Welcome to yet another issue of the Nightmessenger. We would also like to wish you all a happy holiday season. The Neo-ASPs haven't been seen in some time, due to the efforts of a number of bounty hunters. BLUR has been conspicuously absent also, due as much to bad weather in certain parts of the country as to the efforts of the bounty hunters.
    The lack of bad weather in this part of the USA has been in the news. This past November shaped up to be on of the warmest on record. The warm weather even held for most of December. Still, one shouldn't take the weather for granted, especially out here. It would be just like Mom Nature to spring a foot of snow on us next week, accompanied by weeks of record-low temperatures.
    In a surprising development, we have been informed that the AADA has been shut down pending the release of the 3^rd Edition Compendium. Watch out for the possibility of forty years of earthquakes, fire, volcanoes and of course dogs & cats living together

Just when you thought things had cooled off a little, NOVA brings some new devices to satiate your appetite for destruction

Cutting Torches: 2x cost, normal weight, doubles damage and halves the range.
    Cutting torches are modified flamethrowers. The modifications narrow the flame stream and heat it up considerably. In addition to the effects mentioned above, a cutting torch removes metal armor as if it were a burst-effect weapon.

Vehicular Shotgun (variant): To-hit: 7, $950, 90 lbs, 1 space, 2 DP, 1d damage, area effect, 10 shots, CPS: $5, WPS: 1 lb, Loaded Cost: $1,000, Loaded Weight: 100 lbs, maximum range: 24".
    The VSG is a short-barreled, smoothbore weapon of either 4-gauge or 8-gauge. For every full 4" of range, there is a +1 to-hit bonus and a -1 to the damage rolled. Its low cost and light weight make the VSG a favorite weapon in the lower divisions.

There are two accessories which will increase the effectiveness of a VSG. The statistics are as follows:

Rifled Bore: +$50 to cost. This modification gives slug loads fired from a VSG a to-hit score of 7 (slugs fired from an ordinary VSG have a to-hit score of 8).

Autofire: +$950 to cost (after any other modifications), normal weight. A VSG with this modification can fire 1-2 shots per turn, in the same fashion as a VFRP. It is also capable of ripple fire.
 
 

The CPS, WPS and range figures for a VSG assume the use of standard buckshot loads. In order to increase both range and effectiveness, the following types of ammunition were developed.

Slug loads: CPS $10, WPS: 1 lb, 1d damage. This ammo type is loaded with a single, large slug in each shell. If fired from a smoothbore barrel, slugs have a to-hit score of 8. The maximum range of a slug load is 30". Slug loads do not gain the accuracy bonus of shot loads; they also do not have the damage penalty at longer ranges.

Armor-piercing shot: CPS: $15, WPS: 2 lbs, 1d+1 damage. Armor-piercing shot has a maximum range of 30" (the denser metals used to make it enable the shot to fly farther). It gets the same to-hit bonus at extended ranges, but only takes a -1 to the damage for every full 8" of range.

Armor-piercing slugs: CPS: $30, WPS: 2 lbs, 1d+2 damage. Armor-piercing slugs are finned, sub-caliber rounds that resemble the larger APFSDS shells fired from tank guns. Their maximum range is 60".

Flechette: CPS: $40, WPS: 1 lb, 1d+1 damage, maximum range: 40". Flechette shells are loaded with dozens of finned, needle-pointed darts made of very hard steel. They are treated as shot loads, except that their damage is not lessened at extended ranges.

Explosive: CPS: $20, WPS: 1 lb, 1d-1 damage.
    Explosive shells are treated as slugs for purposes of range and accuracy. They do full damage to targets which are directly struck, and half-damage (minimum of 1 point) to other targets which are within the burst radius. Proximity fuzes can be fitted at the usual cost.

Incendiary: CPS: $15, WPS: 1 lb, 1d-2 damage, maximum range: 4"
    These rounds are the famous "Dragon's Breath" shells. When fired, they discharge a spray of white-hot burning metals. The area of effect is a cone 1/4" at the muzzle and 1" wide at the maximum range of 4". The fire modifier is 2 and the burn duration is 0. Anyone in the line of fire is affected as if by a flash grenade (due to the brightness of the burning metals).

Gas: CPS: variable, WPS: 1 lb, maximum range: 24".
    Gas shells create a 1/2" x 1/2" counter at any point up to the maximum range of 24". Available types are smoke (CPS: $5), tear gas (CPS: $10) and toxin gas (CPS: $1,000).

