Web Posted October 06, 2001
Web Posted October 06, 2001

Dammnnnn . . .

-- Al Simmons
Spawn: The Motion Picture
 

This quote is the first expression that appears in my brain when I look at this issue's contents, which includes eight duel reports, eight new Web sites, a new Car Wars discussion forum, the resurrection of an ancient AADA chapter, and a mini-scenario. During July, I thought I did not have enough material to assemble this issue with an acceptable amount of news and stories. I am pleasantly surprised I was incorrect in that assumption. I hope you will be as well . . . after you quit wondering why I have sent you another long newsletter to your elmay accounts.

The main reason I tried to create a large issue this month is to celebrate the arrival of Gen Con 2001 in Wisconsin this week, and the start of 2050-2051 AADA World Dueling Championships. Good luck, road warriors. I look forward to seeing John Blaylock, reigning champion, rip out all of your ICEs with his bare hands, although seeing him be destroyed in the opening seconds of the final round is appealing, too.
 

14 YEARS AGO TODAY

Hello there, and welcome to Autoduel Quarterly! I'm Stephen M. Beeman, the new editor of ADQ. (For those who haven't heard already, Scott D. Haring, ADQ Editor, has moved on to the greener pastures in the Great White North, working for TSR.) As I write this, ADQ 5/3 is just going out to the printers -- and in just a few weeks, so will issue 5/4! I can tell you already that I do not want to be editor of Autoduel Monthly!

Stephen M. Beeman
ADQ Editor
The Driver's Seat Column
ADQ Vol. 5, No. 4
Winter 2037
 

I wondered if SJ Games was going to publish a monthly Car Wars magazine after I read this statement in 1988, one year after I started autodueling. I never realized until a few weeks ago, after reading these words when I looked up a question in ADQ 6/4, that I have been producing Autoduel Monthly for over four years. I have over 160 subscribers, a level that has remained constant over that period of time. Most of you must either like CWIN, are bored to sleep by reading it but you do not want to critisize me, or you delete each issue as soon as it arrives but again you do not want to tell me your dislikes. Although it might sting at first, I would like to have feedback, positive or negative, so I can tailor the newsletter to your interests.
 

LAST NAMES ARE YOUR FRIENDS

Help! Please make the WADA League Manager happy by listing both the first name and last name of each player in a duel report you submit for the WADA Car Wars League. Both first and last names make my job entering event results into the WADA Standings much easier.

If you want an incentive to give me both first and last names (I can also accept a first name initial and a last name), you have one: Adding this detail to your reports will make me more excited about your data, inspiring me to add it to the WADA tournament statistics faster.
 

2050-2051 AADA WORLD DUELING CHAMPIONSHIP GOODIES

Are you wondering where the new edition of the Car Wars Referee Questionnaire is located? Are you unable to access the two articles from ADQ 6/3 and the article from ADQ 10/4 that have official AADA rules? I have solutions to your problems.

1. Eric Freeman has released up-to-date versions of the CWRQ and ODQ. I have the documents in both Microsoft Word and HTML formats in the AADA section of my Web site.

2. I submitted to Phil Reed and to Eric Freeman HTML editions of these articles for placement on Car Wars HQ and for use at Gen Con 2001:

Deception in Car Wars. Ken Scott. ADQ 6/3. Fall 2038. p. 8.
Showing Your Stuff: Car Descriptions in Car Wars. Ken Scott. ADQ 6/3. Fall 2038. pp. 9-10.
Evil Stevie Returns: Three New Combat Options from the Original Designer. Steve Jackson. ADQ 10/4. Winter 2042. pp. 6-7.

(Phil and Eric: Both of you have been great in responding to me even though both of you have had awesome schedules. Thanks!)
 
 

RUNNING NUMBERS

The WADA League Standings will be updated with eight games played in June or July on Saturday, in time before the final round of the 2050-2051 AADA WDC. Look for the new standings soon!
 

Reduce traffic congestion: Drive on the sidewalks.

See you in 30 days,

Michael P. Owen
 

D-DAY: A MINI-SCENARIO

By Chris French
Oregon Independent
csadn@ix.netcom.com
 

The locals had reason to be proud. They were little more than farmers -- simple country folk. Yet, when that cycle gang -- whatever they'd named themselves -- had tried to set up shop inside the county line, these "simple country folk" had popped into their camp under cover of darkness and shot that gang to bits. To top it off, they'd managed to take the gang's leader alive (the rest of the gang had been annihilated). Now had come the Big Day -- the leader's trial, most likely to be followed by his execution. Most of the locals had headed out for the
day, leaving behind the trial's players, and the sheriff. The gang leader's rescuers couldn't have asked for more . . .
 

Set-up

Use the Midville maps from Deluxe Car Wars or Sunday Drivers. All town defenses are absent. All doors are shut (treat as an extension of the wall).
 

Defender' Forces

2 Sheriffs
Skills: Driver +1, Gunner, Cyclist, Martial Arts.
Personal Equipment: Body armor, rifle, 2 VLAWs, tear gas grenade.

4 Guards
Skills: Driver, Gunner, Handgunner, Cyclist, Martial Arts +1.
Personal Equipment: Shotgun, 4 tear gas grenades.

12 Courtroom Personnel (Judge, Prosecutor, Defender and 10 Observers)
Skills: None applicable to combat
Personal Equipment: None

2 Modified Mini-Shermans: Back armor has 24 points plastic armor. The sheriffs drive these vehicles.

The sheriffs begin inside the Block 9 deli, near the door. Their Mini-Shermans, shut down, are outside the deli. Guards are next to the door of the courtroom (Block 6 building, the room with a "6" printed on it). Two will be outside of the coutroom, and two will be inside, one on each side of the door. The judge is in the center of the courtroom's northern wall. The prosecutor begins 1/4" southeast of the judge. The defender begins 1/4" southwest of the judge. Observers are scattered in the southern half of the area.
 

Attacker's Forces

1 Gang Leader
2 Slasher Pilots
2 Gazelle II Pilots
2 Hawk Pilots
1 Econobox Pilot

Skills: Cyclist +2, Gunner +1, Handgunner +1, Martial Arts

2 Modified Slashers (each with a TC). Cyclists have body armor, SMG with extra magazine, and a heavy pistol.

2 Gazelle IIs. Cyclists have body armor, SMG, heavy pistol, and 2 concussion grenades.

2 Hawks. Cyclists have body armor, shotgun, limpet mine, 3 explosive grenades.

Modified Econobox (with standard chassis): Driver has body armor, rifle, 3 concussion grenades, and tear gas grenade.

The Gang Leader begins in the courtroom, immediately south of the Defender's personnel.The Econobox driver and all cycle pilots begin in their respective vehicles, which will enter in an "H" pattern (Slashers in first row, Gazelles and Econobox in second row, Hawks in third row) from North Kazango at 60 mph.
 

Victory Conditions

Attacker must collect the Gang Leader and depart via Kazango northbound, while also rendering the Defender unable to pursue. If the Defender can pursue, use debris-littered straight road sections, and continue until one side is defeated.
 

Special Rules

1. The Defender may not kill the Gang Leader unless he has been collected by the Attacker.
2. Weapons and vehicles on a side may not be exchanged among members of that side until shooting starts.
 

Strategies

Attacker: Do not linger -- get in, get him, and get out. Using area effect weapons is dangerous until the target is picked up. Those concussion grenades are useful as a means to break off a fight; using them while going in could incapacitate the target, making pick up difficult. Tires make nice targets here. Remember that two of the Econobox's cargo spaces are in the cab -- and thus fully protected by armor.

Defender: Those tear gas grenades can make life hard for bikers -- or the target (he can't be killed, but . . . ). Aiming for tires might work, if one can expect to stop all enemy vehicles; otherwise, it will make pursuit difficult (note your characters' skills). The best course of action is to force
the bikers to dismount, then shoot them (or simply try to shoot them off their bikes, if side shots are possible).
 
 
 

HAWKWIND: THE EDGE OF TIME
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/EdgeOTime

Excerpts from Hawkwind's Gaming History
 

1985: Ran 30 straight hours of Car Wars at WarCon 86, including:

*    The Car Wars tournament
*    A Car Wars teaching session
*    Playtesting of the Dueltrack supplement with Steve Jackson and Scott Haring
*    Car Wars in the open gaming room before, after, and in between the above
*    Playtesting of Man-To-Man (the precursor to GURPS) with Steve Jackson.
 

1986: Became a true Steve Jackson Games fan after discovering Car Wars. Ran the Car Wars group for MSC Nova (the student gaming group at TAMU) as well as acting as an AD&D GM.
 

(Editor's Note: Please visit the Web editions of these articles to view their diagrams and photographs.)
 

AIR FORCE SAYS 'LOST NUKE" SHOULD STAY LOST
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/07/11/lost.nuke/index.html

CNN Interactive
http://www.cnn.com
July 11, 2001
Posted: 7:03 PM EDT (2303 GMT)

By Jamie McIntyre
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Air Force said Wednesday it is giving up any effort to recover an unarmed nuclear bomb jettisoned off the
Atlantic coast near Savannah, Georgia, in February 1958.

An Air Force statement said simply, "The bomb will remain categorized as irretrievably lost."

The Air Force said the 7,600-pound bomb lacked a key plutonium capsule needed to cause a nuclear explosion, although it contained radioactive uranium and 400 pounds of "conventional explosive."

The U.S. Navy, the Department of Energy, and the Savannah District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers all agree the cost and risk associated with resuming the search for the bomb -- known in military parlance as a "broken arrow" -- outweigh the potential benefit, according to the Air Force.

"Each agency studied these areas independently," the Air Force statement said.

"It is the collective opinion of all four agencies that it is best to leave the bomb undisturbed. Since there was no nuclear capsule on board the aircraft there is no possibility of a nuclear explosion.

"The findings also determined that if left undisturbed, the explosives in the bomb are not hazardous to the public. However, the explosives could pose a serious hazard to recovery personnel and the environment if disturbed by a recovery attempt."

The Air Force also is concerned that the destructive nature of the search and recovery operation would cause unacceptable short- and long-term environmental damage to the area and could cause irreparable damage to the Floridan aquifer, which provides drinking water to
the region.

On February 5, 1958, a B-47 bomber on a training mission collided with a fighter jet near Savannah and had to jettison the bomb to land safely at Hunter Air Force Base. The bomb was dumped near Tybee Island, 12 miles east of Savannah. The F-86 fighter crashed after the pilot bailed out safely.

Officials estimate the bomb was dropped at least five miles off the coast and now lies beneath 8 to 40 feet of water and buried in 5 to 15 feet of sand and silt.

The military spent weeks searching for it and gave up on April 16, 1958.

The Air Force reinvestigated the accident at the request of Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Georgia, who represents the coastal Georgia area.
 

Broken Arrow
 

ARMY MEETS 007
http://www.popsci.com/automotive/features/smartruck/index.html

With a host of Bond-like gadgets, the Army's latest peacekeeping machine protects without taking lives.

Popular Science
http://www.popsci.com
June 2001

Written by Dan McCosh
Photography by John B. Carnett

Either U.S. Army engineers are watching too much TV, or the nature of peacekeeping is changing. The military's latest ride -- specially designed for urban centers, where the population is often partly hostile and partly friendly -- takes a cue (or is that Q?) from Bond, James Bond.

The prototype SmarTruck is designed to shake up the bad guys without stirring the general population. The result is a kinder, gentler combat vehicle -- something that looks like a regular SUV from the outside, but features a mix of high-tech gadgets that ensure quick getaways and the safety of its occupants. Army researchers at the National Automotive Center in Warren, Michigan, started by shielding a Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup truck with Kevlar and bulletproof glass, capable of stopping small-arms fire. Passive protective devices enable the vehicle to move through hostile crowds, and sensory capabilities aid working at night and along confined, strange urban pathways.

