Review of ME-PBM (1/3)

From: Rich <ricmal@delphi.com>

Date: Tue, 30 May 1995 00:00:00 +0000

Review of ME-PBM part 1/3 Introduction:  MIDDLE EARTH
Play-By-Mail (ME-PBM) is a closed ended computer moderated
strategic level war game based in J.R.R. Tolkien's  Middle
Earth.  The time period in which this game is set is
approximately 1650 Third Age, or about 1500 years before the
time of  THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

Each game position is one of twenty-five nations in and around
the areas described in Tolkien's classic series of novels.
Some of these nations are actually fragments of the other more
powerful nations in the past or future of this time.  This
includes three realms from old Arnor, two halves of Gondor, and
eight partitions of Mordor.  There are three sides in this
game.  One is The Dark Servants, ten nations of orcs, trolls,
and other fearsome creatures sworn to follow Sauron.  In direct
opposition to the Dark Servants is The Free Peoples, a
hodgepodge of all ten nations, human, dwarven, and elven, who
fight to keep Middle Earth free of Sauron's foul touch. The
remaining five nations are neutrals, all human-based who at the
games start have not decided which faction to throw their lot
with,  but must choose to be eligible to win  the game.  Each
of these nations have legitimate beefs with the Free Peoples,
but can join them anyway.  These nations include one of the
realms of old Arnor and a couple of southern sea powers.

Each nation starts with an economic base of at least one major
town or city, a scattering of smaller towns and villages, as
well as camps to produce war materials and raise cash.  Each
nation also has a collection of armies and sometimes navies
that can be reenforced and replaced during play.  Most, but not
all, nations have one or more magic items (artifacts) of great
reknown.  These artifacts improve one's ability in combat,
raise troop morale, scry on ones enemies, and other useful
things.  Each nation also begins the game with eight leaders.
These are characters with skills in command (personal
combat/troop combat/ kingdom commands), magecraft (combat and
much more), emissary (diplomacy/recruitment), and agent
(thief/assassin/bodyguard/spy). To stay alive each nation needs
to maintain a capital (major town or city), an economic base
(national debt  hasn't been invented yet, go bankrupt and you
are out), and at least one leader.

Which brings me to the purposes of the game. There are two
victory conditions in ME-PBM which sometimes (more oft than
not) puts friendly nations at cross purposes.  First and
foremost, one's alliance has to crush the other alliance.
Neutrals are considered unaligned, if  they haven't joined a
faction when the game ends they lose.  Secondly, one's nation
has to be the strongest nation in the winning alliance.  If
this means that you're in second place with just a couple of
turns to go you might want to backstab the first place nation.
 But watch your back, the third place nation in your alliance
may just be aiming at you!  Each nation has a limited number of
special abilities (i.e. 20% bonus to scouting and recon
attempts) and five special victory conditions (i.e. collect ten
artifacts).  In ME-PBM the postion of each nation in the game
is designated by how many "victory points" it has.

Nations earn up to 500 victory points in each of four
categories every turn.  They get higher values for being among
the game leaders in 1) Largest cash on hand; 2) size and
strength of armies and navies; 3) number and strength of its
national leaders; and 4) number and size of population centers.
 Each special victory condition is worth 100 points.  Thus if a
nation fulfills all five of its special victory conditions AND
is ranked #1 in all four normal victory point categories at the
games end he'll walk away with the win with some 2500 points.
This is not very common. More typically the winning position is
ranked between #1 and #3 in each regular category and has
fulfilled three or four of the special victory conditions.
Victory points are calculated each turn.  You only have to be
the best on only one turn -- the LAST -- to win the game.

End of  ME-PBM part 1 of 3