Modest "unpunched" Wargames Auction, Update #2B
FanmailAPH
All the games in this auction (EXCEPT for #s 12 and 25, which have both had
about 20 counters punched out) are "unpunched", or have at most a few counters
falling from their sprues over time. As always, feel free to e-mail me with any
questions.
SUMMARY OF CURRENT BIDS
1.) Firepower, Avalon-Hill, 1984
MRSUMERIAN@ 10/13/98 6:48:55 AM EST $6.00
2.) Interstellar Wars, Attactix, 1982
geary@ 10/13/98 9:40:59 AM EST $6.00
3.) Borodino '41, Clash of Arms, 1995
thornley@ 10/14/98 11:12:11 AM EST $12.00
4.) Campaigns of Robert E. Lee, Clash of Arms, 1988
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
5.) L'Armee Du Nord, Clash of Arms, 1993
adunkin@ 10/14/98 3:05:27 AM EST $13.00
6.) Mississippi Fortress, Clash of Arms, 1990
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
7.) Napoleon's First Battles, Decision Games, 1993
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $8.00
8.) The Civil War, Fresno Gaming Association, 1991
ragnar@ 10/14/98 6:11:25 AM EST $10.00
9.) Eylau, GDW, 1978
gb1469@ 10/13/98 10:49:30 AM EST $10.00
10.) Third World War: Battle For Germany, GDW, 1983
mcafagna@ 10/13/98 5:07:37 PM EST $6.00
11.) Third World War: Southern Front, GDW, 1984
thornley@ 10/14/98 11:12:11 AM EST $7.00
12.) Rebel Yell!, Game Publications Group, 1995
Cbarlow5nh@ 10/14/98 3:52:48 AM EST $10.00
13.) Chainsaw Warrior, Games Workshop, 1987
ragnar@ 10/13/98 2:45:03 PM EST $15.00
14.) Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, Games Workshop, 1987
aebrain@ 10/13/98 11:34:53 AM EST $20.00
15.) Fury of Dracula, Games Workshop, 1987
gfortune@ 10/14/98 11:27:02 AM EST $21.00
16.) Judge Dredd, Games Workshop, 1982
aebrain@ 10/13/98 11:34:53 AM EST $20.00
17.) Rogue Trooper, Games Workshop, 1987
didier420@ 10/13/98 9:18:42 AM EST $15.00
18.) Battles of Waterloo, GMT Games, 1994
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $10.00
19.) Three Days of Gettysburg, GMT Games, 1995
adunkin@ 10/14/98 3:05:27 AM EST $16.00
20.) Devil's Den, Operational Studies Group, 1980
mcafagna@ 10/13/98 5:07:37 PM EST $10.00
21.) Warlords, Panther Games, 1986
geary@ 10/13/98 9:40:59 AM EST $9.00
22.) Incredible Victory, Quarterdeck Games 1986
bongina@ 10/14/98 9:40:19 AM EST $10.00
23.) Worldkiller, SPI, 1980
bmcdonald@ 10/13/98 12:46:27 PM EST $8.00
24.) Grand Army of the Republic, Task Force Games, 1988
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
25.) Firefight, TSR/SPI, 1984
Minimum Bid: $6.00
26.) La Grand Armee, TSR/SPI, 1987
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $12.00
27.) Napoleon's Last Battles, TSR/SPI, 1984
ebrown@ 10/13/98 1:02:46 PM EST $12.00
28..) Rebel Sabers, TSR/SPI, 1986
Cavalrysal@ 10/13/98 12:01:41 PM EST $15.00
29.) 2nd. Fleet, Victory Games, 1986
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $8.00
30.) Ambush!, Victory Games, 1983
jbyars@ 10/14/98 2:14:03 PM EST $8.00
31.) RAF, West End Games, 1986
WMARNS@ 10/13/98 07:42:12 AM $20.00 SOLD TO BUYOUT
32.) Soldiers, West End Games, 1987
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $6.00
33.) Napoleon's Later Battles, 3W, 1992
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $8.00
34.) "Scratch One Flat Top!", 3W, 1992
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $8.00
UPDATE TEXT: Item #31 has been sold to buyout; all others remain available for
bid.
