OT: A couple of Space Combat Related Purchases.

Hello:

	Today I purchased the a couple of new DP9 products:  "Call to
Arms" the
new supplement to Lightning Strike, and "Tactical Space Support" for
Heavy Gear.  Here are my reflections on both products:

	"Call to Arms" was everything I expected.  Most of the new units
are
capital ships from previous Jovian Chronicle books translated to LS
format.  So far, most of the designs remain true to the originals. 
There are also some interesting new rules for magsail vessels (they act
as stationary ships for gaming purposes, but produce some interesting
terrain effects) as well as rules for low orbit battles, mines, and
guidelines for vehicle design.	As usual, great graphic design work by
DP9.  My only beef with it is the overall lack of counters.  Since minis
for most of these units aren't going to be out real soon, I'm going to
need all the copies I can get.	I thought DP9 said that they were going
to put PDF files of the counters on the web site? (The lack of minis is
also hurting my quest to find LS players.  I keep running into
wargammers who hold up there noses and tell me, "I don't play with
COUNTERS."

	"Tactical Space Support" is a very good guide to space travel in
the HG
universe.  It's contains lots of information on many of the vehicles and
equipment used in Terranovan space operations.	Aside from the
information about gate travel, it seems very scientifically accurate.
	However, the space combat rules have one major flaw:  THEY DON'T
MAKE
ANY SENSE!  I was expecting, at the very least, a rehash of the space
rules from Jovian Chronicles.  However, it appears that Marc Vezina has
decided to take a departure from the standard Silhouette system... as
well as terrain, miniatures, or even counters.	That's right, you play
with record sheets and a calculator!  Combat is a massive record keeping
game that keeps track of ship emissions and some abstract maneuvering
concepts. Otherwise combat works just the same as in HG, only range has
to be kept track of on paper as well.  I'm sure that DP9 thinks that
this is very "realistic."  However, it is also very boring.

-- 
Later,
Mark A. Siefert

	"Let joy be unconfined. Let there be dancing in the streets, 
	drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor."

				      --Groucho Marx (as Otis Driftwood)
					"A Night At the Opera"

E-MAIL: siefert@milwpc.com	      WWW: http://www.uwm.edu/~cthulhu
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