Editorial

Wot! Another newsletter so soon. The Winter Newsletter went out over the Christmas period and we know that a number of you did not receive it. We have therefore decided to send the Spring issue slightly earlier than usual.

The first game this year, Sengoku San, is not very far away, on 11^th March. The previous two runs of this game were very popular so please complete and return the Interest Sheets as quickly as possible.

Our second game, Wolf by the Ears, on 3^rd June, concerns the Battle of Kursk. Known as the Greatest Tank Battle in History, a great deal of research is being done on this battle from new Russian sources. It’s quite clear that the Russians were in far greater trouble than was maintained subsequently - but the Germans did not know… A titanic battle, truly the Borodino of the Eastern Front, with all to play for.

Ursa Major, is a follow up to John Rutherford’s first game, Aweary of the Sun which was a great success when it appeared a couple of years ago. As mankind leap out of the solar system players will once again have to do battle against the greatest foe of all: lack of resources!

Finally, Dreams of Empire. November’s event will be the fourth time the game has been played, testimony both to its strength as a game and the growing interest in the French Revolutionary Wars from 1793. Many of us find that these campaigns are much more challenging to play than those after the arrival of the Little Corporal. Give it a try and see if you can do better than William Pitt or the European monarchs. (You’ll find it hard to do worse…)

Four very varied games are bound to attract strong interest. So please return the Interest Form to Brian Cameron as soon as possible…

Andy Grainger

Editor

Game Programme 2000

HOW THE ADMIN PROCESS WORKS

As we have quite a number of relatively new players I thought it would be useful to explain how the admin process for booking into games and allocating roles works (some of the ‘old hands’ may wonder as well!).

Most of the interest in the games comes via the Megagames Newsletter which we send out twice a year, in the autumn and the spring. Obviously we also pick up interest from the web site and particularly by word of mouth from those who have played and enjoyed themselves and then kindly recommended our games to friends.

If you send in the interest slip enclosed with the newsletter we note your preferences against an interest list for each game. To save on costs we don’t acknowledge receipt of your interest slip. (In passing its worth noting that players often send in an interest slip after the autumn newsletter and the spring issue with different preferences – we take the last preference expressed.)

You won’t hear from us until we send out the acknowledgement letter for a particular game. This is about 7 or 8 weeks before the game. Obviously they go out just after the game is cast and roles allocated. While we are always happy to accept bookings up until the last minute before the game (and even on the day!) it is worth noting that once the game has been cast that it is very difficult to fit in group bookings where the group wishes to take part as one team – it would mean that we would have to ask players already allocated to change teams so that we had a complete team free. The moral is that groups should book early!

The acknowledgement letter allocates you a role and asks you for your game fee. We offer a discount if you reply by the deadline (usually a few weeks before the game). This helps us feel more confident about who is coming and what roles are filled so that we can allocate late-comers to teams which need making up to strength.

A word about the roles allocated. In some cases the role may be quite vague, e.g. ‘Jacobin’ or ‘Noble’. We don’t specify this more exactly to help designers ensure they fill key roles on the day. It can cause a problem if we allocate exact roles and then player don’t show on the day – designers are then faced with asking players to change roles at the last minute.

Once we receive your acknowledgement letter and game fee the game list is updated and you’ll be sent the briefing material for the game, usually two or three weeks before the game.

After that all you have to do is turn up on the day and, hopefully, enjoy yourself!

There is one final bit to the whole process. At the end of games we hand out a questionnaire which asks you for your opinion on various aspects of the game. We get very useful feedback both in terms of the ratings you’ve placed against each question and the additional comments, so we would ask you to please take the trouble to fill in the questionnaire and hand it back.

Sengoku San

The Megagame of Power Politics in Old Japan

The game is about political and military activity during the Sengoku Era of Japanese history. This was an age of land-grabbing lords (diamyo) - incessant warfare and political power plays. In short, an ideal setting for a megagame.

It will take a whole day to play, and will be played in London on

Saturday 11 March 2000.

For a more detailed update on the game, and what to expect, visit the Sengoku Webpage on

www.pastpers.co.uk/sengoku

Individual players take on roles of key samurai within the clan - the leader, general, chamberlain, heir etc and interact with each other and with players in the other teams, as they attempt to put their strategies into effect in the context of a complex web of politics, strategy and intrigue.

