Introduction to MadHat's PBEM Games. This document last updated 10-30-05. I have edited out redundancies with the CWRQ and/or ODQ in an attempt to streamline the information. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
 

Good day, dueling fans! You are invited to enjoy a fast growing aspect of autodueling: PBEM (Play by E-Mail). The rules are the same as “in person” Car Wars games using the official AADA rules from Car Wars Compendium 2nd Edition 5th Printing as well as Uncle Al's Catalog from Hell. I also use rules clarifications as published by AADA Head Ref Eric Freeman. Any AADA legal item will be allowed, including items appearing in Pyramid Magazine.

 
I will be the sole referee. Final decisions, rules as well as judgment calls, will be left to me alone. I will entertain initial “suggestions” such as “I think this maneuver will keep my front left tire out of his front arc of fire” or “that’s not going to cause a hazard is it?” I will make a ruling and, if needed, quote the rules or the online CWRQ and/or ODQ to explain my ruling. If needed, head ref Eric Freeman will be consulted.

 
There are a few clarifications that are official but are not yet in the above documents:
1) Any fire extinguisher fired with the intent of putting out "fire mods" will roll on that phase. The fire extinguisher can not fire again that turn.
2) If a vehicle loses wheels on 2 corners it will slow by 30 mph every 5 phases, not between turns.
3) If a vehicle loses a driver, it will slow by 5 mph every 5 phases, not between turns.
4) Dropped weapons will only be hit during movement. For example, a mine dropped under Car 1 in Phase 3 will not have a chance to go off until Car 1 moves again.
5) Body Armor weighs 10 pounds.
6) A burning vehicle may explode if it contains a gas engine OR any type of flamethrower, flaming oil jet, any type of rocket or missile weapon, AT Gun or Tank Gun, or any other volatile weapon that takes damage from vehicular fire.
7) A foam grenade triggered in a vehicle has a 1 in 6 chance of extinguishing the fire.
8) Dischargers may not be mounted inside a vehicle.
9) Flak jackets are legal and can be worn with regular body armor.
10) Active Suspension reduces the hazard from a tire loss the same as it does for loss of a wheel.
11) Sand does not have to be laid over other items to neutralize them. Simply being in the same place on the map is sufficient.
12) Unaimed fire uses all normal modifiers except the following: driver skill, sustained fire, computer, & crash table mods.
13) Debris and Obstacles dropped during a collision will affect the vehicles that phase whether they continue moving or not. The vehicle will be considered to have hit it at their speed after the collision. A vehicle is still not affected by their own debris/obstacles unless it leaves and comes back.
14) By playing in my games, you agree to allow the use of your name and/or vehicle details in future web use, podcasts, emails, etc. I don't spam lists, but I do send out announcements, etc., to all current players, past players & people who have expressed interest. For bulk items, I try and BCC everyone to protect your identity.

I will make all dice rolls. Modifiers and rolls will be shared with the person who would normally roll, but no one else.

 
We will follow this sequence of play…

 
The particulars of each duel will be announced ahead of time. The arena, the division, any weather conditions, limits to number of crew, etc.

 
There will sometimes be recurring characters. Recurring characters and their skill points are the responsibility of the owning player.

Unless a specific event calls for an exception, all crew will follow the CWRQ and ODQ method of using skill points. Namely, 30 points to be assigned any way you see fit with a maximum of 20 in any one skill.

 
Once all vehicles are submitted and any problems are resolved, I will post walkarounds. Gates will usually be determined randomly. Also, unless you tell me differently, ICE's or PP's will be in the front with the Gas Tank, if any, in the back. Drivers are placed on the left and Gunners on the right unless you tell me differently. HTM's are assumed ON unless otherwise specified.

 

All movement for a phase will be turned in at one time. Movement will be resolved normally based on speed. Feel free to give detailed conditional movement, such as "if Car 12 moves straight I'll make a D3 right, but if he turns right I'll bake a D5 right" or "if Trike 16 turns left I'll match his left bend" or anything else you would like to do. If you request it, I can show you all the movement up until the point you move. You must let me know.

 
Any movement of more than one inch will automatically be handled in alternating movement. No one is required to request this.

 
Once all movement is resolved, I will update the map and the play-by-play and send an email to everyone. Combat will be turned in at one time as well, but all combat will occur simultaneously.

 
I will then take all modifiers into consideration and roll the dice. If you fire, you will know what you rolled, as well as the rolls for damage. If you are fired upon, you will know the amount of damage, but not the die rolls. You will also know the result on your vehicle. If you are not directly involved in the combat, you will know who attacked who and what the obvious results are (armor breached, metal armor blown off, wheel hub damaged but intact, etc.).

 
In the case of dropped weapons, the person being damaged will know the amount of damage, but not the die rolls. No one else, including the dropper, will know the die rolls or the amount of damage.

 
Then we will go to the next phase…

 
This will go on through phase five. At the end of phase five I will roll for fire, roll for extinguisher success, apply fire damage and check for explosion. As in combat, anything occurring to your vehicle will be shared with you in detail; anything occurring to someone else’s vehicle will be shared with you in visible terms. HC recovery will then be applied and an email sent to each player asking for speed for the next turn. Once speeds are turned in, a movement request will be sent.

 
If you ever decide to change speed in the middle of a turn, the best time to tell me is during the Combat Request for the current phase, then speed will be changed for the beginning of the next phase. If you ever want to check speed before turning in movement, you are allowed to do so, just let me know so I can "restart the clock."

 
And the cycle continues…

 
There is a "24 hour" rule which simply means you have 24 hours from the time I send the email to respond to movement or combat requests. If you fail to respond, you will either move straight or make no combat action that phase. If you fail to respond to three "24 hour" turnarounds in a row, you will be considered AWOL and I will not wait for you to turn in moves. You will continue straight and at the same speed with no combat actions until you email me again. At that time you will not be AWOL and I will wait the 24 hours for you. I also reserve the right to bring in a replacement player to control your car. Once this is done, it will be up to that person to relinquish control back to you. If they choose, they may finish the event. If they go AWOL and you come back, you will have first chance at getting your car back.

There will be no private communication between players. Anything said is said to all. If you'd like to tell another player something, you can either send that person an email and CC everyone else (including me) or you can send me exactly what you want to say and I will send it to everyone in that duel with emphasis to the person you are speaking to.

 
Are you game? If so, email me for the details of the next duel to occur. If you have a favorite arena or division, let me know.

Also, feel free to ask questions if any of this is unclear. This is supposed to be fun! :-)

Jimmy Anderson

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