Dual Missile Guidance: +$400 to missile CPS, for RGMs and all types of ML ammunition.
    Dual missile guidance allows a missile to switch from one guidance mode to another if one happens to jammed or otherwise obstructed. For example, a laser-guided missile could switch to radar guidance if the laser lock was blocked. Note that the that the costs for both guidance mechanisms must be paid for also. All types of missile guidance (radar, HARM, laser, infrared, radio, teleguided) may use this modification.
 
 

NOVA has attempted to renew its charter for a record 16^th time. This time, we've got a good deal of new blood. On a sadder note, Star Realm has closed its doors for the last time. Bill Grush (the owner) has decided to hang up his hat at the end of 2001 and sell material over the Internet in 2002. Star Realm (in one location or another) was NOVA's headquarters from its very inception until the first part of 2001. We in NOVA are going to miss the support and encouragement given by Bill and his wife, Sandy.
    In other matters, we were highly surprised to get our chapter renewal check back in the mail from SJG. An enclosed letter stated that the AADA is temporarily shut down until the release of the 3^rd Edition Compendium. As you can imagine, this was quite a shocker to us all. One is forced to wonder what is really going on in Steve Jackson's mind.
    Mike Owen's Dueling Debate has surpassed the 12,000-message mark, with some recent threads being on VSGs, sticky foam and the use of 3-space turrets on station wagons. With the AADA shut down for the foreseeable future, the Board quite lively.
    The ranks of the Neo-ASPs have been thinned by the relentless activities of quite a few bounty hunters. However, they will be back, to be sure. BLUR is also done with racing for a while (thankfully).
    The SWAT HQ website is being shut down for reasons unknown. As far as we know, the shutdown is unrelated to the shutdown of the AADA. Mike Owen has asked NOVA and others to archive SWAT's files. We intend to do anything we can to help.
    Former NOVA-ite Mike Martini has shown some interest in getting back into the game. We welcome this with open arms, as NOVA is still in need of new blood. Of course, this means that Mike's strange designs will be seeing the light of day again.

Long-time NOVA-ite and 5-time club dueling champion Mike Garrity got married on November 17, 2001 to Lucy Ubadigbo. The ceremony (a full wedding Mass) took place in St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines, Iowa. The reception was held at the University Park Holiday Inn in West Des Moines. Don Jacques and I attended both functions. When we got to the reception, we had visions of "Die Hard" and "Titanic" dancing in our heads because of the classical string quartet that was playing. We were also able to meet Mike's friends Geoff Hatten and John Lafreniere, who were among the groomsmen. Of particular note were the hand-sewn Nigerian outfits that Mike and Lucy wore later on. They were quite spectacular. We and the rest of NOVA wish Mike and Lucy a long and happy life together.
    One week previous to the wedding, we had a duel with Mike and John. In this duel, Andy Koehler came out on top and John Lafreniere took third place (much to Mike's chagrin). See the next installment of "in the Arena" for a write-up.
    The road kill count was rather light on the way to Des Moines, with only a few squirrels and two big smears to speak of. On the return trip, we saw six stalled vehicles (five cars and one big rig).

We finally finished one of our projects this year. NOVA now has a vinyl banner to show our colors at conventions. It measures 48" long and 36" wide. The banner has an updated version of the NOVA shield on it, along with the full spelling of our chapter name. Thanks are due to our good friend Andy Koehler at Kinko's.
 
 

September 29, 2051: Norman McMullen won a Division-20 duel held at the Double Drum Arena. He scored two kills to win the duel over six other duelists.

October 5, 2051: Bruce Stickly won a Division-10 amateur night duel at the Classic Car Wars arena. He defeated John Smyth, Bruce Stickly and Marty Koehler while doing so. The duel was decided by a fist fight between Norman and Bruce (much like a couple of NOVA's past duels).

November 9, 2051: NOVA sent out its annual renewal certificate.

November 10, 2051: Andy Koehler won a Division-15 duel at the Crossroads Arena in Denver, Colorado. He got three kills and accepted a surrender to do so. Other combatants in this contest included Mike Garrity, John Lafreniere, Norman McMullen and Don Jacques.

November 22, 2051: Happy Thanksgiving to all. NOVA wishes you and yours the very best.

November 23, 2051: NOVA received a letter from the AADA. Enclosed was the check for the chapter renewal, along with a letter stating that the AADA was shutting down for a few months. The stated reason was that they were waiting for the release of the 3^rd Edition Compendium (or the new Car Wars rules).

December 14, 2051: Michael Owen of SWAT announced that SWAT HQ is going to be shut down for reasons unknown.

December 25, 2051: Merry Christmas to all. We hope your holiday celebrations go well.

