__________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 1 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 01, 1997 at 09:43 PM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; A10'rz: Hello! Just a quick note and bio to letcha now I'm ready again to roll the Tolkienesque theme into a brave new age. :) As for why I might not turn all my turns in <4 hours, somewhere between my fiance (wife, after 1 Nov...four weeks!!!), my two-year old son (named, not intentionally as per Tolkien but appropriate anyhow, Christopher), and my day to day as a gainfully employed ic designer in silicon valley, I have far too much fun in the rest of my life already. :) So...good but not great luck to all of you in A10, and congrats to all on some very well played P-rounds. Fortunately for me, I had David to show me what to do with Orange last round, though I suspect he could learn little from my shinanigans. :) cheers, Kelley _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 06, 1997 at 12:35 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; On the first day of the grand battle known cryptically as A10, Babyseal wakes early, before the heroes of other lands have even taken their places in their respective cities. This is good, for she will need all of the small edges she can produce. As usu al, when such wars begin, Babyseal is nervous. To begin with, the powers assembled against her are greater than either she or Gosling Puff had seen in their previous battles. Could she, even in cooperation with Puff, hope to stand against them? Moreover, she had heard the whispers of Little Puppy's forces. Gosling Puff had outperformed her in their first roles, and Babyseal had even bungled some late orders while Gosling Puff made no such obvious errors. Now some fighters were said to yearn to be led by Puff, and for Babyseal to take the second position. She would have to reward Little Puppy's faith in her with skillful leadership, but could she perform in this deadly battle? Little Puppy had given her one command: she was to form a non-aggression pact with one of the nations to the east, though if he preferred wise Celeborn or Gor Bonecracker he did not reveal it (why he looked to the east and not south he also did not discuss, and Babyseal could see no reason for the omission). This is why Babyseal retained the faith of her Lord: in earlier battles, Gosling Puff had performed well militarily, but she inspired the rancor of all whom she did meet, whereas Babyseal had demon strated the ability to win the trust of a needed friend. Gosling Puff's self-obsessed bravura would not serve her well in this war. But how? Perhaps she should send messengers to both camps, with offers and contingencies ready to be signed on the spot. But the other heroes are not even stirring at this hour, and what if both offers are accepted, she will be forced to renege on one a nd her honorable word will be worth nothing. Perhaps she should wait in hope of an offer from one of the two, agreeing to whichever arrives first with acceptable conditions? If she does this at least her word will be true. But if in her waiting allianc es against her are cemented, surely this would be the greatest danger. Enough! She has no time for this now when she should be making use of the pre-dawn cover to move against the slow but numerous forces of Gray. After dismissing the overpaid watchman of I.O.C. Babyseal heads south, and takes the city of Los Angeles, pillaging scout production for 175 pieces of gold. Perhaps when Gosling Puff arrives, the two rivals can discuss strategy. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords Start End Cities 1 2 Gold 4215 + 175 - 450 - 160 = 3780 Hero Exp. 0 + 2 = 2 Income 40 60 Expenses 0 0 New Builds: Dwarves in I.O.C. for 450 Giant Bats in LA for 160 _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 1 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Monday October 06, 1997 at 12:37 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday October 8, 1997 at 12:37 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Wednesday October 8, 1997 at 11:37 AM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 1 Gamefile Sent To: Bosquito (Green) (rjohnson@rof.net) Date Sent: Tuesday October 07, 1997 at 02:29 AM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Thursday October 9, 1997 at 02:29 AM EDT (In GMT-0500: Thursday October 9, 1997 at 1:29 AM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Tuesday October 07, 1997 at 03:00 AM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; A10 End of Turn 1 Report for Celeborn the Wise And with the light cresting upon the great circle where the sea meets the eastern sky, Celeborn took to his Silver throne in the great treetop flet in the arboreal city of Caras Galadhon. Great was his joy and his pride as Glorfindel hastened forth with his mighty song of valor, carrying the banner of Finwe upon his herald, arriving at last in liberation of Amsterdam, once but not longer a scout haven for the great Unnamed Enemy. Far to the west, upon the shore of the great ocean, the tireless elven eyes of Celeorn spied the banner of Little Puppy as celebrated by Babyseal, a human warmaster of great reknown, rewarded upon an age past with the title Elf Friend. "An age of trust," he considered wisely, "perhaps bourne of the fruit of ancient seeds planted. We will send messengers to his court, bearing words of harmony in his solicitation of nonagression, more kindly bespoke of as progress mutually enjoined. Present him an offer of the renewed barrier of the great north-south line, from temple to crypt." Beyond the southern reaches of the great forest, atop the moutainhigh perch of granite, the banner of Gor Bonecracker was discerned, and with it, a salute and a pledge of honor. "Our rivers are fed from the springs of those great heights. May it be that our nations reflect such a duality. Let no arrow be loosed in agression upon the bottomost loadstone draw!" he commanded to his armies, and his captains each shattered a bow shaft as a sign of their fealty. Celeborn then stood from his throne, looking to the sea from where Galadriel had promised her return. A smile of both a husband and a warlord in the age of unquestioned greatness reflected from his face. "Not because of me but rather with, let it begin again." ---- Glorfindel takes Amsterdam, pilages Scouts for 175 Build Pegasus in the Locker Room Build Wolfriders in Amsterdam End of Turn Hero Experience: Glorfindel: 2 (+2) End of Turn Cities: 2 Gold 1940 Income 60 Expenses 0 (ooo!) _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Tuesday October 07, 1997 at 11:25 PM EDT by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; Ye Gods, Celeborn! How quickly thou hast forgotten the foul name of Melkor--Morgoth. Doest thou not hear the familiar chime of flowery lies from His latest incarnation: Babyseal. How many of thy kindred perished? How much of thy fair land hast been swallowed in hate; thy fair forests of Dorian lain in waste. Verily, I have met this formidable, yet foul, opponent in battle. In the year "P08" she mercilessly rampaged through the countryside at will. Honor, trust-- Pah! I hath first hand witnessed his mighty hordes slay man and woman alike without remorse. Trust her not! I myself, a leader of an inexperienced clan of peoples, hath felt her blow. Me thinks she plans to sweep down across peaceful forests mine. Once the people of Bosquito art vanquished thou wilt be next. Must another war of the heavens raze our fair lands? --Beren II (in faith), defender of the Bosquitoians. ----------------- End Gold 3490 Pillage St. Moritz for 175, begin training of wolfriders CNN begins training of wolfriders Disbanded Scout Beren II, level 1 _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 1 Gamefile Sent To: Gor Bonecracker (Blue) (mw29@aol.com) Date Sent: Tuesday October 07, 1997 at 11:26 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Thursday October 9, 1997 at 11:26 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Thursday October 9, 1997 at 10:26 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 08, 1997 at 07:58 PM EDT by MW29@aol.com to all players; A10 Turn 1 Player 4 Blue At Start: Cities:1 Gold:4215 Income:40 Expenses:25 At End : Cities:2 Gold:4070 Income:60 Expenses:0 Gor Bonecracker emerges on The Couch. He pillages C. d'Ampezzo for 175. Experience 0 to 2. Builds Bats in both cities for 160 each. Finally, though well past midday, I rose from The Couch. I am weary from other wars that will not end. Or perhaps it is the LCII that the priests claim has created the world. It has imposed this lethargy. To my dismay the others have stolen a march while I slept. More importantly, I am swathed in pastel Blue. The Blue that is always trampled beneath the conquerors' boots, my boots! Cruel indeed are the gods Heeter and Elam. Or was it the demigod Irwin? I plagued him for salvation in the last war when I was consumed by email fever. I shall have to learn humility.....Away with these thoughts. I was never Tormented like this before. I am a Great Warlord! My situation, however, is grim. One mistake will not mean instant death in this world, but I'll need at least 20 cities to be recorded in history. "10 Cities will be enough my Lord. You are not White or Orange. So many is not necessary. Celeborn is a mighty warrior. You are not likely to defeat him. The Pegasus that was your friend in the last war is now his. Humility is an asset at a time like this" I suppose I pay you for advice like that. Will this Torment never stop? "Your Tormentor stands outside the door. Have you not heard the yipping, Great Warlord? A messenger from Little Puppy awaits an audience. I will show him in" "Yip Yip Yip Yippee" So Little Puppy seeks a Friend. He has fought against Bosquito. He must be confident he can defeat him utterly. If he allies with Celeborn, he will get 20 cities only if Green is totally defeated. If Green resists, your Warlord will fade into history. "Yip Yip Yip Yippee" Tell Little Puppy, SoDPoTBWaSaYToGW, I am in favor of Peace. We are unlikely to ever meet in battle unless it is over the conquered cities of our defeated foes. I understand Bosquito is his mortal enemy. My own daughter shall lead my armies against Green. We both need many cities to be remembered. He more than me. I am open to terms. I have not looked ahead many moons. The LCII world prevents me from this. I cannot do everyones' Turn 2. Too many reverts. I await Little Puppy's proposals. "Yip Yip Yip Yippee" He is gone. I have never been so Tormented. Will Little Puppy accept my friendly words? "Your words were sweet as honey. If he does not, you must send your daughter to the North to fight alongside you." For once you speak wisely. I charge you with two things before I rest. Prepare the great WarBat Geronimo. His sire fought bravely alongside Blue in another war long ago. And summon the Minstrel. I must have a song to inspire my armies and chastise my enemies...... _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 2 Gamefile Sent To: Little Puppy - Slayer of Dragons (White) (dchauri@princeton.edu) Date Sent: Wednesday October 08, 1997 at 07:59 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Friday October 10, 1997 at 7:59 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Friday October 10, 1997 at 6:59 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Thursday October 09, 1997 at 02:29 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; Babyseal paces the floor of the LA keep. She has received two offers of peace over the night, one from Celeborn and one from Gor, but Celeborn shocked her by proposing peace with both of his neighbors, apparently hoping for a three-way alliance against the powerful Bosquito. There would be no such alliance as long as Babyseal controls forces. Three against one was sure to prevail in almost any war, and then it would come down to three nations. If rough parity remained (and it must if the alliance were meaningful), then the next battle would be two against one, and the lonely force would again be crushed. In such a world, military skills would mean nothing, while popularity would be all. Babyseal does not trust her diplomatic prowess in such situations, especially since she is paired up with that buffoon Gosling Puff whose words are ill-considered and whose manner is gruff and frivolous. Moreover, three-way alliances are unstable, with breakdown ever threatening. Perhaps Wise Celeborn could handle such complexity, but humans are warlike and simple, and Babyseal needed to know whom to kill and whom to trust. Better to die expectantly at the pike of Glorfindel II than to never be able to trust one's neighbor. Very well, let us ask Celeborn to choose, lest we shall make the choice for him. Babyseal dictates a message, and bids her messenger make haste: Mighty Celeborn the Wise, Glorious Ruler of the Eastern Forest, Commander of Pegasi and Necromancers, and the very beasts of Hell: We do greatly rejoice at your kind and benevolent offer of a productive peace along our borders, as nothing would please us more than to build upon our lasting friendship. We have already put behind us any thoughts of your surprise attack at the end of our last meeting, as we understand that circumstances were such as to nearly encourage such a "preemptive" strike (though we must claim again that our intentions toward you were always above reproach). We are greatly distressed, however, at your equally generous offer to the Great Gor, and humbly fear that we cannot accept peace upon the terms that you suggest. I understand that the ways of humans are simple and cruel in the eyes of one so wise as you, but we are unable to understand how peace can hold o n both your western and southern borders. Please understand that our moral code, spoken centuries past by the Prophet Grasshopper, does not allow us to pursue so unbalanced a peace. Therefore we beseech you to chose between friendship with Gor Bonecrack er and friendship with Little Puppy. We accept that if in so doing we compel you to direct your warriors at our western hills, we shall reap nothing but misery and tempest, but we can act in no other fashion. Hence, we beg you this day to declare war up on he who dwells in the southern mountains, or by failing to do so declare it upon us and seal our fate. Please forgive my arrogance, but I wish to suggest to you why you might prefer calm upon your western front to that in the south. As has been proclaimed by the gods of our battle, I have a slight advantage in the first attack, and this advantage will hold for a short period. You, currently, hold just such an advantage over Gor. If an alliance is successful, and the gods of our peoples will it, the alliance will end at some time when other kingdoms have been vanquished. By this time, however, the advan tage will have shifted to he who has last attack. To ally with Little Puppy gives you the advantage in both instances, whereas to ally with Gor inverts the situation. Moreover, we have knowledge of each other's natures, and can trust well in our goodwill. I have even been taught not to allow my troops to make suspicious advances, as you will react swiftly. I am also aware that Gor appears to be the mightiest warrior (save Celeborn) in the battle we fight here, and so I am willing to assist you, as I realize that rough parity must be maintained between us if our friendship is to hold. Hence, if you will gra nt peace to the west and war to the south, I will cede to your the city of Berlin, and make no claims there. In return, let me suggest that we divide up rights to the central cities, though it is well understood that these rights may be meaningless if we cannot hold them. I would ask for Munich and Moscow, while you may have Atlanta and Dublin. In this case the advantage is mine because my cities will be easier to hold, but it is only a slight advantage in return for the city of Berlin. To further dec rease this central advantage of mine, let me pledge to you that if Gor or Bosquito takes Atlanta, and we have between us enough to retake it but not alone, I will wait 24 hours for a request from you. If you wish it, I will attack the city and bring about the death of my own forces, so that you may move into it with yours, meeting less resistance. Obviously if the attack would cost me too greatly, I may be forced to delay (for example, I am probably not willing to lose an ally for this, but certainly so me Griffins). If, as the larger battle rages, Gor proves too powerful, I will give more assistance if it is mine to give, and Bosquito has not roasted my armies upon his spit. This I humbly pledge to you. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords Babyseal, having dispatched the messenger, meets with Gosling Puff who has just arrived in I.O.C. Gosling Puff: I know what you're thinking, but let me explain... Babyseal: What is that you have with you? To me it appears a dragon. Gosling Puff: Yes, and I know that's not what you asked for, but get a load of this price: 1122 gps! The only thing you could get for less than that was an ele- Babyseal: I didn't ask for a bargain basement ally, Puff, you know what I asked for! Gosling Puff: Look, don't get into a huff with me. Little Puppy told me to take the dragon. He said he had a hamlet to rule and he could search in the bazaar no longer. Untold hours he spent searching, and what you requested does not exist in these mo untains. Besides, this dragon has some advantages that might really be... Babyseal: It can fly! Our whole damn kingdom can fly, Gos, but you know there's really not that much to fly over. Gosling Puff: Look, talk to Little Puppy about this, I've gotta go. Hey, incidentally, did you notice how Gor's hero left his standard in The Couch so he'd have two strong heroes? Pretty clever, wouldn't you say? What about me? Babyseal: I'm in command here, and the standard belongs to the hero in command. Gosling Puff: Yeah, Babe, you didn't think of it, that's what happened. Babyseal: Enough! Go! And you produce the turn report, I have too much else to do right now. Gosling Puff's Turn Report (to the tune of Turkey in The Straw): Gosling Puff did wake in a town called I.O.C. With a dragon there to keep her company Oh how her head did throb and her eyes saw stars 'Cause she'd ended her last war in Bob Heeter's Bar! Come on, get up, Puff, come on, get up! Come on, get up, Puff, come on, get up! You've a war to fight and you've gotta search some ruins Or our erstwhile enemies as victors will be shoo-ins So she headed down to a place they call Steve's hand And a mighty blown tire she and dragon did disband. The Official Sponsoring she took from this dark hold Making all her cities give out quite a bit more gold. Then her dwarves went east, sire, her dwarves went east! Oh her dwarves went east, yes, her dwarves went east! To the fine city Athens owned by Gray who will be fleeced As soon as they were built her little dwarves they headed east! CHORUS: So they took the city and they killed the scout, and they bludgeoned all the people 'til their brains ran out! But for all their troubles they just got a little gold and another minor city that would be a pain to hold. Build up that city, build up the town! Build up that city, build up the town! We need catapults, pachyderms, archers and some pegs But if we ain't got the money give us anything with legs! Down around LA Babyseal she headed south On a big expensive bat with a harness in its mouth To the stronghold called Dirk's Cavern such a dark and frightful place Where two big nasty ghosts appeared right before her face! Bid them make haste now, bid them make haste! Bid them make haste, Babe, bid them make haste! Down way of Mex'co City so's not to be a waste her first little wimpy ghost there a minor foe it faced. CHORUS! Up in Athens town giant spiders they were built So if Celeborn turned mean many armies could be kilt! In the crowded southern city light infantry instead So if elementals took it no one would lose her head! Then a ghost flew over mountains so high! Yes a ghost flew over mountains so high! Out to Stockholm where an archer they did hope to buy Oh a mighty little ghost flew over mountains near the sky! CHORUS! Finally, a musing on whether Celeborn had hoped to use a loophole in his order about the southern hills (same tune): To find a lodestone draw in the south is quite a chore For the southern hills they have no ore To Celeborn's armies: South go freely forth 'Cause all the magnetite is concentrated in the North! Granite and slate, boys, granite and slate! Granite and slate, just granite and slate! The great campaign against Gor really needn't wait 'cause the mountains down there are just granite and slate! -- Gosling Puff Start End Cities 2 5 Gold 3840 + 3*175 - 1122 - 1000 - 700 - 300 - 160 = 1083 Income 60 150 Expenses 14 14 Babyseal 2 5 Gos. Puff 0 3 New city builds: Athens spiders LA heavy infantry Mexico city light infantry Stockholm archers -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords _______________________________________________________________________________ __________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 2 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 2 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Thursday October 09, 1997 at 02:30 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Sunday October 12, 1997 at 2:30 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Sunday October 12, 1997 at 1:30 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 2 Gamefile Sent To: Bosquito (Green) (rjohnson@rof.net) Date Sent: Friday October 10, 1997 at 12:48 AM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Monday October 13, 1997 at 12:48 AM EDT (In GMT-0500: Sunday October 12, 1997 at 11:48 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Friday October 10, 1997 at 01:26 AM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; End of Turn 2 Report for Celeborn the Wise, Orange Player #2 Starting Gold: 2000 Galadriel arrives in Amsterdam for 1009 with a Dragon ally. Galadriel searches Hulseman's Keep, finds Hercule's spear (bat+2) Glorfindel searches Kay's Crypt, recruits one Dragon Glorfindel takes Tokyo, pilages Scouts for 175 Dragon takes Paris, pilages Scouts for 175 Dragon takes Mt.Everast, pilages Scouts for 175 Build Wolfriders in Mt.Everast Build Wolfriders in Paris Build Pikemen in Tokyo End of Turn Hero Experience: Glorfindel: 7 (+5) Galadriel: 3 (+3) Final Gold = 2000 - 1009 + 175 + 175 + 175 - 500 - 450 - 450 = 116 End of Turn Cities: 5 Gold 116 Income 120 Expenses 4 ------ And so it came to pass that from beyond the endless Eastern Sea, Galadriel o Finwe, Altariel the fair, returned from the Blessed Realm to strive alongside her husband in the great battle shaping the land. Under her banner she commanded the fealty of the great wyrm Daelomin, and to the northwest they strove, to collect Aeglos, the Snow-Point, the lost spear of Gil-Galad, the last High King of the Noldo in MIddle Earth. To the south, many verses were authored in praise of Glorifindel' march, first to tame the wyrm Earcaraxe, and furhter to dispel the minion scouts holding the keep of Tokyo. And still on, to the Mountain Aside the Sea, great Everast, the wyrm lumbered, crushing the sorrowful foe that toiled there in dark deeds. And yet still, in the High Court of Celeborn in Caras Galadhon, the words of Little Puppy suggested not haste but laggardness. This peace is overwears me, he speaks. Choose your friends and enemies now while the fog of dawn is richest, he insists. Declare war on thine southern neighbor lest your blades in idleness become crossed with mine, he tone was clear. To this Celeborn's words were true: "There is no need for haste amoung the hasty. I will accept your ceding of Berlin, but not on the terms you command: the southern lands will not be made elven war against to merely suit your southern intents. Press me not upon the occupation of Berlin, and the great east west peace will stand." And at last, to the south, to the warmaster Bonecracker a polite appreciation was expressed for the sounds of many minstrels about the land. Upon this music, Celeborn's voice rose with it in harmony, until like the sprinkle of rain upon a sea of silver his message could be heard: "Gor Bonecrusher, my words to you last season were in the manner of mine own peoples, and perhaps not a style to your liking. I will speak plainly forsooth: resist me not in the occupation of Seoul and Dublin, and neither my swords, spears, bows nor claws shall ever be raised against you in agression." And so it came to pass the the second season in the age of strife drew to a peaceful close. With firstborn patience, Celeborn returned at last unto his own. _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 2 Gamefile Sent To: Gor Bonecracker (Blue) (mw29@aol.com) Date Sent: Saturday October 11, 1997 at 03:36 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Tuesday October 14, 1997 at 3:36 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Tuesday October 14, 1997 at 2:36 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Saturday October 11, 1997 at 03:39 PM EDT by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; =93End of discussion Beren! Your concerns are unfounded. And with her new found ally-- Ted, mighty red dragon of CNN-- she=92s sure to succeed.= If not though force, then with the help of Ted=92s silver tongue and coin= =2E Mayhap you=92d like to turn in your standard and muck out stables instead= of leading armies, you insubordinate puss-boil! Besides, it=92ll be easier for me to tell the two of you apart. If only you would look sooo-- sooo, well, distracting in a flimsy green halter. And the next time you present your flea-ridden hide before me make certain you bathe, you smell like a rusty-out, discarded cauldron; have that worthless page of yours tend to your mail, you leprous beggar! Out of my sight! Beren knew that his liege Bosquito talked thusly to him only to bring his blood to boil. The words had their affect. =93I=92ll show my liege that only a man is fit to command!=94 =93Page, saddle my steed=94 =93Sc= outs report that an enemy ghost is moving this way, and I=92ll be a pig-buggerer if he ventures into our beloved forests!=94 =93Gutless, misbegotten, rotten, dumber than a bucket-of-hair, step-child to a one-legged mule, festering wound of a Northerner! Rumor has it that a squad of elementals inhabit the highlands around the Barrow of Bruce, they=92ve no love lost t=92wards northerns. Mayhap they=92ll join our cau= se.=94 And that very day Beren recruits the pair of elementals to the clan of Bosquito, and like the wind that makes up their very essence, they speed North towards the maggot-white ghost nearing Montreal, absorbing the city of Barcelona in their wake. They arrive in time! Upon searching the city the elementals discover the eggs of giant spiders lying unhatched in the dungeons of Montreal. =93Spiders, yes spiders shall hold fair Montreal from foul Little Puppy=92s minions. We will turn Montreal into an yielding web... = Meanwhile, East of CNN... =93Ted, You=92re a male. What is it about your gender? Is the hair on your head and chest which comes with manhood made up of your brains and thoughts?=94 =93As, sssssssssss, you=92ve so astutely observed mistress; dragons, hssss, be he male, or be she female, have no hair upon their person. = Me thinks the human male truly doth have a small mind.=94 =93Ah! Ted, methinks I spy Zak=92s Zone ahead.=94 =93Ready the summonings.=94 = ----------------------------- = Gold at start of turn: 3550 Heroine Regina arrives with a dragon at CNN office for 1112 gold pieces. Regina encountered a pothole in Zak's Zone and returned with the "Chariot of Fire". Beren II recruited 2 elementals at the Barrow of Bruce. 2 Elementals pillaged Barcelona for 175 gold pieces. 