! without actually talking about important part in my own life, and that it derives from such super these captive whores try to seduce ~T at the same time. T&T star~ from my extensive reading in the human power are quite reasonable. the more humanoid monsters, all the ed as a revolt against needless field of heroic fantasy (and just One of the pitfalls of this kind of while demanding the most outrageous complexity in Dungeons and Dragons. plain history) it has alwpys seem open-ended attribute system is the fees. I don't like 4 & 22 & 20 sldeddice. ed that luck was a major factor in incredibly generous or thoughtless In fact, the possibilities for the success of any kind of hero. game master who paves his tunnel invention are endless. In M!M! we Logically, when one is in a situa complexes and city streets with give you 52 different varieties of tion where nothing else can help, diamonds and enchanted doodads that monster, but that is not to imply luck can still come through and double all attributes without the that you are limited to those mon save your neck. Thus, a character's character really doing any work ex sters in the glossary. A thorough luck became the sole basis for cept to pick up the goodies. This examination of the monsters' attri Saving Rolls (which are used when a becomes a form of monster creation butes table will give you a good character needs a chance to save all its own, and can lead to ridi idea of how to go about creating himself from something unpleasant). culousness, with gremlins or hobbits the monster of your choice. Suppose Here I must disagree with something more powerful than any 3 giants. you wish to have a were-eagle. You Steve Jackson changed in the rules However, such problems tend to be can have it. Imagine the dismay of of M!Mi On page 29 there is a dis self-correcting. Game Masters have a city guardsman who thinks he has cusSIOn of Saving Rolls, and there the right to forbid the use of such apprehended a normal thief who is a column labeled minimum roll absurd characters, or alternately turns into an eagle right before required. Since a character's like the whole game turns into something his popping eyes. Let us say you lihood of making it's Saving Roll done purely for laughs, and every are fond of dinosaurs. There is no is meant to depend solely upon it's one has such a good time being silly reason why you can't have T. Rex luckiness, the minimum saving roll that you don't mind the absurdity . running rampant. No IQ to speak of, required would always remain the of it all. Personally, it is my and very little dexterity, but same. I like the number 5 on 2 dice belief that magical benefits should strength right up there with a because it is truly a minimum, very be hard to come by, both for humans dragon and a constitution to match. easy to make but yet not automatic. and monsters, which will then limit Say Tolkien is not your favorite I have no hassle with those who say attribute growth to what could rea author--you don't care about Elves. 5 is too easy and move the number sonably result from a character's D\"arves, Orcs, and Hobbits. Instead, up to 7. The reason for putting a efforts to improve itself. you dig the Arabian Nights and minimum on Saving rolls in the first The thing that pleases me the would rather have an Afrit, or a place was so they wouldn't become most about T&T and M!M! is the man-eating camel. All you have to automatic (Say you have a Gremlin sheer open-endedness of it. I try do is persuade your friendly local with luck of 24. 20 minus 24= -4. very hard to get the players deeply game master to let you ransack the 16 17 place with a genie. Just don't be surprised when a corps of 7th level JlBy;.5 _ ....FEEDBACK .... &.... GAME RATINGS wizards show up to greet you, just happening to be in town for a wizard's convention that weekend. PROJECT FEEDBACK Essentially this is what Liz did in TSG #7 FEEDBACK RESULTS painting the front cover, invented her own brand new monsters--the Rate Project Rate Article green beastie--right on the spot. MN-l PLUS 6.36 Fantasy Role Playing Game 6.79 Starship Troopers: Review And we did the same thing with the 5.79 MicroGames 6.61 Intermediate SC Rules Shadowjack, inventing, as a type, by Frederik Pohl 5.70 Universe 6.31 Dreadnaughts for My Lady a character who had been an indi 5.37 Metastar System 80. Board 6.31 Game Design Notes vidual in a Zelazny novel. In 'Ibnka. Oklahana veiled in a near per 5.23 Metastar System 80, Computer 6.21 Orbiting Colonies I have tried to avoid repeat fect security web is the !"an Plus Project. 4.64 Fantasy Role Computer Game 6.19 Starship & Empire: Review This project has one simple goal: =eate 4.42 The Computer Gamer zine ing information about the game 6.00 Warship Design a cyborg capable of existance on the 3.51 actually given in the rules for The Fantasy Gamer zine 5.91 Eldritch Wizardry: Review M!M! or T &T. I haven't said much planet Molrs. 5.17 Scenario... by Colodiy The race to colonize M3rS is on and the You can see why we won't be about why magic is the way it is, 5.12 The Birds U.S. must win if WW III is to be avoided. spliting up TSG into specialty 6.06 Average all Articles or how the combat system works. For Roger 'Ibrraway. hero-astronaut. is about those who read the rules, the logic zines. The answer to improvements to become a super sophisticated. $20 bil and the problems are apparent. I would seem to be expanding TSG to lion !"artian.He will be torn apart and make more room for everything. would like to note that there be canpletely rebuilt. All that will be really should be an asterisk on The generally low ratings in GAME RATINGS left of the hUl1\3.n Roger 'Ibrraway is a the"Take that you fiend!" spell, comparison to the game type rates hUI1\3.n brain and his very much slowed down comes from the nature of the Rate Game the effect being to multiply the Fantasy Role Playing Games caster's IQ by the level the spell heart. The rest will be machine. A very project feedback. Readers know we 7.70 Empire of the Petal Throne is cast on. fine machine with a single goal; Roger can't do everything. So, as is your 7 . 51 Greyhawk I'd like to say a few words ",:>Uld be placed on the surface of Mars right. what was liked was rated 7 • 26 Dungeons & Dragons about the problems of producing ahead of the Comnunists. and he must sur very high. What you wanted less was 7.16* Monsters! M::msters! this kind of role-playing head vive. He would be given a newly designed rated very low to help what you game. It looks easy. If you are an canputer to aid him. but it will be up to really wanted. That's the only way 6.78 Eldritch Wizardry average reader you can get through Roger to bring about success. you can explain a feedback that 6.35 Gods. Dani-Gods & Heroes the rules of MiM! in about half an Fred Pohl has done a masterful job with rates Fantasy Role games at 7, be 6.04 Blackmoor hour. But it is like writing a this,his latest book. It is a well writte, hind Society games at 9, then gives 5.79 Tunnels & Trolls salable story in that one must be example of science fiction at its best. the FRP game a rate of one and 5.39* Citadel careful in what one says. The ob Then the incredible character of Roger Metastar a 9. 