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Issue Five - May 1995

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So long, and thanks for all the fish...

R.R. Number :  RR ??? LE                Gamestart : CMag 124    Date : Feb 1993
Zeen : C'est Magnifique/TAP             Round 1 :  CMag 126     Date : Apr 1993
Name : "ZAPPLE"                         Round 12 : TAP #156     Date : Mar 1995
Game : R.R. Map LE (London & SE)        Report : TAP #160       Date : May 1995
g.m. : Peter Sullivan

Kent Into Sussex Steamtrains (KISS) [black] : Martyn Hathaway (4th) ; {Start : Eastbourne}

Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends {TTE&F) [blue] : Steve Thomas (2nd) ; {Start : Margate}

Texas Rose United Steam Trains (TRUST) [green] : W. Andrew York (3rd) ; {Start : Bexhill}

Hickory International Corporate Kingpins (HICK) [red] : David Hood (won) ; {Start : Brighton}

Completely Overrated Xylophone Extension Set (COXES) [brown] : Tom Smith (d/o Round 11) ; {Start : Folkstone}

Scores   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11  12
------  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --
KISS    20  20  34  23  -2  11  -5  42  52 108 165 212.5
TTE&F   32  44  47  49  54  60 103 146 205 244 285 348
TRUST   20  21  60  61  64  65 104 142 156 205 236 246
HICK    26  26  31  46  51  42 114 142 218 259 313 377
COXES   26  25  30  28  52  53  71 102 133 138 155 156.5

HICK (David Hood) :

This was my second full game of Railway Rivals. I like it! Actually, I thought I was lucky in where I started, because there were so many cities I could be the first to connect to. Unlike the handful of other games I have started, this one seemed to involve localised networks rather than track all over the map for each colour/company. Thanks for the excellent g.m.ing, Pete.

TTE&F (Steve Thomas) :

Thanks for running "Zapple" to a close. I've nothing much to report by way of a game-end statement. I started in the extreme east, never had occasion to discuss the game with an opponent, and came a comfortable second. I've played on this map once before, with an identical outcome. My thanks go to my opponents who saw the game throughout to its end, and congratulations to David.

TRUST (W. Andrew York) :

The game was quite enjoyable; even if I finished quite far back from the leaders. This was one of my first times playing, and I learned quite a bit about it. Maybe next time Peter GMs a Railway Rivals game (hint, hint) I'll make a better run at a victory! Thanks for a great job GMing!!!!

KISS (Martyn Hathaway) :

I was convinced I was going to win, having started from Eastbourne which allowed me to reach London first. I was still convinced when the races started. Curiously, I have only managed to beat the guy who dropped out. Fortunately, being English, I have no real expectation of victory over foreigners and am content to be "somewhere near the medals" in a good game. Thanks to GM and players.

g.m. (Peter Sullivan) :

The previous version of this map, Map K (Kent), was the very first R.R. map I ever played on, in a face-to-face game in 1985. In that game, the Brighton starter also won, but since he was teaching the rest of us, that's not particularly surprising.

Round 11 (RR 1297 IN) International R.R. India

"ELBRIDGE GERRY"

29) (11-22) Delhi -- Bombay :: RAJPUT 20+4 ; DAVE 10-1-1-4 ; AIR +1+1.
30) (25-53) Indore -- Hyderabad :: AIR 20-1-6+2+1 ; DAVE 10-2+1+1+1 ; SAHIB 0-1-1-1+6.
31) (33-@6) Agra -- Any Seaport :: BADIS 20+4 ; AIR 10-4.
32) (45-13) Jamshedpur -- Amritsar :: AIR 20 ; BADIS 10 ; DAVE 0.
33) (56-63) Madras -- Mangalore :: AIR 20-1-1-5 ; SAHIB 10-3+1 ; RAJPUT +5+3 ; DAVE +1.
34) (64-36) Calicut -- Varanasi :: BADIS 20-6 ; RAJPUT +6.
35) (@3-43) Nepal -- Calcutta :: DAVE 20-5+4+4 ; SAHIB 10-4-4 ; RAJPUT 0-4+4+5.

