Re: Legends vs. ME-PBM

From: adam@onramp.net (Adam Adkins)

Date: Thu, 04 May 1995 00:00:00 +0000

In article <Pine.A32.3.91.950501173118.92027A-100000@tiger3.ocs.lsu.edu>,
dcomeau@tiger3.ocs.lsu.edu says...
>
>
>        I've always seen so much of the two that it was inevitable that I
>had to ask this question. As a player of Legends (in NIC & ROTI), I have
>seen my fair share of limitations and exultations. I have also dealt with
>some other well-knowns (like Alamaze and such) so I was wondering if
>someone could give me an honest opinion as to the Good AND Bad Points of
>each in a comparison of the two.
>        I am interested in ME-PBM but at first glance, it doesn't seem
>very indepth as Legends but much more smoother in simplicity. Looks great
>but you can't judge a book by it's cover.

Can't help you with Alamaze (hell, I haven't even heard of it) but I
am also a long term Legends player, and was recently involved in a ME-2950
game.  It seemed like an interesting game before I tried it, and it still is,
but there are some major differences.
	I have always loved Legends because of the grand scope of the game,
and the endless variations that you can have.  It is much more involved, in
terms of running your position, than ME.  In a Legends game, you have to know
where you have various items, and what the effects of those items are.  You can
control your own production, and modify the output mix as you see fit, with
different effects for each item.
	ME is MUCH simpler.  The game is played via the characters you have -
there are no "Transfer / Training" orders, just character actions.  Each
character gets two actions, period.  If you want more actions, you recruit
more characters.  Production is pretty much static, with the presence of
raw materials being more important than the actual manufactured item.  For
example, If you want to build an army, you would use one character action
to hire the troops in a population center, specifying what armor/weapons
combination (e.g., bronze armor and steel weapons) and then use another
character action to move the army.  Attacking also takes a character action.
	Combat in ME is always predictable, there are no random factors
involved.  Each soldier is worth a certain amount of strength points, modified
by training level, morale and equipment.  This is compared to the opponents
total, and subtractions are made until one side is dead.  This is for both
character and army battles.
	There are no gradations of skill types, you have Mage, Agent (coverts
such as thieves and assasins), Command, and Emissary (influencers).  Com-
binations of these will make up a Challenge factor, which is used in personal
challenges and combat.  These abilities can be increased through training and
use.

I could probably go on for a while, but suffice it to say that I per-
sonally prefer Legends, even with the problems that you have sometimes with
MG.  A ME turn usually took me about 45 minutes to plan and prepare, while
a Legends turn will take me 6 - 8 hours.  I prefer the longer term, more
detailed approach.
	Did anyone notice that this is written assuming a detailed knowledge
of Legends?  :-)

--
*****************
Adam Adkins
adam@onramp.net

References

Legends vs. ME-PBM
Darren Lane Comeaux <dcomeau@tiger3.ocs.lsu.edu>
Mon, 01 May 1995 00:00:00 +0000