January 1, 2052: Happy New Year!!
 
 

Spring 2002: Star Wars: Episode II, The Scorpion King

Summer 2002: Spider Man, X-Men 2, Matrix 2, Rollerball (re-make)

Now Playing: Monsters, Inc, Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone, Lord of the Rings, Impostor

Prequels: Star Wars: Chapter III (Vader Rising??)--2005

Sequels: Batman 5, Terminator 3, Aliens 5, Star Trek 10, Terminator 3, Indiana Jones 4, Matrix 3, new James Bond film, Harry Potter 2, Lord of the Rings 2 & 3.

On Video: Planet of the Apes, Jurassic Park 3, Pearl Harbor, The Grinch, Tomb Raider, Shrek, Swordfish
 
 

With the shutdown of the AADA, we don't know if there will be any World or Regional Championships held in 2002. We hope SJG releases the new Car Wars rules in time. Otherwise, this will make it difficult to hold any competitions above the club level.

Spring Campaign 2002: March or April 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa. Possible spot for the Regional Championships (assuming they are held at all).

Origins 2002: July 4-7, 2002 in Columbus, Ohio. Possible site of the World Racing Championships.

Gen-Con 2002: August 8-11, 2002 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Possible site of the World Dueling Championships. This running of Gen Con will mark the end of an era, as the 'Con will be moving to Indianapolis in 2003.

Nuke-Con 2002: October, 2002 in Omaha, Nebraska. NOVA will run some dueling events here.

Origins 2003: July, 2003 in Columbus, Ohio. Possible site of the World Racing Championships (assuming they don't get canceled again).

Gen Con 2003: August 21-24, 2003 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the first year in Gen Con's new location. Likely site of the World Dueling Championships.

Origins 2004: July, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Possible site of the World Racing Championships.

Gen Con 2004: August 19-22, 2004 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Possible site of the World Dueling Championships.

In Car Wars, it is possible to have dropped weapons that last practically forever. This means that you can drop something on the road and come back to see it there a year later. For the game, this makes sense. In reality, it makes none whatsoever.
    Dropped gases have a limited effect in the game. The longest duration belongs to smoke, which lasts for 60 turns before dispersing (one full minute). Mines & explosive spikes will stay until detonated. Regular spikes and dropped junk will stay there permanently unless picked up. Dropped liquids usually stay, except for the burning ones (which last for only a few turns). Dropped ice and oil are at opposite ends of the spectrum; ice will eventually melt (depending on the ambient temperature), while oil will stay until cleaned up or neutralized.
    The newest one in the mix is sticky foam, which has no real time limit. In fact, the AADA head referee stated the duration is indefinite. For the record, sticky foam is produced by the mixing of certain chemicals. Once mixed, these chemicals have a limited life expectancy unless stabilized. Even when stabilized, the chemical mix will loose effectiveness over time. We are talking about an adhesive goo whose tensile strength is only slightly less powerful than Super-Glue. It should be noted that with Super-Glue, there is a very short period between being active and inactive.
    I can see sticky foam lasting around a minute (60 turns). This is a very long time in game turns, as most duels don't last longer than 40 turns. Also, foam does tend to dry up and break down before blowing away completely.
    Ordinary spikes, oil and junk will last until scattered by passing traffic. There is also Oil-Dry. This granular substance will dry up oil after only a few seconds of contact. Its gritty consistency the nickname "kitty litter". This substance should be available at nearly all recharge stations.
 

Dropped Weapon	Negated by
Oil	Sand
Ice	Flaming Oil
Sticky Foam	Neutralizer
Spikes	None
Junk	None
Mines	Burst-effect weapons

A recent thread on Mike Owen's debate board has raised some interesting design possibilities. Kurt Aldinger came up with a simple way to design electric power plants that can be tailored to fit any size of car, trike or cycle. Specifics of his "multi-cellular" power plants are as follows: each cell costs $300, weighs 80 lbs and has 1 DP. Each cell also has 300 power factors. These cells take up 1/3 space each and can be grouped together to build power plants of any size.

The specifics for car and cycle power plants are listed below.
 

