Atlantis Times v1.1 v02n01 From: JJC%TRPASB@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM Date: Wed, 02 Mar 1994 01:16:57 +0000 ######################################################################## =-=-= Atlantis Times v1.1 Volume 2 Number 1 =-=-= ######################################################################## Words from The Big Guy: Another 11 people are starting this turn. Atlantis is still growing. Next week, we'll go back on schedule, with orders due Sunday. I'll even try to get the turn run on Sunday, mail permitting. Submissions to the times are down, so I'd encourage all of you to submit Times articles. Good luck, and enjoy. - TBG ######################################################################## In the first crisp days of the new year, Gar came home from the mountains. Even the few short months he had been in the South had been time enough for many changes. Vlad's taxmen were everywhere in evidence, collecting monies for the war effort. The war hadn't happened yet, but it was being called 'the war of liberation' and 'the battle for survival' by the taxmen. Gar had a few doubts. He voiced them to Arrete when the two of them met. "I just didn't see any sign of the enemy in all the time I was with the army. Oh, sure, there were strangers, but they appear to be friendly. They're digging holes the same as us." Arrete, still feeling the warmth of relief and joy that had swept over her at Gar's return, poured them more ale from a tankard. "Do you think that the enemy is a fiction?" she asked. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just not quick witted enough. But Vlad always was. If anyone could make it rich from death ..." "I don't know that it's Vlad you should be worrying about. From what I've heard, the strongest power in the province is the sorceror, Akh-Greth." Arrete's voice was hushed as she spoke the mage's name. ######################################################################## Map of Atlantis --- -- -------- January, 2 Edition Emperor Shaddam IV of the Padishah Empire (Faction 3) ---> Send donations to unit #3! <--- Send new information and corrections to email address <ckim@skidmore.edu>. The most recent edition will be will be published in the Atlantis Times and will be mailed to the Atlantis mailing list. Please note that if no new information is received, new maps will not be published for that month. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 0 - - - - - O - - - - - - - O - O - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 1 - - - - O S O - - - - - - O - O - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 2 - - - O S P S P P - - - O - - O O - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 3 - - - - O P P O - - - - O - - - - O - - - - - - - - - P M - - - 3 4 - - - - - P P - - - - - - - - - P - - - - - - - - - - O F P - - 4 5 - - - - - S - - - O - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - O F P O - 5 6 - - - - - - - - - - - O - - - O - - - - - - - - - - - P P P P O 6 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - O - O - - - - - - - - - - - - P O P P - 7 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - O - - - - - - - - - - - - - P O P - - 8 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - O - P - 9 10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - O - - 10 11 - - - - - P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - P - 12 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 14 - - - - - F - - - P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 15 - - - - - P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 19 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19 20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 21 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 22 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22 23 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23 24 - - - - - - - - - - - - P - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24 25 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25 26 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26 27 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27 28 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28 29 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29 30 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30 31 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31 32 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 33 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33 34 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - O - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 Legend: F=Forest, M=Mountain, O=Ocean, P=Plain, S=Swamp Please note that row 34 is directly accessible from row 0 (Going north from (10,0) will get you to (10,34). Ads from premier issue of PC Tech Journal (Jul 83): 20MB Hard disk from QCS - Cost: $2999. Davong 5 MB int. hard disk... only $1465! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------- In the beginning, there was nothing. So God said, "Let there be light!" And there was still nothing, but you could see it. ######################################################################## Clive surveyed the Gnome expeditionary force arrayed on the main street of Morella, three units organized in orderly rows and columns and standing at attention. The bright noonday sun glinted off the brass buttons of the sharply pressed, immaculate blue uniforms of the cavalry escort. The muscular lumberjacks sweated in their plaid wool jackets and red sock hats, their shouldered axes perfectly aligned. OK, the minstrels in their brightly colored, homemade clown costumes detracted from the professional image a bit, but the sight was impressive nonetheless. "Praaahseeeent harms!" cried the drill sergeant, who had been given his position more for his ability to terrorize the recruits than his pronunciation. Ten axes snapped forwards in unison, almost decapitating ten clowns. Hmmm, perhaps the marching order needed to be rearranged. "Alright men, er Gnomes I mean", said Clive, addressing the assembly, "we're counting on you to go forth and bring back some wood. So don't embarass us by getting killed or something! I know I speak for all the rest of the Gnomes when I say that we're proud of you, even envious. We marvel at your selflessness in leaving your warm, comfortable, trusted homes and going unhesitatingly into the unkown, dark and gloomy forest to the north." The members of the cavalry became thoughful. "We are astounded at your steely courage as you give no thought to the wild lions and bears that may be waiting to tear you to pieces." Some looks of consternation began to cross the faces of the lumberjacks. "We applaud your disdain for giant scorpions and killer hornets", continued Clive, "and the way you unconcernedly scoff at poisonous tree snakes." At this point, the clowns began figet and cast nervous glances back and forth. Clive, however, held forth. "To you who are about to lumber, we salute you!" A cry went up from the surrounding throng. "Shoulder harms! Rhyuuuuut face!", barked the drill sergeant. "Fowaaad marsh!" And off they went into the great unknown. As the group receeded into the distance, their marching song floated back to the ears of those remaining. Hi ho! Hi ho! It's off to work we go! We'll cut some trees, we'll make some bows, Hi ho! Hi ho!" ######################################################################## Announcing a great new competition from nobdy in particular. Simply decode the paragraph below to answer the following question. Where is Clarke Kent in Atlantis? Put the answer on the back of an envelope and post it to Dodgie Brothers "Guess where Superman isn't" Competition, Box 000 in your capital city OR ring 0055 123 456 to enter. Average call $2.50 and ask your parents before you call. Nm qxz mxl zxlca bgsh aiyuxshrha jm yijdch gcvxriebj zbiub jxshy cheehry gnxle ex urhgeh ebh uxah. Ebhrh iy qxe jlub ebge ugq ygia hfuhde ebge ebh gqyzhr ex zbhrh Ucgrwh Whqe iy ge ebh jxjhqe iy nlryuxlvb. Io mxl zgqe g bxryh mxl ugq yelam bxryh ergiqiqv gqa jgwh mxlr xzq. All entrants have a chance to win a trip to the nearest virtual reality tourist resort with the grand prize winner receiving a top of the line stallion from the famous stables of Atlantis. ######################################################################## From the offices of Order of the White Crescent Newbie Alliance Member Falstaff paced nervously around the room.. The pressures of managing the finances of his new-found loyal companions was beginning to show. Not to mention the concern for his brothers who had taken it upon themselves to go out and explore the Great Unknown! Fortunately they are not alone.. A few brief inquiries and perusals of local notice boards had brought about a non-insignificant alliance.. The door crashes open and a soaked Weartu stumbles into the room: "Oh brother! I have great news *cough* Ahem - sorry - Umm.. Oh! Yes! There is in fact Ocean to our immediate east!" Idiot! He didn't have to spend a month walking into it to find that out! Ah well.. at least I have one of my brothers with me here in this little town. With a quiet tapping on the door, the Atlantian Courier Service dropped a few letters through the letter-hole. Ah! News! Lets see... from Gowann! A forest! There is a forest to the North! And with the Ocean to the West? Shipwrights! Where are the local shipwrights? Hmm.. nice locals! and a letter from Kumear! Another forest? To the south? Hmm.. And a scrawled note from Ghothear... there seems to be a plain to the north.. but I wonder why she was seems so rushed? ######################################################################## ATLANTIS ECONOMICS PART 5 (corrected) Note that some of the numbers for last weeks analysis were derived from bad data. For some unknown reason, I thought that a skill difference of -1 had a 20% chance to hit vice the correct 10%. The true combat table (from the rules) is below. Skill Diff. Chance -2 or less 1 -1 10 0 25 1 40 2 or more 49 The "break even" battle formula is correct, Na/Nb = Square root (Pb/Pa) where Na = Number of troops on Player A's forces Nb = Number of troops on Player B's forces Pa = A's probability of hitting B Pb = B's probability of hitting A. Using the correct combat table results in the following comparison table. These are the men necessary to evenly fight 100 armed swordsmen of Sword skill N. Player B forces needed 700 Skill N-2 (or less) 200 Skill N-1 100 Skill N 50 Skill N+1 14.3 Skill N+2 (or greater) The conclusion that once you get to Sword level 2, you have no fear of peasant mobs is still valid. The battle worth of a sword in the hands of a level 2 swordsman (fighting peasants) is unchanged at $255, but the battle worth of a sword in the hands of a level 1 swordsman (fighting peasants) rises to $35. This is based on 100 swords + 100 skill 1 men (worth $65) being equal to 200 peasants (worth $50). Next installment: What is the 'battle worth' of armor and fortifications? 