Although much of this seems familiar to movie-goers, a cost-conscious new Army found considerable inspiration in the current array of low-cost but high-tech gadgets available to the general public. Here's a look at some of the coolest features.

1. BULLETPROOF GLASS: All of the truck's glass withstands small-arms fire (not to mention thrown bricks and the like), deterring break-ins.

2. BODY ARMOR: Under the skin, Kevlar panels shrug off small-arms fire without reducing the truck's performance.

3.BLINDING HEADLIGHTS: Taking bad manners to the extreme, a separate set of powerful headlamps in the grille's center is deliberately positioned to blind oncoming drivers or someone standing on the road.

4. NIGHT EYES: A retractable turret on the roof houses a night vision camera, adapted from systems used by police and fire departments. The rest of the rooftop array is more lethal—a cluster of grenade launchers, and an infrared laser designed to heat and explode land mines.

5. PEPPER SPRAY: Get too close and get a face full of pepper spray. Not the feature you want to show off on the peacetime parade circuit.

6. PURSUER POISONS: As a pursuing vehicle copes with the smoke screen you've left behind, you dump an oil slick and then a carpet of nails
from the rear bumper. Take that, sucker!

7. VOICE ACTIVATION: Voice-activated windows, radios, and cellphones help the crew keep their hands free for multitasking.

8. CONTROL CENTER: The center includes GPS-based navigation, telematics, and controls for the night vision camera and the laser gun. To
keep the driver focused on the road, controls are available only to the truck's passengers.

9. SHOCK LOCKS: Fingerprint identification lets friendlies enter without keys. Just make sure you're on the list: Nearly lethal electrified door handles discourage the riffraff.
 
 

BMW SHOWCASES CARS THAT RUN ON HYDROGEN
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/science/07/13/hydrogen.cars.ap/index.html

The Associated Press and CNN Interactive
http://www.cnn.com
July 13, 2001
Posted: 10:40 AM EDT (1440 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- BMW officials traveled to one of the nation's smoggiest cities to show off a fleet of luxury cars that run on
rocket fuel, but belch virtually nothing more than water and steam from their tailpipes.

Company officials said Thursday that the hydrogen-powered cars are an important step in weaning the automotive industry from the oil that
has nurtured it since the internal combustion engine first powered automobiles in the late 1800s.

The silver 750hL sedans sport a new type of internal combustion engine that runs on clean-burning hydrogen -- the most abundant element -- instead of gasoline.

"It's the cleanest fuel there is," said Burkhard Goschel, a member of the BMW Group board, during a news conference at Paramount studios.

BMW has hauled the 10 cars from United Arab Emirates to Europe to Japan and now California to tout the benefits of hydrogen as a fuel source.

The company will now continue to test the cars at its new research and engineering center, which opens Friday in Oxnard, California. Already, the fleet has covered more than 80,000 miles during tests.

When burned, hydrogen packs a powerful punch -- it helps propel the space shuttle to orbit. In the BMW models, it cuts tailpipe emissions by 99.5 percent.

The 750hL features a 12-cylinder engine and can hit 141 mph.

Running on hydrogen, stored in a liquid form in a pressurized tank, the car can travel about 200 miles -- more if an auxiliary gasoline tank is tapped to fuel the car.

But concerns about storing liquid hydrogen under high pressure have stymied its use in automobiles because of the risk of explosions and fire, experts said. A lack of a cheap and reliable means of producing hydrogen -- and distributing it to consumers has also hurt the marketing of such cars.

Widescale commercial production may still be a decade or more away, although BMW hopes to introduce hydrogen-p owered 7-Series models before then. Ford Motor Co. is not far behind: it plans to unveil its own prototype hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine vehicle next month, spokeswoman Sara Tatchio said.

"The challenge will be to create infrastructure and devise a way to store hydrogen on board," said John Boesel, president of Calstart, a nonprofit group that develops clean transportation technologies.

Hydrogen can be produced from water through electrolysis or, more commonly, from natural gas generated during the oil refining process.
 

The road ahead

The methods are either energy-intensive or costly -- or both -- at present.

"Hydrogen cannot compete with gasoline on a cost basis . . . (but) we believe as usage increases, it can become competitive," said Bob Malone, a regional president of oil company BP Corp.

Goschel said the company has not calculated how much a hydrogen-fueled BMW 750 would cost compared to a conventional version, which sells for about $93,000. And hydrogen service stations may be still a decade away.

"We're a long way from putting hydrogen out there," said Alan Lloyd, chairman of the California Air Resources Board.

The automotive industry has yet to latch on to hydrogen or any other alternative to gasoline or diesel fuel.

Many manufacturers, including General Motors, are looking at hydrogen, but only to power fuel cells to produce electricity. Honda and Toyota have both introduced hybrid models that pair gasoline engines with electric motors to boost fuel efficiency and cut emissions. Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler AG plan to introduce their own versions in 2003.

California -- where 40 percent of all air pollution is produced by tailpipe emissions -- has mandated strict standards that should make the exotic vehicles more common. By 2003, for instance, 2 percent of all vehicles sold in the state by major manufacturers must be zero emissions.

"We have a variety of fuels that can steer us on the road ahead," Lloyd said.
 
 
 

DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS
http://www.statefarm.com/media/danger.htm

State Farm Insurance
http://www.statefarm.com

* Where are the 10 Most Dangerous Intersections in the United States?
* Where are the Most Dangerous Intersections in your State/Province?
* How Can I Avoid an Intersection Accident?
* What is the State Farm "Most Dangerous Intersections" project all about?
* What Improvements Could Reduce Intersection Crashes?
 
 
 

NEW BRIGADES MARK MOVE TO MORE MOBILE FORCE
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/07/11/mobile.force/index.html

CNN Interactive
http://www.cnn.com
July 11, 2001
Posted: 10:50 PM EDT (0250 GMT)

By Jamie McIntyre
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Army's transition to a lighter, more mobile force takes another step forward Thursday when officials announce the formation of four rapid deployment brigades, according to Pentagon sources.

Although the latest initiative began during President Clinton's administration, it also reflects t he desire by Bush administration officials for a faster, easily adaptable force that meets their strategic priorities.

The four new units -- called "Interim Brigade Combat Teams" -- will be composed of about 3,500 soldiers each. Instead of tanks, they will employ relatively light and fast armored vehicles.

The first two such brigades have been training since 1999 at Fort Lewis, Washington, using an "Interim Armored Vehicle," a 19-ton carrier with eight oversized tires that can travel as fast as 60 mph and carry nine people.

Secretary of the Army Thomas White and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki are due to announce the postings of the next four brigade combat teams at Thursday's Pentagon briefing.

Pentagon sources say the new brigades will be stationed in Alaska and Hawaii so they could be rapidly deployed to the Pacific region if necessary.

A report from Zalmay Khalizad, a member of Bush's National Security Council staff, said that after years of focusing on Europe the United States should make Asia a military priority, given the array of threats on that continent.

In 1999 Shinseki announced his intention to give the Army the ability to put between 10,000 to 14,000 troops on the ground anywhere in the world within 96 hours.

The move also seems consistent with the Bush administration's plan to revitalize the military.

When he nominated Donald Rumsfeld to be secretary of defense in January, Bush said, "We will begin creating the military of the future, one that takes full advantage of revolutionary new technologies [and redefines] the way wars are fought."
 
 
 

NEW RULE WOULD MANDATE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/07/25/autos.tires.pressure.reut/index.html

Reuters and CNN Interactive
http://www.cnn.com
July 25, 2001
Posted: 10:57 PM EDT (0257 GMT)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Auto safety regulators proposed a rule on Wednesday that would make car manufacturers install tire pressure
warning systems in vehicles made after November 2003.

The rules would require a warning of significantly under-inflated tires and would cover passenger cars, buses and light trucks -- which include vans, pickups and popular selling sports utility vehicles.

Some vehicles already feature the technology, but its not mandatory.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sought comment on two proposals, one of which would be included in the final rule.

The regulation stems from congressional mandates triggered by the Firestone tire debacle, which has been linked to crashes caused by tread separations and blowouts.

Federal investigators have linked those tires, millions of which have been recalled or replaced, to 203 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Safety regulators investigating those tires looked at under inflation combined with heavy loads as a contributing factor in some of those crashes.

When a tire is under inflated it can generate more heat, which can damage it and lead to failure. "Heat is the enemy of a tire," Dan Zielinski, spokesman for the National Rubber Manufacturers Association, said.

One NHTSA proposal would require a warning signal when pressure in one or more tires, up to four, fell to 20 percent or more below the manufacturer's recommended cold inflation pressure for the vehicle's tires, or a minimum pressure level specified in the new standard, whichever is higher.

The warning could be conveyed by a light on the dashboard.

Cold inflation is when the pressure is measured after a car has been idle for at least three hours.

The second plan would require a warning when tire pressure in one or more tires, up to three, fell to 25 percent or more below the manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation pressure for the vehicle's tires, or a minimum pressure level specified in the new standard, whichever is higher.

NHTSA estimated that 49 to 79 deaths and 6,585 to 10,635 injuries could be prevented each year if all vehicles were equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems.

Consumers also would benefit from increased fuel economy and longer tire wear, NHTSA said.

In addition, there would be benefits resulting from fewer crashes due to tire blowouts, immobilized vehicles, or poor vehicle handling from pressure loss and hydroplaning.

Auto makers support the 20 percent standard while tire makers favor a tighter requirement.

"Our concern is that we have to get outside the range of normal daily tire fluctuations," Gloria Bergquist, spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said. The group represents Detroit's Big Three and some foreign car makers.

Bergquist said a warning system that is too sensitive could go off too frequently and annoy drivers. If drivers disregarded the warning, then Bergquist said the system would have the opposite of its intended effect.

Zielinski said the tire makers association believes the under-inflation standard is critical. "We do not want to see a system that did not warn people soon enough," he said.

But the industry has not endorsed a single broad standard, arguing that tires have different recommended inflation pressures, depending on the vehicle.

The industry believes a warning system should reflect the diversity of the product and should warn drivers when the tire can no longer support the weight it was intended to support.

Zielinski said some tires might meet the 20 or 25 percent under-inflation standard, but "others might not."
 
 
 

SNIPERS LINE ROADS TO COMBAT INDONESIA'S HIGHWAY ROBBERY
http://www.theage.com.au/daily/990118/news/news18.html

The Age
http://www.theage.com
Monday, January 18, 1999
By Louise Williams
Indonesia Correspondant
Jakarta, Sunday

Tini joined the queue at the city pawn shop early, hoping to hock her personal computer for enough money for a bus ticket home to central
Java, where she planned to celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month this week with her family.

Every year tens of millions of Muslim Indonesians scrimp and save for inflated bus, train and boat tickets and brave the traffic jams and the
pickpockets to reach home in time for Idul Fithri, the celebration of the end of a month of restraint and fasting, and the most important family
occasion on the calendar.

But, this year, the highways out of Jakarta are lined with police snipers deployed in response to the soaring crime wave and the country's
economic crisis means up to half of those wanting to join their families in the rural villages will have to stay home.

Tini was already dressed in her good travel clothes, but came away disappointed. The pawn shop network wasn't taking any more computers, she said, because they were too difficult to sell if the owners could not raise the cash to buy them back. Two families with television sets were luckier: a 35-centimetre fetched 300,000 rupiah this weekend ($A57) and a 50-centimetre set at about 800,000 rupiah ($153).

"Well, I don't know what I will do now, maybe I can go home and take the TV,'' she said.

Indonesian officials say 17 million people will be on the road before Idul Fithri, which falls on Tuesday or Wednesday depending on a calculation of the phase of the moon.

