Game Sale Part II From: "David M. Bartlett" <db0s+@andrew.cmu.edu> Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1992 18:05:43 +0000 This is Part II of the Game Sale I first posted a few weeks back: It contains war-games, adventure games, and RPG's. As with the first sale, if you are interested in one, some, or any of the items listed below, contact me via email. Final price will included shipping and handling, which this time will be handled on a case-by-case basis: some of the games could be mailed in a 5"x8" manila envelope, while others are bookshelf sized boxes or books--I've tried to identify basic size and type either is the title/price listing or in the description of the game itself. As before, I try to adhere to a "first-come, first-serve" rule when deciding who gets what. The last posting brought an immediate request for ALL items on the list, which is why so many people got dissappointed. I apologize if I didn't reach you to respond directly, but I got swamped by about 25 posts in the first hour and 75 posts in several days, and had to delete a lot in order to keep my account from running over its storage limit. Had the buy-all bid not come in, though (there were two others later on), every item would have been spoken for by someone, spread around about 4 or 6 people. As this current list is a little more diverse--both new and old, and more variation in the type of games offerred--and also longer, I had my storage allocation raised and cleared my mail account: I'll try to get back to everybody individually whatever the outcome. The List: JOHN CARTER OF MARS (Boxed game) (SPI) $20.00 This is a HELL of a Game, particularly if you are fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs or any other "thud and blunder" pulp fiction of the 1920's and 1930's. The series is still in print, though it is not necessary to play the game, though it increases both the enjoyment of the game and the respect you have for the designers. Written from the 1910's to the 1940's, the John Carter of Mars (or Barsoom) series chronicles the exploits of an American adventurer who is magically transported to Mars, one complete with the canals, alien creatures, mock-human races, and high-tech/low-tech cities of lost-world "science-fantasy" fiction. All the stories center on the attempts of either John Carter or one of several other heroes who dash about the planet winning and rescuing fair damsels from dastardly villians, amidst court intrique, weird science, and strange civilizations. This is actually three games in one: a "duelling" game, with a fencing system that can be played in less than an hour (the tactics you choose plus your skill level and a dice roll determine whether you hit or are hit, or gain an advantage or disadvantage versus your opponent on the next round); a "military" wargame that simulates war and diplomacy between alliances of the various city-states of Mars (a couple of hours depending on how you play it); and the "adventure" game, which in a well-structured way leads you through a complete story very close to the spirit and letter of the books, though randomizing events and rules allow for variations. Two players each pick a hero; then a damsel is choosen for each to respectively woo and rescue, and usually another less amourous goal just to complicate matters; and finally a villian is picked at random for each Hero who will thwart them at every turn. At this point (unless you have somebody who wants to GM the Villians), each Hero alternates between playing his own character each turn while his opponent plays the Villian who opposes him. From then, it is a race between each character to see who can accomplish his objectives first, while not just the Villian, but various Random Events determine what minor problems, incidents, or travelling difficulties get in the way. Heroes can NEVER be killed--instead, they are captured, usually put through some kind of changes like Arena combat or a daring escape from the palace or dungeons that delays their mission. Similarly, the rules make it a little more impossible for the Villian to be killed, allowing him an "escape" option as well. Though not a "role-playing" game per se, the rules do compell you to act like a "noble" Martian warrior or suffer the consequences, and if you get into it there is little difference between it and a RPG. Like an RPG, the Adventure game can take several hours or several playing sessions: unlike a wargame, its fairly easy to pack-up everything until next week, since the maps exist for reference and playing out combat. As with most SPI games, the maps are gorgeous: A BIG map of Mars, showing all the cities and adventuring places from Burroughs "Barsoom"; and a similarly sized map that contains a palace, a few city blocks, an arena, and a lay-out of a Martian flying boat for all combat, encounter, and escape parts of the game. There are LOTS of counters, color coded to allow the various races and creatures of Mars to be easily distinguished. Finally, there are Fencing cards (allowing easy simultaneous combat--just throw down your move and see what trouble you're in); as well as various random event cards you pick that aid or complicate your mission. You also get a complete rules booklet, and a "guide to Barsoom"; the box is a bit beat-up, but the full-color illustration is beautiful. COMMANDO (Boxed Game) (SPI) $7.00 This simulates small unit commando actions from WWI to the present on a man-to-man level. It has two rules booklets, one that covers the straight mechanics of the game as a "war-game" (movement, combat with LOTS of different weapons, vehicles and animals, etc.), the other that allows you to convert