2 Elemental pillaged Montreal for 175 gold pieces and began training spiders. A Wolfriders pillaged Squaw Valley for 175 gold pieces and began training unicorns. Gold at end of turn: 1163 Regina level 1 with 3 experience points Beren II level 1 with 5 experience points _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Saturday October 11, 1997 at 05:12 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; To the Mighty Bonecracker, It gives me no joy to offer what I do, for Celeborn is a friend and has always been true. However, when I spelled out my needs to him, he rejected them as lacking in value and bespeaking a haste not warranted by circumstances. I had not asked for an evaluation, but for an answer, and his answer was that he wished for war. Babyseal could not have been more clear. I now turn to you, Gor Bonecracker, and your powerful if self-certain armies in the southern mountains. It is my feeling that allied with either you or Celeborn I can assist in overrunning our foes, but I must know now where to send my forces, be it south or east. Do not refuse me, for the rewards will be great. You will notice in his response, that Celeborn hinted at where his eventual ambitions were, for what he offered you no warlord could accept. Celeborn wished to have everything at no cost. If you will assist me I will be so bold as to predict he shall have nothing. Notice that he is weak now, but will not be weak much longer. Glorfindel II has been made mad with city greed, and so has ignored the necromancers that he needed. Now they will come to him not until the fourth period at the earliest, and then he will be delayed further before he can search ruins that we will have dispatched long before. His dragon will be forced to retreat from your demon and mighty worms, or to come north in search of revenge at my claiming so. He needed his wizards also to take the center hastily, but now you shall reach it before any others. Why does he think that you would cede it entirely to him, when he has ceded it to you militarily? Also, Celeborn has spent his gold building the great pegasus, and can fill the new cities he hopes to capture with only the weakest of armies. Indeed, in a world filled with dragons and demons, one wonders about the military value of the dear pegasus. Thus, my analysis, which I should admit has been wrong before with respect to Celeborn, suggests that he can be done away with now, but there can be no waiting. I make you this solemn offer, which is yours to refuse or accept in this, your coming period. If you refuse, I shall try to make amends with Celeborn, though since I have chosen to stick to my words, rather than our friendship, I do not know how such negotiations will proceed. Pledge ye now to fight on your northern border, with all force and power that you can summon. Move to attack Celeborn, and we shall not clash. In return, I will do the same, leaving in the south only what I deem necessary to move slowly against Bosquito. If the center can be taken, I will not challenge you in Dublin or Atlanta if you leave Moscow and Munich to me. Also, neither of us shall leave armies in the WarBOT temple, so that we each may bless at will and allow our strengthened forces to attack our respective enemies. If one of us takes a city, the other should leave that city be, or if it is of great strategic importance to the other, such should be explained and the one be given a period to vacate. I have said this treaty gives me no joy to propose, for I have never wished harm on Celeborn. But I have a duty to my armies first, my honor second, and my friends third. To my armies it is no favor to wait for the fog of battle to be lifted for Celeborn, if when he sees clearly we cannot know which side he will take. To my honor, I must uphold the word of my hero Babyseal, who Celeborn treats as one whose word means nothing. Do be warned, however. This decision was a painful one, and my heros were divided in opinion over whether to wait or take action. If you cross me, I shall return with the ferocity and power. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Sunday October 12, 1997 at 03:47 PM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; From the treetop spelendor of Caras Galadhon, a messenger swift of foot was dispatched to the southern lands. To the Realm of Gor she hastened, bringing tidings from the forest golden in a scroll sealed with a waxen stamp of the House Finwe: ---------------- Great Warlord Gor, honor and saluations to you from the Court of Finwe, heralded by Celeborn the Wise. Forsooth: Evil words have heard bespoken from the West. My name is sullied, by intents facaded. I am sure you yourself have heard the threats and the irration in them: attack thine neighbor without consideration save my own, lest I come for thee with cold steel. It is the presumtious folly of a cur. To me it is clear, Little Puppy has designs upon the south, and he craves unfounded violence between us, for such would suit his ambitions. I ask you, with the honor of a neighbor who presumes you to be a warmaster swayed more by respect than threats, to forsake the words we have heard. Verily, the forces I do not command upon our border are not, as the Plight of the West has spoken, an opputunity for bloodshed. Rather, they are a sign of my honorable intent, which I previsouly made clear to you. I leave these thoughts with you as I prepare my western defences for the coming of the shadow. My intents are half as warlike as the coming Plight, and in his small scope, he must attempt my downfall to suit the meachanations of his ambtions. I will be waiting upon the line of honor that I drew for him. Verily, he has aims to cross it first. Celeborn of Doriath ------------ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 3 Gamefile Sent To: Little Puppy - Slayer of Dragons (White) (dchauri@princeton.edu) Date Sent: Monday October 13, 1997 at 04:58 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday October 15, 1997 at 4:58 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Wednesday October 15, 1997 at 3:58 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ __________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 3 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 3 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Monday October 13, 1997 at 04:59 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday October 15, 1997 at 4:59 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Wednesday October 15, 1997 at 3:59 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 13, 1997 at 05:29 PM EDT by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; A10 Turn 2 Player 4 Blue At Start: Cities:2 Gold:2960 Income:60 Expenses:20 At End : Cities:5 Gold:1285 Income:150 Expenses:20 Blood Dancer emerges on The Couch for 1170 with Devil. Blood Dancer searches Aubert's Crypt. Finds TV Rights. Gor Bonecracker searches Yuri's Cenotaph. Finds 2 Giant Worms. Blood Experience 0 to 3. Gor experience 2 to 5. Devil pillages Calgary for 175 Worm pillages Garmisch-P for 175 Worm pillages Sydney for 175 New Builds: The Couch: Hvy Inf 160 C. d'Ampezzo: Hvy Inf 160 Sydney: Spiders 700 Calgary: Dwarves 450 Garmisch-P: Dwarves 450 "Two letters for you my Lord. Oh it is terrible!" _______________________ "Father, for over two months I searched for the Dragon you ordered me to find. Never have I had such a frustrating task. When I found the Dragon, he demanded far too much gold. I refused and turned to leave. In his greed for the gold I carried, he attacked killing all save myself. I fled into the Dragon's cave becoming lost in its depths for many months. In despair, knowing the Dragon was waiting for me, I did that which you forbade me to do. I summoned she who created me. She quickly killed the Dragon and has accompanied me to the capital. Forgive me, but I would never have joined you in this war if I had not called her, Blood and Gor together side by side. She has included a message to you as well. May you drive your enemies before you, Blood Dancer. ______________________ "Great Gor, fateful was the day you traded a part of your soul for the Devil blood your dwarven smiths needed to forge the Bonecracker. A day that doomed your enemies forever and enables my presence in this world. Combining the piece of your soul with part of my essence, I created Blood Dancer, our daughter. Because she carries my essence within her, she can summon me to her at any time. Many will curse you for your pact with me now that it is known, but it is only a cover for the fear in their hearts. Enough! I grow hungry and will feed on some of the people of your realm. I shall return to you during the Grim Time and we will fight together again, my mortal mate. May the SouthEast Wind be your tombstone. _____________________ It is done. Twice before I fought alongside that fiend and thought myself rid of Her. She has tasted part of my soul and doubtless thinks she can have the rest. But I carry the Bonecracker, and she will bend to my will. If her presence is the price of Blood Dancer's life, then I will pay once again. Time is short. Are there any other messages...Ah, these must be answered quickly. _____________________ Little Puppy, Joyful is my heart to know there is Friendship and Peace between us. Your terms are acceptable to me. You have been called Plight of the West, Shadow, and Melkor but I know there is Honor and Good in your heart. I, myself, shall swiftly lead my armies aginst Celeborn and without mercy. Soon our mighty Spider allies will rejoice in their Pegasus feast. My daughter leads my armies against the Bosquito. Though they are a gentle people, the Bosquito are fierce when attacked. We must fight together against them as well. I know you are plagued by their Elementals, the foulest beasts ever to walk Earth or Hell, but you must not give up hope. They are strong only when there are few men about. Since we are now friends I must warn you of one thing. My Minstrel did leave with your first messenger and now resides in your camp. I did greatly enjoy the song he sung for you and laughed a long time. His singing is better now than before so keep him with you. I am glad he is gone in truth for he is a rogue and I feared for my daughter. You must warn your heroines of his nature for I do believe it is their Beauty that now inspires his work. May you always walk in the Light, Gor Bonecracker. ______________________ Celeborn, You were correct. Neither I nor my advisors could understand your words. I had assumed you meant to claim my mountains for yourself. Now I am told your words were of Peace. Your second offer left me at an even greater incomprehension. Mighty indeed are the Riddles of Celeborn. I could not solve the Riddle you set before me: If Seoul and Dublin are given by Gor, And Little Puppy Berlin forgo, Where will Celeborn fight his war? Does anyone but the Shadow know? When the Histories are written, they may record that the strife between our peoples could have been avoided if only Gor Bonecracker were not such a Bonehead. If he had as much brain as brawn. Since you will not personally lead your armies, you may survive the Grim Time I bring you and write such histories, but know that my immortal devil-daughter, Blood Dancer, will rule over the Graves of your Cities. Prepare yourself for the Bonecracker approaches. __________________ There must be a reward to those who have waited so long to read so much! My dwarven smiths have discovered the Formula for producing Warlords and Allies: The odds of getting a Hero in a specific City with a specific Ally are : 6(there is a 1 in 6 of getting a Hero per turn:WII Manual) * the total number of cities * 8(1 out of eight possible allies) or 6*cities*8 The odds for this turn were 6*2*8=1 in 96. I got my desired Hero/Ally/City on Revert 66, but it wanted 1575 gold and I rejected it. Little did I know it would be 100+ more reverts to get my Hero/Ally/City. Thus it came to pass after much banging of head on table that I became too boneheaded to comprehend Celeborn's words. _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Tuesday October 14, 1997 at 10:55 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; Gosling Puff -- I told you Bonecracker would agree! "Stick with Celeborn" you said, but now we have an ally! Babyseal -- You were right about that. More important is that you had better be right about having chances against Celeborn, because if he can take his breath, you're dead. Gosling Puff -- Yeah, yeah, I'm there. I'll need the demon, and more spiders. We don't have any big superhero command plus 4 fighter on this front...Hey, did you notice that everyone else wanted a dragon? Babyseal -- Shut up. It's a strange world. People must like flying better than actually getting anywhere. And I need the demon -- Bosquito's pressing hard and all I can do is joust and run. Maybe you should try fighting ghosts against elementals, Gos. Take the spiders, but we're out of money, so don't come asking for more...Anyway, why don't you take care of the turn report again. Little Puppy and I were aghast at the mockery it made of all of us, but Bonecracker was amused so it had its purpose, I suppose. But what's this about bludgeoning citizens and all that? We're a care-giving people! You'll give us a bad name... Gosling Puff -- Oh, I just put that in 'cause it sounded better than "Then they took the city and they handcuffed the scout / and they held elections and they worked things out..." ...Hey, incidentally, did you ever notice that minstrel? Boy, talk about nice b-- Babyseal -- Go fight! Galadriel approaches as you blather! Sort of to the tune of "The Titanic" (it's a campfire song...apologies to those who never went to camp...) Well, the Gosling (wotta hero!) she did search Domnick Domain And the archon there she found quickly made it very plain that she'd rather go and fight Celeborn (though wise is he) Than be killed right then and there by the Puff, so she did flee When she came to old St. Lou She thought she'd have a quick run through Oh we were glad when the great old town did fall! CHORUS: Oh we were glad (so glad!) Yes we were glad (whoopee!) We were glad when the great old town did fall! Protectors there they fled Of every penny they were bled Yes we were glad when the great old town did fall! Babyseal she had quite a very hectic day Searching up and down in ruins, leaving little time for play First she went and found a demon in the depths of Derek's tum And all the way to Melbourne town that demon it would come Wolfriders he'd begin To recruit if he got in Oh we were glad when the great old town did fall! CHORUS! Babyseal kept up her pace, to Helsinki she next went She'd build nothing in there, or her money'd soon be spent But she couldn't stay for long, since she truly wanted more so out of town she'd race -- wouldn't even close the door She'd leave it as a lure 'mental troubles she could cure But we were glad when the great old town did fall! CHORUS! Before I do forget, the archon in St. Lou Built spiders for defense, as border guards they'd do And then a-way down south, Babe saw a city bare And thought she'd send a ghost, since no defense was there On Barcelona town It marched then tore it down Oh we were glad when the great old town did fall! CHORUS! But then a funny thing, that lazy ghost did next It flew out to the beach, which left Babe quite perplexed It quickly fell asleep, a-sunning on the sand Is there a dumber ally in all this noble land? The pup he hates the dead He'd take anything instead Oh poor Barcelona soon will fall! It will be sad (so sad!) It will be sad (real tough!) It will be sad when the cities start to fall (to the nasty bad guys!) Bosquito, I fear Soon will take my cities dear It will be sad when the cities start to fall! Start End Cities: 5 9 Gold: 1219 + 3 * 175 + 116 - 700 - 450 = 710 Income: 150 254 Expenses: 29 29 Babyseal: 5 13 Gos' Puff: 3 6 175 from scouts, 116 from Barcelona, 700 for spiders, 450 for wolfriders New city builds: Spiders in St. Louis Wolfriders in Melbourne -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords P.S. Celeborn, I agree this game is weird and I am to blame. When it's all over I'll explain myself. For now, assume that you are being respectfully