5.35 Royal Armies of Hyborean Pge ject in M!M! has been to give all 'Ibrraway. canplete with multiple scan eyes 5.13 Chainmail the information necessary to set up rhino hide skin. "bat wings" that absorb Fantasy Board Games and play the game without going on energy directly from the sun. and a new in boring length on anyone thing. canputer to help interpret. anything to 7.08 White Bear & Red Moon I have also tried to be amusing unusuaL will becane an unforgettable 6.76 Sorceror about it, and Steve Jackson seems cyborg. TSG recannends this book for all 6.46 war of Wizards to have felt the same. The whole those who enjoy fast paced. action stories 5.65 Dungeon! thing has been proofread at least 5.41 Siege of Minas Tirith a dozen times to try and eliminate 4.30 Battle of Helms Deep contradictions between something 'IHE hDRLDS OF FRITZ LEISER GAME TYPE RATINGS 4.00 Battle of Five Arm:'es explained one way on page 8 and Rate Game Type Planetary Tactical Oombat completely different on page 32. This is a brand new collection of short stories by a legend in the fields of 7.52 Future Society Level (FSL) 7.03 Starguard Last, and most difficult, is the 7.03 Fantasy Role Playing (FRP) task of getting your artist to come horror. fantasy. and science fiction. 7.03 Space Tactical Level (STL) Future Society Level forth with material to bring ani Fi:'itz Leiber has given me more hours of 6.74 Planetary Tactical Combat mation to what starts as a bunch enjoyment than any other single writer in 8.17* Outreach of abstract ideas. I want to give t'-e field of speculative fiction. He is a J (PTC) , 7.90 Stellar Conquest 6.24 Fantasy Board Game (FBG) pounds and buckets of credit to total master of the written "Ord (this 5.97 Starlord Liz Danforth whose graphics are, Yffir he "On another Hugo for "Catch That 5.73 Star Probe 7~ppelin" which is included in this book) 1 Not too suprisingly the Future in my opinion, easily the finest Society Level game was most pop Space Tactical Level part of the whole MiM! production. Fran the introdution by the author:" I ular. Since most of our readers Even though 1 had to spend all my bel i.eve this collection represents me 7.08 Star Force started with us on Stellar Conquest spare time cajoling her to draw, more corrpletely than any other." Twenty 6.85 Triplanetary two stories are included. Don't miss this that figures. It's also not too 6.09 The Ythri offer incentives like cash out of suprising that Fantasy Role Playing' my pocket and a cut of the profits book! 5.50 Alien Space forever, and almost camp in her and Space Tactical Level do well. They are the next most developed Space Role Playing living room at times to keep her type of game on the market. We plan brushes to the easel, this game MAN PLUS is available fran Randan House. 5.00* Starfaring but TSG recarrnends a short wait for the to eventually have offerings of all never would have seen the liCe of types of SF&F games even though print without her artwork behind paperback. The asterisk indicates that too f_ complex. society level games will ratings have been received for a fully it. My advice to other game design probably be our best specialty. ers is make friends with as many stable score. Stellar Conquest has been fabulous artists as you can, and 'IHE w::JRLDS OF FRITZ LEISER is an Ace moving up despite it's age. OUtreach is when your're ready to puhlish, in paperback and carrys a cover price of going to be popular. Monsters! Monsters1 clude as much art as you can get. $1. 95. is also getting a pretty good reception. 19 18 engineering record, a distance com creating the graylands where no REVIEWS putation chart for each player and magic works, and the white land one map. There is a set of unmounted where all magic works. In the rest of the land, the dominant form of places a greater stress, or critical counters. for both sides. Rules are in a twenty page booklet that is magic varies. strain. Along certain ranges of the The most important unit in track (low speeds), strain will generally clear and comprehensive. SHOOTING IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY: Components are in black and white. this game is, of course, the sor A Review of STARSHIP dissipate by itself; but, if you Starship is fast paced and cerer. Actually, there are a total pass beyond that, the only way to of 55 sorcerers, although more than cool the ship is by slowing it down plays well. The emphasis is on skill by Tony Watson and bluff, outmanuver and good 20 are never used in any scenario. to a very low speed or shutting it planning rather than luck and cer The sorcerers have power over one E~ery on:e in a while a really off completely. Passing certain tainly one of the better science to three colors. This means they good, 1nnovat1ve game will appear critical points will result in per fiction tactical system around. can conjure up to five air dragons, fro~ a small and relatively unknown manent damage. Permanent damage Starship is $6 from Flying three demonic infantry, or two desIgn group. Such is the case with lowers shield level and hampers Buffalo Inc., P.O. Box 1467, trolls (or a combination of magical Fantasy ~ames Unlimited's Starshi · speed. Over heating weapons (by Scottsdale Az. 85252. units), while they are in a hexagon . !t IS apparent that some gooa l?adlng and firing at a high rate) of their color, each move. The sor th1nk1ng and design work went into \"111 f1:'se them. The trick to staying cerers can also throw magic bolts the cre~tion of Starship. The game ql1Ve 1n combat is learning how to (analogous to artillery), from a system IS excellent and achieves its handle the excess strain before square of their color to another end as well as entertaining the taking irreparable damage. square of their color, teleport from players with a good "feel" of space Combat utilizes anti-matter GAME REVIEW: SORCERER one square of their color to another contact and engagement. pods and disruptor cannon. Thereare by (analogous to air transport), The key word is "contact." also arrestor beams, but they serve Linda Brzustowicz und~plete a unit of his color, or Starship is not a game of