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" ######################################################################## Come one, Come all. Join the newest alliance this side of the coin. Meet the members of the alliance the Atlantis Chronicle says is "the fastest growing thing since bamboo". Rated #1 in all the latest polls, the Newbie Alliance (ok so the name isn't great yet, we're workin' on it!) is looking for a few good men and women who know how to have a good time. Just listen to what one of our newest members has to say... "Hi, I'm Jack, and if it wasn't for the Newbie Alliance, I would have starved to death. It all started when Ma and Pa sent me into town to sell the family cow for some food. I was feelin' down cuz I loved poor Betsy like a sister. Then this greedy slick-talkin' guy comes up and swindles me out of Betsy for 3 lousy beans. Well, Ma and Pa were mgithy upset and kicked me out on the street. I was all alone worryin' what I was gonna eat and where I could go to get outa the rain. That's when I read ther sign announcing the Newbie Alliance. I wrote em up, and now I'm workin the land for $15 a month! An they're teachin' me stuff like sword things and about horses and I love them for it!" There you have it, love at first write! So if you're down on your luck, or just feelinf lonely in this big world, check into the Newbie Alliance by contacting smellack@crash.cts.com. -------- The Newbie Alliance is an Equal opportunity venture. ######################################################################## From the Diary of Lord Falken December, Year 1 Leaning on my sword, which had just been sent to me from the smiths, I turned my eyes upon gallows hill. Located at the foot of Mt. Sinan, the hill was today the center for a great deal of activity. Rows and rows of my soldiers - armed with swords, longbows, and crossbows - stood around the hill, supervising the proceedings. The Peasants of Sinan had turned out in force for the spectacle, and seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. Now, Sergeant Keith made his apperance, dragging the prisoner behind him. The one known as Banana had been a soldier in my guard, until the day before. He had attempted to seduce, then to rape, my wife, the lovely Rownea. The thought of this angered me so much that I almost wanted to run up and behead the scounderel myself. But it was better this way. Rownea had escaped the man, using one of her spells to paralyze him for a brief time. She could have just as easily destroyed him with a powerful bolt of lightning, but had refrained. Like myself, she prefered the justice be done in the proper way. Just then she came up next to me, and I reached down to squeeze her hand. "It will all be over in another minute," I said. Already, Keith was placing the noose around the criminals neck. I trusted he remembered the instructions I had given him about postitioning it. "Good people of Sinan," Keith announced, turning to the crowd, "loyal soldiers in the guard of our Lord Falken, I hereby proclaim that the criminal Banana has been convicted by due process of dishonorable conduct and crimes against the state. Having been sentenced to death for these crimes, it is my duty now to carry out the judgement. Are there any here that would speak?" There was silence. "Then so shall it be done," the Sergeant concluded. Stepping back, he yanked the stool upon which Banana stood out from under the man, and the condemed prisoner fell to his death. Had the knot been postioned behind his ear, as was common, his neck would have been snapped instantly. But Keith had done as I requested. Instead of the quick, painless death that would have been his, Banana hung there for some moments, a look of agony on his face, slowly strangling. As he died, he cried out, "a curse on you, Falken!" His voice was weak as he concluded his curse, and there was a rattling in his throat as he finaly died. "The condemed shall hang here for three days," announced Keith, as a sign and a warning to all men. Then he shall be cut down and flung to the buzzards, as his dishonor does not warrant a proper burial. Let all here present take note, such is the penalty for all criminals who sin against our lord, Falken." The crowd applauded its furious approval, and my wife and I made our way slowly back to our tent. ######################################################################## "They are coming form the north, sir!" The scout was panting as he delivered his report. The lieutenant frowned as he looked to the north. There was nothing between him and the enemy except open plains. There was not even a tree to hide behind. He looked back at his army. Army! What an exaggeration. There were twenty men armed with nothing except pitchforks and plows. "How many are there?" "Fifty, all armed with crossbows and swords." The scout grinned and produced two bags from his pack horse. Inside was iron. Hope! But wait. "Smith, how many swords can you make with this?" "Two," was the quick answer. The lieutenant frowned. Two swords was not enough to face fifty armed men. "Perhaps we can negotiate. We can give them horses." As soon as the lieutenant spoke this everyone around him began to laugh. ######################################################################## =-=-= END TIMES 201 =-=-= ######################################################################## Up