For the fasting month of Ramadan, students suspended their mass protests against the Government but in other parts of Indonesia sporadic
riots continued. In the southern Sumatran province of Lampung a frustrated mob lynched four alleged criminals last weekend over the theft
of several motorcycles.

Many travellers said they feared trouble on the way home.

"During Ramadan people usually don't riot because they have to respect the fasting month, but after that I don't know, because many people are angry, they no longer trust the Government, or the military and prices keep going up,'' said Sonheji, a 22-year-old sailor, as he jostled in the
heat at the main Pulogadung bus station.

Already hundreds of travellers have been robbed at bus stations, many carrying a year's savings in cash. Police say 60 snipers have been
positioned along those roadways that have bad crime records, so "travellers can feel secure".

The economic crisis, accompanied by increasing lawlessness, has produced a sharp rise in petty crime and attacks on vehicles and buses
by mobs who set up roadblocks.

Ali, a 24-year-old driver, said he was going home by motorcycle in a convoy of friends for safety.

But, said one Suprapto: "I don't know what to do, I have only 200,000 ($A38) in my pocket and just one bus ticket is 40,000, then I have almost
nothing left for my children and my wife for the holiday.''

Suprapto is one of millions of Indonesia's new unemployed who has lost his job in construction because of the virtual freeze in the real estate
sector. Sitting in the gutter, hot, black diesel fumes swirling, he said he would wait for night to fall and try to beg a free ride. City officials last
week reported a drop of more than 50 percent in departures over last year, but scalpers sell tickets at more than twice the official price. Seats
are still scarce because thousands of buses have been forced off the road by the cost of spare parts.

"I don't even know if my daughter can go to school next year, I cannot buy clothes for my children,'' Suprapto said.

"Personally, I am not worried about security . . . But, I am worried about the police snipers they could easily miss and shoot us instead.''
 
 
 

TALIBAN KISSES GOODBYE TO LIPSTICK, MOVIES
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/07/19/afghan.ban/index.html

Associated Press, Reuters and CNN
http://www.cnn.com
July 19, 2001
Posted: 7:14 AM EDT (1114 GMT)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- When Afghanistan's ultra-conservative Taliban banned television in 1998, the drought-ridden nation's people might have sought solace in a game of cards or chess, or even the strum of a guitar.

No longer.

On Thursday the Taliban placed bans on the import of 30 products including playing cards, computer discs, movies, satellite TV dishes, musical instruments, cassettes and chessboards, after declaring them un-Islamic.

The Taliban's supreme leader Mullar Mohammad Omar ordered the ban, according to the radical Islamic movement's Voice of Shariat radio, monitored in the Pakistan capital Islamabad.

Other items listed as banned for being "against the Sharia", or Islamic law, include fireworks, statues, fashion catalogues, greeting cards
featuring pictures of people, lipsticks, nail polish and neckties.

Pig products and anything made from human hair were banned, too.

The radio quoted the leader's order as telling border guards and security agencies to seize the banned items and hand them over to the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
 

Previous bans

Wednesday's order follows one last month banning the printing of pictures of animals or verses from the Koran on any products.

The Taliban swept to power in 1996 and controls 95 percent of the war and famine-ravaged country.

It has barred women from education, most types of work, and from going out without wearing the all-enveloping "burka" veil. Men are ordered to grow long beards and not wear Western clothes.

The movement sparked international protests earlier this year by ordering the demolition of ancient Buddhist statues and asking the country's small non-Muslim population to wear distinguishing badges.
 

Continuing civil war

Meanwhile, fresh fighting broke out Thursday in northern Afghanistan amid accusations from both Taliban rulers and rebel troops.

Taliban officials said opposition soldiers, led by ousted defense chief Ahmed Shah Massood, launched a blistering offensive in northern Takhar province before dawn.

Opposition soldiers used newly acquired tanks from Russia in the assault in Tangi Fahar, a strategic region that links opposition held territories in northern Afghanistan, they said.

The Taliban have repeatedly accused Iran, Russia and several Central Asian countries of assisting their opponents, who rule in about 5 percent of the country, most of it in northern Afghanistan.
 

STRIPPING PAINT FROM 3X MINIATURES

Forum: Dueling Debate <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>
Subject: Tool Kits and Play-Aids/Stripping Down Hot Wheels Cars
From: SCHOON8654
Date: Aug 02, 2001 11:52 am

I've been looking for effective paint strippers for Hotwheels/Matchbox cars, and found that turpentine did absolutely nothing. Acetone, won't dissolve the paint, but will cause it to "blister" off the metal within five minutes. Scraping is then required to remove the rest.

It turns out that the paint on Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars has some sort of plastic component that is highly resistant to everything I've thrown at it thus far.

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker
BAAA Webmaster
 
 

Forum: Dueling Debate <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>
Subject: Re: Tool Kits and Play-Aids/Stripping Down Hot Wheels Cars
From: CYNTHIACM
Date: Aug 02, 2001 1:44 pm

I just use spray primer on top of the existing paint jobs. I've never had any troubles with it. I figured it would obscure the detail, but it really doesn't. Of course, I go pretty light on the primer though.

In any case, thanks for posting this tidbit. You never know when something like that will come in handy.
 

ASSOCIATED AUTODUELISTS OF THE INLAND EMPIRE
 

From: Edgar T. Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
To: AAIE Mailing List
Subject: June Duels
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 16:26:32 -0700

Hey Duel Fans,

Just a quick note. It is summer and I'm a busy guy. First duel was a Div 25 that we left the map from a previous D&D 3rd Edition game. We called it the Junkyard. We had it set so that everybody could not use vehicular weapons, ram or do anything else offensive until they found and crossed "their" checkpoint. Checkpoints were random; when you crossed one you picked a number and rolled a d4 (there were only four of us). If you rolled the number, you were live!

The arena was square with a checkpoint about center of each quadrant. Bryan and I started in the same quadrant and headed toward the closest
checkpoint.  Fortunately, I had better acell and was closer to the checkpoint and got there first, activating my weapons.

I was in a sedan with explosive-tipped spikes out the sides linked to mines in the back, driver and gunner, and a VFRP out the front. I immediately put my dropped stuff on auto and blew out two of his wheels for a full kill. He couldn't activate on that checkpoint (It was mine, after all) and without wheels he couldn't activate his weapons.

Howard, in the quadrant next to us, also got lucky with his checkpoint and went live. He blew through the concealment on the flamethrowers on his left side and tried to light me up, fortunately failing to pierce my metal armor with his one that hit. Tom hit his closest checkpoint and missed his roll, narrowing his checkpoint to the last one.

Howard and I both race toward his checkpoint, hoping to cut him off for a cheap kill, but we were both too slow. Along the way I managed to
get ahead of Howard and dump more spikes for him, eventually taking out his tires but I also fishtailed into my own spikes and took my wheels
out.  Right before that, I managed a couple of shots on Tom's back armor as he took off to make a pass from a better position. I hit with the
first salvo, rolling really well with 2 rockets and removing most of his armor. The next salvo I only hit with one (missed by one with the other
2; I should have bought a SWC!) and rolled poorly, leaving him with 3 points between his crew and my weapons. This was right about the time I fishtailed over my own spikes, lost two wheels, and came to a stop with my nose against a stack of cars.

Tom came around and blew the snot out of Howard with three salvos from his VFRP, ending the game, at which time we all found out Howard had linked FTs with HT fuel on both sides under blow-through concealment and very little armor to go around.
 

WADA Stuff

June 19
AAIE Div 25 Weekly Rumble
The Junkyard
Duelmasters: Edgar T. Lincoln and Tom Lentz
Players: 4
Special Rules: Each player had to cross random checkpoint to activate vehicular weaponry.

1. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln (24, Cheesy VK x 1)
2. Tom Lentz (11)
3. Howard Lalicker (2)
4. Bryan Rider (1)
 

Last week was a Div 10 that was probably the second fastest ever duel for me (fastest was my second game ever, back when there weren't vey
many cars to choose from). Howard (it's all his fault!) set up the arena as two lobes of the Dumbarton Slalom (which we immediatly called the
Dumbbell) and we came in from different sides, three to a lobe. We were all running relatively fast cars with ramplates, except for Howard, who had an ATG with sabot ammo. In addition to my ramplate, I also had an ATG loaded with APDSDS ammo.

Steve dropped spikes as he went for Tom, who has been thinking he did not have enough spacing to avoid a collision with Steve, but he did had enough armor to survive one. Steve had a ramplate, and pulled an AAIE maneuver on him that confettied both cars (good call on Tom's part; without the ramplate on Steve's car Tom would have survived the collision!). This happened right next to Frosty, the HMG cupola in the center of the lobe, and he blocked enough debris to give me a clear out if I pulled a D6 an kept control.

Unfortunately, not only did I blew my control roll, I blew it big. I spun out over a whole bunch of obstacles and debris, blowing out one rim
and one tire, putting me right next to Steve's driver, who had survived his car coming apart. He shot my bare rim with his heavy pistol, making
me a mobility kill.  In retaliation, my gunner shot him and knocked him unconscious. Tom's driver, headed to Frosty, was brushed by my car and tripped.

Meanwhile, Howard, Ken , and Bryan were closing on each other in the opposite lobe. Bryan and Howard AAIEed each other on Phase 2 of Turn 2 to end the game.
 

WADA Stuff

June 26
AAIE Div 10 Weekly Rumble
Airway Heights Modular Arena
Duelmasters: Tom Lentz and Edgar T. Lincoln (We didn't even place! :o) )
Players: 6
Special Rules: Arena configured as The Dumbbell, an arena similar to the Dumbarton Slalom Arena.

1. Steve Carder (36, VK x 1)
2. Bryan Rider (13.5, VK x 1)
2. Howard Lalicker (13.5, VK x 1)
4. "Leapin'" Tom Lentz (3, VK x 1)
5. Ken Fourn (2)
6. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln (1)
 

This week is a Div 20. We will take everyone's cars, mix them randomly, place them at the gates, then we will roll to see which gate we get. It should be fun. Also, Carol will be rejoining us; it will be good to have her back.

Edgar
 
 

From : Edgar T. Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
To: AAIE Mailing List
Subject: AAIE Garden Madness
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 11:55:03 -0700

Hey Duel Fans,

The AAIE has had a sudden influx of members! Many of Michael Owen's old crew from SWAT have converted now that he is in Seattle.
Welcome aboard Kevin Taylor, Ken Fourn, and Wesley Twitchell. We had 10 (!) players for last night's Div 50 16X offroad duel in the Garden (my garden). There were two jumps that whoever jumped the farthest got a victory point (Bryan), a set of 100 mph jumps, and a couple of compost piles that could put out a burning car if you ran into them, but your car might get stuck.

The action was fast and furious. It started with Tom gutting Carol with his twin Rapid Fire TGs at the top of turn one, tying her for the record of fastest kill ever (others I know about are Bryan and Phil Bedard) and putting him in the lead early with 5 points. Of course, Tom's bus wasn't
designed for off-road so the cumulative D4 for firing put him to -2 HC and it never got higher than that for the rest of the game. Bryan jumped off one of the long jumps at 150 mph. I got behind and under him for the shot on his underbody and managed to hit him twice out of four shots with HVMGs. I breached his underbody but failed to get the kill. He landed at -6 HC and got away with only a minor fishtail, winning him the point for longest jump. Not having anywhere else to go, he t-boned the bus at 150 mph. This took out the entire front of the bus except for the TGs. It would have been a full kill but Tom had a gunner in the back with a laser battery to supply power for the weapons so he was only a mobility kill.

