Web Posted March 04, 2000
Updated September 03, 2001

CWIN EDITOR IRRADIATED AND ADDICTED

Happy New Year. I am glad to see Y2K caused few problems this month. Thanks to all of the hard work in the 1990s by all of the computer programmers to prepare computers for the rollover, gamers can play GURPS Y2K campaigns virtually instead of in the real world. Unfortunately, the CWIN editor did not survive Y2K as well, suffering radiation poisoning and addiction to the methamphetamines Jet and Psycho. (Translation: I have been spending too many hours playing the post-nuclear CRPG Fallout 2 than I should have.) After completion of medical therapy (Translation: I completed Fallout 2), I am now able to return to my Car Wars activities. This newsletter is extremely late, I am going to strive to get this publication back on schedule (release dates on the first of each month . . . seriously!) starting in February or March . . . but only if you send me articles regularly so I have enough content for each month's issue!
 

PAST AND FUTURE GOALS

Some of you may remember I presented several goals I wanted to accomplish last year as CWIN editor. Here is a status report. Let me know if you want me to continue to pursue or alter these goals.

Car Wars Journals: I am going to improve my writing of reviews and summaries of the other Car Wars journals, such as CADC's Tire Tracks, and DRACAR's Tire Tracks, and NOVA's Nightmessenger.

Electronic Gaming: Although I now have more time to investigate the computer and console gaming markets, I still need a great deal of help keeping autoduelists informed of  auto-combat titles available. Please send me reviews of games, old favorites and new releases.
 

Formula De: I decided to abandon coverage of this game in CWIN because the Formula De Mailing List is the best source of Formula De news. To offer another resource to Formula De fans, I did create a Custom Forum on the Delphi network called Pit Stop.

Release Schedule: No comment. Start writing articles and request (i.e. beg, demand, blackmail, threaten) for me to release CWIN on time.

Quality Control: You can expect a lower amount of typographical and spelling errors in CWIN and on SWAT HQ this year. If I accomplish only one of these New Year's resolutions, this goal will be one of them.

WADA: Thanks to Philip White, WADA Car Wars League Manager, the results of the WADA Car Wars League are now usually published one week after they are received by SWAT. If you have visited WADA HQ in January, you will have noticed I am now updating the player and gaming group registries every Saturday. Let me know if you find any of the information in those databases is incorrect so I can revise it.
 

CWIN 3.01

This issue has a wide variety of goodies, including a Daemon Mechanic article that will please the autoduelists who like to use rogue-style skills (Espionage, Stealth, Theft, etc.), announcement of a Car Wars article in Pyramid Online, news about how a U.S. nuclear submarine celebrated New Year's Eve, and several reports of duels from December and January.
 

I still cannot believe the third year of CWIN has arrived. I cannot begin to thank all of you for the support you have given to this amateur journalist. If you have any ideas to make this newsletter better in 2000, do not hesitate to drop me a line.

Wishing you the best in the arena and on the dueltrack this year,

Michael P. Owen

P.S. The other reason this issue is so late is I am once again suffering a shortage of Car Wars news and articles. Please send me data so I can accomplish my goal of getting this newsletter back on schedule!
 

ORIGIN OF THE ROCKET CAR-IN-THE-CLIFF LEGEND
http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Canyon/7665
 

GURPS AUTODUEL AND MURPHY'S RULES

Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 00:20:22 -0700
From: "Arthur Samuels" <asamuels@uswest.net>
Newsgroup: Pyramid GURPS Discussion Forum <http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid>

I was looking through Autoduel Second Edition and I noticed that the Gangbuster helicopter is equipped with a rechargeable E-cell. Isn't that considered a 'mature' TL8 technology, and not available in the world of Autoduel? I was under the impression that the HCSB was as advanced as it got for energy banks.

-- Arthur (it's been the year 2000 here for about fifteen minutes, and nothing seems to have exploded).
 

*SIGH* DAMMIT! NO APOCALYPSE! WHAT A RIP-OFF.

Date: Saturday, 1 Jan 2000, 0226
From: Iggy, home again home again, B.F.D.
Newsgroup: Unwashed Villagers Message Board <http://fallout.gamestats.com/vault/board/index.cgi>

I was kinda looking forward to SOME kind of massive destructive surge, some looting and pillaging . . . as a Viking I naturally enjoy that stuff, and there's been no decent pillaging in years . . . oh well. =D
 

CAR WARS PLAYER SIGHTED ON INTERSTATE 94 (ILLINOIS)?

From: Kurt Aldinger (KALDINGER)
Date: 7 Jan 2000 5:31 am
Newsgroup: Dueling Debate / General <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>

I saw a vehicle with the Wisconsin plate "TWIN AC" this morning. Anyone want to own up?

P.S. Has anyone else seen some good plates lately?
 

From: Joel Agee (JOELAGEE)
Date: 7 Jan 2000 8:50 am

There's one here in Phoenix that reads: NOS4A2. It's not quite Car Wars, but game-related nonetheless. Of course, the goal of any true Car Wars player is to buy an old Chevy Impala and put plates on it that read "VLAD" . . .

Joel Agee
"Bother," said the Borg, "we have assimilated Pooh."
 

From: Jim Robertson (YOODLE)
Date: 7 Jan 2000 2:50 pm

You sure he didn't mean that he had 2-60 air conditioning (two open windows at 60 mph)?

Jim Robertson
yoodle@icubed.com
http://www.icubed.com/~yoodle
 

SPY VS. SPY: ESPIONAGE ACTIONS IN CAR WARS
http://www.geocities.com/authorwizard/
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Battlefield/5236/spytbl.html

Sir Dante
sirdante@geocities.com
 

ABOUT.COM: WHY PLAY BOARD GAMES?
http://boardgames.miningco.com/games/boardgames/library/weekly/aa051799.htm?terms="Car+Wars"&COB=home
 

ABOUT.COM: DESERT ISLAND BOARD GAMES
http://boardgames.miningco.com/games/boardgames/library/desert/bldesert.htm
 

CARS FOR 2050
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login/article.cgi?1354

Fresh off the showroom floor, here are some hot new Car Wars designs (Whirling Duelist Motors Long Shot, Fuji Motors Tsumami Warrior, Atlantic Industries Bullseye III) for the discerning autoduelist.

