Web Posted October 13, 2002
Updated October 13, 2002

Happy All Fools Day. I decided to play a joke on all of you by surprising you with an issue actually on schedule for once. I have also uploaded all of the issues from October to March to the CWIN Archive.

This issue is short because of a lack of articles in my inbox, so please send me more stuff to publish. I am particularly interested in seeing strategy articles for Car Wars Version 5, scenarios, arenas, dueltracks, and Daemon Mechanic articles in addition to duel reports.

Congratulations goes to John Blaylock, member of SHAAG and current AADA Car Wars Version 4 Dueling Champion, for running the demonstration games of Car Wars Version 5 at MidSouth Con recently. The convention was the place where SJ Games launched the release of Car Wars Version 5. Thanks, John, for representing the autodueling community in a professional and friendly matter.
 

WADA STUFF

When you send me duel reports for the 2052 WADA League, tell me what rulebooks you are using. I am interested in keeping track of how many events in this year's league will be based on the new Car Wars rules.

Send me reports of adventures, scenarios, highway duels and other non-arena events. To provide an incentive for these events to be played more often, I am considering giving a few WADA championship points for these types of games, regardless of the number of players. Start sending me results and I will let you my decision on this topic soon.
 

If all goes well, you can expect the May issue to appear on May 1st. Of course, if you do not send me articles to publish, I will have to dig into my Notebooks of Car Wars Chaos, and you definitely do not want that to happen.

Drive Offensively,

Michael P. Owen
 

POLICE FOLLOW STOLEN TRUCK'S TRAIL OF DOUGHNUTS
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/sh/news/stories/nat-news-133429620020328-120356.html

Chase Lasted Nearly 15 Miles

The Associated Press and WDSU NewsChannel 6, New Orleans, LA
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/index.html
Posted: 1:23 p.m. EST March 28, 2002

Slidell, LA. -- Police followed a trail of doughnuts as they chased down two thieves in Louisiana.

A woman is under arrest and her companion is on the run after allegedly stealing a doughnut truck in Slidell.

Police said the driver of the Krispy Kreme truck told them he left the back doors open and the motor running while delivering doughnuts to a gas station. Next thing he knew, two people jumped in and drove off, spilling boxes of doughnuts out the back.

Police chased it nearly 15 miles down the interstate before the driver pulled over and ran away into the woods. His companion was arrested.
Police said she told them the two had been smoking crack cocaine.

Police quote the Krispy Kreme driver as saying drivers will probably be ordered not to leave the doors open and the motor running while making deliveries.
 

MIDSOUTH CON

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
March 27, 2002

Okay, this was a very interesting trip. I have owed MidSouthCon a visit for a loooong time. I was supposed to go there more than a decade ago,
but a little visit from the Secret Service made that impossible. I was pleased to be invited back so I could make up for my previous absence.

So the feds showed up AGAIN. This time, it wasn't here -- it was THERE. And it wasn't the Treasury Department; it was the Directorate of
Homeland Security and Color-Coded Alerts. Seems they had taken over the airport Holiday Inn to screen would-be airport screeners. They had
thrown megabucks at it to turn it into an instant Homeland Security Command Post . . . upgraded its power supplies and Net connection . . .
filled up the function space with shiny new Dell computers and little gray cubicles . . . and they were running a little bit behind schedule. Days
behind, apparently. So when we got there, inarticulate individuals with guns were rolling their eyes at all the scary fans, and keeping the con
staff out of the space they had contracted for.

And this went on all through Friday. As toastmaster Cullen Johnson put it . . . "I had to pee in three cups just to get to Registration."

(An aside. I have witnessed, and endured, enough idiocy on the part of our current corporate-minimum-wage screening system to agree that
SOMETHING should change. I'm tempted to sing you the Argenbright song, to the tune of Mickey Mouse, but I won't . . . yet. I'm just skeptical
about any expensive crash government program that takes more than six months to start replacing the private-sector morons with its own mor . .
. err, more qualified workers. If the Ministry of Internal Inconvenience were serious about protecting us, the National Guard would have been
running those screening machines the moment the airports reopened in mid-September. If they can teach minimum-wagers to use that
equipment, I do believe the Guardsmen could figure it out. But I digress.)

At any rate, the hotel was a mess. But the con staff responded magnificently. Nobody blew their stack or hurled themselves out of a window.
The con attendees were understanding. And the hotel staff was incredibly helpful, considering what THEY had been going through; some of
them hadn't slept for days, dealing with the various Fed demands while trying to keep their other commitments as much as they could.

