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Author Topic: 70's & 80's Rules Clarifications  (Read 2971 times)

bbmike

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on: July 22, 2023, 07:25:31 PM
Just curious, what did you do in the pre-Internet era if you had a question on a wargame rule(s)? Nowadays, a thorough search/inquiry on BGG or ConsimWorld is usually good enough, but what was your solution before they existed? Did you mail the publisher? Phone a friend?

For me, I just my own decision or if I was playing with someone, a joint decision, and then continued on. 

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Barthheart

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Reply #1 on: July 22, 2023, 10:06:59 PM
Quote from: bbmike on July 22, 2023, 07:25:31 PM
...
For me, I just my own decision or if I was playing with someone, a joint decision, and then continued on.

This mostly.
I did use the AH General as a source for answers as well.

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Undercovergeek

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Reply #2 on: July 23, 2023, 04:32:39 AM
Definitely an agreement between the 2

Probably massively wrong and way off intended outcome but as long as the 2 of you agreed no harm done


bob48

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Reply #3 on: July 23, 2023, 05:43:59 AM
Mainly as you say, use your own judgement, and also various mags such as S&T, The Phoenix, Moves and so on.

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Sir Slash

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Reply #4 on: July 23, 2023, 04:12:25 PM
I usually just kicked the table hard to knock all the pieces over. Not recommended if your Mother was icing a cake at the other end.  :biggrin:   Otherwise, same as above.

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bbmike

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Reply #5 on: July 23, 2023, 05:10:19 PM
Did anyone here actually ever go so far as to send a letter to the publisher and ask for clarification on rule? I do remember subscribing to Amarillo Design Bureau's Nexus magazine back in '82 to get Star Fleet Battles errata (and other information).

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bob48

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Reply #6 on: July 23, 2023, 05:29:18 PM
No, I can't ever remember doing that.

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besilarius

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Reply #7 on: July 23, 2023, 06:10:19 PM
At Avalon Hill, Tom Shaw was the office everything.  He did The General, designed games, marketing, shippimg, etc.  You could write to get an answer and he actually sent a teply.  However, he sometimes got confused and mixed up games.
Anzio and Afrika Korps both had supply counters and forts (Tobruk and Benghazi in AK.  In Anzio you built them.). We asked about the release of German units in north Italy and he made some answer about 21 panzer.  There was no 21 panzer in Anzio.  We finally figured out he was thinking of Afrika Korps.

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bayonetbrant

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Reply #8 on: July 23, 2023, 06:50:21 PM
We had a hard time getting copies of The General or S&T over in Germany, but we could get Dragon Magazine with no problem, so we found RPG rules clarifications a lot easier than wargame ones.

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Barthheart

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Reply #9 on: July 23, 2023, 07:07:27 PM
Quote from: bbmike on July 23, 2023, 05:10:19 PM
Did anyone here actually ever go so far as to send a letter to the publisher and ask for clarification on rule? I do remember subscribing to Amarillo Design Bureau's Nexus magazine back in '82 to get Star Fleet Battles errata (and other information).
Nope I never wrote in.

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