-- Andy Hooper
AUCTION PROCEDURES:
* Each update will feature the current status of all games at the beginning of
the post, and the game descriptions and full bid history will be listed below
these rules. Once again, I've crossed AOL's 30,000 character barrier, and I'm
forced to split the bid history/game description into three posts. # 1 to 12
will be in Part A, 13 to 24 in Part B, and 25 to 34 in Part C. If you're just
maintaining a bid, no need to read farther than the current status board before
framing a reply or closing the post.
* Bids in one dollar increments, first bid at a given price takes precedence,
all bidders will receive e-mail updates. Regular bids should be for a specific
whole-dollar amount. If the bid on any of these items exceeds $50.00, further
bids must be made in increments of at least $5.00. A bid constitutes a
declaration of intention to buy the item bid upon.
* Conditional or "Automatic" bids will be accepted, but the bidder must set a
ceiling for their bid -- e.g., a bidder could say that they will beat any
advances on an item by $1.00, but set a bid limit of $15.00.
* Buyout offers will be considered, but I admit no obligation to accept them,
and a buyout offer should be at least twice the minimum bid, or $10.00,
whichever is more. Bidders who have previously bid on an item with a buyout
pending will be given 24 hours to exceed a buyout offer with a bid at least
$5.00 more before the buyout becomes official.
* At the end of the open bidding period, all bidders on a given item will be
informed of the current high bid, and given 24 hours to respond with an advance
on that amount. No bids from new bidders will be accepted after the open
bidding period ends. In the closed bidding period updates on new bids will be
sent to all continuing bidders on an item as soon as I receive them. The
24-hour clock resets every time a new bid comes in. Once no one responds in a
24 hour period, the item will go to the current high bidder.
* For bidders who do not have such regular e-mail access, IT IS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY to make alternative arrangements to communicate with me, but
I'll be happy to accommodate such arrangements as best I can.
* SEND ALL BIDS to fanma...@aol.com. Buyer pays all postage costs, which
ranges from $3.00 to $5.00 per game, although folio and magazine games can
usually be shipped priority mail for $3.00 for up to two pounds. This auction's
open bidding will begin on October 13th, 1998 and end 3:00 pm Pacific time,
Friday, October 30th, 1998.
GAME DESCRIPTIONS AND BID HISTORY:
13.) Chainsaw Warrior, Games Workshop, 1987 (APH)
In 1987, Games Workshop released a series of board games that may have
represented the last gasp of the "design before components" approach that
characterized GW's early history. Within two years, GW would make a transition
to games containing dozens of plastic figures and costing $60.00 or more, with
rules written to be easily learned by kids as young as eight. But Chainsaw
Warrior represented a slightly more complex class of game, entertaining to play
entirely apart from the attractive and reasonably elaborate components. This is
a solo game, in which the player assumes the role of a heavily-armed commando
trying to reach and destroy the source of extra-dimensional horrors haunting
New York. The player passes from room to room looking for the dark forces'
lair, battling Zombies, grabbing equipment cards, and doing his best to keep
from being killed. Rules include an 8-page comic strip by Brett Ewins. Seldom
encountered intact; many sets seem to have come from the factory lacking one or
more pages of cards. This copy, however, is intact and completely unplayed,
with a few minor scuffs on the box corners.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
ragnar@ 10/13/98 2:45:03 PM EST $15.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
14.) Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, Games Workshop, 1988 (APH)
Very entertaining dungeon (well, pyramid) crawl adventure game, with characters
and systems that seem derivative of Chaosium's board game *Arkham Horror*. Each
player is an adventurer investigating the interior of the pyramid of Khonsu, in
search of the elixir of Eternal life. The catch is that the mummified remains
of Khonsu himself, as well as a variety of other guardians and rivals, are
there to stop them. Each turn, the players bid Tana leaf cards to gain control
of the mummy; alternatively, the leaves can be used to heal the player's
wounds. The player who does control the mummy can dispatch it to attack another
player character; this is not one of those adventure games which really
encourage player cooperation. Once a player reaches the central chamber of
Khonsu, they must test against their attributes with a series of three die
rolls; if passed, the player wins the game, an arbitrary conclusion that is
slightly anti-climactic after the many encounters and struggles the player must
pass along the way. The game board is a series of different-sized cardboard
squares which sit at different levels on a central support column, thus
representing the interior levels of the pyramid. Players are represented by
well-detailed white-metal figures suitable for painting, and the cards and
displays are all profusely-illustrated in typical GW fashion. Completely
unblemished set.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
aebrain@ 10/13/98 11:34:53 AM EST $20.00
larrywelborn@ 10/13/98 8:14:46 AM EST $15.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
15.) Fury of Dracula, Games Workshop, 1987 (APH)
Delightful adventure game in which one to three hunters pursue the resurgent
Dracula around Europe eight years after the events recounted in Stoker's novel.