space com as tractor beams and do not cause conJure or destroy a vortex (a bat per se; it is a game of contact. direct damage. Weapons must be load To date, I have read nothing magical storm of chaos). Optional Each of the two players controls one ed before firing; this takes time as but very complementary reviews of rules provide for some interesting starship in a.situation governed by well as causing strain on the wea SPI's fantasy game SORCERER. How spells and rules, such as invisi one of four dIfferent scenario ponry system. In combat resolution ever, in the June-July issue of bility, clones (where a mult~color orders with goals kept secret from there is no chance element. During TSG, SORCERER received an overall sorcerer splits into single color their opponent. There are four sets the combat phase (there are two a grade of only 6.7 (on a scale of 1 sorcerers), assassination details, of mission orders for both the turn), each player reveals his to 9), compared to a 7.7 by and the effect of the shifting of Interceptor and the Intruder. They plotted shot of type and range. If DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, and a 7.6 by the magical universes. There are range from attempts at peaceful con the range is correct or overshot the STELLAR CONQUEST. Hoping to solve some suggestions for spells to be tact to the out and out destruction target.is hit, with appropriate de this seeming paradox, I bought a developed by the players as the of the opposing vessel. Levels of clIne 1n effectiveness of overshots copy of SORCERER. game progresses. victory are determined by comparing due to range. Each type of weapon I rece1ved my first minor All in all, I found SORCERER the actual outcome of the encounter has a damage capability factor, with disappointment when I opened the to be an enjoyable game. The one to.thr~e different categories of pods beIng more effective than dis box. Inside I discovered a paper major point of the game I didn't c~lter1a: TacticaL, or military ruptor banks, though shorter ranged. map. I happen to be one of those like was the shallow development of vIctory; Strategic, or fulfillment The weaponry critical strain record people who like the durability of a the importance of magic. All the of outlined missioned goals; and keeps track of the strain on those board-mounted map, not to mention colors did was to divide the map Command, or violation of certain circuits, and it is not difficult the additional mobility it gives if ahd give units an advantage in one orders (such as firing when forbid for a trigger happy space captain to you are forced to move the game. battle that they lost in the next. den to, etc). It is possible for a burn up his guns. However, I managed to quickly over I would have preferred to see each p~ayer to win a resounding military . S~arship utilizes a small map come my dissatisfaction by looking color as a separate type of magic, v1ctory yet still lose because of WhICh 1S three dimensional in de over the rest of the game. The w1th the same overall strength, a failure to fulfill his strategic sign. A distance computation chart die-cut pasteboard counters were but with different characteristics g?als ~a peaceful contact) and/or as is Starforce is used to determine beautifully colored and printed and limitations. vIolatIng orders (firing at the distances. After moving, the actual with ingenious silouettes of the SORCERER is available from oppo~ing vessel). It is also quite dIstance between the two ships is various magical and non-magical SimulatIon Publications Inc., poss1ble for both players to claim figured and both are placed on the unIts they represented. The map too 44 E. 23rd St., New York, N.Y.lOOlO a victory since their objectives center of the map at different was very colorful, with the 518 one for $9.00. may be very diverse. heights to denote their separation inch hexagons colored pastel shades The actual mechanics of the The relative distances between the of the six magical colors, plus game are somewhat like many air c~aft is the important thing, for white and grey. Necessary charts wargames, including speed, damage, wIth tAe high speeds, the ships are were printed right on the map. and weaponry status (which are main capable of being off the map in no My next task was to read the tained on a series of tracked tIme. However this system also 16 page, 8l:i" x 11" rules folder. charts) .. Sliding counters along the limits play to two ships, unless Aside from the humorous introduc tracks WIll denote changes in the someone has a good command of trig. tion and the descriptions of the vessel speed, what weapons are armed, Optional rules allow for re nine scenarios, the rules read like shield strength, and any damage the flector screens, computer fire con an army manual. This type of very vessel may have accrued. But most trol, or improvements in standard ~xplanatory writing is good because important , the tracks kept record capabilities. This adds even more It makes sure all of the rules are of any critical strain that any of to the uncertainty of an encounter understood. It also makes for very the systems have taken. since these options are kept secret borin~ reading. Nevertheless, it Movement and combat are handled from the other player. descrIbes a world in which magic is in terms of stress upon the space The physical components of the fully operative. Six magical uni craft. Propulsion at higher speeds games include: a weaponry record, an verses overlap a non-magical one, 20 21 AH-HA 'of seeing real ity captured the charts for combat and terrain WINTERCON V STARSHI P TROOPERS: A REVIEW through the fortuitous, artful usc effects are not in the rules book, of rules). In my third game, four as the rules state, but on a sepa 100+ man D&D, Boot Hill and Lankhmar by Sumner N. Clarren terrans (two scouts and two maraud ~&D rate piece of card stock). The tournament plus Q.and A. Seminar ers with rocket launchers) coordi on Dec. 3,4,5 at Oakland Univ .. To the slowly growing set of rules book uses the "programmed nated their efforts so that within instruction" method tried out in Rochester Mich. Guests: Gary Gygax, fine science fiction board games, one-half hour (two moves) they were Brian Blume, Rob Kuntz. For more add STARSHIP TROOPERS by Avalon need's earlier game, TOBRUK. able to disrupt a strongpoint and Scenarios are arrangea-rn-rncreas info: Bill Somers, 1654 Chandler, Hill, released in July at the second destroy a nearby communications Lincoln Par~, MI ; 48146. national gaming convention, ing order of difficulty, with new center and power station before the Origins II, in Baltimore. For the groups of increasingly complex . Skinnies