SEARCH   |   SITE MAP   |   CONTACT   |   HELP
"On air. On sea. On land. Still the Internet's greatest wargame simulation."

Empire Main >> History >> History of Games >> Ice World V

Ice World V

Deity: John Yockey
Start Date: February 21, 2003
End Date: April 15, 2003 (53 days)
Code used: 4.2.11
Winner(s): Lowland (Lowland, Pendor)
Niflheim (Byzantium, Dorwinion, Plundaria, Mithrilien)

Original Game Announcement

February 12, 2003

I've recently been informed that LOTR II has been delayed indefinitely. In order to get a long term game running that will end before students leave for the summer, the Ice Barbarian Warlord announces the start of Ice World V. This game will be on an ice continent. Players of all skill levels are invited to join. To sign up send the following information to johny@frii.com.

Country Name:
Password:
Preferred Email Address:
Empire Rank:

(for rank see http://www.wolfpackempire.com/simplerank.html)

Ice World V will be hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665. The game will be openned to players Friday February 21st, with the first update on Monday February 24th. There will be a ten minute update window every 17 hours for the first week.
After that the time between updates will increase by 12 hours every other week until updates are every 53 hours after the fifth week. There will be weekend updates.

No more than 10% of the starting countries will be recognized in the victory declaration.

The following modifications have been made for this game:

Deity,
John Yockey,
aka The Ice Barbarian Warlord!

version >!version
Empire 4.2.11
(KSU distribution 1.04, Chainsaw version 4.00, Wolfpack version 2.11)

The following parameters have been set for this game:
World size is TBD
There can be up to 99 countries.
By default, countries use their own coordinate system.

An Empire time unit is 1020 seconds long.
Use the 'update' command to find out the time of the next update.
The current time is Tue Feb 11 22:16:05.
An update consists of 60 empire time units.
Each country is allowed to be logged in 1440 minutes a day.
It takes 8.33 civilians to produce a BTU in one time unit.

A non-aggi, 100 fertility sector can grow 0.12 food per etu.
1000 civilians will harvest 1.3 food per etu.
1000 civilians will give birth to 5.0 babies per etu.
1000 uncompensated workers will give birth to 2.5 babies.
In one time unit, 1000 people eat 0.5 units of food.
1000 babies eat 6.0 units of food becoming adults.

Banks pay $120.00 in interest per 1000 gold bars per etu.
1000 civilians generate $4.00, uncompensated workers $1.00 each time unit.
1000 active military cost $83.33, reserves cost $8.33.
Happiness p.e. requires 1 happy stroller per 10000 civ.
Education p.e. requires 1 class of graduates per 10000 civ.
Happiness is averaged over 48 time units.
Education is averaged over 192 time units.
The technology/research boost you get from the world is 50.00%.
Nation levels (tech etc.) decline 1% every 96 time units.
Tech Buildup is limited to logarithmic growth (base 2.00) after 1.00.

Sectors Ships Planes Units
Maximum mobility 127 127 127 127
Max mob gain per update 60 90 60 60
Max eff gain per update -- 100 100 100

Ships on autonavigation may use 6 cargo holds per ship.
In order to build a nuke, you need 0.33 times the tech level in research
Example: In order to build a 300 tech nuke, you need 99 research

Fire ranges are scaled by 1.00

Options enabled in this game:
ALL_BLEED, DEMANDUPDATE, DRNUKE, FALLOUT, GODNEWS, HIDDEN, INTERDICT_ATT, LANDSPIES, LOSE_CONTACT, MOB_ACCESS, NEUTRON, NEW_STARVE, NEW_WORK, NEWPOWER, NO_FORT_FIRE, NO_PLAGUE, NOMOBCOST, NUKEFAILDETONATE, ORBIT, PINPOINTMISSILE, PLANENAMES, SAIL,
SHIPNAMES, SHOWPLANE, TECH_POP, TREATIES, UPDATESCHED

Options disabled in this game:
BIG_CITY, BLITZ, BRIDGETOWERS, DEFENSE_INFRA, EASY_BRIDGES, FUEL, GO_RENEW, GRAB_THINGS, LOANS, MARKET, NO_HCMS, NO_LCMS, NO_OIL,
NOFOOD, NONUKES, RES_POP, SHIP_DECAY, SLOW_WAR, SNEAK_ATTACK,
SUPER_BARS, TRADESHIPS,

"info Options" for a detailed list of options and descriptions

The person to annoy if something goes wrong is:
John Yockey
(johny@frii.com).
You can get your own copy of the source using:
ftp://ftp.empire.cx/pub/empire/server or
http://www.empire.cx/

back to top

Mid-game Updates

  • Four days after the start, February 25, 2003
  • Five days after the start, February 26, 2003
  • Six days after the start, February 27th, 2003
  • Nine days after start, March 2, 2003
  • Two weeks after start, March 8, 2003
  • Five weeks after start, March 26, 2003
  • Six weeks after start, April 7, 2003
  • Four days after the start, February 25, 2003

    Ice World V has started. After a little glitch where updates
    were turned on before I correctly adjusted the update time,
    21 of 22 countries broke Sanctuary. I broke and setup the
    22nd country right before the first update, and that country
    is available to any player that still wants to get into the
    game. Anyone who wants the available country should e-mail
    the deity at johny@frii.com with Country Name, Password, and
    Preferred E-mail address.

    After the first update the order of countries on the power
    chart is: ^^^, SiliconSorcerer, Shakespeare, IndustMech, DPRK,
    VailGulf, Lowland, Myseria, unemployed, Zern, Cheela,
    OrionSyndicate, Ragnarook, Vaujany, Cairhien, Coyote, Armengar,
    Bwian, Aquataine, Zion, routerman, Niflheim.

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665.
    The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Five days after the start, February 26, 2003

    Ice World V still has one country that needs a permanent ruler. The country was setup by the deity and is currently in the upper half of the power chart -- so you can still join and not be behind the other players. Anyone who wants the available country should e-mail the deity at johny@frii.com with Country Name, Password, and Preferred E-mail address. In order to encourage game announcements by the players, I am awarding bars from heaven to the player who makes the best announcement each update. Non-participants can comment on announcements that they particularly like.

    After the second update the order of countries on the power chart is: ^^^, DPRK, SiliconSorcerer, Lowland, Zern, Shakespeare, IndustMech, VailGulf, Cheela, Armengar, OrionSyndicate, Ragnarook, Vaujany, Cairhien, Myseria, Bwian, Coyote, unemployed, Aquataine, Niflheim, Zion, routerman

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665.
    The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Six days after the start, February 27th, 2003

    The last country in Ice World V was claimed today. After two update without any starvation, there was massive starvation the past two updates. First by the natives between countries and then by the countries themselves.

    After the forth update the top ten countries on the power chart are: SilentBob, Shakespeare, Coyote, Armengar, unemployed, Vaujany, Lowland, SiliconSorcerer, Ragnarook, and DPRK.

    back to top

    Nine days after start, March 2, 2003

    The natives between countries of Ice World V have now starved out and the countries are beginning to expand towards each other. One country had to drop out and a replacement has been found. Anyone who wants to be on the replacement list should contact the deity at johny@frii.com.

    After the first two updates there had been no starvation or overpopulation. However that has not continued as there are now countries that are starving or broke.

    After the seventh update the top ten countries on the power chart are: Shakespeare, Niflheim, Vaujany, Lowland, SilentBob, DPRK, Armengar, Ragnarook, Coyote, and ^^^.

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665.
    The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Two weeks after start, March 8, 2003

    Another Ice World V country was replaced this past week. All countries continue to be active. The starvation and insolviblity of nations that occurred between the 3rd and 5th updates has been resolved. Ice World V continued to be peaceful as nations were feeling each other out. However that all ended today as nations awoke to headlines of:

                   -=[ EMPIRE NEWS ]=-
    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
    !        "All the news that fits, we print."           !
    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
    Sat Mar 8 16:12:01 2003

    Niflheim wreaks havoc on routerman!
    Lowland wreaks havoc on Cairhien!

    After the twelvth update the top ten countries on the power
    chart are: Lowland, Niflheim, SilentBob, Vaujany, Ragnarook,
    DPRK, Coyote, Shakespeare, IndustMech, and Armengar.

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665.
    The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Four weeks after start, March 26, 2003

    After 22 updates there are 11 countries still alive and well in Ice World V: Aquataine, Coyote, DPRK, IndustMech, Lowland, Niflheim, Ragnarook, Shakespeare, unemployed, VailGulf, and ^^^. Only two countries will be allowed to declare victory. With hidden on, countries are uncertain on how much of an advantage they have over each other. Most countries have achieved jet fighter technology. Countries that have fallen behind in technology have been absorbed by their neighbors.

    SilentBob did an excellent job of holding off Lowland, Niflheim, and Ragnarook for several updates, but eventually fell. The countries that remain are large enough to not fall in a single attack, such that longer battles should occur for the rest of the game. So far no major alliances have formed.

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665.
    The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Six weeks after start, April 7, 2003

    After 30 updates there are 10 countries still alive and well in Ice World V: Aquataine, Coyote, IndustMech, Lowland, Niflheim, Ragnarook, Shakespeare, unemployed, VailGulf, and ^^^. The endgame began last week as five countries piled onto DPRK.Lowland started the action by cancelling his non-aggression pact with DPRK such that El Presidente had to move troups to his northern border. Niflheim then attacked from the south where DPRK was prepared to counter attack. However once DPRK had used the rest of his forces in the counter attack, IndustMech moved in and sacked the capital. Smelling the blood, Ragnarook and unemployed then moved in and DPRK had vanished in a single update. Many had thought that DPRK was the largest country in the game; however he was only third.

    Ice World V is hosted at empire.wolfpaw.net on port 6665. The visitor account is enabled.

    back to top

    Game Summary

    Ice World V is now over. Lowland and Niflheim have been declared the winners. Ice World V was a continental game with venture enterprise and ice sectors. Special units existed that could easily march through the mountains and ice. Players had to be logged off in order to accumulate BTUs.

    The game started with 1000 deity mil in sectors between countries. After a week the deity mil starved out and countries began to expand. Shakespeare and Niflheim grabbed an early lead, as they were able to make contact and get tech bleed about four updates before other countries did. Next time I need to remember to turn off tech bleed in hidden games.

    Lowland and Niflheim grabbed the lead in the game by invading weak neighbors early in the game. Lowland invaded Cairhien and Niflheim invaded routerman. These weren't the weakest countries in the game, but both fell very rapidly.

    Shakespeare soon followed by an invasion of Bwain; however, Bwain allowed most of his country to fall into the hands of his ally unemployed. Lowland quickly turned his attention to OrionSyndicate who had already been preoccupied in a border skirmish with VailGulf. OrionSyndicate started as a large money rich country, but fell way behind in technology early. Falling behind in tech in a hidden game usually attracts the attention of sector hungry lawnmowers.

    Ragnarook and IndustMech began an invasion of Myseria, while Niflheim moved against SiliconSorcerer. SiliconSorcerer had uncharacteristically gone broke for several updates early inthe game, but had survived and was active when Niflheim attacked. DPRK invaded Tundra who had recently replaced Zion. Myseria, SiliconSorcerer, and Zion all quickly fell.

    SilentBob launched an attack against Newland who had replaced Cheela two weeks earlier. When Newland didn't respond toSilentBob's attack, both Ragnarook and Newland's ally ^^^ gobbled up the rest of his country. This prompted Newland to spam the deity's e-mail with messages about how unfair it was that he abandoned his country for four days and it was gone when he got back.

    During the Newland invasion additional hostilities broke out as SilentBob accidentally attacked some of Ragnarook's sectors. Soon SilentBob was under attack from Ragnarook, Vaujany, and Niflheim. Lowland's armies continued to role through Armengar,and DPRK back doored Vaujany. Vaujany had the tech lead at the time, but didn't have many military to resist DPRK's attack. SilentBob held off his attackers for several updates, and only fell after Lowland had marched all the way through Armengar and joined the battle. SilentBob ended up giving away his best territory to ^^^ and some to Coyote.

