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"On air. On sea. On land. Still the Internet's greatest wargame simulation."

Lord of the Rings I

Deities: Geoff Cashman
Roman Parparov
Start Date: February 5th, 2002
End Date: April 25, 2002 (79 days)
Code used: Wolfpack 4.2.10
Winner(s): Rohan
Gondor
Angmar
Umbar
Mordor

Original Game Announcement

January 14, 2002

Lord of the Rings Empire

To sign up, please visit the online registration form
located at: http://empire.tau.ac.il/~romm/empireme.html

-------------------------------------------------------

"Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-Lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."

-------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE FROM PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THIS GAME:
There are now more than two dozen entrants in
this game. There is room for all who would like
to come. We will tailor the world for as many as
we have signed up. Some of the best in Empire
have signed up already. All are welcome, from
beginner to expert.

It is looking like updates will be every 48 hours,
with weekend updates possibly disabled. ETUs will
probably be 60. Start date will be either last
week of January or first week of February.

----------------------------------------------------

Coming soon to an Empire server near you, LOTR Empire!
No matinee prices, no long lines for tickets, no
crunching popcorn underfoot and pealing gum off your
shoe after you leave...this is the real thing! You
will be transported to Middle Earth to run your land,
challenging your wits against bands of Orcs, hordes
of Goblins, Oliphants trampling your villages, waging
war with such kingdoms as Gondor, Rivendell, Mordor,
and yes even Mirkwood! (but who will play Mirkwood?
Will it be the real Mirkwood? Who knows...who knows)

Can The Shire rise up and control the world? Can
Khazad-dum be born again and brought back to its pinnacle
of power? Will the Dark Lord spread his power over
all the lands and dominate the Third Age? Come one,
come all and see for yourself!

Main details:
WHEN:

WHAT:

WHO:

WHERE:

WHY:


To sign up, please visit the online registration form
located at: http://empire.tau.ac.il/~romm/empireme.html

Registration is open now.

Questions regarding the game may be mailed to me.
Offerings of rings of power in the form of six packs
of beer will be gladly received and may influence
your placement in the game (well, you're welcome to
believe that if you want...doesn't make it true :)).

-Geoff Cashman
Istari Deity of Middle Earth Empire
aka Mithrilien

Empire 4.2.10
(KSU distribution 1.04, Chainsaw version 4.00, Wolfpack version 2.10)
The following parameters have been set for this game:
World size is 184 by 88.
There can be up to 99 countries.
By default, countries use their own coordinate system.
Empire time unit is 1440 seconds long.
Use the 'update' command to find out the time of the next update.
The current time is Fri Sep  5 21:34:24.
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 $250.00 in interest per 1000 gold bars per etu.
1000 civilians generate $8.33, uncompensated workers $1.78 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 96 time units.
The technology/research boost you get from your allies is 25.00%.
Nation levels (tech etc.) decline 1% every 0 time units.
Tech Buildup is not limited
                                Sectors Ships   Planes  Units
Maximum mobility                127     127     120     96
Max mob gain per update         60      90      60      48
Max eff gain per update         --      100     100     100
Ships on autonavigation may use 6 cargo holds per ship.
Nukes are disabled.
Fire ranges are scaled by 1.00
Options enabled in this game:
        BIG_CITY, DEFENSE_INFRA, DEMANDUPDATE, GODNEWS, HIDDEN, LANDSPIES,
        NEW_STARVE, NEW_WORK, NEWPOWER, NO_FORT_FIRE, NOMOBCOST, NONUKES,
        PINPOINTMISSILE, PLANENAMES, RES_POP, SAIL, SHIPNAMES, SHOWPLANE,
        TREATIES, UPDATESCHED
Options disabled in this game:
        ALL_BLEED, BLITZ, BRIDGETOWERS, DRNUKE, EASY_BRIDGES, FALLOUT, FUEL,
        GO_RENEW, GRAB_THINGS, INTERDICT_ATT, LOANS, LOSE_CONTACT, MARKET,
        MOB_ACCESS, NEUTRON, NO_HCMS, NO_LCMS, NO_OIL, NO_PLAGUE, NOFOOD,
        NUKEFAILDETONATE, ORBIT, SHIP_DECAY, SLOW_WAR, SNEAK_ATTACK,
        SUPER_BARS, TECH_POP, TRADESHIPS,
"info Options" for a detailed list of options and descriptions
The person to annoy if something goes wrong is:
        Roman Parparov and Geoff Cashman
        (empire@empire.tau.ac.il).
You can get your own copy of the source using:
    ftp://ftp.empire.cx/pub/empire/server or
    http://www.empire.cx/
 

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Mid-game Updates

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

One week after start, February 12, 2002

     - = [   Empire Power Report   ] = -
as of Tue Feb 12 17:28:05 2002
            sects  eff civ  mil  shell gun pet  iron dust oil  pln ship unit money
        Dale 100   54%  10K 950   22    0  350  1.1K 100  400    1    0    5   10K
      420.14
   Iron_Hill 100   32% 9.4K 150    0    0    0  600  450  100    1    0    1   15K
      395.13
   Rivendell 120   27% 9.2K 150    0    0    0  1.9K 700  100    0    0    7   25K
      378.35
       Khand 105   41% 9.2K 150    0    0    0  100  650  100    0    0    1   20K
      375.11
   Wainrider  90   60% 8.7K 600    0    0  450  600  250  250    0    2    7   15K
      374.84
     Anfalas  80   41% 9.2K 200    0    0    0  1.0K 150  150    1    0    4   20K
      371.56
   Gladden_F  75   57% 9.3K 150    0    0  500  400  150  200    0    0    1   20K
      359.78
   Forlindon  95   30% 9.1K 350    0    0  850  600  200  100    2    1    0   20K
      359.66
      Mordor 145   26% 9.4K 250    0    0    0  800  250   50    5    1    3  3.0K
      358.69
   Dorwinion  90   37% 8.9K 400   25    3    0  650  350  100    3    2    4   15K
      358.29
   Easterlin  90   45% 9.4K 400    0    0    0  1.1K 100   50    2    0   10   10K
      356.91
        Nurn 110   25% 8.9K 350    0    0    0  1.1K 1.0K   0    0    0    4   25K
      356.83
       Arnor  65   69% 9.3K 150    0    0    0  450   50   42    0    0    0   25K
      356.52
   Harlindon  50   70% 9.2K 250    0    0    0  550  500   37    0    0    7   15K
      356.05
     Celduin  60   40% 8.9K 500    0    0    0  700  450  500    0    0    6   20K
      355.66
       Umbar  90   31% 9.4K 150    0    4    0  800  250  150    2    3    7   10K
      352.64
      Lorien  85   32% 9.1K 300    0    0  200  700   50  250    5    2    5   20K
      351.11
   Near_Hara 110   30% 9.1K 300    0    0    0  750  300  450    0    0    4   20K
      350.00
   The_Shire 115   40% 8.5K 450    0    0    0  900  100  200    0    5    6   15K
      348.91
      Angmar 105   24% 8.8K 300    0    0    0  1.1K 200  100    0    0   10   20K
      343.63
    Cardolan  40   80% 8.9K 450    0    0    0  550  300  150    0    1    5   15K
      340.93
   Dol_Amrot  90   25% 9.1K 400    0    0    0  1.1K 350  300    6    2   10   20K
      338.19
      Gondor 135   25% 8.7K 750   50    3    0  1.1K 300  150    3    5   40  1.9K
      337.60
   Dol_Goldu 100   22% 8.8K 550    0    0  350  1.1K 200  300    4    0   10   10K
      333.93
   Enedwaith  70   41% 8.7K 400    9    3    0  650  300  250    3    4    2   20K
      331.42
        Rhun  75   43% 8.2K 800    8    0    0  900  150    0    3    4   10  5.0K
      329.27
       Rohan 140   19% 8.9K 300   25    0    0  700  400  150    4    2   10  5.0K
      328.45
    Dagorlad 105   33% 8.7K 400   14    2    0  1.1K  50  150    3    0   20   10K
      327.96
        Bree  95   20% 8.6K 650    0    0    0  1.2K 200  250    0    0    8   15K
      327.96
    Balchoth  95   23% 8.6K 650   75    0    0  850  150  200    0    0   20   15K
      325.22
    Mirkwood  95   26% 8.4K 450    0    0    0  1.1K 200  200    0    1   10   15K
      323.26
    Forochel  60   44% 8.2K 300    0    0    0  600  150  400    0    0    0   25K
      320.13
     Dunland  75   28% 8.6K 650    0    0    0  600  200  200    0    5   10   15K
      318.36
   Minhiriat  65   32% 8.3K 800    0    0    0  850  150  250    0    1    4   15K
      316.57
   Hildorien  80   51% 7.9K 300   15    0    0  450   50   29    2    0    8   10K
      310.08
     Eregion  30   50% 9.4K 100    0    0    0  300    0    0    0    0    0   30K
      309.83
   Far_Harad  65   30% 7.5K 100    0    0    0  750  250  600    6    0    0   30K
      302.41
    Harondor  85   31% 7.8K 350    0    0    0  750  100  100    0    0    5   20K
      296.49
      Erebor  45   47% 6.1K 200   14    0    0  500    0  250    0    0    3   20K
      244.41
     Valinor   1  100%  10  1.9K   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0   10K
        0.66
             ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
   worldwide 3.4K  35% 343K  17K 250   15  2.6K  31K 9.8K 7.3K  60   40  260  660K
 

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Game Summary

Deity notes from Mithrilien:
Though this deity is disappointed at the final turn of events in the
end of the game, I am pleased that the players seemed to have enjoyed
the game very much nonetheless. It isn't often that I deity, but when
I do I've tried to take great pains in making it the best game I can.
Your words of appreciation are very much appreciated!