Source: Pyramid Online
Date: January 22, 2000
Author: James Hintz
Artist: Andi Jones < http://angelwerks.com/>
 

FACTSHEET 5 SCIENCE FICTION
http://www.factsheet5.com/
http://www.factsheet5.com/Science_Fiction.html

Retrograde Motion: The Poor Gamer's Zine Vol 1 Issue 5 Winter 95/96

A cheap source of non-copyrighted material for *non-TSR* RPG gamers. This is probably Matt's final issue of _Retrograde Motion_, so
send a SASE about availability, or just send the cash and live with getting his great perzine _Frisian Journal_ instead.

This issue is pretty handy for all "Car Wars" players and game masters. Matt has devised a nifty method of using Hot Wheels and
carboard to make cheap minatures and included a scenario and a short campaign to use them. Plus a review of the lame convention
Quad Con '95.

$1 + stamp Each , Subs: $ 5.00 for 5 issues to Matt Frisbee, 329 N. Roosevelt Avenue, Suite 129 Burlington, IA 52601-1314 (22 Pages/S/JP) submissions OK/back issues/takes ads/

Editor's Note: The address for Mr. Frisbee listed above is likely obsolete. A January 2000 search of the U.S. West Internet Directory <http://www.uswestdex.com> resulted in the following contact information for Mr. Frisbee.

Matt Frisbee
1702 S 13 Street
Burlington, IA 52601
319-753-6409
 

WASTELAND WARS
http://members.tripod.com/~Porkins/waste.htm
 

WOMEN IN GAMING: MATH IS HARD, LET'S GO SHOPPING
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid
http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login/article.cgi?1377

Decipher shows us exactly how not to target a game toward women, plus a look at some good "first games" for getting a woman you know interested in gaming.

Source: Pyramid Online
Date: January 28, 2000
Author: Emily Dresner <http://www-personal.umich.edu/~zenith/>
 

ATTACK OF THE KILLER SUITS
http://www.gamesdomain.com/gdr.cgi?depart/jan99/suitatt.html

David Finn
Games Domain Review
December 1998
 

PG.IGN.COM LETTERS
http://pc.ign.com
 

Car Wars!
http://pc.ign.com/letters/1999-06-28.html

I think on June 27, 1999 (or before) someone was talking about a car shooter that had tons of cars and you could get out of the car. I know of several games of that type.

First, that's what the old pen-and-paper game Car Wars about, where you could pick and build any car you think of (even helicopters!), buy some 200 weapons, and even run into a building if your car was smashed too hard. Second, a game was made for the Macintosh in the late 1980s based on Car Wars, a great run. Third, I also think the game called Redline is something like that, but it sucks so . . .

Ha, ha, some old Macintosh games . . . I wish Macintosh was where IBM are today . . . Oh, yeah, you guys freak me out.

Car Wars? Shoot, I used to play the <DELETED> out of that game, that and Warhammer 40K . . . Hmm, those were the days.

Jay Boor
pc_mail@ign.com
 

That's a Great Idea!
http://pc.ign.com/letters/1999-06-24.html

I have a cool idea for a game. Okay, you're a nameless guy. The point is you can be on very tall buildings in many world cities (I'll say 60) and you can choose the building you want (say the Columbia Tower in Seattle). Here is the good part: you can drive stuff off the top of it! You can pick all sorts of different vehicles like speedboats, cars, trains, even hovercraft.
 
 

PETER DRAKE'S GAME PAGE
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~pedrake/games.html

One game I would like to see is a real-time strategy automotive combat game capturing the spirit of the Car Wars board game. I envision the player controlling a team of eight or so armed vehicles in a race. Rather than steering and aiming for individual vehicles, the player would be in charge of designing them and giving higher-level orders ("Emphasize speed," "Target that van," "Protect car #5"). With the right graphics, sound, and interface, this could be a winner.
 

BLIND MAN PERCEIVES OBJECTS WITH CAMERA WIRED TO BRAIN
http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/01/16/blindmancamera.ap/index.html

CNN.com
January 16, 2000
Web posted at: 4:52 PM EST (2152 GMT)
 

PENTAGON ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEMS WITH OCTOBER MISSILE DEFENSE TEST
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/01/14/missile.defense.ap/index.html

CNN.com
January 14, 2000
Web posted at: 6:35 PM EST (2335 GMT)
 

U.S. TO CONDUCT NEW ANTI-MISSILE TEST THIS WEEK
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/01/16/arms.usa.starwars.reut/index.html

CNN.com
January 16, 2000
Web posted at: 9:38 AM EST (1438 GMT)
 

U.S. ANTI-MISSILE TEST SET FOR TONIGHT
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/01/18/missile.defense.01/index.html

CNN.com
January 18, 2000
Web posted at: 4:14 p.m. EST (2114 GMT)
 

MISSILE FAILS TO INTERCEPT WARHEAD IN SETBACK FOR PROGRAM
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/01/19/missile.defense.01/index.html
CNN.com
January 19, 2000
Web posted at: 4:57 a.m. EST (0957 GMT)
 

PENTAGON: LAST-SECOND HEAT SENSOR FAILURE DOOMED MISSILE DEFENSE TEST
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/01/19/missile.defense.03/index.html

CNN.com
January 19, 2000
Web posted at: 7:08 p.m. EST (0008 GMT)
 

FUEL 'GUNK' GROUNDS THOUSANDS OF PLANES AUSTRALIANS DEPEND UPON
http://www.cnn.com/2000/ASIANOW/australasia/01/17/australia.ground.ap/index.html

CNN.com
January 18, 2000
Web posted at: 11:01 a.m. HKT (0301 GMT)
 

GM UNVEILS TEST CAR THAT DELIVERS 80 MPG
http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/01/01/us.highmileagecar.gm.ap/index.html

CNN.com
January 1, 2000
Web posted at: 10:20 AM EST (1520 GMT)
 

GM'S 80-MPG CAR JOINS HYBRID LINEUP
http://www.msnbc.com/news/352072.asp

MSNBC News
January 4, 2000
 

RUSSIANS TOUGHEN NUCLEAR STANCE
http://www.seattle-times.com/news/nation-world/html98/russ_20000115.html

The Seattle Times
Saturday, January 15, 2000
Web posted at 10:47 p.m. PST (1847 GMT)
 

YEAR 2000: U.S. SUB IN BOTH 1999 AND 2000
http://www.seattletimes.com/year2000/html98/subm_20000101.html

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Its bow in one year, its stern in another, the USS Topeka marked the new millennium 400 feet beneath the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pearl Harbor-based Navy submarine straddled the line, meaning that at midnight, one end was in 2000 while the other was still in 1999.