Steve, running around in a car sporting military FTs in the front and both sides, shot Theo twice in the same side, breaching his armor, setting him on fire, and causing him to explode. Steve then looped around to get shots on the flurry of activity around Tom. Steve shot the back half of the bus, piercing the metal and burning off the plastic behind it. Kevin shot through most of the plastic on the other side but wasn't able to bring his guns to bear again before Steve forced Tom to surrender. Unfortunately, before Steve did this, I drove in front of Tom, figuring I would only have to take one salvo, probably only one gun would hit I was close. The first salvo did indeed only hit with one gun and fail to breach but he got in a second salvo before I was out his  front arc, blowing my engine out the other side of my car and causing me to explode.  Another 4-point kill for Tom.

That was about the last exciting thing that happened before we had to call the duel due to darkness. There were 4 players left alive, Ken and Howard didn't do too much because the had started on the edges of the garden and didn't get to the action until late. A fun duel over all.
 

WADA Stuff

July 24
AAIE Div 50 Off-Road Weekly Rumble
The Garden
Duelmasters: Edgar T. Lincoln and Tom Lentz
Players: 10
Special Rules: Off-road terrain, jumps, compost piles (stops your vehicle and puts out fires), plants to be avoided (-1 victory point to run over vegetables).

1. "Leapin'" Tom Lentz (60, VK x 3)
2. "Disco" Steve Carder (29, VK x 1)
3. Bryan Rider (18)
4. Wesley Twitchell (12)
5. Howard Lalicker (5)
5. Kevin Taylor (5)
5. Ken Fourn (5)
8. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln (3)
9. Carol Daugherty (2)
10. Theo Hill (1)
 

Next week will be Div 10 Matchbox scale in the basement. Please try to get here as early as you can, with that many people it is harder to get done in a timely manner. See you next week!
 
 

From:  Edgar T Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
To: AAIE Mailing List
Subject: Last July Duel
Date:  Wed, 1 Aug 2001 11:52:38 -0700

Hey Duel Fans,

This week was a smaller duel. I know you didn't find out until late, but if you can't make it, please let me know and we can probably arrange rides
for most everybody.

So, once again it was just Tom, Carol, Steve, and myself. Carol and Steve had similar compacts with ATGs, I had a med Trike with VFRPs out both sides, and Tom has a subcompact with a flechette gun front, flechette dischargers all around, and a FOJ back.

Before the game we were talking and decided that if flechette guns did damage to tires, so should grenades and dischargers of the same type.  More on that later.

We started with Tom screaming past Steve, hitting one of his tires but failing to strip it. He laid oil in front of Steve that he had to drive through to get to me, his nearest target. I popped Steve with two salvos from the VFRPs, only hitting with one rocket from the first one (half of the rockets missed by one, story of my Car Wars career!) and the second salvo bounced off his thick metal front, stripping almost half of it. The D11 hazard from the 50 points of damage, on the other hand, caused him to lose control. I figured I was in great shape, hang a hard left
and I'm out of there to go mess with someone else.

Unfortunately for me, things were to happen otherwise.  Tom had  looped around and passed close to me going the other way.  Carol had been
closing in from the same side but would miss the t-bone on me, she had turned to engage Tom, who had thought he was also safe from the t-bone. Carol forgot she had an extra move on phase 1 and was smacked. In retailiation, he triggered most of his flechette dischargers, doing little damage to everyone but me. My radial HDs disappeared, throwing me into a fishtail. Steve also fishtailed and we AAIEd, confetting me and failing to pierce Steve's front armor.

Carol caught fire from Tom's oil and ran into a wall in front of Steve, giving him a perfect shot on her side. (Did I mention she was a Mage?)  She had reverse missiles going and Steve ate his own ATG round in his wounded front, again failing to penetrate the armor. (He was driving the Deeper Shade of Soul, a design Norma and I did about 10 years ago that I'm very proud of.)

Tom looped around again and rammed Carol's side, forcing her into Steve (Reverse Missiles doesn't work against rams!) and then accelerated, forcing Steve back faster than he expected. Carol finally ran out of magic points and was opened up by Steve, forcing her to surrender. Steve then blew through Tom's front and engine, causing him to explode. Steve had lost a second rim on my obstacles, giving me a half kill, good enough for second.
 

WADA Stuff

July 31
AAIE Div 10 Weekly Rumble
Airway Heights Modular Arena
Duelmasters: Edgar T. Lincoln and Tom Lentz
Players: 4

1. "Disco" Steve Carder (24, VK x 2)
2. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln (11)
3. "Leapin'" Tom Lentz (2)
4. Carol "Erin" Daugherty (1)
 

Next week will be a Div 30 in 1X scale in the Evil 8, a 4-sheet open arena with a figure-eight of pillars with tunnels in them. If anyone can run the figure-eight, it is worth 2 prestige (it has never been done in 15 years). Good luck to all, we'll see you then. Howard, If you want to bring over your miniatures, go ahead, but I have enough if you don't want to.

Edgar

P.S. Tom suggested that for a power or spell that requires concentration there should be a possibility for that concentration to be lost is the
character it hit (character, not car) with a weapon or if the car is rammed. I also think there should be a possibility to lose concentration
if the car does more than a D4 turn or hazard. What do you folks think?
 
 
 

BUGHUNTER'S CAR WARS VEHICLE DESIGNER
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme/tastelessness/carwars/carwars.html

From: Rick Cross <bughunter@earthlink.net>
To: SCAB Mailing List <Scab@blar.org>
Subject: Bughunter's CWVD URL
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 20:20:53 -0700

I just remembered that a bunch of folks asked for this URL at the SCAB BBQ N' Duel. That was weeks ago. I am sorry for that oversight.  However, my program is the most playtested Car Wars vehicle design spreadsheet available today. Rob Hagmaier has given me some great feedback and kudos.

I still have a short list of corrections to make:

*    Rollcages on vans are not correct
*    Top speeds do not reflect streamlining or overdrive
*    The accessory sheet display for active suspension is non-functional.
*    To-hit numbers on the combat sheet do not reflect Gunner skill or computer modifiers.

Angelfire, the provider of the CWVD's Web space, has been a bit slow lately, but I think it's just the obligatory banner ad loading. Enjoy.

Rick Cross
Southern California Autodueling Brotherhood
 
 
 

CANADIAN FEDERAL DUELING AUTHORITY
http://www.superaje.com/~subliminal/fda

Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 16:07:56 -0700
From: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>
To: Canada: Burgess, Darcy <subliminal@superaje.com>
Subject: WTHAYGTUTFDAWS?

Dear Darcy,

You mentioned on the FDA Web site to ask, "WTHAYGTUTFDAWS" Well, I am asking that question now. Remember, you are the one who asked FDA HQ visitors to ask this question.

Actually, I wanted to compliment you on the FDA Web site's high degrees of coolness, and to give you a few ideas for FDA HQ.
 

Links

Car Wars HQ
http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars

American Autoduel Association
http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars/aada

Pyramid Online
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid

Seattle Washington Autoduel Team (SWAT)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/swathome.html

World Autoduel Association (WADA)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/wada
 

Discussion Groups

Dueling Debate
http://www.delphi.com/carwars

Road In Your Sights
http://www.delphi.com/aada

Autoduelist's Haven
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/carwars

Usenet News: Recreation/Games/Board
news:rec.games.board

Usenet News: Recreation/Games/Fantasy Roleplaying/GURPS
news:rec.games.frp.gurps

Usenet News: Recreation/Games/Miniatures/Miscellaneous
news:rec.games.miniatures.misc

Pyramid Magazine: Car Wars
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid

Pyramid Magazine: GURPS
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid
 

Magazines

Car Wars Internet Newsletter
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/cwinhome.html

Tire Tracks
http://cadc2036.com

Pyramid Online
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid
 

Player Registries

Access Denied
http://www.accessdenied.net

Steve Jackson Games Store and Gamer Finder
http://www.sjgames.com/gamerfinder

The Autoduelist
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/2982/
 

Affiliations

American Autoduel Association (AADA)
http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars/aada

World Autoduel Association (WADA)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/wada

Autoduelists of Vancouver Regional Organization (AVRO)
http://www.brucelam.com/carwars
http://avro.simplenet.com
Vancouver, British Columbia

Duelists of Alberta (DOA)
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/swp/index2.htm
Edmonton, Alberta

New Toronto Autoduel Association (NTAA)
http://members.home.net/stab/games/index.html
Toronto, Ontario

New World Autodueling Association (NWAA)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Chamber/1044/nwaa_introduction.htm
Ottawa, Ontario
 
 

Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 20:28:41 -0400
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>
From: Kirsty and/or Darcy Burgess <subliminal@superaje.com>
Subject: Re: WTHAYGTUTFDAWS?

Yup. Actually, it was my Webmaster/wife who wrote that bit of text . . . I'll have to take that up with her. Thanks for the positive feedback and the links. Once again, I'll forward that stuff to the appropriate authority . . . and then I'll go do the laundry.

Cheers,

Darcy
 

(Editor's Note:  The acronym WTHAYGTUTFDAWS means, "When the hell are you going to update the FDA Web site?")
 
 
 

CAR WARS REFEREE QUESTIONNAIRE
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada

From: Eric Freeman <efreeman@physics.ucsd.edu>
To: SCAB Mailing List
Subject: Updated Car Wars Referee Questionnaire
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 18:40:38 -0700 (PDT)

Hello, all. I've finally gotten the chance to put the finishing touches on the Car Wars Referee Questionnaire (CWRQ) and Other Dueling Questions (ODQ). Most of the changes from previous versions are additions and further clarifications of various points. Things that were CHANGED from the previous version include:

* Laser battery no longer needed for targeting laser in gas engines.
* Fuel range requirement for gas engines knocked back down to 200 miles.
* Limitation on firing to the front for flamethrowers lifted.

The documents are in Mcrosoft Word format. If you want the documents in Adobe Acrobat format, let me know and I'll send them to you.

I'm looking forward to seeing some of you next week.

Drive offensively,

Eric Freeman
AADA Head Referee
 

(Editor's Note: The newest editions of the CWRQ and ODQ,, both as Microsoft Word files and Web pages written in HTML , are now in the AADA section of SWAT HQ. They were uploaded a few minutes before this newsletter was sent to its subscribers.)

SWAT AADA Index
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada

Car Wars Referee Questionnaire Part 1 (Microsoft Word Format)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada/cwrq.doc

Car Wars Referee Questionnaire Part 2: Other Dueling Questions (Microsoft Word Format)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada/odq.doc

Car Wars Referee Questionnaire Part 1 (HTML Format)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada/cwrq.html

Car Wars Referee Questionnaire Part 2: Other Dueling Questions (HTML Format)
http://www.serv.net/~owenmp/aada/odq.html
 
 
 

DRAGONSLAYERS, INC.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/HUDSOND/dslayer.htm

From: David Hudson <dhudson@deepdale-systems.demon.co.uk>
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@hotmail.com>
Subject: DSI June 27th Event
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 12:05:50 +0100

Dear Michael,

Here are the details of the latest DragonSlayers event, completed on the 27th of June.

The Island-Hopping Race was a Div 35, car-only race around the Lambeau Field off-road track, complete with its jumps and bridge. The winner would be the first vehicle to complete four laps, or the last vehicle moving. Aggressive actions will be permitted until the first lap had been completed.
 

Corporations and Vehicle Descriptions

DRAGON's Ivan the Terrible -- Luxury, FT in turret, BC, MD.
Driver: David Hudson
 

Archdiocese's Wilderness Prophet -- Compact, stickyfoam sprayer in turret, FOJ back, ramplate.
Driver: Alasdair Brooks
 

HAVOC's Vehicle -- Sedan, several FOJs.
Driver: Marty Jopson
 

BUMS's Beach Bum -- Mid-size, two HMGs in turret, several SDs.
Driver: Geoff Lambourne
 

As the flag dropped, the two smaller cars were the quickest away from the line, with the BUMS car showing particularly impressive acceleration. Not to be outdone, the Archdiocese compact ignited his rocket booster and  headed for the first ramp.

