Peter Rzechorzek writes to us about his PBEM game:

I run a Play By Email game called Tribe Net and wish to bring this game to the attention of potential players via posting boards, distribution lists etc. Should there be anyone in your club/group that is interested there are 6 free turns available to trial the game. A brief description follows.

Description:

Tribe Net is probably best characterised as a combination of Civilization and Diplomacy but many of its players are from a wargaming background.

You control a Clan of 5,000-6,000 people who hunt, herd, manufacture, mine, farm, trade, research, build armies, navies and cities and forge political and religious affiliations. But your success will also depend on your ability to negotiate with (or around) other players.

A feature of Tribe Net is that it allows you to participate in the evolution of the game. One of the ways in which this happens is through individual research which might result in a skill, weapon, tool etc. which only your people possess. How the game develops is therefore up to the players. Some players make it their aim to take over the world (in selfdefense of course), the more humble are happy with a secure place in it.

There are 80 players at the moment, predominantly from the US, UK and Australia - however, the structure of the game allows new players to set up without disadvantage. There are experienced players available to act as mentors to anyone starting fresh.

It requires no special software to play; only access to a word processor and email. Tribe Net is a long haul game and does not rely on graphics.

Costs per turn for a Standard Clan: Aus$4.00/ US$3.00/ UK £ 1.80

Sites:

• http://aps.org/-stafford/ushko
• www.geocities.com/Times Square/Alley/2187/tribenet.htm
• http://www.nettrash.com/users/pog/pog.htm
• http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Nebula/9546/index.html
• http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Ring/7123/index.html

John Kula

and here's something from the flowery pen, or rather bloomin' keyboard, of John Kula:

To the Editor, Dear Sir;

In an effort, once and for all, to remove that final source of inequity for black in chess, to wit, the first move advantage predestined to white, I offer you my latest masterpiece, which I call AA Chess (variously, anti-apartheid chess or affirmative action chess).

As its name may or may not imply, movement is simultaneous, so there is no longer any inherent advantage in being white or disadvantage in being black. Nothing could be simpler. Once both players have signified their readiness to move, they simultaneously count to three out loud, pick up the piece they intend to move, and move it. After this movement phase, any combat is resolved, there is a mandatory three-minute incongruity phase, and then the whole process is repeated.

This revolutionary and long-awaited improvement to the basic game of chess I offer to you with the understanding that all revenues realized by the SGS shall be placed in a special John Kula for Czar fund, the need for which shall become evident in good time.

I remain your humble and obedient etcetera,

Joe Kool