The Puzzle-cut map-board illustrates Europe from the Carpathians to the
Atlantic coast. Playing pieces are exquisite little white-metal figures, but
numerous cardboard counters and cards represent numerous non-player characters
and items -- all the components are of the highest quality, a foreshadow of the
lavish designs Games Workshop has produced in the 90s. The three hunter players
cooperate against the Vampire player to some degree, but they are hampered by
the Count's ability to move without being observed -- achieved by placing the
elaborately-printed "Strategic Movement Screen," which doubles as a gazetteer
of encounters, around the board when that player takes their turn. The
designer, Stephen Hand, combines an impressive degree of knowledge regarding
the subject matter with a sense for simple, satisfying mechanics, and the
result is a challenging game, but one full of fun and engrossing details. This
copy is untouched, and I merely removed the shrink-wrap to confirm the presence
of all components.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
gfortune@ 10/14/98 11:27:02 AM EST $21.00
aebrain@ 10/13/98 11:34:53 AM EST $20.00
gfortune@ 10/13/98 7:24:21 AM EST $16.00
larrywelborn@ 10/13/98 8:14:46 AM EST $15.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
jgable@ 10/13/98 10:26:43 PM EST $15.00
16.) Judge Dredd, Games Workshop, 1982, (APH)
An artifact from the pre-Warhammer days of Games Workshop, and probably their
most enduringly popular item from the period. This is the sort of game you can
get non-gaming friends to play -- when confronted with crimes like Stookie
Glanding and Organ Legging, even people who think only of Judge Dredd as a bad
film with Sylvester Stallone tend to break up laughing, and can't resist giving
the game a try. Cards representing perpetrators and their crimes are placed on
specific areas of the board map of Mega City One. The players are all Judges,
and must move into the space with the criminal and try to apprehend them. The
criminal and the crime each have an innate strength indicating their degree of
danger and the relative seriousness of the offense, and randomly combining them
leads to events like trying to arrest Judge Death for public smoking. The Judge
combines a die roll, their natural combat strength, and any cards they may have
in their hand which will aid them in combat. If they beat the combined card
strength of the perp, the latter is arrested, and goes in the player's trophy
pile. The player with the highest combined score of perpetrators and crimes at
the end of the game is the winner. This particular set features a set of tiny
plastic Judge figures, instead of the abstract plastic pawns which are also
sometimes encountered in this game. This copy was shrink-wrapped when I
acquired it, and the card decks are still sealed.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
aebrain@ 10/13/98 11:34:53 AM EST $20.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
17.) Rogue Trooper, Games Workshop, 1987 (APH)
Another game derived from a strip in the British comic "2000 AD", devised by
the prolific Bryan Halliwell. Each of 2 to 6 players is a rogue genetic trooper
fighting the war for the planet Nu-Earth, a survivor of the infamous "Quartz
Zone Massacre." Each searches for clues to the identity of the traitor who was
responsible for the massacre. there are many other encounters and opportunities
to gather equipment or possibly get killed along the way, but the game is
mostly focused on the effort to solve that mystery. The game features a large
assortment of cards and counters, and a handsome puzzle-cut map board detailing
both Nu-Earth and the military control complex orbiting it. This set is
complete, just opened for inspection.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
didier420@ 10/13/98 9:18:42 AM EST $15.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
18.) Battles of Waterloo, GMT Games, 1994
A paradoxical design, in that its level of operational detail is largely
randomized by the use of Leader Initiative Markers which are drawn from a cup
to determine which formations are activated and in what order, while the degree
of tactical detail is remarkable for a game on the brigade/regiment scale --
lines are extended, heavy cavalry differentiated from lights, formations change
and units become stuck in bloody engagements for multiple turns. Each exchange
of fire or charge is like a little game in itself, with 8 steps required to
resolve each assault combat. It's as though the designer, Richard Berg, wanted
to give the players as free hand in making decisions on the level of high
command, but also wanted to show how frustrating it was for commanders trying
to implement those decision in the field. You may have the best position and
the best units on the field, but if you can't draw an activation marker for
them, they can't do anything but sit there. Even the shortest of the scenarios
will take a healthy amount of time to play. The map, by Mark Simonitch and Joe
Youst, and the counters by Rodger MacGowan, are just beautiful. This copy is
unpunched, and in superb condition.
