An even game?

mepbmlist
#1

Game 306-Harad(2150), Noldo(1867), Dark Lt(1408).

Here's an interesting game. Game 306 was run by DGE/GSI. Two
neutrals joined each allegiance and one dropped early. Most of the
players were about equal in playing ability. Within the teams there
were exchanges of turn reports and PDFs each turn. The teams were
about as equal as I've seen. The game lasted until T47(Nov,2000)
when the Freeps conceded victory to the DS. Even though the Cloud
Lord alone had 125 kills, it was a well fought game with neither side
sure of victory/loss until around T40. I was on the losing Freep
team and can say that the players were very good on my side and
remember getting something like an average of 10 e-mails a day and
sometimes 50+ during intense planning.

What made it even was that the Witch King and Dragon Lord didn't get
back-ups. If they would have that would have given the DS another 42
characters to work with each turn. I would say the DS have at least
a slight advantage if not more.

Of course, someone had to ruin everything and name their characters
Squirrel and another Moose. It's quite something when your favorite
character gets off'd by the likes of "Mumbo Jumbo" or you're trying
to track agents and you find one of the nations has named their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan.

-Joel

#2

I agree. People who use such lame names really bring the game down. I try to make it a
point to target nations with names like "cool doodz", or characters with names like
you mentioned. I won't go very far out of my way, and I won't do it at the expense of
alliance objectives, but given the choice, my friends and I will definitely try to
take the "lame namers" out as soon as possible, for no other reason than the lame
names. If more players did this, maybe the lame namers would get the hint.

Mike

···

-----Original Message-----
From: jmason86@hotmail.com [mailto:jmason86@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 2:10 AM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [mepbmlist] An even game?

Of course, someone had to ruin everything and name their characters
Squirrel and another Moose. It's quite something when your favorite
character gets off'd by the likes of "Mumbo Jumbo" or you're trying
to track agents and you find one of the nations has named their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan.
-Joel

#3

I am enjoying the Name Thread.

My friend ran the dwarves in 2950 and kept track. He SWORE that everytime he
named a dwarf with an actual Tolkien name, the character got a special
ability bonus.

While I try to name characters with at least, in my mind, a Tolkien feel, I
usually try to go for a theme.
I.E. as Saruman, I figured to go with MST3K names: Joel, Crowe, Thomas,
Gypsy, etc...
As the Northmen, I went more for gem names.

But how far do you take it? One person's "Fun Name" is annoying to another.
I've seen "Dark Servant Male" as a name...

However, what about population centers?
Some players give them actual names "Bolg's Ridge", etc., while others go
for "Khand 4321" so they can easily track them...

Interesting... very interesting...

···

-----Original Message-----
From: Aaruman [mailto:aaruman@orions.net]
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 11:31 AM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [mepbmlist] An even game?

I agree. People who use such lame names really bring the game
down. I try to make it a
point to target nations with names like "cool doodz", or
characters with names like
you mentioned. I won't go very far out of my way, and I won't do
it at the expense of
alliance objectives, but given the choice, my friends and I will
definitely try to
take the "lame namers" out as soon as possible, for no other
reason than the lame
names. If more players did this, maybe the lame namers would get the hint.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: jmason86@hotmail.com [mailto:jmason86@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 2:10 AM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [mepbmlist] An even game?

Of course, someone had to ruin everything and name their characters
Squirrel and another Moose. It's quite something when your favorite
character gets off'd by the likes of "Mumbo Jumbo" or you're trying
to track agents and you find one of the nations has named their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan.
-Joel

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#4

> From: jmason86@hotmail.com [mailto:jmason86@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 2:10 AM
> To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [mepbmlist] An even game?
>
> Of course, someone had to ruin everything and name their characters
> Squirrel and another Moose.
>

That's when you start looking for Boris and Natasha. I had a character
get PC'd when we knew the enemy hadn't scouted him; but based on another
character's name they must have figured out he had to exist and took a
shot in the dark.

> It's quite something when your favorite
> character gets off'd by the likes of "Mumbo Jumbo"

Hey, it could be a nickname...

> or you're trying
> to track agents and you find one of the nations has named their
> characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan.
>

Series of similar names are a well-established Tolkein tradition. Not
to mention an effective (and IMHO perfectly acceptable) way to confuse
the enemy.

-Gain, Nain, Dain, & Bain

···

> -----Original Message-----

#5

But how far do you take it? One person's "Fun Name"
is annoying to another.
I've seen "Dark Servant Male" as a name...

I've once run a snow white led company with the seven
dwarves floating around (actually it was 8 since I got
a name wrong).