"I can assure you we were the only ones at 400 feet below the surface to experience it," said the commanding officer, Cmdr. Mark Patton.

The 360-foot-long sub, 2,100 miles from Honolulu, straddled the equator at the same time, meaning it was in both the northern and southern
hemispheres.

Some of the 130 crew members were in winter in the north, while others were in summer in the south. Many took small water samples to keep as
mementos.

"Words can't describe the feeling," said Lt. Michael Bratton of Little Rock, Ark. "It's better than Times Square."

The nuclear-powered attack sub can carry MK-48 advanced-capability torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The sub had plenty of company on the surface. Traffic around the date line was heavy with boaters rushing to greet the millennium or witness its first dawn.

Patton said the Topeka's position was not just a publicity stunt. He says that positioning the sub along the date line -- submerged -- demonstrated the Navy's confidence that it's ready to handle the Y2K computer bug.

The Associated Press and The Seattle Times
January 1, 2000
Web posted at 11:14 p.m. PST (0714 GMT)
 

YEAR 2000 SWEEPS INTO EAST ASIA: U.S. SUBMARINE TO STRADDLE DATELINE
http://www.cnn.com/1999/WORLD/europe/12/31/2000/index.html

U.S. sailors aboard the nuclear submarine USS Topeka will have something special to tell their grandchildren about where they were when the new millennium arrived.

As the Earth spins towards the future, the submarine will straddle the international dateline -- with its starboard side in 1999 and the port side in 2000.

"We will be in two hemispheres, two centuries, two decades, the whole works," said Navy Cmdr. Mark Patton, captain of the Pearl Harbor-based vessel.

CNN.com
December 31, 1999
Web posted at: 10:00 a.m. EST (1500 GMT)
 

ANTHONY JACKSON'S HOUSE RULES FOR GURPS
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cave/6073/
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cave/6073/gurps/index.html
 

GURPS CONTEMPORARY WEAPONS TABLES
http://bigmama.rhoen.de/users/gm/weaptab.htm
 

GURPS SURVIVORS
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Chasm/4843/gurps.htm
 

RED DAWN: GURPS TWILIGHT 2000
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Corridor/2298/reddawn/index.html
 

CAR CHASES

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 06:29:10 GMT
From: "Chancespal" <chancespal@home.net>
Organization: @Home Network
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.gurps

I'm looking to see if anyone has a system they use for abstract car chases for a modern campaign. The current system I use, basically a contest of Driving skills with modifiers for weather, area knowledge and vehicles, just doesn't seem good enough. Anybody have any suggestions?
 

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 13:34:26 GMT
From: Jeff Knight <jeffknight@earthlink.net>
Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc.

This is a system that's modeled on the ones in James Bond RPG, Chill, and Star Wars First Edition.

The principle structure of the chase takes place in five "range bands": Point Blank, Short, Medium, Long, and Extreme. In the other games,
these would correspond to weapon ranges, with hand-to-hand being possible at PB, and no weapons being able to fire at Extreme.

At the beginning of the chase, the GM determines the range between the two sides involved in the chase. Then, at the start of each turn, the
sides involved roll a quick contest of skills, the winner being able to decide what happens to the relative posistions of the sides involved.
Does the range increase by one band (i.e. from Short to Medium?), does it decrease by one band (from Short to PB), or does it remain the same?  If the range between the two sides increases beyond Extreme, the pursued escapes and the chase ends.

Along the way, the GM can place obstacles, such as fruit carts, careless pedestrians, etc. . . . which require each side to make a roll (at a penalty) to avoid. Failure to do so eliminates them from the chase.

Each side might also try a variety of stunts such as bootlegger turns. The side who wishes to try takes a penalty to their skill roll. The other side must then take the same penalty in order to keep up. The winning side may change the distance between sides by two range bands.

The relative speed between the two sides in unimportant. If it is significantly different, (ie, between a car and a person), there isn't much of a chase.  If you want more detail, use the ratio between the two speeds as a multiplier for the range bands. For example, a sports car (top speed 150 mph) is chasing a clunker (top speed 70 mph). The sports car can change the distance by two range bands if the driver wins the contest, while the clunker can only change one.There should, of course, be penalties for driving at unsafe speeds.

Well, there's one system. Comments?

(Should put this on my Web site?)
 

Date: 06 Jan 2000 17:10:57 GMT
From: Andrew Fix <ankfix@aol.comantispam>
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com

That's a great system! Simple enough to use, yet effective enough to really get the feel of a good car chase. Thanks for posting it here. :-)

Absolutely, you should put it on your Web site, but you may want to let us know where that Web site is . . .

Fixer
"Do you think being a Man In Black is all voodoo mind control?! You should see the paper work." -- Morris Fletcher, "The X-Files"
 

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 18:09:11 GMT
From: Doug Berry <gridlore@mindspring.com>
Organization: All Hail Eris!

If you can find it, Danger International (Hero Games) had a very nice little system. Long out of print, but you might be able to find one somewhere.

Douglas E. Berry  gridlore@mindspring.com
http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/
"We are GURPS. You will be assimilated. We will add your distinctive setting and background to our own. Resistance is futile."
 

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 15:07:32 -0700
From: Xplo Eristotle <inquisition@unforgettable.com>
Organization: The League of Wildly Gyrating Data Hitchhikers

I should point out to the original poster that car chases (using ANY system) aren't going to be terribly exciting unless you make them that
way. Are you describing pedestrian near-misses, exploding fruit stands and garbage cans, peripheral car accidents, and fun chase cliches like
that, or are you just making rolls?

Also note that close-range combat in cars (or, for the bold, OUT of them) can be fun, if you don't just have a couple of guys with machine
guns spraying each other. There are zillions of examples, I'm sure, but the one I'd include off the top of my head would be from Lethal Weapon
4, with the portable house . . .

(Of course, in a non-cinematic game, the chase scenes wouldn't be as exaggerated . . . but you've seen those "real" cop shows. Do the chases
really look that exciting anyway?)

