DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER
Date : 04/29/2008 Duedate: 05/26/2008
THE STOMPING GROUNDS ARENA
DM-20 TURN-430
This Weeks Top Honors
THE DUELMASTER IS
POSITION IS EMPTY
Chartered Recognition LeaderUnchartered Recognition Leader
POSITION IS EMPTY POSITION IS EMPTY
Popularity Leader This Weeks Favorite
FLAILS HERE FLAILS HERE
GO TO FLAIL (372) GO TO FLAIL (372)
(20-3763) [1-0-0,8] (20-3763) [1-0-0,8]
THE CURRENT TOP TEAM
MAUL RATS (360)
TEAMS ON THE MOVE TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name Point Gain Chartered Team
1. BASH 4 CASH (355) 36
2. MAUL RATS (360) 35 MIDDLE WAY 17 (354)
3. PLATONIC SOLIDS (370) 33 Unchartered Team
4. MAUL MASHING ORCS (376) 32
5. CLUB CLUB (365) 27 MAUL RATS (360)
The Top Teams
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
1/ 0*MAUL RATS (360) 5 0 0 100 1/ 0*MAUL RATS (360) 5 0 0
2/ 0*MAUL MASHING ORCS (376) 4 1 1 80.0 2/ 0*MAUL MASHING ORCS (376) 4 1 1
3/ 0*BASH 4 CASH (355) 4 1 0 80.0 3/ 0*BASH 4 CASH (355) 4 1 0
4/ 0*PLATONIC SOLIDS (370) 4 1 0 80.0 4/ 0*PLATONIC SOLIDS (370) 4 1 0
5/ 0*GO TO FLAIL (372) 3 2 1 60.0 5- 0 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99) 4 4 0
6/ 0*BABA BABA (356) 3 2 0 60.0 6/ 0*GO TO FLAIL (372) 3 2 1
7/ 0*CLUB CLUB (365) 3 2 0 60.0 7/ 0*BABA BABA (356) 3 2 0
8/ 0*MARTILYO BASHERS (362) 2 2 0 50.0 8/ 0*CLUB CLUB (365) 3 2 0
9- 0 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99) 156 229 5 40.5 9/ 0*MARTILYO BASHERS (362) 2 2 0
10/ 0*THE TALLYWACKERS (358) 2 3 1 40.0 10/ 0*THE TALLYWACKERS (358) 2 3 1
11/ 0*THE BEATNIKS (364) 2 3 0 40.0 11/ 0*ABATTOIR BASHERS (363) 2 3 0
12/ 0*I CRUSH UR HEAD (361) 2 3 0 40.0 12/ 0*THE BEATNIKS (364) 2 3 0
13/ 0*ABATTOIR BASHERS (363) 2 3 0 40.0 13/ 0*I CRUSH UR HEAD (361) 2 3 0
14/ 0*BASHTARDS (367) 2 3 0 40.0 14/ 0*BASHTARDS (367) 2 3 0
15/ 0*DUNGEON CELL BA (368) 2 3 0 40.0 15/ 0*DUNGEON CELL BA (368) 2 3 0
16/ 0*DEMOLITION (359) 1 4 0 20.0 16/ 0*JGW PERISHABLE (366) 1 4 0
17/ 0*NUMBSKULLS (375) 1 4 0 20.0 17/ 0*DEMOLITION (359) 1 4 0
18/ 0*JGW PERISHABLE (366) 1 4 0 20.0 18/ 0*MY OTHER CAR (373) 1 4 0
19/ 0*MY OTHER CAR (373) 1 4 0 20.0 19/ 0*NUMBSKULLS (375) 1 4 0
20/ 0*DAMOONS (374) 0 5 0 0.0 20/ 0*DAMOONS (374) 0 5 0
'*' Unchartered team '-' Team did not fight this turn
Career Win-Loss Record W L K % Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns W L K
(###) Avoid teams by their Team Id ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank
TEAM SPOTLIGHT
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
Fear us! For we are BAba BAba, the fiercest, meanest, ugliest, most dangerous
bashmasters in the land. We will stomp you into the sands. We will smash your life
away with no remorse. We will refrain from nothing and will decimate all before us.
Beware the might of BAba BAba.
We pledge to rid this Stomping Grounds of all insignificant bash dung, and will
only be satisfied when it is ours alone. Fear BAba BAba, for we are:
BAnish
BAnkroll
BAckwards
BAby
BAmboozle
There shall be no give and no mercy. The infirmary will collect your corpses.
Say your prayers before meeting us, for that will be your last act. This we pledge.
This we will enact with the power and might with which we were born.
There are no friends. There are only enemies. Perhaps your only savior is
through jail and a hefty donation to our manager, BAiliff. But, then, he too, may
show no mercy, for we are the elimination machine known as BAba BAba.
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
The Stomping Grounds
In olden times, arenas attracted every local field hand and black smith who
could swing a hammer in hopes of bringing home dinner for the night. Matches were
more like brawls with wildly swung weapons and victors declared before fans had even
taken their seats. There was no art to the action, only two starving wolves pouncing
at first sight.
Gradually the sport became more lucrative and managers who had honed their
fighting and training skills began to travel to other cities with their teachings.
As city after city adapted the latest dueling techniques, those who couldn't afford
to train with the more sophisticated managers and accoutrements were forced to make
due with their crude weapons and unrefined fighting style. Sadly, the local bashers
were reduced to opening acts at their hometown matches, while elite warriors trained
in the art of lunging, striking and endurance were saved for top billing. Every once
in awhile a basher would surprise the crowd, but once they left for the bigger cities
or the professional tourneys, they were never heard from again.
While bashing matches declined in most arenas, the brutal ballet continued in
back alleys and basements as an underground blood sport. The gladiator commission
gradually became aware of the growing trend and knew that every unsanctioned brawl
was a gold coin out of their pocket. It was then proposed that they round up these
rogues and start hosting bashing exhibitions. To dissuade the land's more finesse-
oriented fighters from signing up and stealing the show, Shewish bouncers were hired
to "discourage" any seemingly aristocratic warriors from entering the arena. All
they had to do was swarm any dandies toting an epee or scimitar. Tea flasks, book
bags and monk robes were also red flags.
The commission knew that building a new arena for a bunch of thugs to pummel
each other would be a costly and risky venture, so they opted to breathe new life
into Seam. The decrepit stadium had more cracks than an eggshell smashed with a
maul, but it captured the no holds barred atmosphere of the impending fights.
When the announcement was made across the map, homeless hoods and hooligans from
Mordanti to Aradi grabbed their hammers and pipes and headed to the new arena for
people like them, or rather disliked people, just like them. But it was no longer
Seam. Instead, scrawled with a fresh coat of blood above the grand entrance it read,
"Stomping Grouns." Apparently, whoever wrote it couldn't spell, but it didn't really
matter since the warriors filing in probably couldn't read.
* }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ * }%|[-----+O+-----]|%{ *
Profile of a Style
Bashers
I make no claims to being exhaustive in this study of Bashers. There are
managers who know more about the style, managers who have better Bashers, managers
whose Bashers win more consistently. But this is a place to start.
I have the details of twenty-eight immortal Bashers under my hand here, Bashers
who, good, bad, or indifferent, survived long enough to graduate and discover their
favorites. In those favorites lie clues to how the Gladiatorial Commission expects
Bashers to operate. This does not mean that Bashers HAVE to operate that way, and it
can be fun to force a style to do the unexpected and take everyone by surprise, but
this could be said to be "what comes naturally."
Favorite weapons. You will find that only weapons that may be received as
favorites are ever described as "well-suited" to the style. For instance, an epee
never occurs as a favorite weapon for a Basher, and any Basher who uses one will find
he "is unsuited to his weapon" or "uses this weapon in an unorthodox style" at the
top of his fight report. There is little, if anything (well, okay, surprise), to be
gained from using a weapon unsuited to the style in question.