Plant	Cost	Weight	Spaces	DP	Power Factors
Small cycle	$500	100 lbs	1	2	400
Medium cycle	$1,000	150 lbs	1	3	600
Large cycle	$1,500	175 lbs	2	4	800
Super cycle	$2,000	200 lbs	2	5	1,000
Super trike	$3,000	250 lbs	3	6	1,200
Small car	$500	500 lbs	3	5	800
Medium car	$1,000	700 lbs	4	8	1,400
Large car	$2,000	900 lbs	5	10	2,000
Super car	$3,000	1,100 lbs	6	12	2,600
Sport	$6,000	1,000 lbs	6	12	3,000
T-cat	$12,000	2,000 lbs	8	15	6,700

The most efficient way to build multi-cellular power plants is to use the cells in groups of three, as the plant size is rounded up. For example, an MC plant with two cells would take up one space, instead of 2/3 space. A number of generic MC power plants are listed below as a basis for comparison.

1) 2-cell power plant: $600, 160 lbs, 1 space, 2 DP, 600 power factors

2) 3-cell power plant: $900, 240 lbs, 1 space, 3 DP, 900 power factors

3) 4-cell power plant: $1,200, 320 lbs, 2 spaces, 4 DP, 1,200 power factors

4) 5-cell power plant: $1,500, 400 lbs, 3 spaces, 5 DP, 1,500 power factors

5) 9-cell power plant: $2,700, 720 lbs, 3 spaces, 9 DP, 2,700 power factors

6) 10-cell power plant: $3,000, 800 lbs, 4 spaces, 10 DP, 3,000 power factors

7) 25-cell power plant: $7,500, 2,000 lbs, 9 spaces, 25 DP, 7,500 power factors

In general, MC power plants are less efficient that cycle/trike plants and much more efficient than car plants. This increased efficiency would allow the use of a more powerful plant for a given weight. Conversely, a smaller MC plant with the same power factors as an ordinary electric plant would enable a car to carry more armor and/or weapons.
    All applicable accessories (overdrive, platinum catalysts, superconductors, HTMs, etc) can be used with MC power plants.
 
 

"To achieve great things, we must live as if we were never going to die"
    --Luc de Clapiers, Marquis de Vauvenarques

"Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves-to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterdays by our today"
    --Stewart B. Johnson

"Every calling is great when greatly pursued"
    --Oliver Wendell Holmes

"There is nothing permanent except change"
    --Heraclitus

"To succeed it is necessary to accept the world as it is and rise above it"
    --Michael Korda

"Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we got"
    --Art Buchwald
 
 

Reptilian
A 200 million year-old giant lizard wakes up and tries to destroy the world. Where have we heard this plot line before? This Godzilla rip-off hails from Korea of all places. The monster is more agile than the 1997 version of Godzilla, and just as invulnerable as the classic version. It is also just as ugly. This movie is prime B-film material, with giant helpings of corn and cheese. The Only thing Reptilian has in its favor is its state-of-the-art special effects.*

Swordfish
Gabriel (John Travolta) enlists the services of a computer hacker to steal millions of dollars from the U.S Government in order to finance a black project against terrorism. Rather timely movie, isn't it? The plot is non-existent and the movie barely makes any sense at all. This film makes a lot of comments about movies of similar type, and the stunts are of the "Gee-whiz, that's nice" type.
    Swordfish ranks way down there in terms of quality, along with other cinematic gems like "Waterworld". Rent it if you   have seen everything else. * (and we're being generous).

Planet of the Apes
This film is Tim Burton's remake of the 1968 classic. It takes the concept in a few different direction. Astronaut Leo Davison (Mark Wahlberg) crash-lands on a distant planet where the human population is enslaved by talking apes. All Davison wants to do is go home. However, his presence has the effect of propelling the human slaves into open conflict with the apes.
    There are great special effects in this movie, but it suffers from a weak story and plot line. The background also seems like it is partially done. Counterbalancing this is a fine cast that includes Tim Roth, Michael Clarke Duncan, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Giamatti and David Warner. Look for Charlton Heston in a cameo role where he repeats his famous "damn them all to hell" line from the original film.
    PotA t is a good shot that doesn't quite measure up to the original.**

Tomb Raider
This adaptation of the hugely-popular video game stars Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. She must stop the agents of the Illuminati from recovering the halves of a mystical triangle before a nine-planet conjunction can take place. The chase leads her around the world and into the usual (and predictable) action scenes.
    Such action as there is in this movie is slow and boring most of the time. It does however have an interesting character in Chris Barrie (Rimmer from "Red Dwarf") as Lara Croft's butler Hillary. Watch it if there is nothing else on.*
 
 

