DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 09/27/2024    Duedate: 10/24/2024

XOCHITHLAN ARENA

DM 39    TURN 459

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

ASCENSION
BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
(39-4293) [15-10-2,127]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

ASCENSION                      POSITION IS EMPTY
BOOK OF THOMAS (479)           
(39-4293) [15-10-2,127]        

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

YENTAL ZEEVE                   DRUG MOM
THE MIDDLE WAY (385)           BASH BROS BABY (461)
(39-4298) [15-41-0,86]         (39-4421) [10-3-1,88]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

BOOK OF THOMAS (479)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. BASH BROS BABY (461)          31 
2. BOOK OF THOMAS (479)          25    BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
3. TROLLHEIM (501)               10    Unchartered Team
4. THE MIDDLE WAY (385)          9  
5. PUPPIS (492)                  6     THE EMPIRE (341)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1- 1*FAR TRAVELERS (502)        1   0  1 100.   1/ 3 BOOK OF THOMAS (479)      8  1 0
 2- 3 DUCKS UNLIMITED (143)    345 234 20 59.6   2/ 2 BASH BROS BABY (461)      8  5 1
 3/ 5 BOOK OF THOMAS (479)     220 158 15 58.2   3/ 1 TROLLHEIM (501)           7  8 0
 4/ 2 TROLLHEIM (501)           25  18  0 58.1   4- 4 DUCKS UNLIMITED (143)     3  3 0
 5/ 6 PUPPIS (492)              15  11  1 57.7   5/ 5 PUPPIS (492)              2  1 1
 6/ 4 YUPPIE LORE (499)         16  12  0 57.1   6- 7*FAR TRAVELERS (502)       1  0 1
 7/ 7 BASH BROS BABY (461)     299 241 14 55.4   7/ 6 YUPPIE LORE (499)         1  6 0
 8/ 8 THE MIDDLE WAY (385)     594 735 15 44.7   8/ 8 THE MIDDLE WAY (385)      1  8 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                      SPY REPORT

     Greetings, Warriors of XOCHITHLAN.  Allow this humble servant Novgorodny Vir to 
give you a respite from the fights in the form of this Spyreport.  The boys at 
TROLLHEIM left the arena dejected, after being kicked out of the top spot by BOOK OF 
THOMAS.  Good show!  Good things come to those who fight well, as BASH BROS BABY can 
attest, moving up by 0.  BASH BROS BABY had cause to celebrate, after FORMULA 
SHORTAGE got 18 points by beating YENTAL ZEEVE.  Those who hoped for a new Duelmaster 
were disappointed by INBOX ZERO, of YUPPIE LORE, who despite a 16-4-0 couldn't 
overcome XOCHITHLAN's Number 1.  Word has it one team in XOCHITHLAN is using psychics 
to predict wins.  They lead a charmed life!   
     A Zenmaster once told me, 'Does not the spinning wheel turn?  And do not the 
little birds cry out?'  Any ideas?  Like the noble eagle soaring amongst the 
mountaintops, so stand the warriors of BASH BROS BABY, alone and unchallenged.  As a 
woman of good breeding scorns the "warriors" of TROLLHEIM, so did that sorry team shy 
from BASH BROS BABY Is it charming personality?  Conversational abilities?  Good oral 
hygiene?  Whatever it is, FEVERED is the most challenged warrior.   
     Ah, the duel!  The roar of the oppenent, the smell of the crowd!  Ask not for 
whom the sword slashes; it slashes for thee.   
     Do not think spyreporting in XOCHITHLAN is the highlight of my life.  As the 
seasons change, and the creatures of the wild change also, so do I feel a yearning to 
leave this place.  Do not despair!  I shall return!-- Novgorodny Vir  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 ASCENSION 4293               15  10  2 127         BOOK OF THOMAS (479)      

CHALLENGER CHAMPIONS           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FORTIFIED 4274               29   9  0 119         BOOK OF THOMAS (479)      
-DUCK DUCK GOOSE 4244         15   7  0 114         DUCKS UNLIMITED (143)     
 TAKIDOR 4314                 20  14  2 113         BOOK OF THOMAS (479)      
 INBOX ZERO 4403              16   4  0  91         YUPPIE LORE (499)         