The eleven weapons suited to use by Bashers, and the minimum stats required for
their best use (information courtesy of Pagan's Enchiridion), are:
Greataxe ST 13 SZ 5 WT 9 DF 11
Greatsword ST 15 SZ 9 WT 9 DF 11
Halberd ST 17 SZ 9 WT 9 DF 9
Large Shield ST 11 SZ 7 WT 5 DF 5
Mace ST 13 SZ any WT 3 DF 5
Maul ST 15 SZ 9 WT 5 DF 7
Medium Shield ST 9 SZ any WT 5 DF 5
Morningstar ST 13 SZ any WT 7 DF 13
Quarterstaff ST 11 SZ 9 WT 11 DF 11
Warflail ST 11 SZ any WT 7 DF 5
Warhammer ST 13 SZ any WT 5 DF 7
Assurnasirbanapal offers the following alternate requirements for some of these
weapons:
Halberd ST 17 SZ 9 WT 9 DF 11
Large Shield ST 11 SZ 7 WT 3 DF 5
(not sure about size, but I believe wit is 3)
Morningstar ST 13 SZ any WT 7 DF 11
Warflail ST 11 SZ any WT 5 DF 5
(I can see that some warriors in my future are going to have to test these weapons.)
Study this chart, and never make a Basher who doesn't have the stats to use at
least one of the weapons well! I've made the mistake more than once (and more than
once done it deliberately, but then, I'm perverse) of creating a warrior who is
unable to use well any weapon to which his style is suited. This is enormously
frustrating. Take my advice and DON'T DO IT.
You may notice that the Fist is not listed as a weapon suited to the Bashing
attack. This is an example--one of the most glaring ones--of the fact that sometimes
intuition and real-world experience are "not well suited" to Duelmasters.
Two weapons not listed on this chart are the Broadsword and the Battleaxe. If
you arm a Basher with one of these weapons, the fight report will inform you that
your warrior is not well suited to the weapon or uses it in a marginally effective
manner. A manager I consulted informs me that he has had good results anyway with
the Broadsword and is still experimenting with the Battleaxe. So you CAN ignore the
weapon suitability chart above, though I would not recommend doing it until you have
enough experience to know what risks you're taking. And don't do it with a warrior
who adds the disadvantage of having inappropriate stats for the weapon to the
disadvantage of unsuited style.
As you can see from this list, the most important stat for a Basher, from the
standpoint of weapon use, is Strength. A Basher who is dumb and on the clumsy side
will find weapons he can use appropriately, provided he has the strength to lift
them. This has led to the creation of a lot of dumb, clumsy Bashers. My own
personal feeling--and I've run a lot of these depressing warriors--is that a dumb,
clumsy Basher is doomed in the long run. And often very boring, as well. Boring is
even worse than doomed.
My immortal Bashers, their relevant stats, and their favorite weapons:
Madoc ST 11 SZ 11 WT 13 DF 9 Mace
Wanda the Blonda ST 17 SZ 8 WT 9 DF 15 Warflail
Kenda Teegue ST 19 SZ 7 WT 11 DF 11 Greatsword
Al Kore ST 13 SZ 14 WT 11 DF 13 Quarterstaff
Broken Nose ST 17 SZ 18 WT 11 DF 9 Quarterstaff
Hogar ST 13 SZ 13 WT 21 DF 7 Maul
Ski Mask ST 13 SZ 15 WT 15 DF 9 Maul
Crabby Appleton ST 19 SZ 11 WT 13 DF 6 Warflail
Lissette ST 14 SZ 9 WT 11 DF 15 Greataxe
Velendeis ST 9 SZ 14 WT 13 DF 7 Maul
Hoftalj ST 21 SZ 14 WT 11 DF 7 Mace
Cadal ST 14 SZ 15 WT 15 DF 11 Mace
Caramella ST 13 SZ 13 WT 14 DF 11 Quarterstaff
Lulu ST 17 SZ 11 WT 15 DF 9 Morningstar
Franklin ST 15 SZ 6 WT 5 DF 17 Morningstar
Bam Bam ST 13 SZ 14 WT 11 DF 9 Medium Shield
Dune ST 19 SZ 17 WT 4 DF 3 Halberd
Old Maid ST 17 SZ 7 WT 15 DF 11 Halberd
Pelis the True ST 13 SZ 9 WT 11 DF 15 Large Shield
Joe ST 15 SZ 10 WT 15 DF 13 Medium Shield
Claudius ST 19 SZ 13 WT 10 DF 7 Quarterstaff
Ekkar ST 17 SZ 15 WT 13 DF 7 Mace
Jomon ST 11 SZ 17 WT 11 DF 15 Greatsword
Dijanna ST 17 SZ 12 WT 17 DF 7 Mace
Khora the Small ST 15 SZ 9 WT 17 DF 11 Warhammer
Sweet Jorja ST 13 SZ 13 WT 15 DF 7 Quarterstaff
Tarok ST 7 SZ 18 WT 11 DF 9 Warflail
Kelan ten Salth ST 14 SZ 15 WT 17 DF 11 Greatsword
You will notice that some of these warriors did not have the initial stats to
use their favorite weapon efficiently. That's a little trick the Commission plays on
us to keep us from getting too cocky. Only one of them (Tarok) was initially unable
to use ANY of the bashing weapons well, and I trained up his strength early in his
career. My personal favorites among the bashing weapons are the warhammer, the mace,
and if the warrior has the wit for it, the quarterstaff, as these seem to me to
produce the most interesting fights. If I'm going to train a warrior as a Basher, I
try to make him able to use one or another of those weapons; it saves me a lot of
stress.
Which brings up the question of Basher design. In almost all cases, the advice
routinely given is to put the points on WT, WL, and DF in preference to other stats.
But to use any of the weapons listed above, the warrior DOES NOT NEED a WT of more
than 11, and depending on which version of the stats for Morningstar you accept, he
doesn't need more than 11 or 13 in DF. Do not put points on these stats beyond the
necessary.
ST: A Basher needs strength, and lots of it--who wants a Basher who "does
little damage"? Besides, he needs a minimum strength of 9 for the least of his
weapons, and that's a medium shield. Who wants to send a Basher out with a medium
shield? Pile 'em on here.
CN: No. A Basher wins by attacking, not defending. He should be keeping his
opponent too busy to fight back, and he should not have to worry about his hit
points. Generally speaking, go with whatever you've been given on the roll-up. The
time to experiment with the creation of a Scum Basher is later, after you have more
experience.
SZ: You can't do anything about this, but a large size is not such a handicap
for a Basher as for some of the more finicky styles. And it will increase the damage
he can do--a Basher is all about doing damage.
WT: No more than is needed for the weapon you've chosen. If you have extra
points after satisfying other requirements, sure, go ahead and put them on wit, but
you can get a decent learning rate with a wit of 11 so why waste the points here?
Besides, if he survives long enough, you can train up more wit later.
WL: I would always put points on will (unless it was 17+ already), but for me,
that's reflex, not conscious planning. In theory, a Basher wins fights fast by
attacking all out, and so he doesn't need will for the stick-to-it effect. But
then... if he's a good Basher, wins a lot, graduates, and you want to keep on running
him, a high will does make it easier to train up stats once you get around to it.
SP: I don't really have a feel for the effects of high or low speed on ANY
style. I would cautiously suggest that if you can get the speed into the moderate
range (8-12?) without sacrificing anything important, then do it. But if you can't,
then don't.
DF: Enough to use the weapon of choice, or perhaps two or three weapons for
variety. No more.
And a note on armor: A Basher should NOT be loaded down with heavy armor. He
isn't supposed to get hit, so what does he need that armor FOR?
Favorite rhythms. Sometimes it's expedient to ignore a warrior's favorite
rhythm, once you know it, but it does give you a guideline for running the style.
Rhythm is given as Very High or VH (10-9), High or H (8-7), Moderate or M (6-5), Low
or L (4-3), and Very Low or VL (2-1), for Offensive Effort first, and then for
Activity Level. For the warriors listed above, the favorite rhythms are:
H/VL H/L H/L H/M VH/M VH/L M/L M/VL H/VL H/VL VH/VL M/VL
H/VL H/L H/L VH/VL VH/VL VH/VL H/L M/L VH/M VH/VL VH/VL H/L
H/VL H/L VH/M H/M.