Division-20 duel at Double Drum

Seven duelists in the Double Drum Arena. They were Andy Koehler, Marty Koehler, Don Jacques, Adrian Shipley, Norman McMullen, John Smyth and Joe Petito. From the start, Marty and Joe turned towards Andy and hit his left and right sides respectively with rockets and blast cannon shells. In the other drum, Norman and Adrian angled in and traded shots. Don headed for Andy while John decided to go against Norman.
    Joe and Marty continued their barrage on Andy. Adrian and Norman closed the range and fired. Norman's blast cannon did heavy damage to Adrian's front, and he also commenced to laying a trail of spikes from his back and left sides. In turn, Adrian's rockets bounced off Norman's metal-armored front. He also dropped his own trail of spikes and sticky foam. In an unexpected turn, Adrian swerved and collided with Norman head-on at a combined speed of 100 mph. Norman lost half of his metal armor while Adrian lost all of his front armor, his rocket launchers and his power plant. Because of this, Norman was awarded the first kill of the arena.
    Meanwhile, Andy sustained an armor breach and lost his power plant from Marty's rocket volleys, thus becoming the second kill. Joe fired a final blast cannon shot, passing through the wrecked power plant and stripping off the remaining armor on the other side. John came around the central obstacle of the right drum to engage Norman. Norman backed up and pivoted to fire on John, doing moderate damage and laying spikes again. John's rockets did minor damage to Norman's front armor. All the while Adrian's driver exited his vehicle and proceeded to the nearest gate.
    Andy slowed and did a bootlegger reverse while Marty entered the other drum. Norman accelerated to meet him and they both traded shots. Again Norman's remaining metal armor sustained light damage while Marty smarted from a solid hit. Don closed and fired his VFRP into Joe's left side, doing light damage. John dodged Norman's spikes and poured on the coal, running over Adrian's driver.
    Don circled around the obstacle of the left drum while John circled around the right drum. Marty went out the nearest gate and became Norman's second kill. Giving the spikes and sticky foam a wide berth, John continued his maneuver around the obstacle. Norman followed Jon while Don followed Hoe into the lower connection tunnel.
    Norman and Joe ended up facing each other and traded shots, doing minor damage. They passed without incident. Then Norman faced Don, doing minor damage to each other. Andy's driver left his vehicle and ran towards the nearest wall. John completed his turn around the obstacle and T-boned Joe, killing the driver.
    Norman passed between the arena wall and Andy's wreck, taking no damage to his front armor form Andy's AVR. In a final pass, Don and Norman traded shots and did moderate damage to each other. The duel lasted 15 turns.

Finishing Positions
1^st Place: Norman McMullen (killed Andy, Adrian  and Marty)
2^nd Place: John Smyth (killed Joe)
3^rd Place: Don Jacques
4^th Place: Joe Petito (killed by John)
5^th Place: Marty Koehler (killed Andy, was killed by Norman)
6^th Place: Andy Koehler (killed by Marty)
7^th Place: Adrian Shipley (killed by Norman)

Amateur Night Division-10 duel at Nuke-Con

John Smyth, Bruce Stickly and Kevin Elmore entered the classic Car Wars arena in identical Mini-Shermans. Kevin and Bruce zipped across the arena and engaged each other. The exchange of machine-gun fire did little damage to each of the combatants. John veered towards the center of the arena to get into the fray. Kevin turned left to shoot at John and did minor damage. John returned the favor and did the same amount of damage in return. In passing, Kevin and John sideswiped each other and traded little more than paint.
    Bruce fired at John's front, again doing little damage. John's reply also did little in return. In the meantime, Kevin took a wide turn to avoid the arena obstacles. Bruce turned hard to go after John, but skidded into the end of an obstacle wall. Kevin took a corner too sharply and spun out. He stopped with his car's rear facing John and Bruce. He fired his smokescreen in defense, thus causing John to miss a shot with his machine guns.
    Kevin got moving again and fired his smokescreen a second time. John turned his attention to Bruce, doing maximum damage with his guns against Bruce's rear armor. Then both duelists closed in on Kevin as he sped up, who released more smoke to cover his path. The smoke spoiled Bruce's aim, causing him to miss.
    Kevin turned right towards a wall to let Bruce and John go by. Bruce and John turned right as well, only to have a three-way sideswipe occur. While Kevin was scraped by by Bruce and John, John got his other side scraped by the wall. Bruce (the faster driver) popped out in front of John and dropped some smoke. It wasn't any hindrance for John, who then turned to hit Kevin in the rear while Bruce nailed him on the left side. All of this combat did moderate damage to Kevin; Bruce came to a stop and John crept away the wall and Bruce's car.
    Kevin accelerated and turned a corner obstacle. Bruce sped up and chased John, chewing up his rear armor with machine-gun fire. Kevin came around an obstacle too fast and sharp, thus spinning out of control. He lost all four tires and slid to a stop with his rear to an obstacle. He exited his vehicle to continue the fight on foot, but John and Bruce were bearing down on him.
    John ran over Kevin's driver, killing him. He also lost his right front tire to Bruce's machine-gun fire. More gunfire destroyed the rest of John's rear armor and took out the smokescreen, also killing the driver. The duel lasted a total of 21 turns.

