~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Fine Games for Players & Collectors | | now located at: 2078 Madrona St., North Bend, OR 97459-2143 USA | ~~~~~~~~ 541-756-4711 866-690-7879 M.Dean@FineGames.com ~~~~ Update 1996 #8 1 May 1996 WELCOME again to another Fine Games electronic newsletter.These updates contain news and other info of interest to active board gamers and collectors. They also explain how you can download copies of the many Fine Games' online catalogs at your convenience. C O N T E N T S Kampfgruppe Peiper II .... Its out: About *#?! Time !? - We the People Cards Fine Games NEWS .......... What's going on at Fine Games - FTP Site Updated 5/2 - Requesting Catalogs by Email NEW Games ................ Newly released games - Shogun Reprint: "Samurai Swords" Pending Releases - The New World in Flames Story 35% Off Pre-Order Special - Counterattack # 5 ?? INDUSTRY NEWS ............ GAME PUBLICATIONS Becomes ONE STEP Command & Game Fix Back Issues Gone GEnie All But Disappears Trade Fodder ............. About 100 mint/new Items for Trade ONLINE CATALOG ACCESS .... Downloading Files via EMail Using a WWW Browser to Access FTP Q & A Your SUGGESTIONS ......... Suggestions Always Welcomed K A M P F G R U P P E P E I P E R I I One of the games originally announced more than a year ago, the next module in the ASL series is rumored to have shipped today. This could be biggest single release of the year. Should you want a copy sent to you immediately upon its arrival here, please let me know NOW. Each copy is $35 cash price, and shipping of this game will have the highest priority. I know you ASL'ers need your long overdue fix... Another just-released AH product, the WE THE PEOPLE EXPANSION CARDS, have been released. Unfortunately, most of the game distributors didn't bother to pick this item up! I may have persuaded one distributor to get some, but I won't have these for another few weeks. Watch your email. F I N E G A M E S N E W S MY ONLINE CATALOGS were updated today (5/2). These are now up to the minute. Two large purchases are in the works, however. No rest for the wicked. YOUR SUBSCRIPTION to this newsletter assumes that I have your correct email address. If you change your address for any reason, please send me an update including your name and your new email address. This is especially important for those having fled GEnie's rate increase (see below). USING EMAIL TO REQUEST CATALOGS is easy! You can use this to easily & painlessly monitor what's available on my FTP site (or any other), and to actually download files. As with everything on the Internet, it will work well for many yet be problematic for others. It is very simple so try it to see if it works for you. See the Online Catalog Access section, below, for instructions. N E W G A M E S New games continued to trickle in slowly. Here is the list of 12 new releases since March: Cash Publsr Game Title & Edition Box Wght Price ------ ------------------------------ --- ---- ------- AWE HISPANIA BC $40.00 Multiple invasions of Iberia by dozens of races thru over 1000 yrs. AWE ROSSYIA 1917 BC $40.00 Multisided multiplayer game of the Russian Civil War. 4 scenarios & campaign gm. 2 maps & 1100 counters. '96 (These two games are on order & should be available in about a week.) COFA CLASH OF ARMOR: ROMMEL'S n $14.00 BATTLES Scenario book for the Clash of Armor system & adaptable to other miniatures systems. Covers 2 scenarios from France'40, 2 from North Africa & 1 from France'44. COFA COMMAND AT SEA SCENARIO n $3.50 GENERATOR Component for Rising Sun, now sold separately. CRI ASL: JATKOSOTA: FINLAND'S n $8.40 CONTINUATN WAR Kit providing 8 scenarios depiciting the nature of combat at various regions & times of Finland's experience in WW2. Adds a few new vehicle types. '96 GAMERS CHAMPION HILL BC $23.10 The decisive btl of Grant's Vicksburg campaign, May'63 using Gamers' ACW system. 