You'll notice that there is no Offensive Effort lower than Moderate, and no
Activity Level higher than Moderate, and that Offensive Effort is usually at least
two steps higher than Activity Level. Not always--some of those listed above are
only one step apart, and another manager tells me that he has some Bashers with
favorite rhythms of Moderate/Moderate. But from the sample I have, it seems that
Bashers favor a higher Offensive Effort than Activity Level, often considerably
higher. While you may not always want to run a Basher this way, it appears that
nature and the Gladiatorial Commission intended them to run very offensively. With a
newly entered Basher, this kind of speed is a place to start. Once you get a feel
for the warrior in question and for his likely opponents, you can tinker with the
numbers for the ideal strategy. But be warned that running so offensively, the
average Basher won't be able to keep going for long! Especially, he won't be able to
go for long with a heavy weapon (one requiring more ST to handle) and heavy armor.
When I think of the Bashers I have seen come out in Plate and struggle to last a
single minute at high speed, I could weep. High speed burns endurance. Bashers go
out to win fast, or they become easy prey for a slower-paced, more deliberate
warrior.
Of course, sometimes you'll run up against a Basher who ignores the stereotype,
the so-called "Scum Basher." He differs from most of his kind by having a high
endurance which allows his manager to run him slowly and take people by surprise.
But this warrior is a freak. I distrust freakish warrior designs as a matter of
principle.
There is no evidence to support the hypothesis that warriors have a favorite
Kill Desire.
There is no convincing evidence to support the hypothesis that warriors or
styles have a favorite attack location. Managers have argued that the nature of the
bashing attack lends itself to overhead blows to the head and upper body. However, I
suspect that this is one of those intuitive things which turn out not to work, just
as one would intuitively expect a Basher to do well with his fists, and he does not.
Some managers have pointed out that a Basher aiming at the head tends to end his
fight quickly. ANY style striking the head tends to end the fight quickly.
(Consistently aiming at the head will increase the chance of killing, which will, in
the long run, decrease the chance of your Basher's survival. Managers bloodfeud
dedicated killers with hostile intent.) I consider this a case of "Not Proven."
Favorite Tactics. Of the twenty-eight Bashers listed above, only eight had
favorite tactics. Two favored the offensive tactic of Decisiveness, and the rest
favored the offensive tactic of Bash. It seems reasonable to assume that the
offensive tactics of Lunge and Slash are inappropriate for a Basher. (Of course, you
can't always count on reason here, but....) There were no defensive tactics favored
(granted, this is not a large sampling of warriors), which suggests that they should
be used sparingly, if at all--a Basher is a purely offensive style.
Proceeding from the general to the specific, here's a basher who had a very
unpromising beginning--
Profile of a Gladiator
Turo the Brick
Lord Protector and Pain in the Rear
Turo, a seven-foot Troll, just graduated from Lin Tirian, my own home arena, at
16-44-2, 94. He's a basher. And I suspect that most other managers would have sent
him straight to the Dark Arena.
At graduation, he is 11(2)-9-20-6(2)-17(2)-10-17.
According to his overview, even after those stat raises, he
Is not very bright
The more subtle points of the riposte simply escape him, which I could have
told anyone right off
Stands around making himself a target, which we noticed
Cannot carry a lot of weight in weapons and armor (that low ST)
Is slow on his feet (Does size have an effect here?)
Can do tremendous damage with a blow (mostly SZ, I suspect)
Turo is "naturally adept" with a maul (well, okay, he's probably pulled up a few
trees and swung 'em around to bat at pesky people), favors a rhythm of very high/low,
and has an innate ability to use the bash tactic. None of this comes as a great
surprise--it fits his character. He's aggressive by nature (definitely) and most
readily learns initiative skills. (Doesn't that require BRAINS?) Ah, well. I've
been running him lately as follows:
Mace, backup war hammer, offhand medium shield, plate mail and a full helm.
9 8 7 6 7 8 10
3 2 1 1 1 1 1
8 8 7 8 7 8 10 which I wouldn't swear is the strategy I sent in
for him originally, but it is what he's using. Attacking right arm, protecting head,
no tactics. Maybe this was based on something another manager suggested to me.
He graduated with no ratings at all. Yes, really.
Obviously, he's not anybody's ideal warrior, but he's been surprisingly fun to
read. And it seems at least possible that if I'd paid more attention to his
strategies, issued challenges and avoids, he might have taken a better record out of
the arena. He is headed for retirement, obviously. I think he has some idea of
going back to his home in the foothills of the Khriatrin Mountains and terrorizing
his kin.
And another example of a basher, a much more successful one:
Khora the Small
Lady Protector
Contender for the Throne in Lirin Kiv (ADM 107)
Basher
I don't have her graduation overview here, as that was a long time ago. But she
started as 15-12-9-17-11-9-11. Now, after years of fighting, maxed on skills and
training stats, she is 25-12-9-17-17-13-16. Her record at the present is 94-129-3,
and despite doing devastating damage, being incredibly quick and elusive, and having
an Advanced Master rating in attack and Masters in all the other skills, she is still
not woman enough to take the throne in this smallest of the Advanced Duelmasters
regions. Her favorite weapon is the war hammer, her favorite rhythm high offensive
effort and very low activity level, which are good favorites. So why isn't she
Duelmistress, or as it is called in Lirin Kiv, Champion of the Horn? Because there's
an even better basher up there already. Her most serious problem is that low CN, I
think. Maybe she should train that up....
Here's their most recent fight, a short one, so I'll give it to you in full--
Phetmolge is 8' tall, right-handed, fights with no armor or helm, carries a war
hammer and a large shield, to which he is well suited.
Khora is 5'7" tall, ambidextrous, in leather armor and a helm, carrying a war
hammer and an off-hand war hammer, to which she, too, is well-suited. Khora is
running 8 4 7 RA BD no tactics; about Phetmolge we can only guess.
Both warriors move with snake-like speed around each other.
The weapons lock together in a test of strength.
Phetmolge is moving constantly without pause!
He sweeps his large shield in a sudden unexpected assault!
A spectator exclaims, "Brilliant!" Phetmolge smiles briefly.
Khora parries the blow with her war hammer.
She disengages her foe's weapon arm and tries to steal the initiative!
She makes a lightning-quick backhand smash with her war hammer!
Phetmolge is struck in the belly.
Khora says admiringly (this is irony), "How much damage can you take, anyway?"
(Lots. Lots and lots. More than she can, anyway.)
She launches a brilliant attack with her war hammer.
Phetmolge stops the blow with his large shield.
He sidesteps, trying to throw his opponent off balance.
He launches a brilliant attack with his war hammer!
Khora is hit on the right hip!
It is a tremendous blow!
Khora winces, obviously feeling great pain.
She mutters a desperate prayer and is stopped by the herald.
She is determined to become top basher in Lirin Kiv and will keep fighting
until she is Inducted into Primus.
Jorja
The Middle Way
SPY REPORT
Good day, friends and fiends, welcome to your friendly neighborhood spyreport.
I doubt THE STOMPING GROUNDS will ever be the same. It seems the training can make
the difference, as ANIMAL FARM is pushed out of top team by MAUL RATS, who came from
0th with a 5-0-0 this turn. On their very first turn, BASH 4 CASH had a 4-1-0, and
with this kind of luck or skill, should do well. Welcome to THE STOMPING GROUNDS.
On their very first turn, MAUL RATS had a 5-0-0, and with this kind of luck or skill,
should do well. Welcome to THE STOMPING GROUNDS. On their very first turn, PLATONIC
SOLIDS had a 4-1-0, and with this kind of luck or skill, should do well. Welcome to
THE STOMPING GROUNDS. On their very first turn, MAUL MASHING ORCS had a 4-1-1, and
with this kind of luck or skill, should do well. Welcome to THE STOMPING GROUNDS.
And let's see, BASHFUL BEHEMOTH fought BABY and gained 11 points and contributed to
MAUL MASHING ORCS' 4-1-1. Due to hers absence and inability to defend the throne,
LINSY has lost the title of Duelmaster. Tell me, is nothing sacred? I have heard
from unimpeachable sources that The Victory Tavern uses trolls in their stew. Talk
about gristle!
