Atlantis Times v1.1 v02n07 From: JJC%MP068@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM Date: Tue, 03 May 1994 00:06:34 +0000 ######################################################################## =-=-= Atlantis Times v1.1 Volume 2 Number 7 =-=-= ######################################################################## Words from The Big Guy: Ok, I can report that the game will continue, but at a new host. The address for orders is: JJC@MP068.MV-OC.UNISYS.COM. Mail sent to the GM%TRPASB address will forward while that machine stays around. REMEMBER, send game problems to: jjc@MPA15C.mv-oc.unisys.com. I don't read the mail at the other addresses!!! Remember, there is a limit of 72 characters per line for Times submissions. Anything over 72 characters will wrap around auto- matically. Well, we no longer have heffalump. The mailing list is no longer available. I'll keep running the game, but we really need a list server of some sort. Anybody got a system we can use? Send Times to: jjc@mpa15ab.mv-oc.unisys.com Send Orders to: JJC@MP068.MV-OC.UNISYS.COM Send problems/comments/bug reports/questions to me personally at: jjc@mpa15c.mv-oc.unisys.com I read the mail at the times address once a week, when I'm setting up the Times. I NEVER read mail where the orders go to, so don't send anything but orders there. Good luck, and enjoy. - TBG ######################################################################## ATLANTIS ECONOMICS PART 10 This week: Optimizing the peasant population. Warning, the following discussion is not for the faint of heart. Due to the large growth rate of the peasants the optimization of peasant populations involves reducing their numbers, i. e. killing them. You have 3 ways of accomplishing this. Using cash to recruit workers (and letting the peasants starve). Using magic spells on them, or militarily attacking them. In the cash option, you recruit workers and put them to work denying funds to the existing peasants (who then starve). This option is horribly expensive. Basicly you need to recruit 833 men (in a swamp, or 1667 in a forest/mountain). This requires huge amounts of cash be invested at a very low rate of return (4%) and is probably the least optimal solution. The magic option involves using ritual spells to control the peasant population. The only spell I have heard of is a first level spell that will poison up to 50 peasants a turn. Assuming that its application results in the death of an average of 25 peasants a turn, quite a number of magicians will be needed to reduce an overpopulated province. Consider a swamp province with a population of 1050 peasants and a surplus of $0. (note that the theoretical maximum population is exceeded due to in migration). Given that the population of an overpopulated province won't grow and assuming that about a net of 50 men migrate in a turn, it would take about 9 wizards to bring the population down to the optimum level. 2-3 wizards might not even have an observable effect. Hopefully higher level spells of greater effectiveness exist. I encourage the skilled magicians of Atlantis to please come forward with additional knowledge. Ideally a spell that would prevent in migration or encourage out migration would be available. Magicians are useful in helping delay the onset of severe overpopulation problems. For example if you have a forest province with a population in excess of 1666 (but less than 2000), killing off 25 peasants will increase the surplus by $250 and this effect will carry forward each future turn. Next installment: The military solution to peasant overpopulation. The above analysis generated by the scribes of faction 59, "Larson's Adventurers", formed in Gurkacre (9,14) on Jan 01 reachable at "Bill_Larson@ncsu.edu" ######################################################################## Doktor Vox settled comfortably into his camp-chair on the rock outcrop just below the summit of Mount Grisbygd. This was a pretty easy tactical situation, and the battle orders had already been given, so he had some time to catch up on the Times during the slaughter. Pretty normal stuff this month; the end-of-the-world predictions, more Newbie Alliance ads (now *that* was a name guaranteed to get you in trouble...) and more scholarly treatises on "How Combat Might Work If You Actually Did It." Vox glanced upward as a severed ear went flying past. Probably a Diamante miner, the miners were always the first to go. It appeared the surprise attack worked well, Vox doubted the Padishah's and Diamante's would even get an arrow into the air. Vox smiled, happy that things were on schedule. Selena had finished throwing her lightning bolts, and had gone over to the little wooden shack to start the barbecue pit. The unfinished castle should fall within the hour. No sign of the new Emperor, Vox guessed he was in hiding somewhere. Ignoring the screams, Dr. Vox went back to the Times. Here was a full five-page article in some bizarre language about "simulating combat." Supposedly, if you murmured the right incantations over this article, you'd have some type of semi-real experience of battle. Vox shook his head, rather amused, as he dodged another detached body part. Hand or foot, he couldn't quite tell. He wondered if the guy writing this article got out much. Reluctantly, Vox put down the paper, got to his feet, and stepping over several dead bodies, began the hike up to the castle. He needed to inspect for spice-secrets (after all, there was a *lot* of skin suddenly available to cure) and to see about converting the little citadel to a vacation resort for the Northern Wind alliance. The smell of blood was thick and tangy in the air. Definitely an "iron-rich" environment up here on the mountain! Vox spent a moment or two in regret as he walked. It really was a shame to see a once-great empire fallen into ruin like this. Perhaps