    For the next week there was little fighting going on. Aquataine and VailGulf were fighting each other on a stalemated front. Most countries were speculating that DPRK was on top of the power chart; however, Lowland and Niflheim were.

    By this time, Lowland and Niflheim had already made a secret alliance and were communicating by e-mail to hide it. They spread rumors that DPRK was going to invade IndustMech. After the week of peace, Lowland gave notice to DPRK that he was going to end their non-aggression pact. DPRK moved some of his forces to protect his northern border. Niflheim then attacked from the south. DPRK had set up forces to counterattack Niflheim's forces; however, his plan to drop Niflheim's units on bridges didn't work as Niflheim had designated 0% bridgeheads on the opposite shore during his attack. This had left DPRK's mainland open to attack from IndustMech who marched in and sacked the DPRK capital. Faced with three opponents, DPRK attempted to turn over the rest of his lands to Ragnarook and unemployed.

    Aquataine was beginning to make progress against VailGulf. Coyote then attempted to support VailGulf by marching units through his ally's country and attacked Aquataine. Coyote soon learned that units don't defend allied sectors. With Aquataine, VailGulf, and Coyote weakened by weeks of fighting, Lowland and Niflheim added to their power by invading VailGulf and Coyote.

    Lowland and Niflheim then declared victory. The remaining countries discussed contesting the win for a while; however since Aquataine, unemployed, and Shakespeare all had four update non-aggression pacts with the winners, they conceded victory.

    back to top

    Final Power

    Blue coloring on countries in the power chart indicates the winners of the game.

         - = [   Empire Power Report   ] = -
    as of Tue Apr 15 09:22:11 2003
                sects  eff civ  mil  shell gun pet  iron dust oil  pln ship unit money
         Lowland 423   97% 247K 7.5K 9.9K 972  7.3K 106K 1.0K 9.7K 200   33  154  3.7K
        23177.84
        Niflheim 439   98% 272K  10K 5.7K 1.2K  11K  80K 754   14K 173   45  141   12K
        21012.28
       Ragnarook 255   99% 152K 4.7K 4.3K 236  2.3K  33K 1.6K 4.3K 180   14  103   13K
        12068.06
             ^^^ 187  100% 110K 3.6K 5.4K 945  6.8K  48K 235  8.9K 151   20  163   53K
        10879.30
       Shakespea 158   99%  99K 6.2K 7.0K 1.4K 6.6K  28K 554  2.9K 360   14  150  2.4K
         9176.99
       IndustMec 172   99%  90K 3.1K 2.8K 583  4.0K  21K 2.0K 7.4K 112   15   96   68K
         9109.23
       unemploye 148  100%  80K 3.6K 3.1K 571  1.9K  28K 504  3.0K  62   12   44  6.5K
         7610.17
       Aquataine 129   99%  76K 2.5K 743   83  4.9K  17K 1.9K 1.4K  70   10   30   14K
         5128.55
        VailGulf  35   73%  14K 620  132   18   51  2.7K  72  1.2K   0    7    0 -450
          822.76
            DPRK   7   85% 4.9K 311    0    0    1  1.2K  48    1    0    7   11 -1.2K
          287.87
          Coyote   8   92% 5.7K 140    5    2    1  1.7K  12    0    2    3    1 -2.0K
          257.06
       SilentBob   4   99% 2.5K  95    7    0    0  1.9K   5    1    0    1    0  715
          101.27
         Vaujany   4   62% 1.7K 189    0    0    4  2.3K   0    1    0    0    0 -3.8K
           81.27
                 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
       worldwide 2.0K  98% 1.2M  43K  39K 6.0K  45K 369K 8.7K  54K 1.3K 180  890  155K
     

    back to top

    Final Report

    Blue coloring on countries in the report indicates the winners of the game. 
    
    Tue Apr 15 10:38:05 2003
    # name tech research education happiness capital
    0 Ice Barbarians 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
    1 Aquataine 186.11 13.93 29.20 0.00 -36,-6
    2 Armengar 124.89 1.14 0.73 0.00 21,7
    3 Bwian 73.40 2.06 0.10 0.00 -8,-18
    4 Cairhien 49.35 2.26 0.06 0.00 45,11
    5 Newland 103.17 2.26 0.33 0.00 -1,-23
    6 Coyote 175.13 13.93 19.31 1.02 -8,12
    7 DPRK 166.42 5.98 4.58 0.04 30,-22
    8 IndustMech 202.77 13.93 33.66 14.61 11,-11
    9 Lowland 213.16 11.99 26.12 21.25 -36,20
    10 Myseria 82.76 1.14 0.38 0.00 36,-12
    11 Niflheim 197.48 13.93 20.19 18.89 27,3
    12 OrionSyndicate 63.86 1.14 0.22 0.00 -34,2
    13 SilentBob 137.68 0.00 0.78 6.76 1,19
    14 Ragnarook 200.07 13.93 23.09 14.60 -1,-21
    15 routerman 57.71 2.50 0.05 0.00 30,-2
    16 Shakespeare 191.27 22.43 31.24 20.58 -2,-12
    17 SiliconSorcere 99.54 0.83 0.33 0.00 -47,3
    18 unemployed 215.19 13.93 23.12 7.27 -33,-11
    19 VailGulf 171.83 11.83 10.59 19.39 -20,-4
    20 Vaujany 144.03 6.26 1.37 0.00 29,-21
    21 Tundra 73.88 0.00 0.21 0.00 47,-9
    22 visitor 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
    23 Lurker 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
    24 ^^^ 185.00 13.93 29.21 2.90 -21,15
    25 Mapmaker 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0

    back to top

    Awards

    (these awards proncounced by Niflheim, one of the two winning countries)

    Most anti-climatic battle award:
    DPRK. The fall of Communism. What was expected to be "The Mother of all
    Battles" turned into the "Daddy of all feeding frenzies" as they were
    torn apart in a twinkling by the rest of the civilized world..

    Speak Softly but carry a Big Stick:
    Lowland: Stealthly became the #1 power and hardly anyone noticed.

    Was this trip really nessesary?:
    Ragnarook/Lowland+Niflheim diplomacy. If they could ever communicate
    with each other, things would have been simpler.

    Right time, right place, right attitude:
    Industrial Mechanics. Looted and pillaged the communist capital while
    DPRK was busy "springing his trap" on Niflheim.

    Opprotunity Knocks, extra hog at the trough award:
    ^^^. Never leave your unfinished fodder anywere near him and hope to
    get it after your btu hibernation.

    I didn't mean to jog him so hard:
    Niflheim vs Silent Bob. Attack wasn't really meant to eliminate Bob
    just as a cover to prevent him from interfering in covert support of Lowland
    vs Armegar.

    Was doing fine until you came along:
    Silent Bob vs Ragnarook until Niflheim & ^^^ meddling tipped the scales
    harshly.

    Who spammed my bmap award:
    ^^^ for exploiting every feature of empire to annoy and confuse.

    Good references:
    Shakespeare for quoting, err, himself.

    Good Non-allied neighbors:
    Shakes and Indy from the start. Aqua & Unemployed joined the list
    midgame.

    Annoying announcements:
    DP had this locked up at first but Night Flems co-ruler Plundaria
    worked hard to topple him. :)

    back to top

    Announcements

    (not all inclusive. These are highlights as posted by the deity)

    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Fri Feb 21 13:50:59 2003
    We shall be known as the Quendi, those who speak with voices.
    We are the first to wake in this world.

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Fri Feb 21 15:04:01 2003
    Ah, my friend, you are not the first
    one to wake in this world.

    It appears the diety has created a
    truly hidden world.

    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Fri Feb 21 18:15:15 2003
    Shhhhh, you're messing with my fantasy...

    > Announcement from Bwian, (#3) dated Fri Feb 21 19:36:52 2003
    Hello World! The nation of Bwian would like it to be known that (for better or worse), it is being played by the current maintainer of WinACE. If any of you WinACE users encounter any problems with the special features of Ice World V, or if you find any general bugs, please let me know and I will attempt to correct them. I can be reached via e-mail at drk@unxsoft.com if that is more convenient. That is all for now.

    Bwian

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Fri Feb 21 20:48:04 2003
    In that case, there appears to be a bug in WinACE when you
    enter a long announcement or telegram, WinACE doesn't wrap
    the lines after 70 to 72 characters.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Fri Feb 21 21:48:26 2003

    The people, once equipped with the revolutionary spirit of soldiers,
    can firmly defend the country from any enemy's aggression and
    successfully build a powerful nation, says a DPRK spokesman today in
    a signed article. The article continues:

    The revolutionary spirit of soldiers represents a powerful
    ideological and moral weapon which was instrumental in ushering in
    the era of the great army-based policy and an ideological and mental
    pabulum for training the DPRK people as staunch fighters in that era.
    El Presidente set forth the original army-centered revolutionary
    line in the most arduous period of the DPRK revolution and directed
    primary efforts to strengthening and developing the people's army. It
    was in that historic period that the revolutionary spirit of soldiers,
    a model in the times, was created and a breakthrough was made towards
    the victory of the DPRK revolution and the prosperity of the country.
    A radical change is taking place in the ideological and moral
    aspects of our people. It is the real picture of our society that
    all members of the society are emerging staunch fighters in the era
    of the army-based policy to display heroism and perform feats by
    learning from the ideological and mental traits of the servicemen of
    the KPA.
    The revolutionary spirit of soldiers represents a powerful engine
    for the building of a powerful nation in the era of the army-based
    policy.
    This is clearly evidenced by such proud victories and successes
    achieved in the revolution and construction in recent years as
    continued victories in the political and military confrontation with
    the Ice Worldists, a brilliant victory in the "arduous march", the
    forced march and a leaping advance made in the drive to build an
    economically powerful nation.
    The prospect of the DPRK revolution advancing in the
    revolutionary spirit of soldiers under the leadership of El
    Presidente is bright, it is sure to triumph and a prosperous and
    powerful socialist nation is certain to emerge on this land.

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Fri Feb 21 22:41:23 2003
    I don't have a job, I never log off. Attacking is futile.

    > Announcement from Armengar, (#2) dated Sat Feb 22 11:25:46 2003
    Fortunately being alert takes one only so far,
    so we somniacs have a chance also.

    Sinari, the one who speaks softly and carries
    a nonexistant stick

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Sat Feb 22 11:27:28 2003
    I'm on right now to read your anno immediately after you wrote it.

    this isnt a joke

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Sat Feb 22 14:31:58 2003
    We are Norsemen, hardy and bold. We mount the black waves in our
    doughty sleek ships and go a-raiding. We are Norsemen, tough as
    stone. At least some of us are. Myself, I'm a skald--a poet, that
    is.
    -- T. Coraghessan Boyle, We are Norsemen

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sat Feb 22 14:40:06 2003
    Unemployed,

    Are you on now?

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Sat Feb 22 16:48:42 2003
    unemployed,
    Can you hear me now?

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Sat Feb 22 20:54:18 2003
    I was around for both those anno's but I wanted the guy I'm at war with
    to think I logged off.

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sun Feb 23 11:03:18 2003
    unemployed,

    So you haven't, and don't intend to, log off for the entire game?

    ---IM

    > Announcement from Bwian, (#3) dated Sun Feb 23 13:04:27 2003
    ?In that case, there appears to be a bug in WinACE when you
    ?enter a long announcement or telegram, WinACE doesn't wrap
    ?the lines after 70 to 72 characters.

    Well, don't I feel like an idiot now.

    The nation of Bwian humbly apologizes to the world for
    its atrociously formatted announcement. The programmers
    responsible for that code will be drug out into the street
    and flogged repeatedly with a large rubber hose. A
    corrected version of WinACE will be released RSN.

    Bwian.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Sun Feb 23 18:36:09 2003
    Bwain,
    Hopefully you are intending on having WinACE wrap GENERATED
    tele/annos. Other clients have long line problems too and the
    best solution is not to generate long lines to begin with.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Sun Feb 23 18:38:00 2003
    It would appear that unemployed's answering service in not
    currently forwarding messages to him. Or perhaps he's too
    engrossed in empire battle and must ignore the interruption.