Minimum Bid: $10.00
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $10.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
Cbarlow5nh@ 10/14/98 3:52:48 AM EST $10.00
19.) Three Days of Gettysburg, GMT Games, 1995
Kind of a wargaming equivalent of an "All-Star Jam", with design by Richard
Berg, counters by Rodger MacGowan and maps by the brilliant Rick Barber, who
has done so many beautiful boards for Clash of Arms. This game seems to
complete the evolution which began with the *Terrible Swift Sword* system over
20 years ago, passing into phases where movement and combat were resolved in
varying degrees of random order, then returning to some sense of order with the
use of Leader Initiative Markers in other designs, culminating at last in
another regimental-simulation of the battle of Gettysburg. The game includes
eight sheets of counters and three huge map-sheets, but includes smaller
scenarios that all quite fascinating in their own right. Completed in 1995,
this represents the state of the art in board wargame design -- something will
surely come afterwards, but right now it isn't clear what direction further
designs will take. Retails for more than $50.00, completely pristine,
unpunched, perhaps the rulebook has been read, but that's all.
Minimum Bid: $15.00
adunkin@ 10/14/98 3:05:27 AM EST $16.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $15.00
Cbarlow5nh@ 10/14/98 3:52:48 AM EST $15.00
20.) Devil's Den, Operational Studies Group, 1980
Highly entertaining game simulating Hood's assault on the second day at
Gettysburg, designed by SPI alumni Dr. David Martin and Leonard Millman. The
game system has some passing similarity to Berg's GBACW series, but adds a
significant step in forcing leaders to issue orders to their units, and
allowing them to direct only a limited number of them per turn. Given that each
unit is a company or battery, there is room for a great wealth of tactical
detail, but in general, the designers have concerned themselves with keeping
the game "playable," and put most of their energy into modeling the effects of
the leaders on combat. If you've been looking for a game covering the
"interesting" part of Gettysburg, this is a design for you. The rules have been
partially highlighted and underlined, but the counters are not punched and maps
are still sharply creased and unmarked.
Minimum Bid: $10.00
mcafagna@ 10/13/98 5:07:37 PM EST $10.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
21.) Warlords, Panther Games, 1986 (APH)
We haven't seen a great deal of wargame designs from Australia over the years,
but those that make it across the ocean have generally been very impressive.
Several old Jedko games designs had later incarnations with other companies,
and it's hardly necessary to point out the impact which "World in Flames" has
had on the hobby. This game of power politics and territorial warfare is one of
my favorite Australian designs, and I thought it was unjustly neglected and
termed a beer and pretzel game by reviewers who didn't take the time to
actually play it out with the 3 to 7 players it was meant for. It has some of
the intricacy of balance found in the House Divided/Soldier King school of
design, but most closely resembles "Junta" in it's focus and scale of play.
And any game with a "Diplomacy Phase" is one which might take a while to play.
The vast area of China is divided into a relatively small number of provinces;
control of a single area will often mean the difference between having the
elbow room and resources to sustain your faction and depending on the
cooperation of some more powerful player to stay in the game. Players take the
roles of one of four Warlord factions, the KMT, the Communists, or the
Japanese. This copy is unpunched, quite pristine within; the box is unmarked
except for a very slight set of wrinkles at the bottom of the box top.