5 scenarios w/ what ifs. K.Jacobson'96 MAYFR LINIE 1 BC $47.95 Simpler multiplayer gm where players build track connecting trolly stations, then race their trollies around their track. Similar to Dampfoss. German import produced by Mayfair. '96 MEDALL ECHELONS OF FURY: PACIFIC SB $6.65 CAMP DECK A colorful card game focused on weaponry and small unit combat in the WW2 era, ala Up Front. Sister game to Echelons of Fire. '95 ONE EDSON'S RIDGE GUADALCANAL '42 n $4.90 #10 Tac lvl gm of early, overly enthusiastic Japanese attack on Marines defending Henderson Field, Spt'42. '96 WWW FURY ON THE CHAMPLAIN HC $0.00 Rumored to be out. XENO WORLD AT WAR 1939-45: PIECES SB $21.00 ONLY SET 2 Pieces for World @ War variant in new colors, XTRCMD MUKDEN CAMPAIGN / MOSCOW n $24.50 OPTION #37 Also, for those of you wishing for a copy of Milton-Bradley's SHOGUN, you may be happy to learn that they have reprinted the game under the title SAMURAI SWORDS and are test marketing (only) thru Toys'R'Us. I don't have pricing info and, no, I can't get them; wish I could. P E N D I N G R E L E A S E S The following are the games in the queue, based on the most current information available. I've tempered publishers' chronic optimisim with a little reality where I thought necessary. Cash Publsr Game Title & Edition Box Wght Price Rels Date ------ ------------------------------ --- ---- ------- --------- AH ASL:KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER II FB $35.00 due 5/96 Historical module depicting fighting between Peiper SS & US units near LaGleize, Borgoumont & Cheneux in mid-Dec'44. 3 maps, 2 campaigns, 7 scenarios & rev P chapter. '96 AH HANNIBAL LB $28.00 due 5/96 Strategic lvl gm of the 2nd Punic War using a modified We the People system. '96 AH AIR BARON BC $21.00 due 5/96 ? Modest complexity family-style gm of building a sml airline by securing access to airports, buying better planes, building hubs, etc. '96 AVALAN DEUX MARE [FORMERLY SMS HC $26.60 due 5/96 GOEBEN] Commerce raiding in the Med & Black Sea early in WW1. 40 scenarios. '96 CHAOS MYTHOS: CTHULHU MYTHOS BOX OF n $63.00 due 5/96 DECK CCG based on HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos & Chaosium's series. CHAOS MYTHOS: CTHULHU RISING BSTRS n $74.34 due 5/96 CCG based on HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos & Chaosium's series. CHAOS MYTHOS: EXPEDITIONS OF n $74.34 due 5/96 MISKATONICS BSTRS CCG based on HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos & Chaosium's series. COFA ARMY OF THE HEARTLAND BC $33.60 due 5/96 Detailed gm of the ACW in the West. Companion gm to Campaign of RE Lee. COFA CAMP OF RE LEE: GRANT TAKES n $4.90 due 5/96 CMMND #23 Add-on kit to Camp RE Lee or Army of Heartland. '96 COFA HARPOON BOXED SET, 4TH BC $35.00 due 5/96 Latest version of this popular modern era air-sea tac combat system. '96 DECS_T 100 YEARS WAR #177 n $11.90 due 5/96 EXCAL KING ARTHUR & THE KNIGHTS OF BC $26.25 due 5/96 ROUND TABLE Strat lvl gm of the mythological period of England. J.Musgrave'96 EXCAL MERLIN: MAGIC & POWER IN BC $24.15 due 5/96 ARTHURN ENGLAND Strat lvl gm of the mythological period of England. J.Musgrave'96 EXCAL RICHARD THE LIONHEARTED BC $26.25 due 5/96 Tac lvl combat between the Crusaders & Sarecens. A.Pally'96 GMT SAMURAI BC $31.50 due 5/96 5th in Grt Btls of History series. Covers samurai era & the btls of Sendoku Jidai. GMT SPQR PLAYERS' GUIDE n $10.50 due 5/96 Tactics & strategy of play. KEN MONTY PYTHON & HOLY GRAIL SB $2.45 due 5/96 CARD GAME BSTR KEN MONTY PYTHON & HOLY GRAIL SB $7.70 due 5/96 CARD GAME DECK MAYFR DETROIT / CLEVELAND GRAND PRIX SB $17.50 due 5/96 Board game of Indy 500 auto racing. '95 MIH TANK COMMANDER, E.FRONT BOX SB $84.00 due 5/96 OF 12 DECKS Collectable carg gm of armored warfare in the East at sqd & vehicle lvl. PACRIM ROAD TO BERLIN FB $52.50 due 5/96 Monster game of the final Soviet drive on Germany at div/corp lvl. J Youst'95 SPS GETTYSBURG: THREE DAYS IN JULY LB $28.00 due 5/96 Battle of Gettysburg using limited intel via stand up plastic pieces & casualty chart. '96 WWW BALTIC STORM HC $38.50 due 5/96 Covers the first 7 months of AG Norths drive to Leningrad using Blitz in South/Spires Kremlin system. Lrg gm w/ 3 maps, 840 counters & 16 scenarios. Links w/ Panzer Legions. '96 WWW PANZER LEGIONS HC $38.50 due 5/96 Covers first 3 months of Barbarossa for AG Center, using Last Blitzkrieg in South/Spires Kremlin system. Lrg gm w/ 3 maps & 840 counters, 16 scenarios. '96 _SFTWR MAGIC: THE GATHERING PC CD-ROM SB $56.00 due 5/96 Computer adaptation of Magic. _SFTWR WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN HC $49.00 due 5/96 ? CD-ROM DOS CD-ROM only. 1, 2 & PBEM adaptations of the wondeful boardgame. Historical ship-ship & fleet battles, campaigns, & design your owns. '96 AH ASL:ANNUAL '96 n 0.6 $10.50 due 6/96 Mag style compilation of new scenarios, terrain overlays, strategy & tactics articles, replays, etc. A must for ASL fiends. '95 DECGMS FORGOTTEN WAR, BATTLES OF... BC $28.00 due 6/96 3 btls from Korean War: Naktung, Chosin, Chipyng-ri. Company lvl. DECGMS KRIEG! HC $27.30 due 6/96 Strategic WW2 gm at army/corp level w/ cards. '96 GRD DESERT, WAR IN THE... FB $57.40 due 6/96 Revised & updated Europa system game encompassing earlier Desert War & Torch games & Near East kit. '95 MAYFR DIE SIEDLER LB $24.50 due 6/96 MAYFR STREET CARS Y $21.00 due 6/96 Tile gm of trolly car racing thru New Orleans using elements from 18xx series and Dampfoss. _SFTWR THIRD REICH PC DOS BC $49.00 due 6/96 ? DOS version; CD-ROM 45959. The venerable strat WW2 classic ported to a PC game. COLUMG DIXIE: GETTYSBURG CARD GAME SB 0.3 $6.30 due 7/96 "Tradable, collectable" card game of the Am Civil War, this edition the btl of Gettysburg. Battles played w/ colorful & historically accurate cards in 30-60 minutes. Each deck contains 60 of the 200 possible cards representing all units present. '95 COLUMG DIXIE: GETTYSBURG CARD GAME SB $42.00 due 7/96 COMPLETE SET Complete set of all 300 cards. "Tradable, collectable" card game of the Am Civil War, this edition the btl of Gettysburg. Battles played w/ colorful & historically accurate cards in 30-60 minutes. Each deck contains 60 of the 200 possible cards representing all units present. '95 DECS_T FIRST BLOOD: GUADALCANAL n $11.90 due 7/96 CAMPGN,2ND #178 Sml gm of the land campaign for Guadalcanal, Spt'42-Jan'43 in Weekly turns. S.Llewellyn'96 GRD FIRST TO FIGHT, 2ND FB $35.00 due 7/96 Europa series game on Poland, '39. GRD SECOND FRONT, 2ND FB $77.00 due 7/96 w/June'94 err. Massive, v.hi complexity game of the war in Italy, France and Germany starting in July'43 or Apr'44 using Europa game system. Complete Grand Europa OoB for Germans & Allies. J.Astell'94 _SFTWR OVER THE REICH CD-ROM DOS/MAC HC $49.00 due 7/96 ? 3D strategy gm of managing a front line fighter squadron during the last half of WW2. Allocate planes, pilots, weapons, & fuel. '96 AH STONEWALL'S LAST BATTLE BC $21.00 due 9/96 Rgt/div lvl gm of DECGMS BRITISH EMPIRE HC $24.50 due 9/96 Britain defends its empire in 3 gms: Zulu War, River War, and March to Peking. DECGMS DESERT FOX DELUXE HC $24.50 due 9/96 Reprint of Acclaimed Btln lvl gm of N Africa, '41-43. Integrated w/ Trail of Fox. R Berg, '81,'95 MAYFR INDIAN RAILS Tb $17.50 due 9/96 _SFTWR BLACKBEARD [PC] HC $42.00 due 9/96 PC version of the solitaire game of the same name. Priacy around the world. Latest word on the newest WORLD IN FLAMES is that it may be out for Origins in June. Maybe. The Deluxe edition will have modular, 3-hole punched rules that include the game & 4 modules (Plains, Ships, Africa & Asia; will NOT include Mech nor Fatal Alliances); the "classic" edition will have bound rules as before. The 6th edition includes changes to the counter set, maps, rules & charts; the rules will have special notes that allow play using 5th edition components. You will be able to replace & upgrade nearly any component of your 5th edition game. A kit upgrading all changed components will be offered (see below), but just about anything goes with this one... Until the end of May, I'll accept paid pre-orders for any version of WIF 6th at 35% off list. (The figures below represent 30% off.) ADG WORLD IN FLAMES 6TH BC $42.00 due 6/96 THE finest detailed strat WW2 game. 2 scenarios, 2 1-map & 5 2-map campaign games. Mates w/ Days of Decision to add pre-war politicing & builds. 1986 .Roberts award; 1986 Game of Year & Game of Decade by F&M mag. '91 ADG WORLD IN FLAMES 6TH DELUXE BC $77.00 due 6/96 Latest & greatest, w/ new streamlined & 3-holded rules, plus 4 kits. THE finest detailed strat WW2 game. 2 scenarios, 2 1-map & 5 2-map campaign games. Mates w/ Days of Decision to add pre-war politicing & builds. 