All eyes were on the two leaders as they made the first jump, but all went smoothly. Using the initial burst of speed from the booster was enough to keep the Wilderness Prophet ahead of the BUMS car as the first lap drew to a close. The DRAGON and HAVOC cars were unable to do anything about the smaller cars ahead.

With lap one complete, Archdiocese's entry was now able to fire, and wasted little time littering the landing ramp with flaming oil and stickyfoam, whilst the BUMS vehicle was still making it's jump. With no choice, the BUMS car landed on the stickyfoam, but the deceleration effect made it easier for him to avoid the flaming oil. Having also now completed lap one, Beach Bum was able to retaliate, though his aim was a little off. Coming to the end of their first lap, both HAVOC and DRAGON could see the  mess now strewn at the bottom of the landing ramp, and elected to jump at  and angle, to land on the flat surface of island #1. There was little in it between these two, but the DRAGON vehicle failed to get the in-flight shot  he had hoped, as he flew over the HAVOC car.

HAVOC landed an instant or two before the DRAGON car, and made his landing a little warm -- laying flaming oil ahead of him. As the HAVOC and BUMS vehicles manouvred around the dropped weapons, Archdiocese and HAVOC set off towards the jump #1 for the second time. This time, however, Archdiocese, arriving first again, was able to sprinkle flaming oil and stickyfoam to slow the following HAVOC car.

DRAGON and BUMS dodged around for a while, exchanging shots, with the BUMS vehicle doing fairly heavy damage to two of the tyres on Ivan The Terrible, forcing him to manouvre around smoke to protect his wheels. DRAGON got a little revenge, setting off a mine remotely, blowing away the soft outer to reveal plasticore tyres on the Beach Bum.

Meanwhile, things weren't going too well for the HAVOC driver. Rather than drive through the dropped weapons on the ramp, he attempted to drive around, but eventually lost control of the car moments before it left the ramp. Having put a wheel over the edge, the car drifted off course and went into a spin, heading out towards deep water. Sensing disaster, the driver waited until the last possible moment before bailing out, attempting to jump into the shallower water, but failing, leaving him treading water as his car submerged out of the event.

With the flaming oil on the ramp burning itself out, the BUMS vehicle headed for the jump, laying a carpet of spikes over the ramp, making it
totally useless (unless you fancied risking blowing all your tyres), whilst the Wilderness Prophet layed further dropped weapons on island #2.

With ramp #1 out of action, the race seemed to come to a halt, becoming a duel instead. Ivan The Terrible turned around and headed for jump #2, to jump back against the regular race flow. The two smaller vehicles jockeyed for position amongst the dropped weapons, with little damage being done to either opponent.

As the DRAGON vehicle jumped back towards the BUMS car, expecting to land on spikes, the Archdiocese car jumped the wrong way over jump #1. As the DRAGON and BUMS cars passed each other, exchanging fire, the DRAGON car took another hit to a tyre, but survived the scare. As the BUMS car reached the top of the ramp, the DRAGON flamethrower hit its mark.

The BUMS vehicle flew towards island #1, trailing smoke, with the driver trying desperately to put out the flames with his handheld extinguisher. Meanwhile, the Archdiocese car headed towards him. A split second after landing, the BUMS car was rammed head-on by the Wilderness Prophet, followed immediately by the inevitable explosion, leaving just the Archdiocese and DRAGON cars to finish it off.

Jumping back to island #1, the DRAGON car evaded the dropped weapons, but ended up driving into the shallow water. The Wilderness Prophet attempted to ram the larger, heavier vehicle into deeper water, but took a hit from another remote-controlled mine. As the two cars fought for position near ramp #1, with its mess of spikes, both cars suffered tyre damage, as spikes began exploding, with Ivan The Terrible losing a wheel.

The DRAGON vehicle managed to get several good shots in, taking out his opponent's front armour. With a last desperate act, the Archdiocese headed towards the ramp and the DRAGON car. Another accurate blast cannon shot ripped through the smaller car, taking out the fuel tank and killing the driver. The car's momentum took it over several more explosive spikes which removed a second wheel from the DRAGON car, stopping it dead. The uncontrolled Archdiocese vehicle left the ramp, and headed straight into the record books -- as the victory conditions were specified as the last vehicle moving, Archdiocese won the event, even though their vehicle, and driver were killed, the first ever posthumous victory in DragonSlayers history!
 

Final Results

1. Archdiocese/Alasdair Brooks (VK x 1)
2. DRAGON/David Hudson (VK x 2)
3. BUMS/Geoff Lambourne (VK x -1)
4. HAVOC/Marty Jopson

The next event, which probably won't be scheduled until late summer, will be a Div 45 duel, featuring more jumps.
 

David Hudson
DSI Webmaster
 
 
 

GUY FULLERTON'S CAR WARS WEB SITE
http://homepage.mac.com/guyf/Index.html

(Editor's Note: This set of resources has returned from Highway One. Although it has a new URL, all three of its files (Car Wars Product Listing, Reflex Roll Editorial, and Car Wars Technology History) are available again to autoduelists. Now I can use the empty space on the SWAT Salvage Yard for other funky ideas instead of archiving Fullerton's documents. I mentioned a few issues ago that I would reprint the Car Wars Product Listing if the original document was off-line.)
 
 
 

ICV2.COM
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/507.html

HOT RODS TO HELL: CAR WARS RETURNS
CARD GAME OUT FIRST

ICv2.com
http://www.icv2.com
July 01, 2001

Steve Jackson Games is reviving its Car Wars game in two new formats: Car Wars: The Card Game, which launches in August; and a revival of the classic game with three-inch counters that starts in October with the release of three "Starter Sets," each with two different hot rods.   The original Car Wars game debuted in 1981, winning the Origins Award for the Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981, and spawning dozens of expansions and supplements as well as its own magazine, Autoduel Quarterly.  The newly revived version of Car Wars is bigger, with customizable 3-inch counters, faster, with streamlined rules, and easier to play, thanks to a "back to basics" approach that eliminated the complications introduced in myriad expansions and supplements to the original game.

The first product in the Car Wars relaunch is Car Wars: The Card Game, which will be out in August and provide a first look at the new graphic style for the entire Car Wars line.  Sanford Green provides all the art for both new versions of Car Wars, which he illustrates in a dynamic style that owes a profound debt to anime/manga.

The revised version of the Car Wars boardgame demonstrates a strong influence as well -- its format of "Starter Sets" is clearly borrowed from
collectible card games. In October Steve Jackson Games is releasing the first three "Starter Set" booklets for the new Car Wars.  Each booklet
includes the basic movement and combat rules, two pre-designed car counters, and counter sheets with all the counters you need to play the
game. Each Starter Set will retail for $5.95 and each features a different duo of hot rods with monickers like "Stinger," "Napalm," "Dagger," and
"Killer Kart."

More Starter Sets are slated for future months featuring motorcycles and higher division cars.  Future plans also include the production of actual 3-inch miniatures, which would even increase the resemblance between the relaunched Car Wars and CCG-influenced miniatures games like Mage Knight (see "December Product of the Month").
 
 
 

KULT OF SPEED

From: Jason Walters <ckosacranoid@hotmail.com>
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>
Subject: KOS July 29th Battle Report
Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 04:44:49

Greetings to everyone. This is the first, and seems to be the only, battle report that we have to publish this year for the Kult of Speed. Hopefully, it is one of our best reports yet.

It dawned a little before 5:00 a.m on Sunday, July 29th. The temperatures started to hint a hot day was coming. A heavy fog moved in the night before. Sight was very limited because of it. Many people around the county were up and getting ready for one of the biggest days of the year for Lake County because it was the closing day of the Lake County Fair.

The Lake County Fair was going to be the site for one of the areas's biggest and nastiest gathering of some of the best drivers on the Wisconsin-Illinois border. Brawls would occur all day to see who was the nastiest driver with the nastiest car. Due to local weapons laws, vehicular weapons were not permitted, therefore the event was an old-fashioned demolition derby. The winner would walk away with a $400.00 payout.

After the members of the Kult showed at the location they were keeping their battlewagons, they set to work making a few last-minute repairs that were needed to do battle that day. After finding a way to get the cars down the street, they were driven into the pits for the cars to be inspected and for the team to register for the derby.

The motley band was organized in the following fashion:

*    Driver Jason and Passenger Geoff and a 1985 Pontiac Four-Door Sedan, race-modified the night before the derby.

*    Driver Chris (Jason's Brother), Passenger Tom and a 1982 Ford Fairmont Four-Door Sedan.

*    Pit Crew Chief Doug (Tom's Brother) and Pit Assistant Lisa (Chris's Significant Other)

After the drivers' meeting, not only did things get off to a late start, they became very weird before the start of the first race. The driver of the 169 car, which happened to be the other brother of the KOS, proposed to his girlfriend. Lisa accepted and the crowd went nuts.

The 20 cars, some which did have a driver-passenger combination and some only had a driver, were called onto the track. Made of dirt, the track was arranged as a long rectangle laid out east to west for its long ends. The layout of the field was four rows of five cars each. When they started, each row back into each other.

The two driving brothers started out at opposite ends of the field, their starting positions determined when they were released onto the track.
The 169 car, driven by Chris, was at the east end while the Jason's 21 sedan was at the east end.

The track became quickly littered by wrecked cars and the junk that fell off functional cars. The 169 car was beaten up fast by the bigger cars on the track. The 169 car got down to the west end once. Chris love-tapped his brother once, getting Jason unstuck from the car that was attached to his machine. The 21 car returned the favor by getting some running room and tagging the 169 car's back driver's door hard.

Both KOS drivers got lost in the chaos of the field when the 169 car was sent towards the east end, hammered hard, and tagged in front by a big Chevrolet Impala. The collision knocked out the radiator and motor, eliminating the car from the fight.

Jason stayed at the west end to give himself room to run and keep people from tagging him in the front end. He did not want to get out into the middle of the track where most of the heavy hitting was occurring, and where most of the cars were dead. The 21 car took a solid blow to the front, but kept going. It died twice but fired up twice without problems. The engine died a third time and did not restart. Jason and Tom were forced to signal they were. Unfortunately, the engine restated one second after the 21 car's crew yielded.
 

Final Results

The Ford Sedan was hit very hard and taken out early. There was not much left of it when it was dragged off the track. The Pontiac Sedan was driven off the track under its own power. Both drivers were one finishing position from making the B-Feature, an event that would determine the best drivers of the day.

July 29th was great because both drivers got to see how well they drove and smash into many other cars. They are already making plans  for next year's race.

The entire field was between 160 to 200 cars. For some weird reason, an unwritten rule was in effect for all races: pound all the little cars that appeared. Every little car was pounded very hard. All the bigger cars were also pounded but not as bad as the little compacts.
 

This was the Kult of Speeds' yearly real-life demolition derby. By the time everyone reads this, Gen Con will be over. I hope to have been able to speak with some of the other Car Wars chapters.

Jason Walters
KOS President
CADC Member
 
 
 

NEW OMAHA VEHICULAR ASSOCATION
http://www.novia.net/~desslok/nova.htm

Arena Watch: Sloan National Racetrack (Orlando, Florida)
 
 
 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AUTODUELING BROTHERHOOD
http://blar.org/mailman/listinfo/scab_blar.org

Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 13:59:58 -0700
From: Rob Hagmaier <rhagmaier@nocccd.cc.ca.us>
To: SCAB Mailing List <Scab@blar.org>
Subject: SCAB Division 15 Duel Results

On Sunday, June 24th, SCAB hosted a Division 15 duel and barbeque. The festivities featured the farewell SCAB appearance of Eric Freeman.
Lunch began at 11:00 a.m. The mayhem followed at 1:00 p.m.
 