As a result this is not just a game of Japanese diplomacy - there is a heavy element of role playing and military strategy as well and the combination is a unique gaming experience.

The game sets the powerful clans against each other as they vie to achieve local supremacy or maintain their tenuous hold on power or - for the most ambitious - aspire to the coveted post of SHOGUN.

One of the main things that makes SENGOKU different from similar political/diplomatic games is the much stricter adherence to Japanese cultural forms of the time. Although players won't actually be expected to kneel throughout the game - they will have to treat other players with the proper (outward) respect, or suffer very real game penalties!

Also, despite their pre-eminent status with their clan, players will have to keep in mind the will of the clan as well as their plans and deals with others - and the non-player characters within their clan will have a significant influence through their team umpire.

As one would expect hostages, ninja, rice and fortresses all have their place in this complex and enjoyable game of old Japan..

Don't just read about it - PLAY IT.

To book a place in the game, either fill in the interest slip at the end of this newsletter

Or email : 101453.2005@compuserve.com

Letting us know the sort of role you'd like. Why not get a group of friends together and forma team?

"A Wolf by the Ears"

OPERATION CITADELLE: THE BATTLE FOR KURSK JULY 1943

3^rd June 2000

"We were now in the position of a man who has seized a wolf by the ears and dare not let him go."

Major-General von Mellenthin

The Battle for Kursk was in many ways the end of German armoured warfare in World War II. Until then an unparalleled series of Blitzkrieg victories in the Low Countries, France, Middle East and Russia in the summer of 1941 had stunned the world. The change to this string of incredible victories was the defeat outside Moscow in the winter of 1941; the Germans now found themselves locked in a titanic struggle with Stalinist Russia, which showed an endurance beyond belief to withstand Hitler and his generals. Germany was forced to mobilise her economy for Total War.

In 1942 with economic considerations of grain, coal and oil to the fore, the Germans drove into South Russia and the terrible defeat at Stalingrad in the winter of 1942/3. The loss of the 6th Army and many of the panzers of the relieving forces meant the Germans were pushed back to more or less the positions they occupied in 1942.

In 1943 Germany with her war economy rapidly growing and her armoured forces now being re-equipped with heavier and more deadly tanks now faced a dilemma of where to use them. A possible two-front war loomed with the defeats in the North Africa and the arrival of American troops. The year 1943 was thus going to be decisive to the fate of Hitler’s Europe.

The solution to the immediate problem of Russia was to be an offensive to pinch out the Kursk bulge, an area about the half the size of England, jutting into the German line. The destruction of the large Soviet forces stationed there, as well as any reserves behind them, would it was hoped deny the Soviets any chance of delivering any attacks of their own choosing for the rest of the summer. This would allow the Germans to reorganise and create a powerful strategic reserve to face off any threats to Fortress Europe from either West or East.

This game is about the battle fought on the shoulders of the Kursk salient with powerful panzer forces, newly equipped with latest heavy tanks and SP Guns aiming to scythe their way through the Soviet defences, engage their reserves and destroy them. For the Soviets it will be one of defence, counter-attack and the critical development of battles of their own choosing. The air war will also be covered in some detail due to its important effects on ground operations. There will also be a sub-game involving the actions of the partisans and counter-insurgency operations that played such a marked effect on the logistics and character of this battle.

This game because of the relative small size of the area of campaign will be set at the tactical to operational level with players commanding Corps and Armies for the Germans and Armies and Fronts for the Soviets. The basic building block of combat will be the division and independent brigade and will use a combat system borrowing from previous Megagames, such as the "Kirovograd" system of Andy Grainger, but which will give due emphasis to the unique characteristics of this monumental battle.

14^th October 2000

In John’s 1998 game ‘Aweary of the Sun’ human beings conquered the Solar System and stood facing the vast gulf they must leap to reach the stars.

In this new game, some time has passed and hyperspace technology has finally brought distant star systems within your grasp. Earthlike worlds are there to be taken. Unfortunately, humanity is still divided into rival groups vying for supremacy, often using violence. You will play senior executives of different ideologies and objectives (such as the capitalist Centaur Corporation and the militaristic Martian Helix) competing to colonise and exploit the new discoveries. Complex negotiations are likely; armed conflict cannot be ruled out in this new lawless frontier.