could respond. In another rules introduced for each scenarlO. last several years, Avalon Hill has game, B squad was totally surprised produced only historical war games. This structure allows one to start when holes in the ground opened up quickly and to digest the rules However, the renaissance of gaming to disgorge heavy beam weapons and WINTER WAR IV over the last three years, and the through the use of bite-size incre angry Arachnid warriors. A separate success of science fiction games ments of detail. pad, duplicating the board allows Almost all the interesting and Annual con of the Conflict Simula like STELLAR CONQUEST and STARFORCE for the secret plotting of the tion Society at the Univ. of has lured this usually conservative highly destructive weapons are complex Arachnid tunnel systems, the there. The terran player has a Illinois in Urbana. Dates: Jan. 14, game company into producing a truly positioning of Arachnid engineers, 15,16. Diplomacy, D&D, Wooden Ships interesting science fiction game. status sheet so he can easily keep and the placing of demolition char~ track of the weapons each of his & Iron Men, more. Write: Rusty SST was apparently produced es for the unwary Terrans. Game men is carrying. Included are high Rutherford, 1005 S. Race St., with the blessings of Robert rules allow for infantry drops to Urbana. Ill., 61801. Heinlein, author of the book by the explosive rocket launchers, nuclear the planet with the inevitable same name. His letter and signature weapons, delayed action proximity scattering, retrieval boats, rocket are on the back of the bookshelf and delayed action remote mines, beacons and full retrieval proce style, multi-colored game box. heavy nerve gas (useful against dures. In later scenarios, the ter \-IARCON III The game is truly tactical in those spiders), various demolition ran can descend into the Arachnid scale and in flavor. A hex is one charges, and heavy beam and missile tunnels to capture an Arachnid brain weapons. Board wargames, fantasy games,etc. mile across, and one turn is approx and to free prisoners. with prizes for tournament winners. imately 12 minutes. The game is The game has a good feel to it STARSHIP TROOPERS is a fine (By "feel", I mean the gestalt At Texas A.&M. on Jan. 28,29,30. designed by Randall Reed, who tactical SClence flctlon board game Info from: Jerry D. Ruhland, brought miniature detail to board from Avalon Hill. It will be inter POB 6816 Aggieland St., College games with tank vs tank battles in esting to compare it with SPI's Station, Tex., 77844. TOBRUK. Unfortunately, TOBRUK also STAR SOLDIER now being play-tested, required an excessive amount of which is in the same scale. STARSHIP dice rolling. Randall Reed recovers TROOPER is available from Avalon nicely with SST where the play Hlll, 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, mechanics are clean and well Maryland 21214 for $10.00 plus $1.00 GROUND ZERO conceived, leaving a game which is postage. accurate to the book, yet eminently A weekend of competitive gaming, playable. strategy discussions & films. The game, in seven separate Feb. 19,20 in Jacksonville,Fla. scenarios, sets forth the confron More info from: The Cowford DragoonE tations between the Terrans (earth NEWS & PLUGS 5333 Santa Monica Blvd. N., men) and two alien races: the Jacksonville, Fla., 32207. Skinnies (humanoid and nine feet tall) and the Arachnids ("a mad man's concept of a giant intelli gent spider"). Avalon Hill's fine quality and NOTICE***NOTICE attention to detail are reflected KEN ST. ANDRE WRITES in the game components and playing Metagaming Concepts and The Space aids. The full-color, mounted map Gamer announce that we will no board suggests an alien planet with I have always felt that ideas longer be able to accept orders pink mountains, burned-out red belong to everyone. Hopefully M!M! for games or subscription from desert, green savanas, and rainbow will inspire ideas to keep its--- foreign countries. hued city and spaceport. The over players amused indefinitely. If 500 counters make use of suggestive problems come up (and no matter how silhouettes for the main combatants careful one is they always seem and mobile weapons. A counter re to), I trust you will be able to presents a single terran (in ar read between the lines and solve SPACE HUK mored suit), or a unit of enemies. them for yourselves, but if you Also represented are a full range ever feel you want to talk to me This is a variable-player, limited of S. W. & E. (Special Weapons and about anything that has to do with Equipment), air cars, engineer intelligence, tactical, space war M!M! or T &T, I would be glad to game. Each player has one or more units, and even a human with ESP hear from you. My address is talents. The attractive, two-color starships with which he takes on 2232 E. Pinchot #8, Phoenix, Az. other players. 1 to 9 copies-$2 booklet includes useful informatio~ 85016, and my phone number is pictures, and play examples, as each; 10 or more copies -$1.50 each. (602) 955-6229. Happy human hunting Send orders to: Scott Rich, 1640 well as the full rules. (Incidental and Merry Monstering! ly, lest you be alarmed at first, East 1140 ~orth, Logan, Utah, 84321. 22 23 TOLKIFN NOTE AGGIECON & WAR CON BASIC HYPER5TATE FIGHTER SI~RSH\P The Sept. issue of Mythlore has TSG/MGC will be-at AggieCon and War I, announced the autumn 1977 publica Can. Rumor has it that someone else tion of THE SILMARILLION by Allen ~ has already slated a STELLAR CONQUEST I Unwin. Tolkien was working on this tournament. MGC will sponsor at -~.- :;~.------'--" T" book at the time of his death. It least one event, possibly with a new MicroGame, and run a dealer's table is written in King James 8ible ..."", style and has been edited by his with all our products. son Christopher.