Minimum bid: $8.00
geary@ 10/13/98 9:40:59 AM EST $9.00
WARGAME974@ 10/13/98 7:22:46 AM EST $8.00
larrywelborn@ 10/13/98 8:14:46 AM EST $8.00
didier420@ 10/13/98 9:18:42 AM EST $15.00
themaverick@ 10/13/98 10:42:14 AM EST $8.00
mcafagna@ 10/13/98 5:07:37 PM EST $8.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $8.00
22.) Incredible Victory, Quarterdeck Games 1986 (APH)
Peter Bertram is the designer of this game on the battle of Midway, but as with
most Quarterdeck Games, the guiding hand of Jack Greene is clearly detectable
in the background. The counters and maps are remarkably simple, but you still
need a very big table on which to play the game, to make room for all the
charts and displays showing ship damage, air operations status, search tracks
-- as with many games simulating carrier operations, just directing and
controlling the numerous air and escort units is challenging in itself, even if
you don't have enemy planes trying to torpedo your operations center. The game
does an excellent job of showing the relative strengths of the weapon systems
and operational doctrine used by both sides, but it has one flaw that almost
all simulations of Midway share, which is, unlimited intelligence. The American
player knows what ships that IJN players has, and more importantly, what he
plans to do with them. This much reflects some degree of reality, because of
the American code-breaking success, although it has only recently been reveled
that the USN never knew about the presence of the Japanese battleship group
until after the war. But the Japanese player knows that he is essentially
sailing into a trap, something with Nagumo and Yamamoto did not know until it
was too late. This is a problem that's hard to get around, but it does nothing
to detract from the entertainment level of the game, which remains very nigh.
The rules in this copy appear to have been read, but that's all the wear I can
detect
Minimum Bid: $8.00
bongina@ 10/14/98 9:40:19 AM EST $10.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $8.00
23.) Worldkiller, SPI, 1980 (APH)
One of a small cluster of science fiction games released by SPI in 1979 and
1980, a group which included *Titan Strike*, *Vector 3* and *The Creature That
Ate Sheboygen*. All of them featured innovative and simple mechanics, which
have kept them popular with gamers for almost 20 years. In this game, one
player portrays the human defenders of the "Greendream" stellar system, while
the other are the invasion fleet of the alien E'Kenn. The innovative map
represents a mass of space broken into eight by twelve by seven cubic volumes.
This makes Worldkiller one of the few games to simulate space combat in three
dimensions, which is probably one reason why the counter-mix was kept so small.
A design from the master of graphic innovation at SPI, Redmond Simonsen. This
copy was still in the shrink-wrap, bearing a price-tag from "San Antonio Hobby"
on the side, when I got it, but I have opened it to confirm the presence of all
components. Colors, especially the cover illustration by Howie Chaykin, are
very bright and unfaded.
Minimum bid: $8.00
bmcdonald@ 10/13/98 12:46:27 PM EST $8.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $8.00
24.) Grand Army of the Republic, Task Force Games, 1988
Every game company must eventually release a strategic game on the American
Civil War, usually right after they've done their Gettysburg, Waterloo and
Battle of the Bulge games. Task Force's effort, designed by Roger Nord, is near
the simpler end of the continuum of complexity, but it features a number of
unusual devices -- general cards drawn at random, which stand upright in
plastic clips like *Stratego* pieces, and a "battle track" showing the number
of engagements which the Union player can conduct before the political cost of
the war becomes too great to bear -- which keep the game very interesting. Army
corps are abstract collections of strength points, and their performance
*largely determined by who is in command. The map is a simple area-movement
design, with expanded boxes along the sides representing the major urban
centers of the country. The game can accommodate up to 4 players. this is one
of those designs where the mechanics will become clear after reading the rules
for three minutes, but optimum strategies for success take a much longer period
of time to discover. This copy is in extremely good shape, with both cards and
counters unpunched.
Minimum Bid: $10.00
Wideload@ 10/13/98 7:27:46 PM EST $10.00
END OF PART B