He who challenges well, fights well. He who avoids without cause, shall lose
for good reasons. My mama told me that one.
A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man only once. Wise men know this to
be true. A brave warrior does not carry a red shield, he has nothing to cover or
hide when the fight is over. Consider well.
Remember, blood on the purple robe does not change it from a purple robe. Dare
to fight bravely. Always good to rest in THE STOMPING GROUNDS, but never good to
wear out my welcome. Look for me in future turns. Until you see my quill in THE
STOMPING GROUNDS again, farewell-- Alarond the Scribe
CHAMPIONS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-LINSY 3577 16 16 0 84 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99)
ADEPTS W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-BLACK MONDAY 3630 7 4 1 53 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
-SUNDAE DRIVER 3643 5 3 0 19 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99)
-FEATHERSTONE 3645 2 3 0 13 WEEKEND WARRIORS (99)
BASHFUL BEHEMOTH 3782 1 0 1 11 MAUL MASHING ORCS (376)
DRUNKEN FLAILER 3710 1 0 0 11 I CRUSH UR HEAD (361)
CHILLY ARSONIST 3743 1 0 0 11 DUNGEON CELL BA (368)
MAUL OF AMERICA 3727 1 0 0 10 CLUB CLUB (365)
MAULARIA 3702 1 0 0 10 MAUL RATS (360)
BRUISER 3779 1 0 0 10 NUMBSKULLS (375)
APPLES 3732 1 0 0 10 JGW PERISHABLE (366)
MR. MACE 3678 1 0 0 10 BASH 4 CASH (355)
BASHMORE FACE 3679 1 0 0 10 BASH 4 CASH (355)
HUGO SQUISH 3729 1 0 0 10 CLUB CLUB (365)
Q.T. PIE 3681 1 0 0 10 BASH 4 CASH (355)
TETRAHEDRON 3752 1 0 0 10 PLATONIC SOLIDS (370)
ICOSAHEDRON 3756 1 0 0 10 PLATONIC SOLIDS (370)
I SEE DEAD PEOPLE 3705 1 0 0 10 MAUL RATS (360)
MASTER BASHER 3709 1 0 0 10 I CRUSH UR HEAD (361)
BASH TARDIGAN 3741 1 0 0 10 BASHTARDS (367)
FLAILS HERE 3763 1 0 0 8 GO TO FLAIL (372)
HOLY FLAIL 3765 1 0 1 7 GO TO FLAIL (372)
MAULBEARER 3693 1 0 1 6 THE TALLYWACKERS (358)
SCREAMING BASHER 3721 1 0 0 6 ABATTOIR BASHERS (363)
WHAT THE FLAIL 3764 1 0 0 6 GO TO FLAIL (372)
TIMBANGAN BASHER 3712 1 0 0 6 MARTILYO BASHERS (362)
BAMBOOZLE 3683 1 0 0 6 BABA BABA (356)
BEND 3701 1 0 0 6 DEMOLITION (359)
TIGER 3694 1 0 0 6 THE TALLYWACKERS (358)
SMASHING SUCCESS 3784 1 0 0 6 MAUL MASHING ORCS (376)
MERCENARY BASHER 3718 1 0 0 6 ABATTOIR BASHERS (363)
HINAGIBAN BASHER 3715 1 0 0 6 MARTILYO BASHERS (362)
BONGO JOE 3722 1 0 0 6 THE BEATNIKS (364)
BRAWNTOSAURUS 3704 1 0 0 6 MAUL RATS (360)
TEACUP THUMPER 3783 1 0 0 6 MAUL MASHING ORCS (376)
BANKROLL 3685 1 0 0 6 BABA BABA (356)
NARCOLEPTIC GUARD 3746 1 0 0 6 DUNGEON CELL BA (368)
DODECAHEDRON 3755 1 0 0 6 PLATONIC SOLIDS (370)
OCTAHEDRON 3754 1 0 0 6 PLATONIC SOLIDS (370)
HAM FIST 3731 1 0 0 5 CLUB CLUB (365)
TWINKIE CREAM 3739 1 0 0 5 BASHTARDS (367)
DEATH FROM ABOVE 3680 1 0 0 5 BASH 4 CASH (355)
TROLLDOZER 3703 1 0 0 5 MAUL RATS (360)
CRUSHED CUTICLE 3785 1 0 0 5 MAUL MASHING ORCS (376)
BACKWARDS 3684 1 0 0 5 BABA BABA (356)
NAKED LUNCH 3723 1 0 0 5 THE BEATNIKS (364)
ZAMBONI 3770 1 0 0 5 MY OTHER CAR (373)
MAUL POX 3706 1 0 0 4 MAUL RATS (360)
FRUIT BRUTE 3728 0 1 0 1 CLUB CLUB (365)
IMUS BREAKU 3730 0 1 0 1 CLUB CLUB (365)
SON OF A BASHER 3711 0 1 0 1 I CRUSH UR HEAD (361)
CRIPPLER 3695 0 1 0 1 THE TALLYWACKERS (358)
KIWI FRUIT 3736 0 1 0 1 JGW PERISHABLE (366)
BANISH 3682 0 1 0 1 BABA BABA (356)
TINGKAGOL BASHER 3713 0 1 0 1 MARTILYO BASHERS (362)
JACK KEROWHACK JR 3725 0 1 0 1 THE BEATNIKS (364)
NOBBY 3737 0 1 0 1 BASHTARDS (367)
STOP! HAMMER TIME 3708 0 1 0 1 I CRUSH UR HEAD (361)
CLUMSY BARBER 3742 0 1 0 1 DUNGEON CELL BA (368)
INITIATES W L K POINTS TEAM NAME
RING MY FLAIL 3766 0 1 0 1 GO TO FLAIL (372)
BASORAHAN BASHER 3714 0 1 0 1 MARTILYO BASHERS (362)
BIG WHOMPER 3677 0 1 0 1 BASH 4 CASH (355)
FLAILING AROUND 3762 0 1 0 1 GO TO FLAIL (372)
HAM BURGLAR 3744 0 1 0 1 DUNGEON CELL BA (368)
SUPER BEEFCAKE 3738 0 1 0 1 BASHTARDS (367)
AXE 3697 0 1 0 1 DEMOLITION (359)
BANANAS 3735 0 1 0 1 JGW PERISHABLE (366)
CHEESY POOF 3740 0 1 0 1 BASHTARDS (367)
PULL MY DAISY 3726 0 1 0 1 THE BEATNIKS (364)
UPSIDE UR HEAD 3707 0 1 0 1 I CRUSH UR HEAD (361)
GRAPES 3734 0 1 0 1 JGW PERISHABLE (366)
EYEPOPPER BASHER 3717 0 1 0 1 ABATTOIR BASHERS (363)
PASSION FRUIT 3733 0 1 0 1 JGW PERISHABLE (366)
SMASH 3698 0 1 0 1 DEMOLITION (359)
ANYARO 3772 0 1 0 1 DAMOONS (374)
THUD 3780 0 1 0 1 NUMBSKULLS (375)
VANWA 3774 0 1 0 1 DAMOONS (374)
IQUISTA 3775 0 1 0 1 DAMOONS (374)
LINNA 3773 0 1 0 1 DAMOONS (374)
WHIPPING POST 3692 0 1 0 1 THE TALLYWACKERS (358)
BARBARIAN BASHER 3720 0 1 0 1 ABATTOIR BASHERS (363)
YOUSONOFA BASHER 3719 0 1 0 1 ABATTOIR BASHERS (363)
HEXAHEDRON 3753 0 1 0 1 PLATONIC SOLIDS (370)
UNIMOG 3769 0 1 0 1 MY OTHER CAR (373)
HEAD TRAUMA 3777 0 1 0 1 NUMBSKULLS (375)
MAYNARD G. KREBS 3724 0 1 0 1 THE BEATNIKS (364)
HAMMERSPIKE 3696 0 1 0 1 THE TALLYWACKERS (358)
WESLEY CRUSHER 3781 0 1 0 1 NUMBSKULLS (375)
CHEST PAIN 3778 0 1 0 1 NUMBSKULLS (375)
'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.