And gradually, things sorted themselves out. The feds and fed-minions percolated away. The con got underway. Almost nothing wound up
WHERE it was supposed to be, but almost everything happened SOMEPLACE. And people had fun. This con marked the debut of the new
edition of Car Wars. And for me, the continuing Car Wars demo was a high point. It was run by John Blaylock, a former World Duelling
Champion . . . who does the best job of explaining the rules that I have ever heard. Ably assisted by henchmen Hugh and Shorty, he did a
fantastic job of spreading the Car Wars gospel and introducing a lot of people, ranging from old hands to very young players, to the game.

What else can I say? We played some Ogre (the Fencer, though stripped of weapons, made it to its objective, crunch, pop, aieeeee.) It was
wonderful to see Carolyn Cherryh again. I met some new people that I really liked, and got to play games with some of them.

What else to note about this con? Hmm. They serve Real Food in the con suite, a practice of which I heartily approve (especially in a hotel
where the staff has been going without sleep, if you get my drift). They are Nice, with a capital N, to their guests. The attendees are not afraid to
play new games. The dealer room had several actual BOOKsellers in it -- all too rare at modern cons, and very appreciated.

All in all, a good time was had by me. And everyone else, as far as I could tell.

(Yes, I know I owe y'all about three more con reports. I'll work backwards.)

-- Steve Jackson
sj@io.com
 

GAMA REPORT

The Daily Illuminator
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
March 31, 2002

Working back through my queue of con writeups:

GAMA (aka the GAMA Trade Show or GTS) was in Las Vegas in mid-March. SJ Games sent me, Ross, Phil, Michelle, Paul, and Moe . . . leaving
a corporal's guard to hold the fort. The preceding weeks had been very crazy indeed, since it was absolutely necessary that Car Wars be back
from the printer in time to give out samples. It made it . . . baaaarely. I will be happy to go for a while without any more escapes that narrow.

Didn't see a THING of Las Vegas this time. Only left the hotel building once the whole time, and that was to walk to get some Coke, since the
Orleans Casino is (ick) a Pepsi-only property. Fortunately, the Orleans has a lot of different restaurants, most with decent food but all,
apparently, with uniformly bad service. I heard some real horror stories, and lived through a couple. However, it's a good convention facility.

I thought we put on a good show . . . the booth looked very good, with big posters for Munchkin, GURPS WWII, Frag, and other current
biggies . . . plus a huge Car Wars display featuring counters more than 2 feet long. Now we need to build a really huge Turning Key . . .

Everybody looked very spiffy and professional in their black polo shirts with the pyramid logo. Paul was definitely our martyr of the show . . .
he stayed on his feet almost the whole time, demonstrating Car Wars.

The show itself was well organized . . . possibly the best one ever, and certainly the biggest. Props to Mark Simmons, GAMA's Executive
Director, for putting it all together.

So what did I see there that was neat? Three things spring to mind:

* The new Battletech figures from WizKids. Very neat. I'm jealous! And I'd link to their page except it seems to be down right now . . . so
try www.wizkids.com some other time and see what you see.
* James Ernest's new game, Diceland. Underhand pitching of cardboard octahedrons was never this much fun.
* The new "battleground" terrain line from Geo-Hex looks very nice . . . and although it is cast urethane foam, I couldn't even mark the bottom of a piece with my fingernail.

All in all, a good show, and the great retailer reactions to Car Wars and Unnatural Axe were good for our morale!

-- Steve Jackson
sj@io.com
 

CAR WARS HQ
http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars

FAQ: Collisions, Hazards from Damage, Dropped Weapons
 

DEMOLITION 62
http://www.demolition62.com

Subject: General / Demolition 62
From: Joe Reynolds (JOSEPHREY)
Date: March 31, 2002, 8:41 am
Forum: Dueling Debate <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>

I found this through a comic book forum. It's a neat little arena combat game that can hold up to six players. You can choose from several vehicle types all with their different advantages and disadvantages: sedan, van, compact, sports car, and wagon. There are four weapons:
machine-gun, rocket launcher, laser, and mine dropper.

I was the only one on at the time so I was shooting at practice drones. I would love to run into some of you guys in there. How about 12 noon (lunch break) in each time zone so there might always be someone on?

Your screen resolution must be in 1024 x 768 mode to play Demolition 62. I'm going to play now (11.39am EST Easter morning).
 
 
 

JUNKYARD WARS PRESS RELEASE: ULTIMATE MACHINE COMBAT
http://www.off-road.com/race/2002news/01_10

RaceDesert.com
http://www.off-road.com
January 10, 2002

Machine warriors of the world unite! -- Ultimate Machine Combat is here at last. It's the biggest, scariest machine contest ever with teams from around the world competing in extreme car-combat.

The makers of Junkyard Wars, America's most popular machine show want to find the best engineers in the universe . . . and then make them fight in monster machines that they have built themselves.

We will give each team a pile of cash and one month to build the best vehicle imaginable. It must be hard, fast and powerful and able to drive on any surface or gradient.

We will transport these vehicles to our enormous arena where battle will commence. It's the survival of the fittest as all 30 teams try to smash through to the final.

Are you an ace mechanic? Are you up for the challenge of a lifetime? Are you the best in the world?

For more information write <jen.dante@rdfmedia.com> or log on to www.maquinacombate.com or www.ultimatemachinecombat.com.

The Learning Channel: Junkyard Wars
http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/junkyard/junkyard.html

Ultimate Machine Combat/Full Metal Challenge
http://www.ultimatemachinecombat.com
http://www.fullmetalchallenge.com
 

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

Articles: Dueling on a Budget, Revisited; Dueling on a Budget, Revisited Vehicle Designs
Arena Watch: War Arena, Bill Cody Speedway
Nightmessenger Archive: Vol. 15, No. 2
 
 
 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AUTODUELING BROTHERHOOD

Subject: Fwd: 2052 TCM Championship League Game #2
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 20:21:11 -0800
From: Jeremy Willis <throach@blar.org>
To: Michael Owen <owenmp@serv.net>

Hi, Michael. CWIN 5.3 was a great issue with lots of killer content! I did notice however that the TCM game from February was not included. Here it is again incase you want to slip it into the next issue. Happy motoring!
 

Game #2 of the 2052 TCM Championship League Season happened on February 10th, 2052. This Division 10 duel took place at Pasadena Municipal Autoduel Arena. Nine duelists participated and drew lots to see who picked first from the 14 gates. Nobody picked an inner gate.
 

Players and Vehicle Descriptions

Tom LaLonde: Compact, airdam, spoiler, rocket booster ramplate.

Jeremy Willis: Compact, driver and gunner, VMG (with HD ammo) right.

Paul Dreyer: Compact, VMG front, 2 dischargers.

Mike Hording: Mid-size, 9 dischargers, ramplate.

Aaron Cappocchi: Rev. light trike, 2 LFTs (each with HT fuel; 1R, 1L), airdam, spoiler.

Rick Cross: Compact, MF right, discharger.

Peter Cossaboon: Hvy. cycle, RL (with incendiary rockets) front, SD back; light sidecar, gunner.

Mike Rosenburg: Sloped compact, HDFT front, discharger.

Robert Steike: Subcompact, 2 linked light sonic cannon front.
 

Summary of Action

1/1 Tom fires rocket booster and hits 85 mph!
1/2 Jeremy's gunner hits Rick with VMG (HD ammo) for 11 points, earning the first blood bonus.
1/5 Tom enters the southeast oil pool.

2/1 Jeremy's gunner hits Rick again for 12 points with 2 points internal.
2/2 Mike Hording and Jeremy enter the southwest oil pool. Aaron enters the northwest oil pool.
2/5 Robert misses Jeremy with both of his light sonic cannon.

3/1 Jeremy misses Rick.
3/2 Peter hits Mike Rosenberg with his RL (incendiary rockets) for 8 points and a fire modifier of 3/2.
3/3 Rob misses Jeremy again with both sonic cannon. Rick tries a tight bend and spins out.
3/4 Paul's VMG misses Rick.

4/2 Robert enters southwest oil pool. Mike Hording cuts off Rick's spinning car which smashes into him with it's breached side, knocking the driver unconcious (kill for Mike Hording).
4/3 Mike Rosenberg hits Jeremy with a heavy flamethrower for 8 points (Jeremy looses only 1 point of metal armor). Jeremy's gunner hits Mike's tire for 10 points, blowing the wheel off and causing Mike Rosenberg's car to start a flaming roll!
4/4 Jeremy tries turning to avoid colliding with the wall at 70 mph and starts to spin out.
4/5 Jeremy hits the wall rear end first for 37 points of damage. Seven points penetrate to almost destroy the power plant, then the car then vaults straight up into the air blowing out the back tires. Tom enters the southwest oil pool. Paul enters the southeast oil pool.

5/1 Aaron enters the center oil pool.
5/3 After two full revolutions, Jeremy's car lands hard and the remaining tires and his underbody armor are destroyed, but no damage goes internal (mobility killed).
5/5 Peter misses Mike Hording.
End of Turn 5 Mike Rosenberg's rolling, burning car explodes (kill for Jeremy)!

6/1 Robert and Paul exchange misses.
6/2 Robert and Paul sideswipe each other at a combined speed of 130 mph, doing 3 points of damage to each vehicle which injures Robert's driver.
6/4 Peter's cycle/sidecar T-bones Robert at 100 mph, killing him and obliterating Peter's cycle (killed each other)! Robert's car start to roll.
6/5 Paul enters southwest oil pool.

7/1 Tom's and Mike Hording's ramplates collide, killing both cars (killed each other)!
7/2 Robert's car rolls into the southeast oil pool.
7/5 Jeremy and Paul miss each other.

8/5 Paul hits Jeremy for 6 points (no damage penetrates due to metal armor) and Jeremy hits Paul's front-left tire for 7 points. Aaron hits Jeremy's other side with a LFT(HT fuel) for 4 points and a fire modifier of 3/1.

9/1 Jeremy hits Paul's back-right tire for 5 points that miss guard and hub. Paul drops discharger oil under Jeremy as he drives by. Aaron misses Jeremy with both LFTs.
9/2 Jeremy's driver takes 4 points as the oil ignites, getting injured but he puts out the fire modifiers with his PFE.

10/2 The flaming oil under Jeremy destroys his power plant and starts a vehicular fire!
10/3 Both Jeremy's crew fail with their PFEs.
End of Turn 10 Jeremy's driver goes unconwcious from the flames.

11/3 Jeremy's gunner fails with his PFE, but laughs knowing that the driver will now die.
11/4 Aaron misses Paul.
11/5 Paul enters center oil pool.
End of Turn 11 Jeremy driver dies from the fire.

12/2 Jeremy's gunner puts out the fire, saving the VMG from destruction.
12/3 Aaron misses Jeremy twice.

14/2 Aaron hits Paul once for 2 points and a fire modifier of 3/1.

16/2 Aaron enters northeast oil pool.

18/2 Aaron misses Paul with one LFT.

19/1 Aaron enters northwest oil pool.
19/5 Aaron misses Paul with both LFTs.

20/3 Paul misses Aaron. Aaron misses Paul's tire with both LFTs.

21/1 Paul misses Aaron's tire.

22/1 Paul hits Aaron rear for 10 points.

23/3 Aaron misses Jeremy with one LFT.

25/2 Aaron enters center oil pool.
25/5 Aaron hits Paul for 2 points and a fire modifier of 3/1.
End of Turn 25 Paul catches fire!

26/2 Aaron destroys Paul's front-left wheel with a LFT hit.
End of Turn 26 Paul's fire pops another tire and he starts to roll!

27/3 Aaron enters the northeast oil pool.
27/4 Paul rolls into wall for 33 points of damage.
27/5 Paul takes a last defiant shot at Aaron's tire and misses.
End of Turn 27 Paul goes unconscious from the flames (kill for Aaron)! The duel ended here due to time restraints.
 

Final Results

1. Aaron Cappocchi: 55 points, kill on Paul (40), 6 oil pools (12), crew alive (2), moving (1)
2. Mike Hording: 42, kill on Rick (40), kill on Tom (40), killed (-40), 1 oil pool (2)
3. Jeremy Willis: 24, kill on Mike R (40), mobility killed (-20), 1 oil pool (2), first blood (1), gunner alive (1)
4. Tom Lalonde: 4, kill on Mike H (40), killed (-40), 2 oil pools (4)
4. Robert Steike: 4, kill on Peter (40), killed (-40), 2 oil pool (4)
6. Peter Cossaboom: 0, kill on Robert (40), killed (-40)
7. Paul Dreyer: -31, killed (-40), 3 oil pools (6), crew alive (2), moving (1)
8. Rick Cross: -38, killed (-40), crew alive (2)
9. Mike Rosenburg: -40, killed (-40)
 

2052 TCM Points for Duel #2

54.0    Aaron Cappocchi
26.0    Mike Hording
16.0    Jeremy Willis
5.5    Tom Lalonde
5.5    Robert Steinke
4.0    Peter Cossaboon
3.0    Paul Dreyer
2.0    Rick Cross
1.0    Mike Rosenburg

2 kills for Mike Hording
1 kill each for Aaron, Jeremy, Tom, Rob Steinke, and Peter
 
 
 

ST. PAUL AREA ROAD KNIGHTS
http://www.io.com/~bms/spark

March 28th: It's official . . . the St. Paul Area Road Knights are once again sponsors in good standing on Tim Graff's #3 Bomber for the 2002 racing season at Elko Speedway. The season starts on April 6th, and Tim is projected to return to the track with his new car on April 20th. See you at the track!