it to a role-playing game (let characters gain skills and experience, allow for adventures between missions, etc.). The basic system assigns each character a certain number of Task Points each turn, from which s/he chooses one or more things that they will do that are "priced" according to the number of Points that have to be expended. Each of the six full-color maps used for the various scenarios has a DUPLICATE, allowing for "double-blind" adventuring if you have someone acting as a game-master or referee--the player only "sees" what his characters can see, and the positions of the enemy or other obstacles don't appear until they can be seen. There are no counters: the grid-squares on the maps are a bit small, and the game suggests you get some washable plastic sheets and use felt-tips to plot anything that can't be easily kept in your head a la an RPG. Comes in a box that is very-beat up, but usable THE CREATURE THAT ATE SHEBOYGAN (Bag) (SPI) $5.00 A VERY fun mini-game, in which classic giant monsters from both American and Japanese cinema (Giant Ape, T-Rex, Spider, Moth, 3-headed Dragon, Monster Robot, etc.) Stomp through a section of a city, fighting police and National Guard units, knocking down buildings, eating civilians, and generally having a good time. The rules are pretty simple, and in addition to the classic monsters, advanced rules allow you to design new monsters, trading Build Points for Strength, Speed, Armour, and Special Abilities. Quick to learn, fun to play: one of the few "beer and pretzels" war games ever made, most scenarios can be completed in an hour or less. RAID! (Zip-Lock Bag) (SPI) $5.00 No, it's not about an invasion of giant cockroaches! It is a small unit (2-6 person per counter) game simulating various commando-style raids in the 20th century. It is not as heavy on rules as COMMANDO (see above), but there is no role-playing element either. A single map and about 200 counters cover about a dozen scenarios of classic commando actions, most historical, some hypothetical or "typical". Die-cut cardboard counters, map, rules booklet. CHITIN (Minigame, Plastic bag) (Metagaming) $5.00 Yes, it IS about an invasion of giant cockroaches . . . well, actually, it's about warfare between hives of intelligent insects. It seems Metagaming was planning on a larger game system a la STARFIRE, where intelligent insects go through the rough and tumble of establishing a hive, setting up a food supply, experimenting with different types of workers and warriors, evolving new technology, etc. From what I can tell, this straightforward combat game is all that ever came of the system, but it's still good, particularly if you like a game where both sides take TREMENDOUS casualties and can still "win". The battles illustrated deal with "harvest wars", where rival hives slug it out in open farmland while workers scuttle about harvesting and carrying off grain . . . and the bodies of the fallen, friend or foe, all to feed the hive. "Victory" is determined by whoever gets the most food. There are six different classes of warrior insects, each with an advantage and disadvantage, as well as workers and "Basics" (commanders). Another easy to learn, fast playing game (under an hour), though with a little imagination and 2' x 3' blank hexagon maps like they sell in Gaming stores you can start working on longer campaigns and rules about replenishing warriors and workers (which is what I did in college). Die-cut cardboard counters mounted on thicker counters, map, rules booklet. WARP WAR (Minigame, Plastic Bag) (Metagaming) $5.00 A Space-War game with five gimmicks: ships travel between stars along "warp-lines", which allows them to move VERY FAR in a single turn as long as they stick to those lines; the combat system is DICELESS, involving plotted simultaneous actions and allocations of resources to determine whether you hit an opponent or dodge attacks on you, and how much damage is done; and the factor of technology--as time passes in the game, the abilities of NEW ships and some weapons improve, while old ships and old weapons stay the same; you can build your ships to your specifications, even ships that needed to be "carried" from one star to another but are otherwise hell-on-wheels; and Star systems controlled in the game determine how many build points you have towards making new ships. Though most games can be resolved in under an hour, the rules permit sustained games on much larger maps (those blank 2x3 foot hex-sheets again), with less need to create new rules than CHITIN above. Die-cut cardboard counters mounted on THICK cardboard, map, rules booklet. OGRE/GEV/SHOCKWAVE (3 in 1) (Minis, Bagged)(Metagaming) $10.00 Original versions of OGRE, GEV, and the third expansion SHOCKWAVE, complete with maps, cardboard counters mounted on thicker die-cut counters (for OGRE & GEV, Shockwave was never cut out), rules booklets for all three, and all three maps, the 2nd and third in color. ADVENTURER (Yanquito) $5.00 A man-to-man(?) combat game of the far future: knives, swords, blasters, light sabers, beer kegs and mugs, fists, feet, claws and tenticles are the weapons, the settings either a bar or space-ship. Pre-plotted, simultaneous movement makes for hilarious situations in the bar-fight especially, as every form of energy and matter hurtles through the air as you attempt to take out your enemies without creaming your friends in the process. There are various races, each with advantages and disadvantages in combat, represented by thick die-cut counters. Furniture, weapons, and other props are also represented by counters, allowing you to redesign the bar/spaceship for each fight. Some rules for