THE DEAD W L K TEAM NAME SLAIN BY TURN Revenge?
BABY 3686 0 1 0 BABA BABA 356 BASHFUL BEHEMOTH 3782 430
MISTA 3776 0 1 0 DAMOONS 374 SWINE GOLEM 430 NONE
CRUSH 3699 0 1 0 DEMOLITION 359 MAULBEARER 3693 430
POUND 3700 0 1 0 DEMOLITION 359 HOLY FLAIL 3765 430
COMMON CRIMINAL 3745 0 1 0 DUNGEON CELL BA 368 SWINE GOLEM 430 NONE
DOOMBRINGER 3786 0 1 0 MAUL MASHING ORC 376 SHEWISH BOUNCER 430 NONE
BOB 3767 0 1 0 MY OTHER CAR 373 SHEWISH BOUNCER 430 NONE
DAVE 3768 0 1 0 MY OTHER CAR 373 THE WRECK KING 430 NONE
TOM 3771 0 1 0 MY OTHER CAR 373 THE WRECK KING 430 NONE
PERSONAL ADS
Dik Dik -- Keep it up, Honey! You are beginning to impress me! Perhaps I should
have waited for you, but I am impatient and it was so, so long. -- Cherry Cheetah,
Retired Lord Protectress
Fuzzball, Fuzzball, Fuzzball! Wow! That was a close one! I feel so
goooooooooooood! -- Almond Albatross
K K Downing -- Somehow I got through that with a big win! You really know how to
stick it! -- Onyx Owl
Two Stepper -- A salute to you and a hiss to the outcome. -- Azure Asp
Avast ye Mates! Hop'n ye done 'joyd me spotlight! Aye. -- Mino
Thank you all for coming--don't let a maul hit you on the way out. -- SwineTiger
LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS
DOOMBRINGER was butchered by SHEWISH BOUNCER in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena fight.
MISTA was barely slain by SWINE GOLEM in a 3 minute Dark Arena battle.
TOM was easily killed by THE WRECK KING in a 1 minute gory Dark Arena match.
DAVE was slaughtered by THE WRECK KING in a crowd pleasing 1 minute Dark Arena brawl.
BOB was assassinated by SHEWISH BOUNCER in a 1 minute bloody Dark Arena match.
COMMON CRIMINAL was dealt death by SWINE GOLEM in a 3 minute Dark Arena duel.
BAMBOOZLE savagely defeated CHEST PAIN in a crowd pleasing 1 minute novice's struggle.
BACKWARDS luckily beat SON OF A BASHER in a 2 minute gruesome beginner's melee.
BANKROLL won victory over PULL MY DAISY in a 1 minute novice's duel.
BABY was slaughtered by BASHFUL BEHEMOTH in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
WHIPPING POST was defeated by OCTAHEDRON in a 1 minute beginner's match.
MAULBEARER narrowly killed CRUSH in a exciting 1 minute bloody novice's fight.
TIGER viciously subdued VANWA in a exciting 1 minute bloody novice's contest.
CRIPPLER was narrowly defeated by SCREAMING BASHER in a 2 minute amateur's conflict.
HAMMERSPIKE was vanquished by TETRAHEDRON in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
AXE lost to TWINKIE CREAM in a 1 minute novice's fray.
SMASH was devastated by BASH TARDIGAN in a 1 minute mismatched brawl.
POUND was savagely slain by HOLY FLAIL in a exciting 1 minute brutal novice's bout.
BEND beat KIWI FRUIT in a 3 minute bloody amateur's fight.
MAULARIA devastated UPSIDE UR HEAD in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
TROLLDOZER won victory over HAM BURGLAR in a 1 minute novice's match.
BRAWNTOSAURUS overcame BANISH in a crowd pleasing 1 minute gory beginner's duel.
I SEE DEAD PEOPLE demolished LINNA in a 1 minute one-sided fight.
MAUL POX unbelievably bested TINGKAGOL BASHER in a 4 minute gruesome novice's match.
STOP! HAMMER TIME was savagely defeated by FLAILS HERE in a 2 minute novice's bout.
MASTER BASHER vanquished IQUISTA in a 1 minute one-sided fray.
DRUNKEN FLAILER handily defeated RING MY FLAIL in a 1 minute mismatched bout.
TIMBANGAN BASHER narrowly defeated FRUIT BRUTE in a 2 minute beginner's fight.
BASORAHAN BASHER was savagely defeated by SMASHING SUCCESS in a 2 minute match.
HINAGIBAN BASHER savagely defeated FLAILING AROUND in a 2 minute novice's bout.
EYEPOPPER BASHER was demolished by ICOSAHEDRON in a 1 minute uneven contest.
MERCENARY BASHER defeated IMUS BREAKU in a exciting 1 minute novice's struggle.
YOUSONOFA BASHER was devastated by HUGO SQUISH in a 1 minute uneven bout.
BARBARIAN BASHER was savagely defeated by TEACUP THUMPER in a 1 minute novice's match.
BONGO JOE savagely defeated SUPER BEEFCAKE in a popular 1 minute novice's duel.
NAKED LUNCH beat BANANAS in a 1 minute bloody novice's competition.
MAYNARD G. KREBS lost to CRUSHED CUTICLE in a 1 minute novice's match.
JACK KEROWHACK JR was subdued by ZAMBONI in a 3 minute bloody beginner's duel.
MAUL OF AMERICA demolished HEAD TRAUMA in a 1 minute uneven conflict.
HAM FIST slimly won victory over CLUMSY BARBER in a 3 minute brutal amateur's fight.
APPLES handily defeated HEXAHEDRON in a 1 minute mismatched melee.
PASSION FRUIT was demolished by BASHMORE FACE in a 1 minute brutal one-sided match.
GRAPES was defeated by DEATH FROM ABOVE in a 1 minute novice's duel.
NOBBY was beaten by WHAT THE FLAIL in a crowd pleasing 1 minute novice's fray.
CHEESY POOF was demolished by BRUISER in a 1 minute mismatched match.
CHILLY ARSONIST overpowered WESLEY CRUSHER in a 1 minute gory one-sided battle.
BIG WHOMPER was beaten by DODECAHEDRON in a 1 minute amateur's conflict.
NARCOLEPTIC GUARD savagely defeated ANYARO in a 1 minute brutal novice's struggle.
Q.T. PIE devastated THUD in a 1 minute brutal mismatched fight.
UNIMOG was demolished by MR. MACE in a 1 minute mismatched contest.
BATTLE REPORT
MOST POPULAR RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS
|FIGHTING STYLE FIGHTS FIGHTING STYLE W - L - K PERCENT|
|BASHING ATTACK 94 PARRY-RIPOSTE 4 - 1 - 0 80 |
|AIMED BLOW 0 SLASHING ATTACK 17 - 6 - 1 74 |
|PARRY-LUNGE 0 TOTAL PARRY 4 - 3 - 0 57 |
|PARRY-STRIKE 0 PARRY-STRIKE 5 - 4 - 0 56 |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 WALL OF STEEL 7 - 6 - 0 54 |
|LUNGING ATTACK 0 BASHING ATTACK 59 - 52 - 4 53 |
|SLASHING ATTACK 0 STRIKING ATTACK 6 - 6 - 1 50 |
|STRIKING ATTACK 0 LUNGING ATTACK 2 - 2 - 0 50 |
|TOTAL PARRY 0 PARRY-LUNGE 4 - 5 - 0 44 |
|WALL OF STEEL 0 AIMED BLOW 1 - 4 - 0 20 |
Turn 430 was great if you Not so great if you used The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles: the fighting styles: top eleven warriors are:
BASHING ATTACK 44 - 50 7 BASHING ATTACK
AIMED BLOW 0 - 0 1 PARRY-LUNGE
PARRY-LUNGE 0 - 0 1 STRIKING ATTACK
PARRY-STRIKE 0 - 0 1 PARRY-STRIKE
PARRY-RIPOSTE 0 - 0 1 WALL OF STEEL
LUNGING ATTACK 0 - 0
SLASHING ATTACK 0 - 0
STRIKING ATTACK 0 - 0
TOTAL PARRY 0 - 0
WALL OF STEEL 0 - 0
TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE
FIGHTING STYLE WARRIOR W L K PNTS TEAM NAME
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.