    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Mon Feb 24 06:00:15 2003

    What's up with WinAce? It always crashes if I get a telegram
    while it's waiting for me to finish a command.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Mon Feb 24 06:38:32 2003
    Zzzzzzz....

    Zzzzzz....

    Zzzz
    <ping>
    You have one production report waiting.

    Hrmmppfh, what?


    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Mon Feb 24 08:39:14 2003
    WTF over. I log in today to read the latest annos and...
    country setup is GONE. Back to two sanctuaries!!
    I break (again) and its like I'm at a new location.
    This doesn't bode well for a smooth game.

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Mon Feb 24 08:49:10 2003
    well,

    beep complained about having too many hostile mil
    on his borders, that the Diety was ignoring him, and
    that somebody forced an update too early, catching
    the first citizen with his pants around his ankles.


    The Ice Barbarian Warlord decided to rebuild the world
    and award beep the title of "mountain king".


    :)


    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Mon Feb 24 08:52:21 2003
    I made an error while turning on updates this morning and
    having the update adjust time wrong. This caused an update
    to occur at the wrong time. Since I hadn't turned on backups
    yet, I had to regenerate Ice World V. Note that the world is
    a little bigger as I have added a country that signed up late.
    The first update will be tommorrow at 11:05.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Mon Feb 24 09:04:49 2003
    Countries got trashed, but as least the old annos were saved. :)

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Mon Feb 24 20:14:44 2003
    The country of [visitor] hereby requests all players with
    mountain sheeps to be sure to send food to our treasured
    flock, and do not attempt any hostile acts towards our peaceful
    country at this time.
    -B

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Tue Feb 25 17:24:50 2003
    There are 22 countries. 21 of them broke Sanctuary. Thus,
    the winning alliance can include two countries.

    The player of the unbroken sanctuary had broke before Monday
    morning's regeneration. I will try to get him back or get
    a replacement for that country.

    Amazingly there was no starvation or overpopulation the first
    update. beep would be happy:-)

    Since hidden is enabled, there is very little information
    visible to the visitor account and players not in the game.
    The exception to this is game announcements. Unless some
    player objects, each update I will be awarding five bars from
    heaven to the player that makes the best announcement between
    updates. Bonus points will be award for blatant propaganda
    ... err I mean informational material for visitors and players
    not participating.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Feb 25 20:49:05 2003
    Its really great to have such a cool game, with such an
    outstanding player as deity! Kind of like being in empire Heaven,
    a great game run by one of the greatest players of all time!


    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Tue Feb 25 21:06:19 2003
    Kissing up to the capitalist derriere is sure to yield
    predictable results.

    El Presidente

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Feb 25 23:32:10 2003
    5 bars now is worth 10 bars later :-)

    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Tue Feb 25 23:44:14 2003
    I'm surrounded by hungry barbarians!!! HELP!!!!

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Wed Feb 26 00:01:44 2003
    }Amazingly there was no starvation or overpopulation the first
    }update. beep would be happy:-)

    And unfortunatly that includes the 1000 mil in the barbarian
    Mountains...

    ---IM

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Feb 26 01:27:56 2003
    *** For Immediate Press Release ***
    The Coyote Ministry of Resources hereby claims ownership or
    at least all mineral rights to all ice sectors. Before the first update, the "Great Whirlpool Side-by-Side" which has been operating in the national
    archives for the past 17 years has ceased to operate. As a developing
    country, it appears the minimal caretaker staff does not possess adequate
    knowledge (tech) to restore it to working order. Life throughout the Coyote
    countryside has been effected. School children of all ages have not known a
    time when the "Great Whirlpool" did not house refereshing beverages, tasty
    fruits and delicious meats and provide the ever-coveted ICE. One child even
    observed "That black bottle thing in the back isn't purring like my kitten
    anymore. Did it die?" We convinced her it doesn't need to be burried.
    But all is not totally lost. It appears the neighboring village of BestBuy
    possesses abundant technology and is able to offer a multitude of similar
    devices. The Coyote National Selection Committee has been formed to select
    the best device for acquisition. Her decision is expected forthwith.
    All other countries are encouraged to contribute to the Coyote Hardship of
    Iced Liquids Lost Intervention Network, CHILLIN, which is raising funds to
    restore quality of life to the children of Coyote.

    > Announcement from Armengar, (#2) dated Wed Feb 26 02:11:33 2003
    ?Kissing up to the capitalist derriere is sure to yield
    ?predictable results.

    You mean gaining the first five bars, right? With an
    option on some promising financial instruments.

    Sinari

    > Announcement from Zion, (#21) dated Wed Feb 26 02:52:02 2003
    }The Coyote Ministry of Resources hereby claims ownership or
    }at least all mineral rights to all ice sectors.

    The Zion populace has voted 69% in favor of an exchange of ice sectors
    with the Children of the Coyote. We ask for you own non-ice sectors to be
    returned to us as a compensation.

    As a lot of our populations seems to be robotised we can much more use
    your other sectors than icecold territory.

    Therefore we hope you'll join in with this exchange.

    Signed,

    Morpheus
    Liberator of the suppressed.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Wed Feb 26 04:16:32 2003
    Tyr, the God of War,
    is pleased to see the Ice Barbarian warriors
    eating stones to survive - successfully.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Wed Feb 26 06:32:36 2003
    The Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (aka DPRK) is run
    by a madman armed to his big teeth with nukes!!!
    Sheep and Fodders, run for your lives!!!

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Wed Feb 26 07:41:24 2003
    PNN Headlines News
    Wild wastes, Northern Encampment

    Snow. Ice. Snow. Then for something different Ice. Snow. Ice.
    This was intolerable. Plundarian's all shared a genetic
    love of the water. Water that flowed. Oceans of water dotted with
    dozens of islands to base their shipping. Oceans filled with
    the vast navies of the world, all eager to donate their ships and
    goods to Plundaria Prime.

    But ice, ice just plain sucked.

    The commander of the the Plundarian Northern Expeditionary Forces
    wondered who he had offended to get stuck in this icy hell. Should
    have never consorted with those damned elves years ago. Had to be it.
    He had hoped the diety sinking their continent had erased all evidence.
    As these thoughts ran through his mind, a messenger ducked into the
    tent. Tents, thin cloth windtraps designed to funnel the maximun
    amount of cold into your bones while you rest and to waste the maximal
    amount of effort packing them around while you are on the move.


    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Wed Feb 26 07:41:53 2003
    Tents, something else that sucked. Someone would pay for this.

    The messenger nervously fidgeted, aware of this commander's tendancies.
    "Well what is it, and if you are going to stand there, at least
    move in front door to block the wind."

    "Sir, our scouts have spotted some mountains to the north and some vast
    tracks of water"

    "WATER? Open Water? " Prehaps this is not so bad he though, get some
    ships built, the thought of the open sea...

    "errr, no sir, frozen water, massive sheets of ice, all broken and
    jumbled up. Hard terrain to cross."

    "Well, order them to extend the scouting perimeter, there has
    got to be something.."

    "Already have, local COs have reported hostile natives"

    "Strengths?"

    "They out number us 500 to 1."

    Things just started looking better.


    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Wed Feb 26 07:54:42 2003
    Men of few words are the best men

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Feb 26 08:03:31 2003
    The country of Coyote will not sacrifice the future of
    our children to solve current problems. If we were to give
    up our solid grounds we would be at grave risk should an
    unseasonable warm spell occur. We are not decendents of
    Kevin Costner and do not have webbed feet and hands.

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Wed Feb 26 08:07:23 2003

    El Peso, February 26 -- The imperialist warhawks illegally intruded
    strategic reconnaissance plane into the territorial air of the DPRK
    to spy on it on Feb. 24. The plane belonging to the Forces took off
    its overseas base at around 9:30 Monday morning. It illegally
    intruded into the air above the territorial waters of the DPRK and
    spied on the DPRK for hours, supported by refuelling tanker.
    This reconnaissance plane made shuttle flights in the air above
    the same territorial waters of the DPRK for more than 10 hours on
    Feb. 21, 22 and 23 to spy on important targets along the east coast
    of the DPRK.
    This is a premeditated move to find an opportunity to mount a
    preemptive attack on the DPRK.
    This provocation is timed to coincide with the large-scale joint
    military exercises to be staged by the imperialists after bolstering
    huge aggression troops under the absurd pretext of the "nuclear
    issue" of the DPRK.
    The warhawks are well advised not to run amuck, well aware of
    the grave consequences to be entailed by their intrusion and
    espionage committed against the DPRK at a time when the situation
    has got extremely tense.

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Wed Feb 26 09:22:18 2003
    } Another question... is all territory that does not belong
    } to a nation currently owned by IB military? Or put
    } differently, is there some free land (be it ice, mountain,
    } wilderness) that is unoccupied?

    You will have to explore the world in order to find out.

    } Tyr, the God of War,
    } is pleased to see the Ice Barbarian warriors
    } eating stones to survive - successfully.

    I didn't say they would starve the first update; however they
    are running out of edible rocks.

    The first bars from heaven went to Coyote.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Feb 26 18:10:32 2003
    ?>> Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Wed Feb 26 09:22:18 2003
    ?>The first bars from heaven went to Coyote.
    ?>Ice.
    And the children of Coyote rejoice. With this as down payment, the Coyote
    Minister of Acquisition has contracted for delivery of a new "Frigidaire
    Side-by-Side" national asset, as directed by the aforementioned National
    Selection Committee. "Sometime tomorrow afternoon" quality of life will be
    restored to the anxious children (+cool down time and a few cycles of ice
    and water).
    Keynote feature of new national asset.... turbo mode on ice maker. :)

    Coyote military planners are already studying the feasibility of using
    any excess production from the new national asset. Current experiments
    involve the 'crushed' version of the ice being compacted into 3" spheres
    which can be used as man launched projectiles. One military advisor has
    heard tale of similar objects being used successfully against body shielding
    worn by warriors known the Minnesota Vikings.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Feb 26 18:23:30 2003
    } Tyr, the God of War,
    } is pleased to see the Ice Barbarian warriors
    } eating stones to survive - successfully.
    No, no. Those Ice Barbarian warriors are not surviving on stones, silly.
    They occupy sectors adjacent to ice sectors!!
    The Deity has also utilized another empire command...
    deliver popsicles * 50 j (assuming popsicles are produced in west coast sectors).
    Popsicles are food right. Most school districts claim its true.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Wed Feb 26 18:28:27 2003
    Heimdall, the Warder of Asgard, stands at the BiFrost
    Bridge. This is his main post. He sometimes stations himself
    at his hall, Himinbjorg, The Cliffs of Heaven, but today he
    is where he really feels most comfortable. His sight is so
    keen he can see past the horizon for hundreds of miles. His
    hearing so good, he can hear grass grow, he can even hear
    the wool growing from the backs of sheep....

    But what does he hear now? He is hearing something that he
    hasn't heard in a long, long time. He hears teeth
    chattering, and someone complaining of the cold.

    "That does not sound like one of the Gods, there is never a
    complaint from them", mutters Heimdall, now curious, yet
    disdainful of who is nearby and daring to complain of the
    beautiful weather.

    He casts his gaze to the far coast, waves crashing upon the
    rocks, searching the wind for another hint of the source of
    the ones who are cold.

    There!! In a small secluded bay, a small spit of sand
    survives the surf. A small boat with tattered sails has been
    pulled up onto the beach. Laying next to the battered craft
    are two small forms prostrate in the sand.

    He trains his ears to focus on the what the two are saying.
    What did one just say? "....Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ka-ka-ka-ka-
    kuna...wh-wh-wh-wh-where are we?"

    The response, muffled by the other's face almost totally
    flat in the sand is unitelligible. So, Heimdall muses,
    "Strangers dare seek Asgard. And so well preprared they are!
    Hah!!" They must have sought the strange seas of the
    tropics. He has heard tales from those brave warriors that
    went a-viking of strange lands far to south, where the air
    and water was warm, almost unbearable.

    "I will send down a small guard to investigate these hapless
    souls".

    ...