My current lot are names in a book I'm reading.

Previous names were VC winners, or people who got
murdered.

But I wasn't the one who named my person
'doubleoseven'.

Another reason for silly names is being free in an
agent rich game. When you are losing several
characters a turn on average, then the names start to
be 'killmenow', or 'bullseye'.

thanks
din

···

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#6

Here's a question...

If a VC is to "see the termination of Baranor" (for example). And you
assassinate this character on turn 2. If someone names a character on turn
40 called Baranor, and then the game ends on turn 41, have you fulfilled
your VC?

···

At 09:56 05/03/01 +1100, you wrote:

But how far do you take it? One person's "Fun Name"
is annoying to another.
I've seen "Dark Servant Male" as a name...

I've once run a snow white led company with the seven
dwarves floating around (actually it was 8 since I got
a name wrong).

My current lot are names in a book I'm reading.

Previous names were VC winners, or people who got
murdered.

But I wasn't the one who named my person
'doubleoseven'.

Another reason for silly names is being free in an
agent rich game. When you are losing several
characters a turn on average, then the names start to
be 'killmenow', or 'bullseye'.

thanks
din

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#7

I thought the game prevented a rename of the same vharacter ID for
just that reason...

non-vc ones I think you get to rename

--- In mepbmlist@y..., Kevin <kevin@b...> wrote:

Here's a question...

If a VC is to "see the termination of Baranor" (for example). And

you

assassinate this character on turn 2. If someone names a character

on turn

40 called Baranor, and then the game ends on turn 41, have you

fulfilled

···

your VC?

At 09:56 05/03/01 +1100, you wrote:
>>
>> But how far do you take it? One person's "Fun Name"
>> is annoying to another.
>> I've seen "Dark Servant Male" as a name...
>
>I've once run a snow white led company with the seven
>dwarves floating around (actually it was 8 since I got
>a name wrong).
>
>My current lot are names in a book I'm reading.
>
>Previous names were VC winners, or people who got
>murdered.
>
>But I wasn't the one who named my person
>'doubleoseven'.
>
>Another reason for silly names is being free in an
>agent rich game. When you are losing several
>characters a turn on average, then the names start to
>be 'killmenow', or 'bullseye'.
>
>thanks
>din
>
>
>>
>

_____________________________________________________________________

________

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>
>
>
>

#8

I thought the game prevented a rename of the same
vharacter ID for
just that reason...

Nope, I've named DS agents after original NG
commanders just to rub it in when I sent in my agents
(the free reading 'NG regent killed by faramir' is
good for a laugh). And I think some of the NG
commanders were someone's VC.

The game is intelligent enough to know that the
original person has been killed

thanks
din

non-vc ones I think you get to rename

--- In mepbmlist@y..., Kevin <kevin@b...> wrote:
> Here's a question...
>
> If a VC is to "see the termination of Baranor"
(for example). And
you
> assassinate this character on turn 2. If someone
names a character
on turn
> 40 called Baranor, and then the game ends on turn
41, have you
fulfilled
> your VC?

yeap.

···

>
>
>
> At 09:56 05/03/01 +1100, you wrote:
> >>
> >> But how far do you take it? One person's "Fun
Name"
> >> is annoying to another.
> >> I've seen "Dark Servant Male" as a name...
> >
> >I've once run a snow white led company with the
seven
> >dwarves floating around (actually it was 8 since
I got
> >a name wrong).
> >
> >My current lot are names in a book I'm reading.
> >
> >Previous names were VC winners, or people who got
> >murdered.
> >
> >But I wasn't the one who named my person
> >'doubleoseven'.
> >
> >Another reason for silly names is being free in
an
> >agent rich game. When you are losing several
> >characters a turn on average, then the names
start to
> >be 'killmenow', or 'bullseye'.
> >
> >thanks
> >din
> >
> >
> >>
> >
>

_____________________________________________________________________
________
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> >- The fastest, easiest way to open an online
store.
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> >Middle Earth PBM List - Middle Earth and
Harlequin Games
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> >http://www.MiddleEarthGames.com
> >
> >
> >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
> >
> >

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#9

Sorry about the previous misleading message.

VC meant Victorian Cross winners. Not Victory
Condition characters. And I took them from deadies in
WWI and WWII.

It was a private joke, as I wasn't expecting a side to
recognise the names of their countrymen who won their
country's highest military award. Picking all deadies
was extra emphasis on the sacrifices unknown people
have made, and continue to make, for us.

'Lest we forgot' and all that stuff.

thanks
din

···

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#10

We'd like to stop this type of naming:

"or you're trying to track agents and you find one of the nations has named
their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan. " style of
naming.