Xplo Eristotle
http://start.at/xplosion/
"Error has no rights." -- Tomas de Torquemada
 

Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 20:39:50 -0600
From: Jeff Knight <jeffknight@earthlink.net>
Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffknight/index2.html

It's mostly (well, totally) super-hero stuff, but cinematic car chases fit into that genre, I should think.
 

Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2000 21:06:59 GMT
From: "Paul T." <danielhaufschild@home.com>
Organization: @Home Network

I wrote a simple system for chases . . . basically the driver/pilot that is being chased has to win a certain number of opposed checks to lose the pursuer. Intelligent tactics can give bonuses either way.

When the pursuer wins a roll, he has a bonus to his next roll -- a significant margin of success over the hunted gives him the option to fire, ram the vehicle, lob in a grenade, etc .-- be creative.

Basically, that's all you really need. Though I really like the system Jeff Knight posted, and will probably start using it from now on.
 

Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 10:10:04 GMT
From: David Stroup <dstroup@io.com>
Organization: @Home Network

Here's a suggestion from a passing lurker. I use a series of contests between the pursuer and the pursuee, with a predetermined number of successes needed to either shake or catch the other person (say, one needs three more wins than the other) . . . rolls are made for each section of the journey (very roughly blocked out on a real map of the city -- one roll for taking Highway 213 to I-205, maybe another just for the 205 on-ramp, etc). Toss in obstacles requiring extra rolls (fruit cart!) as needed to spice things up. But . . .

Each player makes two rolls every 'round' of the chase -- the contest AND a second roll to see if they get in trouble. A player may do very
well in catching up with the object of their chase BUT also have a chance to lose control or catch the attention of local law enforcement (as a rough guide, roll 1d -- 1-3 means a driving error requiring ANOTHER roll to keep control -- a spin-out on a turn, etc. -- and 4-6 means a cop spotted them doing 75 in a construction zone).

Now here's the REAL fun: You can get a bonus to one roll by taking a penalty on the other. A skill-17 driver can take a -2 to their driving roll to make sure they virtually never have a problem . . . of course, the way real players think, what will actually happen is skill-15 drivers will take -5 penalties to their 'trouble' rolls to get +5 bonuses to their rolls to catch their prey.

This has been GREAT fun with two impatient, overconfident players who like to race each other.
 

ELECTROLASERS

Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 04:05:18 -0500
From: FnordBear <stflame@DONTSPAMME.bellsouth.com>
Organization: The Secret Masters
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.gurps

Fnord. I am working on some material for a game, and I am in need of designing an electrolaser. I have looked through Vehicles, UT1 and UT2 and found no reference for designing them. Is there any official source I should know of? Any help is appreciated.

FnordBear
"May the Fnord be with you."
 

Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 19:34:04 GMT
From: Michael P. Owen <owenmp@my-deja.com>

Dear FnordBear <stflame@DONTSPAMME.bellsouth.com>,

GURPS Ultra Tech Second Edition Revised, page 52, discusses electrolasers. Could you adapt these rules to the beam weapon construction section in GURPS Vehicles Second Edition?

There are several articles on the Internet reporting the recent development of the real-world electrolaser. You might find these documents interesting. :o)

HSV Technologies, Inc.
http://www.n6rpf.com-us.net/hsv/

BBC News Online: Set Phasers on Stun
http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/newsid_342000/342188.stm

Katarina's Corner: It's A Gun, Jim, But Not As We Know It
http://www.jps.net/aquarius/My_webpage/phasers.html

Photonics Technology: UV Lasers Stop People in Their Tracks
http://www.laurin.com/content/jan99/techstop.html

San Diego Daily Transcript: New Laser Puts More Authority Behind The Command, "Freeze!"
http://www.sddt.com/files/library/98/04/20/tbz.html

The Sunday Times: Ray Gun Freezes Victims Without Causing Injury
http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/99/05/09/x-stiinnnws02007.html?999

U.S. News & World Report Online: Wonder Weapons
http://www.usnews.com:80/usnews/issue/970707/7weir.htm

Good luck with your electrolaser project. When you finish writing the rules for building those guns, please send me your notes so I can
publish them in the GURPS DarkFutureTech column of the Car Wars Internet Newsletter.
 

Date: 23 Jan 2000 21:51:40 GMT
From: David R. MacIver <kitarak@aol.com>
Organization: AOL, http://www.aol.co.uk

Tried using GURPS UT. To get results completely consistent with the listed weaponry, the beam has to output more power than you put into it. Not a good sign :-)
 

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 15:46:45 +1300
From: Simon <corwin@voyager.co.nz>
Organization: OzEmail Pty Ltd, Australia

Really . . . Perhaps I should try . . . Normally I ignore GURPS UT. The electrolaser is actually two devices, a low-power laser beam to provide
the ion trail and a high power electrical discharge. The problem probably comes from the way the laser increases the range of what is basically an electrical discharge weapon isn't well accounted for in vehicles.
 

Date: 25 Jan 2000 13:47:57 GMT
From: Gregory L. Hansen <glhansen@steel.ucs.indiana.edu>
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington

The way I picture such devices to work is the laser creates an ionized path of gas through the air (which means it is not low-powered except when compared to science fiction laser weapons). Then the current would have to be a pretty high-frequency alternating current, which would travel down the conducting ion path like a radio signal down an antenna wire. Without the laser, you just have a Tesla coil.
 

TILLY'S ROCKETRY PAGE
http://www.gateway.prima.de/hangar.htm

If you want to create a special vehicle for a 1/24th scale autoduel, this gallery of remote-controlled cars written in the German language will give you several good ideas. Use the Alta Vista translation program <http://www.altavista.com> to convert the pages into English.
 

CAR WARS HQ
http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars

Sunday December 26, 1999: Happy Holidays for the AADA

Just in time for the holidays, the HTML version of ADQ 9/4 has been uploaded. It was Paul Gilpin's hard work that made the Winter issue of 2041 available to you in the ADQ Archive. This issue features: a great roleplaying adventure called "The Great ASP Hunt", all the details
about Collegiate Autoduelling, "Road Trip" -- Car Wars fiction, plus The Cloverleaf Arena in Arena Watch that was written by MJ Daniels, the current AADA World Racing Champion. Paul did a great job converting this issue considering he didn't know much about HTML before he started working on the project. Thanks a ton Paul.
 