Players and Vehicle Descriptions

Eric Freeman's Bullseye '51 -- Mid-size, electric PP (with HTMs), TL and HR in turret, 1-space HR magazine below turret, 4 HRs right, LGL for all six HRs, airdam, spoiler, ramplate, AWHs front, WGs back.
 

Eric Rasmussen's Vehicle -- Sloped compact, electric PP (with HTMs), rocket weapon back, airdam and spoiler, ramplate.
 

Stan Wells's Vehicle -- Sloped compact, gasoline ICE, HDFT right, airdam, spoiler, AWHs front, WGs back.
 

Jeremy Willis's Advantage VII-G ("Airport Shuttle") -- Van, hvy. chassis, large PP (with SuperCons), hvy. suspension, 4 HD tires, driver, gunner, RL (with bumper trigger) front, HDFT right, 2 SDs (1L, 1B). Plastic armor: F25, R25, L15, B15, T1, U4, two 7-pt. plastic AWHs front, two 8-pt. plastic WGs back, seven 10-point plastic CA compartments (PP, driver, gunner, front RL, right HDFT, left SD, back SD). 6,600 lbs., $15,000.
 

Chuck Phillips's Vehicle -- Luxury, electric PP, FT in turret, FT front, smart link (turret FT and front FT).
 

Tom LaLonde's Vehicle -- Sloped compact, electric PP, HDFT (with HT fuel) right, AWHs front, WGs back.
 

Rob Steinke's Vehicle -- Sloped compact, electric PP, ATG (with APDSDS ammo) front, 4 AWHs, 2 WGs back.
 

Rick Cross's Vehicle -- Luxury, electric PP (with HTMs), driver, gunner, HMG aimed front in EWP top, 2 linked fluid projector guns (each with ice ammo) front, AWHs front, WGs back.
 

Peter Cossaboon's Vehicle -- Reversed x-hvy. tricycle, gasoline ICE, cyclist, gunner, fluid projector gun (with ice ammo) left, VS left, airdam, spoiler, ramplate, 2 AWHs front.
 

Michael Rosenberg -- Sloped compact, gasoline ICE, 2 FGs front, airdam, spoiler, ramplate, AWHs front, WGs back.
 

Rob Hagmaier -- Luxury, electric PP (with HTMs), driver, gunner, fluid projector gun (with ice ammo) right, fluid projector gun (with flaming oil) right, 2 AWHs front, 2 WGs back.
 

With 11 contestants packed into Towers Arena, destruction was sure to follow. Steinke and Freeman went at it from the very start, Steinke bouncing an ATG shot off Freeman's heavy ramplate, and Freeman firing at Steinke with his targeting laser for sustained fire bonuses. Freeman  turned to the right to bring his rockets to bear. Steinke managed to connect with Freeman's side.

Cossaboon lobbed a patch of ice right in front of Freeman, who fired a salvo of three laser-guided heavy rockets into Steinke' side metal armor. The rockets hit with devastating effect, killing Steinke's driver.

Right out of the gate, Willis's gunner started harrassing Hagmaier with his heavy-duty flamethrower. Meanwhile, Willis's driver missed LaLonde with his rocket launcher. After hitting Hagmaier again with the flamethrower, Hagmaier caught fire and burned for a turn before his fire extinguisher put it out.

Hagmaier was annoying Rasmussen with repeated volleys of his fluid projectile guns loaded with ice and flaming oil. Rasmussen was hit a couple of times, but managed to maintain control and not catch fire. Rasmussen promised revenge.

LaLonde and Phillipsmixed it up right away, swapping shots with their flamethrowers. LaLonde stopped and challenged Phillips to bring on the action. Phillips complied. They put on a fireworks show in the corner. Willis joined the fun, repeatedly missing LaLonde's tire with his heavy-duty flamethrower. LaLonde managed to set Phillips on fire, but Phillips's fire extinguisher put out any hope LaLonde had of grabbing a quick kill. The crowd applauded wildly at the amazing display of pyrotechnics.

Willis laid down a nasty wall of spikes which LaLonde narrowly avoided. After getting breached, Phillips turned to get the heck out of there, heading towards Freeman.

Wells and Rosenberg came charging towards each other in the corner. Wells fired his flamethrower. Michael responded with his flechette guns.
Well's driver misjudged his speed and nearly creamed into the wall, turning away at the very last moment. Wells spent the next couple of
turns getting turned back around. Rosenberg was rammed and killed by Rasmussen, who narrowly avoided Rosenberg's ice as he plowed into his weak side armor.

Cossaboon managed to strike Cross with ice, then hit him with his vehicular shotgun, sending him spinning. Cross quickly regained control from the spinout, slowed down quite a bit.

Wells put a fire modifier of 10 on Cossaboon with two quick shots from his heavy-duty flamethrower. Cossaboon returned the favor by plowing into Wells, killing him.

Freeman saw Cross recovering from his spin, so he manuevered to setup a ram, but Cross's scatter from one of his missed ice gun shots skittered right under Freeman's car, preventing him from turning into Cross. Hagmaier came charging in, slammed hard into Cross, and killed him.

Willis and LaLonde continued to mix it up. Willis made a tight turn and rolled his van. LaLonde attempted to finish him by hammering his rear
armor with his heavy-duty flamethrower. Freeman came screeching in to join the carnage, firing a salvo of heavy rockets into Willis's rear
armor.

Freeman slowed to 70 mph, and rear-ended Jeremy, who had already been softened-up quite a bit. Eric did not know Jeremy had a rollcage and a plethora of component armor. The ram failed to kill Willis. Freeman became even more frustrated because the collision did not annihilate Willis, and Willis's spikes took out both of his back tires. LaLonde fired one last time into Willis's shattered armor, finishing the job.

Rasmussen and Wells were in the corner after Cossaboon rammed Rasmussen. Both survived the collision. Hagmaier showed up eager to steal a kill, firing his ice and oil guns but missing badly. Rasmussen made a tight turn, and managed to line up a ram on Hagmaier, who turned to make the impact a head-on meeting. Hagmaier figured the combined ram speed would be too much for Rasmussen. He was wrong. Rasmussen limped away after securing his second kill while Hagmaier paid the ultimate price for his mistake. Freeman celebrated his revenge on Hagmaier.

Freeman, desperate for one last kill in his SCAB swan-song, charged towards Phillips, who responded  with repeated shots from his flamethrowers. The napalm had little effect on Eric's heavy front armor. They collided head-on at 90 mph. The impact easilly quickly killed Phillips and barely killed Freeman. Rasmussen, having secured two full kills, was declared the victor.
 

Final Results

1. Erik Rasmussen (VK x 2, survivor bonus)
2. Peter Cossaboon (VK x 1, survivor bonus)
3. Eric Freeman (VK x 2, killed)
4. Tom LaLonde (completed kill on Willis, survival bonus)
5. Rob Hagmaier (VK x 1, killed)
5. Chuck Phillips (VK x 1, killed)
7. Stan Wells (killed)
7. Jeremy Willis (killed)
7. Michael Rosenberg (killed)
7. Rick Cross (killed)
7. Rob Steinke (killed)
 

Rob Hagmaier
Southern California Autodueling Brotherhood

P.S. If this duel report in any way deviates from reality, it is reality that has it wrong.
 
 

From: Jeremy Willis <throach@blar.org>
To: SCAB Mailing List <Scab@blar.org>
Subject: SCAB July 21st Duel
Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2001 18:26:43 -0700

This 40K duel took place at the newly constucted Garbage Grove Municipal Autoduel Arena.
 

Gate Configuration

        1        2        3        4
0                                           5
        9        8        7        6
 

Players and Vehicle Descriptions

Gate 1 (Chuck Phillips' Vehicle) -- Six-wheel van, electric PP (with HTMs), driver, gunner, 2 BCs (with HRSWC) front, FT (with HRSWC) left, airdam, spoiler.
 

Gate 2 (Rob Hagmiaer's "Make It A Double From The Big Spud Guns") -- Six-wheel van, gasoline ICE, driver, 2 BCs (each with HESH ammo) right, FOJ left, SD back, DSP under, fake ramplate, 2 AWHs front, 2 WGs back, heavy amount of frame armor on right side, several compartments of heavy interior CA.
 

Gate 3 (Jarett Weintraub's Vehicle) -- Sedan, electric PP (with HDHTMs), driver, TwL (with HRSWC) in turret, 2 FODs, 1 IcD, airdam, spoiler.
 

Gate 4 (Peter Cossaboon's Vehicle) -- Mid-size with rollcage, gasoline ICE (with blueprinting, tubular headers, NO2 tank and rocket booster), active suspension, snow tires, driver, HD brakes, ramplate, 2 AWHs front, 2 WGs back.
 

Gate 5 (Rick Cross's Vehicle) -- Luxury, large electric PP (with HTMs), active suspension, snow tires, driver, gunner, GG (with HRSWC) in turret, TL (with bumper trigger and HRSWC) front, 3 HRs front, LGL (front TL and 3 front HRs), airdam, spoiler, no-paint windshield, 4 AWHs, 4 WGs.
 

Gate 6 (Stan Wells's Vehicle) -- Six-wheel pickup, gasoline ICE (with turbocharger and N2O tank), driver, BC (with HESH ammo) front, airdam, spoiler, ramplate, 2 AWHs front, 2 WGs back.
 

Gate 7 (Tom LaLonde's Vehicle) -- Sloped/streamlined luxury, gasoline ICE (with blueprinting, tubular headers, turbocharger and overdrive), active suspension, ID right-front corner, airdam, spoiler, HDSAs, HD brakes, IFE, 2 AWHs front, 2 WGs back.
 

Gate 8 (Jeremy Willis's Advantage VII-G 1960's Psychedelic Van) -- Van with rollcage, hvy. chassis, large electric PP (with SuperCons and HTMs), hvy. suspension, 4 solid tires, driver, gunner, GG (with SWC front), GG (with HRSWC) right, VS left, FOJ back, HD brakes, 2 weapon links. Plastic armor: F30, R25, L15, B15, T1, U4, two 5-pt. plastic AWHs front, two 5-pt. plastic WGs back, seven 10-point plastic CA compartments (electric PP, driver, gunner, front GG, right GG, left VS,  back FOJ).
 

Gate 9 (Michael Rosenberg's Vehicle) -- Heavy trike, electric PP (with HTMs), cyclist, 2 pulse lasers (1R, 1L), 3 IcDs, 3 bumper triggers, HRSWC. no-paint windshields.
 

Gate 0 (Aaron Cappocchi's Vehicle) -- Six-wheel van, gasoline ICE, driver, gunner, TL right, 4 RLs (each with AP rockets) right.
 
 

Play-By-Play Account

1/1    Phillips hit Hagmaier with a BC for minor damage. Hagmaier returned fire by inflicting 9 points of damage, dropping spikes, and dropping flaming oil (placing the dropped weapons on automatic). Willis's gunner hit LaLonde for 7 points of damage.

1/2    Willis's driver put his FOJ on automatic.

1/3    Rosenberg hit Cappocchi with pulse lasers for 16 points of damage.

1/4    Wells hit Cross with a BC for 12 points of damage.

1/5    Cappocchi sent a volley of rockets into Rosenberg for 37 points of damage, earning Cappocchi a mobility kill. Cross missed Wells's tire. Weintraub missed Hagmaier.
 

2/1    Willis's gunner hit LaLonde again, this time for 9 points of damage. Hagmaier pelted Phillip's front for 26 points of damage, destoying one of his BCs.

2/2    Weintraub missed Hagmaier. Wells nailed Cross for 16 points of damage to breach his left side. Cross simultaniously hit Wells's tire for 9 points of damage.

