Hello Everyone
5/5 Note Clint will be out of the office a lot over the coming weeks due to
the birth of his son, Taliesin Joseff Paul. He'll be dealing with bits and
pieces as time allows. Please be patient. 
Thanks to all those that
have sent in congratulations - very much appreciated. This means that late
night replies etc will no longer available for a short period.
5/5
UK Game: Cardiff game FTF game July26 (Fri) - 28th (Sun) 24 confirmed (plus
2 standby GMs).
US Game: Now cancelled - we'll try to get something else sorted - maybe a
cross-atlantic challenge match? If you are interested then please get in
touch.
27/4 May 29th is the new date (provisional on MEOW being up and running) of
the new charging system.
Turn costs then will be:
Automagic or MEOW turns: �3.90/US$5.80/AU$9.90
Non-automagic/MEOW turns: �4.50/$6.90/AU$12.50
(we'll charge Automagic turns at the rate above regardless if there are
problems from the incorrect formatting by players for a short period until
we feel that enough time has elapsed - not sure how long that is yet).
Updates of Automagic should reduce in quantity - thanks for sticking with
it.
We are using our automated MAIN program on certain games for which we get
enough Automagic turns per game to make it worth using it. At present we are
inputting by hand many of the automagic orders - around 15% of players are
using Automagic now. We expect that when we release MEOW, it will also be
quite popular and eventually we should be able to use MAIN on most to all
games.
The following new games are filling up.
Waiting List: When I get all 25 nations into the game I will allocate you
your choice of nation from the list of nations that you have sent me -
please send multiple nation choices.
Upto 2 nation game: You can play one or two Aligned nations, or one Neutral
nation.
Bofa: [Game 4] 2wk turnaround game - Veteran or Beginners game - (Vet: ALL
1650 orders available): All nations available.
1650 [Game 134] 1wk: Waiting List, Upto 2 nation game. 16 nations taken.
Last Alliance [Game 145]: Send me a list of 5 nations. Upto 2 nation game.
Ask for details. 21 nations taken so far. Waiting List.
1650 2wk [Game 33]: 3-5, 12, 13, 16-18, 24, 25 available plus 1 FP or Neut)
2950 2wk [Game 235]: Email game. Waiting List. 18 Nations taken.
1000 2wk [Game 147]: We have 10DS 1FP and 2 Neutrals taken so far. No more
DS needed the rest FP and Neutrals please. The game is provisionally a
Normal one but we'll be in touch when we get to 25 if there are clashes of
interest (as per norm).
Note please ask for variant games we can try to get you opposition for them
if you are interested - mostly Grudge teams though - if I get 10 players for
any single type of game then I will put it up for general availability below
and push it;
Grudge Games we need opposition for:
2950: None, GM team (12)
1000: None
1650: Tommy (2wk), Mike B (1wk), GM team (12), Ulrik (12)
Last Alliance: Marcus C team of 12
WoTR: None
World Championship team - Braz, Scan, UK2, UK1
I have drop-outs available - don't forget you get a free turn for taking
these up...
E [Early] = 0-10 turn, M (Midgame]= 11-20, L [Late game] = 21+ [A= Aligned
if a Neutral, N= not aligned if a Neutral, P = Postal and Email game, 1w =
1week game, 3w = 3week game]
Bofa: Veteran (NM - e)
1000: None
2950: NGon (l - p), SGon (l-p), Fire Quiet (e - P), (e - P), Long (e - P),
1650: N Gondor (e - 1w), S Gondor (e - 1w), Noldo (e - 1w), Duns (e),
Thanks
Clint
Check out our Message Board: www.PbmForum.com and the "mepbmlist" via
http://www.yahoogroups.com (or via the webpage)
Not long ago Battle Of the Five Armies game 7 finished. The result was a not
so resounding draw, we think. I played the Dwarves, Bernd Luhrsen the Elves
and Scott Latham the Northmen.
Looking at the way things stood at the beginning I felt a little isolated
and needed to form a strategy. One that to be effective would have to be
adhered to religiously. The one thing I didn't want to do was waste orders
and send my initial forces out into the wilds and end up being nowhere.
Besides if the Gobbos attacked my homeland then I'd be up the Khyber.
So, I plumped for the offensive. Take the fight to the enemy and let him
worry about what we were going to do. After a stop off to recruit the great
army of Dain II marched towards Goblinia, that place where gobbos are, to
kick some right royal a**. With nearly 4000 troops nothing was going to stop
this steamroller. The other characters had made the trip form Lonely
Mountain and would start recruiting some troops to replace the inevitable
losses. The Dwarven economy is brilliant having all fortified pop.centres so
no downgrades despite high taxes. A massive 5-6000 tropps can be sustained
in the field at one time. The Gobbos had a few pitiful armies guarding their
Major Towns but as I knew they weren't enough. Bolg's army was overrun as a
second army a few turns later with over 2000 troops came up to support. A
free VC thank you very much.
We eventually had armies numbering 4500 troops on the Gobbo capital. After
this there would be only one left. Buggre haven't got enough gold to buy 2
turns worth of food. So the Gobbos ended with 1 MT at the end and he
shouldn't have. Who's a lucky little smelly greenskin then? The village next
to that certain MT was taken by the Northmen. I said he could but I changed
my mind the turn after, see even omnipotent ones such as I make mistakes.
All in all though it was a hard fight and a great game. I'd like to extend
my thanks to Bernd and Scott for being staunch allies. Well done to the DS
for a game well played. Once I've figured out which nation I want next I'll
be playing again.
Alan J.
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     Middle Earth Games
Mailto: me@MiddleEarthGames.com
Website: www.MiddleEarthGames.com
UK: Office A, 340 North Road, Cardiff CF14 3BP, UK
USA: PO Box 280, Medford, OR 97501-0019, USA
Aus: PBM Enterprises, PO Box 278, Emerald Victoria, Australia 3782
Phone times: 10am-6.30pm UK time (BST - British Standard Time); 5am-1.30pm
(EST)
UK: 029 2091 3359/ (029 2062-5665 can be used if the other is engaged) [Dial
Code: 011 44 2920. for US players]
UK Fax: 029 2062 5532
US: Phone & Fax: 541-772-7872 (10-5pm weekdays) (fax24hrs)
Aus: Phone & Fax: +61 3 5968-5652
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