January 2, 2000: New Car Wars Site

There is a relatively new Car Wars web site on the net and its called Road & Track Autoduellist Magazine, an Online Magazine Dedicated to Auto Combatants Everywhere. The site focuses on fan fiction from all around the Internet, plus it contains tons of information about autoduelling video games. There are Car Wars playing aids, vehicles, downloads, even some great autoduelling fiction that has appeared in ADQ and more. Steve Jackson was the first to sign the site's guestbook where he said, "Drive offensively . . ." Be sure to check it out.
 

January 9, 19100: U.S. Northwest Regional Dueling Championship

The Death Race Association of Washington (DRAW) will be hosting the AADA 2050 U.S. Northwest Regional Dueling Championship at RadCon 3 in Pasco, WA on February 17-19. The weekend will feature a preliminary round using Lego cars, a 3-D Ozark Off-Road Autoduel Arena, and another visit to Hanford (3-D Midville) for an open ended game. The final is a 1/24th-scale model destruction game. It went well last year and gathered many spectators. DRAW drew in a record 22 players to the game last year and have plans in place to beat it this year!  Due to overwhelming requests, the starting time will be moved back a time block for those late-rising players. This year it starts at noon instead of 8:00 a.m. Contact: Bill Stevenson for more event details.
 

January 16, 2000: Upcoming AADA and Car Wars Events

For the latest happenings around the American Autoduel Association (AADA), check out the Upcoming AADA and Car Wars Events Page <http://www.sjgames.com/car-wars/aada/upcoming.html>. This new page lists dates, places and contacts for upcoming events. If you have a Car Wars event that is open to the general public, please send all the details to Tim Gould, the AADA Webmaster. If you are interested in running an AADA event (regionals, club championship, etc), please contact Elizabeth Lindsay, the AADA League Manager.
 

January 24, 2000: 50 Years Ago Today -- Super Armor

"NEW YORK, N.Y., January 21, 2000 -- A versatile new composite material made from fibers that are 10 times stronger than steel . . . The new composite, 3DPETM, is ideally suited to many applications, from circuit boards for high-frequency communications and radar installations to coatings for human joint implants and bullet proof cars. A solid composite, it is made from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a form of plastic in which hundreds of thousands of atoms are strung together in very long chains. It has been manufactured for 15 years as a fiber, but PolyEitan has developed a novel technology to turn it into a solid composite . . . [S]uch a light and strong material can be used for bullet-proof armor in helmets and high security cars, among other similar uses."

The complete news release is available at <http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/asti-tnm012000.html>

Thanks to Steve Jackson for finding this "50 Years Ago Today!"
 

CHICAGO, CHICAGO

I'm in the Windy City from today until Monday, meeting with Alain and Micah to scheme about new games in general and In Nomine in
particular, visiting FASA and Bungie, discussing plans for a new [NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE], and generally hanging out with
our Chicagoid MIBs. I'll report further when I get back.

I will also be doing three game store appearances, along with our Managing Editor, Alain Dawson. There will be demos, prizes and book
signings. All you Chicagolanders, shake off that cabin fever and come out to play!

On Friday, January 28, we'll be at AF Books in Frankfort, Illinois, from 9:00-11:00 pm. For directions or information, please call (815) 469-5092.

On Saturday, January 29, we will visit Games Plus in Mt. Prospect, Illinois from 12:00-2:00 pm. For directions or information, please call (847)
577-9656, or check out their Web page <http://games-plus.com/events.htm>.

Later that day, from 4:00-6:00 pm, we'll be at Something Wicked (the mystery/game store) in Evanston, Illinois. For directions or information,
please call (847) 328-1300.

Steve Jackson
The Daily Illuminator
January 27, 2000
http://www.sjgames.com/ill
 

OGRE HQ
http://www.sjgames.com/ogre

Subject: OGRE rises again!
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 20:50:59 -0800
From: Sean Bayan Schoonmaker <schoon@aimnet.com>
Organization: Lupus
Newsgroups: rec.games.board

Hi, all. I can't recall this one making news around here, but SJ Games is bringing Ogre back with a vengeance in 2000. See the news at the Official Ogre Web site.
 

AMATEUR NIGHT FOR INTERSTATE '76
http://www.reed.edu/~smhill/amni.htm
 

INTERSTATE '76 DEMO REVIEW: TAKE A TRIP BACK TO THE SEVENTIES
http://info.apnpc.com.au/swlib/Games/Action_Games/000H37.html
 

WASTELAND HALFLIFE
http://www.wastelandhalflife.com
 

ASSOCIATED AUTODUELISTS OF THE INLAND EMPIRE

From: Edgar T. Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
Subject: December 28th Duel
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 18:00:23 -0800

Hey Sports Fans,

You'll have to pardon me for the brevity of this report. I've been sick for the last week and had a fever during the last duel. Yeah, that's why I didn't do so well. ;-)

It was a Div 20 model scale duel using our whole basement. The game table is still buried in Legos from our Christmas party so we used the
bigger scale, had jumps onto the table, and treated it like gravel. Tom took a Frankmobile (with a big metal ramplate), Carol had a fast (acceleration 15) car with VFRPs front and back. Lafe had a turreted RR, ramplate, and HR-armed EWPs on either side. Norma had a fast mid-size with corner-mounted spikedropprs and a FOJ back. I had a fast compast with a laser-guided VFRP and composite armor heavy on metal.

Tom won with a Mobility kill on Lafe, a Firepower kill on me, and some cheesy points. Carol placed second by finishing off Lafe and having
the only fully functional car left. I placed third with a full kill on Norma, who placed fourth. Lafe placed fifth.

This next week is the start of our club championships, a series of three duels. The first will be a Div 10 in Matchbox scale with no jumps. Characters will be built on 50 points and a minimum of two skills, and the same characters will be used for all three events. The following weeks will be a Div 20 and Div 30 respectivly, with details to follow as we hammer them out. I suspect Tom will be our champ but you never can tell.

December 28: AAIE Div 20 1/24th Scale Duel in Giant's Junkyard
Duelmasters: Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln and "Leaping" Tom Lentz

1. "Leaping" Tom Lentz
2. Carol Dougherty
3. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln
4. Norma J. "Hear Me Roar" Barrett-Lincoln
5. Lafe Dougherty

Go nuts, you only get to celebrate the Millennium twice!
 

From: Edgar T Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
Subject: January 4th AAIE Club Championships
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 18:32:13 -0800

Hey Sports Fans,

Starting the year with our club championships in three parts as a tune-up for RadCon 3. It was a Div 10 in the Airway Heights Modular Arena.  Our regular five showed up in the following. Norma had a slow ram compact with an ATG. Tom had a compact with VFRP and composite armor. Lafe had a slow compact with a RR and a composite ramplate. Carol had a compact with a ramplate. I had a compact with a ramplate, explosive spikes, and a FCGS right.

The arena had Ana's Christmas house diorama in the center with a shoot 'em (a target) on top, chutes made of walls in the corners, and nine checkpoints scattered around.

Carol and Lafe started with a head-on that took out all but one point of Lafe's RR and all of Carol's front. He followed it up with a shot for the kill and continued backward to ward Tom. Norma and Tom chased each other inconclusively around a chute, and Tom went through a jersey barrier, removing half of his metal. After twice around without catching each other Tom left to get Lafe.

Meanwhile, I had been skidding into walls getting checkpoints and closing off the arena behind me with spikes. I flashed in front of Norma, dropped spikes and got shot with her ATG. I was too close to the spikes when they went off, and they took out one of my tires. I managed to
barely hit Tom with the FCGS, then I chased after him.

Tom caught up with Lafe and t-boned him, leaving only one point on both tires. (This is the second time Lafe is barely not a kill.) I came around the corner and tried to vulture Lafe with the FCGS, but Tom pushed him out and tried to finish him with the VFRP. One rocket missed, one
took out the gas tank (leading to a kill in 5 seconds), and one hit the engine but didn't destroy it. One FCGS killed Tom. Norma drove through the other one, catching fire.

Lafe angled for a head-on with me and was killed. Norma got a final double-tap on me, breached my side, and damaged (but didn't destroy) my engine. Tom and Lafe both got off mystery grenades that hit Norma and me in the last round, but they were concussion and had no effect.

I won with 8 prestige and 1 1/2 victory points. Lafe was second with 3 prestige. Carol was third with 1 prestige. Norma was fourth with 1
kill. Tom was fifth with half of a kill.

Next week is the second round which will be a Div 20 in the Devil's Cross (jumps, checkpoints, and a shoot' em in middle with random effects on jumps).

January 04: AAIE Chapter Dueling Championship Round 1
Div 10 Duel in Airway Heights Modular Arena
Duelmasters: Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln and "Leaping" Tom Lentz

1. Edgar "Guru" Lincoln
2. Lafe Dougherty
3. Carol Dougherty
4. Norma "Hear Me Roar" Barrett-Lincoln
5. "Leaping" Tom Lentz

Go nuts, you only get to celebrate the Millennium twice!
 

From: Edgar T Lincoln <lincolnis@juno.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:32:29 -0800

Hey Duel Fans,

I am glad we decided to do three-round championships. The order of finish this week was almost exactly the opposite of last week! Tom Lentz continued his undefeated streak in the Fnord Gammerah, a sedan with extra magazine-equipped FCGSs on both sides, a FCE back, and
lots of armor. (His record is 4 wins and 0 losses so far in that car.) I was in a mid-size with two HMGs in a turret. Norma was in a mid-size with an ATG. Carol was in a mid-size with a VFRP front, a VFRP back, and SDs on the sides. Ted joined us this week in a Cyclops, a mid-size with a BC.

A more detailed write-up will be released in a few days. I'm working on a Web page as a picture is worth about 500 words in my case, and that is a fair bit of time as fast as I type.

Next week is the third and final round of our club championships, a Div 30 Duel on the big table with raised sections on either side and a
couple of jumps. I'm ahead of Norma and Tom by only two prestige so anyone could walk away with it with a good showing.

January 19: AAIE Chapter Dueling Championship Round 2
Div 20 Duel in Devil's Cross
Duelmasters: Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln and "Leaping" Tom Lentz (No wonder why both of us are doing so well!)

1. "Leaping" Tom Lentz
2. Norma J. "Hear Me Roar" Barrett-Lincoln
3. Ted "Tadpole" Hill
4. Carol Dougherty
5. Edgar T. "Guru" Lincoln
 
 

CHAMPIONSHIP AUTODUELING CIRCUIT
http://cadc2036.com

Tire Tracks: Vol. 9, No. 0 (features reports of the Div 75 Can-Am Race at Montreal Duelway and the Div 60 Off-Road Pickup Race at Louisiana Mudflats held on January 22, 2050)
Rules: 2050 Season Edition
Schedule: 2050 Season Edition

Great Britain proudly announced in a press conference last week that the AADA 2049 World Racing Champion, MJ Daniels, will be racing for them with the start of the 2050 CADC season. In a press release, Daniels only had this to say, "Tell [the] boys to make sure their Gold Cross is paid up . . . " Currently Daniels is the only driver listed on the Team Britain roster and he is the only CADC Rookie scheduled so far for the 2050 season. "Rookie?", Tim Gould of Team Texas exclaimed after hearing the announcement. "Who's got the nerve to call this guy a rookie? He won the AADA 2049 WRC! God help the other rookies who sign up for this season."

Tire Tracks Vol. 9, No. 0
January 2050
 
 

DEATH RACING ASSOCIATION OF WASHINGTON
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Battlefield/6056/index.html

Last Event: DRAW Chapter Dueling Championship
Past Events: Lego, Thanksgiving, Christmas Duels

The Death Race Association of Washington held it's final game of the 2049 season in the Moscow Suicide Slide Arena using Division 30 vehicles. Without surprise, Frank "The Vulture" Bonnin walked away with the DRAW Championship title after a great season of dueling. During the final event, he placed second using a "skunk" car dropping ice and mines everywhere. Sparking a last minute comeback, Paul
"Spapmaster" Theis came out of hiding to win the event using a blast cannon, excellent tactics and the only points for jumping earned during the match. The  jump pushed him past The Vulture. "Machine Gun" Kelly Cariker earned third place, despite finding himself the meat of a sandwich shared by Spap and Phil "Fritz" Bedard. Fritz ran a trike with two blast cannons waiting for an opportunity to pounce on the Vulture, but had to reveal his hand as Cariker flew at him on the upper deck.

DRAW takes a break in February to run the AADA U.S. Northwest Regional Dueling Championship at Rad Con 3 in Pasco, WA. (Check the Rad Con link on the DRAW Web site for more information.)
 