    The wind is howling, the sand and surf biting. "No
    worries!!, yikes!! What were my parents thinking when they
    named me 'no worries'? It looks like I have a LOT to worry
    about", a freezing, shivering Hakuna Likizo thought. Looking
    over to his long time friend Matata Daima, he wondered how
    long the rest of both their days would be. Man, was it
    cold!! And the hottest thing they had to wear between them
    was a shirt with a half-naked woman printed on the back. If
    something didn't change soon, this would be one short trip,
    and it was looking like the last trip they would make.

    (To be continued)

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Wed Feb 26 18:49:29 2003
    we're all just sitting around a space heater, arguing over who gets
    to warm their feet next, eating, smoking and drinking, playing tic-
    tac-toe in the snow, farting, the usual stuff, when the Boss comes
    in. he's got a big fur jacket on and those sunglasses he wears
    even when he's inside. when we hear him turning the door handle
    to our shack we all start getting quiet and the euphoric stupor of
    laziness that had engulfed us just seconds before shatters like
    glass.

    "i need some guys to go out to the harbor," the Boss says as he
    marches in. "they've got a labor shortage all of a sudden. thin ice
    or something, i don't know the details. we've gotta get those ships
    up and running asap and as far as i can see you mopes aren't
    doing anything important. so let's get to it, who volunteers?"

    i'm still doing the exact same thing i started doing when i heard the
    doorknob move, sliding one foot back and forth in the snow,
    looking down at it. my friend jimmy next to me is rubbing his
    hands together. (con't..)

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Wed Feb 26 18:51:26 2003
    a couple of new guys who don't know how to avoid work yet, who
    are eager to please, they must be looking at the Boss in the eye
    because he says, "how about you two? okay fine, let's go." they
    think that not saying anything is a sufficient sign of reluctance.
    they're wrong. it's only a full two minutes after the door closes
    behind us that we all start raising our eyes again, talking,
    enjoying the relative luxury that two-room government
    housing - the best you can do in this country these days -
    affords us.

    the only television station we get is a local channel that shows
    text news bulletins for most of the day. but in thirty minutes
    they're going to show a home video recording of the junior high
    school's production of "our town". someone has the idea to make
    sno-cones. jimmy gets his special flask from his special hiding
    place. we settle in.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Thu Feb 27 01:36:56 2003
    ^^^ scientists are now testing nuclear submarines in our secluded
    mountain lakes. They are intended for peaceful purposes only,
    in order to deter the crazed barbarians from DPRK from launching missiles
    at innocent sheep and other hapless civilians. However, tourist boats
    should be alert against straying intoour testing groups, less we
    inadvertently surface one of our subs and sink their spy boats
    (err, fishing boats) and other such craft by mistake

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Thu Feb 27 04:10:46 2003

    El Peso, February 27 -- El Presidente, President of the Presidium
    of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of
    sympathy to The Ice Barbarian Warlord, Warlord of the Ice Barbarians,
    on Feb. 26 in connection with a strong famine that hit the wilderness
    areas causing big human and material losses. Upon hearing this sad
    news, I express deep sympathy and consolation to you and, through
    you, to the government of the Ice Barbarians and the people in the
    afflicted area, the message said.
    It expressed conviction that the people in the afflicted area
    would clear away the damage and bring their life to normal as early
    as possible under the leadership of the Ice Barbarian Warlord.

    > Announcement from VailGulf, (#19) dated Thu Feb 27 06:55:10 2003
    Ski Conditions ? VailGulf Resort

    Temp 27 Degrees
    Base 67 inches packed powder
    Partly Cloudy with chance of light snowfall today.

    All lifts open

    LiftTicket Pricing:
    Single - One fishing boat w/200 food
    Family - One fishing boat w/200 food and 1 frg w/1 mil

    Your friendly family oriented ski resort of VailGulf is open to all
    level of skiers, although management does encourage visitation
    from newbie skiers. Send directions to your harbor and a VailGulf ski patrol will accompany you to our favorite bunny slope.

    We do offer free lessons to beginning skiers.

    Favored run today : Over The Edge
    Level ? Beginner

    Watch for our frgs at your harbor entrance?.

    The Management and Staff - VailGulf Resort

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Thu Feb 27 09:39:34 2003
    A Ski resort???

    As far as I know, Ski resorts tend to expand fast
    with fatal consequences for the neighbors.
    IceWorld IV was a good example for that.

    remember eno saying "it came like an avalanche"?
    Limbo: "Save the environment. Say no to Ski!"
    The dissappearance of Armengar?

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Thu Feb 27 10:00:33 2003
    A Ski resort?

    Great. We would like to come along with
    a few thousand enthusiast to exercise our
    favorite winter sports. We will bring our own
    equipment.

    The leader of the Mongol_Biathlon-Team

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Thu Feb 27 12:48:34 2003
    } > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Feb 25 20:49:05 2003
    } Its really great to have such a cool game, with such an
    } outstanding player as deity! Kind of like being in empire Heaven,
    } a great game run by one of the greatest players of all time!
    } > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Wed Feb 26 09:22:18 2003
    } The first bars from heaven went to Coyote.

    Hmm, so shmoozing didn't work... five bars, let me think, think,
    think... hmm, maybe he likes something else...

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Thu Feb 27 12:48:53 2003
    The Berserkers of Niflheim are disgusted with the utter lack of
    initiative of these Ice Barbarians. One should think that a few
    thousand of them should be able to mount an offensive somewhere!

    Surely these tales of this Ice Barbarian Warlord's past exploits are
    greatly exaggerated. Seems to be a total dullard. Must have
    misplaced his printout of `info attack' or something. Sheesh!

    > Announcement from Bwian, (#3) dated Thu Feb 27 13:50:48 2003
    Aquataine: is there some specific command that crashes when you get a telegram?
    I played around with it here on my local server and didn't find any problems.

    Bwian

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Thu Feb 27 18:43:52 2003
    High atop Uncompahgre Peak sat a shrine to the Ice Lord. Long
    white banners fluttered from it's spires. At this time of the
    year, the Peak was buried under twenty three feet of snow.
    However a dozen figures could be seen tracking up the side of
    the Peak. Their heads shaven and clothed in thin white robes
    and glitter that sparkled like a thousand snowflakes, these
    men were the Ice Priests. Reaching the end of their pilgrimage,
    they began to pray to the deity. "We have returned from serving
    you. The nation that was once abandoned is now on top of the
    power chart and has been turned over to new and more stable
    government. May no nation be abandoned again."

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Thu Feb 27 21:22:14 2003

    More aerial espionage committed against DPRK

    El Peso, February 27 (KCNA) -- The imperialist warhawks again let their
    strategic reconnaissance plane illegally intrude into the territorial air
    of the DPRK to spy on it on Feb. 26. The strategic reconnaissance plane
    that took off an overseas base made shuttle-flights in the air above the
    territorial waters in the East Sea of the DPRK near the Uncompahgre Peak
    region for hours from about 8:25 on an espionage mission.
    This intrusion and espionage committed against the DPRK in the wake of
    its similar crime perpetrated on Feb. 24 are a wanton infringement on the
    sovereignty of the DPRK and a grave violation of international law as they
    are part of the imperialist warmongers' vicious moves to stifle the DPRK
    by force of arms.
    The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK warn that they would take
    a decisive self-defensive step against the intruders and provocateurs.

    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Thu Feb 27 21:22:27 2003
    am I really the first one to make tech? or is this just a feature of hidden
    that I got no bleed...?

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Thu Feb 27 21:28:01 2003
    It is a feature to be expected when imperialist warmongers
    are responsible for the setup and placement of systems. This
    information suppresion, with the expressed intent of causing
    undo harm to the sovereignty of the DPRK, is little more
    than an attempt to foment discord and discomfort among the
    lands. To be sure, the army-first policy of the DPRK includes
    the measures necessary to adequately equip the just cause
    of our reviolutionary armed forces. Such production will continue
    heedless of the imperialist demands to relent.

    El Presidente

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Thu Feb 27 21:53:13 2003
    If at any time a country needs a replacement ruler or co-ruler,
    please let the deity know. I will make every effort to find
    a player for you.

    second bars from heaven went to Ragnarook
    third bars from heaven went to DPRK

    Deities and visitors are not eligible for bars from heaven.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Thu Feb 27 22:28:11 2003
    hmmm, I get it. bars from Heaven only go to losers who would starve and go broke
    without diety interventions

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Fri Feb 28 00:54:31 2003
    >> Announcement from (24) ^^^ dated Fri Feb 28 16:28:13 2003
    >hmmm, I get it. bars from Heaven only go to losers who would
    >starve and go broke without diety interventions

    El Peso, February 28 (KCNA) -- Many effective technical
    inventions have been introduced in economic sectors in the DPRK.
    The Comida Steel Complex is keeping equipment in full-capacity
    operation by using a new material of electric switches. Technicians
    of the complex have established new melting and heat treatment
    processes with copper-chrome alloy as a material of electric
    switches.
    The Horchata Iron and Steel Complex has developed new stainless
    spring material and used it in making plate spring for piston ring
    of oxygen compressor. The new material makes it possible to improve
    the quality of plate spring and lengthen its serviceable life 10
    times.
    Many other factories and enterprises have also made technical
    inventions and introduced them in production, profiting greatly from
    them.
    Indeed there will be no poverty and no starvation for the DPRK
    who will emerge ever-victorious without fail by invariably carrying
    forward the noble spirit and traditions established by the
    revolutionary forerunners despite the complicated situation in the
    country and stern trials facing the revolution.

    > Announcement from Armengar, (#2) dated Fri Feb 28 01:05:57 2003
    Our citizens can barely contain their envy upon
    hearing of the advances of DPRK. We have just
    recognized the utility of running water, and
    first installations of water pipes are progressing
    well. Our chief scientist estimates that another
    related invention "drain pipes" is coming along
    well also.

    Next on the list is hot water.

    Sinari

    PS. I wonder if I was the only one optimistic enough
    to build a frigate in case it was just a thin layer
    of enemies? :-)

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Fri Feb 28 06:52:18 2003
    } > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Wed Feb 26 09:22:18 2003
    } I didn't say they would starve the first update; however they
    } are running out of edible rocks.

    Hold out! We are frantically researching a `rockslinger' device,
    which promises to be of great value for starvation relief.

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Fri Feb 28 06:56:08 2003
    } > Announcement from Armengar, (#2) dated Fri Feb 28 01:05:57 2003
    } PS. I wonder if I was the only one optimistic enough
    } to build a frigate in case it was just a thin layer
    } of enemies? :-)

    What a question! We are Norsemen! We mount the black waves in our
    doughty sleek ships and go a-raiding. By the way, have you seen the
    Irish?

    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Fri Feb 28 09:52:25 2003
    Okay, I was ignore the first time...
    IS ALL_BLEED ONLY USEFUL ONCE YOU MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS?
    WHY AM I NOT GETTING ANY TECH BLEED...

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Fri Feb 28 09:54:52 2003
    Cheela

    info Hidden

    case sensitive

    Dear Deity, this is not our competitive anno for the time slot

    unless it's the only one

    Heimdall

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Fri Feb 28 11:21:35 2003 Uh oh. I saw a lot of upper letters.
    :)

    ? Announcement from beep, (#26) dated Fri Feb 28 11:25:12 2003

    who is the clown that build research?

    inquiring minds want to know.


    > Announcement from Cheela, (#5) dated Fri Feb 28 11:47:01 2003
    so how does beep see that anyone built research!???
    I'm getting no love here

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Fri Feb 28 15:26:03 2003
    >> Announcement from (5) Cheela dated Sat Mar 01 03:52:17 2003
    >Okay, I was ignore the first time...
    >IS ALL_BLEED ONLY USEFUL ONCE YOU MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS?
    >WHY AM I NOT GETTING ANY TECH BLEED...

    In fact, the DPRK did answer your question immediately after you
    had asked it. The deficiencies of the imperialist warmongers'
    educational system again raises its ugly head. And the
    brinkmanship tactics of including all caps has already begun.

