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From: ccrdan@ucdavis.UUCP (Dan Gold)
Newsgroups: net.games
Subject: Re: A new game?
Message-ID: <3@ucdavis.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Dec-85 03:25:06 EST
Article-I.D.: ucdavis.3
Posted: Fri Dec 27 03:25:06 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Dec-85 04:38:01 EST
References: <169@ingres.ARPA>
Organization: University of California, Davis
Lines: 72

> Some of us here have been playing Cosmic Encounter for a few months
> now, and I'd like to move on to a new game before this one gets
> stale.  Here are the basic requirements:
> Playable by 3-6 players (a wider range would be even better)
> Not too simple or complicated
> Reasonably short playing time (1 -3 hours)
> Not too many pieces (this sort of rules out many Avalon Hill games, but
> 	this game will be taken out and put away many times, so I'd like
> 	to lower the risk of losing things.)
> (Preferably) expandable (ie if we like it we can buy expansion sets)
> 
> Cost is not really a problem, since we have a lot of people to share the
> load, but if it's an expandable game, it would be nice if the basic game
> were not much more than $20..
> 
> Do people have ideas or suggestions?
> 
> 	Steven
> 
> PS It should be fun to play

Try the following as they closely match your requirements:

Title:        Borderlands
Manufacturer: Eon Products, Inc.
# players:    2-4
Complexity:   Simple, only 6 pages of rules.  However, the strategy involved
              is a challenge for even veterans.
Playing time: About 2 hours, maybe a bit longer.  
Paper factor: Hardly any pieces/player (about 30ish).  No divisions of panzers
              and mech infanty to track.
Expandibility:From a company that produced C.E.???  But of course!  So far
              exp #1 & #2 are available.  They each add an additional player 
              plus many interesting features.
Cost:         $20.00 for the basic set, $6.00/expansion.

A very highly rated game that won some "game of the year" award.  It is
deceptively simple at first.  The game incorporates strategy, warfare,
economics, and diplomacy.  Basically, the game consists of players
occupying a continent that is rich in various resources, but only in
specific areas of the board (random each game).  Players attempt to
secure these areas so as to produce the natural resources (gold, iron,
timber, horses, coal) and thus produce goods to increase their power
base (weapons, ships, cities).  These goods give them more ability to
threaten as well as trade with their neighbors.  Combat enevitibly
occurs and is executed in a simple, quick fashion.  The game ends when
a player (or players i.e. group wins are possible) builds 3 cities and
holds them for a short time.  There is very little luck and every game
will be different due to the randomization of set-up.

One other game that is great fun:

Title:        Junta 
Manufacturer: West End Games
# players:    2-7
Complexity:   Pretty simple.  
Playing time: About 4 hours.
Paper factor: Hardly any pieces/player (about 10ish).
Expandibility:None provided but then again none is really needed.
Cost:         $20.00

The game simulates a typical "banana-republic" in Latin America.  Each
player takes one of the positions in government: President, Minister of
Internal Security, Admiral, Army General (2), Air Force Commander. The
goal is to stash away the most amount of money in one's Swiss bank
account before the end of the game.  Players budget (siphon off) the
country's assets, plot and scheme against one another, and occasionally
stage coups when they feel they can or want take power.  A lot of fun.

Dan Gold

...{ucbvax,lll-crg,dual}!ucdavis!minnie!ccrdan