Subject: DRAW and 2050 AADA U.S. Northwest Regional Dueling Championship
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 17:26:57 -0800
From: "Bill Stevenson" <billst@televar.com>
To: "Phil and Barb Bedard" <bedard@qosi.net>, "Michael P. Owen" <owenmp@serv.net>

Greetings! t's that time of year again. DRAW finished off the 2049 season and begins preparing for RadCon 3 in Pasco, WA on Feb. 18-20. For a
second year in a row, we are hosting the AADA U.S. Northwest Regional Dueling Championship. There are our usual prizes and some new trophies provided by SJ Games for this year! The results of the 2049 season and the last event are posted on the Web site along with detailed
information on the tournament. There is a link to RadCon under "Linxs."

This year we are running three preliminary rounds with the first using Legos in the Circus Arena. On Saturday afternoon we will run Hanford (3-D Midville in Micro Machine scale) and Saturday night will be a 3-D Ozark Off-Road Autoduel Arena. (Thanks goes to Michael Owen for providing the map needed to make the area! Come get your map at the tournament . . . *L*) The final is the infamous 1/24th scale model event, where we damage the models to simulate the damage! If you make the finals, you even get to take home what's left of your car as a memento.

We are hoping to break our record for the most players in a game this year. Last year we set a new record with 17 players and two refs in Hanford. Come join in on the autodueling frenzy.
 
 

DUELTRACK RACING ASSOCIATION CARBON-ALUMINUM RALLY
http://www.dracos.net/dracos/carwars.htm

Subject: DRACAR Events
From: Dean Gibson (DRACOS12)
Date: January 26, 2000 0907 EST
Forum: Dueling Debate / General <http://www.delphi.com/carwars>

Finally! The Results from DRACAR Event #9 have been posted! I have been time-crunched at work, my token excuse for not updating the DRACAR site.

Race #9 was held in Anaheim at Rob Hagmaier's place on November 27, 1999. There were only three participants, so the event, won by Randy Shew in the #3 Goodwrench sedan, was not eligible for WADA championship points.
 
 

LUDINN ENTERTAINMENT
http://www.ludinn.com

Tales from The Dripping Well by James Dickinson
December 23rd 1999

It is a sad day. As of last week Lüdinn Entertainment has pulled its events from Orccon in February of 2000. We were unable to negotiate
space from Strategicon that would meet our needs. It appears that we have out-grown our local convention and our events are too large for
Strategicon. We apologize to our players who were looking forward to participating in our events.  Some Lüdinn events will be at the
convention, but will be run privately. These events are our Battletech and Deadlands events. Look for them in Open Gaming at the
convention! If you do stop by the convention, try to drop word to the convention management that you were disappointed that Lüdinn
Entertainment was not at the con!

Lüdinn Entertainment is now working on plans for Gen Con 2000 or possibly the San Diego Comic Convention this summer. We will continue to post information on our Web site as we get it.

Lüdinn Entertainment is always looking to increase its exposure! If you know of a convention in California that would like us to run events for them, please direct them to our Web site!
 

Orc Con 2000 Car Wars Scenarios (Cancelled)
February 18-21, 2000
LAX Westin Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
 

Friday, Feb 18, 8:00 p.m. to Midnight
Crazy Eight's Amateur Night

Eight players driving $8,000 stock cars on a figure-eight racetrack. Driver only (30 skill points), plus each driver gets $888 to purchase personal equipment. No tire shots. All equipment provided and beginners are welcome.
 

Saturday, Feb. 19, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Division 20 Arena Duel

The San Andreas Dueling Park and Hot Springs opens its 2050 season with an old-fashioned Division 20 arena duel. Cars, trikes and cycles only. Driver only (30 skill points). AADA rules apply. All equipment provided. Bbeginners are welcome.
 

Saturday, Feb. 19, 6:00 p.m. to Midnight
DRACAR Event

Ludinn Entertainment is proud to host the first DRACAR race of the 2050 Gibson Cup Season at the Los Angeles International Raceway (the LAIR). In this celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Y2K-related disasters, lightweight carbon-aluminum sedans race, pit, and crash just like their predecessors! For specific information regarding construction of your car, please visit the official DRACAR website. AADA rules apply, except as modified specifically for DRACAR. All equipment will be provided for this event, including car designs for beginners.
 

Sunday, Feb 20, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Baja Off-Road Race

Leave it to Uncle Albert to sponsor another romp in the wilderness, but this time we go south of the border! In this event, players will each receive a stock frame and a small budget with which to add weapons, armor, and accessories. With all cars equally matched, this is anybody's race! Check this page in the coming months for the details of this event. AADA rules apply. All equipment provided. Beginners welcome.
 

NEW OMAHA VEHICULAR ASSOCIATION
http://www.novia.net/~desslok/nova.htm

Articles: 2050 NOVA Club Dueling Championship Report
Arena Watch: White Racetrack, Kona, Hawaii
Nightmessenger Archive: Vol. 9, No. 2
Other Pages: 2050 NOVA Schedule
Vehicle Guide: Aquabikes, Boats, Hovercraft
 

Subject: First Blood of 2050 Season
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 23:28:54 -0600
From: "Michael Garrity / NOVA" <drjake@novia.net>
To: "Michael P. Owen" <owenmp@serv.net>, "Philip White" <fool@serv.net>

I have begun my assault on first place in the WADA rankings in good style. NOVA had two events today, both Division 30 duels designed to test Norman's rules for building heavy pickups and heavy campers.

The first duel was a Division 30 event in the Milford Arena, located in Battle, Nebraska. The contestants were myself, Norman McMullen, Don
Jacques and Tim Jacques. Tim Jacques drove a heavy camper named the Destroyer, a vehicle that mounted a turreted ATG. The rest of us drove heavy pickups, with armament ranging from four RLs (my vehicle, the Iron Bull), a BC and two SDs (Norman's car, the Hardnose 6), and two ATGs, each with an extra HESH magazine and a magazine switch (Don's vehicle, the Hard Knox). This battle lasted a total of 14 turns, with much destruction to all involved.

January 15
NOVA Div 30 Heavy Pickup/Heavy Camper Duel #1
Milford Arena, Battle, Nebraska
Duelmaster: Norman McMullen <drjake@novia.net>

1. Michael Garrity (2 VKs, survivor bonus)
2. Norman McMullen (1 VK, left arena)
3. Donald Jacques (killed)
4. Timothy Jacques (killed)

The second duel was another Division 30 event in the Milford Arena. To make things more difficult for all involved, the wreckage left over
from the first duel wasn't cleaned up.