A.F.F.F.&C.C.C. !' / \ ---~_J STAR EMPIRES .~be"CJ(,- The Austin Fantasy Film Festival & I COM.fo'\A,Nt> Comic Collectors Convention will be : I -eo UEQ(- SVPf'bR,T TSR Hobbies Inc. reports by phone / " :~ ~~::~~1\R$5/~T""'C." on 10/26/76 that the STAR EMPIRES at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel in :: supplement to STAR PROBE will not Austin, Texas on November 19-21. :I : ·CRYOt·u<, ,.vQE"-C.OfW\PVTER I , '~Y"8€fW\)h1PERSf'lJC£ ,.,J,D€ be ready until late Dec. instead of MGC/TSG will be there part of the ,I: .....lN1l\lIollllce,cP.llKAL.ClRevrnty the originally quoted Sept. 1. If time with games for sale, some games ~11M~ STAR EMPIRES has been ordered from to play, and conversation. MGC/TSG or another supplier this is ---(t the reason for the delay. MGC/TSG , has a large back order with TSR and ORIGINS"77 ..... will ship all orders as soon as we I receive the booklets. The National wargaming Expo will be held at Warner College in Staten / Island, N.Y. on July 22,23,24, 1977 These illustrations by Winchell Chung show a warship and an We have very little info, so write interstellar base for HYPERWAR, one of several MicroGames currently ORIGINS '77, Simulations Publications being designed. HYPERWAR will be a tactical ship combat game 44 E. 23rd St. New York, NY 10010. played without dice or other random elements. Combat will be resolved through the interaction of player-selected strategies and allocation of ship power to defense and offense. Players QUICK COMMENTS FROM FEEDBACK SPEET design their own ships; as the game progresses, technology improves and more powerful ships can be built. Editorial: -excellent Ben Ostrander of Acstin has taken -good somewhere else but not in an over the editor functions of THE SF magazine SPACE GAMER Submissions for pub 5l1\ND\RD -does Howard Thompson enjoy what hp lication should be sent to him at the is doing? would he be writing thip TSG/MGC address. INltRSTELLAR BASE editorial at all without that col lege education? college is expo sure to education-and not necces SF SWIFTIES arily in the classroom. srtM'E \SA >ETRI\f\EDRoN Dreadnaughts for My Lady: by Steve Jackson .,,- REPP.lR OO(KS -great idea, let's see mere -has thi& character ever read any "Ha, Kirk! Your weapon is science fiction? empty!" cried the Klingon, unfazed. "Nobody can survive 15 Gs," The Space Warship: said Tom, flatly. -great idea, poor execution "This spell will protect our -drives themselves are very detec- party from the giant birds," in' table toned the wizard impeccably. -superficial "I've lost the signal, sir," said Uhura remorsefully. Scenario: "What our captors have for -comic book game? gotten is that, on the Moon, anyone -cute could easily jump the Grand Canyon," said Tom with an Evel grin. Orbiting Colonies: "I am call Circe," she said -covered in Analog charmingly. -what about radiation, meteors,eco- "This wind amulet has lost its nomics? power,"said Captain Illq'uurth -rehash disgustedly. "Giant insects are suckers for judo," said Tom flippantly. 25
Avalon didn't want to fight. 6(OOSfI~"" PDf (.(J
nlltic;nllJ NATIONAL PARTY LOYALTY gc;vepnment E EEC:EJ ,~O MELIEEJ~O ,ITONEY IN NA 110NAL HANK jll'j~ TRANSIT ~O "" ~ III ,. :,...... -- RELEJ REGISTER OF LOANS Number O[s)'slcms cOlllrol/ed: I 2 1 4-7 8-11 12up ~ . /" - ,,-':"".~., (~_.~~ ~~..<:: IlmoUnllhalmaY bebo",oll'ed:ITE 8TI G G G ~ F~~/~?~;~E·· RepaY/1/ent schedule: 2 ~~~~~ '" . ~ [ITI8m]]] -I] 8ffij4j 64 7rn 4rn 8 rn/2 I~:/~P"'" ~ ~l v-~_ Ollly (he national gOllemllle"t may borrow money. _ ...... __ '''. ;:.:.... For rules on barraH/illX and repayment ofloans, refer to Section 111 5 9 /2 27 26 tween the camera lens mounting and forces. With a split beam laser camera is solidly mounted. The the laser tube itself. Since the covering 1 km. the seven G ship camera is highly sensitive (Present laser would be continuously cooled could be hit at over 600,000 miles military TV 8canners can produce a and could be fired at intervals and the forty G ship at 100,000 daylight quality battlefield pic accurate to one thousandth of a miles. As I originally said, the ture using only starlight.) and second, this change in beam aim combat range of the laser warship designed to pick up only light at would be minimal and predictable. should move out to about 300,000 the laser wavelength. The lens on After trial firings on drones the miles. the camera is a high magnification computer would be able to predict * * * type. The TV display feeds directly and compensate for these very small The laser triggered miniature into a computer which controls very changes in beam aim on the first nuclear warheads I mentioned in small maneuvering rockets which aim firing, second firing, etc. the TSG #5 article apparently al the entire ship at the target. A If you are still not convinced, ready exists in a little larger special lens mounted on a rotating let's try another approach. Mr. form. Reports of the 13th meeting arm spins in front of the laser end Apperson states that the range of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group 120 times a minute. might move out to 5,000 km. where in 1973 suggested possible deploy In the vacuum of space laser the ten meter long laser tube coul:l ment of multiple warhead for beams will not diverge significant be off by 0.1 mm. That degree of missiles in 1978 which are clean ly over great distances, and the accuracy would be a piece of cake (no fission products) and with a ability of optical equipment to for the system I have just describ yield of 50 to 100 ton of TNT. pick up objects at great distances ed. To increase that range by ten In the same article I failed is only limited by the size of the fold we will use the laser as a to mention a theoretically possible optical lens and its quality of scatter weapon. If the beam is laser that may become a major workmanship. The small, lightweight allowed to diverge uniformly over a weapon in the distant future. Se TV camera aboard Mariner 10 was large area the power density will lected isomers of selected isotopes able to obtain resolution on ob drop too low to be effective, but are imbedded in a beryllium rod LETTERS jects 150 meters across at 10,000 if the beam is split into smaller core, which is surrounded by a km. above Mercury and 20 km. across components with separation between layer of enriched uranium or at 4,500,000 km. The TV camera used them, the beams will cover a much plutonium, which is in turn sur on most of these missions uses larger area with no drop in pbwer ro~nded by a layer of deuterium or about 750 lines verticle and 750 density. A special lens will cause tritium. The entire mass, which is horizontal. Therefore to penpoint the 1 meter diameter beam to break only about 100 microns (0.1 mm.) an object 100 meters across at up into 400 beams of 2 inch in diameter, is rotated in a power Dear editor: 500,000 km. the TV camera will have diameter each. The distance between ful magnetic field and hit with a a telescopic lens giving it a the small beams will increase as powerful fast pulse laser. As the seventy-five km. field of vision at they move out until at 50,000 km. entire mechanisum vaporizes in a that range. each beam will be 50 meters apart small nuclear detonation it emits In operation the laser weapon and they will cover a circular area a gamma ray beam of tremendous would initially fire when the ro 1 km. in diameter. Each of the po~er. It should work, but the In TSG #7 Norman Apperson tating diverging lens was covering smaller 2 inch (50 mm.) beams will