The overall popularity leader is FLAILS HERE 3763. The most popular warrior this
turn was FLAILS HERE 3763. The ten other most popular fighters were FRUIT BRUTE
3728, MISTA 3776, SCREAMING BASHER 3721, TIMBANGAN BASHER 3712, WHAT THE FLAIL 3764,
BAMBOOZLE 3683, SON OF A BASHER 3711, TIGER 3694, CRIPPLER 3695, and BEND 3701.
The least popular fighter this week was MAUL POX 3706. The other ten least popular
fighters were UNIMOG 3769, THUD 3780, ANYARO 3772, WESLEY CRUSHER 3781, CHEESY POOF
3740, GRAPES 3734, PASSION FRUIT 3733, HEXAHEDRON 3753, HEAD TRAUMA 3777, and MAYNARD
G. KREBS 3724.
NEW TEAMS IN THE TEMPORARY TOURNAMENT ARENAS (DM 81/83)
Please note that all new teams created at the Face-to-Face were temporarily placed
in a temporary Tournament Arena, DM 81 or DM 83. If you requested that your team be
placed in a specific arena, it has already transferred to that arena. Any teams not
transferred out of DM 81 and DM 83 by May 1 will be deleted. If you have questions
about any of your teams, please contact Customer Service. -- RSI
SUMMER FACE-TO-FACE IN ATLANTA!
Our next summer FTF will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, July 27-29, 2007. It will be
held at the Sheraton Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta, on 3405 Lenox Road NE (404-261-9250).
Room rates are $95.00 per night, 1-4 occupancy. There is a free shuttle from the
MARTA station two blocks away and free parking, high speed internet (for extra charge),
fitness center, jacuzzi, and pool. The rooms are blocked--ask for the Reality
Simulations room block. Look for transportation info in the tournament information
sheet. We hope you're all looking forward to it and that we will see you there!
JANUARY FACE-TO-FACE IN TEMPE!
Our next winter FTF will be held in Tempe, Arizona, January 12-14, 2007. It will be
held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Tempe, Arizona (480-894-7444), the same hotel as
last year by popular request. Room rates are $149.00 per night, 1-4 occupancy, which
includes full cooked breakfast, complimentary manager's reception (yes, really!), free
airport shuttle, free parking, high speed internet (for extra charge), fitness center,
jacuzzi, and pool. The rooms are blocked--please make your reservation by December 15
before the block is released! (This is prime season for Phoenix, and several people
were unable to book rooms last year because they waited too long.) Look for
transportation info in the tournament information sheet. We hope you're all looking
forward to it and that we will see you there!
THE STOMPING GROUNDS
The new all-basher arena will be in Seam, DM 20. Only new teams (0FE) may
participate. The only rule is that all of your warriors must be bashers.
The first turn of the contest will be due on Monday, April 28. It will be a slow
turn-around arena. If you wish to enter a team, please submit your new team and first
turn strategies before then. Only one team per manager, please.
This arena will stay open indefinitely, providing there is interest (i.e., this is not
a contest that runs a set number of turns, although there are prizes scheduled after
the first 15 rounds). For more information, see details in the first newsletter or on
the forums.
-- RSI
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 11 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
EEK THE CAT (2-4110) of THE FUNNY FARM
HADES (11-5338) of MYTHICAL
DRAUGHT DODGER (12-5209) of WISH YOU WERE BEER
DRACO MALFOY (18-7115) of HOUSE SLYTHERIN
FREAK (18-7300) of RUN AND HYDE
BETWEEN THE EYES (60-716) of METAL MILITIA II 6
SHOVELING SANDY (65-3584) of STORMNITE SANDBAGGER
BLUE BLOOD (73-3657) of BLACK & BLUE
JOCK (82-10452) of 4-LETTER ITCHES
WILLIE BROWN (82-13201) of 1976 RAIDERS
YUENGLING (82-16265) of LOCAL BEER
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 12 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
PETER (4-1642) of THE BAD BUNNIES
PHILLIP THE BIRD (40-3708) of CRUEL PET NAMES
MILES HITS THE ROAD (69-7270) of CRUMBLING LEAGUE
ROCKWELL (7-5003) of UNDEAD ARTISTS
FURRY BOX (72-4314) of BRIAN LOCK
0001 (82-12389) of OCT 2001 1
0002 (82-12390) of OCT 2001 1
SACRIFICE (82-12669) of GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
HARRY SELDON (82-18333) of FOUNDATION ARMY
PSYCHO BITCH (82-18670) of SANDY TOO
??RADAR?? (82-20310) of DYSLEXICS UNTIE! II
LITA (82-27080) of DARK TOADS 04D
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes
HOLD THE DATES! (FACE-TO-FACE XXXV AND XXXVI)
Summer Face-to-Face Tournament XXXV in St. Louis!
Our next summer FTF will be held in downtown St. Louis, July 29-31, 2005. It will be
at the Radisson Hotel & Suites, St. Louis (800-925-1395--ask for the Reality
Simulations room block). Room rates are $99.00 per night, 1-4 occupancy. The rooms
are blocked--please make your reservation by mid-June before the block is released!
Look for transportation info in the tournament information sheet. See you there!
Winter Face-to-Face Tournament XXXVI in Tempe!
Our next winter FTF will be held in Tempe, Arizona, January 20-22, 2006. It will be
held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Tempe, Arizona (480-894-7444), the same hotel as
last year by popular request. Room rates are $139.00 per night (same as last year!),
1-4 occupancy, which includes full cooked breakfast, complimentary manager's
reception, free airport shuttle, free parking, high speed internet (for extra charge),
fitness center, jacuzzi, and pool. The rooms are blocked--please make your
reservation soon before the block is released! (This is prime season for Phoenix, and
several people were unable to book rooms last year because they waited too long.)
Look for transportation info in the tournament information sheet. We hope you're all
looking forward to it and that we will see you there!
MAIL-IN TOURNEY XLV
FACE-TO-FACE XXXIV
Our next Winter Face-to-Face will be held on Martin Luther King weekend, Friday
through Sunday, 14-16 January 2005, at the Embassy Suites in Tempe, Arizona (4400 S
Rural Rd--this is the same hotel as last year). Room rates are $139.00 per night,
1-4 occupancy, which includes breakfast. The rooms are blocked. The reservations
number is 480-897-7444; tell them you're with the "Reality Simulations Face to Face
Convention" block. Our room block will be released in mid-December, so please make
sure you reserve your room before then!
Room rates include a full cooked-to-order breakfast and a complimentary two-hour
manager's reception. There is a free shuttle to the airport, as well as free parking.
The hotel is located down the freeway in Tempe. All rooms have high speed internet
(for an extra charge). There is a fitness center, jacuzzi, and pool, and of course a
bar and Mexican restaurant inside the hotel. And there's Denny's right across the
street. Look for transportation info in the tournament information sheet.
The tournament information sheet/strategy sheet should be out sometime in late
November/early December.
If you haven't been to a Face-to-Face before, you're overdue. If you have,
you'll be back. Don't miss this one, it'll be a blast! See you there!
-- Green Eyes and the RSI Staff
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 18 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament:
CAFFEINE JUNKIE (3-6110) ADDICTED
CATFISH HUNTER (5-3315) PARTY ANIMALS
MATTAHOOPLE (16-4203) GIFTED GODS
SWEET JANE (53-6535) THE DARK TEMPLE
LIL NOIR (62-3311) ENIGMA
NARCISSISTIC NUN (69-8644) ODD SQUAD
LEGION '8' (71-2369) D.O.A.