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 FORMULA SHORTAGE 4388        13  10  0  89         BASH BROS BABY (461)      
 DRUG MOM 4421                10   3  1  88         BASH BROS BABY (461)      
 YENTAL ZEEVE 4298            15  41  0  86         THE MIDDLE WAY (385)      
-DARKWING DUCK 4349           11   8  0  86         DUCKS UNLIMITED (143)     
 NAOS 4394                     6   2  1  72         PUPPIS (492)              

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CRYING 4412                   9   3  0  65         BASH BROS BABY (461)      

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CUDDLEBUG 4428                7   2  0  51         TROLLHEIM (501)           
 FEVERED 4427                  9   3  1  42         BASH BROS BABY (461)      
 APPLE CORE 4372               5  27  0  42         THE MIDDLE WAY (385)      
 MUGWORT 4433                  6   2  0  35         TROLLHEIM (501)           

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 BEERSHEBA CHANG 4416          5  10  0  29         THE MIDDLE WAY (385)      

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-ARCHAMBEAU 4444               1   0  1  14         FAR TRAVELERS (502)       

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
CHUCKLE 4449            0  1 0 TROLLHEIM 501        SWAMP TROLL            459 NONE
CHUCKLEBUMM 4431        7  3 0 TROLLHEIM 501        NAOS 4394              458  
GRYLA 4448              1  1 0 TROLLHEIM 501        BLACK ORC BRIGAN       459 NONE
GUFFAKINS 4429          3  5 0 TROLLHEIM 501        FEVERED 4427           459  

                                     PERSONAL ADS

               *official TURF WAR 14 (TW14) RULES* (revision 9-6-24-WS)

         Starting Turn 480 (Feb 10, appx date), just after the FTF, 10 turns
               Bring acclaim and glory to the North Fork (DM47) arena.

Anyone may participate: known alliances, new alliances, or temporary alliances created 
solely to compete in the Turf War! To participate, each alliance must:

1. Indicate in the newsletter or on the RSI site the three team alliance.
   (3 Team names, 3 manager names, and an alliance title)

2. Pay RSI or deduct from account ($15) per manager as entry fee indicating for TW14. 
   (a change from past TWs). RSI will hold as "certs" in a separate account for TW14 
   and distribute as Team RUs to winners of TW14. 
   DO NOT send, or have sent, certs to the Moderators. 
   Must be completed prior to Dec 31, 2024.

3. Teams and alliances will not start scoring until the turn after they appear in the 
   newsletter and are announced. This means that to start scoring on turn 1, the teams 
   must be listed in the newsletter on Turn 479.

Other rules and discussion.

1. Only one (1) team per manager/player may be active in the arena.

2. If at any time, the Moderators determine that any non-TW team, whether a 2nd team 
   or a non-TW manager's team, in the arena is aiding and/or abetting any TW alliance 
   or team, the affected points won by the gifted team/alliance will be disallowed and 
   the aiding non-TW team will be asked/demanded to desist from play in the arena 
   until after the Turf War concludes. 

3. As usual, any Turf War team must be shown/be posted in the DM47 Newsletter just 
   prior to the actual scoring/participation start on T480 (e.g. new teams, transfers, 
   current teams must show up in the newsletter prior to the beginning of 
   participation, allowing opponent knowledge and challenging/avoiding). Violations 
   could result in immediate manager disqualification (including team point 
   adjustments) from the Turf War, so be sure to take any multiple teams OFF of Team 
   Maintenance and be certain not to run any other teams' warriors.

4. The moderators will score the Turf War and settle any and all disputes as they 
   arise. Their decisions will be final. (Note: the intent is to have a very thorough 
   set of rules so that few decisions, if any, are required from the moderators.)

5. Definitions:
   Team = individual Manager's 5-Team Stable
   Alliance = three Teams united

6. No warrior may be substituted without the proper use of the DA or arena death or 
   death in a tournament or graduation. There must be a maximum of five only on a team 
   at any point and time. (The penalty for such substitution is -10 points.)

7. It is not the spirit of competition to challenge fellow members of the same 
   alliance. Hence, challenges as such will be scored as losses for both warriors.

8. Downchallenges: A downchallenge is defined as a warrior challenging a warrior with 
   lesser recognition points.
   No challenge or bloodfeud by The Duelmaster shall be deemed a downchallenge.
   No challenge of the Duelmaster shall be deemed a downchallenge.
   Bloodfeuds against warriors with lesser recognition are deemed downchallenges.