Finishing Positions
1^st Place: Bruce Stickly (killed John and got a maneuverability kill on Kevin)
2^nd Place: John Smyth: (got a firepower kill on Kevin, was killed by Bruce)
3^rd Place: Kevin Elmore: (maneuver-killed by Bruce, firepower-killed by John)

Amateur Night II Division-10 duel at Nuke-Con

John Smyth, Bruce Stickly, Marty Koehler and Norman McMullen entered the classic Car Wars arena in identical Mini-Shermans. Bruce and Marty angled towards each other while Norman and John did the same.
    Norman fired at John and missed him. He in turn hit Norman back, doing moderate damage. Marty and Bruce also traded shots for minor damage. Marty shifted his focus to Norman while John did a slow turn around the lower center arena obstacle. Bruce turned to go around the central arena obstacles also. Norman turned to engage Marty, only to lose control and roll his vehicle. He rolled four times and landed back on his tires, blowing out the ones on his right side. John got a maneuverability kill on Norman for this.
    John and Marty traded a few shots for minor damage to their front armor. Bruce accelerated to 70 mph to engage John and Marty. Seeing an opportunity, John rammed Marty. The impact did heavy damage to the front armor of both cars. Marty's armor was breached and his machine guns were lightly damaged as a result. Marty backed up and fired his guns at John, who then fired back in response. Marty lost his guns and also took heavy damage to his power plant. John still had a few points of armor left after all was said and done.
    Marty threw a grenade at John, then came to a stop and threw his other grenade at Norman. That grenade landed next to Norman's right side. Having a line of sight towards Marty, Norman fired his guns into Marty's breached front armor. This destroyed the power plant and knocked out Marty's driver, thus giving Norman the kill. Marty's first grenade went off under John's car, doing minor damage to his tires.
    Bruce caught up to John and T-boned him at 70 mph. John's driver was killed instantly. Marty's second grenade then exploded, doing minor damage to Norman's right side. Bruce's ram caused him to spin out. He came to a stop with his guns facing the center of the arena.
    Since both Norman and Bruce were tied for first place, they decided to settle the issue with a knife fight. The initial slashes missed. Bruce's blade glanced off Norman's body armor, while Norman slashed through Bruce's armor and injured him. A reply swing did little damage to Norman's armor ; a final hit from Norman finished off Bruce. The duel lasted a total of 12 turns (8 turns for vehicular combat and 4 turns for the knife fight).

Finishing Positions
1^st Place: Norman McMullen (killed Marty and Bruce, maneuverability-killed by John)
2^nd Place: Bruce Stickly (killed John, was killed by Norman)
3^rd Place: John Smyth: (maneuverabilty kill against Norman, was killed by Bruce)
4^th Place: Marty Koehler (killed by Norman)
 
 

We present more Return Fire from the 'Net. These messages cover old Nightmessengers and arenas.

Subject: NightMessenger 8-3 comment

Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2002 22:31:39 -0500

From: "Andre B. Austin" <fpsman@hotmail.com>

To: <drjake@novia.net>

Just sending a quick message to comment on NightMessenger issue 8-3 and a few things I found in there.
    While digging through the archives I found the letter from Stephane Galley that talked about Car Wars dying out, and the lack of a "new generation". Well, let me go ahead and say I'm 14 and working on starting a local autodueling chapter. I got a chance to play the game at Gen Con 2001 and was completely wowed (even though my fate lay in a pile of confetti formerly known as my car) and quickly bought the boxed set. I am having a lot of trouble with the concept of kids my age not getting into the game, seeing as how ALL the people I currently play with are 13-15. I honestly think that the problem is that the game hasn't been seen by enough of my age group.
    The fact that the game takes some time isn't one that can be disputed, but the fact that it keeps kids away is pure crap. I've found that my peers are just as willing to spend a good 4-6 hours around a table, and when you factor in that most of the game consists of shooting at things, you've got an attention-grabber. Its just that the potential "new generation" hasn't had a taste of autodueling greatness because they have had massive amounts of CCG marketed at them. All you must do is reach out.
    Hold open events.....encourage involvement.....answer questions. Do like the great group of guys at Gen Con did to me, and you will have your "new generation". Even if you DO kick their butts around the arena...

We're out there, all you need to do is find us.
 