I used a heavy pickup named the Roadblocker. This vehicle had three front-mounted RLs, each loaded with incendiary rockets. As
a back-up, there was a 100-point ramplate. Don used his Hard Knox design again. Norman used a heavy camper called the Boxer. This design had three front-mounted RLs loaded with standard ammunition. It also had dropped weapons in the form of two SSs and two explosive-tipped SDs (all dropped weapons were linked). Tim Jacques also drove a Hard Knox.

The second duel lasted 16 turns. Fire was much in evidence, as my rockets set Norman's front and rear on fire. A second volley from my RLs
pushed the fire internally. A bad roll caused his RLs to explode.

Don and Tim exchanged weapons fire before hitting each other head-on. Tim came out the loser in the exchange as he had been damaged worse by weapons fire than Don. They came to a halt, and Don started to back up. Tim was eliminated by a shot from his weapons
through Tim's severely-damaged front armor.

I had previously set Don's right side on fire and it continued to burn while he and Tim attacked each other. After Tim was killed, Don and
I turned to face each other. Our maneuvering was made rather difficult because of the debris and obstacles from all of the weapons fire, plus the
explosive spikes that Norman had put down. These spikes proved their worth when they severely damaged my tires.

Finally, Don and I lined up on each other. We exchanged heavy fire, with Don removing half of my front armor in one volley. My rockets inflicted heavy damage on Don's front armor, and my ramplate finished him off.

January 15
NOVA Div 30 Heavy Pickup/Heavy Camper Duel #2
Milford Arena, Battle, Nebraska
Duelmaster: Norman McMullen <drjake@novia.net>

1. Michael Garrity (2 VKs)
2. Donald Jacques (1 VK, killed by Michael Garrity)
3. Norman McMullen (killed by Michael Garrity)
4. Timothy Jacques (killed by Donald Jacques)

Next month I hope to have my first duels with the Iowa Underground this year. NOVA also plans to have another meeting next Saturday, as I
showed up very late for the one today. (I was in-transit from Chicago).
 

Subject: More January 2050 Results
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 22:54:57 -0600
From: "Michael Garrity / NOVA" <drjake@novia.net>
To: "Michael P. Owen" <owenmp@serv.net>, "Philip White" <fool@serv.net>

We had the second test session for our heavy pickups and campers rules today. The first event was a Division 30 duel in the World of Duelling
Arena located in KC-1. The participants were myself, Norman McMullen, Tim Jacques and Don Jacques. We all used heavy pickups. My vehicle was named the Triple-B, armed with three RLs fitted with rotary magazine. All three of the weapons were loaded with a mixture of explosive, AP, and incendiary rockets.

Tim's vehicle, the Slammer, carried eight laser-guided AP HRs front. Norman drove the Hardnose 7, armed with a pair of front-mounted BCs. Don's car, the Knuckle Scraper, had a single front-mounted BC and two pairs of side-mounted HRs.

The first duel lasted a total of 14 turns. The maneuvers were straightforward, with Norman and Don trading several volleys. Tim got off a lucky volley of four HRs, which struck Don's top armor and ventilated it in record time.

In the course of my maneuvering, I sideswiped Norman and triggered my side-mounted dischargers (ice and paint). Luck was with him the first
time. Although he lost control, he managed to avoid falling off the second level where we were going at each other. The second time, he fell
off the second level and landed on his roof.

January 21
NOVA Div 30 Heavy Pickup/Heavy Camper Duel #3
World of Dueling Arena, KC-1, Nebraska
Duelmaster: Norman McMullen <drjake@novia.net>

1. Michael Garrity (3 points, 1 VK, accepted Norman McMullen's surrender, awarded survivor bonus)
2. Timothy Jacques (0 points, killed Donald Jacques, killed by Michael Garrity)
3. Norman McMullen (-1 point, surrendered to Michael Garrity)
4. Donald Jacques (-1 point, killed by Timothy Jacques)

The second duel was another Division 30 event in the World of Dueling Arena. Both Norman and I used heavy campers. My vehicle was named One-Shot Wonder after the duel. Norman's vehicle was named Slugger. Tim and Don used heavy pickups from last week's action. Tim used a Hard Knox and Don used a Knuckle Scraper. As in last week's duels, the arena was not cleared after the previous unpleasantness.

The action began with Tim going after Norman. Tim landed a good hit with his linked ATGs against Norman's left side. Norman turned away from Tim and began to lay a trail of spikes and mines hidden under smoke. Three turns of Tim following Norman resulted in the loss of Tim's right-side tires. Tim wasn't finished yet. He fired twice more. The first volley destroyed Norman's left-rear tires, and the second volley carved out a chunk of Norman's rear armor. Tim then ground to a halt.

I maneuvered for a shot against Don's front armor. I missed with a pair of incendiary loads from my front-mounted RLs. One missed and one
hit. This one rocket was ineffective because Don had a good deal of metal armor on his front. Norman circled around and went up to the second level. Don went up to the second level as I was chasing him, and speeds increased rapidly. Don closed towards Tim and fired through his top armor. The shot destroyed Tim's weapons.

Norman and Don closed on each other, striking head-on at a combined speed of 130 mph. Norman began to lay spikes and mines. This was a mixed blessing, as Norman was pushed over his own dropped weaponry. Both Don and Norman suffered from this event: Don lost control and Norman was killed by the ram, while Don skidded off the second level and landed on his left side. I came around and pointed my front-mounted RLs at Don's top. He surrendered to me, giving me the win after 11 seconds of combat.

January 21
NOVA Div 30 Heavy Pickup/Heavy Camper Duel #4
World of Dueling Arena, KC-1, Nebraska
Duelmaster: Norman McMullen <drjake@novia.net>

1. Michael Garrity (2 points, accepted Donald Jacques's surrender, awarded survivor bonus)
2. Donald Jacques (1 point, firepower-killed Timothy Jacques, killed Norman McMullen, surrendered to Michael Garrity )
3. Norman McMullen (1 point, killed by Donald Jacques)
4. Timothy Jacques (-2 points, firepower-killed by Donald Jacques, mobility-killed by Norman McMullen)