9. Tournament participation is allowed and encouraged as a great form of acclaim and 
   recognition for North Fork and is an opportunity for warriors to gain skills and 
   preferred challenging within the Turf War.

10. There will be NO alliance or team changes once the contest has begun. If you begin 
   the Turf War with Alliance A, you must end the Turf War with Alliance A. If you 
   begin the Turf War with Team A, you must end the Turf War with Team A.

11. The Dark Arena may be used at any time without penalty. However, only one win 
   against a D.A. Monster per each stable warrior shall count as a win. Additional 
   wins will count as a loss for that warrior.

12. It is highly recommended that managers direct RSI to place your team ON 
   MAINTENANCE for the TW14 duration so that your team will fight (and earn points) 
   even if your submitted new strategies are delayed or don't make it.

          _____________________________________________________________________

SCORING will be as follows for Fights:

Team Points

  a. Wins earned: 
          0 = -1 points
          1 = +1 point
          2 = +2 points
          3 = +4 points
          4 = +6 points
          5 = =8 points

  b. Down Challenge = (-10) points to the challenger and opponent is credited with a 
     win for point scoring. The DM is exempt from DC rule/penalty.

  c. Four teams will score. The lowest scoring team per round will count duplicate as 
     the 4th team.

  d. Team with most wins per round earns 3 additional points; if ties, no points 
     awarded; no tiebreaker on wins.

Alliance Points

  a. If the three-team alliance fights all 15 fights = 5 Points

     Team points (from 3 teams plus the duplicate) + alliance points = Total Alliance 
     Points(TAP) for the round.

Round Modifier:

  a. Round Modifiers (Multiplier times TAP(Total Alliance Points
     Rounds 1-4 = 1.0; rounds 5-8 = 2.0; rounds 9 and 10 = 3.0.

The Alliance with the most points after turn 10 is THE WINNER!

        ________________________________________________________________________

PRIZES:

The Turf War is meant to be a near "winner takes all" contest. Moderators will submit 
a list of each prize won (by each Manager) at the completion of the contest. RSI 
awarded prizes must then be claimed by the manager from RSI Customer Service within 4 
months. The team rollups won will be distributed by RSI to the winners shortly after 
receipt of the prize list from the Moderators.

Entry Fee Awards:

   *** Winning alliance gets 80% of the pooled team rollups.

   *** 2nd place alliance gets 10% of the pooled team rollups.

   *** Individual Team with most wins in 10 rounds gets 10% of the pooled team rollups

RSI awards may only be applied to DM47 warriors who fought in TW14. These prizes 
cannot create an out-of-bounds warrior, and only one prize may be applied to any 
warrior, meaning that if you win two prizes they cannot be applied to the same 
warrior. All prizes must be used within 4 months. 

Winning alliance: Each manager/team receives:

  ** One Limited Damage Bump (bump one level damage)
  ** One Stat replace (remove 2 SZ, replace 2 to any single other stat) 
  ** One Favorite weapon knowledge 
  ** One +1 base skill potion.

2nd place: Each manager/team receives:

  ** One Favorite weapon knowledge 
  ** One free stat raise (not SZ)

Participation Award: 

  *** to all teams/managers who fight 45 to 47 fights (of 50) = 1 base skill potion
  *** if 48+ fights (of 50) = 2 base skill potions (each to a different warrior)

        ______________________________________________________________________

Moderators:

The Moderators for this event will be Oz, Master Darque, and Assur, the TW 
Triumvirate. They will arbitrate all dealings during the course of the contest. Their 
decisions will be final. All questions, comments, and scoring disputes may be directed 
to Land of Oz or Darque Forces or Bash Bros Park via diplo in DM 47. Managers with 
internet access may send a private message to [The Consortium] or [Master Darque] or 
[Assur] on the Duel2 Forums. Lastly, you may also email questions, comments, and 
scoring disputes to jawastomp@gmail.com or wfms101@aol.com or assurnasir@yahoo.com.