theoretical physics required to wrote an excellent letter on the the end of the laser. This would have the same hole cutting power on build such a device is extremely difficulties of hitting a target produce a wide beam of about 75 km. metal or force field as the larger complex. If the GRASER (Gamma Ray with laser fire at the 300,000 mile at 500,000 km. The reflection of beam; only the holes will be Laser) is possible, it may be a figure I mentioned in my laser ar the target would be picked up by smaller. To increase the range an long time coming. ticle in TSG #5. Indeed it does the TV camera and fed into the com other ten fold to 500,000 km., require a high degree of accuracy, puter which would then activate increase the laser tube size to a Charles R. Bowles but in reality we presently have maneuvering rockets and aim the ten meter diameter and break the Colo. Sprgs., Colo. the technology to hit an object 100 entire ship at the target. This heam into 40,000 beams of 50 mm. meters across and smaller in deep process would be repeated once or diameter and blanket a 10 km. space at 300,000 miles and more. twice until perfect aim is obtained diameter circle. As Mr. Apperson says, hitting and then the laser would fire when Since I"e have seen that current a 100 meter object at 500,000 the Tot'!ting lens is .not in front technology should be able to hitan kilometers means a ten meter long of the laser end. Once this system has been object with laser fire at 300,000 Following your comments on laser tube would have to be aimed miles and we are talking about ad within 2 microns or .002mm. To do sighted in by actual firings at growth, it seems to me that the drone targets in space, the only vanced systems combat of five to ten wargame/fantasy-posture industry as this we solidly mount the laser as decades into the future, I think a structural member of the ship. To cause of inaccuracy will be the a whole will probably hit abou~ hitting an object at 300,000 miles $20,000,000 sales in 1982, given a the outside of the cooling shell of unequal expansion due to tempera is quite conservative. When I wrote the l'lser tube a high. resolution TV ture change within the metal be- modicum of stability, and then will the article on lasers I assumed level off there indefinitely, de that, like the weapons systems of pending for further advances on today, the development of laser inflation or fad or some unknown weapons systems would go to the Bobby Fischer. At the moment I see TIME LAG maximum possible range. From the no rea~on why MC should not be time the laser range finder light turning, say, 2-4% of that total by 100,000 miles 1.08 sec. 1.382 ft. reflects off the target until the then. This stuff is beginning to be weapon's beams hit the target will respectable, and its possibilities be the time lag. The ability of a in informal tutorials among the 600,000 miles 6.45 sec. 1,444 ft. target to out maneuver the fire is middle class have not been scratch dependant on its abilitv to take G ed. Speaking Eldon Tannishly, the (See table on bottom of page 26) greatest market seems to be in 28 29 eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to such jobs would be analogous to point, and has h en answered above. "Aryan Myth" so prominent in 11'11'11 very high literacy, chess is big, a five-year-old trying to win the In two w ks or so I will leave already existed. The big powers they are philosophically agreeable Olympic weight lifting championship. my military station and return to wanted into the Balkans. To name a to considering societies as long More: these latter jobs do require graduate school, where I will earn few. And the big one, namely the term affairs, and the applications creativity of no small magnitude. an MS in computer science. I will difference between the "haves" and of systems analysis are still pretty How else can one fathom the defects consider it time well-spent, and the "have-nots" would surely remain avantgarde. The difficulties are of existing designs and decide upon will hopefully use it to secure a even after the technology she de enormous, of course, but the Soviets proper improvements. higher-paying job than I could have scribes is developed--not everyone do like to grant monopoly situ~ As for the humanities: we need obtained with a BS in the same field. will have it at the same time, and tions, though they would never put them to keep us in touch with our My education will not stop after I during the distribution there will it so. own culture and past. Although my receive my MS. Wherever I settle be a lot of tensions, which when Lynn Wi 11 is own education is primarily technical, and whatever my job I will continue combined with other causes can cause San Francisco, Calif. I find life without literature and to frequent universities in search a war. Especially if large govern history and art to be damnably bor of knowledge which will satisfy my mental organization goes away. ing. True, we do suffer from a glut idle curiousity. Once I have a good Also, the haves always want of paper degrees; but once again I position from which to launch these more, usually at the expense of the blame those who pursue higher educa intellectual jdurnies, very few of have-nots. Inner and Outer Europe- tion blindly and choose majors on them will involve down-to-earth, WWI. I once went to a great deal of the basis of how easy they are, job-related subjects. I will return trouble creating a Terran Common rather than on the basis of how the to mathematics -a subject which I wealth that broke up that way, It seems strange to me that a knowledge gained will prove helpfUl love but which I do not want for a because "all ships lead to Earth" magazine which is dedicated to to them. There are many alternatives primary degree, largelv because and eventually the outer colonies science fiction gaming, and contin to college: technical schools and there is too littie demand for grew fed up with that axiom and just ually produces excellent articles vocational institutions abound. One "pure" mathelll':ticians. I will broke off, fairly peacefully. But on this and related subjects, should has only to decide what one wants. brush up on certain historical naturally, the powers-that-be back carry an editorial damning "creative Lastly, I would like to address subjects which I have long been on Earth could hardly allow that ... thought". Worse yet, the tone of the the idea that all proper education interested in, but which the pell hence a war. editorial was one of self-righteous should be purely practical and job mell rush for degrees and jobs has And then, of course, there's ness and hellfire-harangue which I oriented.To