RAJPUT [yellow] (Michael Quist): No builds
BADIS BADIS [orange] (Conrad von Metzke): No builds
DAVE [black] (Dave Erridge): (E63) - G62 - G61 [-1 A]. -3-1
AIR [brown] (Martyn Hathaway): (E16) - C15 [-1 S] ; (H68) - J69 [-1 S] [-1 D]. -4-3
SAHIB [red] (Eric Brosius): No builds

Scores :b/fwd   29      30      31      32      33      34      35 blds c/fwd
	-----   --      --      --      --      --      --      -- ---- -----
RAJPUT  188     24                              8       6       5        231
BADIS   235                     24      10              14         -4    279
DAVE    212     4       11              0       1               23 +1    252
AIR     161     2       16      6       20      13                 -7+1  212
SAHIB   137             3                       8               2  +2    152
	---     --      --      --      --      --      --      -- ----- ----
Total   933     30      30      30      30      30      20      30 -11+4 1126

Races for Round 12 :

36) (12-65) Delhi -- Madurai
37) (24-@4) Pune -- Assam
38) (32-54) Jabalpur -- Vijayawada
39) (45-34) Jamshedpur -- Kanpur
40) (52-44) Vishakhapatnam -- Calcutta
41) (66-21) Trivandrum -- Ahmadabad
42) (@5-15) Bangladesh -- Bareilly

GENEVA :

In Race 26, RAJPUT pays 4 to AIR and 1 to DAVE, not 5 to DAVE as stated. Scores duly adjusted. Note that BADIS's track goes K46 - L45 - Jodhpur - O47 - Jaipur and O47 - O46 - R44.

You may enter 4 of the above races. The deadline for Round Twelve orders is FRIDAY, 30th JUNE, 1995, to Peter Sullivan. E-mail : peter@manorcon.demon.co.uk

Just room to confirm that the Scottish Nationalist Party did indeed win the Perth and Kinross by-election, although the most remarkable performance was that of the Labour Party, who increased their share of the vote from third place. With Littleborough and Saddleworth now pending, the Government's majority in the House will be down to single figures.John Major may yet get to the stage where further Tory losses will force the election date for him, rather than letting him go at a time of his own choosing.

Thrimidge I 3019 (93?? ts??) Downfall XIII

"RICHARD M. JOHNSON"

DWARVES/GOOD (Mike Gonslaves): A(Wil)-SRh M A(NRh)-SRH = 2A(SRh), Dain/3A(MoM)-DGu, A(Shi)-Bre, A(FEr) S A(Shi)-Bre, A/ELVISH A(Eot)-Fra.
ELVES/GOOD (Donald Scarr) :: A(BMa) S A/DWARVEN A(Eot)-Fra, A(And) S Dain/3A(MoM)-DGu, A(CDm)-Gun, R(Dun)-Tha & Neutralise & disappears, _F(GWA)-Tha_, _2A(Rhu) D*_ : _A(Rhu)-Wea_ ; _A(Rhu)-Hol_, A/DWARVISH A(Eot)-Fra, A(GHa)-Shi, A(Fan)-Gap.
GANDALF/GOOD (Iain Bowen) :: R(. . . . . . )-. . . . . . & disappers, R(. . . . . . )-. . . . . . & disappears, Fe(. . . . . )-. . . . . . , Aragorn(DHa)-{{PATHS OF THE DEAD}}-MVa, Gandalf(. . . . . .)-. . . . . . -. . . . . . . , Gains 2A(MVa) and A(FEr).
GONDOR/GOOD (Chris Q. Hardy) :: F(AND)-SIt, C(Pel)-Los_-MTi_, A(MTi) stand unordered, [[_A(Osg) S F(AND)-SIt_]] (no such unit), Faramir/A(DAm)-Lam, R(. . . . . . )-. . . . . .
MORDOR/EVIL (Michael Quist) :: NMR! 2A(NIt), A(Osg ), A(SGo), Lord of the Nazgul/3A(Hrd) _A(DGu)*_, _A(Bre)*_, A(Kha), A(Hdw), 2A(Udu), A(Nur), Nazgul(. . . . . . )-. . . . . . -. . . . . . , Sauron(Oro), A(Gun), _A(Fra)*_ all stand unordered.
ROHAN/GOOD (Pete Gaughan) :: _C(Bro)-Dag_, _C(SRh)* S C(Bro)-Dag_, _A(CAn)-NIt_, A(DMa) S _A(Dag)-Udu_, A(Dag)-Udu, A(Ano) S A(CAn), Theoden(DHa)-Eas.
SARUMAN/GOOD (Lance Anderson) :: Saruman(. . . . . . )-. . . . . . , _A(Cdl)-Tha_, A(Wea)-Rhu, A(Hol) S A(Wea)-Rhu, A(Tyr) S A(Wea)-Rhu, A(Dru)-Anf.
UMBAR/NEUTRAL (Despair) :: C(Nrd), _F(Lam)*_, 2F(ETH) all stand unordered.