Too few of you issued "spy *" commands. Some of you figured out that
Gollum and various ringbearers were in your lands. I tried to get
those units around to every country, but only a handful of you
discovered them, captured them, and were rewarded appropriately.

Nobody ever figured out Vingilot, the ship that set sail with Earendil
for Valinor. Had you killed that ship (one player nearly killed it
on interdiction fire), you would have been awarded $1000. Boarding it
would have been basically impossible. Even heavily damaged, it had
over 1500 mil on it.

The pop quizzes were fun to run, and the winners were pretty spread
out, though Gimlet won more than anyone. Is web searching abilities
are top notch.

Many of you became befuddled about the lack of fertility in the
SEAs of the game. It was made very clear that fertility existed
in the OCEAN. We NEVER said there was fertility in the SEAs. One
player was fairly incensed about building boats to get fishies
from the water only to find out that where his ships were going
there was no food to be had. Part of any Empire game is exploring
the world. It is not often a deity even tells you there IS fertility
out there, much less WHERE it is.

We also had dragons in the game, including Smaug, and the other great
dragons. But, sadly due to the nature of the Empire game, we were not
able to use them in a way that was beneficial to the players. We did
try, but the plane interdiction code wouldn't let you know you were
being intercepted by Smaug, instead by "sm". Many thanks to the players
involved in that test for their patience.

We also had all the Istari wizards, but we never used them. They would
have operated as sabotage agents, but we ended up not using them.

Most of you suffered from peasants stealing food from you. Probably
the best response to this came from Gimlet, master of Iron_Hills:

"Greetings Hardy Peasants! 
We notice dat some food has been taken, and fingers have been pointed
at you. If you are in need, please let us help you - tell us of yourselves,
and of your requirements, and da generous dwarves will be happy to share
their bounty with da less fortunate, and can arrange food shipments to you.
Warmest Regards,
Gimlet, son of Groin"

There was no riddle in the stealing of food by the peasants, though
I implied as much to several players. It was something to add flavor...
the pilfering of food has often been common in societies similar to
that found in Middle Earth.

Most of you seemed to figure out that feeding people was going to
take more effort in this game than normal. I calculated that by
the end game, countries would need about 9-10% of their territory
to be aggies. As of today. 10.7% of sectors owned by players are
aggies. This was done in part for flavor, being that Middle Earth
was very agrarian, and because the size of the world meant that
we had to 'consume' sectors to a degree so that huge countries
would not be total monsters to manage. We expected one or more
countries to clear 500 sectors by the end game. In the end, two
countries (Iron_Hills though not now, and Easterlings) crossed
that threshold.

Part of our sector consumption came in the form of prairies. I built
the map anticipating somewhere around 40-45 countries. We came close
to achieveing that number, having 39 countries in all. But, to prevent
huge ballooning, we added significant amounts of plains to the wastelands
of the north, and the deserts of the south.

Gimlet gets my nod as the funniest ruler in the game. His wit and
charm were seen by all, and I don't think any would disagree with me.

Easterlings gets my nod for having the weirdest shaped country ever
seen in any Empire game EVER. Thank God for highways, eh Easterlings?

Mordor gets my nod as best role player. He was evil to the end, and
manipulated, deceived, and cast his dark shadows about him to the end,
finally claiming a share of the victory. Masterful job in role-playing.

However, almost EVERYONE gets my nod for honorable mention in the
role-playing category. So many of you played your parts well, taking
ideas from the trilogy and implementing them in your styles. It was
*wonderful* to see you all doing this. I didn't want just another
Empire game with a funky map. Thank you SO much to the players for
playing along in the theme. You're much of the reason this game
was so fun for everyone.

The deities acknowledge that we made a mistake in the placement
of one country. Rhun really got screwed by his position. In any
future LOTR games, his position would most certainly be different.

In just about every other case, the placement was pretty fair.
We didn't want Mordor to have full swing of the traditional
Mordor lands, as it was too easy to defend. Dagorlad and Nurn
helped to stem his growth, and I think it played a hand in his
later troubles with Gondor/Rohan. He had no low mob path out
of his land to the west to attack with easily.

Many, many kudos to Roman for coming up with the vast majority
of the units/ships/planes, coming up with a method for random
updates that was 100% rock solid, and generally doing a great
job with the code (except the interdiction problem that's
plaguing us, but it isn't his fault). Also, a very heartfelt
THANK YOU for providing the machine this game was hosted on.

As for the wrap up story, I regret to inform you all that is
is doubtful I can do it justice. The last month or so I've
not had the time to truly devote to this game and keep track
of all that has been happening. I'm getting married in <checks
calendar> 16 days now, and there's been literally hundreds of
tasks that my fiancee and I have had to work on.

I would ask that a few of the players get together to craft
a story that works. I can share all data that I have if you
like.

There will be a file available for download from the host
machine in the near future that will show a graphical update
of the map in animated form, changing slides for each update.
It will be a HUGE file, but very worth it for those who are
interested. Roman should be posting something about this in
the near future. Watch for it.

Comments on how this game could have been improved are of
course very welcome. We took *GREAT* pains to try to make
this as good a game as we could, but we were just two people
(Valinor was NOT a third deity...it was a deity country set
up for the purposes of Vingilot and the Gollums and Ringbearers).
It's not possible for us to get it perfect.

I very sincerely apologize that an error was made in mid-game
in broadcasting everyone's e-mail addresses to each other.
It was an unfortunate mistake by Roman, but please please please
remember we are human. We tried very hard to run a perfect game,
but it's never possible.

Many of you seemed to think that not many top notch players
were in this game. No, Pat Loney (Overlord) and Steve McClure
(Ionica) were not in the game for example, but there most
definitely were some VERY strong players in this game. Rivendell,
The_Shire, Gondor, Rohan, Mordor, Rhun, and others (sorry if
I excluded anyone who feels they belong on that short list) were
run by very strong players.

Mirkwood, aka Sean Eddy, was NOT in this game. We did try to
get him into the game, but were unable to gain contact with him.
Rivendell's post was not from our beloved retired elf. For those
of you still interested, Sean's playing partner (Tom Jones) has
re-appeared (though not as a player) and is now employed by Sean
working in Sean's lab in St. Louis.

If anyone wants to see a map of the world, you may log into
the country "Valinor" with password "endgame".

To my knowledge, the website that I made for the game was
the most in depth website ever done for a game of Empire.
Not displaying mating feathers here (it's not a great website
after all, but not bad), but want to point out to any future
deities that doing so had a VERY positive effect and was much
appreciated by a number of players. I strongly suggest that
similar or better sites be made for future games of Empire as
a general rule of good deitying.

Lastly, I would like to say that it's been a sincere pleasure
deitying this game for you. The players have all been simply
wonderful to work with. I've seen some very contentious games
in the past with deity-player interactions, and this game had
none of that. Thank you to all of you for making this an easy
game to deity after it got off the ground.

-Mithrilien, captain of the good ship Vingilot.

PS: If anyone has questions that I refused to answer before for
game integrity purposes, feel free to ask now. I will be happy
to divulge almost anything, but I will not divulge who was playing
what country. Players may announce who they are if they so choose,
but I will not do so.