if the nobility had spent more time building armies rather than pretty castles on mountains, they would have held this region. What could they have been thinking? Maybe this strange spice had some degenerative effect on the brain, making you think Atlantis was something other than a game of military conquest. Vox hoped the spice didn't have a negative impact on the taste of flesh, at least. All this climbing had really made him hungry for barbecue! ######################################################################## NEWS FROM KESWICK COVERING KESWICK, CRIEFF, ESKERFAN AND STACKFORTH This is the one year anniversary of the Faction called the Amazons. We are pleased with the progress of the faction and with the relations with other factions in the area. When there is a mountain region involved there can be a little tension. We would like to ask Morgoth on Crieff to allow some minings to scratch some iron from mountain. I'm no threat to the Morgoths and would like an peaceful alliance with all those in Crieff. The Amazons would like to thank the Zex Armies for their tolerance in Eskerfan. We are pleased that he is not retricting fast passage though the plains there. We hope that this can continue and if it becomes desirable to guard the region, we hope that he will admit the Amazons for taxing (which is not a likely event unless Zex Leader agrees). The Amazons at nigel@diode.ch.adfa.oz.au have repeatly tried to contact jalves@pt.oracle.com without success. We will try again from an account that is not able to receive mail but can send. The Stackforth region has a small problem. There are two units which have began guarding the peasants there from taxing. This is a big region with plenty of surplus so there is no real reason to do so this early in life. These units are : - 2nd Diplomat (667), number: 3, on guard, has: 3 longbows; Hail, fellow traveler! This is a peaceful diplomat of the Order o. - 4th Diplomat (669); Hail, fellow traveler! This is a peaceful diplomat of the Order o. The Amazons are asking for these units to stop guarding the peasants by say GUARD 0. This will foster go relations in Stackforth and allow the mutual use of the region to the fullest. Please perform this duty of equal in the next turn. Alison. ######################################################################## BATTLE SIMULATOR VERSION 1.01 VERSION 1.01 VERSION 1.01 BATTLE SIMULATOR BATTLE SIMULATOR Due to some careless programming, two bugs BATTLE SIMULATOR were left in the program posted last week. BATTLE SIMULATOR BATTLE SIMULATOR The first one is the line that contains BATTLE SIMULATOR "realloc". It should read: else pf->pUArray = (unit **) realloc(pf->pUArray, (size + 10) * sizeof(unit *)); BATTLE SIMULATOR The second one is in the function "doPerson". BATTLE SIMULATOR The line that says: case 'x': if (!xbowFire) return; /* still reloading */ BATTLE SIMULATOR Should be: case 'x': if (!xbowFire) return 1; /* still reloading */ BATTLE SIMULATOR These two fixes should let the program compile BATTLE SIMULATOR (if it didn't before). If it did compile, these BATTLE SIMULATOR fixes should allow more than 10 units per BATTLE SIMULATOR faction and prevent the battle from mysteriously BATTLE SIMULATOR ending. BATTLE SIMULATOR BATTLE SIMULATOR Thanks to Evan Harris (evan@cs.mu.OZ.AU) for BATTLE SIMULATOR first finding the bugs and fixing the first one. BATTLE SIMULATOR BATTLE SIMULATOR Send questions, comments, requests, bug reports, BATTLE SIMULATOR and unshreaded Whitewater documents to: BATTLE SIMULATOR cyu@mit.edu ----------- Q: Why do ducks have flat feet? A: To stamp out forest fires. Q: Why do elephants have flat feet? A: To stamp out flaming ducks. ######################################################################## The Hugons clustered in a tight knot before the tent. The slight breeze off the plain tugged their home-woven trousers into untidy wrinkles, making the cloth look awkwardly sewn. One woman, slender, prettier, and more fair than the rest, finally knocked loudly on a drum and stood up frowning. "As you know the decision has been made, from now on there is no turning back." The statement met silence cold as death. "Today we go to battle... most of you came to Ebonok for a new beginning and it has not been easy. Hard toil on the land is not enough, we must fight to keep what is ours. Ebonok is like no other land in the world, here everyone can live and work, can worship and can prosper or not as they please. That's freedom." That night, as the sun set, the plain was filled with Hugons making camp, gone were the jokes, the laughter, the games of evening, gone was the singing by the camp fires, No one spoke. The atmosphere after the morning skirmish was oppressive..dealing with death on any terms was not easy to take. Iridal walked among them, stopping to have a few quiet words, offering comfort and hope of a time when there will be no need for war. It was very late as Iridal made her way back to her tent for a few snatched hours of sleep. She had no illusion; there would be a backlash for this morning's attack. She heard a light tread stop outside her tent. She turned to the sound. "Who is it?" she called softly. "It is Islena, may I speak to you for a moment?" whispered Islena. Iridal sighed, stood up and stepped outside, wrapping her cloak around her, she murmured "I am not tired, walk with me ". There was just enough light by which to see, so they concentrated on treading quietly and carefully. Turning to Islena, Iridal asked quietly "What is bothering you?". Coming to a halt, Islena sank neatly down on the grass, a little behind them. Away from the fires a rialla suddenly began to sing and both women fell silent, listening to the silver sound. Islenda's heart suddenly felt full, afraid that she might shame herself with tears and be mistaken for fear. She said "I am sorry, today as I