Call me nostalgic, call me wistful, but I remember a time when "Backfire" used to be a happier place. Try to remember back that far; I am referring to the early '30s (say pre-2036) when both the game and the magazine were relatively new. Back then, "Backfire" was much more peaceful than it is today.
People would write in to let other duellists know about new organizations, such as BLUD, that had cropped up, in a quest to deny us of our duelling rights. They would say where these groups were most prominent, and how best to deal with them. Others wrote in telling of new areas of radiation they had discovered – areas that the U.S. government denied had any poisoning at all. Still others would talk about things of great social value, such as whether it was in vogue to belong to a cycle gang.
Then someone wrote in about a group called the Anarchist Relief Front, or ARF for short. This spawned a hostile debate which went on far too long. This inspired other long, drawn out and tiresome debates, such as the ever-popular X-ray laser lethality debate, followed by the too-many-rules debate, and so on and so forth.
Maybe I'm trying to do something that wasn't meant to be, but it's my nickel so I'm going to come right out and say it. Quit complaining. I know it's been said before, but you should all feel free to use or not use any rule you darn well please (this includes rules that no one else knows about) and just ignore the rest. If you have some gripe with the SJG staff about their fine product line, gripe on your own time; "Backfire" was not meant to be a forum for grudge matches.
So, to try to get the old ball rolling again, I'd like to talk about a group I've spotted along the West Coast.
Remember Klye Namreh, the loony cyborg monster that was the result of a failed experiment of Amalgamated Meditech? He wasn't the only one of his kind. A group of cyborgs, calling themselves the Fugitive Force, is running loose all over the West Coast. Each one is a little different; Namreh is the only one known to have gone solo. They work very effectively; they only display their incredible combat techniques on lonely roads where there is little chance of being seen, and they never leave their cars when they enter a town. They recbarge on the lam, and get ammo by knocking over little shops in small, out-of-the-way towns.
All of the members of the group have at least one extraordinary difference from the rest of us; this manifests itself either as a talent or a handicap. The leader, for instance, is a brilliant strategist, and another has limited telekinetic powers.
When last spotted, they were in a seven-vehicle convoy, consisting of four trikes (two point, two rearguard), two mids and one luxury, all equipped with link-up devices. They usually only attack if a) they are seriously low on something the target is likely to have, or b) they are fired upon. Avoid this group at all costs! They are totally unpredictable, highly dangerous and have incredible strategies. The weaponry of their vehicles is unknown, but we do know that the trikes are of identical design and resemble the Drone from VG2. Anyone sighting this group is requested to contact me immediately and/or write in to Backfire (hint, hint...) to alert your fellow duellists to their whereabouts. – Rich Pizor Cupertino, CA
We really don't mind when people write in with their gripes, Rich – that's what we're here for. Bu~ thanks for the positive words, and good luck with your cyborg hunt. – CWM
ADQ 8/3 was great, the best in a long time. I liked "It's the Size that Counts" and the college autoduelling fiction was exciting. I also enjoyed Craig Sheeley's articles and scenarios, especially the one about ASP. – Mike Whipkey Roanoke, VA
I'd like to say that you don't have much pages for the price we pay! ADQ costs $3.50 ( L2.50 in England) for only 32 pages. In England it costs 2.00 for over 15 (??... whatever this number was supposed to be originally, I bet it wasn't 15, right, Colin? – cwm) pages and full color insides as well!! So, why the high price?
Secondly, I'd like to say... Car Wars is superb, and so my friend and I want to start an AADA chapter. Are there any official campaign rules? I've written some for my friends to use, and if there are no official rules I want to submit them to ADQ. – Colin Rogers Briston, Norfolk, ENGLAND
We hear you, Colin, and we 'd like to bring down the price, but the only way that's going to happen is if our circulation goes way, way up. So tell all your friends who have been reading your ADQ to buy one of heir own! In the meantime, take comfort in rhe fact that w~ don't accept outside advertising, so there's as much actual reading material in 32 pages of ADQ as there is in some magazines twice our size.
There's no "Official Car Wars Campaign Guide" as such, yet, but one of these days GURPS Autoduel Second Edition will be along, and it will have a plethora of background source material for the campaign-minded Car Wars referee. In the meantime, keep reading ADQ, and ask your retailer to order L'Outrance, Midville, Muskogee Mayhem, and any of the AADA Road Atlas series, all of which can be a big help to a Car Wars ref thinking along the lines of campaign play. – CWM
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