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Fri Feb 28 16:52:46 2003

    El Peso, March 01 (KCNA) -- The imperialist warhawks are painting
    the DPRK's self-defensive countermeasure to cope with their escalating
    military threat and pressure on the DPRK as "brinkmanship tactics" in
    a bid to build up public opinion. This only betrays the political
    imbeciles' ignorance of the reality.
    El Presidente says this in a signed commentary.
    The commentary goes on:
    The DPRK Government continues to defend the supreme interests and
    sovereignty of the country under the present situation. This was
    solely for the purpose of self-defense.
    Its toughest measure is neither threat nor blackmail against
    anyone.
    However, the imperialists are floating misinformation that the
    DPRK's just measure is aimed at wresting a sort of "concession" and
    getting "economic benefits." The imperialists even went to the
    lengths of making ridiculous remarks that the DPRK will not get any
    "aid" unless it meets the imperialist demand.
    Base and ridiculous is the imperialist trick to defile the DPRK's
    just toughest measure with unreasonable and distorted assertion and
    accusations.
    No matter what misinformation the imperialists float to slander
    the DPRK it will not withdraw its principled stance. The further the
    imperialists escalate their military threat and pressure on the DPRK,
    the tougher countermeasures it will take to cope with them.
    The imperialists should stop misinterpreting the DPRK's
    principled stance and tough measure and honestly opt for solving the
    issue with a sound faculty of thinking.

    > Announcement from VailGulf, (#19) dated Fri Feb 28 18:42:14 2003
    Good news for all lovers of skiing!
    With recent heavy snow falls and ensuing booming business,
    the VailGulf resort has decided on some major expansion plans.
    We call it the "cross country" project.
    Look for a VailGulf slope in your neighborhood soon.
    We'll even get those icy sectors groomed!

    The Management and Staff - VailGulf Resort


    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Feb 28 20:20:07 2003
    this game is a lot easier to play when sober and awake!

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Fri Feb 28 20:21:23 2003
    beep can't see anything. beep isn't even playing in this game.
    offshore manufacturers have been making illegal copies of
    announcements and selling them on the black market. In order
    to verify that your copies of announcements are properly
    licenced, you should look for the greater than symbol in the
    first column before the word announcement.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Feb 28 23:47:08 2003
    after reading on tech bleed, apparently in hidden you only get bleed
    from countries you are in contact with

    curiously, if the all_bleed option is off, the best strategy is to ally
    with the highest tech country you can, that will ally back, and only ally
    with that one country. Did I figure that right?

    not sure if the analogy holds in hidden, that the best thing would
    be to have contact with only 1 country, the highest tech maker :-)

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Fri Feb 28 23:58:38 2003
    } > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Feb 28 23:47:08 2003
    } not sure if the analogy holds in hidden, that the best thing would
    } be to have contact with only 1 country, the highest tech maker :-)

    Second best thing: Kill the lazy bum who spoils your bleed by not
    making enough tech.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sat Mar 1 00:05:09 2003
    heh- that's funny - probably true also :-)

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sat Mar 1 07:17:58 2003
    Some bad news folks
    Lord Corwin shot Arrakis' sled dogs

    they had to rename the place Dogless Fairbanks

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sat Mar 1 17:07:09 2003
    beer

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sat Mar 1 17:07:53 2003
    beer is better than a dog joke.

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sat Mar 1 17:08:05 2003
    sheep

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Sat Mar 1 17:08:29 2003
    just in case...

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Sat Mar 1 18:08:49 2003
    Not many announcements to judge that last update. It's getting easier
    to win those bars. The last three winners were Niflheim, VailGulf, and
    ^^^.

    Updates are now every 29 hours for the next two weeks.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sat Mar 1 21:19:34 2003
    where is Mr. Ed when we needs him

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sat Mar 1 21:40:22 2003
    uhh, just in case noone noticed, updates are disabled currently

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Sun Mar 2 11:46:43 2003
    Sorry about the disabled updates, before adjusting the time between
    updates I had disabled them and I forgot to re-enable them after I
    was done. Thanks for noticing. Updates are turned back on.

    The country of Cheeta has requested a replacement and has been
    replaced with a new player.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Sun Mar 2 13:04:37 2003
    ?>> Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Sun Mar 2 11:46:43 2003
    ?>The country of Cheeta has requested a replacement and has been
    ?>replaced with a new player.
    I guess some players just can't keep up with the 1.41 updates/day rate.
    You did tell him it was dropping to 0.83 updates/day, didn't you?


    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Sun Mar 2 13:09:44 2003
    "Colonel, I want more frequent updates of what is happening with sector
    development and especially whats slowing the advance. And I want you to
    handle it personally."
    "You can count on me, General."
    As Colones travels from sector to sector the query to the local captains are
    all the same.
    "Do you have mobility yet?"
    <advances to next sector>
    "Do you have mobility yet?"
    <advances so next sector>
    "Do you have mobility yet?"

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Sun Mar 2 16:21:31 2003
    Methinks the end of global warming and the Ice Age caught
    our sheep by surprise. If they can not pull the sleds, the
    Army doesn't advance much. Shame their breeding has been
    so poorly affected. The troops are complaining something
    fierce about trouble keeping warm. Might anyone know to
    what they are referring? Our generals are at a loss, I'm
    afraid...

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Sun Mar 2 17:11:59 2003

    El Peso, March 02 (KCNA) -- The imperialists are moving heaven and
    earth to stifle the DPRK but this is nothing but a daydream, says
    El Presidente today in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    No matter how hard the imperialists work to undermine the
    socialist system in the DPRK, it remains strong. It is the most
    advantageous socialist system centered on the popular masses in the
    world.
    The socialist system is politically, ideologically, economically
    and militarily stable and indestructible. Under this powerful system,
    the people's army and people of the DPRK have always countered any
    moves of aggression forces with strong courage.
    It is by no means fortuitous that the imperialists has sustained
    only failures and serious setbacks in the moves to stifle the DPRK for
    the last several decades.
    Yet, the imperalists are still desperately working to strangulate
    the DPRK. This only betrays its increased zeal for aggression.
    The imperialists are well advised to clearly understand the
    socialist system and behave with discretion.
    No force on earth can destroy it.

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Sun Mar 2 17:18:23 2003
    Foul whisperings are abroad:
    unnatural deeds do breed unnatural
    troubles.

    Infected minds

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Sun Mar 2 20:16:36 2003
    The sun, warm and red, was setting into the tropical
    twilight. The waves lapped softly on the shore. The cry of
    seagulls could be heard in the distance. A fire crackled
    in a pit nearby, a small group of people sitting around
    eating and drinking.

    "Ah, this is what it's all about...Hey, Matata, while
    you're up, can you get me another beer?".

    "Sure thing", replied a slightly sunburned, but otherwise
    no worse for the wear commander of the local coast guard
    auxiliary. He brought the beer over to his friend and
    fellow officer Hakuna, who upon receipt promptly drank
    half the bottle and belched like a fog-horn.

    "I should have asked for two, get me another", joked
    Hakuna. Matata wasn't amused and shot a half filled
    papercup of water at Hakuna.

    "Get it yourself".

    "You missed, can't you do any better?, taunted Hakuna.

    At that moment, Hakuna was hit in the face with the
    coldest water he had felt in his life.

    Hakuna sputtered, the taste of brine in his mouth and
    nose. Startled, he looked around and saw that he and
    Matata were surrounded by a small group of heavily armed
    and heavily clothed warriors. Matata was still laying in
    the sand, motionless, shivering. Hakuna started to
    remember how cold he really felt, and realized that he
    must have been dreaming (hallucinating?) he beer drinking
    scene. He groaned in despair. He didn't know where he was,
    but he knew he didn't want to be where he was. How was
    Matata? How did they get there?

    "Get up!" shouted one of the men. Hakuna had sat himself
    up, but was so cold and weak that he could not move.

    "Here", another tossed a blanket at him which he promptly
    wrapped around himself. Hakuna, too cold to talk pointed
    to Matata. A few of the group picked him up and wrapped
    him in another blanket. Two more hoisted Hakuna to his
    feet. With their help, he was able to half-walk, half-
    shuffle to where they were leading him. It looked like
    Matata was being dragged from the shoulders, his feet
    barely moving.

    "I am not in a position to argue right now", thought
    Hakuna, half smiling. At least they hadn't killed him.
    Maybe there will be food where we are going. Maybe there
    will be a fire? Maybe there will...

    The guards trooped through the sand and then the snow. At
    first, they only had to carry one, but now the second had
    collapsed and they had two strangers that they had to deal
    with.

    The guard captain thought, "With the rumors of war, maybe
    when these two come around we can get some information.
    We'll know in an hour or so, it's only 7 miles back to
    camp". They were making good time.

    (to be continued)

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sun Mar 2 20:59:47 2003
    "I had a horse, loco-ed, went loco on me outside of Pacheco. Had to walk 47 miles back to camp"
    "That's a hell of a walk"
    "Well, I ain't never walked a mile since, I'll tell you"

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Mon Mar 3 04:11:36 2003

    El Peso, March 2 (KCNA) -- ^^^ reactionaries have worked hard to
    whitewash ^^^'s past crimes, while persistently avoiding a sincere
    apology and compensation for them for over quarter a century. It is
    quite natural for them to stand censured on the international arena
    for this shameless and base practice. El Presidente today says this
    in a signed commentary.
    It goes on:
    ^^^'s past crimes were war crimes as it most wantonly infringed
    upon the human rights and right to existence of the DPRK and other
    people, seriously violating the justice and morality of the
    international community and international law.
    Therefore, ^^^ has an international commitment to admit its legal
    and moral responsibilities for its past crimes and sincerely apologize
    and compensate for them. But ^^^ has not yet admitted its aggression
    and other crimes committed in the past. It continues without settling
    its past, employing all sorts of tricks to keep them buried into
    oblivion.
    Crimes against humanity can neither be covered up nor be glossed
    over.
    ^^^ should face up to the trend of the times and redeem its past
    as early as possible if it wants to regain the confidence of the
    international community.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Mon Mar 3 05:15:52 2003
    A bent figure stood silhouetted atop a crag of rock, facing the sea.
    Despite the rain her hood was down,
    and gusts of wind sent her unkempt silver hair billowing behind her.
    As flashes of lightning streaked across the distant sky,
    they illuminated the Viking fleet departing the shelter of their harbor.
    At the bow of the lead longboat, was a dragon's head,
    the sight of which had struck fear into many a man's heart.
    Even more fearsome, was the standard borne by this Drekar,
    which depicted a red figure with the body of a Lion and the head of an Eagle,
    brandishing a two-handed sword. This was the standard of King Godfred,
    he who has conquered the surrounding territories of the Realm, and pillaged far and wide.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Mon Mar 3 05:18:50 2003
    The figure held up her crooked staff towards the heavens and uttered a shriek.
    Even the longboats seemed to hear her, for they appeared to falter for a second,
    before riding over the crest of the next wave. She cried
    "Oh Godfred, although thou departs merely to explore the Hidden Lands,
    there will be nought but fire and blood in front of you!
    I see your sword striking down faceless men,
    and rivers of blood flowing around your boots.
    Pus will drain from mounds of corpses and the vapors of hell will bubble
    through this effluent. Ice will crack, and mountains will fall.
    Even the oldest of the Gods will not have seen such terror and calamity.
    Yea, it is calamity that I see.
    Forces are afoot that will change Iceworld for ever,
    and the life that you have known will soon be no more."

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Mon Mar 3 05:21:00 2003
    She turned towards the nearby village, her white, sightless eyes glistening
    like pearls in half opened oysters. She cackled, and grinned,
    revealing rotten teeth behind her shriveled lips.
    "Yea, Ragnarook, the end of Iceworld is nigh,
    and I, Angrbotha, the Prophetic Death Goddess,
    who has foretold it, will be here to witness it!"

    To be continued.

    From Angrbotha, in the Coming of Ragnarook

    > Announcement from SilentBob, (#13) dated Mon Mar 3 05:32:43 2003


    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Mon Mar 3 06:26:40 2003
    DPRK is a madman, lobbing nuclear weapons right and left
    for the sheer glee of cratering his opponents. Beware!!!