this I say BULL****! prevented me from studying in de always the chance that the Solar have not encountered since I read Jobs are something that a man (or a tail. I may be able to explore System will be invaded by monsters Sinners in the Hands of an Angry single woman) must have to eat and English literature, and satisfy my from Outer Space ... God. Finally, the general content of maintain existence, but the implica curiousity concerning its usefull Eldon set off a few long-dead the editorial was roughly as silly tion that one should forget all ness to me. circuits in my mind ... I have on as the sermon alluded to in the education and simply work strikes me Much of this knOWledge will be occasion thought about having a game previous sentence. as being a trifle silly. No doubt it pure and useless. Even mathematics without rules, only with beginning I do not doubt that too many works for some. I know people who tends to be abstract in direct forces ana-some very loose objec people pursue "higher education" for get along very well without litera proportion to my interest in it. tives, and maybe a planet to run the wrong reasons or for no reason ture, and who could care less for Still, I may find use for this around on. For example, you tell the at all. I agree that anyone who history or art. I suspect, however, pointless knowledge. It is amazing first player that he holds a city of spends years of time and thousands that if everyone tried to be a self how one can find uses for such one-million people, named Spielen of dollars with no goal in mind is made man that the ideal would be as things. If I never find any use for burg, on the outer fringes of a something of a fool, and that people hard to reach as true creativity. some field of knowledge, I will great desert. He has, within that who will not organize their own I've known a few who tried that certainly not waste time reviling po~ulation, 4000 crack SS troops, lives have only themselves to blame route, and went down the tubes. the institution which imparted the 350 bomber pilots, and 100 fighter if they are not happy. The point is that most of the knowledge. It will have been my pilots, and the necessary Nazi Never-the-less, the failure of time simply sustaining life by work life and my decision. equipment to get them running. He education cited in the editorial is and eating is not enough. The quali has such and such in oil, such and not so much the failure of an insti ty of life matters almost as much as Christopher S. Spilman such in factories and agricultural tution as it is the failure of those life itself. I for one would rather areas, and he may make such and such who use the institution blindly and have a low-paying job in a town expansions. (I think a map of the without clear purpose. To indite where I had friends and opportuni city and surrounding area would be higher education and creativity for ties to pursue my hobbies, than to necessary) The next player gets an the failure of a few folk (or many) have a high-paying job in a town orbitting robotic station for power is to put oneself in a class with where I had no friends and no oppor and a Mark XVII Bolo, on the 6ther certain ancient peoples who - when tunities for off-the-job amusement. Lynn White's article was in side of the desert, as well as ten suffering prolonged drought, famine, Believe it or not (and it hurts me teresting, but it seems that she one-man stratojets with pilots. And or other calamity - broke their to say this): money isn't everythin~ has neglected the fact that there is the next player gets 200,000 Zulu idols to show their gods how they I'll pass over the rest. The no such thing as a war with a single warriors and their families, felt. charges that schools exist as havens cause, something that was drilled scattered acorss the desert at vari A society such as ours needs for the incompetent is too silly to into me countless times by my his ous wetter spots. You give them all plumbers and janitors and house bother answering. The charge that tory classes. Take WWI as an climafic reports, and the game runs wives. We also need people who can schools don't exist to impart know example--it wasn't just the fact pbm. A central moderator, or better understand the workings of nuclear ledge is the expression of a narrow tha t somebody from Serbia shot Franz yet, moderating committee, keeps reactors, and someone who can design viewpoint: schools don't exist for Ferdinand that got Austria-Hungary track of who is doing what, as all computer hardware, and someone who ANY single reason. The knowledge is to mobilize their troops. There were moves are simultaneous, and at any can improve on existing space craft. there if you want it, which is com many causes besides, both related point the game may stop, depending These skills, believe it or not, re forting to know, but getting it is and unrelated, like the opposing upon how the players and/or modera quire years of study before one is up to the student. The charge that forces of Austrian-Hungarian power tor feel about it. The players then even qualified to express an opinion. creative thinking is a blind alley and th-e Pan-Slavic movement, as well submit their final reports, includ For a high school dropout to a~pire is another example of a narrow view- as th~ Pan-Germanic etc. The ing the projected strategies of '31 30 Bill t I II the "'armth is gone, technology, and a range of 20,000km. their forces, and the committee de May Brian Bloomquist be h\Jng! and unlr I returns, you have lost No satire or humor??? The man's a (Also 20,000 km is good for play cides who has "won," if anyone has. a subsl I till'! . reasons, ",hich is another pressing Eldon would then have won! sadist! I'll admit that as a war Paul O'Connor reason). (Note: this particular scenario gamer I take SF as not too serious, Van Nuys, Ca. To integrate these two factors isn't too serious. The Bolo has no an escape hatch from the threat of the fact that the power of a beam reason to fight--the Zulus may want eternal trenchfinger. If you.can't will diminish only a little over the Nazi technology, and the Nazis laugh at a floundering (no insult great distances, but that increas the Bolo, but other than that ... intended) SF mag, I"hat can you laugh ing distance will make it more Of course, you could incorporite the at? You admitted yourself that difficult to hit a ship---we're Bolo as a moderator-controlled "where you're goin" might be bank rupt. Hope not. assuming a "1)F,fJ"/like hit systeP.l; trouble-maker, like the vortices in I was extremely interested in f~rst SORCERER or even as a player Please do not publish anymore you. roll to see whether