RAW SEX APPEAL (82-1331) WHY WE LOVE TUM
ZOMBIE STOMP (82-2617) NO MORE TEARS
VIOLENT VOLE (82-4565) MAMMAL MILITIA
LADY OF THE MOON (82-5481) HARM NONE
KAMIKAZI GNAT (82-6073) DEADLY ATTACKS II
THE 13TH WARRIOR (82-6346) STOOPID MOVIES
SIRTON (82-9190) I AM SUCK
DUNE (82-10414) 4-LETTER EPICS
FLEM (82-12614) 4-LETTER FLUIDS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT (82-12996) GLOBAL WARMING
UGLY (82-14501) 4-LETTER DESCRIPTION
-- Green Eyes
Zeb Karan looked around the table at the rest of Dwes Eg's staff. Arenamasters,
standby and Dark Arena warriors, stewards and infirmarians, even the maintenance crew.
There was wine and beer on the side-table, even sandwiches, but no one was partaking.
"Stop looking like your dog died," Lew Voth said. He had once been the
arenamaster of Sentern and had taken his turns overseeing the fights in Dwes Eg. "We
all knew this day would come. When are they closing us down?"
"Immediately after the tourney, according to the information I was given."
"Short notice," Jame Rinvar, another arenamaster commented.
"No offense intended, these things just creep up on people. Tourneys make it
worse, I suppose, all the new teams being entered." Zeb grimaced. "Some of the file
cabinets have exploded from over-stuffing, you know, and it takes so long to run
through all the registered gladiators to find those who are planning to fight on any
given day that the day is OVER by the time we're ready to start."
"Which is why they closed down Sentern, Cimmeriac, and Firehold," Lew pointed
out. "This is the same thing all over again."
"Cycles," Jame said. "Things happen, and then later they happen again. We live
with it. And Dwes Eg did last for, what, eight and a half years before it reached the
explosion point. That isn't bad. That's forever, speaking practically."
"Eight or nine years is not forever--"
"The only thing that's real is today, and maybe, up to a point, tomorrow. I
don't see a problem with this. What are the new parameters, Zeb?"
"Dwes Eg remains open, existing teams can run and can recruit new members. BUT,
no new teams will be accepted. New teams will go into a new arena, DM 84, running its
first turn on the seventh of May. A regular two-week cycle."
"So Dwes Eg isn't actually being closed, just closed to new teams. Okay. This
works," Jame said again. "Number 84... does this mean it'll be out at that Blackstone
place? Rotten weather half the year, but I suppose you could say that about any site.
What about regional allegiance?"
"None specified in the data I received. Probably a personal-choice situation,"
Zeb said.
"Transfers?" Lew asked.
"I don't know about transfers IN," Zeb said, "but I'd guess yes, they would be
allowed. No transfers OUT, though. None out of DM 82, for that matter. Once you're
in 82 or 84, the only way out is death or graduation."
"That fairly describes most arenas," Jame said. "Anyone who takes up the
gladiatorial life has already accepted that."
Name-Change-O-Rama
The winter tourney brought a lot of people to the Isle who didn't appear there
normally. This included Commission employees. Half a dozen arenamasters regarded
each other warily in the mirror behind the bar at the Pig in a Haystack. The Pig was
obscure and mediocre, drawing few gladiators, which is what they had all been looking
for. They saw gladiators every day. Most arenamaster were convinced that this was
some kind of punishment.
You could always pick out the arenamasters in a crowd. There were superficial
differences: One of these had clearly Adantri features, one wore an eye-patch, two
were female. But there were, in significant ways, alike. The same size, the same
hair-trigger alertness, the same deadliness.
The one-eyed man broke the ice, raising his beer mug in salute. "I'm Zrof One-
Eye from Zukal. Sugar of Arvat--" One of the women bowed slightly. "I know Sugar.
The rest of you...?"
The Adantri matched his salute. "Dernal of Dayla Kiv."
"Daiyla Kiv? Ah...."
"No, without the 'I' in it. These damned bureaucrats can't spell, and they
thought adding an unnecessary vowel was exotic." Disgust dripped from his voice.
"Tell me about it!" another man growled in agreement. "Khagal of Niatoli, and
what they do to the spelling of THAT simple word--!"
"I thought Daiyla, I mean Dayla Kiv had a different name right now,"
Arenamistress Sugar said. "The arena, at least, because of a contest?"
"Chavez Ravine." Dernal's tone was the one that substituted in polite company
for spitting on the floor.
Zrof blinked, taken aback by the bitterness. He wouldn't have minded a contest
in Zukal, and damn what they called the place. "It's only temporary, though."
"Temporary, shmiperary," another man muttered. He seemed well into his drinking,
although, like all arenamasters, he carried his liquor well. "They do it all the time
in Aradi. No reshpect. Go around changing thish, changing that. I wish I could
change shome thingsh." He signalled the bartender for a refill.
The second woman put her hand over his mug. "You've had enough, Harkon. Try the
coffee, instead."
"You should be mad, too, Ripplesh," Harkon said. "They're going to do shtuff
like that in Jahnsh, aren't they?"
Ripples Dorrigan shrugged. All the men paused, some with glasses half raised, to
watch. "It's the way things are," she said. "Not much we can do about it."
"You know," Khagal of Niatoli said, "maybe we could make a few changes. Fix the
spelling of Arena 33, for one, change a few standby titles--"
"The Commission hates changes." Dernal of Dayla Kiv topped up his glass and
drained it gloomily.
"Yes, but if we disguise it," Sugar of Arvat said, excited, "make it... maybe a
general Name-Change-O-Rama! Then we could slip OUR changes through and no one would
notice or mind."
*-------*-------*-------*-------*-------*-------*
By popular demand, we are holding a Name-Change-o-Rama during the month of March.
If you wish to change the name of your warriors or teams, please contact RSI Customer
Service. The charge for a name change is $1, unless you're in DOOMCorps, in which
case you take your chances. (Just kidding, guys! *snicker*)
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 47 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
LAND OF FLUSH (11-4373) of CONSORTIUM CRAP (408)
LORD KRONOS (11-6111) of MANIACAL TUFTS (431)
NATAS (11-6531) of DO IT AGAIN (565)
TOTTI (17-5991) of ITALIAN FOOTBALL (407)
SIXTH SICK SHIEK (18-2940) of TONGUE TWISTERS (265)
SOLSBURY HILL (18-8558) of STREET PIZZA (106)
CAFFREY'S (21-4748) of REAL BEER (424)
LEE (30-4255) of LHI'S ANGELS (406)
PRIVATE ROOM (31-3620) of MILITARY MAYHEM (89)
OBERON (31-6133) of AUTUMN LIGHTNING (615)
PADISHAR CREEL (36-2208) of BIG LAKE BASHERS (23)
BLUE-GREY (55-3370) of ALL AMERICAN (362)
RUBBER KNIFE (57-2546) of USELESS TOOLS (345)
SVETLANA (57-4040) of MORDYKR KEEP (466)
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (68-4666) of BLOOD 4 THE MASSES (447)
CATASTROPHE (71-6273) of THE BROTHERHOOD 98 (708)
BIGFACE (82-237) of RUPTURE FARMS (43)
SHORT-TEMER (82-980) of LIFESPAN (165)
FOGGED IN (82-1298) of TEMPE '99 (225)
SINISTER (82-3298) of EVIL (450)
I-10 (82-5256) of TRIP TO TEMPE (711)
CAL RIPPER JR (82-6799) of ORIOLE MADNESS (967)
TINY ARCHIBALD (82-8174) of THE POINT GUARDS (1183)
LARG JOHN (82-8616) of THE MUSIC MAN (1256)
0002 (82-13973) of JAN 2002 (2073)
DEIRDRE (82-15176) of TOADS OF AMBER 2 (2276)
OOPSIDIDITAGAIN (82-15292) of LUROCIANS XVII (2294)
TV EATS MY LIFE (82-17438) of RESCUE ME (2667)
FLUFFY BUNNY (82-18105) of OFFENDED SANDY (2774)
COLLEEN (82-18383) of SUPERIOR FORCES 1305 (2828)
ICHIRO TRICKLE (82-19442) of NASCAR NINJAS II (3009)
STURM PYRE (82-19644) of DARK TOADS 03A (3046)
BOTTACELLI (82-22958) of HER ALTEREGO (3659)
UNHOLY GERBIL (82-24046) of CROSS BREED! (3837)
HANA (82-24461) of 4-LETTER GIRLS (3901)
TEEVELLA (82-24954) of KELLUMBO'S KIDS (3983)
1001 (82-25095) of DUMB PUDS (4011)
OPEN UP, POLICE (82-25801) of DONT ANSWER THAT (4148)
CRACKED AND LEAKING (82-28597) of STREET PIZZAD XXI (4657)
VAMPIRE (82-29366) of DARK TOADS 04V (4791)
WYVERN (82-29373) of DARK TOADS 04W (4792)
MEGALODON (82-32285) of DEVILS OF THE DEEP (5329)
CONCRETE (82-33162) of LUROCIANS III (5473)
DESSERT (82-34664) of SUPERIOR FORCES 1505 (5709)
TURNIP TORNEDO (82-35257) of GARDEN OF EVIL II (5807)
XRIS (82-36974) of WOW (6113)
FREAKSHOW (82-38749) of 072905O (6445)
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 51 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
CAPTAIN CRUNCH (5-4330) TECHNOLOGY
GARAI (7-4608) BLADES OF ICE
GAZREK (7-5097) DEMONS OF DARKNESS 7
CRIMSON BLUSH (7-5351) VENGEANCE SEEKERS
NEMESIS (10-2676) MYTH AND MIGHT
PLAYFUL DOG (10-4237) MONGREL HORDE
CALLISTO (12-4974) NAUGHTY NYMPHS
ILLUMINAUGHTY (12-5423) LOBOTOMATION
SKIPPY (14-2305) PRIDE OF THE CDC
ARGINASE (16-4137) ENZYMES
CADEX CFM (18-3366) THE BIKE SHOP
CRY-O-LIT (18-6106) ROCK-ETTS
PAPA RATTLESNAKE (18-6800) APACHE
SUICIDE (21-4832) APPLE CIDER
REVEREND LOVEJOY (22-5517) SPRINGFIELD
DVDA (22-5768) THAT'S UNPOSSIBLE!