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Mon Mar 3 20:16:23 2003

    El Peso, March 3 (KCNA) -- March 2 is marked as the Day of Tree
    Planting every year in the DPRK. Rallies of working people and school
    youth and children took place at the arboretum of the Palace in the
    area near the monument to the three charters for national reunification
    yesterday to inaugurate the spring tree planting campaign.
    Reporters and speakers at the rallies said that El Presidente laid
    it down as one of the important tasks for giving full play to the
    advantages of the best system in the DPRK and stepping up the building
    of a powerful nation to turn the country into a thick woodland and
    greenery and has wisely led the drive to implement it.
    They called for planting a lot of trees of good species suited to
    the soil and climatic conditions in different regions and lifting,
    carrying and planting young trees with good care in the tree-planting
    day and month in keeping with the technological requirements.
    Officials and people from all works of life planted hundreds of
    thousands of trees and flower shrubs including pine-nut tree, thuja,
    acacia with pink flower and azalea around the meeting places.
    Similar rallies were held in all provinces, cities and counties and
    units of the KPA three services on the same day.
    Senior officials of the party, the state and commissions and
    ministries of the cabinet planted trees around the Tecate Youth Dam on
    the day.
    Present at the rallies were officials concerned, working people
    of all strata, and school youth and children.
    Such is the ambition, goal and aim of the righteous DPRK. No
    callous and hideous proclamations of the end of Ice World; no fanciful
    lies coming from the twisted snouts of supposed "Death Goddesses".
    With enemies of all peace-loving people like this, we have no option
    but to further increase our self-defensive military capability.

    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Mon Mar 3 20:51:15 2003

    I just got gainfully employed so I guess y'all actually have a chance now.

    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Mon Mar 3 20:55:52 2003

    Bwain

    tell me where to email you about the winace problems.
    or if you don't want to broadcast it tell me to post
    to rge.

    or email me:

    vze4n36d@verizon.net

    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Mon Mar 3 21:08:01 2003
    Btw,
    only a fool would have built a ship which is why we made 2.

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Tue Mar 4 04:39:03 2003
    *Clank* *sputter* *clank* *clank*
    Not starving in the hills is *bzzzt* considered a hostile act towards
    the peaceful citizens of *bzzzt* *sputter* *pffft* *beep* *beep*
    *beep* *beep* *beep*
    EOT

    > Announcement from Niflheim, (#11) dated Tue Mar 4 04:39:23 2003
    We regret to inform you that our experimental `beep-bot' escaped the
    laboratory. We apologize for the disturbance. This won't happen
    again.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Mar 4 09:01:52 2003
    beep-bot-alula she's my baby

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Tue Mar 4 09:28:31 2003
    i never met a beep i didn't like

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Tue Mar 4 09:33:38 2003
    beep beep, beep beep, yah!

    > Announcement from Bwian, (#3) dated Tue Mar 4 13:14:44 2003
    Aquataine: please e-mail me at drk@unxsoft.com
    about WinACE problems.

    Bwian

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Tue Mar 4 15:57:38 2003
    General, Sir!
    It would appear that the Ice Barbarian warriors have turned cannibal.
    With no palatable size rocks left to eat, it appears they have turned
    to the remains of their former comrades to support their existance.
    With approximately 770 corpses providing substinance to the remaining IB
    warriors, predictions are that the survivors will remain strong and healthy
    for a considerable time (assuming their ofactory glands are non-operating).
    Our forces require respirators and portable crematories to continue our
    advances.

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Tue Mar 4 16:02:55 2003
    PNN Headlines News
    Snow Pile of Power, Northern Encampment


    *thump* *squeal*

    "Crap, come back here!"

    *squeal* *squeal* *splash*

    "No idiot! Club them like this! Hit the head! Hit the Head!"

    *THUMP* *crack*

    "They'll just slide under the ice if you don't kill them
    first try."

    Ice. Ice still sucked.

    But the ice had secrets, secrets that secretly pleased the
    commander. Missed a first, but then discovered after a
    snow-blind trooper fell over one, these vile little blobs
    of white fur and fat. Laying about the ice all sneaky
    and hidden, obviously they were plotting spies, instruments
    of the enemy, or worse some fell monster awaiting the appropriate
    time to strike and take the sheep herd..
    Well there would be none of that. Lacking a proper foe to fight,
    these made a nice diversion for the troops and even better,
    their bodies rendered down to an excellent grade of oil.

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Tue Mar 4 16:03:16 2003
    you have to break a few eggs if you are going to wreck a hen house.
    The techs even think they can use this to get a decent firearm manufactured.
    Oh the possibilities! But first things first....

    *THUMP* *crack* *THUMP* *crack*

    Mountain of Power, Plundaria Prime

    Reports from the field report the discovery of a viable source of oil hidden
    in the ice.


    This is PNN

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Tue Mar 4 16:10:24 2003
    Report of New Syndrome in the New Land Journal of Medicine

    (UNPI). 4 March. In the current issue of the New Land
    Journal of Medicine, the most prestigious journal in the
    Ice World, researchers announced the discovery of a new
    syndrome, termed "Blue Balls." The syndrome was recently
    observed in soldiers returning from the front who lacked
    mobility to move away from frozen ice sectors. They indicated
    to their physicians that they had to remain prostrate on
    the land because, lacking mobility, they had to avoid being
    shot by the Ice Lord's troops. When returning to the
    capital, soldiers were observed to be grasping their
    groins with pain clearly visible on their faces. Doctors
    were surprised to discover that all "externalities" in the
    soldier's groins had turned blue.

    Treatment efforts were impaired by confusing disease names.
    When nurses at the hospital heard the diagnosis as "Blue
    Balls," they mistook the disease for one usually seen this time of year among fraternity pledgies who, as part of
    their pledging process, are sworn to celebacy for extended
    periods. The standard nursing treatment had been 3 Viagra
    tablets and "ministrations from the nursing staff." The
    Director of Nursing declined further elaboration. She
    noted, however, that the treatment protocol is usually
    successful and that the patients return to the university dormitories with smiles present on their faces. "What better result could a nurse ask for?" she said. A proposal
    that the condition seen among soldiers be termed "Blue Balls
    of Adult Onset" and among university students "Juvenile Blue
    Balls" was suggested in an accompanying editorial. In light
    of the increased military tensions activities rumored to
    be on-going through-out the Ice World, the hospital is
    prepared for an epidemic of cases. Physicians at the
    hospital are endeavoring to make their fellow physicians in
    other countries aware of this new entity. Confusion in
    diagnosis could be dangerous. "The first three soldiers
    who got the Viagra pills left here in more pain than when
    they came in. The next one seemed content enough when he
    left. That's when we realized the problem," said Dr. Jack
    Offen, head of the hospital's urology department.

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Tue Mar 4 16:29:08 2003
    Reposted (in better format)

    Report of New Syndrome in the New Land Journal of Medicine

    (UNPI). 4 March. In the current issue of the New Land
    Journal of Medicine, the most prestigious journal in the
    Ice World, researchers announced the discovery of a new
    syndrome, termed "Blue Balls." The syndrome was recently
    observed in soldiers returning from the front who lacked
    mobility to move away from frozen ice sectors. They indicated
    to their physicians that they had to remain prostrate on
    the land because, lacking mobility, they had to avoid being
    shot by the Ice Lord's troops. When returning to the
    capital, soldiers were observed to be grasping their
    groins with pain clearly visible on their faces. Doctors
    were surprised to discover that all "externalities" in the
    soldier's groins had turned blue.

    Treatment efforts were impaired by confusing disease names.
    When nurses at the hospital heard the diagnosis as "Blue
    Balls," they mistook the disease for one usually seen this time
    of year among fraternity pledgies who, as part of
    their pledging process, are sworn to celebacy for extended
    periods. The standard nursing treatment had been 3 Viagra
    tablets and "ministrations from the nursing staff." The
    Director of Nursing declined further elaboration. She
    noted, however, that the treatment protocol is usually
    successful and that the patients return to the university
    dormitories with smiles present on their faces. "What better
    result could a nurse ask for?" she said. A proposal
    that the condition seen among soldiers be termed "Blue Balls
    of Adult Onset" and among university students "Juvenile Blue
    Balls" was suggested in an accompanying editorial. In light
    of the increased military tensions activities rumored to
    be on-going through-out the Ice World, the hospital is
    prepared for an epidemic of cases. Physicians at the
    hospital are endeavoring to make their fellow physicians in
    other countries aware of this new entity. Confusion in
    diagnosis could be dangerous. "The first three soldiers
    who got the Viagra pills left here in more pain than when
    they came in. The next one seemed content enough when he
    left. That's when we realized the problem," said Dr. Jack
    Offen, head of the hospital's urology department.

    > Announcement from Bwian, (#3) dated Tue Mar 4 17:53:43 2003
    Researchers at the Bwian Ministry of Useless Information announced a
    shocking new discovery today: The polar bears which roam the nation's
    ice caps can be converted into Cartesian bears through the use of a simple
    coordinate transform.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Mar 4 22:23:13 2003
    Descartes froze to death due to the Ice Queen
    (Queen of Sweden hired him but didn't bother to heat the castle :-)

    -today's fractured history report

    ps- when you get to be as old as Mith and I, even Viagra doesn't help
    Arrakis will testify to that! (but don't tell his wife :-)

    > Announcement from IndustMech, (#8) dated Tue Mar 4 23:23:54 2003
    I freeze therefore I am.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Mar 4 23:39:30 2003
    I froze, therefore I wuz

    > Announcement from visitor, (#22) dated Wed Mar 5 08:32:22 2003
    }> Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Tue Mar 4 16:29:08 2003
    }Reposted (in better format)

    Reposting announcements is clearly a hostile act against the peaceful
    citizen soldiers of beep.


    Too bad he isn't here to pound you for it.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Wed Mar 5 11:02:27 2003
    To all nations bordering Ragnarook....
    We refuse to sacrifice spies to the Barbarians, so we periodically
    like to reach out and determmine which sectors are still under Barbarian
    control versus those that have recently been liberated.

    These are information gathering only to determine which barabarians are
    eligible for reeducation.

    Loki

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Wed Mar 5 11:05:20 2003
    reacting units (counter-attacking against attacks) were supposed
    to use their attacking stats when calculating the combats odds,
    and the units they were (counter) attacking against were supposed
    to use 1/2 their normal defense stats for combat odds calculation
    did that ever get implemented?
    (hint for Markus/Mith/Byz if they read this in rec.games.empire :-)

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Mar 5 14:26:09 2003
    Reacting units of countries with non-alphanumeric names only get 1/2 their
    normal strength, the units of other countries get full strength. :)

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Wed Mar 5 16:29:54 2003
    but my mountain units are the best :-)

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Wed Mar 5 18:41:42 2003
    i had just hired a local boozehound named ralfus to lug a big
    sack of iron into the place we nickname "sector three one"
    by giving him two shekls and a fake five dollar bill i made on
    a copy machine. i had the rest of the day off. the town was
    whipping itself up into a snowstorm, and the white powder
    was shooting an angle at the side of my face as i walked
    away from ralfus, wind pushing me back toward him. i was
    indifferent to whether he got the sack of iron to its intended
    factory or not, only that he made it to the end of the block
    where off in the snowstorm a border patrol employee was
    sitting in a tiny freezing booth, trying to get himself off in
    the middle of the loneliness that had him with a serious case
    of blue balls. i just needed the border patrol guy to check off
    the number on the back of the sack, which i was sure he'd do
    since he wanted to keep his job, oh definitely. what with the
    steady paycheck and all i'm sure he was king of his
    neighborhood on off hours. and all. it was late afternoon and

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Wed Mar 5 18:43:24 2003
    i needed a drink. people would stay at home because of the
    storm, suffering from there.

    when i entered a fine establishment it was busier than i
    thought, but i found a table in the back corner and i
    motioned a waitress over. i showed my hand to her, and told
    her my ring was hers if she kept the drinks coming steady all
    night. she stared at it, dazzled, then turned around. a drink
    soon came. i drank fast. as the hours went along i noticed
    the bar filling up and pretty soon butts and elbows were
    sticking into my space, and the place was got loud. i stood
    up to leave but there was no way to make it to the front
    door, it was shoulder-to-shoulder in there. there was nothing
    else to do - i joined the revellers. i danced and cheered and
    groped and drank. as i was waving my arms in the air i yelled
    to the person next to me: what are we celebrating!!"