Subject: Arenas

Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 09:18:35 +0100

From: "Thierry DEHAIS" <tdehais@appligos.com>

To: <drjake@novia.net>

Hi:

I'm starting a new website for Car wars PBEM. I'd like to know if I can use some of your designs to be included in upcoming events. Its a french site : www.chez.com/carwars

Thanks for your answer.
 

Subject: Fwd: SWAT HQ Archive

Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 22:52:00 -0800

From: "Michale P. Owen" <owenmp@serv.net>

Organization: N/A

To: "NOVA: Garrity, Michael" <garritym@hotmail.com>

"NOVA: Jacques, Donald" <drjake@novia.vet>

"SHAAG: Blaylock,John" <possumknavel@yahoo.com>

Subject: SWAT HQ Archive

Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 22:38:35 -0800

From: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@serv.net>

To: "BNI: Kontes, Tony" <manycubes@cableone.net>, "UK: Greenaway, Francis" <f.e.sgreenaway@bton.ac.uk>

Dear Tony & Friends:

For reasons I cannot discuss, SWAT HQ may be off-line for a long time (I am not in trouble withSJ Games). Because of this possibility, could you download the entire web site to your sites and maintain it? If I have time to maintain the site again, I will ask for the files back.

Michael P. Owen / owenmp@hotmail.com / owenmp@serv.net

Seattle WA Autoduel Team Gaming Group (Car Wars, GURPS, Formula De)

Car Wars Internet Newsletter Editor

http: //www.serv.net/~owenmp/swathome.html
 
 

1) What is the cheapest weapon fully loaded?

2) What is the most expensive modified weapon loaded?

3) What is the highest acceleration possible for electric & gas-powered cars?

4) What is the highest possible HC legal under the current rule system?

5) What is the highest possible top speed for electric & gas-powered cars?

6) How much damage is needed to set a vehicle on fire ?

7) What stock vehicle can deliver the most damage in a single turn?

8) What is the longest-range weapon?

9) What is the highest division used in the final round of the WDC ?

10) Who are the original authors of Car Wars?

11) What movie was the inspiration for Truck Stop?

12) What was the first arena available to the general public?

13) What is the largets single weapon a luxury car can legally carry?

14) How long was Autoduel Quarterly published?

15) Which was the first Dueltrack to be published?

16) What are the AADA-legal dueling divisions?

17) How many chapters were there at the height of the AADA?

18) What is the highest speed listed on the car movement and handling charts?

19) When did Car Wars first come out?

20) How many versions of Car Wars have been published?
 
 

In this issue, we feature updated versions of past designs. Enjoy...

2051 6000-SUX: Luxury, x-hvy chassis, hvy suspension, 500-CI gas engine w/ VP turbocharger, 5-gallon dueling tank & 4 bottle nitrous oxide, 4 PR tires, driver, RR w/ HEAT ammo F, SD w/ explosive spikes B, SWC, weapon link (RR/SD), Armor: F60 (ram plate), B50, R50, L50, T6, U20. Acceleration: 20 (30 w/ nitrous), HC: 3, Top Speed: 152.5 mph (227.5 mph w/ nitrous), Base MPG: 12, 6,595 lbs, $32,995.

FightBlaster F: Midsize, x-hvy chassis, hvy suspension, large power plant, 4 solid tires, driver, BC w/ HESH ammo F, 2 linked SDs w/ explosive ammo (1 B, 1 R), HrSwc, 3 bumper triggers (1 F, 1 B, 1 R), HTMs, HD brakes, overdrive, Composite metal/plastic Armor: F18/15, B7/14, R7/13, L7/13, T0/2, U0/2. Acceleration: 5 (2.5 w/ OD, 10 w/ HTMs), HC: 3, Top Speed: 92.5 mph (112.5 mph w/ OD, 70 w/ HTMs), 5,756 lbs, $19,852.

2051 Bang II: Luxury, x-hvy chassis, hvy suspension, large power plant w/ Scs, 4 SBPR tires, driver, 3 RLs linked F, 3 incendiary HRs linked R, SfS w/ 24 shots B, targeting computer, blow-through concealment for HRs, 10 pts CA on driver, 4 10-pt wheelguards, Armor: F75, B40, R35, L35, T3, U5. Acceleration: 5 (10 w/ HTMs), HC: 2, Top Speed: 90 mph (67.5 mph w/ HTMs), 6,583 lbs, $19,980.

