"Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you-ou!" Post Marque is moving be making our appearance in issue #18 of SHADIS magazine, so we'll save the tearful farewells until then. Several other magazines have expressed an interest in acquiring Post Marque, but nothing is certain at this point. Look for details next issue. SHADIS will continue to cover the PBM industry with reviews and industry coverage, but the material will fall under the Closer Look column and Bits n' Pieces along with other forms of gaming. Our goal over the past year was to introduce new players to the world of PBM. PBM companies who wish to have their games or products reviewed in SHADIS should make arrangements directly with the head office for getting reviewers in their games. SHADIS will also be looking for freelance reviewers to cover various PBM games, so if you are interested, drop us a line. An interesting new magazine makes its debut soon, covering the field of PBM/PBEM, but it'll never see print. Called "Beyond," it will be published electronically. No firm details are available at this time concerning formats, platforms, etc., but it seems like an exciting venture. We'll have more next issue, bit in the interim, why not check out rec.games.pbm on the Internet? Although we haven't received any review material, it appears that the official Traveller PBM has finally been launched. For more details, contact Eclipse Entertainment, PO Box 28397, Tempe AZ 85285. It seems so far off, but Post Marque is already getting geared up for Origins '95. The Philadelphia convention center is huge, and it's just minutes from many of the city's exciting attractions. Don't miss this one or you'll be kicking yourself forever. That's all for this time. Don't miss our SHADIS swan song next issue. Ship Ahoy! New Games on The Horizon Most PBM wargames are decidedly slanted in favor of land battles and land-based units. Not so with Thunder at Sea, a tactical naval wargame from Command Authority Games. The game features a number of different scenarios, and has a definite focus on historical accuracy and realism. Detail-oriented gainers will be gratified by the depth of the game. The rules are printed simply and punched for a three-ring binder. The lack of page numbers is frustrating, but a concise index and the use of section header numbers cuts down on search time. An interesting feature is that players are not allowed to coordinate strategy outside of the game mechanics. Players must use an in-game communication system, which, on rare occasions, can be intercepted by enemy agents! Turn printouts consist largely of numerical data, although there are graphical radar reports. All things considered, while experienced wargamers will likely be delighted by the product, first time PBMers with no prior wargame experience might find themselves lost. For more information, contact Command Authority Games, PO Box 1391, Iowa City, IA 52244-1391 Sigma Games has announced that City State is now commercial. Previously, the historical war game had been hand moderated as a hobby. We received only a summary of the rules, which state that the game is set in a nonspecific area of ancient Greek history. Four of the countries begin the game as computer-controlled positions; additionally, the computer will take over any dropped positions. The printouts appear to be simple dot-matrix, with very basic graphics. Information is presented in both verbal and numerical format, with a plain English paragraph report for each regiment. Pricing information was not included. For further details, contact Sigma Games, 43 Stainburn Rd., Moortown, Leeds, LS17 6NP, United Kingdom. At press time, the game was limited to UK players. Let's Split If there were an award for most unique concept in PBM, my money would be on Monastic Software, for their "what-else-can-you-say-about-it" game, You're An Amoeba, Go! I kid you not. This is a game about, well, slime. I hated biology in high school; I actually managed to fail it for a trimester. After reading the rules, I was sorry I'd agreed to play, as it was obviously a game for microscope jockeys. Now that I've given it a go, I see I was a bit hasty. The technical jargon really doesn't detract from gameplay. The premise is simple. Each player begins the game with a small number of identical amoebae under his control. Each amoeba is rated in a number of different fields, each of which has an effect on the amoeba's performance. For example, its Defense rating will affect its ability to sustain damage in combat, as well as resist disease, while its Perception rating will affect its ability to determine the presence and nature of other organisms in its immediate area. When an amoeba achieves a strength rating of at least four (through feeding or other means), it may split. Two identical organisms exists where there was previously but one. Additionally, each organism will have a player-selected rating improved by one point. Occasionally, mutations can occur. Players are notified in advance if any of their amoebae are eligible to mutate. When an organism splits, the mutation affects each of the two new organisms differently, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. In addition to its statistics, an amoeba may purchase special abilities. These include improved methods of attack, movement, feeding, and defense. These abilities are actually purchased with statistics; for example, disease resistance costs two points of Defense. Perhaps the most important ability to acquire is Direction, which allows an amoeba to understand directions, and specify which direction it will move in if issued a movement order. Amoebae gain strength points by feeding. Early in the game, this is achieved primarily through use of the "Grow" order, which instructs an amoeba to feed on nutrients that exist around it. The eventual object of the game is to control a certain number of Strength points within the cube that comprises the game. Thus, creating new organisms and destroying organisms belonging to other players are equally important. The biggest appeal of the game seems to be the ability to customize. The organisms that a player begins with are totally generic. From there, a player can effectively design combat units, intelligence units, etc., by improving certain statistics. Decisions need to be made: which should be developed first, defense or attack? Which is more valuable, one strong organism with a strength of six, or two weaker units with a strength of 3 each? The rulebook is reasonably straightforward. There's not a lot of information to cover; the game is relatively basic. However, read carefully, as some important facts are mentioned only once. Turns are crisply printed, and the information is easy to digest. The time to fill out a turn varies depending on the number of amoebae a player controls, but average time seems to be five to ten minutes. The game is suitable for first-time players who have an interest in biology, or experienced gamers looking for something different (even those who hate biology). You're in Amoeba, Go! is not a game of grand strategy or Machiavellian plots. Diplomacy is minimal. It's fun for a change, however, and is solidly designed and well moderated. Further information is available from Monastic Software, PO Box 4156, Ithaca, NY 14852 Back to Shadis #17 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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