DONAHAR (24-3006) MAGIC REALM
LINK HOGTHROB (33-5358) INTERSTELLAR PORK
JETS TO BRAZIL (36-5604) SKATE DRAGONS
ARTEMIS (41-3675) LADY OF THE MOON
SELENE (41-3676) LADY OF THE MOON
BETTY (58-5755) HELL HOUNDS
INSURRECTION (60-5607) BLADES OF DESTINY
COPPERHEAD (65-5467) NATURE'S ASSASSINS
CHRISSEL (70-5208) LITHE & LOVELY
SUPERIOR II (75-760) SUPERIOR FORCES
ARCHER (82-1198) GORGONITES
SQUIRREL KILLER (82-3278) END OF THE LINE
CICINISTI (82-3706) BEGUILERZ
GNORE (82-3717) MILITARY SCIENCE
FINALITY (82-4063) SUPERIOR FORCES 3P
SIR LANCELOT (82-5350) ROUND TABLE
WILLY T MAC (82-5925) RAPTURE
KHORGA KHAN (82-6730) THE BEGINNING
ELLYN (82-8983) LAS VEGAS II
MANTISSA (82-9324) MATMATICA
JETS TO BRAZIL (82-9697) DRAGON SKALE
ON THE WASHER (82-10019) SUNNYDALE
ORAL B (82-10020) SUNNYDALE
2-STROKE (82-10384) THE WILLBURYS 79
HITZ (82-10428) 4-LETTER DOCTORS
UNDEFEATABLE (82-10966) SUPERIOR FORCES 5M
GOLDWRAP (82-11886) SUPERIOR FORCES 34
CHIMPANZEE (82-12985) ANIMAL CRACKERS
THE CUTICLE DANCE (82-13639) DON'T ASK
SCHWETTY OLIVES (82-14247) SCHWETTY FOODS
QSTAFF INFECTION (82-14523) DIRTY INFIRMARY
BING S7 WANG (82-16000) SUPERIOR FORCES 6201
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT (82-16651) SLIGHTLY HEATED
SMILING GOAT (82-20735) SHAVE MY POODLE
CRITICAL UPDATES (82-24025) ANNOYING THINGS II
LIGHTNING XLV (82-24103) DEATH STUDS IX
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes
NEW GRADUATES--FROM ALL ARENAS (INCLUDING CLOSED ARENAS)
For those of you who keep track of such things, 5 additional warriors graduated
from regular DM arenas (including closed arenas) since the last tournament.
SNOTTYMAN (40-3685) of THEY TRAINED ME!
HORRID (65-6385) of LEGION IV
JUDICIOUSLY (82-27214) of ADVERBS II
TERRICONUS (82-27651) of THE GLORIOUS DARK
FLABBY-O (82-30720) of STREET PIZZAD XXII
Congrats to the grads. -- Green Eyes
THE VIRTUES OF SPEED
For several years now, many of the Duelmasters veterans have eschewed the
warrior attribute of Speed. The Rogue She-Puppy of the Galaxy once summed up this
sentiment by declaiming that (paraphrased): Anything Speed can do, Deftness can do
better; many weapons have a Deftness minimum, but none have a Speed requirement.
This article covers aspects of Speed which may have been overlooked by many other
Duelmasters managers.
Other articles have covered how Speed will affect a warrior's decisiveness. I
won't belabor the point, except to say that the higher the Speed, the better the
chance of "getting the jump" on an opponent. However, Speed without a moderate level
of Deftness will generally get a warrior in trouble. The converse of this axiom is
that a HIGH Deftness, combined with a HIGH Speed, will give a warrior a definite
advantage.
Perhaps the greatest advantage in developing a high-Speed warrior is the "VERY
HIGHLY COORDINATED" statement which can be derived therefrom. If SP + DF > 31, the
VHC statement will appear on the warrior's overview. On its own, the VHC statement
does little more than aid decisiveness, responsiveness, and dodging. But, if SP and
DF are both > 31 and either SP or DF > 14, then the VHC statement will be modified by
"with the ability to use a weapon in each hand." So, not only will a warrior
generally get the jump on his opponent, but if the opponent dodges towards your
warrior's off-hand, this warrior will get a free shot at his opponent with the
off-hand weapon. For parry-types, using a bladed weapon (dagger, hatchet, short
sword, etc.) for parrying purposes can oft times be the difference between winning or
losing. The opponent is generally caught off guard and succumbs to the unexpected
threat.
The greatest advantage to this high-Speed attribute can be seen in Strikers.
Due to their innate endurance bonus, Strikers can be shorted in both CN and WL.
Combine this with a small SZ, and your warrior can load up on ST, WT, SP and DF. Try
something like 13-5-10-13-9-17-17. This will make an awesome Striker.
For parry-types, reduce ST and add to WL. (Obviously, this cultivation of Speed
should not be applied to Total Parry warriors...unless you desire a Total Pud!)
Example: Parry-Ripper 7-6-7-17-15-17-15; five WT Statements; Incredibly Quick; Very
Highly Coordinated; born Expert in Riposte. This warrior fights well at 4-2-6 HE-HE-
R, 7-3-6 HE-HE-L (desp) with EP and off-hand SH, and ALE. A born initiative-stealer
with great learns!
As for Slashers, this technique will usually result in an additional bonus: The
"SENSATIONALLY QUICK" statement; however, this will usually be accompanied by the
"does LITTLE DAMAGE" statement. Slashers will get the jump, but they would do well
to train up their ST if they want a winning record. ST = 9 is a safe bet, as this
will get you a scimitar. Combine this with an off-hand hatchet and go for the legs.
Experiment a little with this and you can turn an otherwise DA-bound rollup into
a Speed Demon. Just pray that your warrior doesn't get HOSED! I hate when that
happens! :)
Best of luck.
Kalkin, mgr. Faerun's Finest (7), Wraiths of Wrath (22), Wiccan Warriors
(33), and Knockaround Knights (74)