    "first contact!!!!!!!" she screamed, as her lips met mine. it felt
    horrible. i knew what first contact meant.

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Wed Mar 5 18:45:30 2003
    my friends and roommates being sent off on toilet paper
    runs only to be arrested while out, imprisoned and dumped
    off on the frontlines, forced to the fight the wars of their
    nation. the news reports, the solidarity, then the fear, then
    resignation, then the shells of a more powerful more unified
    foe crashing through the roof of your house, the flames, the
    screaming, the escape, firepower landing all over the places,
    people dropping like flies, refugees scurrying through the
    war-savaged sectors, hiding beneath the reign of a superior
    power as it spread its influence and control, surviving
    through it all in the face of it all, alive but dead inside. it was
    coming for me again. i embraced the inevitable. i kissed the
    young girl back, then harder. there was nothing else to do.

    in the outerlands, our ships spotted new flags along the
    coast and question marks turned into military men of
    unfamiliar origins.

    in the chaos of the party i slipped out before the waitress found me.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Wed Mar 5 19:06:29 2003
    <After reading the travel section of the local paper>
    "No dear, I really don't think we should go to that new ski resort that
    you saw advertised. Although I hear the ski conditions are great,
    here is a news article that says the room service is intolerably slow."
    <presents paper; beneath the fold headline reads>

    Wed Mar 5 08:13 VailGulf citizens starve in disastrous famine

    > Announcement from VailGulf, (#19) dated Wed Mar 5 19:38:06 2003
    That unfortunate accident involved a
    lost skier who wandered off the groomed
    slopes. Disobey the posted warning signs
    and trouble soon follows....The ski patrol
    tried their best to deliver the needed
    sustenance but darkness fell a little too soon.

    A last minute run hoping to beat the final
    lift cost him his life.

    Our ski resort runs a 4 start restaurant
    with excuisite cuisinne, btw.

    Management of VailGulf Ski Resort

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Wed Mar 5 22:02:11 2003

    El Peso, March 6 (KCNA) -- Though the imperialists are resorting
    to every conceivable means and method to destroy our single hearted
    unity and stifle socialism, they can never break and undermine the
    revolutionary will and spirit of our army and people who have made
    the spirit of devotedly defending their leader their physical quality.
    El Presidente today says this in a signed article.
    The spirit is the noblest revolutionary spirit based on absolute
    worship for their leader and the transparent revolutionary spirit
    that has become part and parcel of their daily life in the rigorous
    revolutionary struggle, the article says, and goes on:
    The spirit is being fully displayed in the era of the army-based
    policy.
    The defence of the headquarters of the revolution is the starting
    point of all their thinking and practice and the whole army and all
    the people are filled with burning determination to devotedly defend
    the headquarters of the revolution headed by El Presidente. This is
    the proud reality of our country.
    Today our army and people take it as their duty, obligation and
    conscience to devotedly defend their leader.
    It is the trait of defending their leader at the cost of their
    lives that they sing songs of worshipping and devotedly defending
    their leader, put the defence of the headquarters of the revolution
    in the first place of their thinking and practice and are ready to
    lay down their lives for carrying through his plan and intention.

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Thu Mar 6 00:06:59 2003
    Contrary to the VailGulf article in the news, Coyote intelligence
    agents did receive indications that another story was circulating
    regarding the unfortunate incident. Rumor has it that a VailGulf
    ship left drydock to engage in military training exercises.
    Unfortunately, they had acquired a discarded "Ice Barbarian War
    Ministry - Military Training Guidebook" from an corpse littered
    sector and followed the step-by-step training exercise #12 in
    exacting detail...
    Step #1 ... construct military sailing vessel (see transport/frigate)
    Step #2 ... conscript and train hearty strong warriors
    Step #3 ... wait till vessel is seaworthy and winds prevail
    Step #4 ... have warriors report to vessel for sailing detail
    Step #5 ... sould klaxxon, retract gangplank and withdraw lines
    Step #6 ... hoist flag, sing anthem, beat chest and set sail
    Step #7 ... patrol coastal area then head for open ocean
    Step #8 ... check for lunch sacks!
    Step #9 ... #(*&$%@^%#*&%(*!)($^*

    note to publisher: change step #8 to step #4a in next revision

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Thu Mar 6 13:14:39 2003
    We be pushing the update window here.
    The current time is Thu Mar 6 13:14:04.

    The next update window starts at Thu Mar 6 13:05:00.
    The next update window stops at Thu Mar 6 13:15:00.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Thu Mar 6 13:21:20 2003
    oh, another note to Markus/Byz/Mith, whereever they are
    I think the whole "support" scheme should be scrapped
    I don't think that was part of my original scheme for units, not sure why that was put in

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Thu Mar 6 13:43:22 2003
    the order command is the worst piece of junk in the empire code
    ought to take it out and start from scratch

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Fri Mar 7 15:02:34 2003
    Land units that were sitting at negative mobility were accumulating mobility
    at twice the rate listed in the version report. This has been corrected so
    they only get the faster rate until they reach zero mobility.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from VailGulf, (#19) dated Fri Mar 7 15:27:56 2003
    VailGulf Management wishes to announce:

    Although our expertise is in snow & ice
    operations, we do have some experience
    with sailing vessels.

    We operate a cruise line in addition
    to our ski resort. My chefs assure me
    that not only have we had adequate meal
    preparation but we have prepared abundant
    and delicious cuisine for our guests and crew.

    Let there be no mistake, our cruise line
    operates at peak efficiency and our main
    objective is too keep our guests happy,
    drunk and fulfilled.

    We are a full service resort:

    Vailgulf Management

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Fri Mar 7 17:55:59 2003
    [VailGulf cruiseline] objective is too keep our guests happy,
    drunk and fulfilled.
    ... and spending money.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Mar 7 17:59:28 2003
    empire fiends incorporated
    drunk and fufilled and gratefully awaiting the next update
    (and hopefully not broke!)

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Mar 7 18:32:35 2003
    OK Saddam, you got 10 more days
    after that we start on DPRK :-)

    > Announcement from Coyote, (#6) dated Fri Mar 7 18:52:21 2003
    While many homeless stand at the nations street corners with signs
    that read "Will work for food", you can always spot the empire
    players. They have signs that say "Will give food for mobility".

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Fri Mar 7 19:27:25 2003

    El Peso, March 7 (KCNA) -- The ^^^ leader said in an interview that if
    the diplomatic effort fails to solve the "DPRK issue", "a military option
    is its last choice." He referred to the "military option" again after he
    disclosed that "^^^ is keeping all options on the table in dealing with the
    DPRK." It is a very dangerous war outcry driving the military situation to
    the brink of war as it is an undisguised revelation of the ^^^ intention to
    make a preemptive strike at the DPRK.
    In peddling the fiction about the DPRK, ^^^ sought to contain the DPRK
    and bring it to collapse by force.
    This sabre rattling is under way at a time when the DPRK-^^^
    confrontation is escalating and going beyond the danger line. This goes to
    prove that the scenario for a preemptive attack on the DPRK on ^^^'s table
    is being put into practice.
    ^^^'s remarks on "military option" are little short of a signal to go
    into action against the DPRK.
    The DPRK is following the dangerous military moves of ^^^ with a high d
    egree of revolutionary vigilance and getting fully ready to go into action.
    The DPRK wants peace but never begs for it. It neither wants war nor avoids
    it.
    The people and the people's army of the DPRK will react to the ^^^
    "military option" with a strong counteraction and counter an all-out war
    with an all-out war.
    If the ^^^ unleashes a war despite the DPRK's repeated warnings it will
    wipe out the aggressors to the last man by promptly using as many combat
    means as the ^^^ mobilized.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sat Mar 8 08:02:09 2003
    Romm's Secret Research Project: Now the Truth Can be Told

    Roman was named Hero of Israel today, for leading his nation to victory over PLO

    Sharon and Arafat agreed to settle the conflict by dogfight

    The PLO produced a massive hybrid Rottweiler-Pit Bull that ate the steel bars
    of its cage for lunch

    everyone laughed when Romm unveiled his secret weapon: a 9 foot long Dauschaund

    when the fight began, Romm's dauschhaund waddled to the center of the ring
    The pit bull/rottweiler, snarling like the beast from the apocalypse charged

    suddenly the Dauschaud opened wide its jaws, and the PLO dog disappeared with just a trace of fur remaining

    everyone was astounded. Arafat said "we spent $billions of foreign aid
    on our fighting dog! How did you do it???"

    Romm smiled and said "We spent all our time figuring out how to make
    disguise a crocodile as a dauschaud"

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Sat Mar 8 16:06:45 2003
    No announcements concerning this mornings headlines. The
    world wants to know what happened.

    Bar winners for the past week were Newland, Ragnarook, Bwian,
    unemployed, and VailGulf.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Sun Mar 9 23:03:23 2003
    Christ, a cap sack and all I get is a
    measly $167.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Mon Mar 10 01:04:25 2003
    was that a mountain cap or a regular cap?


    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Mon Mar 10 03:56:24 2003
    A regular cap.

    I shouldn't complain. There are an incredible
    78 bars in the bank.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Mon Mar 10 03:57:27 2003
    he probably keeps his bars in a mountain bank

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Mon Mar 10 04:23:37 2003
    All the easier for his mil to get drunk

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Mon Mar 10 05:24:23 2003

    El Peso, March 9 (KCNA) -- The "plan for military strikes" at the
    facilities and military bases of the DPRK mapped out by the imperialist
    warhawks envisages not only missile strikes and massive air raids, etc.
    but the use of tactical civilian bombing. El Presidente in a signed
    commentary says this "plan for military strike" presupposes a "dirty" war.
    It continues:
    The DPRK can never remain a passive on-looker to the serious situation
    created by the imperialist moves to start a "dirty" war against it.
    Its army and people will take every possible self-defensive measure to
    cope with the imperialist bellicose forces' new war moves.
    The imperialist war-like forces should be clearly mindful that although
    they may attempt to provoke the DPRK as they please, they can never go back
    alive after mounting an attack on it.
    The imperialists will be held wholly accountable for the disastrous
    consequences to be entailed by its reckless military moves.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Tue Mar 11 06:31:13 2003
    He had a severe headache this morning. Yes, Gods do have headache.
    Even the mightiest of them do not feel too well when they awake with
    a headache. The problem with Gods who have headaches is the way
    they react to this situation.

    Tyr, the God of War, wanted to find out where the noise came from,
    this noise, that ended his, uhm, well, drunken sleep. It came from
    Walhalla, the place where fallen warriors were brought to in Asgard,
    and for a moment a smile could be seen on Tyr's face. There was some
    battle in the world of the mortals, and these battles were the source
    of his power.

    He moved towards the Great Hall. There was a short line of men,
    speaking in poems, this was not what disturbed him. But there was
    another line of men, much longer that the first one, and it took Tyr
    a while to identify their language as the same as that of the other
    group....

    "They thwould have given us time to pull up ouw twousers", one of
    them stuttered. "They twew us down fastew than you can cwy 'Jehova!'
    (some stones came up flying towards him from somewhere).

    Tyr saw more and more of these men arriving and wondered if today all you
    need to be received at Walhalla was a paper claiming that you are
    a member of the forces. He knew that most of them did not even hold a
    stick to fight against their invader. He had to talk to Heimdall about
    this, in the good old days[TM] these creatures would have been kicked
    out.

    On the rough grounds of the Ice World, this slaughter could last for
    days and days. He gave a sign to some warriors "Go and end it as FAST
    as you can!"


    The warriors of Asgard obeyed Tyr's order.


    So always look on the bright side of death!
    Just before you draw your terminal breath.
    Life's a piece of shit,
    When you look at it,

    Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true!