you 'VB your discussion of the use of lasers hlt, and lf you've hit then de controlled troublemaker, with that articles about ESC vs. ATK. We see in ship-to-ship ",arfare in TSG #7, damag~ player controlling the "machine the ruddy problem, and who the termine how much the target as I am currently developing ShlP takes. In other words, the gone-mad" in the way which he/she bloody cares what the exact odds BATTLEFLEET MARS for SPI. The two feets~will tear up the game the are?!! I would bet as often on amount of damage is in no way de 6.029% as I would on 8.336%, never, objections to the use of lasers at penden~ upon the range, but the most.) extreme distances (in the range of And the purpose of all this? not a real bet, a kamikaze on the probablllty of hitting a ship is. side, but ... several tens of thousands of kilo To add realism, of course. No war meters) "'ere that a)the loss of has yet been fought by any particu Your magazine did make an in Greg Costikyan teresting point, right now lasers, power of a laser beam ",ith increas New York, N.Y. lar set of rules except perhaps ing distance would decrease the when a particular army got "general phasers, and blazers are less dangerous than razors. effect or a laser weapon, and that orders" and used those. But even b)the ar: that a spaceship presents when such things as international I will probably be making sev to a [lrlng ship decreases drama law exist, they usually get broken. eral comments on SC, as I finally scrounged up the money with the in tically as he distance between the Hitler marched through neutral t~o ships increases, making it countries without a blink, for ex flow of summer work cash. I really dlfflcul or impossible to hit a In TSG #6, the writer of the ample. And little crazy things like wouldn't pay anybody for anymore distant shi.p. review on THE YTHRI as an historical Thermopylae are hard to come by in detail ship/ship articles on SC, In BATTLEFLEET , we are assum appraisal is good. He explains the a rules-controlled situation. The the "Ship Effectiveness ... " article ing that the two most common weapons reality of THE YTHRI as compared to only rule there was -- you can pretty much takes care of it, and are lasers and nuclear missiles. The People of the Wind and how it march a man through an arrow very who's going to argue with that roll Obviously the latter are only for could be lmproved to recreate more well, but not very far ... people er coaster formula on the bottom use ln extremely close conditions, of page eleven? closely the outcome of the novel. with arrows in them tend to fall as a nuclear blast in space (",here However, one sentence irked me: down. Frank B. Weir, Jr. Clarion, Iowa t~ere cannot be a shockwave) ",ill do "Unless the Terran player has been How about, in SC, the ability lIttle to no damage if at a distance foollSh and split his forces (or to self-destruct ana-really tear from a ship. ",orse, lost.some of the transports some enemy up? Considering the de To answer the first objection before landlng), it is a simple task structive force of a DN, combined to the usc of laser ",eapons, the to capture three choths or cities with its engines, it seems to me P?",er or. a laser decreases very and win the game by turn 12." I have that you could probably reduce a lHtle "'Ith distance. In space played THE YTHRI for quite awhile whole planet if you were to totally there arc obviously very few f~ee now, to work out the best strategy unleash all that power at once atoms to diffuse a beam; thus the and have found that the only real ' nearby. Say kill all the colonists I used to like TSG. It was a nice, friendly sort of magazine, a o~ly f~ctor decreasing the power hope of ~ successful attack by the and reduce a TR80 planet to ST60. wlth distance is the inevitable di Terrans lS to split his forces. This and totally eradicate BR planets. format I could feel comfortable with. verg nce of the beam. No matter ho", forces the Ythri ships to spread out An ATK, on the other hand, would only tight the.beam is made, there will more, making it all the easier to kill the population and reduce the This was not so with Issue #7. First of all, the editorial, besides be som dlvergence with distance. destroy them one by one. Unless the planet's capacity to the next 1I0wever, as technology in Terran player is a total incompetent smallest level (or if that's im being outright wrong, had absolutely nothing to do with gaming, which is creases, a laser beam can be made or someone new to the game (vtiry possible, reduce the planet's type tighter and tighter. Therefore if new), lt lS an almost impossi Ie but not population, like ST40 to what TSG is all about. I'm not say ing that you shouldn't express your one nssumes sufficient laser t~ch task to prevent the destruction of MT40), and an ESC would just kill nology, one can assume as tight a even one of the transports. the population, and a SCT's engines views, but you should pick subject matter related to gaming. beam as one likes. I believe it is On the planet, I have been would kill say ten million people. possible to develop the technology successful in winning as the Terran Maybe that's a bit much, but the May I also say that swearing is a sign of a small mind. You may say to hold a beam to a divergence of player by splitting or combining my potential is there. Maybe a SCT that I'm old worldish, but your say 100% over a distance of SO 000 forces. Of capturing the bases, they would only destroy a million people, comment in "Game Design Notes" was kilometers over a period of 106 are.relatlvely easy to capture, but and a DN would do what the ESC does totally uncalled for. Have you lost years. . agaln, only an incompetent Ythri above, and reduces empty planets your wit? The second objection is more player would make it very simple to only. But that also makes a way to The rest of the issue was fine, cogent. As Mr. Apperson showed in do It by turn twelve. In my opinion break down PFS's, yes? but I really couldn't enjoy it after hIS letter, the arc a ship presents ~r. Howe should play THE YTHRI more' Well, we shall see. such a cold beginning. at extreme distances is quite small, before making such comments on play The quality of the magazine is and thus as dIstance increases we style. K. Allen Bjorke definitely improving, but instead of can assume that the ability of a ~1ike Lazich Minneapolis, Minn. investing your money on a computer, fIrIng shlp to hit another ship de BurlingaP.le, Calif. why not look into type setting and creas s. Ir. Apperson assumes a color covers. It would increase the maximl.lln range of 5,000 km; we're quality tenfold. aSSUl1llll1l iI some\vhat more advanced