1986 .Roberts award; 1986 Game of Year & Game of Decade by F&M mag. '91 ADG WORLD IN FLAMES 6TH UPGRADE n $35.00 due 6/96 KIT Includes rules, maps & counters for WiF, plus rules to 4 add-on kits. Pacific Rim took another breath this month. On the exhale, they announced that "Counterattack #5 was assigned a game." Those of us who will die before our current subscription lapses breathed easier. I N D U S T R Y N E W S GAME PUBLICATION GROUP was sold to ONE SMALL STEP and now aims for mass distribution much as Command is doing. This means that Game Fix magazine is now called Competitive Edge. Jon Compton, one of the founders of GPG, is at the helm at OSS. To facilitate mass marketing of the mag, they appear to have replaced die cut counters with bound card stock that must be cut out for play. BACK ISSUES OF COMMAND largely disappeared in the last few months. Largely by coincidence, stock of many issues were exhausted at XTR and most distributors about the same time. So if you've got a 1914 or a Great War, feel lucky! Game Fix magazines are thinly stocked by distributors with each new issue. By now, every issue (even Competitive Edge #10) is out of stock. GENIE is eerily quiet these days after so many abandoned the service due to an ill conceived price hike. Many went to AOL but I haven't heard whether they're happier there. I plan to remain on Genie myself. T R A D I N G F O D D E R After a purchase of substantial number of back issues of S&T, I have surplus copies of nearly 70 S&T issues from #86 to #152. Also have a number os games to offer for this purpose. All are mint. IF YOU HAVE QUALITY GAMES TO TRADE IN, take a look at my trade list on my FTP site (special/trades.txt) or write. Games must be in EX shape or better. D O W N L O A D I N G F I L E S B Y E M A I L A little-known facility of the internet allows you to send a simple script of commands via email, and receive a response--including files-- back by email. This may be useful to you so that you can monitor what's available on my FTP site, or to download one or more of my catalog files. You MUST address your email request to special server addresses. I suggest either of the following: ftpmail@census.gov ftpmail@webster.dartmouth.edu In the body of the email, you enter a sequence of valid commands for the system being accessed (Unix in the case of my FTP site). In general, you OPEN the site desired, CHANGE DIRECTORY to the desired location, then execute whatever file operations are desired. Finally, you QUIT the operation. So, to retreive my _readme.txt file that details the current content of my catalog file, enter the following script: open ftp.FineGames.com chdir pub/vendors/finegms get _readme.txt dir quit The DIR command will provide a directory listing (in lovely Unix format) of the files in my main directory. LS will provide an abreviated listing. Remember that ZIPped files are binary and will arrive as one (or more) uuencoded emails which must be decoded (and possibly combined). Whether this causes you problems depends on your mailer program and your experience with the utilities necessary to process encoded files. Remember also that, while the straight TXT format catalogs are also available, these make for HUGE emails that may take a while to upload into your email reader. F T P S I T E I N F O An ever wider variety of catalogs is available to you online at my FTP site. Look for the "_readme.txt" file at the following address: ftp.FineGames.com/pub/vendors/finegms/ You may use a WWW browser to view TXT files and download any file using the LOAD TO DISK option. Just enter the URL: ftp://ftp.FineGames.com/pub/vendors/finegms/ In particular, you may wish to download the "all_cats.zip" file (450k) which contains a copy of ALL unique catalogs. F T P Q U E S T I O N S & A N S W E R S I'm happy to attempt to solve FTP-related problems. But keep these points in mind especially when using any text-based FTP tools: * If your FTP program looses its connection prematurely, try setting your program's time-out threshold to at least 60 seconds. Or try contacting the site at times OTHER THAN evening hours PST. * My FTP site, like most, is CASE SENSITIVE. Use lower case letters unless a directory listing shows the use of upper case letters. * Most FTP sites use a FORWARD slash ("/") rather than the backslash ("\") that DOS users are familiar with in path statements. * Signon via Anonymous FTP. That is, signon with an account name of "anonymous" and a password which is your actual, complete email address. * Use a BINARY TRANSFER mode when copying ZIPped files of any sort. You can use BINARY or ASCII transfers with TXT (text) files. * You must use the current version of PKZIP to UNZIP compressed files. The current version is 2.04g. Earlier versions probably won't work. Y O U R S U G G E S T I O N S YOUR SUGGESTIONS that help me improve the service I provide to you via this Update or in any other way are greatly appreciated. Michael Dean Fine Games for Players & Collectors