yipped at. _______________________________________________________________________________ __________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 3 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 3 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Tuesday October 14, 1997 at 10:56 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Thursday October 16, 1997 at 10:56 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Thursday October 16, 1997 at 9:56 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 3 Gamefile Sent To: Bosquito (Green) (rjohnson@rof.net) Date Sent: Thursday October 16, 1997 at 03:40 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Sunday October 19, 1997 at 3:40 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Sunday October 19, 1997 at 2:40 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Thursday October 16, 1997 at 03:50 PM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; End of Turn 3 Report for Celeborn the Wise, Orange Player #2 Starting Gold: 232 Galadriel searches Lair of Luther, recruits one Devil Devil takes Olympia, pilages Scouts for 175 Pikemen take Rome, pilages Scouts for 175 Wolfriders take Seoul and burn it to the ground Build Giant Bats in Tokyo Build Heavy Inf in Olympia End of Turn Hero Experience: Glorfindel: 7 (nc) Galadriel: 6 (+3) Final Gold = 232 + 175 + 175 - 300 - 160 = 122 End of Turn Cities: 7 Gold 122 Income 160 Expenses 21 ---------- From the southern skies, clouds of dark smoke billow into the sky. Celeborn frowns knowing that upon that front, beyond the smoke, come legions of Wyrm. In the smoke carried northward by the winds of warfare, Celeborn sees not only the loss of the Seoul encampment, but a loss of what could have been a mutually prosperous future. Not long has he time, however, to consider the price of isolation, for verily to the West, drums of war echo. Galadriel makes haste there, to fortify the defenses upon the line. Long will it be ere hand is again upon harpstring rather than bowstring. Yet hope lingers, in the far reachs of the land, where the Ruler Bosquito endures a parralel trial. "As it is written in the anals of the ages, the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Lord Celeborn is heard to repeat. "May the blessings of Illuvatar be with him in this time of plight." ------ _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Thursday October 16, 1997 at 06:16 PM EDT by MW29@aol.com to all players; Burning Seoul to the ground? Have you given up on this game already Celeborn? If you have any confidence you can defeat my forces, you would need Seoul to get a good final score and thus make it into the final rounds. This speaks of desperation and cowardice not befitting one who conquered 20 cities in P09. Gor Bonecracker _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Friday October 17, 1997 at 02:38 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; Mighty Gor, Emperor of the Southern Heights, Cracker of Bones and Master of Dark Baelzebub, I prithee, look once more upon the battlefield before hope takes your heart that Celeborn has given up. Wise Celeborn's war plan assumed time was his to build and develop well -- only this can explain his purchases, path, and perhaps his refusal to choose a friend. His confidence kept him from defending against the alternate whims of fate, however, and this was his single error. We must use it well, for he will not make another. In time, less that we can dare imagine, he will recover from this stumble, and turn it to advantage. Do not think he has given up, or become cowardly, for then you shall fall into his trap and right will be set upon its head. To my East, I see that he has anticipated that which I did not think he could, and taken precautions. My hero, Gosling Puff, thinks she can prevail over Galadriel, but only at great cost. It must be paid, because Celeborn's destroying armies must be stopped soon or they will not be stopped at all. Again, I ask you, look upon the battlefield. Seoul could not have been held against your mighty allies, because Celeborn had not the money to invest in defense. Once it fell, it would be a launching block for your assaulters. Now there is space between him and you, and supply-lines will run long for you on his side of the chasm. A price must be paid for blunder -- that is the reality of war when those you battle are not dullards. It is Celeborn's, however, to choose his price, and part of the price was Seoul. Now he has purchased time to recruit his dark necromancers, and very soon they will be on the march. Celeborn must delay one enemy and engage the other. I fear I am the one he has chosen to engage. Victory will be ours only if you are willing to attack in haste, but cautiously, so that he can not concentrate upon a single front. Do not think that I ask this without asking it of my forces also. I have left my southern lands sorely underdefended, and will quickly pay for this choice in blood from one who I know bears me no kind thoughts. Worse, Bosquito expects to lose, for he has little confidence in his great powers, and so I will bear the wrath of one who wishes only to delay and harm. To the East, if all goes according to plan, the price will be two of my grand allies, and many minor but costly armies -- perhaps more if I fail to see Celeborn's attack. I say this only so you can be confident that when I gave my word that my attack upon Celeborn will be swift and powerful, and would come at a steep price, I spoke in truth. Do not underestimate our foe, or allow your interpretation of his actions to be painted by your confidence. We must focus hard and fast on Celeborn, or he and Bosquito will rise to rule this land. Yet with speed and care, all the spoils of what is left will be ours to divide among us. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 3 Gamefile Sent To: Gor Bonecracker (Blue) (mw29@aol.com) Date Sent: Sunday October 19, 1997 at 02:12 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Tuesday October 21, 1997 at 2:12 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Tuesday October 21, 1997 at 1:12 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Sunday October 19, 1997 at 02:14 PM EDT by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; Fall Back I tell you. Ye Gods! I knew it was a mistake sending you to the front, Beren! What were you thinking. Do you take Little Puppy for a turnip farmer! Montreal is lost; you've over-extended yourself. Have you not learned from the mistakes of That-Darn-Cat in the year P08? Think, man, think for once in your miserable life. Send those pathetic elementals to pillage Moscow--we need gold after leaving all of those spiders-in-training to that most foulest of unhouse-broken mongrels Little Puppy. If Babyseal doesn't end up with your head on a spike, it just may land HERE--on the front gate of fair CNNoffice! I see that Mighty Regina has made no such blunders as you. Her campaign goes smoothly. Although, I grant you, she has not yet encountered Gor Bonegrinder=92s--err, Gor Bonesnapper=92s...whatever his name is. All I k= now is that his armies wear a most unbecoming to a soldier, snicker, baby blue--unfit for the lowliest spear man. I think maybe his armies travel swaddled in blankets stolen from lame peasants armed only with garden hoes and dressed in pig hides! But, alas, I do fear for Regina. For although I have not yet met him in battle I understand that he is a brilliant tactician and worthy opponent. We shall have to wait and see. But now I fear for my North--how I wish my fair forests were far from the relentless clutches of Little Puppy. If only that high-spoken Celeborn would put a little pressure on Puppy's Eastern front. And hear this! I received word that he has razed Seoul in a most dishonorable fashion! Ahhh, for all his flowery speech and fair exterior he's no better than a common cutthroat, killing innocent children and suchlike. Truly the Valar must have forsaken he and his people. Yet I must have faith that he will repent, and the Valar will again bless his sword. For my heart loves the forests and her peoples which dwell within, and we need his sword to help vanquish the foul hill-dwellers which lie without... ---------------------- Bosquito Turn 3 report ---------------------- Starting gold 1025 Beren II begins with 5 experience points Regina begins with 3 experience points Regina encounters a pothole at Scott's Secret and allies herself with a Devil Regina pillages Sarajevo for 175 gold pieces 2 Elementals pillage Moscow for 850 gold pieces, only one survives A devil pillages Innsbruck for 175 gold pieces and begins building archers for 1000 A wolfrider pillages Negano for 175 gold pieces and begins building wolfriders for 450 Beren II survives Van Koughnett's Pit and allies himself with a Dragon Beren II pillages Chamonix for 175 and begins building bats for 160 A dragon retakes a vacant Barcelona and begins building spiders for 700 Ending gold 302 Beren II ends with 10 experience points Regina ends with 8 experience points = = WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Neutral city 1 or 2 prod Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 0 0 1 0 *1* 0 No DEF: 0 0 0 0 0 *0* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- Elemental 5 6 0.64785 <-- Lives! Elemental 5 6 0.33952 <-- Dies.. Defense Units: --------------- Griffin 6 8 0.35215 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 20, 1997 at 09:59 AM EDT by MW29@aol.com to all players; A10 Turn 3 Player 4 Blue At Start: Cities:5 Gold:1415 Income:150 Expenses:41 At End : Cities:8 Gold:290 Income:228 Expenses:41 Blood Dancer searches Vault of Saves. Finds Archon. Gor Bonecracker searches McCuller's Fort. Finds Demon. Experience: Blood 3 to 6. Gor 5 to 8. Archon pillages Sapporo for 175. Devil pillages Rio for 175. Dwarf pillages Lake Placid for 175. Build Spiders in Rio for 700. Build Pikemen in Lake Placid for 500. Build Dwarves in Sapporo for 450. 1 Blue Giant Worm attacks 1 Orange Wolf in razed Seoul: WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Razed city Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 0 0 2 0 *2* 0 No DEF: 0 0 0 0 0 *0* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- Worm, Giant 7 9 0.86131 <-- Lives! Defense Units: --------------- Wolfrider 4 4 0.13869 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining ___________________________________ I claim First Blood! And thus did the Bonecracker War, also known as Soulburner's Lament, begin. _____________________________________ Let none speak the name of Celeborn from this moment upon pain of Death. I give him his true name, Soulburner. This name shall be a mark upon him and those who follow him so that none may forget his crime. I have seen the city of Seoul myself. None live there now and worse amongst the dead there are no children. He has taken them to his Tower. Our children! We cannot despair for he will be satisfied with their small souls for only a short time. He means to come here, into our homes and villages. Any who do not give him their soul will perish. And all our children will be lost. All know that Evil resides in the East. Soulburner has revealed himself after years of waiting. This great Crusade will destroy his Evil and preserve the Light! Long will Soulburner lament the day he ever did see a beautiful Seoul. I Will It! ________________________________ Send this to the Orange lands: Oh Celeborn, what can I say to ewe You have lived a million years and have a 300 IQ Did you burn a beautiful Seoul in a fit of Pique Your Bungling of Turn One certainly was not unique You should have gone to Sparta. That is very true But you had not yet lost everything to the armies of the Blue Or did you panic as you gazed across your land And realized Little Puppy would not hold your hand Me thinks it like Mike Tyson and the Holy ear You simply did not think, you were consumed by Fear Your using of Tolkien really is a sham Unlike those ancient heroes your Honor is on the lam. ___________________________ Send this to the White lands: I have a small request to make in our crusade against Soulburner. Since our lines of communication are not secure, I would request that you send any strategic or tactical advice after Orange has moved by separate diplomatic note. And if you have any suggestions for Green, please wait till he has moved also. Our success depends upon them making a mistake. I likewise will keep my suggestions confined to my turn report before you move. What a contrast. Seoul is razed and Bosquito builds some very nice spiders for you in Montreal. It seems good things go to he who moves first. May You always walk in the Light. ___________________________ Send this to the Green Lands: Cruel are your words gentle Bosquito and greatly do you shame me. You speak of a thing no true warrior would mention. The gods have decreed that I wear the pastel blue of a baby blanket. It is a sore test. Greatly do I desire the Red, the Blood Red, the color of a warrior. But who knows the ways of the gods, and I dare not disobey. I twice wore the Green, the color of Victory, and I envy you. We shall see if you are worthy of it. _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 4 Gamefile Sent To: Little Puppy - Slayer of Dragons (White) (dchauri@princeton.edu) Date Sent: Monday October 20, 1997 at 10:00 AM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 10:00 AM EDT (In GMT-0500: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 9:00 AM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 20, 1997 at 07:21 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; To the Great Gor, all honors, etc etc My powerful and trusted ally, I commend your movements and the harassment of your northern neighbor. The time will not be long before all the land is engulfed in battle and what rest I can gather will be made more easy by the knowledge that we two pursue the same ends, and that the legends I have heard of your skills are not without base. I thank you for your concern about the safety of our communication. Let me assure you that I am aware my messages travel to all corners of the land and that they are heard by enemies as well as friends. Let me also assure you that if I send a message at a time when it can be intercepted by the Mighty Bosquito, it is because his ears were meant to hear it. I disagree with you here: I do not hope for victory on the e rrors of my foes, though they are gratefully accepted. I must break ranks with you on one more weighty matter. I understand the pain that the reports of Seoul's destruction have caused in your kingdom, and I send my most heartfelt condolences to all involved. Obviously, if there is anything we can do to rel ieve the suffering we will do it without regard to cost. We have for some time expected similar atrocity in our lands, but to this point the Great Bosquito has spared us (perhaps in the knowledge that any such destruction will be paid back fivefold, thou gh to this point my armies are under orders only to pillage). However, Celeborn, the one you refer to as Soulburner, has been in the past my honored friend, and acts now in calculated anger. Though I will bring all my strength upon him in an attempt to avenge the unthinkable destruction of that great city, I cannot dishonor him with any name other than that which he has been given. Speaking of ridicule, how Bosquito does mock you! Though we in the white lands consider your color to be that of the sea itself -- the most powerful force that exists on Earth outside the divine -- I look forward in anticipation to a physical defense of your honor. Do notice that my current attacks on Green are directed with the aim of weakening him at his core, but not with occupying and holding territory. I hope that we will both benefit equally from my efforts. Bosquito has just this day --and for a small sack of silver -- carelessly ruined one of the greatest cities of our age, and for this I hope to see him buried a long with Celeborn. Perhaps, incidentally, he will prove as generous to you with his archers as he has proven to me with his spiders. Finally, I see that you have engaged another minstrel in your service. It is a blessing and I hope to hear more from this bard as time passes. You were correct in your assessment of the one which has come to join Gosling Puff -- a rogue, a scoundrel, and he has corrupted the heart of my fine hero (though the distance traveled by her in this passage was very little, I must grant). This very day he has enjoined her to accompany him to a local tavern, when she would do better to review battle plans. If h er skill were less, I would be done with that one! All regards, honors again, etc. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords (To the tune of "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", though I messed up the form 'cause I don't remember how the song ends...) Well the Gosling went to Bob Heeter's Bar to get herself some brew By tomorrow night The Wise she might fight, So perhaps she'd drink a few. She came in with some spiders and with her dragon Dunn, Then the Archon flew From old St. Lou And said "let's have a little fun..." "The drinks you make here are nasty, Bob, but they do the job, I guess" Then a wise dwarf small Began a brawl And they left the place a mess. Dum bum bum... When the dust settled down and the bodies broke were dragged out from the place All looked at Gos In fear because Blood covered half her face Gosling got up smiling, and said "Oh it ain't mine! But from a half-dead troll I stole this pole" And then she started fly'n'! Dunn and the rest they laughed at this and each got on in turn. To drink before a fight It ain't too bright But Puff she'll never learn. CHORUS: Well, Puppy you'd better plan things right and up you cannot trip 'Cause war's broke out in A10 and somebody's gonna slip. Now in the south Bosquito's got Babyseal in his hold And in the east Puff's thinkin' only gold... Dum bum bum... By morn a dwarf at Antwerp came and hit the city fast And he knocked out A careless scout Whose time had come and passed. Then up by way of Berlin (ceded in a deal that turned a dud) In a demon burst And soon slaked his thirst With the lonely guard's warm blood. In Berlin they build spiders, and dwarves in Antwerp, yet, Would it be enough To take more stuff? With the Wise there's no safe bet. Dum bum bum... Babyseal moved in on Montreal, undefended (oui, c'est vrais!) These city walls Would stand or fall In an "heroic" fight one day. Bosquito's dragon woke the ghost, and, boy, it gave him fits! It spooked that haunt (No need to taunt!) All the way to St. Moritz. But the city there was sleeping, and all the guards were in the woods So the ghost walked in And with a grin Made off with all the goods! CHORUS Enemies do hear this vow... The time to make a stand is now... In the next few turns we'll see who's who... Hope the Pup's alive when we're through... (Now comes the instrumental closeout, a lot of fiddling and stuff...In the background you hear Babyseal's messenger arguing with the minstrel that he should be more optimistic of Little Puppy's chances, not always asking ominous questions to get morale do wn, etc. He gets thrown out of the bar, and the bartender Bob spins tales into the wee hours) -------- New City Builds: Berlin -- spiders Antwerp -- dwarves Helsinki -- lt. infantry Start End Cities: 8 12 Gold: 831 + 2*175 + 2*15 + 225 - 700 - 450 - 160 = *126* (2 * 175 is from pillaging scouts, 2 * 15 is from looting green cities, 225 from pillaging wolfriders in St. Moritz) Income: 228 332 Expenses: 65 65 Babyseal: 13 15 Gos. Puff: 6 9 Gosling Puff searches Bob Heeter's Bar and finds Pole of Bubka (fly). _______________________________________________________________________________ __________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 4 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 4 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Monday October 20, 1997 at 08:09 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 8:09 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 7:09 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 01:45 AM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; End of Turn 4 Report for Celeborn the Wise, Orange Player #2 Starting Gold: 265 Galadriel searches Irwin's Vault, withdraws 2459 gold Glorfindel searches Harrison's House, recruits two Wizards Wolfriders take London, pillage Scouts for 175 Build Spiders in London Build Spiders in Olympia Build Spiders in Tokyo Build Spiders in Locker Room End of Turn Hero Experience: Glorfindel: 10 (+3) Galadriel: 9 (+3) Final Gold = 265 + 175 + 2459 - 4*700 = 99 End of Turn Cities: 8 Gold 99 Income 180 Expenses 62 ============ Though the balance of his forces and his contructions focus within, it is well beyond the western horizon, and beyond the stretches of the southern rim of sky, that Celeborn's gaze pierces, and the grim mask upon his face remains. Mighty is the price he has presented to those arrayed against him, but more mighty still might be the cost they are willing. Verily, the cost of the citizens of Seoul was to burn their own dwellings rather than watch their livelihoods become transformed into Bonecracker's tyrannical mechinations of war. Perhaps their sacrifice will become heralded as a preamble of the age. "We have nothing but the time before us; let us prepare for then." ======== _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 4 Gamefile Sent To: Bosquito (Green) (rjohnson@rof.net) Date Sent: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 03:49 AM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Friday October 24, 1997 at 03:49 AM EDT (In GMT-0500: Friday October 24, 1997 at 2:49 AM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 06:07 PM EDT by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; Little Puppy, soon to be Mighty Puppy, My war general's have advised me of Galadriel's imminent death and your victory in Celeborn's western forest. Celeborn's Turn has shocked me. He is not city-mad but gold-mad. To sacrifice poor Galadriel, his own wife, for the price of a Pegasus is shocking. Indeed Galadriel left her magical items behind in anticipation of her death. I think Celeborn has made one of those "mistakes" you chided me about, and a catastrophic one at that. Galadriel's death can be achieved thus: (1) move your Demon and Spider to 1 square south of the Ruin where Galadriel rests. (2) Move Puff's stack of 5 to that same square and attack her 4 units as a stack of 7. (3) You will lose 5 units but can keep one ally of your choice and then easily escape. I am sure your generals have seen this battleplan themselves, but I simply cannot contain my amazement. I congratulate you on such a decisive vicyory. You have forseen what I did not. May the Light always shine upon You, Gor Bonecracker mw29@aol.com _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 09:13 PM EDT by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; Alas, my grief is great. For I must face the reality that I am no match for the Mighty Puppy. Mayhap my luck with be better with the fair sex than on the battle field. Flight! I have no ready defense against that pillaging ghost deep within my realm. Never again will I leave myself open to attack from the sky! I must train giant bats immediately! That deadly maggot has frozen too many of my troops to create an effective battle group to face Babyseal. So with head hung low, I must retreat further East. Do not think me a quitter though, as I will faithfully fight to my last wolfrider. And I have great hope for victory in future battles, as I will no doubt learn much from observing three mighty warlords as yourselves. ...but who knows what the Gods yet have in store. Babyseal, I only ask that you treat my former peasantry fairly. P.S. Celeborn: Great rebuttal to the "Seoul Incident"!! ------------- Turn Report: starting gold 403 ending gold 583 Beren II experience 13 Regina experience 8 Beren II finds Tonya's Fan Club (I love it!) at Vicker's Finale Beijing is pillaged for 175 St. Moritz is razed _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 4 Gamefile Sent To: Gor Bonecracker (Blue) (mw29@aol.com) Date Sent: Wednesday October 22, 1997 at 09:14 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Friday October 24, 1997 at 9:14 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Friday October 24, 1997 at 8:14 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Thursday October 23, 1997 at 01:38 PM EDT by "David C. Hauri" to all players; Mighty Gor, Cracker of Bones, Commander of the Arch-Angels from Both Godly Realms, and Controller of Great Worms of the Dank Earth, I thank you for your military suggestions, and assure you that we are expecting just such a battle and more. In fact, if you reread my previous messages you will see that I had placed the price of the war to my east at two mighty allies, expecting just this battle. It will be a great disadvantage for me, as I will now retain but one of my favored allies (though I grow more fond of my ghosties with each passing day...Hope I can get him home OK...). What was unexpected to me, and where Galadriel showed great foresight, I think, was in dropping his helmet deep within the dark forests of the East. Will it ever be found again, or is it lost for all eternity? I think perhaps there are some wolfriders in Celeborn's lair who can be gently coaxed into revealing it's location. In fact, I believe that your plans for the battle perhaps use more armies than needed. Notice that without his helmet, Galadriel is weakened enough that he can be slain with the stack you suggest minus one army. The question for me to ponder now is whether I should leave behind the dragon or archon and merrily plunder the north, seeking high ground to set up camp, as I have been doing with my ghost in the south (notice that my dragon can beat Celeborn's wizard), or whether I should keep my favored demon (am I the only one who thinks that nothing is so great as a demon in a war such as this one where mountains an water are sparsely placed?). Also, this is far from the end of the war upon Celeborn, for he has decided to entrench powerfully, though I would be so bold as to claim it is clearly the beginning of the end. I notice your many armies moving south and I am gladdened by their sight. I do not think Celeborn rash, however, to have gone for the gold, though I almost expected him to send Galadriel south to the mountain ruin after seeing what was in store in the north. He was deeply in need of gold for defense, and he really could not have let me take the 5000 gps that were to be my consolation prize. If this was not expected, did it not strike you as odd that I would build so many useless spiders all in a group? They are slow at attack, and quite expensive to maintain. If I had had but one more turn to complete my actions I would have built something useful on my eastern front. Great Bosquito, Whose Name My Wondrous Magical Editor Continues to Confuse with a Mere Parasite, but Whose Actions Demand Far Greater Fear, I had expected your entire force to take refuge in the place where you found Tonya's Fanclub, to attack me quickly when next your armies marched. You did the wise thing, for this would have been a trap and your fine hero would have quickly perished in my counter. I commend you, then, for knowing when to regroup and when to attack, and am saddened that I will not feast on dragon meat as I had hoped. Be kind to my ghost, for the reports I have heard say that he was acting only in fear of your cruel beast, and the plundering of your city was entirely accidental. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Thursday October 23, 1997 at 03:58 PM EDT by "Scott C. Best" to all players; A messenger swift of foot departs from the Great Eastern Forest to deliver a golden scroll upon the receivers of Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons: Great Western Warlord: The counsel heard to you from the southern lands has also passed mine ears, as has your worthy response, and before we both suffer the greivous losses facing us, I ask to to consider my words: This age is not long in the tooth, and suffer its challenges for many more years we will. For none except mine enemy to the south doest out great coming losses serve: your Archon and the Devil which stands aside Galadriel can never be replaced, and both of us will suffer for many more years under the banners of enemy warlords without them. Surely, as you have seen, the snow-point spear of Gil Galad is lost in the forest, as I have instrcuted a legion of Wolfriders to guards its keeping forever. It is not in Galadriel's swordarm out of folly, but rather not for temptation, n'er to mention it's mere symbolic nature if your Archon came against her, for then it's larger nature is but a memory. Finally, as you have seen, the securance of Gold is not a measure of greed, but rather of need. Again, consider, the years are long before us, and our debts are far more impressive than our treasuries. Should you choose to march against Gaadriel, then, know that you do so in the best interests of the Warlords Bonecracker. We both will be powerless to dispute his clams of the Center Cities to which even now he hastens (rather than strongly to battle with me, as you have previsouly asked of him). Yes, your heroin would survive with a single ally, but this will not be enough to take my reinforced cities, and collect the Gold you need, and to search for the Spear that was Lost, and to partipate in the War of Four Cities in the years head. So in conclusion I offer you an alternative. March not upon Galadriel, but rather focus upon your southern succeses (which have come in unexected bounty since you and I swore intents against each other), and vector your inertia to the center cities and the power they harness. In turn,I will willingly cede to you that which you cannot easily take, that being the riches in Ivan's Pallisade, which lie upon the southern path. Galadriel's path will be as you wish, mayhaps to the security of Rome, or even to the inner forest if you so wish. I ask you this knowing we are both commanders willing to fight for the long priceful victory, but know the larger value of a great cost reinvested. The balance of both our futures is upon you. Sealed in golden wax with the rune of Finwe Celeborn of Caras Galadhon _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Friday October 24, 1997 at 05:07 PM EDT by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; (From mw29@aol.com) A10 Turn 4 Player 4 Blue At Start: Cities:8 Gold:477 Income:228 Expenses:78 At End : Cities:9 Gold:307 Income:254 Expenses:78 Gor searches Langer's Lair.Finds Anton Geesinks Belt. Experience:Gor 8 to 11.Blood:6/no change Giant Worm pillages Dublin for 850: WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Neutral city 1 or 2 prod Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 0 0 2 0 *2* 0 No DEF: 0 0 0 0 0 *0* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- Worm, Giant 7 9 0.57626 <-- Lives! Defense Units: --------------- Griffin 6 8 0.42374 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining Dublin: Build Spiders 700 Rio: Build Bats 160, Lt Inf 160 __________________________ The razing of Seoul was a very Foul deed The gods punished Celeborn with all consuming gold-greed He looked at his wife and said I need gold Thus to Death was beautiful Galadriel sold She left his side on a mighty Dragonsteed All to fulfill her husband's gold need The price of a Pegasus is what Death shall pay When I waste my life this very fine day As she waited for the end, she heard from afar A loud raucous roar coming from Bob's Bar It was Puff and her Minstrel throwing down more than a few Oh, for precious Galadriel to lose her life to this crew Alas Galadriel was not the only one lost that day For the Great Gor Bonecracker also had a debt to pay When Seoul did fall, he cursed Celeborn both far and loud The gods sent him the gold-greed for being so proud He abandoned his troops and raced for the gold I will keep this until the mountains grow old Victory in war I no longer need The gathering of gold will be my only great deed _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 5 Gamefile Sent To: Little Puppy - Slayer of Dragons (White) (dchauri@princeton.edu) Date Sent: Friday October 24, 1997 at 05:09 PM EDT Date Gamefile Due: Monday October 27, 1997 at 5:09 PM EDT (In GMT-0500: Monday October 27, 1997 at 4:09 PM) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Sunday October 26, 1997 at 09:00 AM EST by "David C. Hauri" to all players; (To the tune of "Take the Money and Run" by the Steve Miller Band) This is the story 'bout that great hero Gosling Puff She got a bunch of friends together thinkin' they were tough Galadriel they chased (too bad she'd dropped her stuff) Oh in the fight they were just barely eno-ough! CHORUS: Singin' Oh-oh, kill the hero for fun! Yeah, sing it! Oh-oh, kill the hero for fun! Oooh, yeah! Oh-oh, kill the hero for fun! Yeah, yeah! Oh-oh, kill the hero for fun! Gosling Puff, o-oh, Galadriel she slayed Helping Bonecracker, yeah, with the deal they made! From his promise true, the Pup he won't be swayed To the eastern forest lands Puff will not be delayed! CHORUS! Celeborn he said: "Oh, take my money, please" But we can't have none of that, we promised G-- Messenger: Wait! Wait! Stop singing! Am I too late? Has the battle begun? Puff (from the floor behind the bar): * Hic * No, uh...What time is it? Messenger: Oh, thank the Locust! I have come afoot from I.O.C., running through the night to deliver this message. Puff: (Hee hee) You'd think in this great kingdom Babyseal could afford to give you a horse...Plus four hero, indeed! (hee hee) Messenger: Your greatness -- Others: (hee hee) -- the message is from Little Puppy himself! Puff stands up and brushes off her mail. Behind the bar, someone cries "OW!" and the Archon giggles. Dragon Dunn: Hey, where's the bartender? *hee hee hee!* Puff: QUIET! (There is instant silence) Fine messenger, I beg your pardon for this scene. Do produce the communication at once. My Hero Gosling Puff, I do hope that this message has reached you in time. I order you to stop your actions against Celeborn at once! The Mighty Gor Bonecracker has halted his advance in the southeast, and watches with glee as you and Galadriel go to each other's throats. Instead of building an attack as he had sworn, he plunders gold and mounts only defense. I cannot be bound to an ally who so boldly ignores his words. I give Galadriel a pardon and imagine that Wise Celeborn and I can work out our difficulties. Make haste now to the aid of Babyseal! -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Defender of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords In the southeast, a messenger arrives at the keep of Gor Bonecracker, to deliver this message: Mighty Gor Bonecracker, Great Ruler of the Southern Mountains and Dominator of All That Lies Within: We have been friends for but a short time, and our alliance led to great mutual benefit. I was prepared to sacrifice many powerful armies in its name, and may still if my messengers do not arrive in time. However, having given your solemn oath to press upon Celeborn's southern flank, you now hold back and instead go in search of gold. Indeed, your armies are more than a day's march from Celeborn's southernmost cities. What could have caused this lack of resolve when I have moved all that I posses to my east. Imagine the progress I could have made had I allowed my hero Babyseal to engage Bosquito with a demon rather than two minor ghosts! Was I unclear with regard to the haste I expected in an ally? Can you do no better than hover in your mountains and count your gold? Between us we could have ensured victory in the northeast in short time, with the only issue being who was first into the noble city Locker Room. I would have destroyed Celeborn's major allies and occupied both a wizard and a pegasus, leaving you to fight but three strong armies (hero, wizard, dragon) with your five. Was this not enough sacrifice on my part? Perhaps victory was so obvious to you that your plans moved to the next phase, but this is far from what we had agreed. I pleaded haste yet you saw fit to tarry, perhaps hoping that Celeborn would move even more in my direction to slow my assault. I will not be led to the slaughter so easily by you or any other. The rewards of my friendship are great and many, but in return I ask much. I ask that the spirit of our words are taken to be of great weight, and that my allies not plot my death until the fate of our common enemies is sealed. I consider your actions to have voided all agreements between us. Come now, leave Celeborn be and engage me in the center. We shall se what becomes of your treacherous armies. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords And in the east, at the gates of the Palace of Finwe (if such a place exists) a final scroll is borne: Wise Celeborn, Peaceful Sovereign of the Eastern Forest, Recent weeks have been foul between us. Our forces have rushed to the border with all haste, for the first to engage was to be the victor. By virtue of our placement by the Locust, my armies arrived first, and, I think you will agree victory was ours to take. If you have doubts upon this matter, consider that our demon, placed in Berlin, can not only defend Berlin, but menace London, Olympia, and Rome at once. My hero Puff could, on her next foray after slaying your noble and gallant wife Galadriel, choose to search for gold or attack London if the pegasus went there, depending upon your placement of armies. Properly placed, Rome and Ivan's Palisade could also have been hers to take soon, for your dragon appears quite busy at the time. Between the archer, which would have been in St. Louis on this day, and in Bob Heeter's Bar upon the morrow, the dwarves (one of which could have reached London with two spiders as the archer sipped Xtabentun), and our many spiders, London would have fallen quickly, I think. In due time, you would have been attacked by a pegasus, unicorns, and blessed griffins. Though you were, as you say, well-defended, my attack upon your western flank could only have faltered if all of your power were sent there to defend, and this would have left your south impossible to hold against even a reluctant Bonecracker. Your demise was well-planned, my friend, and unavoidable I believe even to a general of such unearthly wisdom as yourself. I was to suffer, but due to my lucky draw of placement, and due to a successful campaign to my south, the loss of two allies was not, perhaps, as great a handicap as you might otherwise have supposed. I say this not to impress you, for who can impress a warrior such as Celeborn?, but so that you understand that it is not through fear that I am cast into your arms, but though a desire for the mutual aid that you once spoke of. Many days I have wondered whether it was right to order my heros against you upon your request for time, but I do not make idle threats and I cannot one day say that an action will bring war and then the next claim I was merely bluffing. My word is all that I have, and I must guard it above all else. Verily, had Bonecracker sent his mighty hero north to menace you, I would have been tied by honor to his side; had his mighty worms and demon moved in your direction, I would have been bound to our agreement; had he made any motion to occupy your forces, though threat if not through action, I could have done nothing but pursue the course which I had directed. However, he did none of these things. His armies, except to defend, became only more distant from your cities, and so I am relieved of my obligation to him who desires much and considers little. Celeborn, this is good. I have directed my hero Gosling Puff to avoid Galadriel, and as I write I receive word that she has heard and obeyed. My entire army moves south now, as a token of friendship and trust. If you make the proper inquiries, you will even see that many of the spiders which are now being produced in the north are being sent far from your forest. Let us now make peace between our peoples, for we have much to occupy us in the south. Let us agree to have this peace, and assume that the terms can be worked out between us in time. In return for Galadriel's life you offered Ivan's Palisade, for which I thank you. If you wish it, we shall have peace between us for that price. However, I think we could both do better than that, for you have just built a mighty army for defense when I think soon you will be on the move again, and in need of gold for your coffers. I propose instead to return this gold to Galadriel, and in its place I wish to occupy London. I think a single city for 2500 gold pieces is a grand bargain, especially for one such as you who is in need of cash, but you may disagree. I have sent a spider to take London under the assumption that this deal would be acceptable to you, but I have given it orders to reside outside of the city so that you may retake London this day at no cost if you feel that it is worth more to you than gold. I have also left Berlin unguarded so that you may occupy it instead if you wish (of course I cannot forfeit both cities). My proposal to you is this: you may freely move into either city, Berlin or London, which both produce spiders, or you may help yourself to the gold in Ivan's Palisade -- do whichever you feel helps you the most. In return I ask for your friendship. You have been weakened somewhat, so I will no longer demand that you war with Bonecracker. In fact, I have called him to me so that you may rearm. However, if you inspect your forces now I think you will see that you are weakened only in spirit, and that you now have a force of awesome power to loose upon the mountains in the south if you wish it. I will be blunt, my friend: the dynamic has changed between us. The reward that I take for my successful campaigns is that I offer peace now on the lines drawn between us rather than upon the terms which I suggested before. I think you will agree that I am a generous friend, however, and we may discuss such matters as central cities if the opportunity arises. Unless you wish to claim them at the time, I will consider myself free to treat Atlanta or Dublin as I see fit. If, in the future, you desire either or both of these cities and they are mine to give, I am likely to abandon them to you as long as you can defend them (I will not abandon them for plunder). Obviously, if Bonecracker can hold his cities I can do little about it, but perhaps we can work together as I had suggested before to wrest them from his grasp. I make one final request, which you can treat as you will. Remember this day, Celeborn. The Locust has been good to me, and though I may keep little of what I now claim upon the battlefield, I have faith that my heros have built powerful, dynamic defenses. I pledge you this: if to me you are true, I will stand fast with you until the southern kingdoms are protectorates of less power than even that of our enemies in our previous war together. I will not attack without warning unless directly provoked. However, I am vain enough, and consumed enough with the glory of recent victories, however transient they may be, to imagine that the day may come when you see it in your interests to join with Bonecracker against me. Before you do so, remember this time, when battle was forgone. Recall the difficulty you would have faced in continuing in this noble campaign of ours had I pursued the course my planners and I had set for my hero Gosling Puff and her demon. Future victories against other foes, unless they were truly great, would be unable to erase the blemish of this small war, and the history of which Bonecracker is so fond may have moved on without you. However, I believe that even a mediocre finish here will be enough to allow future victories to shine through. I ask only that you not forget what you have been granted this day. I am not about to claim that I do not also receive benefit, and for that I thank you humbly. May our progress together be swift and long. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords This being done, Babyseal directs her armies with new goals. She looks upon the southern forest and realizes that her previous communication was made with little information, for her ghost was, in fact, quite free to roam and Bosquito's armies had disappeared as frost on a sunlit morning. To report her movement, she calls her own minstrel, for she cannot now trust Puff's, given that he came from the south quite uninvited. He begins to sing: (To the tune of Barry Manilow's "Oh, Mandy") Oh, Baby! You moved east and you took over Moscow And built infantry heavy, Oh, Baby! Then your ghost of Squaw Valley he made chow And took gold by the bevy, Oh, Baby! And -- Puff: No! No! I can't stand it! I will not battle under a banner that fights to easy listening tunes! It can't be done! Babyseal: How can we trust your little spy, Puff? Bonecracker's lackey? Puff: Oh, please, Baby, just no music today. Be merciful and sacrifice your minstrel to the Locust! We can deal with mine another time. Please, just don't let him write the songs! I made it through the rain and hard times at the Copa for more than this, and I'm not ready to take a chance again listening to that sap! I can't smile without -- Babyseal: Perhaps something to that Neil Diamond hit America? That's peppy. You know: "We're goin' to Barcelona!" Swallow one of the syllables and it could be great... Puff: Just write the damn thing like everyone else! Please, Your Greatness! Babyseal: Ah, very well. A ghost took Squaw Valley. From the placement of Bosquito's dragon, it appears he expected an attack at the rear gate. What a surprise to find that the front gate actually allowed for a quicker (and hopefully clean) getaway. The city was unattended when taken, and unicorn production was pillaged for 550 gold pieces. Bosquito -- don't burn Squaw Valley. I promise, even if you leave it undefended, I won't take it back this next turn, and I probably won't threaten it for a while, OK? It was just so tempting sitting there unguarded when I had expected the unicorn to be hanging out within... Babyseal and a ghost took Moscow and built heavy infantry there. It was undefended. An undefended Barcelona fell to a pair of light infantry, which pillaged spider production and replaced it with the less deadly heavy infantry, in anticipation of an eventual fallback. Each of Bosquito's cities yielded 32 gold pieces. A spider went to an undefended London, and borrowed it from Celeborn, who had only 6 gp to give. Gosling Puff searched the Cairn of Bazza and found 2698 gold pieces. She gave up 200 by building light cavalry in Mexico City and immediately overbuilding them with unicorns (thereby making it as if she had only found 2498 gp). Unicorns were built in Los Angeles, even though I have in the past scoffed at their use here...Had to use up all that gold... Oh, and Babyseal was the first hero to be awarded the title of "Amazon". All hail Babyseal! Start End Cities 11 15 Gold 357 + 2498 + 3*32 + 6 + 550 + 350 - 2000 - 300 - 1100 - 300 = 157 Expenses 107 107 Income 306 410 Babyseal 15 17 Gos Puff 9 12 New City builds: Moscow: Heavy Infantry Los Angeles: Pegasus Barcelona: Heavy Infantry Mexico City: Unicorns -- Little Puppy, SoD PoTBWaS AYToGW _______________________________________________________________________________ __________ __________/ \__________ <__________ Turn 5 __________> \__________/ _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 5 Gamefile Sent To: Celeborn the Wise (Orange) (sbest00@svpal.org) Date Sent: Sunday October 26, 1997 at 09:00 AM EST Date Gamefile Due: Tuesday October 28, 1997 at 09:00 AM EST -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 27, 1997 at 04:08 PM EST by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; (from mw29@aol.com) Little Puppy, Here is the strategy behind my moves. (1) My troops are waiting for the arrival of the Archon this turn. As I only had three troops to advance the last turn I could not go forward for all would have been destroyed. (2) My hero takes the gold this turn and goes back to fight Celeborn. On the next turn he forms a stack of eight and advances on Celeborn. He could not have moved his hero against you in any event for it would have led to instant defeat. (3) As we agreed in our Treaty, I took one central city and planned to take the other allotted to me. Had I wished to threaten you I would have sent both worms. I left the one worm facing Celeborn so he would be more threatened. (4) I had no choice but to take the gold as I have lost to Bosquito as decisively as you have defeated him, and I had to get gold somewhere to avoid bankruptcy. David, Is there something personal going on here that I do not understand? You sparing of Scott does not make sense. You have given up a great deal to ensure that he survives. Had you continued your attack, Scott would have been eliminated, not only from this game but from the final rounds as well, and you would have had an incredible ending score. I can only assume that you and Scott became friends in P9 and this has contributed to your actions. For some reason the W2WT placed you as Players 1 & 2 in P9 and as Players 2 & 1 in A10. You were allies in P9 and now allies in A10 to no surprise. Scott even proposed exactly the same treaty you used in P9 on the first turn. I sought an alliance with you because I wanted to have a fair game. I would have preferred a free for all with no alliances, but I did not want to face a repeat of P9 with two players who had perfected their strategies in Team Play. I have been unhappy with this game since the first turn when Scott proposed the same alliance you used in P9. I knew then this game would be determined by what happened there and not here. It seems unfortunately I have been proved correct. Whatever the substance is, the appearance of this situation is highly unfair which is the most critical point. I suggest that Bill Irwin take a look at the P9 history and what is now happening and do a better job at matching players for the Second Round who have not played together before, in the same positions, as allies on virtually the same map. To be in this situation on the First Round when there are 50 Mac players does not seem correct. I welcome your thoughts on this rather unpleasant subject. _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 27, 1997 at 06:22 PM EST by "David C. Hauri" to all players; I agree that things appear to be moving as you had feared, Gor, but I want to make it clear that it is not for personal reasons, but military reasons that I act as I do. I have sent Bill an explanation of my strategy, so that he can make some assessment of whether I have been swayed by a desire to be nice to Celeborn if people feel that would be helpful. I did not want to post my reasons here because there are some things that I do not wish to make public at this time, largely because they involve what I see as my weaknesses and I don't want to point things out to my enemies that they may not have noticed before. Also I don't want to share my assessment of the overall game dynamics at this time. I agree that I have gotten to like Kelley, as I have gotten to like most of the people with whom I have played. I don't think this has affected my play, though, and if it has then I am in trouble because I need to be able to kill anyone if I am to advance. As far as this alliance being the exact same one as we had in P09, I think there are a fairly limited set of alliance structures in this game, and they generally involve two people agreeing not to take cities in each others territory. I am cocky, so I tend to add in center cities on the assumption that we can take them. This is largely the result of Celeborn taking a center city that I had hoped for in P09. I would have proposed the same alliance to you if we shared borders. What I think is bad about this game is not the past associations, but the fact that alliances are really what matter. We are currently not playing a game of who is the best fighter, but who can get together with whom. From the explanation that the organizers sent out, this was partially on purpose, since they ruled diplomacy to be very important. I think the head-to-head ladder will be different in that respect, and will show much more strongly who is militarily superior. The problem with allowing alliances in a game like this is that someone who deserves to go on in the tournament will get screwed just because other people joined forces against him/her. I think the main problem with our game in particular is that it was not right to put three people who all had eighteen or more cities in the practice round together at once. With apologies to Bosquito if I sound overly dismissive (which I am not, witness my concerted effort to weaken him as quickly as possible for fear of retribution), this sets up a two against one dynamic that inevitably makes someone feel ganged up on. It also means that one of us is going to have to do really well in the future to make it to the higher rounds. I think that the personal thing is inevitably a problem in games with alliances. There is a group of hard-core e-mailers, who we outsiders think of as best friends who will all gang up to kill us in the later rounds. Perhaps this is true, perhaps it is not, but I think that all of us who joined when we saw the announcement on the web feel at a disadvantage. Your fear of me and Celeborn using a past game to plot team movements is just a weaker version of this general imbalance. Now, regarding my decision to take Celeborn up on his proposal, there are two questions here. The first is whether what I did was militarily correct. I think it was, but that will remain to be worked out. I don't think I have hurt my final score in this game just to give Celeborn a hand, as you imply. I think I have given Celeborn a hand in order to give myself a hand in this particular game. The other question is whether my actions were treacherous, as you claim to feel that you did not breach our treaty. If I was treacherous, then I will pay in future games because people will not want to ally with me. It will help me here but I will get nowhere in the long run. In my defense, I have to say that your moves coincided with what I saw as my nightmare scenario, and it looked to me like you were letting up on Celeborn. I think that you did have other options which I would have seen as more agressive. I think that to wait for your archon at the expense of letting Celeborn build up his spiders was not a good choice. I think that to sack the center city suggested that you did not think you could hold it, since griffins are much more useful than spiders. To me your forces looked like they could hold that city very easily against one front, and so your sacking made it appear that you were expecting two fronts. That made me think you were going to come take advantage of my weakened state (having just sacrificed an archon and a dragon), and that made me worry. Your actions are, indeed, consistent with the plan you suggest, and your anger indicates that you feel you have been wronged, so perhaps I judged you incorrectly. However, your actions are also consistent with one who wishes to let his enemies run each other into the ground and then pick up the pieces himself. I had to make a decision to put myself at a great disadvantage with respect to you by losing a dragon and an archon, and to do this I had to be pretty certain that you were going to bang your head against the wall for me too. To me, your actions indicated that you were hoping to take advantage of the situation rather than press things until Celeborn collapsed. Maybe I was wrong, and if so I guess I can only say that I am paranoid and that makes me a difficult ally if people don't keep saying what they intend to do. Perhaps, even, my paranoia will be seen by others as treachery. If so, then I am in trouble, but I don't see it that way. In any event, even treachery in a game such as this is a very different thing than favoritism. Finally, to Celeborn, I hope you don't let Gor's concern alter your military choices. I think we can do great things together, and I don't see an alliance between us as incestuous in any way, having played only one game together. I expect to fight you tooth and nail either in this game if we are successful, or in future rounds if we meet again. I certainly hope that you take my action and obvious trust to be more important than accusations of favoritism, and you join with the hand that has given you new life. If there is anything wrong in what I have done it is that I was overly paranoid of Gor's movements, a paranoia you hoped to play on, and that is only to your benefit. There is now a bitter taste to this game, and I suppose I am a breeding ground for bitter tastes as you felt the same way when I insisted that you attack Gor, but that is mostly, I think, because so much is riding on the outcome. Come fight with me, Celeborn, and we shall be victorious. -- Dave _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday October 27, 1997 at 08:44 PM EST by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; I too think greater care should be given to mixing up rounds a little better; then this whole argument is moot. As far as feeling bitter about the game, why bother; no one is cheating. I'm going to be lucky to get to turn 11 or 12 but I'm still enjoying myself. And I'm not concerned about playing y'all who laid down the hurt in the practice round--I've been officially bit by the email bug and will continue to play after the tournament is over! I consider it to be to my advantage to play a round with three stellar warriors such as yourselves And at least I'm gona kill the first hero this coming turn... -Bosquito _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 5 Gamefile Sent To: Bosquito (Green) (rjohnson@rof.net) Date Sent: Wednesday October 29, 1997 at 01:32 AM EST Date Gamefile Due: Friday October 31, 1997 at 01:32 AM EST -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Wednesday October 29, 1997 at 01:58 AM EST by "Scott C. Best" to all players; End of Turn 5 Report for Celeborn the Wise, Orange Player #2 Starting Gold: 185 Glorfindel searches Panagos' Tomb, finds Blessing of Olympus (com+1) Wolfriders take Sparta, pillage Scouts for 175 Build HeavyInf in Sparta End of Turn Hero Experience: Glorfindel: 13 (+3) Galadriel: 9 (nc) Final Gold = 185 + 175 - 300 = 60 End of Turn Cities: 8 Gold 60 Income 180 Expenses 95 =========== From the treetop splendor or Caras Galadhon, an emissary sets forth to the kingdom of Little Puppy. Unto his field commander Gosling Puff a golden scroll sealed with the Finwe rune is delivered: General Puff, Field Commander of Little Puppy: It is with the pride of an eager ally that I salute you this day. Galadriel has returned from her trial, and not since our reunion after the fall of Ost'N'Edhel have I so gladly celebrated her fortune. In the belongings of this messenger, may you be pleased to find the keys to London and Berlin -- I cede their claim to you as a sign of my gratitude and my commitment to the terms you indicated in your foreread missive. As your scouts will soon report to you, the balance of my strenght in now arrayed upon my southern border. This border will press onward, beyond the smoke that has cleared, into great victories beyond, and may it be that our next adjoining cities be coastal along the great southern ocean. May the lines of communication and concordance between us lie upon a long road. Celeborn of Caras Galadon _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Friday October 31, 1997 at 08:42 AM EST by "Robert E. Johnson" to all players; "Regina, Beren, what do you two want to do today?" "Well, razing Little Puppy's cities and potential cities is always a hoot!" "And hey! I can help the spider burn down Barcelona and kill a couple peons off at the same time! I was going to raze Oslo so Gor couldn't get it,but I'm having second thoughts. "Very nice of you Windy, he's already had his manhood chopped-off by those self-serving glad-handers Celeborn and Puppy (may their private parts fester and fall away, may a thousand badgers feast on their entrails, may their eyes implode and become nests for very small buzzards, may geckos nibble unceasingly on their earlobs, and their foul armies suffer from pestilence, disease and many parking tickets). Unfortunately I had my cards on the table and had go through with the Rio Slaughter. Besides how can a guy named Bosquito pass up feasting on someone named Blood Dancer. Indeed, the temptation was too great! "Remember, don't eat your candy until I take a look at it. And stay off of Mr. Fitzsimmons lawn this year" SLAM--CRASH "Ahh, Beren you dope, you've got to cut eye holes in that linen if you're going to be a proper ghost! I swear by every god, you're dumber than a bucket of hair." ------------------------------------------------ Gold at start 476 Regina starting experience 8, ending 13 Beren starting experience 13, ending 13 Gold at end 503 Bat razes Squaw Valley Barcelona conquered and razed Regina gets Jump of Lewis at Dashorst Pit Regina conquers Rio and begans training spiders ------------------------------------------------ WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Enemy city 0,1,2 prod Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 0 0 1 0 *1* 0 No DEF: 0 0 0 0 1 *1* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- Elemental 5 6 0.81395 <-- Lives! Spider 4 7 0.49340 <-- Dies.. Defense Units: --------------- Infantry, Lt 2 4 0.18605 <-- Dies... Infantry, Lt 2 4 0.04952 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Enemy city 3 or 4 prod Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 2 0 1 0 HN *1* 0 Yes DEF: 1 1 1 0 2 H *2* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- *Hero 7 8 0.51461 <-- Lives! Devil 7 8 0.29088 <-- Dies.. Dragon 7 8 0.10010 <-- Dies.. Wolfrider 4 5 0.00769 <-- Dies.. Wolfrider 4 5 0.00076 <-- Dies.. Defense Units: --------------- *Hero 5 7 0.48539 <-- Dies... Devil 7 9 0.30693 <-- Dies... Spider 4 8 0.08103 <-- Dies... Dwarf 4 6 0.00520 <-- Dies... Bat, Giant 1 3 0.00001 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 5 Gamefile Sent To: Gor Bonecracker (Blue) (mw29@aol.com) Date Sent: Friday October 31, 1997 at 08:42 AM EST Date Gamefile Due: Monday November 3, 1997 at 08:42 AM EST -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday November 03, 1997 at 02:23 AM EST by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; From mw29@aol.com A10 Turn 5 Player 4 Blue At Start:Cities:8 Gold:396 Income:180 Expenses:94 At End :Cities:8 Gold:1666 Income:180 Expenses:94 Gor searches Birnbaum's Crypt for 2420 gold.Experience 11 to 14. Dwarf razes Grenoble. Pikeman razes Oslo. Worm razes Atlanta. Build Dwarves on The Couch for 450. Build Spiders in C. d'Ampezzo for 700. ________________________________ LP, I'm sticking with the terms of our agreement for better or worse. _______________________________________________________________________________ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tournament Game: "A10" Turn Number: 6 Gamefile Sent To: Little Puppy - Slayer of Dragons (White) (dchauri@princeton.edu) Date Sent: Monday November 03, 1997 at 02:26 AM EST Date Gamefile Due: Wednesday November 5, 1997 at 02:26 AM EST -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday November 03, 1997 at 02:47 AM EST by mw3119@IDT.NET to all players; From mw29@aol.com I left out the siege of Atlanta from my turn report. To avoid future litigation, I reconsidered that idea. Here it is: WarBOT v1.0a Armyset: Tournament b1-4 WL version: Mac CD Intense Combat: Off Terrain: Neutral city 1 or 2 prod Hero Bonuses Non- For- TOTAL Minus Fly Natural Item Hero tify City Cancel BONUS Enemy Item -------------------------------------------------------------- ATT: 0 0 2 0 *2* 0 No DEF: 0 0 0 0 0 *0* 0 No Entered Final Attack Units: Strength Strength Survival % --------------- -------- -------- ---------- Worm, Giant 8 10 0.64800 <-- Lives! Defense Units: --------------- Griffin 6 8 0.35200 <-- Dies... Attacker wins with 1 unit(s) remaining _______________________________________________________________________________ The following message was sent on Monday November 03, 1997 at 05:44 PM EST by "David C. Hauri" to all players; To The Mighty Gor Bonecracker, I must begin with my deep condolences for the loss of your son, the legendary hero Blooddancer. I am blessed with incompetent progeny, and so have no fear that they will be lost in war. None would be so foolish as to follow them into battle, and they are too proud to follow another. Unlike you, I toy with the offspring of others, though I feel the weight of this duty is immense indeed. Surely, at least, your son's bravery has made you proud, and we cannot ask of our children that they live less in order to live longer. I must also respond to your message that you intend to observe the conditions of our agreement. You have been a good friend, Great Bonecracker, and we will now never know if your intentions were as my military advisors saw them. My advisors also did not predict the death of your son, and perhaps I would have felt less threatened by your movements if I had understood that you were about to suffer such a loss. This much is in the past, and even had my scouts reported the flying wolfriders, I cannot rely upon others to battle as I would wish it. I will grant you, then, the benefit of the doubt, as one who threatened without intent, or perhaps as one who read the prospects of battle much differently than I. It is to my great sadness that my choices are forced without the benefit of communication between you and I. Our capitols are spread far, and our decisions must be made without information due to the difficulty of interaction. However, I cannot vacillate without end, and I must stick with the decisions which I have made, even under such unfortunate conditions. Previously I sent you word that I considered our agreement to have been ended by your actions. I have since received word that, under this understanding, the powerful warlord Celeborn the Wise has agreed to a cessation of hostilities along our mutual border, and we both expect the peace between our peoples to be long-lived and glorious. I fear that if I were to return to observing our agreement, I would strike the same fear in his heart that you struck in mine; since I am easily spooked, I must expect the same of my allies, and thus I attempt to reassure them at every option. I say to you then, do not feel bound in your actions to promises made at a happier time. If you feel it is to your advantage to take a city of mine or destroy my forces, I will not fault you for acting upon those estimations. I will say now that I have no present designs upon your cities, and expect to leave them for Celeborn. They are far out of my sphere of influence, and for me to attack would be to leave them open to destruction, as I have learned in the forests to my south. You have nothing to fear from me at this time -- I had expected our armies to clash, but you have redeployed defensively and I see no gain to be had in digging you out. Celeborn, it seems, can take Dublin on his own, and I will not interfere with him there by taking it first myself. However, I warn you now that this may change, and I intend to give no further warning. If the balance shifts, and Celeborn needs my help to take Dublin, I will oblige him if the price is payable. Given the good fortune that has landed in my lap with no particular skill on the part of my heroes, I expect to eventually do battle with whomever occupies the mountains which you now burn. A warlord who does not expand, dies, for we are as sharks in the blue -- to stop moving is to suffocate. You would be wrong, O Gor, to feel yourself safe in my presence, and I tell you that as a favor for past kindness. I believe that many in your situation would rue the day that they did befriend me. I hope it is not so with you, for in my estimation you gained much from our agreement. Celeborn's statements in the early days indicated, I think, an intention to eventually battle as we do now. Had you not agreed to fight alongside me, he would have been a much stronger foe than he is, for he has developed himself for defense and ceded the initiative of first attack by deploying against me. It is my policy that those who refuse alliances I offer should pay a price quickly, and Celeborn's current disadvantage is his payment for rejecting the terms I suggested. Hopefully, I will demonstrate to him that I am also a generous friend, and that he will gain much as we fight together. Many of your current troubles, it seems, come from your western front, where Bosquito now rampages. Perhaps you could have made peace with him, but it is my experience that Bosquito befriends no one. From what I have seen, he enjoys movement more than anyone, and is perfectly content to cede an entire front if it allows him to battle in another direction. Do recall that early on I warned all against underestimating this destroyer of nations. -- Little Puppy, Slayer of Dragons Protector of Things Both Weak and Small And Yipping Tormentor of Greater Warlords Ode to Bosquito (to the tune of Day-O, the Banana Boat Song) Bosquito, me say 'squii-ii-ito, why you take these cities and you burn 'em all up? Bosquito, me say 'squii-ii-ito, why you take these cities and you burn 'em all up? I work all day, to take your cities (but you take them back and you burn 'em all up) I send my ghost in, to get your money (but you take your cities back and you burn 'em all up!) Come, now Bosquito, stop terrorizing peasantry (don't take those cities and burn 'em all up) Me say come now Bosquito how much death you wanna see? (don't take those cities and burn 'em all up!) Bos, me say Bos me say Bos me say Bosquiiiiiito, (etc.) But you show some guts there in Rio town (you took out Blooddancer and his mean devil friend) You took it solid and you didn't burn it down (you killed old Blooddancer and his mean devil friend) You showed you weren't a baby, you showed you weren't a guppy (you took a hit but you got the job done) You showed you weren't a sissy wimp like sad old Little Puppy (you took the hit but -- Gosling Puff: (giggle) You can't say that! Minstrel: I can't say that Bosquito showed guts and cleverness in killing Gor's son? Puff: No, that last part about Little Puppy! Minstrel: Oh, no offense intended...I couldn't think of anything else that would rhyme with "guppy"...And, you know, he did back down pretty fast there in Irwin's Vault... Puff: Look, there will be no ridicule of the Boss coming from this camp! I'm betting Babyseal's gonna make one of her legendary blunders soon, and take Bosquito's sword right through the soft little belly. Let's stay on the good side of the Head Man, OK? Besides, he saved your rear. If the fighting had come down to Galadriel and me, I would have thrown your sorry butt on her sword just to distract her. Minstrel: Oh, little miss mighty hero gets nasty! Get over here you -- Puff: Rogue! Stop that! Sing me a song first... To the tune of "On Top of Spaghetti": The ghost in the mountains, did look to the north He saw Chamonix there, and thought what's it worth? There's nobody home now, but if I make it mine I'll have to defend it, or the peasants be fry'n! One bad elemental, (Barcelona he'd burnt) Might try to smash ghostie, that much we have learnt. If he can find friends here, in these dangerous woods We'll all be made flambe, by that pack of hoods! But ghostie felt no fear, he took it and he Built infantry heavy, too heavy to flee. If they invaded the city and made it like toast, He'd take Beijing next then, he said with a boast. Bosquito'd raze that, too, if hist'ry's a guide The fires would blaze hot, so tall and so wide! They'd burn the whole forest, choke the mountains in NOx Just like Indonesia, but with more stable stocks. At the same time in Munich, a demon and friend Fought a mean old gray griffin who met with his end. Alas the poor dwarf died for the greater good, Sacrificing for Puppy, as all armies should. Babyseal and the Gosling found gold by the ton When they each searched ruins, killing nasties for fun. Under Gary Best's Tombstone, Gosling Puff she found hers, Babyseal in Lair of Leung, stashed under some furs. Finding between them 4883 Gold pieces to add to the stash of Puppy. But quickly they used them, building madly and fast Griffins in Moscow, to echo the past. There and in Munich they built infantry light And in Munich add bats big, though poorly they fight. In the capitol city they built elephants grand In Helsinki catapults: nice to have on hand. All my gold for an engineer to rebuild what's been lost So many great cities my opponents have tossed Into the great dustbin of history past Oslo's not the first one, and perhaps not the last. One thing that's amusing in blood on the land Is Bonecracker's been razing everything that he can. With loud indignation he greeted Seoul's pyre Now the tables have been turned, and the South is on fire! TURN SUMMARY: New City Builds: Munich, giant bats, light infantry Moscow, griffins, light infantry IOC, elephants Helsinki, catapults Chamonix, heavy infantry Ghost kills green giant bat, which was amusing itself in the updra