The game will involve exploration, the construction of hi-tech colonies and of course weaponry for ‘security and self-defence’. Intelligent and creative use of resources, and good teamwork, will promote success.

Face the greatest challenge of the Third Millennium – Humanity’s Drive to the Stars!

MORE DREAMS OF EMPIRE

The megagame of the French revolutionary Wars

By Brian Cameron and Bernard Ganley

25 November 2000

The game is concerned with the struggles between the major nation states of the late eighteenth century at a time when the French Revolution has brought sweeping changes to the world.

There are player teams for Britain, Spain, France, Prussia, Austria, Russia and Turkey. Within each team players take the roles of the heads of government and the most important ministers. The game is concerned with the diplomacy and conflict between these major countries and the non-played minor powers within the limits of the resources of each country. They will have to balance the revenues they can expect with their expenditures on military and diplomatic matters, negotiate with the other countries and, if necessary, wage war.

The game will cover a period of several years starting in the summer of 1794. This was chosen because the internal politics of the French revolution of a few years earlier would be a game in itself (as indeed it was in John Rutherford’s recent National Razor game). The start game allows us to have a game within the game about the problems of a committee of equals running France.

The game is not all about the problems of the French Revolution though, as greatly as it may have concerned the nations of the time. There is also plenty happening in other areas of Europe, particularly concerning the fate of Poland and elsewhere in the world, particularly the Caribbean.

Long-time megagamers may recall that several previous versions of the game were run in the early nineteen nineties (yes, it was that long ago). We’ve taken the opportunity to re-write the game to benefit from the experience of the many games which have been designed since that time to produce a more streamlined system.

PRICES FOR 2000

Megagames in 2000 will cost £20 for players, or £10 for game control (umpires) and the unwaged.

Pre-Payment

Pay the game fee in advance, by the specified deadline, and you pay only £15 if a player (or just £7.50 if game control/umpire or unwaged).

First Game Discount

There is a NEW discount for players attending their first megagame, of 50% (so if you book in advance, that is a megagame for just £7.50! ). The First Game Discount cannot be applied in conjunction with Group Booking.

Group Booking Discount

Any group can make a Group Booking to claim a substantial discount. To claim a group booking, the group must book in advance, and pay by the pre-booking deadline for the game.

Five players booking together and paying by a single cheque pay only £60 (a massive 20% discount on the pre-payment price). The Group Booking Discount cannot be made in conjunction with any other offers or discounts.

ADMIN

Acknowledgement Slips

Please return your acknowledgement slips as soon as you receive them. There are some very good reasons for asking for your game admin. fee up front, mainly because the overheads can be pretty steep.

Megagame ID Number

It is helpful, if you remember your ID number, to quote it on all correspondence - there are now quite a few people with the same names on the database, and it makes things easier if we know which one you are! (and it also speeds up searches on the database).

Notice for Internet Surfers

Watch the Megagames Newsletter Homepage on www.pastpers.co.uk/megagame

We can be reached by email on 101453.2005@compuserve.com If you are on the net, don’t forget to let me have your email address, and I will accept megagame bookings and confirmations by email.

Telephone Messages

Just a hint to those leaving messages on the answerphone. Please leave messages that do not necessarily require us to ring back. A good example would be; "I haven’t yet had my briefing for Crisis in Bosrovia 3, if it is on the way, no problem, otherwise could you send it?"

Please do not say "Ring me on 123-4567". This is unlikely to be answered.

There are usually spare places available right up to the last minute so this will allow us a chance of getting a briefing or letter in the post immediately.

Contact

We can be contacted by post at 36 Barrow Road, London, SW16 5PF. Telephone Messages can be left at 0181-677-3005

Email address is : 101453.2005@compuserve.com

To complete this interest sheet online click here.

INTEREST SHEET

Spring 2000

Return this sheet to

Megagame Makers, c/o 36, Barrow Road, London SW16 5PF

Feel free to copy it and pass it on to friends who may be interested

If you are interested in a particular game, select your preferred role from the options provided. A number in the box indicates your priority, 1 = top priority. An ‘x’ in the box means "under no circumstances give me this role". Just tick the boxes if you have no particular preference or priority.

FROM: MM ID No:

ADDRESS:

E-MAIL: