=============== OGRE/GEV list, July 13th (Last: July 10th) =============== ===== Preannouncement of targets? From: sj@io.com (Steve Jackson) From: garth.getgen@genie.com ===== Rolling the dice for GEV PBEM? From: "J.C. Hamlin" ===== Where is ShockWave? From: robertp@cybercom.net (Bob Pariury) ------------------------------ To: "Henry J. Cobb" From: sj@io.com (Steve Jackson) Subject: Preannouncement of targets? >Does the attacker have to declare all weapons fire before rolling any of >the results? Explicitly, no. Yes, this is good for the attacker! So attack more. One could wave around justifications involving computer control and communication, but the fact is, I did it because it makes it easier to play and makes the game bloodier. Advance declaration of targets is certainly realistic for modern games. Also slower. Steve Jackson - yes, of SJ Games - yes, we won the Secret Service case Learn Web or die - http://www.io.com/sjgames/ - dinosaurs, Lego, Kahlua! The heck with PGP keys; finger for Geek Code. Fnord. ----- [Preannouncement is more realistic for ALL games. If you have enough time to carefully observe the results of your fire and adjust further attacks in this light, then your opponent should be able to also, no? -HJC] ----- From: garth.getgen@genie.com To: hcobb@io.com Subject: Preannouncement of targets? Well, if you hadn't lost your GEV rulebook , you could have looked up GEV Rule 6.12 TIMING "A player may make his attacks in any order and may observe the results of each attack before announcing and carrying out the next, in order to most efficiently use his strength." And on that note, may I point out the obvious tactic of firing those units with the most limited target choices first -- if they kill their targets, those units with more choices would now pick a different target; if the first didn't kill the target, the second unit might want to try again. Example, a Howitzer has a Heavy Tank, two Light Tanks and a GEV in range, whereas a Infantry squad can only target the GEV. If the Howitzer fires first, it may take out the Heavy Tank ... at the risk of the Infantry missing the GEV, which could be a bigger threat to the Howitzer (due to its speed). If the Howitzer takes out the GEV, the Infantry have no target. By having the Infantry fire first, you might get both the GEV >>AND<< the Heavy Tank!! Garth L. Getgen SSgt USAF ------------------------------ To: "Henry J. Cobb" From: "J.C. Hamlin" Subject: Rolling the dice for GEV PBEM? There's also PBM die server at pbm.com. Just send an e-mail message to dice@pbm.com with a request to roll a die (or dice) and it will roll the dice, format the message how you wanted it, and send a copy of that message to everyone you specify. It also uses PGP for security purposes so you can verify the authenticity if you so desire -- you can finger dice@pbm.com to get the die server's PGP public key or other information. The dice server is actually pretty simple to use. Subject lines of your request are ignored, and the message body format looks like the following example taken from a PBEM game of Axis & Allies (A&A) representing one round of combat. #P opponent@some.machine.somewhere #P moderator@some.machine.somewhere #D 1 #S 6 #R 12 #L 7 #C Attack: iiiiaaf #C Defend: iiiii #T A&A: German 4i+2a+1f attacks UK 5i in Caucasus - round 1 Descriptions of the lines: #P --> List of the other people who are to receive the rolls (your opponents, partners, and moderators if you have them). You automatically get the rolls. #D --> How many rolls per dice requested (all rolls are added together to produce the result. This is the 1,2,3 part of 1d6, 2d6, 3d6). #S --> How many sides on the dice (This is the 6 part of 1d6, 2d6, 3d6). #R --> How many rolls you are requesting (you can get them more than 1 at a time. You should specify what all rolls are for before requesting them). #L --> How many rolls to appear on a line (this gives you simple control over the formatting). #C --> Comment lines. You can have almost as many as you like (1000?). #T --> This is the subject of the message that is returned to everyone from the dice server. Put the territory on it so that everyone knows what battle you are talking about. In A&A, for clarity, we always list the units from left to right as the attackers and then defenders. A separation between attackers and defenders is most helpful (that's what the #L formatting option does). With the exception of attacking subs and AA guns, we list all units in battle board order -- this then implies the assignment of the die rolls. On occasion, a server message will never come back, or do so only LONG after the result is expected. Should this happen to you, send a note to all parties expecting the message telling them to ignore it (having a label is VERY useful here). You should then update the request message label, and send it to the server. Tell the other parties which message (identified by its label) to use. Using the time stamp does not work in some cases, as the same rolls may reach different players at different times, and even (I've seen this) in different orders. J.C. Hamlin J.C.Hamlin@Born.com Senior Consultant, Forte National Practice Born Information Services Group, Wayzata, MN (612) 404-4162 ------------------------------ To: "Henry J. Cobb" From: robertp@cybercom.net (Bob Pariury) Subject: Where is ShockWave? I'd like to subscribe to the GEV list. I'm perusing the GEV archives as we speak. Btw, any idea where I can obtain the "Shockwave" supplement or "Deluxe" version of Ogre? Thanks much! P.S.: How cumbersome is it to play the PBEM Ogre rules? ----- [It is sufficiently cumbersome that I won't GM it anymore. (But then again, I work 60+HPW and pursue three major net-interests. Read my web: no new responsibilities) As for getting a copy of ShockWave, you have two choices: A> Find a hidden warehouse filled with old SJG products. or B> Change Mr Jackson's mind about the profitability of rereleasing it. (Example: Dear Mr Jackson, you will fnord rerelease all of the old fnord OGRE/GEV products fnord fnord fnord!) (The problem with this path is that if we put too much pressure on him, he may decide to switch to a less stressful career and go back to law school. ;-) -HJC] Henry J. Cobb hcobb@io.com http://www.io.com/~hcobb All OGRE-related items Copyright (c) 1996, by Steve Jackson Games.