Re: Strategic Thrust using BR25

Thomas Anderson wrote:
> one other thing springs to mind. a while back, joe dever (the chap
behind
> lone wolf of fighting fantasy knockoff fame) brought out a series
called
> 'combat heroes', which contained two pairs of books. one is "black
baron"
> and "white warlord". these could be played as escape-from-a-dungeon
solo
> games, or as a two-player game: this involved both players reading out
a
> string of numbers which accompanied the location they were in (printed
at
> the bottom of the page). if there was a matching number in both lists,
> both players turned to a new page, specified next to that number in
the
> little table at the bottom of the page. this new page had, as well as
the
> expected terrain, the other character, who you could then have a crack
at.

	This system has a long history.

	The first place I saw it was in a game called ACE OF ACES.
	This simulated combat between WWI fighter planes, Sopwith
	Camels, Fokker Triplanes, and the like.

	Say you have the Camel, and your opponent has the Fokker.
	She gets the book with the pictures of the Camel in it
	(because that's what she's would see over her cross hairs)
	and you get the book with the pictures of the Fokker.
	At any given point, each of you are on a given page.
	(both of you will be on the same page number)
	Both of you choose a maneuver secretly.  A complicated
	system allows you both to determine the new page you
	are on.  

	If one of you is lucky (or skilled) enough to get to the
	page with your opponent in the cross-hairs, you get to
	shoot at them.

	A variation of this system was made for Ann MaCaffrey's
	THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN.

	Later somebody adapted it for the LOST WORLDS series.
	This had various fantasy creatures fighting each other.
	This got more complicated, as now some creatures had
	maneuvers that other creatures didn't.	

	This also turned up as a sort of Star Wars
	Light Sabre duel.

	(For those who want the gory details:
	Each page is numbered. At the bottom of each page, or on
	a separate sheet is a list of maneuvers, paired with
	page numbers.  After you both choose your maneuver, 
	you call out the page number to your opponent.
	You both turn to that page number, ignore the
	image on the page, and look up your maneuver again.
	Find it's page number and turn to that.
	If both of you have done your job, both of you will
	end up on the same new page number)

	Another interesting system was FASA's micro game
	STARSHIP DUEL.	It had two "wheels", one for each
	player.  The wheels were like secret decoder rings,
	but with 3 layers.  They allowed one to calculate
	the quadrant one's opponent was in relative to
	your own ship.

	So it would show, for instance, that your opponent
	was at four o'clock, and turned so he was showing
	you his rear (i.e., it showed two pieces of info,
	your opponent's angle to you and his orientation
	to you)

	The top wheel has an overhead view of your ship
	in the center, surrounded by 8 wedge shaped
	holes.	The middle wheel (marked View-Port on
	the finger tab) has a single wedge shaped hole
	open.  The bottom wheel (marked Enemy's Move)
	has 8 images of your enemy, in the 8 possible
	orientations, positioned so as to show through
	the holes. This wheel also has code numbers.

	To use, you first change your heading.
	If you are turning 45 degrees right, you
	turn the upper wheel one window to the right.
	For 90 degrees, turn two windows.

	Then you set the bottom wheel as per your
	opponents announced heading change.  If
	he turnss 45 degrees left, you turn the 
	bottom wheel one window left.

	You both will see in the window your
	opponent's orientation and angle to
	you before movement starts.  A code
	number will be revealed as well.  You
	set the middle and bottom wheels as per
	this number to see how you both will 
	appear after moving one game turn's	
	worth forward.