fought by your side, during the fighting I realised what you have been trying to impress on me all this time. You did not want me to die, I as an individual am very important, in the scheme of things, when one of us dies a part of every living Hugon dies as well. Just like a chain, Here on Ebonok wealth, background has no importance, can you forgive me?" "There is nothing to forgive" Iridal said quickly, and as firmly as she could. "This is not a war of our making, if it could have been avoided by friendship and trade, I for one would have had it that way. Besides like you, I was not brought up to be a soldier, and it is hard for me as for you." Islena smiled in the darkness, "Thank you for saying that" "No thanks Islena, not between us" Rising to her feet Iridal said "Now come it is late our singer has stopped it's entertainment, so lets go to our beds". ######################################################################## Dear Regents of the University of Zamora: My first month as university president has been very exciting. The new fremen students are leaning the art of personal combat quite rapidly. Two new physical education teachers are needed to meet the demand for students. Enrolment increased rapidly at the news of the emperor's death. Our professor of politics, Dr. Duncan, and our professor of economics, Dr. Larment, were excited by the news of the tax revolt responsible for the untimely end of Shaddam's reign. The university is also expanding the arts department. My predecessor was pleased by the news, but he still insists on retiring. He is currently working on a nearby ranch until he can save up enough of his pension to move to the nearby forests. Professor Turia has been appointed to the head of the Department of Arts. Dr. Larment wanted to offer a full professorship to the distinguished Dr. Larson. However, inquiries have shown that Larson is too far away and busy giving lectures at the Niskby Theoretical Institute to come to Zamora. Dr. Larment is hard at work incorporating Larson's publications into his curriculum. The regents will just have to accept not having the number one economics program in Atlantis. Preparations are under way for the second Atlantis bowl. This year's event is scheduled to be held against the Olyzeke Mountain Men. Our football team has been training for over a year in the mountains to adjust to the demands of the high altitude. We have been commissioned to build a stadium in nearby Turia which will be the largest stadium of any school in Atlantis. It is expected that construction will be completed in time for hosting Atlantis Bowl III next year. Our geology department has evidence that the world of Atlantis is sinking and will end up completely under the oceans. We pray to the mighty Agrik [blessed be his name] that this is not so. Our top researchers are investigating this data intently and have plans to send some expeditions far and wide to gather more evidence to determine if this is true. Rumors of this discovery has prompted one of the local peasants to start building a giant ship to rescue his family and the native life of this world from the great flood that is about to come. Sincerely, Dr. Tamara ######################################################################## Night had fallen, and the events of the month were invisible in the darkness. The mountain town of Victoria slumbered, except for the tavern room of the Victoria Inn. A poor place for a small undeveloped mountain town. "You can't have Victoria for your own and expect us to be happy with a paltry fraction of the production," stormed Dark Wind, "I didn't want you here in the first place and would just as soon see you and your troops dead as give up this mountain to you." "We have as much right to be here as any other interested party." retorted the Captain of the Mountain Battalion, "and I'll be damned if we'll pull out without securing at least a part of the production of this area for Larson's Adventurers. "What do Kane's Hoarde and the Boogaloos say on the matter?" "I can't speak for the Boogaloos, they've gone to bed and muttered something about remaining a strong, independent force in Victoria." replied Nimbus. "I am fully authorized to speak for Kane's Hoarde and have word from the rest of the Nolle Alliance. We would much rather work this out peacefully if at all possible. We are prepared to defendourselves and those of the Dark Tooth faction that are here in Victoria." "Alright, we agree to try to work this out peacefully. What does the Nolle Alliance think of the Larson offer?" asked the Captain. "We have ignored the insult of you not giving your name by way of introduction, but your offer is considerably more insulting. We will not accept 20% of the production, as we would have that on our own in the next couple of months anyway. We offer the following proposal of our own. We will offer to trade up to 20% of the production to your faction in exchange for an equal value of wood or finished products. This will be production that is dedicated to trade with your faction." "I'll have to send a messanger to Larson with this proposal to determin it acceptability. I suggest that we turn in for the night." ######################################################################## Gar knelt at the crude Zexian shrine which had been erected in a jumble of rocks near the dusty Southern road. "Why am I doing this?" he asked himself. He flung the scorched votive offering onto the slab in front of him. Would the mystic deity Jalves hear him? Gar snorted in self-derision. What did it matter. He had tried every other means to avert bloodshed in Crieff. What harm could come from this last, superstitious act? ######################################################################## =-=-= END TIMES 207 =-=-= ######################################################################## Up