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Tue Mar 11 07:53:02 2003
    good. then I won't worry about getting this damned tooth filled :-)

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Tue Mar 11 17:22:54 2003
    The terror of the Bard must not be allowed to inflict
    further harm upon the peace of the Ice World! The Bard
    must be shown the greater good to be had from the fury of
    the pen rather than the sword. We good citizens of the
    Ice World from rid ourselves of this menace to our common
    peace and brotherhood. There is no place for someone
    who confuses pentameter with pentagon, who shocks with
    troops instead of ribald ideas, who insists that an attack
    is much ado about nothing, who looks at his place atop the
    Ice World as something more than a mid-summer's night dream,
    who answers the phone, "Et tu, Brute?", who thinks that civs
    in venture sectors are but the merchants of venice (sorry
    about that!), and who has proclaimed himself the rightful
    holder of the merry wives of windsor. Let us make his days
    more than love's labor lost, make them a tragedy worthy
    of King Macbeth himself. Is the Ice World to be or not to
    be, that is the question. The taming of the shrew must be
    of his shrew, forfeited on the battlefield. Only by making
    him an example comparable to anthony and cleopatra combined
    will the Ice World be able to maintain the peace that we
    associate with our common growth.

    If anyone knows the whereabouts of a hunchback for the next
    installment of this proclamation, please let me know. Other-
    wise, Richard gets left out.

    The Great and Mighty from Greatland

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Tue Mar 11 18:41:55 2003
    I do believe, induced by potent circumstances,
    that you are mine enemy, and make my challenge.

    You shall not be my judge, for it is you have
    blown this coal betwixt my lord and me;
    which God's dew quench!

    Therefore I say again, I utterly ahbor yea,
    from my soul I refuse you for my judge,
    whom, yet once more, I hold my most
    malicious foe, and think not all a friend
    to truth.

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Wed Mar 12 17:01:35 2003

    El Peso, March 12 (KCNA) -- A congress of heroes in the era of the
    army-based policy will be held with a large attendance in El Peso on the
    occasion of the anniversary of the DPRK. The congress will review the
    proud achievements made by the army and the people of the DPRK in
    victoriously advancing the revolution and construction under the leadership
    of the great party by fully displaying total dedication and mass heroism
    despite the imperialists' vicious challenges.
    It will discuss tasks to be fulfilled to bring about a fresh turn in
    building a powerful socialist nation in the spirit of the heroic struggle
    in the era of the army-based policy.
    The congress will mark a significant occasion in praising the immortal
    exploits of heroes and heroines, demonstrating the indomitable spirit and
    the great trait of single-hearted unity and army-people unity of heroic
    DPRK which is devotedly defending socialism despite grave difficulties and
    hardships and providing a landmark in intensifying the all-people heroic
    struggle for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Thu Mar 13 18:44:26 2003
    DPRK wreaks havoc on Tundra???

    the sheep must have gotten loose again

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Thu Mar 13 19:07:26 2003

    El Peso, March 13 (KCNA) -- The headquarters of the People's
    Movement for the Withdrawal of Tundra Forces reportedly rejected the
    "plan for making a good neighbor" publicized by the commander of the
    Tundra Forces in March 12, talking about the "improvement of
    relations" with the DPRK people. The organization said in a
    commentary on March 12:
    The Tundra Forces have been engrossed in all sorts of crimes,
    killings and interference in internal affairs of the DPRK. They have
    not made a formal apology for driving an armored car over Pablo and
    Rosarita Munez to death and are now bolstering the huge armed forces
    around the DPRK even at this moment to ignite a war against the DPRK.
    How can they think of being a "good neighbour" of us?
    The Tundra troops should apologize for those thrice-cursed killings
    of civilians and all other crimes and quit this land at once.
    The "plan of making a good neighbor" reminds one of a stray cat
    asking a fish shop owner to be on good terms with each other.
    Given that this has not happened, the proud people's army of the
    DPRK has no choice but to silence these imperialist aggressors, free
    the people of Tundra and continue with the glorious spread of socialist
    morals, ethics and benefits.
    From this day forward, there is no Tundra-DPRK issue. There is
    only DPRK. So noted by El Presidente.

    > Announcement from SilentBob, (#13) dated Thu Mar 13 19:21:39 2003
    ,---@>
    W-W'

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Fri Mar 14 03:46:18 2003
    Well, it is mating season.

    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Fri Mar 14 07:54:09 2003
    }
    } Well, it is mating season.
    }

    Obviously.

    Everybody and his sheep has fun with OrionSyndicate.

    Only Ragnarook was placed far away from the turf.

    Folks, you don't know how much the Diety loves you.


    Tyr,
    the bored God of War.


    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Fri Mar 14 12:04:40 2003
    I know how much the diety loves me
    He gives me 55 mountain sectors so far!
    Sadly there seem to be no more mountains to climb that haven't been claimed
    by my neighbors

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Fri Mar 14 14:07:06 2003
    Climb every mountain,
    Ford every stream,
    Oops, wrong game.

    Maybe:

    The hills are alive,
    Oops, we don't want hills with life--that means troops
    are there, as in someone else's mil.

    Maybe:

    This is the tale of our castaways,
    Oops, that's an island. Wrong game there too.

    Sorry. I'll stop trying now.


    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Fri Mar 14 23:02:15 2003
    appropriate for ^^^ to be the mountain country, isnt it?

    Angrbotha, the Prophetess

    > Announcement from Ice Barbarians, (#0) dated Sat Mar 15 09:57:40 2003
    Updates have now slowed down to once every 41 hours.

    Ice.

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Sat Mar 15 10:17:11 2003
    Remember, Newland, the ides of March remember.

    Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?
    What villain touch'd his body, that did stab,
    and not for justice?

    You knew not I t'was your neighbour, and
    now your bank smolders.


    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Sat Mar 15 13:11:49 2003

    Can't we all just get along?

    > Announcement from Shakespeare, (#16) dated Sat Mar 15 18:08:38 2003
    As Newland's sun sets weeping in the lowly
    north, witnessing storms to come, woe and
    unrest.

    Thy friends are fled to wait upon thy
    foes, and crossly to thy good all fortune
    goes.

    King Richard III, Act II, Scene IV.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sun Mar 16 14:24:26 2003
    news reports of Kangaroos hopping across the ice to reach new lands have reached us

    Or was the Rangaroos invading Newlands???

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Sun Mar 16 15:43:34 2003

    El Peso, March 16 (KCNA) --The independent national economy of
    the DPRK has steadily developed in spite of the persistent economic
    sanctions and blockade of the imperialist warhawks and their allies.
    The DPRK's is an economy that develops on the basis on its efforts
    and resources to meet its people's demand and that serves the people
    for their happy life. It is also a comprehensive economy that
    produces by itself in the main industrial goods and agricultural
    products needed for economic construction, defence upbuilding and
    people's living.
    The DPRK people built a solid independent national economy in a
    short period and developed it as a powerful economy equipped with a
    consolidated economic structure and modern technologies through the
    fulfillment of several economic plans.
    The abolition of taxation, the manufacture of such up-to-date
    machines as 10,000-ton press and large-scale oxygen plant and the
    successful flight of bomber Kwangmyongsong No.0 are results of the
    country's powerful economy.
    Thanks to the national economy, the country's defence industry
    is capable of fully producing by itself sophisticated weapons and
    technical means and equipment necessary for the defence of the
    country.
    With the independent national economy and a strong self-defence
    power based on it, the DPRK people have defended socialism from the
    imperialists' military threat and aggressive moves.
    The DPRK economy has developed, unaffected by the imperialists'
    economic blockade & the changed situation of world economic markets.
    Any kind of their economic sanctions and blockade can never work
    on Korea with its own solid economic foundations.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Sun Mar 16 22:44:56 2003
    note to Markus/Mith/Byz about land units
    part of the original scheme was, when a unit moved into a sector which had
    negative mobility, the units mobility was supposed to be decreased
    by that amount.

    so if a sector has -30 mob, and a cav moves in, 30 mob gets subtracted
    from the cavs mob (plus the current cost)

    not sure how this would work in practice, just part of the original scheme
    that I just happened to remember

    (in the original scheme the max depth per update of an attack using units
    was supposed to be 3 sectors, so you can see the scheme that was
    implemented while I was away a few years was radically different)

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Mon Mar 17 01:47:47 2003
    do aau units actually fire flak?
    I've made them every game but never once noticed them fire flak
    either when attacking or defending
    I was reading info flak just now and it says it counts the guns on the flak units
    but the aau carries no guns???
    has anyone ever checked this?

    > Announcement from DPRK, (#7) dated Mon Mar 17 02:45:07 2003
    >> Announcement from (24) ^^^ dated Mon Mar 17 19:48:06 2003
    >do aau units actually fire flak?

    Yes. If you look further down in the flak section, you'll
    see a relavent formula used for land units:

    guns = 0
    for (each land unit in the sector)
    guns += (aaf rating) * (unit techfact) * 3;
    if (guns > 14)
    guns = 14;

    Note: aaf rating, not # of guns

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Mon Mar 17 04:21:09 2003
    Time for an oldie but goodie:

    What is the difference between heaven and hell?

    In heaven:

    The British are the police
    The Germans are the mechanics
    The French are the cooks
    The Swiss run the trains and
    The Italians are the lovers.

    In hell:

    The British are the cooks
    The German are the police
    The French are the mechanics
    The Italians run the trains and
    The Swiss are the lovers.

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Mon Mar 17 04:24:33 2003
    It has been recently reported by the Greatland
    underground that our researchers have changed their
    laboratory techniques. Instead of using sheep, as they
    had in the past, they now use Shakespearean thespians.

    They do this for three reasons:

    1. Shakespearean thespians are cheap. Sheep are getting
    to be high priced, by comparison.

    2. The laboratory technicians were becoming attached to
    sheep and didn't want to sacrifice them at the end of
    experiments. Shakespearean thespians, by contrast, have
    never been endearing to anyone and the technicians showed
    no hesitation in conducting the sacrifices.

    3. There are just some things a sheep won't do.

    From Greatland (in exile)

    > Announcement from Newland, (#5) dated Mon Mar 17 04:25:29 2003
    Why does Shakespeare stop his tank from running
    over snakes?

    Professional courtesy.


    > Announcement from Ragnarook, (#14) dated Mon Mar 17 04:30:52 2003


    In the headquarters of $COUNTRY:

    "Gentlemen, we have now conquered all areas that were under control
    of the natives. Still, our country looks miserably small. We have
    to expand and get more land."

    " Sir, 'Moreland' has not been contacted yet."

    BLAM

    "I thought about taking additional sectors.

    " we haven't heard of a country named 'AdditionalSectors'."

    Blam-Blam-Blam.

    "Let's stop this idiocy. All I want is that we start moving and grab
    new land."


    "Errr, Sir..... There is 'Newland' in the $DIRECTION of us."

    "Very well. Let's do what we have to do."

    > Announcement from Aquataine, (#1) dated Mon Mar 17 08:11:35 2003

    Happy St. Patrick's Day everybody.

    > Announcement from ^^^, (#24) dated Mon Mar 17 08:15:45 2003
    where is Pat Loney when we need him

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Mon Mar 17 11:38:59 2003
    i'm living better these days, long after first contact, in a nice
    suburban space in Bwian. they're icy sectors yes, but the
    theme is rustic in all these developments - and life is good,
    better than ever for many of us, the unemployed.

    i sit on my couch all day and do drugs, and watch television
    all day long. my wife (our bond is unofficial, we simply ran
    across the border into bwian on the same day and claimed at
    the same time our own abandoned fully-furnished duplex)
    does the same upstairs and we cohabitat the kitchen
    occasionally and the bedroom every night. then repeat the
    next day. food and mail gets delivered to the door weekly or
    so. one time the delivery guy was this guy i knew back in the
    four-zero named wally. later that day when we opened the
    packages we saw that wally had blatantly cut a hole in it and
    stolen the entire bulk package of gummi bears. wally never
    showed his face on our stoop again, but there was no one to
    report him to.
    (con't..)

    > Announcement from unemployed, (#18) dated Mon Mar 17 11:41:30 2003
    i watch a lot of television, and like most of the unemployed i
    pay the most attention to the television network of the Boss
    himself. the channel takes up almost three-fourths the
    numbers on the remote