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

GRYLA was butchered by BLACK ORC BRIGAND in a 1 minute Dark Arena fight.
CHUCKLE was butchered by SWAMP TROLL in a 1 minute brutal Dark Arena duel.
MUGWORT was handily defeated by NAOS in a 1 minute one-sided Bloodfeud match.
ASCENSION vanquished INBOX ZERO in a 1 minute mismatched Title brawl.
FORTIFIED luckily beat DRUG MOM in a 2 minute bloody one-sided fight.
TAKIDOR devastated RIRORNI ASSASSIN in a 1 minute one-sided duel.
FORMULA SHORTAGE devastated YENTAL ZEEVE in a 1 minute mismatched match.
CRYING unbelievably bested NATIVE LOOTER in a dull 16 minute gruesome fight.
FEVERED viciously butchered GUFFAKINS in a 4 minute gruesome duel.
APPLE CORE was defeated by CUDDLEBUG in a 3 minute uneven duel.
BEERSHEBA CHANG overpowered LONG-RANGE ARCHERS in a 1 minute one-sided fight.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   3         LUNGING ATTACK    19 -   5 -  1      79  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    3         TOTAL PARRY       11 -   4 -  0      73  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      2         BASHING ATTACK    12 -   9 -  2      57  |
|AIMED BLOW                       2         PARRY-RIPOSTE     10 -   9 -  1      53  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         AIMED BLOW        15 -  16 -  0      48  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  2         WALL OF STEEL      8 -  11 -  0      42  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   2         SLASHING ATTACK    9 -  13 -  0      41  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  1         PARRY-STRIKE       4 -   9 -  0      31  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      0         STRIKING ATTACK    1 -   4 -  0      20  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         PARRY-LUNGE        0 -   4 -  0       0  |

Turn 459 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:

LUNGING ATTACK     3 -  0     PARRY-LUNGE        0 -  0         3  LUNGING ATTACK 
TOTAL PARRY        2 -  0     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  0         2  TOTAL PARRY    
AIMED BLOW         1 -  1     STRIKING ATTACK    0 -  1         2  SLASHING ATTACK
PARRY-RIPOSTE      1 -  1     WALL OF STEEL      0 -  3         2  BASHING ATTACK 
SLASHING ATTACK    1 -  1                                       1  AIMED BLOW     
BASHING ATTACK     1 -  1                                       1  WALL OF STEEL  

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
LUNGING ATTACK   ASCENSION 4293             15  10  2  127 BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
TOTAL PARRY      FORTIFIED 4274             29   9  0  119 BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
SLASHING ATTACK  TAKIDOR 4314               20  14  2  113 BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
AIMED BLOW       INBOX ZERO 4403            16   4  0   91 YUPPIE LORE (499)
BASHING ATTACK   FORMULA SHORTAGE 4388      13  10  0   89 BASH BROS BABY (461)
PARRY-RIPOSTE    FEVERED 4427                9   3  1   42 BASH BROS BABY (461)
WALL OF STEEL    MUGWORT 4433                6   2  0   35 TROLLHEIM (501)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is YENTAL ZEEVE 4298.  The most popular warrior this 
turn was DRUG MOM 4421.  The ten other most popular fighters were FEVERED 4427, NAOS 
4394, ASCENSION 4293, TAKIDOR 4314, FORMULA SHORTAGE 4388, APPLE CORE 4372, CUDDLEBUG 
4428, FORTIFIED 4274, GUFFAKINS 4429, and BEERSHEBA CHANG 4416.

The least popular fighter this week was CRYING 4412.  The other ten least popular 
fighters were YENTAL ZEEVE 4298, INBOX ZERO 4403, MUGWORT 4433, CHUCKLE 4449, GRYLA 
4448, BEERSHEBA CHANG 4416, GUFFAKINS 4429, FORTIFIED 4274, CUDDLEBUG 4428, and APPLE 
CORE 4372.

The following warriors will travel to AD after next turn:

ASCENSION (39-4293) BOOK OF THOMAS (479)
INBOX ZERO (39-4403) YUPPIE LORE (499)

                                SUMMER BLOODGAMES 2024

Back by popular demand, we will be hosting a new slow Bloodgames mailed arena 
beginning in August. We also plan our usual Bloodgames arenas at the summer Face-
to-Face.  

For those of you who always wanted the chance to manage the last warrior standing 
alive upon the arena sands, your day has come.  The Bloodgames are coming! 