2/4    Willis's driver shot a GG at Hagmaier. The round bounced off metal armor. Cappocchi released another massive rocket volley, this time at Willis. The assault killed Willis's driver, earning Cappocchi a second mobility kill.

2/5    Phillips missed Weintraub. Wells and Cross collided head-on at 100 mph, resulting in big damage but no deaths.
 

3/1    Phillips went over spikes Hagmaier laid, taking moderate tire damage that caused him to spin out. Wells opened a N2O tank. As he accelerated, Wells heard clanking noises. Hagmaier fired both BCs at Phillips for 29 points of damage, killing the driver. Cossaboon collided with Cross head-on, taking him out.

3/2    Willis's gunner hit Rob with a GG again, inflicting minor damage. Cossaboon t-boned Wells for minor damage.

3/3    Phillips flipped his FT onto automatic during his spinout. The weapon hit Willis for 3 points of damage and a fire modifier of 4.

3/4    Willis's driverless van went through Hagmaier's flaming oil for moderate damage and a fire modifier of 3.

3/5    Cappocchi fired a big rocket volley at Willis's front, breaching the armor there but not killing the vehicle. Weintraub fired both of his FCGSs in front of Cappocchi to cause minor damage. Willis caught fire after failing a fire modifier test.
 

4/1    Willis fired a GG at Weintraub, hitting his front for 13 points of damage. Cappocchi fired 4 rockets into Willis's breached van, destroying it.

4/2    LaLonde went over Hagmaier's flaming oil for minor damage.

4/3    LaLonde rear-ended Hagmaier, who was on flaming oil. There was enough damage to breach armor but not to kill the vehicle. The impact conformed Hagmaier's car into Rosenberg, destroying his car. The meeting with Hagmaier started LaLonde's car rolling.

4/4    Weintraub missed a shot at LaLonde's soft underbelly as he rolled.

5/1    Hagmaier nailed the immobile Phillips, killing his gunner, and completing the kill. Phillips managed to hit Hagmaier with his FT, for 2 points of damage, before dying.

5/2    Weintraub hit LaLonde's underbody, breaching the armor there, but not sending damage inside.
 

6/1    Weintraub hit LaLonde again, but the attack was ineffective.

6/2    Wells fired his BC at Cossaboon for 8 points of damage.
 

Eventually, LaLonde stopped rolling, lost all of his tires, and his weapons became faced against a wall. At this point, the end of the game was called. Hagmaier won the duel with two complete kills.
 

Final Results

1. Rob Hagmaier (40, killed Phillips, killed LaLonde)
2. Aaron Cappocchi (30, killed Willis, mobility kill on Rosenberg)
3. Peter Cossaboon (20, killed Cross)
4. Stan Wells (0)
4. Jarett Weintraub (0)
6. Tom LaLonde (-10, completed kill on Rosenberg, killed)
7. Rick Cross (-20, killed)
7. Chuck Phillips (-20, killed)
7. Michael Rosenberg (-20, killed)
 

Jeremy Willis
SCAB Member
TCM League Manager
 
 
 

SPY HUNTER SONY PLAYSTATION 2 REVIEW
http://www.gamingmaxx.com/previews/ps2/spyhntr.htm

Gaming Maxx
http://www.gamingmaxx.com
July 03, 2001
By Marques Hicks

The daring reconnaissance missions lead Spy Hunter around the globe to exotic locations . . .

Spy Hunter is on a mission to save the world once again in a non-stop, action-intense game of mission-based vehicular espionage with breathtaking full-motion-video cut scenes, where the hunter is also the hunted. Spy Hunter must complete 14 high-adrenaline missions in a variety of exotic worldwide locations in order to defeat the evil multinational corporation, NOSTRA. With next-generation 3D design, incredible high-tech weaponry and a sleek new vehicle -- the G-6155 Interceptor -- Spy Hunter must make split-second decisions while engaging in offensive attacks and defensive counter-attacks.

The G-6155 Interceptor is the ultimate counterintelligence prototype vehicle with morphing abilities, futuristic weaponry and lightning-fast speed. Depending on the terrain and danger Spy Hunter faces, the Interceptor transforms into a car, boat, jet ski or motorcycle -- making it a true
all-terrain vehicle.

Spy Hunter must always be ready for action as heavily-armed enemy vehicles lurk around every corner ready to strike at the first site of the Interceptor. Weapon trucks appear throughout the game to supply the Interceptor with offensive weapons including machine guns, missiles and lasers, and counter-attack weapons such as oil slicks, smoke screens and cluster mines. Players have no choice other than being totally immersed in the action with the clandestine plot that unfolds throughout the game, revealing who Spy Hunter is and what he is ultimately after.
 

Features:

*    The G-6155 Interceptor, Spy Hunter's new vehicle that transforms into a car, boat, jet ski or motorcycle

*    Explosive weaponry for both offensive attacks, including machine guns, missiles and lasers, and counter-attack weapons such as oil slicks, smoke screens and cluster mines

*    All-new 3D design with photo-realistic levels and recognizable landmarks and scenery

*    14 in-depth missions encompassing exotic worldwide locations, Panama, Key West, England, Germany, France, Middle East desert and Venice
 

Genre: Racing
# Players: 1
Developer: Paradigm Entertainment
Publisher: Midway
ESRB: Pending
 

(Editor's Note: Visit Midway's Web site to access the Official Spy Hunter 2001 Web site, which features an excerpt from the new theme song.)

Midway
http://www.midway.com
 
 
 

THROACH CORPORATE MOTORS

Subject: TCM Div 1 Experimental Duel at Fly-by-Night Arena
Date: Tue, 03 Jul 2001 19:47:40 -0700
From: Jeremy Willis <throach@blar.org>
Reply-To: Scab@blar.org

TCM sponsored an experimental Div 1 duel in the Fly-by-Night Arena on July 1st, 2051. This event started as a one-on-one challenge but turned into a six-way brawl that was independent of the TCM championship season. All rules were strictly SCAB/AADA regulations with new rulings in effect.

*    Gas engines could now use overdrive and only needed 150 miles range worth of gas.
*    Hand weapons were legal.
*    Vehicle crew still couldn't leave their vehicles.

Players and Vehicle Descriptions

Jeremy Wells's "Hardly Davidson" -- Light cycle, 2 std. tires, light suspension, electric PP, cyclist. Plastic armor: F0, B0, 10 points plastic CA around PP, 4 points CA around cyclist. Personal Equipment: 6 explosive grenades.
 

Stan Wells's Unnamed Vehicle -- Light trike, 10 ci ICE (with carburetor and 2-gallon economy gasoline tank), 3 standard tires, cyclis. Plastic armor: F0, B0, 4 points plastic CA around driver, 4 points plastic CA around gunner.

Cyclist Personal Equipment: 2 grenades (1 explosive, 1 flechette).
Gunner Personal Equipment: Rifle.
 

Rob Steinke's Unnamed Vehicle -- Light cycle, 10 ci ICE (with carburetor and 2-gallon economy gasoline tank), JD back, cycle blades. Metal/plastic armor: F5/0, B0/0.

Cyclist Personal Equipment: 5 grenades (3 flechette, 2 fake)
 

Tom LaLonde's Unnamed Vehicle: Light cycle, 10 ci ICE (with carburetor and 2-gallon economy gasoline tank), light suspension, 2 standard tires, cyclist. Plastic armor: F6, B8, 10 points plastic CA around ICE.

Cyclist Personal Equipment: Needle gun.
 

Rick Cross: Light cycle, electric PP, light suspension, 2 standard tires, cyclist. Plastic armor: F0, B0, 4 points plastic CA around PP, 3 points plastic CA around cyclist.

Cyclist Personal Equipment: 4 grenades (1 flaming oil, 3 explosive).
 

Aaron Cappocchi's "One-Man Torpedo" -- Light cycle, 10 ci ICE (with carburetor and 2-gallon dueling gasoline tank), light suspension, 2 standard tires, cyclist. Metal/plastic armor: F5/4, B0/1.
 

Play-By-Play Account

Turn 1: Stan's gunner missed Rick with rifle. Tom missed Robert with needle gun.

Turn 2: Stan's gunner missed Rick by one to-hit number! Bob threw grenade at Tom to no effect. Tom missed Robert again.

Turn 3: Bob sharply turned, keeping control and cutting off Tom to drop a junk counter in front of him! Tom succeeded in stopping his bike just before going over it. Stan's gunner missed Rick again. Stan's driver tossed a grenade towards Jeremy for no effect. Rick threw a grenade towards Jeremy for no effect.

Turn 4: Jeremy threw grenade towards Stan to no effect. Robert dropped junk dropper counters, using automatic-fire mode, in front of Rick. Aaron lived up to his vehicle's name by T-boning Robert going 55 mph! The 7 points of ram damage killed Robert, but Aaron spilled his bike and died horribly!

Turn 5: Stan's gunner missed Rick yet again. Jeremy tossed grenade at Stan (see turn 6).

Turn 6: Jeremy dropped a grenade to his left for no effect. Stan's driver threw grenade in front of Jeremy to no effect. Stan's gunner fired at Jeremy and missed. Jeremy's grenade (from turn 5) blew off Stan's rear two tires!

Turn 7: Jeremy turned hard to play chicken with a giant concrete baricade. Stan's gunner fired at Jeremy and missed.

Turn 8: Jeremy braked hard and succeeded in stopping before colliding with the baricade. Stan's gunner hit Jeremy's rear tire for 3 points damage. Jeremy threw grenade right by Stan (see turn 9).

Turn 9: Stan's vehicle became stationary. Stan's gunner hit Jeremy's rear tire again and destroyed it. Jeremy threw his last grenade right at Stan (see turn 10). Jeremy's grenade (from turn 8) destroyed Stan's driver, engine, and gas tank, but his gunner survived injured!

Turn 10: Just before his death, Stan's gunner fired at Tom in desperation and missed. Jeremy's grenade (from turn 9) killed Stan's gunner!

Turns 11 and 12: Tom and Rick jockeyed for position.

Turn 13: Rick and Tom collided head-on (40 mph). Tom's driver alone climbed out of the wreakage! Jeremy was a mobility kill and was out of grenades. Tom was a mobility kill and could not hit Jeremy's CA-protected driver with needles, a stalemate! The duel ended with a four-way tie for first. This was a good game to warm up for the second half of the TCM season, now that hand weapons are arena legal.
 

Final Results

1. Tom LaLonde (0, killed Cross, mobility killed, out of game)
1. Jeremy Willis (0, killed Stan, mobility killed, out of game)
1. Aaron Cappocchi (0 points, killed Steinke, killed)
1. Rob Steinke (0, killed Cappocchi, killed)
5. Rick Cross (-10, mobility kill on LaLonde, killed)
5. Stan Wells (-10, mobility kill on Willis, killed)
 

Jeremy Willis
SCAB Member
TCM League Manager
 
 
 

TORMENT AND SPY HUNTER IV
http://www.angelfire.com/band/torment/newsarticle1.html

Torment Web Site
http://www.angelfire.com/band/torment
By Greg Edwards

The band recently spent time in a Los Angeles studio recording a version of Henry Mancini's theme from Peter Gunn for an update of the classic arcade combat racing game Spy Hunter. Midway has scheduled the game to be released for PlayStation 2 this September.

"I grew up on Midway games," says frontman Josey Scott. "They were the first games I ever played as a teenager, so it's a real honor for us to do this. It's really an opportunity for us to shine, for us to put a Saliva twist on the Peter Gunn theme, to drop a fat beat into it, and put some heavy guitars in it."

The band has recorded two versions of the song: a revamped cover of the instrumental version and a second version with lyrics penned by
used in the game, or whether the tune will appear on any future Saliva albums, Midway has announced that the game will feature a video
of the band recording the song.
 