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Final Power

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


- = [ Empire Power Report ] = -
as of Thu Apr 25 15:22:30 2002
            sects  eff civ  mil  shell gun pet  iron dust oil  pln ship unit money
   Rivendell 380   94% 496K  12K 3.1K 930    0  119K 1.1K 2.1K 190  400  330   30K
    16834.63
   Easterlin 540   94% 465K  22K 8.3K 490   31   33K 1.7K 750  140    1  330   10K
    14955.47
      Angmar 440   83% 334K  20K 3.5K 515  950   69K 400  5.2K  80   20  170  210K
    12581.93
   Iron_Hill 340   98% 283K  13K  17K 435  500   55K 350  400   70    0  430  110K
    11531.90
       Rohan 365   84% 295K 6.3K 8.9K 740  1.1K  31K 250  1.4K 170    8  340   15K
    10051.80
   The_Shire 255  100% 305K 8.4K 2.0K 485  850   58K 2.1K 1.9K 100   20  210   20K
     9584.72
      Gondor 285   92% 226K 7.8K  13K 620    0   34K 650  850   90  520  340  5.0K
     9094.97
       Umbar 360   90% 230K 7.9K 9.3K 520    0   32K 100  250  110  140  210   35K
     8439.18
      Mordor 290   98% 222K 8.4K 4.7K 600   30   27K 400  2.6K 120    2  190   70K
     8396.69
     Anfalas 150  100% 173K 750  1.7K 175    0   21K 850  4.3K  20  110   30   25K
     5633.20
     Celduin 150   97% 139K 8.4K 7.2K 410  2.0K  22K 550  1.4K  20    7  130   30K
     5302.05
    Mirkwood 160   93% 135K 5.3K  75   90  100   14K 1.4K 1.6K  30    0   60   10K
     4367.15
    Harondor 110   98% 129K 1.7K 475  220    0   12K 2.8K 900   10    7   30  289
     3929.40
   Wainrider 140   99% 104K 900  150   65  450  8.7K 650  400    7    1   50   10K
     3121.49
        Nurn  70   96%  70K 2.5K 200   75    0  8.9K 2.0K 700   20    1   40  5.0K
     2134.61
      Lorien  80   98%  57K 3.2K 3.3K 220  800  8.9K 900  1.9K   0    1   30  5.0K
     2122.70
   Hildorien  75  100%  42K 600    0    0    0  6.5K 250  1.1K  10    0   20   20K
     1555.52
     Valinor   2   54% 300  5.9K   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0  120K
      392.35
     Eregion   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   25K
       53.17
   Minhiriat   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   25K
       50.64
   Harlindon   0    0%  30    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0   15K
       30.11
   Forlindon   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   10K
       22.86
    Balchoth   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   10K
       21.64
   Gladden_F   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  5.0K
       14.25
   Far_Harad   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  4.9K
       10.36
       Khand   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  4.7K
       10.23
   Near_Hara   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  580
        1.26
    Dagorlad   0    0%   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   17
        0.04
             ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
   worldwide 4.2K  93% 3.7M 135K  83K 6.6K 6.8K 559K  16K  28K 1.2K 1.2K 2.9K 780K

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Final Report

Blue coloring on countries in the report indicates the winners of the game.

Thu Apr 25 17:15:31 2002
# name tech research education happiness capital
0 Manwe 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
1 The_Shire 100.00 84.75 17.16 10.88 -41,-21
2 Forlindon 100.00 29.61 0.05 0.00 -54,-32
3 Forochel 100.00 35.12 0.26 0.01 -40,-30
4 Arnor 100.00 14.45 0.01 0.00 -30,-30
5 Bree 100.00 12.81 0.00 0.00 -26,-22
6 Angmar 100.00 89.39 11.84 16.13 -9,-37
7 Rivendell 100.00 84.65 10.03 10.11 -27,-15
8 Harlindon 100.00 20.69 0.04 0.01 -51,-13
9 Cardolan 100.00 12.86 0.00 0.00 -38,-14
10 Eregion 100.00 9.83 0.00 0.00 -15,-11
11 Minhiriath 100.00 25.04 0.01 0.00 -33,-5
12 Dunland 100.00 25.89 0.02 0.00 -23,-5
13 Enedwaith 100.00 13.68 0.00 0.00 -12,8
14 Rohan 100.00 91.64 10.96 15.35 1,3
15 Lorien 100.00 88.51 19.44 17.06 -5,-7
16 Gladden_Fields 100.00 11.95 0.00 0.00 7,-15
17 Mirkwood 100.00 53.73 12.29 17.95 22,-24
18 Dale 100.00 12.44 0.00 0.00 26,-14
19 Erebor 100.00 12.00 0.00 0.00 31,-25
20 Iron_Hills 100.00 65.84 9.79 17.71 53,-27
21 Hildorien 100.00 51.81 55.72 42.18 81,-37
22 Easterlings 100.00 72.22 16.39 16.12 71,-19
23 Celduin 100.00 67.89 18.04 20.42 55,-15
24 Rhun 100.00 28.15 9.23 7.54 78,-14
25 Dorwinion 100.00 14.04 0.00 0.00 68,-12
26 Dol_Goldur 100.00 27.47 0.02 0.00 16,-16
27 Balchoth 100.00 31.90 0.05 0.00 55,3
28 Dagorlad 100.00 41.86 1.57 0.53 48,-8
29 Nurn 100.00 53.05 0.13 0.01 67,11
30 Mordor 100.00 83.69 18.96 18.77 51,9
31 Wainriders 100.00 45.73 11.90 18.46 73,1
32 Anfalas 100.00 98.27 19.16 19.34 -22,12
33 Dol_Amroth 100.00 8.99 0.00 0.00 -9,15
34 Gondor 100.00 97.10 12.65 15.88 10,14
35 Umbar 100.00 79.68 13.04 14.13 21,37
36 Harondor 100.00 70.15 15.69 14.42 18,26
37 Khand 100.00 52.24 0.38 0.82 50,24
38 Near_Harad 100.00 48.42 0.04 0.00 52,24
39 Far_Harad 100.00 7.82 0.00 0.00 42,24
40 visitor 100.00 0.00 15.00 0.00 0,0
41 Mithrilien 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
42 Eonwe 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
43 Peasants 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0,0
44 Valinor 100.00 10.48 0.00 0.00 -86,0

back to top

Awards

Gimlet (Iron_Hills) gets my nod as the funniest ruler in the game. His wit and
charm were seen by all, and I don't think any would disagree with me.

Easterlings gets my nod for having the weirdest shaped country ever
seen in any Empire game EVER. Thank God for highways, eh Easterlings?

The winner of the "I'm not dead yet!" award goes to none other than: Rhun! Missing all limbs, his nose, lower appendage, and sporting a gaping hole in his gutt, his nation struggled on with at one point less than 25 sectors. He only disappeared in the late game when there was hope that the co-rulers of that nation might be able to then take over for the MIA Iron Hills. Rhun did an amazing job just staying alive with a crappy starting location.

Mordor gets my nod as best role player. He was evil to the end, and
manipulated, deceived, and cast his dark shadows about him to the end,
finally claiming a share of the victory. Masterful job in role-playing.

However, almost EVERYONE gets my nod for honorable mention in the
role-playing category. So many of you played your parts well, taking
ideas from the trilogy and implementing them in your styles. It was
*wonderful* to see you all doing this. I didn't want just another
Empire game with a funky map. Thank you SO much to the players for
playing along in the theme. You're much of the reason this game
was so fun for everyone.

back to top

Game Notes

[Editor's note: This section does not normally appear in these
game histories. It is being included here as a special service
from this game. One of the deities of the game was taking notes
while the game was going on in preparation for a final summary
of the game, which never came to fruition. These notes cover
only part of the game, but may help to highlight some of the
activity that happened.]

3/1/2002
Iron_Hills launches an attack against Dale. The attack
is accidentally premature apparently. Iron_Hills ran his
attack script too early. His attack proceeds well, but
his allies to the East and South-East are caught unprepared
to take full advantage of his advance.

Wainriders and Rhun continue fighting an attrition war
to stalemate. Wainriders has the upper hand economically
but has not yet brought that advantage to bear in military
terms.

Mordor and Gondor continue to fight to a stalemate though
Gondor has finally built a bridge as Osgiliath, possibly
allowing his supply situation in the narrow Northern Ithilien
corridor to improve. Will it swing the balance? Unlikely.
The mountain border regions of the Ephel Duath remain a
very difficult obstacle to overcome. Even if Gondor succeeds
in capturing the mountains, launching an attack through them
is essentially impossible. Gondor must approach the gates of
Mordor. It's the only entry in the West.

Rohan continue to be a stalking tiger, with significant
power that remains unengaged at this point. Umbar has swung
his forces to the side of Gondor, and this presents a very
difficult situation for the Mordorian alliance (Nurn, Near_Harad
Khand, Dagorlad). But, so far the entire southern realms are
to no one's particular advantage.

The_Shire continue to quietly expand his holdings, moving
into the Lindons.

Rivendell has fallen under attack from Dunland and
Minhiriath without much result, there being only 6
sectors lost so far.

3/4/2002
Dale's been destroyed. Iron_Hills, joined by Easterlings,
continued his attacks against Dale. Between them, they seized
72 sectors. Dale's fallen apart and is now broke, effectively
killing the country.

Wainriders and Rhun are still in a stalemate, though Rhun
has lost some ground. Dorwinion is nearly dead and Balchoth
continues to exert significant pressure in the region.

Mordor/Gondor is still a standoff.

3/6/2002
Iron_Hills is making a hell of a bid to win this game.
He's just sacked 65 sectors of Dol_Goldur.

Angmar launched a successful attack against Arnor. Arnor
is in ruins, with only minimal resources left.

Dunland is fast disintegrating under an onslaught from
Rivendell and Rohan. This will position Rohan into the
west of the map.

The Mordor/Gondor statemate is still like watching
grass grow. The mountain borders have made it next to
impossible for those two countries to effectively fight.
Other means must be found, but they haven't done it yet.

Wainriders slowly advances on Rhun. 7 sectors gained
today. Rhun's on the ropes, but is still strong. It's
doubtful he can make a comeback at this point but he's
putting up a good fight. If he knew how strong Wainriders
has become, he would possibly give up.


3/11/2002
Iron_Hills continues on the offensive, taking another 85
sectors of Dol_Goldur.