At present we don't allow "liliian" (did I capitalise the first letter or
not?) or similar use of the font system to
gain an advantage, nor do we allow ..."Unnamed DS character" (or the like).
I
would like to add in names that are similarly named as well. Same for
a'"a$ type names..

Although personally not such a fan of names that are "silly" I appreciate
that some players enjoy that sort of thing so am happy to allow them. Theme
names are fun - we're presently playing against a DS team in ME48 that have
some awesome names - it's a shame to kill them really. :slight_smile: (It's a shame
that theme names are slightly disadvantageous to the player who uses them
though).

Thoughts?

Clint

#11

why try to stop it?

is it causing a coding problem?

I just don't see why it's a problem so long as the names aren't

tolkien sucks
clintisan idiot
stuartsucks

etc.

and I mean the birhan, borhan, berhan stuff...
read the indexes, how many durins were there?

--- In mepbmlist@y..., "Middle Earth PBM Games" <me@M...> wrote:

We'd like to stop this type of naming:

"or you're trying to track agents and you find one of the nations

has named

their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan. "

style of

naming.

At present we don't allow "liliian" (did I capitalise the first

letter or

not?) or similar use of the font system to
gain an advantage, nor do we allow ..."Unnamed DS character" (or

the like).

I
would like to add in names that are similarly named as well. Same

for

a'"a$ type names..

Although personally not such a fan of names that are "silly" I

appreciate

that some players enjoy that sort of thing so am happy to allow

them. Theme

names are fun - we're presently playing against a DS team in ME48

that have

some awesome names - it's a shame to kill them really. :slight_smile: (It's a

shame

that theme names are slightly disadvantageous to the player who

uses them

···

though).

Thoughts?

Clint

#12

is it causing a coding problem?

Nope

I just don't see why it's a problem so long as the names aren't

tolkien sucks
clintisan idiot
stuartsucks

I love it when that happens... :slight_smile:

and I mean the birhan, borhan, berhan stuff...
read the indexes, how many durins were there?

Yes - but it does cause some confusion and is mostly done so that players
mess up orders on those similarly named characters.

Clint

#13

I love it when that happens... :slight_smile:
> and I mean the birhan, borhan, berhan stuff...
> read the indexes, how many durins were there?
>
Yes - but it does cause some confusion and is mostly done so that players
mess up orders on those similarly named characters.

Clint

It is allowed to double check names from your reports when trying to deal
with foreign characters. If not and you gets into trouble who's to blame?
Only one ...the unattantive player, You self.

And No im not running around making all my characters sound nearly like
eachother, if others wants to its fine with me as long as their character
naming isn't insulting.

Henning

#14

We'd like to stop this type of naming:

"or you're trying to track agents and you find one of the nations has

named

their
characters Birhan, Burhan, Barhan, Burhon, Berhun, and Borhan. " style of
naming.

At present we don't allow "liliian" (did I capitalise the first letter or
not?) or similar use of the font system to
gain an advantage, nor do we allow ..."Unnamed DS character" (or the

like).

I
would like to add in names that are similarly named as well. Same for
a'"a$ type names..

Although personally not such a fan of names that are "silly" I appreciate
that some players enjoy that sort of thing so am happy to allow them.

Theme

names are fun - we're presently playing against a DS team in ME48 that

have

some awesome names - it's a shame to kill them really. :slight_smile: (It's a shame
that theme names are slightly disadvantageous to the player who uses them
though).

Thoughts?

Clint

RD: I agree you should disallow "Iiliian" "Unnamed DS character" "'''a$"
etc.

I do NOT agree you should disallow similar names. Tolkien has reams of
similar names eg: Earendil, Earendur, Earnil; Elros, Elrond, Elrohir;
Elfhelm, Elfhild, Elfstan, Elfstone. This follows Old English historical
precedent eg: Wulfstan, Wulfnoth, Wulfrith, Wulfred; and Norse: Thorstein,
Thorgerd, Thora, etc. Even GSI have Uvatha and Ovatha, Eoder and Eomer.

What possible justification can there be for stopping players naming
characters on similar lines?

I also don't want to see "silly" names banned. OK it would be great to stop
James Bond and Luke Skywalker wandering Middle-earth (totally inappropriate)
but the price would be to stop more imaginative players introducing names
which are genuinely humorous, or which work on more than one level. If new
names raise a smile on the faces of other players, they add to the enjoyment
of the game!

Regards,

Richard.