At the end of the ten turns, even though several warriors, bruised and scarred, MAY 
yet live, only one will be crowned Champion of the Bloodgames.  And in this game mere 
survival counts for little.  A great general once said, "The object of battle is not 
to die for your cause, but to make your enemy die for his."  This general would have 
greatly enjoyed the Duelmasters Bloodgames.  Here are the particulars: 

  Face-to-Face style          Turn 1 is due Fri July 12 at 9pm at the hotel
  Bloodgames (DM 98):         Turns process with the tournament 
	                      Strategy changes allowed, bloodfeud challenges only 

  Mail-in style               Turn 1 is due Sat July 13 at 9pm at the hotel
  Bloodgames (DM 99):         All turns process overnight, mail-in style.
	                      No strategy changes; all ten rounds process one
                              after the other and results will be out Sun morning.
 
  Slow Bloodgames (DM 95):    Turn 1 is due Thurs August 1 
                              Turns process every 28 days
	                      Strategy changes allowed, bloodfeud challenges only 
          
Gameplay proceeds according to standard DM rules, except for a few notable exceptions: 

BLOODGAMES ROLLUP --  Your Bloodgames team is ten warriors, one of each fighting 
style, each warrior designed from scratch!  (All are DYOs (design your owns) with 84 
points, 3-21, as usual.) To submit your rollup, just write/type them up and send them 
in.  We'll mail or email your overviews and you can write up your strategies. Your 
warriors must be created and have strategies entered by the first due date. 

DEATH -- As the name implies, the Bloodgames will leave the arena sands somewhat 
darker before they're over.  It's a dangerous sport intended only for the tough and 
spirited.  The Arenamaster will be less likely to intercede on behalf of a dying 
warrior.  Even at a 1 kill desire, kill attempts will occur.

REPLACEMENTS AND ROLLUPS -- There will be no replacement characters.  

CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES -- In the turn-based bloodgames, there are no regular 
challenges, only bloodfeuds.  There will be no DA challenges in any of the bloodgames 
arenas.

TURN PROCESSING AND DUE DATES -- DM 95 is due August 1 and will process on a 28-day 
schedule.  The other two bloodgames arenas will be processed at the summer Face-to-
Face. (Note: there will also be bloodgames at the next winter FTF.)

MISSED TURNS -- All warriors fight each round.  Only the dead may rest.

ERRORS -- If we make an input error, that warrior will be awarded a win and kill.  
Errors must be reported before the next turn processes.  

NEWSLETTER -- Warriors are ranked according to their number of kills.  Champions of 
Bloodgames may write a column for the newsletter at the end of the games. 

FEES -- A Bloodgames rollup costs a $10 set-up fee.  Managers may roll up more than 
one team but may run only one team in each arena.  The fee for all ten rounds is $49. 

AWARDS -- The Bloodgames last ten rounds.  Only warriors who survive to the end of 
Turn 10 will be eligible for an award.  However, a consolation award of a Bloodgames 
T-shirt will be awarded to the dead warrior with the most kills.

The living warrior with the greatest number of kills will be the Bloodgames Champion.  
Bloodgames Victor titles, 2nd and 3rd place will be awarded to those living warriors 
with the greatest number of kills at the end of Turn 10, with one other important 
consideration:  Each of these three warriors must be of a different fighting style.  
Win/loss records and, if necessary, recognition points will only be used to determine 
awards if there is a tie.  

The Bloodgames Champion fights for free in Advanced Duelmasters, and all Champions and 
Victors earn Tournament Victor status, which allows them to challenge once per turn 
with increased priority.  These awards last for six months.  The manager of the 
Bloodgames Champion and Victors will receive Bloodgames T-shirts.

A Bloodgames T-shirt will be awarded to the manager of the team with the most kills.T-
shirts will only happen if someone gives us a nice design. One shirt per person.

AFTERMATH -- Warriors from the Bloodgames may not transfer to any other arena.  Once 
the games are over, the arena and teams will be disbanded.  The fighters have won 
their freedom and will never more be seen in the gladiatorial games.  A special bonus 
will, however, be awarded to the 1st through 3rd place warriors.  Lady Sheila 
Greywand, of the Isle of the Eye, has consented to allow the top three gladiators in 
each Bloodgames admission to the Advanced Duelmasters games.  Any special training 
required to qualify those three warriors for Advanced Duelmasters combat will be 
conducted before transfer into ADM.  Astute managers will note that this means that 
three warriors that are designed from scratch will survive the Bloodgames, win one of 
the top three places, and go on to immortal glory!  One of those warriors could be 
yours!

         The challenge is yours to take.  The final plans are yours to make.  
          When the dust settles, remember:  To the victor goes the spoils!