 
 

VICTORIA COMICCON 2001
http://www.victoriacomiccon.com

From: Geoff Conn <talonz51@hotmail.com>
To: Pacific Northwest Gamers
Subject: Victoria ComicCon in FIVE DAYS!
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 23:53:36 -0700

Yes, that's the Pacific Northwest's newest and biggest con, opening its doors in just FIVE DAYS!

If you're getting this e-mail from me, you are likely a gamer. You may wish to check out the latest gaming schedule update.

Victoria ComicCon Gaming Schedule
http://www.victoriacomiccon.com/pages/gaming.html

We have over 30 different kinds of events in various timeslots over 3 days, with the bulk of it on Saturday and Sunday for our southern neighbors who don't have Monday off like we canucks do. ;)

If you are coming and planning to game, PRE-REGISTER!  Send me an e-mail with your name, email, and desired gameslots by gamecode (GC01, FR11, etc) nd get signed up!  There is no additional fee to play, just one ticket gets you in the door and into any event! (space permitting)

 Hope to see you there!

Geoff
Gaming Coordinator
Victoria ComicCon
 
 
 

WORMSPEAKER'S GAMING PAGES

HOUSE OF ANIME, MANGA AND RPGs
http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/ginza/7737/index.html

JARPS ZONE
http://www.geocities.com/timessquare/cave/2822

Car Wars House Rules
http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/ginza/7737/carwars.html

Badlands: A Tabletop Version of the Wasteland CRPG
http://www.geocities.com/timessquare/cave/2822/cochise.html

A Tabletop Version of the Fallout CRPG
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cave/2822/docs/fallout.txt

JARPS Generic RPG
http://www.geocities.com/timessquare/cave/2822/main.html
 

BAD NEWS

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
July 6, 2001
By Steve Jackson

I have had to make a very tough decision. Effective today, SJ Games laid off 13 people.

This doesn't mean we are going out of business. But I could see no other way to STAY in business. For over a year, we have had incomplete
financial statements; for many months we have had a negative cash flow. I was repeatedly assured that better reports were coming, and that
soon we'd be able to tell how much of our constant cash deficit was simply due to growth, and how much might relate to overstaffing,
overhead, or individual projects that weren't pulling their weight.

But a few weeks ago, our CFO left. Our financial reports are over a year out of date (that is, it has been more than a year since any accounting
period was fully closed to show profit or loss). Our inventory is a mess. I have been writing personal checks to keep our bank account in the
black. It is hard to describe the problem in more detail without using technical accounting terminology and really bad language.

What it seems to boil down to is that for the better part of a year, I've been paying a great deal of money every day for the pleasure of owning a
game company. Now, this business is fun, but not THAT much fun. More to the point, I've now thrown in all the money I can (and then some),
always believing that we were about to see a turnaround. Looks like I was far too trusting for far too long.

Unfortunately, some good employees are now going to suffer for my mistake. I'm very sorry.

For those concerned about what happens now at SJ Games, some Q&A follows. And I'll be on Pyramid Chat tonight at 7 to discuss this, along
with some other staff members.
 

Q: So SJ Games has been losing money?

A: I don't know! Like I said: no reliable financials. It's quite possible to be profitable but have negative cash flow. Indications are we really
weren't profitable last year, but I don't know yet by how much, or where the loss might have come from. Our per-product sales were up in 2000
(and are up more in 2001), we've been producing more products, and the distributors have been paying their bills. The cash ought to be there,
but it's not.
 

Q: What are you doing about it?

A: We've hired a new controller with extensive experience. He's working to clean up the books. We have some really good stuff about to ship .
. . Frag, Munchkin, Chez Dork . . . and that will bring in some cash. And those of us who are left will be working harder.
 

Q: Who's being laid off?

A: I have a personal problem with posting the list of names, because nobody on that list is to blame for the situation. If you work for a
competitor and want to pick up our losses . . . GO FOR IT. These are good people and we want to help them find jobs. Write me personally
(sj@io.com) and tell me what kind of skills you're looking for, and I'll forward the info to anybody who meets your requirements.
 

Q: So how do you know this layoff will solve the problem?

A: I don't. I just know that if we DON'T cut our monthly expenses by this much, we won't be able to pay the remainder of our bills. This way,
we will. One step at a time.
 

Q: What happens to the schedule?

A: We'll post a new schedule very soon. For close months, not much will change; products already at the printer, or ready for the printer, will
ship on schedule. We're still sorting out how much we can do with our remaining staff and resources.

We'll probably cut the size of our press runs, even if that means going out of print on some books in 6 months or less, just because that saves
cash in the short run.

Car Wars will still happen in October, for sure.
 

Q: How can I help?

A: Think kind thoughts. Forgive us if we don't ship our new books and games quite as quickly as we had planned. If you feel like spending
money, remember Warehouse 23 . . .
 
 
 

HAPPINESS IS A FULL PLATE

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
July 22, 2001
By Steve Jackson

So I must be overjoyed. As I emerge from a couple of weeks of dealing with business issues and look over the stack of Manuscripts To Be
Read . . .

Well, I've got a dozen of them. They range from fragments of books that haven't yet been contracted, to first drafts (I'm really looking forward to
the new "Miles Vorkosigan" worldbook but it's fourth on the list) to final-we-hope printouts of announced titles like GURPS Monsters. And
that's not even counting the stack of proposed cards for the new Chez Geek expansion, and of course my turn with the new Car Wars rules. It's
a good thing I love my work . . . and it's a good thing the all-night service station down the road has such great coffee.
 
 
 

PROGRESS REPORT

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
July 26, 2001
By Steve Jackson

Still here. Still editing. The stack is down to eight manuscripts. I remember sleep . . . sleep was good . . . Chez Dork progress being make. Car Wars progress being made. Need to be triplets.
 

RED EAGLE
http://www.papillon.net/stories/redeagle.html

Frank Lauer
acapulco@t-online.de

Editor's Note; This work is written in the German language. Autoduelists who do not speak the language of the Völkspanzer vehicle corporation will want to use the the following Web site.

Babel Fish Translation
http://world.altavista.com
 

AMAZON MINIATURES
http://www.amazonminiatures.com

From: Amazon Miniatures <info@amazonminiatures.com>
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@hotmail.com>
Subject: Web Site Link Request
Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2001 09:43:55 +0100

If you have a wargames Web site, we would very much appreciate a link to our site. In return we will be glad to link back to your Web site -- please let us know so that we can add your link.

Amazon Miniatures is a manufacturer of

*     25mm Biblical, Ancient and Historical, and Future Wars
*     25mm Fantasy
*     15mm Biblical, Ancients and ACW
*     Microscale tanks and spaceships

Visit our Web site using the new address listed. Thanks.

Paul
Amazon Miniatures
 
 

ATOMIK MOTORWARZ
http://www.meta-earth.com/fuzion/motorwarz.html

Atomik MotorWarz is a "Real World" vehicle modification and combat system. All vehicles are real vehicles. All modifications are real modifications. All prices and weights are real. Performance and vehicle specs are real. Vehicles are not built from the ground up, rather, an existing model is purchased and then modified.
 
 
 

AUTODUELISTS' GROUP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/autoduellist

From: Autoduelist's Moderator <autoduellist-owner@yahoogroups.com>
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@hotmail.com>
Subject: File -- Group Rules
Date: 21 Jul 2001 03:28:31 -0000

There are a few guidelines that I think are common sense and users should follow:

1. Jae Bagherra is the owner and head moderator on the list. I will enlist others as moderators to prevent a tyrannical reign, and also to help lessen the burden by distributing responsibility. I'll try not to mess with stuff too much and let things run their course. If something comes up that doesn't fit into this forum you will get a warning, and if you persist I will use a small tactical nuke to delete your account.

2. There are women and children present, so don't say anything that you wouldn't say in front of your mother. That means no swearing or
"mature" subject matter. Let's try and keep it clean.

3.  In the event that people start discussions on here, which I hope everyone does, please be civil and don't light up the heavy flamer when
you respond to someone.

4. If you log in through the <http://groups.yahoo.com site> you can view the links and files sections.

5. NO JUNK MAIL! Users will be subject to the same treatment as in the first tenant.

6. If you don't want to have your mailbox getting cluttered up with messages, you can log into the groups.yahoo.com website and change you
settings to only view the messages online. If you need help with that ask me and I will try and get things straightened out.

Jae Bagherra
Autoduelists' Group Moderator
 
 
 

BAY AREA AUTODUELING ASSOCIATION
http://www.geocities.com/schoon8654
http://www.geocities.com/schoon8654/cw/baaa.html

Bay Area Autoduelling Association (BAAA)
President: Sean B. Schoonmaker
Berkeley, CA
AADA Chapter Registry Appearances: July/August 2046, March/April 2047
 
 

Forum: Dueling Debate <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>
Subject: Classifieds and Conventions/BAAA Back in Business
From: SCHOON8654
Date: Jul 30, 2001 8:57 pm

I'm not sure about what folder is right for this, however . . . The Bay Area Autodueling Association is back in business after many dusty years.
Please take a look at my Web site. It's not much, but it's my first attempt at writing HTML. Comments and criticisms are welcome. (I have no pride, so you won't hurt my feelings by saying it is terrible -- just let me know why and how to improve it!)

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker
BAAA Webmaster
 
 

Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 14:06:57 -0700
From: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>
To:  BAAA: Schoonmaker, Sean Bayan <s_schoon@pacbell.net>
Subject: BAAA Web Site Access Problems

Dear Sean,

When I try entering the BAAA Web site using both of the URLs you have given to autoduelists, all I see is a blank page. I am using an IBM computer with Netscape Communicator 4.8.
 
 

Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 14:06:36 -0700
From: Sean Bayan Schoonmaker <s_schoon@pacbell.net>
Subject: Re: BAAA Web Site Access Problems
To: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>

Hi, Michael. Yes, I've identified the problem as a cross-platform glitch. The Web site works just fine for any Macintosh computer, but doesn't work a whit for IBM platforms. I'm researching the code now to remedy.

Thanks for the information on the platform, though. You would be surprised how many people forget to send that along.
 
 
 

DEATH RACE LABOHOV
http://hem.passagen.se/prototyp/carwars

Death Race Lambohov (DRL) is a Car Warscampaign focusing on high-velocity dueling and racing. The first stage is a Division 10, unsanctioned street-racing tournament. Players take on each other in violent, high-octane duels where the fastest driver wins only if he can survive. Local autoduelists are welcome to enter the circuit at any time during the season.
 
 
 

P AND P ROLEPLAYING FACTORY
http://www.geocities.com/othehorror

Progress Reports: June 30, 2001

Car Wars DC is a mini project I am planning on working on this summer. I have recently played the actual Car Wars game and I loved it. I am going to post here my modifications and breakdowns to make it easier and more fun to play. Right now I am planning on ordering "Car Wars Deluxe Edition" from DragonScroll <http://www.dragonscroll.com>.

P and P Webmaster
 
 
 

REALSCHLUSS
http://www.asterick.com/realschluss

Currently Realschluss houses free role-playing and war/simulation games. This is primarily due to the disinclination of the author to
pursue licensing/selling the games.

Roadworld 1.0: A future world based loosely on Blade Runner, Repo Man, The Road Warrior, and related ideas. Released October 1999.

Ruinworld: Expected Release April 2000.
 
 
 

ROAD RAGE
http://www.cpjohnston.freeserve.co.uk/roadrage

Road Rage: The Tabletop Game of Racing, Chasing and Auto-Combat. I hope to develop this Web site to cover all my vehicle gaming activities, including RPGs like the "Hot Rods & Gun Bunnies" campaign, tabletop games like Road Rage, the upcoming new version of Car Wars, and computer games like Interstate '76 and NASCAR Racing.

Chris Johnston
Road Rage Publisher