···

----- Original Message -----
From: "Middle Earth PBM Games" <me@MiddleEarthGames.com>
To: <mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 4:25 AM
Subject: [mepbmlist] Names

#15

I do NOT agree you should disallow similar names. Tolkien has reams of
similar names eg: Earendil, Earendur, Earnil; Elros, Elrond, Elrohir;
Elfhelm, Elfhild, Elfstan, Elfstone. This follows Old English historical
precedent eg: Wulfstan, Wulfnoth, Wulfrith, Wulfred; and Norse: Thorstein,
Thorgerd, Thora, etc. Even GSI have Uvatha and Ovatha, Eoder and Eomer.

What possible justification can there be for stopping players naming
characters on similar lines?

What about one letter differences in names? For the purpose that I have
defined in earlier emails? The names above are quite different

Clint

#16

--- In mepbmlist@y..., "Middle Earth PBM Games" <me@M...> wrote:

> I do NOT agree you should disallow similar names. Tolkien has

reams of

> similar names eg: Earendil, Earendur, Earnil; Elros, Elrond,

Elrohir;

> Elfhelm, Elfhild, Elfstan, Elfstone. This follows Old English

historical

> precedent eg: Wulfstan, Wulfnoth, Wulfrith, Wulfred; and Norse:

Thorstein,

> Thorgerd, Thora, etc. Even GSI have Uvatha and Ovatha, Eoder and

Eomer.

>
> What possible justification can there be for stopping players

naming

> characters on similar lines?

What about one letter differences in names? For the purpose that I

have

defined in earlier emails? The names above are quite different

Clint

yeah, Uvatha and Ovatha (the second to last example) are way
different. don't have my RTK handy, but tolkien did this too...

'fess up, you just missed a 615 order by the wrong ID?

#17

No actually I used the names of similar origin so that they were of the same
type and on the same part of the turnsheet so that my orders were the same.
Thought it unethical during the game - the opposition was kind enough to
remove all the characters for me though. :slight_smile:

But it does not look like many players are pro this so that's okay by me.

Clint

Uvatha and Ovatha are much easier to differentiate than arathyea and

aralhyea for example.

···

yeah, Uvatha and Ovatha (the second to last example) are way
different. don't have my RTK handy, but tolkien did this too...

'fess up, you just missed a 615 order by the wrong ID?

#18

Thats not all that bad I accidentally wrote 610 instead of 615 a couple of
turns ago.....The enemy just stabbed his guard in the back. :frowning:

Henning

···

>
> 'fess up, you just missed a 615 order by the wrong ID?

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#19

But they don't necessarily add to the enjoyment of the game. That's the point. Many
of us get into the "Tolkien Spirit" of the game, and even role play somewhat. Some
people actually write up short stories based on the games they're in, and spread them
around to their team mates, or even this list. "Moose", "Squirrel", or "Killer Dood"
pretty much shatter the whole "Tolkien Spirit", and make the game less enjoyable for
many people.

Mike

···

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard John Devereux [mailto:devereux@lineone.net]
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 9:05 AM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [mepbmlist] Names

I also don't want to see "silly" names banned. OK it would be great to stop
James Bond and Luke Skywalker wandering Middle-earth (totally inappropriate)
but the price would be to stop more imaginative players introducing names
which are genuinely humorous, or which work on more than one level. If new
names raise a smile on the faces of other players, they add to the enjoyment
of the game!
Regards,
Richard.

#20

Old argument, old answer = pre-game agreement.

I personally like the daft names, and even the trick ones entertain me
Iiliian is a stroke of genius, and I'd like to see someone muck up his
orders because of it. BUT I can respect the opinion of those who want
all Tolkienesque names.

So don't make the poor GM carve house rules in stone for these little
things, just ask for a game with a pre-game agreement to which all
players must commit.

For one game it might say:
No victory by the One Ring
Team concession my majority vote
Neutrals may not declare after turn 15
All character and location names must attempt to be Tolkienesque

(And before someone comments, pre-game agreements are gentleman's
agreements. It is not feasible for them to be enforceable. Just don't
play again with someone who lets you down)

Regards,

Laurence G. Tilley http://www.lgtilley.freeserve.co.uk/

···

Aaruman <aaruman@orions.net> wrote

But they don't necessarily add to the enjoyment of the game. That's the point.
Many
of us get into the "Tolkien Spirit" of the game, and even role play somewhat.
Some
people actually write up short stories based on the games they're in, and spread
them
around to their team mates, or even this list. "Moose", "Squirrel", or "Killer
Dood"
pretty much shatter the whole "Tolkien Spirit", and make the game less enjoyable
for
many people.