role-playing and gaining experience. The maps are on the inside of the box, which has compartments for the playing pieces, and folds up into a 12"x12"x2" box for easy storage. CHAMPIONS (Original Game Book) (Hero Games) $5.00 CHAMPIONS II (Original Game Book) (Hero Games) $5.00 CHAMPIONS III (Original Game Book) (Hero Games) $5.00 GOLDEN AGE OF CHAMPIONS (Game Book) (Hero Games) $5.00 These are the earlier editions (all but Champions 1 are first editions, and Champ 1 misses only because it has a full-color cover) of the CHAMPIONS superhero role-playing system that spawned the "Hero System", the predecessor and inspiration for Steve Jackson's GURPS. CHAMPIONS gives the basic rules, II & III give additional rules and errata for things like super-vehicles, bases, henchmen and helpers, etc. GOLDEN AGE is mostly background for playing 1930's and 1940's (WWII) superheroes, including a lot of social and cultural history of the period that would influence and effect the heroes in their adventuring. Though I will sell them seperately, if you buy CHAMPIONS I,II,III, & GOLDEN for $20.00, I will throw in the GM Screen FREE! DANGER INTERNATIONAL (Game Book) (Hero Games) $7.00 Hero System game that simulates "realistic" role-playing in the modern world (i.e., no superpowers or magic, unless you already have Champions or Fantasy Hero) The game stands on its own, but is compatible with all other Hero Games. Not only rules, but philosophies behind GMing and scenario creation for various contemporary adventure genres (mercenary, espionage, detective, horror, martial arts, etc.; and "flavoring" for cinematic (long, single adventure) or television (short, multiple adventure) styles of gaming. Contains one short and one long scenario to play as well. JUSTICE INCORPORATED (Boxed Set) (Hero Games) $15.00 This was the beginning of the "Hero" system, where CHAMPIONS was spun off for the first time to create a more "realistic" role-playing system based on pulp fiction of the 1920's and 1930's (Doc Savage, the Shadow, Tarzan, Indiana Jones, etc.) IT IS A COMPLETE GAME SYSTEM, containing both a rules book and an information and gaming guide book to the various genres of the style (lost world, science fiction & science fantasy, western, crime/detective, horror, romance, etc.). Full color cover on both the box and the main rules book is a beautiful pastiche on classic pulp fiction covers, centered a Doc Savagesque guy in a tuxedo and domino mask. LOST WORLDS (Supplement, Hero System) (Hero Games) 5.00 Game book giving specific rules for running "lost world" adventures, including stats for Dinosaurs and other pre-historic creatures in CALL OF CTHULHU & DAREDEVILS. Lots of background material and philosophy behind sending characters to strange lands "off the map" (unexplored regions, hollow Earth scenarios, other planets or "planes" of time, etc.) Includes a fairly well developed multi-session lost world adventure, plus backgrounds, motivations, and various "roles" for the character types that are found in such adventures. Good cover and interior art. FANTASY HERO (Game Book) (Hero Games) 7.00 Hero Game's swords & sorcery RPG: square bound book, a complete RPG compatible with the rest of the Hero System games, with rules for medieval combat and skills, plus a system for designing magic spells and items to personal taste and budget. VILLIANS & VIGILANTES (Fantasy Unlimited) 5.00 Superhero role-playing game where you "roll-up" the powers and abilities of your character fairly quickly, then go out and start fighting those villians. If you like the feel for "team" books, where lots of weird powers are all gathered in the same place, this is an excellent system for you, as the fairly random quality of design guarentees a diverse group. Rules cover not only the usual role-playing elements of Supers games, but a quick resolution justice system, as well as how to make money as a Super (franchising, ransom, etc.). (For some reason, people who like DC Comics like V&V (In my 10 years experience playing and GMing it)). CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0 (2nd Edition) (Talsorian) 10.00 The update, square-bound RPG rule book for the original Cyberpunk game, containing all the old parts of the boxed set plus revised rules, new rules, and more weirdness for the high-tech near future. GURPS Basic: 3rd Edition (Steve Jackson Games)15.00 Square-bound 200+ page rules booklet for GURPS system, including basic magic this time. Probably the best system for players who want to THINK about the character they're going to play and design and play it accordingly. GURPS SUPERS (1st Edition) (Steve Jackson Games) 5.00 First edition rules booklet for allowing Super-heroes into the GURPS universe (Need Basic GURPS to use this, though). ILLUMINATI (Original Games & 2 (Steve Jackson Games)15.00 Expansions, Mini-boxes) This is the original version of ILLUMINATI!: three boxed sets, the first containing basic rules, cards, and playing pieces, the 2nd & 3rd boxes extra cards, extra rules, and the Alignment Map. The cards are smaller (about the size of business cards) and the money is paper instead of die-cut cardboard (we always used poker chips anyway). Otherwise all the same rules and weirdness as the $25.00 boxed game TOON! (First edition) (Steve Jackson Games) 5.00 Original edition of the WEIRDEST role-playing game that was meant to be that way in the first place: players are cartoon characters, at the mercy of each other and the GM. Nobody dies, they just "fall down", and the overall goal of the game is to make opponents fall down more times than they return the favor to you. Contains basic rules, with a few scenarios and ideas for play. Up