Starship Troopers, while being a complex game can be played by mail simply and with one letter a turn.

In SST the Terrans an the easiest to play by mail. First make two copies of the Control Sheet, one for yourself and another to send to your opponent in a small sealed envelope . Also in this envelope include the landing hex and turn number for the arrival of the Engineers and Final Retrieval Boat. You can devise your own devious ways of sealing it so your opponent can't open it without your knowledge. Later, near the end of the game, the Arachnid or Skinny player sends it back still unopened but with his own seal added. This is to keep the Terran player honest with his weapons distribution. With the last turn you send the same envelope back still unopened. When the Arachnid player receives it he opens the envelope and checks the Terran's action.

Then the Terrans land; send a letter with the location of each unit, the Closing Transactions Date, and starting stock. (CTD and starting stock will be necessary virtually every turn.) List a stock number for the Direction of Launch and one for each Terran unit. Stock number 1 is the starting stock, 2 is the next stock down and so on for as many stocks as you need. Determine the die roll in the usual way (the remainder of the sales in hundreds divided by six), then use the Drift Diagram. Do the same thing with Rocket Beacons.

For turn 2 and the rest of the game: For the Special Function Phase list the unit and what it's doing. For the Movement Phase list the moving unit and the end hex. For the Ranged Weapons Phase list the unit, type of weapon, target hex, and a stock number for each defending unit. For the Close Combat phase list the attacking unit(s) and defending unit(s) and a stock number. When using DAPs, DARs, HNG, or Demolition Charges, list the dropping unit, the hex it was dropped in, what type it is, and a stock number for each enemy unit attacked. If it is emplaced write down the dropping unit and the hex it is dropped in but not what type it is. Then in a small sealed envelope put the location and what type it is. The Arachnid player need not send this back unless requested to do so by the Terran player. When it is used the Arachnid player can open the envelope. When a Special Talent or LD is used the Arachnid player sends the necessary information with his turn, the Terran player won't find out the results until his next turn, but this is more realistic.

THE SKINNIES

Send one copy of the initial Set-up to the Terran player in a sealed envelope listing the unit types and ID numbers for every unit. This envelope is treated the same as the Terran Control Sheet. Also send your set-up to the Terran player giving each unit, except Decoys and Installations, a letter. Do not list exact unit types. For installations and Decoys write "Inst," then the hex.

Do each turn exactly like the Terran turn except the initial set-up letter is used for each unit instead of its number. When the unit is turned face-up list the unit type and number. Simple?

THE ARACHNIDS

Send a copy of the Alien Central Sheet to the Terran player in a sealed envelope again using the Terran Control Sheet System.

On the Special Function Phase list blown Demos, Breaches, and Tunnel to Surface Movement. Put all other Engineer Functions, including movement, in a sealed envelope, not to be opened until the end of the game. The rest of the turn is exactly like the Skinnies.

Tunnel movement: if a Terran unit enters a breach the Arachnid player draws out all tunnel hexes the unit could possibly reach in the next turn, but do not put in Brain Cells or Prisoner Cells.

Anyone caught opening envelopes that they weren't supposed to open forfeits. Of course, someone can figure a way of opening any envelope, then resealing it, but it just isn't worth it. This looks complex, but it isn't. I hope you enjoy SST by mail a much as I do.

Getting a third party to hold the envelopes would simplify things. -DSL