2051 Hazard: Sedan, x-hvy chassis, hvy suspension, large power plant w/ PCs, 4 PR radial tires, driver, 2 RLs linked F, OJ w/ pyrophoric oil B, SD w/ explosive spikes B, HrSwc, weapon link (OJ/SD), HTMs, Armor: F70, B60, R50, L50, T8, U8. Acceleration :5 (10 w/ HTMs), HC: 4, Top Speed: 92.5 mph (70 mph w/ HTMs), 6,119 lbs, $19,828.

2051 Missile Command: Van w/ CA frame, x-hvy chassis, hvy suspension, blueprinted 250-CI gas engine w/ tubular headers, VP turbocharger, supercharger & 7-gallon dueling tank, 6 FPPR snow tires, driver & gunner, 19 armor-piercing long-range RGMs w/ stealth & HARM capability, (10 linked F, 3 in rocket platform, 3 each on 2 3-space REWPs (1 R, 1 L), 2 hi-res computers, cyberlink (gunner), 3 smart links (T, R,L), LD radio, radar detector, radar jammer, hazard detector, 4 surge protectors, 4 weapon timers, HD brakes, anti-lock braking system, active suspension, overdrive, tinted/no-paint windows, NBC shielding, 2 compact TVs, FPRP Armor: F33, B33, R32, L32, T4, U10. Acceleration: 10 (5 w/ OD), HC: 3, Top Speed: 92.5 mph (112.5 mph w/ OD), 7,199 lbs, $537,855.
 
 

As we close another issue, we have much to ponder for the upcoming year. What will it bring? Only time will tell. Just remember to make the best of it. If everything goes right at SJG, the AADA will be coming back along with the new rules for Car Wars. We hope whatever SJG does, that it will not interfere with the running of the WDC.
    In our next issue, we'll cover the running of our club dueling championship (which may or may not be strange without the AADA). One thing is certain, the presence of all our new members will make it a most exciting contest. Happy holidays to all.

"DRIVE OFFENSIVELY"
 
 
 

Norman McMullen	Michael Garrity
NOVA President	NOVA Secretary

 

NOVA Works
    Cutting Torch modifications & dual missile guidance: Norman McMullen
    Variant VSG article: Mike Garrity

The 10 O'clock News: Norman McMullen

Nuts & Bolts: Norman McMullen & Mike Garrity

Quotes: Norman McMullen

Cube Logs: Norman McMullen

In The Arena: Norman McMullen

Bits & Pieces: Norman McMullen

The Showroom
    2051 6000 SUX, FightBlaster F & 2051 Missile Command: Norman McMullen, 2051 Bang II & 2051 Hazard: Michael Garrity

Typesetting & Page Layout: Michael Garrity

Editor: Michael Garrity

All other sections: Norman McMullen

The Nightmessenger is published quarterly by the New Omaha Vehicular Association, 2524 Madison St., Bellevue, NE
68005. All material is copyright 2001 by the New Omaha Vehicular Association. All rights reserved. Car Wars, Dueltrack,
Boat Wars, Car Warriors, Crash City, Truck Stop, Convoy, Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell, Autoduel and AADA are
registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or are used under license. The above trademarks, and the
characters and situations of the Car Wars background are the exclusive property of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated and
are used in Nightmessenger under permission. Reproduction of any material published in the Nightmessenger without the
express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Any reproduction of Car Wars articles published in the
Nightmessenger, or any unauthorized publication of fiction using the Car Wars background without the express written
permission of Steve Jackson Games is strictly prohibited. Subscription rates (for 4 issues) are: Regularly attending club
members: $4.00, U.S. subscribers: $6.00, International subscribers: $12.00.

1) Junkdropper: $50

2) Heavy X-ray pulse laser: $30,000

3) 75 mph for both (electric base is 15 mph, plus 15 mph for HTMs, plus 5 mph for ISCs, plus 40 mph for rocket boosters/ gas engine base is 15 mph, plus 5 mph for turbocharger, plus 5 mph for supercharger, plus 10 mph for nitrous oxide, plus 40 mph for rocket boosters)

4) 12- Indy Car HC: 6 + 2 (racing slicks), +1 (active suspension), +1 (spoiler/airdam), +2 (reflex roll)

5) 375 mph for both

6) one point

7) Grand Slam

8) RGMs/WGMs--100"

9) Division-60 in the 2043 WDC

10) Chad Irby & Steve Jackson

11) Stripes

12) Armadillo Arena

13) Hvy X-ray laser (5 spaces)

14) 10 years

15) Muskogee Dueltrack

16) 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, Unlimited

17) 60

18) 300 mph

19) 1980

20) 5; Bagged, Pocket Box, Deluxe, Computer and Compendium

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