RETREATS :

DWARVEN A(FEr)-Fcl.
ELVISH 2A(Rhu)-Iml
MORDORIAN A(Fra), A(DGu), A(Bre) disbands, no retreat ordered.
ROHIRRRIM C(SRh) disbands, no retreat ordered.
UMBARIAN F(Lam) disbands, no retreat ordered.

GENEVA :

The DWARVEN A(Eot) was ordered on a valid proxy by the ELVES. GONDOR's orders were written on a valid proxy by GANDALF.

The deadline for Thrimidge II 3019 orders and retreats is FRIDAY, 7th JULY, 1995, to Peter Sullivan. E-mail : peter@manorcon.demon.co.uk

PRESS :

ROHAN TO SELF : Yeah, speaking of asleep!

SHARKY TO ANON : Ok, ok, I'm outta there! Just let me sneak past here and I'm gone, promise.

ROHAN TO GONDOR : Sorry, sorry, sorry. I thought you'd pick up two and I was eager to get to the front.

SARUMAN TO ROHAN : Now is the time to restore the sovereignty of Gondor while Umbar despairs. Are you with me?

SOMEWHERE IN NORTH WESTERN GONDOR: "Not too far now", boomed the stentorian voice of the tallest of the three travellers. "Thank Durin for that, if I have to carry this pony any further, my corns will bust" clanged a stony voice. Another light, somewhat musical voice twittered in the darkness "You're not supposed to carry the pony, gravel for brains, your supposed to ride it". The stony voice snapped back "Ride a pony, that's unnatural, but you'd know all about unnatural". The musical voice cut through the air like silk "Unnatural, a rock shagger calls an Elf unnatural, that's like Kitty Kettle calling Paula Pot black". A squabbling quickly ensued - only about the three thousandth since the motley group had left Rivendell and the Last BathHouse west of the Mountains and East of the Sea. The tallest figure looked down at them and hissed "Shut Bloody Up, I've just about had enough". The middle figure hissed back "Well, listen to Her" and was about to start on an extended monologue on the parentage of the other of his companions when he saw the steely glint in his companions eyes. Pouting, he held his piece and the three trudged down the road.

As the valley opened out, it revealed a black stone around which were camped thousands of ill-dressed, badly-groomed young people who appeared to beholding some sort of party crying "Excellent" and "Party on, Garth". Banners proclaimed in both the Tengwar and the Cirth "ErechStock 3019". A strong smell of burning athelas filled the air. They took no notice of the travellers as they sashayed their way through them to the stone save for the unintelligable comment "Are you the roadies?". When our trio finally reached the stone, a few of the crowd gave a plaintive cheer and started to gather around and started swaying.

Drawing himself up to his full height, Aragorn (for it is he) cried in a great voice "Oathbreakers, why have ye come". The crowd mumured and behind them gathered, it seemed, a shadowy host and from this came a voice "To fulfil our oath and have peace". A lone voice from the crowd shouted "Party on, Dudes" but fell silent as a chill swept the air.

Aragorn said "The hour is come at last. I go now to Pelagir upon Anduin, and ye shall come after me. And when all this land is clean of the servants of Sauron, I will hold the oath fulfillred, and ye shall have peace and depart for ever. For I am Elessar, Isildur's heir of Gondor"

At this there was another murmur and the Dead advanced forward, as they did, the crowd, turned and saw the fearful host and fled into the night, screaming that Wights and were upon them.

One man remained, only one could withstand the terror of the place. He grinned and proferred his hand. "Angbor, Lord of Lamedon, pleased to meet you, I'm afraid you've disturbed the locals, you see they were waiting for the Grateful Dead".