Arnor is done. Angmar has conducted a strong offensive
and overthrown the northern realm of men.

Rhun's falling apart, and has allowed a corridor for
Easterlings to advance on Wainriders through his country.
Rhun no longer has a front with Wainriders. It's an odd
situation, but Rhun continues to hang on by tooth and nail.

The Shire is blasting Forlindon, and the hopes of the
ancient Elven realm are fading fast.

3/13/2002

Rivendell's made a big move on Harlindon capturing
more than 50 sectors.


3/22/2002

Rivendell's finished off Harlindon, and is poised
in a strong position. The west starts to turn quiet
as the remaining fodder there has nearly disappeared.
What next for the west?

Iron Hill's is doing amazingly well. First country
to break 400 sectors, and first to break 500 sectors
doing so before any other country breaks 400. Powerful
play on his part. his country is spread out, sometimes
on tenuous threads, but it's big. His alliance with
Easterlings is proving to be powerful.

Meanwhile, Rhun's diplomacy has saved his ass. Down
to less than 30 sectors, he's managed to secure a peace
from Wainriders, who is now trapped with no hope of
expansion. Dorwinion fell, but Celduin got a chunk of
it. Iron Hills, Easterlins, Celduin, and Rhun have all
worked together to destroy Balchoth. Rhun is saved.

Iron Hills has made contact with Mordor and an alliance
has quickly forged. Thus, a new power block has been built,
with Iron Hills, Easterlings, and Mordor being the most
noteworthy members.

However, Mordor is under a relentless onslaught by the
Captains of the West and the descendents of Erol. Barad-Dur
has been lost, and Mordor has dropped below 100 sectors.
His back is against the wall, and his starting two cities
are now craters. In a smart move, Mordor's worked with
Iron Hills to get two sectors way north in Iron Hill's
territory in former Dale, including a mountain sector
to act as a remote capital. Things look grim for Mordor.
Is the new alliance in time? Can Mordor's new friends
bring him back from the precipice in the face of Rohan
and Gondor? Who knows.

And what now for the west? Whither will their attention
go now that the fodder has disappeared in there area?

back to top

Game Maps

The following link will display the animated game map for
this game. It is a composite animated gif with each frame
showing the map as it was after each update. THIS IS A HUGE
FILE (32 meg). Don't even attempt to download this unless
you've got a fat connection!

http://empire.tau.ac.il/~empire/maps/lotr.gif

A directory of all the images individually is also available.

back to top

Announcements

> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Tue Feb  5 15:02:28 2002
The hour is come at last. Now I go to Pelargir upon Anduin,
and ye shall come after me. And when all this land is clean
of the servants of Sauron, I will hold the oath fulfilled,
and ye shall have peace and depart forever. For I am Elessar,
Isildur's heir of Gondor.
- Aragorn
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb  5 15:18:33 2002
A small clarification from the Meneltarma offices
The 'update' command will tell you that updates are scheduled
for 02:00 server time (00:00 GMT) and are disabled.
This is the way it would stay.
Then, between 21:50 and 22:10 GMT on a random basis the update
will be "enabled", "forced" and "disabled" back.
Manwe.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 15:38:56 2002
Please note: While the latest version of WinACE will work with
this game of Empire, it will not give the right predictions on
the next turn's research based on med builds.
We're aware of the problem, and the WinACE author is working
on the solution, but it's exceptionally involved and even
Microsoft doesn't have a clear answer on it (has to do with
databases).
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:07:33 2002
Patch for WinACE is now available at the website for
this game (http://empire.tau.ac.il/~empire)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:18:36 2002
If you are using WinACE and get these entries in your log:
  VB Error: 3265 - Item not found in this collection.=20
  Routine: ProcessSectorDumpLoc: country
You need to get the latest WinACE database patch from the
wolfpack website (http://www.empire.cx). Then, apply the
WinACE 2.11 patch available at the LOTR Empire game website
at http://empire.tau.ac.il/~empire
Regardless, you should apply the 2.11 patch.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:20:31 2002
WooHoo, de industrious dwarves of Iron_Hills break
first, see no sign of de lazybones pointy ears or
smelly orcs.  Pretty lonely here at de moment -
de sheep hiding nervously around de corners of de
trees.  We thank de even more industrious Winace
wizards, fixing de software of eldritch power.
Dunno why we wanna research anyway, unless
research sharper axe blades or stinky-less orcs...
----
Gimlet da dwarf
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:21:21 2002
Er, you didn't break first. :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:21:52 2002
Rememeber everyone...this game has HIDDEN enabled.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:27:19 2002
We bragged about it first, so we was first.  We smack
da guy who thoght he read da version scroll, put him
to work mining wit a spoon.
----
ps send gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:28:14 2002
]ps send gold
How about Mithril?
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:43:29 2002
Just installed the WinAce patch, however commodity production (ie food, iron)
no longer matches the output of the prod command.  This throws off WinAce's
production tool.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:45:16 2002
Well, mithril ok, makes nice sharp axe blades and
pretty shiny sheep collars, with da rhinestone inlays
and da handy holding handles, umm, I mean like da
sissy hobbits put on *dere* sheep, heh heh.But
gold, ahh gold.  Droolz.  Gold, gold, how do we love
dee, let us count da ways.MMMmm, dat was good, we
gonna go count em again.
---
So we gonna assume da gold is on da way?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:50:36 2002
I've received three different questions now that are covered
in "info lotr". People, we put "info lotr" out there to help
you help yourselves to information that you would want to
have to play this game. READ IT.
If you don't know how, watch:
[166:640] Command : info lotr
That's how you do it. If you use WinACE typeinfo lotr
in the command line.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 16:50:46 2002
-Grumpy Deity
:)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:01:58 2002
Pop quiz: Who found the One Ring after it was lost by Isildur
and where did he find it?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 Empire gold.
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:05:45 2002
Was it Mordor ?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:07:55 2002
I said *telegrammed*. Besides, that's the wrong answer :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:17:56 2002
Correct answer received; Deagol found the One Ring in
the River Anduin, where it had been lost by Isildur
more than 2000 years before. Smeagol, a friend of Deagol's
who was fishing with Deagol, murdered Deagol for the
One Ring. He was soon exiled by his own people (Stoors
Hobbits) and disappeared for centuries into the Misty
Mountains, where he was found by Bilbo Baggins.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:26:51 2002
It seems dwarves of Discworld (by Terry Pratchett, parody stuff) are
inhabiting Iron Hills...
The accent is rather familiar, so Aule tells me.
  Manwe
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:36:33 2002
It appears there may be a problem with WinACE and food.
Please remember to issue a "starv" command manually within
the WinACE command line before an update to prevent starvation.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 17:50:57 2002
Heh, dey tell me da name is from Bored of da Rings -
Gimlet da dwarf, Goodgulf da wizard, Dildo Bugger,
Frito and Spam da Boggies, Tom Benzedrino and his
wife Hashberry.  Ahh, dat takes me back...
Gimlet limped over to the two boggies and forced a smile
"Pox vobiscum. May you eat three balanced meals a day and have healthful, regular bowel movements."
"How comes it", said Arrowroot, "that we meet in this strange land ?"
"It is a tale long in the telling", said Pepsi, pulling out a sheaf of notes
"Then save it" said Goodgulf.
---
ps still waiting for da gold
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 18:09:45 2002
And as for da accent, what accent??
---
As with most mythical creatures who live in enchanted forests with no visible means of 
support, the elves ate rather frugally, and Frito was a little disapointed to find heaped 
on his plate a small mound of ground nuts, bark and dirt. Nevertheless, like all boggies, 
he was capable of eating anything he could Indian-wrestle down his throat and rather 
preferred dishes that didn't struggle too much, since even a half-cooked mouse can usually 
beat a boggie two falls out of three.
No sooner had he finished eating than the dwarf next to him proffered an extremely scaly 
hand in greeting. It's at the end of his arm thought Frito, nervously shaking it, it's 
got to be a hand. 'Gimlet, son of Groin, your obedient servant,' said the dwarf, bowing 
to reveal a hunchback. 'May you always buy cheap and sell dear.'
'Frito son of Dildo, yours,' said Frito in some confusion, racking his brains for the 
correct reply. "May your hemorrhoids shrink without surgery.' The dwarf loked puzzled 
but not displeased??."
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 18:11:19 2002
I think Iron_Hills is an early nominee for the Nobel Anno Prize
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb  5 18:25:44 2002
Heh, I'm just lucky so much of "Bored of the Rings" is quoted on da web.  I
remember almost splitting a gut reading it.  Of course, I was smoking a lot
more pipeweed back then....
----
[When the boggies meets Tim Benzedrine]
It was a muddled, drowsy voice that sang words that were not words to Spam's ears:
"Toke-a-lid! Smoke a lid! Pop the mescalino!
Stash the hash! Gonna crash! make mine methedrino!
Hop a hill! Pop a pill! For old Tim Benzedrino!"

> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 19:01:30 2002
Each day, my fiance makes my lunch. Nice huh? :)
Note found in my lunch pail today:
"Empire rules!! Have a wonderful day!..."
Am I marrying the right woman or what?
> Announcement from Forochel, (#3)  dated Tue Feb  5 19:45:22 2002
Um. Yeah. If there *is* a right woman out there. More to the point, Mith, any woman 
who would have you MUST be the right woman :-)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 19:51:03 2002
[304:640] Command : smite Forochel
Wipe all sectors <y/n>? yes
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Tue Feb  5 20:13:54 2002
Just switched back to WinAce 2.1.0, to check production, and the
calculation of food required.  Both seem to work in the older version.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 22:28:35 2002
Pop quiz: What was the name for Minas Tirith in Gondor
before the name was changed to Minas Tirith?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 in Empire gold.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb  5 22:38:28 2002
Correct answer received.
Minas Tirith was the name given to this city after the capture
of Minas Ithil by the Nazgul in III 2002. The city itself though
was much older, as Minas Anor. It had stood since the late
Second Age and was some 2100 years old when it was renamed.

> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:08:27 2002
The closest I've heard, is he did quickly snatch an envelop containing it,
from floor to mantelpiece without actually touching it.
Or did he briefly hold it in a hobbit?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:10:51 2002
Hrm. you might be right.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:13:30 2002
Gandalf held the Ring when he borrowed it from Frodo, to warm it
in the fire and read the inscription.
See chapter II of Book 1.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:13:49 2002
Ah, so I was right. :)
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:14:14 2002
Actually, you're right, I just checked the sources. Frodo reluctantly gave it to him,
and he tossed it into the fire. So I lost by but a 10 second scene.
> Announcement from Mordor, (#30)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:15:29 2002
The red lidless eye looks southward towards the land of Nurn.
I don't recall appointing a "Grocer", nor inviting anyone
to visit me at the foot of Orodruin.
*waves his finger*
There, now the fertile lands of Nurn are low fertility just
like everywhere else.
Sauron
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:18:27 2002
Anyways... if you want to see action on the starvation front...
.... Why don't you just name names? It's late enough.*
* I've run mine, so who cares?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:19:37 2002
The deities will not directly aid any nation, except
for the prizes we are dolling out (like the pop quizzes)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb  6 23:37:55 2002
And now we're back up to 13 sectors starving at the update. Come on people,
don't you want to live? :)
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Thu Feb  7 00:03:54 2002
Real random  ?? 16:00 on the dot.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 00:04:25 2002
Not hardly.
more than 2 minutes after.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 00:04:49 2002
Update happened at 22:02:49 GMT.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Thu Feb  7 00:06:31 2002
I guess I'll have to shoot my Timex for being slow,
or maybe shoot the operator for setting it slow,
or the battery for allowing it to run slow,
or
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Thu Feb  7 01:38:23 2002
*blam*
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Feb  7 04:39:38 2002
?> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb  6 >23:37:55 2002
?And now we're back up to 13 sectors starving at the update.
?Come on people, don't you want to live? :)
So, how many sectors actually starved this update ?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:12:09 2002
6 sectors were lacking in waybread last update.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:16:19 2002
21 sectors now starving at the coming update.
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:27:10 2002
For a deity so concerned about starvation,
you sure didn't put much in the way of
fertility out there...(Not liking the logistics
of feeding big cities at all)
Khand
P.S.  I would play my country "in character",
but there doesn't seem to be much info about
it out there.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:28:30 2002
All players were sent information about their country,
including the race they are. You don't have to
hold to what they are historically, but you have the info :)
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:31:38 2002
A little-known land lying directly to the east of Mordor, and its traditional ally.
And I'm human.  That doesn't tell me so much.
Don't worry...I'll make something up.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:33:04 2002
"Wrath of Khan(d)" comes to mind :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:58:57 2002
AAARGGH!
Don't you dare...
That's MY line!
I promise: If you use that, I'll sue you!
Err, I mean:
I'll come after your country, hunt you down,
and play bowling with your head!
The leader of the Mongol_Horde
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 15:59:37 2002
Me thinks he doth protest too much
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Thu Feb  7 16:06:57 2002
How difficult can it be to feed your slaves?
All you have to do is recall your duties and send forth armies
to be put to use in Mordor. Should you do that, it should be
trivial to aquire access to the great lake there, filling it
with slave driven fishing boats.
Otherwise, if you do not wish to disturb the great lord of Mordor,
I'm sure you could, negociate, access to Umbar's harbours for a fishing
fleet.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Thu Feb  7 16:14:37 2002
Since de Variags, tribe of Khand were notorious sheep shaggers,
de first scroll in de famous dwarvish library "google", after
asking de librarian to search for de obvious combination of
"variags" and "sheep", was fairly detailed, although bowdlerized
to omit many of their most heinous perversions.
Favorite son Uvath, also known in de dwarvish tongue as "Urethra,
son of Uvula" was one of de Ringwraiths.
---
Gimlet, son of Groin
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 16:16:06 2002
Just to clarify..the world is bordered with wasteland
sectors. You are not allowed to enter those sectors in
any manner.
All other sectors in the game, including plains sectors,
are fair game.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Thu Feb  7 16:31:17 2002
Perusal of de above scroll, also de first found in de great library "yahoo",
reveals "They also deal in asses".
Nuff said.

> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 18:41:41 2002
23 sectors starving.
Come people. Iluvatar might get angry...
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Thu Feb  7 19:17:16 2002
Hark: Elfven outpost reports multiple sheep sightings.
Seen to be transporting axe handles
and ale.
Mumbling something about gold and looking
gennerally lost.
Finrod the Faithful
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 19:38:54 2002
The question was asked of me just now,
"How many players broke?"
The answer: All of them.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb  7 20:04:38 2002
RE: food and starvation.
you would think the gracious deity would provide all sectors
with 25 food, to simulate the plentiful elderberries and
rabbits contained within the M.E.  then at least the fodder
civvies would be intact upon capture.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 20:23:52 2002
Radagast doesn't live here.
:)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 21:04:20 2002
Pop Quiz: Name the three oldest Ents.
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb  7 21:07:14 2002
Correct answer received.
Right quick too!
The three eldest Ents were Treebeard, Leaflock, and Skinbark.
Somebody out there knows their Ents :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:03:04 2002
Pop Quiz: What was the name of the first ring of the
Seven Dwarf Rings to be forged?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien gets $50 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:10:27 2002
Correct answer received!
(obscure question to! Nice work!)
Ring of Thror: The first of Seven Dwarf Rings to be forged,
and the last to be recovered by Sauron. It was originally
given to King Durin III of Khazad-dum by the Elves of Eregion,
and it remained in his line for thousands of years until it
was inherited by Thror, the King under the Mountain at Erebor.
It was during Thror's reign that Smaug descended on Erebor
and drove the Dwarves into exile. Long after Erebor's destruction,
Thror passed the Ring to his son Thrain, who dwelt for many years
as an exile from his ancient home. At last, Thrain set out on his
own ill-fated Quest of Erebor, but he was captured by the spies
of Sauron, and the Ring of Thror was lost.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:25:56 2002
106 sectors starving out there now.
I expect y'all be making some pizza deliveries soon, right? :)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:27:53 2002
Hmmmm, pizza
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:30:11 2002
Sigh, give us a few minutes after we expand to feed the troops!
Nag, nag, nag...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 00:31:33 2002
Isn't that
"Nazgul, Nazgul, Nazgul..."?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 22:55:46 2002
IMPORTANT: We've experienced a minor server hiccough. There's
no cause for alarm. The only thing that appears to have been
affected are telegrams, news, and announcements. The world
itself is still intact in its normal form. Were it not so,
we are maintaining daily backups to prevent serious loss.
It is doubtful that we will restore from backup, as the
world is the same as it was before. Please be aware that
you might not have seen that you were attacked if indeed
you were. Please check your country.
Don't Panic.
Don't Panic.
Don't Panic.
Don't Panic.
-Zaphod
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Fri Feb  8 22:55:49 2002
There was a server problem and some latest telexes and annoes
got lost.
Unfortunately, the latest state of these we can restore is 18:00
server time.
We'll send the missing telexes up to 18:00 to the players.
We're working on the cause of the problem.
 VIU
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:11:57 2002
All telexes I could locate until 18:00 have been distributed.
Thank you for your understanding.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:13:46 2002
...and for those of you who haven't figured out telexes
yet, the secret is to bang the rocks together guys!
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:22:52 2002
Huh?
OH!
Blam-Blam-Blatch
OOOWWWWWW!
Orkdork
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:31:35 2002
Still 16 sectors out there starving at the update...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:46:49 2002
Pop Quiz: What was the name of the tree that Tom Bombadil
rescued the hobbits from?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien gets $25 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:49:28 2002
Correct answer received!
Old Man Willow: A name for the ancient Willow tree that lay
at the heart of the Old Forest, and from whom much of that
forest's hatred of walking things was derived. The Old Forest
was a remnant of the great forests of Middle Earth.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:51:06 2002
Sigh. 10 sectors starving.
Iluvatar weeps.
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:51:59 2002
Look... who can bother feeding civs when we're out looking for phat rings?
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:53:31 2002
Are the players starving their civs logged on?
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:53:55 2002
Nice try....
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:53:58 2002
I'm not going to tell you that :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:55:09 2002
Pop Quiz: how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck
could chuck wood?
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:55:36 2002
Speaking of making Iluvatar weep....
Trying to visit Valinor .... Very bad for you.
But...
Performing random wizard bolt strikes versus Valinor, without actually visiting?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:56:03 2002
You may try at your own peril...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb  8 23:59:50 2002
Just to be clear (as if we haven't been already!!!)
Players are NOT allowed to violate the wasteland areas
in any manner WHATSOEVER. Doing so will result in very
harsh penalties.
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Sat Feb  9 00:01:18 2002
No fly overs or anything like that I
assume you mean.
?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Sat Feb  9 00:02:57 2002
Oh flyovers? You can do those...so long as you don't mind me
issuing commands like this:
[2:640] Command : des * ?own=37 .
Get the hint? :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Sat Feb  9 00:10:55 2002
Great googly moogly!!! 128 sectors starving at the next update!
Haven't you kids figured out distribution yet? :)
Next update: Monday, February 11th, sometime between 21:50 GMT
and 22:10 GMT.
Have a great weekend everyone...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Sat Feb  9 00:19:08 2002
Today's Domestic Tip: The Proper Feeding and Care of Your Eagles
Eagles are generally stern creatures, which while intelligent
can be difficult to manage. One should be careful to wear an
appropriate glove on your arm while working with your eagle.
Under no circumstances should you ever place a mouse on your
head and play "William Tell" with the eagle around. Also, under
no circumstances should you ever make an attempt to feed
PETROL to your eagle as this makes them quite angry.
----
On the next episode: Why PETROL is an unstable fuel for
fireworks and bolts.

> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Sat Feb  9 01:17:27 2002
So where's de fish?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Sat Feb  9 16:12:42 2002
The fish, as mentioned before, are in the oceans.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 17:51:02 2002
As a result of a recent telegram, I'd like to make something
*very* clear
Food is in limited supply in this game. But, no country
should be in a position to either be weaker or stronger
due to access or lack thereof to ocean based fertility.
The deities have spent hours upon hours upon hours going
over every feature of this game in extreme detail. No less
than 300 e-mails have been exchanged between us over the
last two months preparing this world for you. Do any of you
honestly believe we'd do something so silly as to make the
ocean sectors so valuable it would tilt the table dramatically
in favor of the people who have easy access to oceans?
I *strongly* encourage you to think of the above when
considering any other element of this game that you
think is "unfair" (to directly quote the player who
telegrammed me).
I am not going to say we set this world up perfectly.
But, we have tried *very* hard to set it up *fairly*.
We would not be so shortsighted as to not consider
the fairness of food.
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Mon Feb 11 17:57:13 2002
A reminder from the Meneltarma offices:
The next update will occur tonight between 21:50 and 22:10 GMT.
nwe, Meneltarma offices spokesman
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Mon Feb 11 19:43:41 2002
DENT, Dwarven Entertainment Tonight, has obtained an exclusive interview with recent 
Pop Quiz subject Tom Bombadil:
DENT: Hello, Mr. Bombadil.
TOM:  Ho, there m'lad, use more words, not fewer! Musn't be to brief, if you'd be an 
      interveiwer!
DENT: Sorry, Mr. Bombadil. So, what's your assessment of the new Lord of the Rings movie?
TOM:  Hey dol derry dol, ring-a-ding spectre! It's got a fine producer and a splendid 
      director!
DENT: I see. And what do you know about the movie?
TOM:  Everything, my boy. Old Tom was there when the first planning sessions were held, and 
      when the prop men came to design the sets, he was already there, he's seen the first 
      script drafts, and he danced among the first pages that hit the cutting room floor.
DENT: Thank you. And, what exactly do you do?
TOM:  I run through the studio, singing like a starling, "Come derry dol, merry dol, 
      me darling!".
DENT: Well, thank you, Mr. Bombadil, I believe I have all I need.
TOM:  Dark came underhill, like the devil's pageant, I'll see you later, lad, I must 
      find my agent!
[from the Mouth of Sauron humor site]


> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Mon Feb 11 20:02:23 2002
Balchoth axemen have no need for fertility. *grunt*
Our men are plenty fertile as it is.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 20:04:03 2002
...And Balchoth gets today's Neanderthal Impression award
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 21:19:24 2002
I see no one's researched pizza delivery yet.
33 sectors starving at the update.
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Mon Feb 11 21:25:52 2002
Actually I'm about to pick up the phone and perform some
of that pizza delivery research right now.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 22:09:03 2002
   |---------------------------------------------|
   |    Middle Earth News               |
   |_____________________________________________|
   |                        |                    |
   |  EVIL STIRS IN MORDOR  | GOLLUM SIGHTED!    |
   |    Baradur Awakens     |                    |
   |                        | Nefarious creature |
   | Dark clouds begin to   | believed to be the |
   | climb the sky as Mount | long forgotten     |
   | Doom stirs. "What? I   | Stoors Hobbit seen |
   | don't see smoke!       | in the valley of   |
   |        - Ugluk         | the River Anduin   |
   |________________________|____________________|
   |                                             |
   |      HOBBIT DISAPPEARS FROM THE SHIRE       |
   |        Last seen in the borderlands         |
   |                                             |
   | Reward offered for return of one Ringbearer |
   | Hobbit. $100 to the soul who finds him.     |
   |_____________________________________________|
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 22:31:07 2002
Players should keep in mind that Middle Earth News, while
largely apocryphal, is never published without some grains
of truth scattered within its text.
If you need a bigger hint than that, I can arrange for a
dump truck to visit your skull :)
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Mon Feb 11 23:01:36 2002
===  Business & Economics  ===
Mon Feb 11 18:07  Mithrilien helps out Mithrilien
Not only do the Elves have Elrond the Half-elven, they also have
Enron the High Flyer?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 11 23:02:37 2002
Just making dump trucks...
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Tue Feb 12 03:49:35 2002
So, when is the next update?  Tomorrow or
Wednesday?
(an inquiring mind)
> Announcement from Dale, (#18)  dated Tue Feb 12 09:41:16 2002
Did anyone else have trouble connecting after the update?
I was able to do what I needed to do, but about an
hour or so after the update I lost my connection. I couldn't
reconnect for about four hours. Was the game down?
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 09:50:02 2002
A clarification:
Tel-Aviv University lines abroad went down about half an hour after the
update for several hours - AFAIU, for 3.5 hours.
You can distinguish between such problem and the game being down by
pinging the host 132.66.134.18 .
If there is a response but no connection, then the game is down.
If there is no response, then the host itself is unreachable.
I hope no major damage was done, and the next update will go as scheduled
on Wed, Feb 13th circa 22:00 GMT.
                VIU
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb 12 14:23:37 2002
   ? |                        |
   ? |  EVIL STIRS IN MORDOR  |
   ? |    Baradur Awakens     |
Followed closely by an outage -
coincidence?  I think not!
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:06:22 2002
The next update is Wednesday, February 13th at 22:00 GMT
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:14:08 2002
The server problem that resulted in telegrams, announcements,
and news being wiped has been resolved. The problem will not
happen again.
Thank you for your patience.
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:40:47 2002
If anyone was planning an attack on Rhun, now is your chance.
His mil and units are out of mobility just to the north of
his country.  He should be wide open for an attack from the south
or the east ;)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:44:11 2002
What, a horde of Istari is to descend from the wastelands
and sack Rhun?
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:50:46 2002
Looking at the headlines and the map, it is safe to add
"Attack the Easterlings, their mils and units are out of mob in their south"
"Attack Dale, his mils and units are out of mob in his North"
"Attack Umbar, his mils and units are out of mob in his North"
"Attack Enedwaith, his mils and units are out of mob in his South"
Any more to add?
:)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:56:27 2002
"Attack visitor, his wit and charm are out of energy in his backside"
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:56:37 2002
:)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 15:58:19 2002
Pop Quiz: What was the name of the eagle that rescued
Gandalf from Saruman's keeping?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 Empire gold
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:01:49 2002
If anyone was planning an attack on Easterlings, now is your chance.
His mil and units are out of mobility just to the north of
his country. He should be wide open for an attack from the west
or above ;)
*yawn*
So predictable.
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:05:47 2002
May be we should completly remove the news...
:))
Azaghal.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:16:39 2002
Correct answer received!
Gwaihir: The lord of the Eagles of Middle Earth at the time
of the War of the Ring. He rescued Gandalf from the pinnacle
of Orthanc, and from the peak of Zirakzigil, and he and his
kind brought Frodo and Sam out of Mordor after the destruction
of the One Ring.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:23:20 2002
PNN Headline News
Middle Earth Report
   "SQQEEAAAAAALLLLL"
        -chorus from multiple fodders
   "Kill the men, kill the elves, keep the gold
   for ourselves!"
           -Old Chant
NAZGUL Sighted! The Dark Riders are amoung us!
Several nations have reported invasions by the nine.
The widespread reports and scattered sightings leave
many to suspect these are hoaxes. Those that have
faced the Nazgul and lived to tell it think
differently.
OutBreak of FODDER!
FODDER has broken out across all of Middle Earth! Neighboring
nations have been extremely responsive getting relief
forces rapidly into these areas. Many budgets are strained as
the relief workers  strive to stamp out the FODDER as
quickly as possible.
Next up, a special report on detecting FODDER via announcements.
This is PNN
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:24:12 2002
Good to see that no matter what the
setup, empire players go for blood fast!
Plundaria
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:37:00 2002
PNN Headline News
Mountain of Power
Middle Earth Report, an official Press Release
from the Office of Fodder Relief
   "SQQEEAAAAAALLLLL"
           -chorus from multiple fodders
A special report on detecting FODDER via announcements.
Signs:
        Begs for help from anyone publicly.
   A non-fodder would contact their allies quietly for assistance.
   FODDER only ally with FODDER if at all.
        Offers vast knowledge of their antagonist's disposition
   of forces. Of course, any real player that actually possesed
   such information would never end up in a position to need outside
   help....
        Is easily ridiculed by other players.
   Often their announcements are even used against them.
        Dieties even join in poking fun!
   Even the mighty have their limit of how much FODDEROUS behaviour
   they can tolerate without commenting.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:37:21 2002
Help is there:
If you are suffering from these symptoms, for your country's sake,
STOP ANNOUNCING!
If someone you neighbor is displaying these signs, please take
action now to end their suffering and bring enlightenment and
prosperity to their huddled masses.
Remember: If they don't get help from you,
        they'll get it from someone else!



> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 16:59:51 2002
?The next update is Wednesday, February 13th at 22:00 GMT
Just curiuos! Why is there no update tonight? Am I missnig somethng here?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:01:32 2002
Clue may be purchased at the Mithrilien Clue Distribution
center, sector 44,22. Don't mind the screams. It's happy
customers. Honestly.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:05:47 2002
Thought some of you would like to know...
We toyed with the idea of people "bidding" for country
names. You would select a country name you wanted to
have, and enter in an amount in Empire dollars that you
would pay to have that name. Thus, if you had bid for
say, Mordor, and bid $5500...and had won the bid...you
would have started the game as Mordor, and had $19500
for starting cash instead of $25000.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:09:09 2002
But easterlings would not have been able to bid for a country
named "Fodder" as there isn't one in middle earth :)
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:09:52 2002
I would have bid to NOT be the Shire.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:10:49 2002
Lucky you, you got your wish for free :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:11:54 2002
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# IMPORTANT #=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
Updates from this point forward will occur every
   Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings at 22:00 GMT.
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:12:57 2002
Next update tomorrow, welll nothing wrong wth that. I finally can go out to
get some beer tonight without having to worry about getting home in time or
forgetting my GSM/handheld.
Whoohooo beer tonight :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:13:33 2002
You sound like a Resvon wannabe :)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:16:16 2002
Who's this Revson? If he's a jobless, dropout who likes beer and enjoys watching sheep 
you might be right
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:18:29 2002
Not knowing the update policy after SEVERAL statements
by the Dieties:   12 FODDER points
Not knowing Resvon:  87 FODDER points
you get a free invasion for 100 FODDER points...
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:20:07 2002
Resvon belongs to a time when men were men and sheep were
nervous :)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:28:27 2002
Just found out that my favorite bar to get sheep^H^H^H^H^H cheap beer is closed
this week :(
So I wanna call a vote for 24 hour updates this week.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:31:43 2002
BTW I misspelled Resvon, do I get that extra fodder point now sothat I have a cool 
100 of them?
I sure hope my neighbours don't know about the announce command :)
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:31:44 2002
}
} So I wanna call a vote for 24 hour updates this week.
}
[X] No
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:34:16 2002
As previously announced, updates would change to 48 hours
and not remain at 24 hours after contacts between countries
were made. Those contacts have happened, and the update
schedule has changed to every 48 hours, M-W-F, as planned.
The update schedule *may* change if all players agree to it
in a vote at a later date. Right now, it's not going to change.
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:39:54 2002
Just for those having trouble with this whole food concept, the starv command 
will not pick up the hungry mountain sheep...So you might want to check them
manually.... Use the left mouse button, click on any sector with a ^ in it. There will be a line FR on the sector info panel. If the number there is in
red, it's bad....
And I'm not trying to help them too much, I just want more ucws.....
> Announcement from Hildorien, (#21)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:45:55 2002
Why use a mouse?  I usually try to kill them, no use in
having mice in your house.
Lord Harrison
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:49:26 2002
must ... give  ...  simple ... instructions....  anything more then 4 sylables 
and their lost....
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 17:50:42 2002
"What was that middle part?"
"It's  K K K K K Ken! Coming to k k k k k kill me!"
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 18:02:03 2002
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# IMPORTANT #=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
This game has NO_FORT_FIRE enabled. A recent discovery
has turned up information that this 'feature' affects
automatic notification of coastwatch. I.e., you will
NOT be notified automatically of ships coming in sight
of your shores.
We are working to 'patch' this, so that the automatic
notifications will occur. In the meantime, coastwatch *
should be done periodically to keep you informed of
ships of other countries on your shores.
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 18:11:34 2002
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# IMPORTANT #=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
The coastwatch patch has been applied now. Automatic
notifications of ships from neutral, hostile and
nations at war with you will now occur if such ships
come within sight of your coast. This notification
happens via an automatic telegram, as normal.
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Tue Feb 12 18:43:08 2002
Is there any plan to enable the market at a future date?
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 18:49:50 2002
From the Meneltarma Offices:
Global communications and delivery systems between Middle-Earth
inhabitants did not exist. Therefore neither market nor loans are
present in this game.
Nevertheless, as properous trade existed between neighbouring countries,
you can find your own way to exchange commodities within the existing
possibilities.
                                   Manwe
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 20:38:46 2002
Tue Feb 12 20:34  Valinor downgrades relations with Dol_Goldur to hostile
What is the world coming to?
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 20:50:49 2002
I pointed out the No_Fort_Fire and coastwatch bug 3 years ago
Good to see that wolfpack is on the case *** NOT ***
It also works the other way !
If you have fort fire enabled then turning off coastwatch
stops your forts from firing (which idiot coded that one !)
wave Ken :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 20:59:40 2002
<<sticking up for Wolfpack since I'm nominally part of it>>
Remember something, we're volunteers.
Also, very few games use NO_FORT_FIRE. This is probably
the first time in three years that it has happened, and
as soon as it was discovered, it was fixed...in less than
30 minutes.
In fact, I actually applaud ourselves for our response.
Only one player even detected the problem, and wasn't
sure was going on...in fact, they didn't even tell us.
Nevertheless, we responded, confirmed it, and had it
fixed in less than half an hour.
Boy, some players...gotta find SOMETHING to bitch
about don't ya?
:)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:31:41 2002
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020207/ap_on_re_eu/switzerland_easter_bunnies_2
Poor bunnies...
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:47:21 2002
But I like bunnies well fried :)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:47:47 2002
hold your horses :)
I posted on the newsgroup 3 years ago and everyone was saying
that it was coded that way and therefore was not a bug but
meant to be that way :(
only Tom (akorps) stood up for me on this point.
hey so now we have it turned on in a game and everyone sees
what I was on about !
and on the bunny front at least they weren't fluffy :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:49:48 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 22:47:21 Dunland wrote:
} But I like bunnies well fried :)
}-- End of excerpt from Dunland
Well they make superb roasted bunnies in Belgium...
"Grandma's rabbit" it is called, or smth.
             VIU, remembering a trip to Brugge.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:56:23 2002
AFAIK it's called "Waterkonijn".
"Water" like in water and "konijn" == bunny. But to spoil your joke: it's not a bunny :)
here an URL with a recept:
www.nearctica.com/family/eatnat/animals/ mammal1.htm#anchor497506
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 22:58:03 2002
Ehhh, remove the whitespace before mammal1.html......
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:03:52 2002
Rabbit in france is horrid ;P
they boil all the taste out of it  !
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:08:31 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 23:03:52 Rhun wrote:
} Rabbit in france is horrid ;P
} they boil all the taste out of it  !
}-- End of excerpt from Rhun
You can't get rabbit in Israel - not kosher...
Some shops sell pork but it isn't so good... Nothing compared to
Bavarian, for example... (Or Czech roasted pig knee)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:11:52 2002
I didn't know pig was Kosher either (whos been a naughty little Israeli then !)
Latvian barbecued pickled pork is really really nice :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:15:23 2002
No pig is not kosher.
But there are about 5% of shops in Israel which sell it...
And indeed, I am a nasty one, I don't keep kosher or obey other
tiresome Jewish traditions (Yom Kippur fast, no bread or beer on Passover,
no driving on Saturdays etc.)
me be rebel ;)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:19:25 2002
oh romm you disappoint me I had a vision of you all dressed in black with a long
beard, curly hair and funny hat :)
with a glass of single malt in one hand !
and a bottle in the other :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:19:55 2002
...and a sheep under one arm.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:20:07 2002
|And indeed, I am a nasty one, I don't keep kosher or obey other
|tiresome Jewish traditions (Yom Kippur fast, no bread or beer on Passover,
|no driving on Saturdays etc.)
Every other religion sucks when you compare it to mine:
-drink whatever you want whenever :)
-eat what you want whenever you want :)
-staying up to 0:00 CET :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:20:36 2002
Pagan

> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:22:27 2002
}
} Every other religion sucks when you compare it to mine:
} -drink whatever you want whenever :)
} -eat what you want whenever you want :)
} -staying up to 0:00 CET :)
}-- End of excerpt from Dunland
Well, I feel ok with HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy as the Bible :)
> Announcement from Forochel, (#3)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:23:01 2002
That's an insult to pagans everywhere.
Maybe some low rent rag-head will declare a
gee-had or some such nonsense
As an aside, I wish someone would nuke those whiney
canadians. "Boo hoo, the russians took our
figure skating medal! Boo hoo"
get over yourselves, your country sucks.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:23:48 2002
Yah, but the beer is better than American swill
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:25:23 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 23:23:01 Forochel wrote:
}
} As an aside, I wish someone would nuke those whiney
} canadians. "Boo hoo, the russians took our
} figure skating medal! Boo hoo"
} get over yourselves, your country sucks.
}-- End of excerpt from Forochel
Treat them that way and you'll get Ken Stevens in charge of
Empire server again as a vengeance :)
Canada is an extremely nice country btw...
Even being in New Brunswick (on a conference) was quite ok.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:26:45 2002
You obviously don't know Canada very well.
> Announcement from Forochel, (#3)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:28:18 2002
few good things have EVER come from canada.
some beer, hockey, and Great Big Sea.
What else is there? Curling, for God's sake??
And the less said about the french canadians,
the better!!!
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:28:28 2002
?Every other religion sucks when you compare it to mine:
?-drink whatever you want whenever :)
?-eat what you want whenever you want :)
?-staying up to 0:00 CET :)
arrr so your a catholic :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:29:15 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 23:26:45 Mithrilien wrote:
} You obviously don't know Canada very well.
}-- End of excerpt from Mithrilien
Me? I don't know it at all.
I only know that my friends and relatives, that live in Toronto,
enjoy it, and some moved there from US. And I also liked that place.
In US Boston was most fancy and attractive. Not that I was around
a lot - just some IL, upstate NY, NYC and around Massachussetts.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:30:58 2002
|You obviously don't know Canada very well.
You're saying that canadian beer is even worse then american?
Phewwwww, am  I glad to live in Europe.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:31:29 2002
?few good things have EVER come from canada.
?some beer,
Canada is the U.S. largest trading partner.  The Americans ship
all kinds of things, cars, heavy machinery, CPU, ...  Canada
ships back beer.  It's a balanced trade.  "Some beer" is a bit of
a mischaracterization.
Stop drinking that PBR, and drink what the rest of your countrymen
prefer.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:32:13 2002
nononon, Canadian beer is better than American, but
that's not saying much. Still, some Canadian brews
are pretty good. Not great, but good.
Canada's got serious problems that they don't want to deal
with up front. They're thoroughly confused about
who they are as a nation. If there wasn't so little
population, and a railway, it wouldn't be a nation.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:32:28 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 23:28:18 Forochel wrote:
} What else is there? Curling, for God's sake??
} And the less said about the french canadians,
} the better!!!
}-- End of excerpt from Forochel
Curling is a Scottish game from XI century or so.
The best thing about Canada, OZ, NZ or Iceland is the quieteness :)
Top priced valuable when you live in Israel.
The advantage of Canada is that when you're fed up with quieteness,
you've got these noisy bastards over the south border :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:34:23 2002
It's not as quiet as you may think.
Plus, you pay for the quietness by having
your nuts frozen off. Canada sports the world's
coldest capitol city.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:35:12 2002
the best beer is served warm and is brewed in chiswick by www.fullers.co.uk
all the rest is larger
molson is very nice though (but still more a larger than a beer)
and if you really want to try something different try mead (made from honey)
:)
hey romm how about this for a philistine single malt and coke :)
however I was given so much for christmas ! (and it's only crap single malt)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:36:11 2002
|arrr so your a catholic :)
you misspelled catalcoholic
merger of catatonic and alcoholic
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:37:04 2002
Newbie points for spelling "lager" as "larger": 100
Newbie points for being a wannabe poser beer lover: 200
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:39:15 2002
Thought they were FODDER points.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:39:40 2002
My Top 5 Beer list (Europeans should be familiar with most of these)
[No, they don't know to make beer outside Europe!]
1 Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel (Bavaria) [oh it's so rare...]
2 Chimay Blue (Belgium)
3 Velikopopovicky Kozel (Czech)
4 Guinness Extra Stout (Ireland)
5 Hofbrau Weissbier (Bavaria)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:39:53 2002
Only if he's driinking beer and playing Empire at the same time :)
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:40:19 2002
Well, it's too early here, but maybe later!
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:41:02 2002
well i don't drink the stuff only beer (the english kind) and wheat beer from
germany (and white beer as well)
mind you you spell colour as color and harbour as harbor so don't
give me a hard time about spelling :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:41:24 2002
} On Tue Feb 12 23:35:12 Rhun wrote:
}
} hey romm how about this for a philistine single malt and coke :)
} however I was given so much for christmas ! (and it's only crap single malt)
}-- End of excerpt from Rhun
I'll stick with my Springbank for tonight :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:45:08 2002
Belhaven Scottish Ale is pretty good stuff.
Probably one of my top five favorite EU beers.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:45:27 2002
(but get it in the bottle, not the can...it sucks in the can)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:48:24 2002
some Scotish beers are nice but Fullers E.S.B. is just amazing !!!
heaven in a pint of beer :)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:48:57 2002
All this talk about beer...... time to get a refill (with my personal favorite 
Hoegaarden White).
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:49:12 2002
however wheat beer is better in the heat
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 12 23:55:16 2002
now Hoegaarden is very very good :)
however they keep giving glasses away with every for bottles you buy
we've got a cupboard full of hoegaarden glasses !!!
:)
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Wed Feb 13 00:14:21 2002
Damn, we got a lot of Europeans in this game, I'll put a list of the
Americans together so you guys know who to ask for help from....
;)
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Wed Feb 13 00:55:20 2002
don't make me come over there and punch you in the kneecap, B...
btw, what the hell is a 'vingilot' and why is running around my
coastline?
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Wed Feb 13 01:40:07 2002
It means Earendil is about to assault your coastline.
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Wed Feb 13 02:25:46 2002
Oh no!  The Shire is coming to get me!!
*looks at map*
Well, appears they'll get here right about sometime next winter,
considering their short little legs.
meee meee mee meee I don't wanna go to Mt. Doom mee mee..
meee meee mee missed breakfast meee meee..
:)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 03:48:16 2002
don't forget to set distribution in your new sectors after you take em over!
i was wondering why only some of my sectors were getting disted to!
at least im not dumb enough to post an announcement like this from my actual 
country though! :)
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Feb 13 04:19:29 2002
  Feral hobbits active in the forests ahead.
  Travel in groups of less than Company
  strength is strongly discouraged.
  Armed patrols have been found picked
  clean.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Feb 13 04:22:02 2002
First Divide Trail Post, 6 miles east of Rivendell:
Missing, two backpackers, one female, wearing Environmental Protection
Corps uniform, and her fiance, counting spotted owls in inaccessible terrain
in the Eastern Misty Mountains.  Last seen at Home Sweet Home shelter.  If
you have information regarding their wherabouts please contact Rivendell
Park Service, Last Homely Home, P.O. Box 417, or the nearest Park Service
ranger.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 13 09:30:59 2002
Good morning.
The latest WinAce patch is available at
http://empire.tau.ac.il/~empire/winace_lotr_patch.zip
Here is what Jim Simons wrote about this patch:
On Tue, Feb 12, 2002 at 08:42:35PM -0600, Jim Simons wrote:
? Ok guys...
?
? Attached is an updated executable for WinACE 2.11  call it WinACE 2.11b if
? you want to.  I made two fixes
?
? 1) Production calculations...  The maxsector pop was not being set right
? when RESPOP was being used.  I change WinACE with this release to read the
? max pop from the show sector, but it was taking that number and factoring it
? by the maxpop of the nation - resulting in a double hit...  Correction made.
?
? 2) Units - the decimals on the attack and defense for show land s were being
? dropped - thats been corrected.
?
? 3) Player list.I reviewed this.  The player list comes from the relations
? report.  If they show on relations, then they will be on the player list.
? WinACE only updates the list when you first break or you do a relations
? report.  To force an update, there is an Update Player List off the Database
? update menu.  If that's done, everyone in your relations report should show
? up on you tele list.I tested this with my test country, and I could tele
? (without the command line) to everyone on my relations list.I've never
? played in a HIDDEN game, so not sure what can the normal limitations are.
? As to teleing to other players, I'm not sure what I can do there.  You can
? manually update the nations table in the database to list everyone if you
? have MS Access.. Other than that, I could give a manual update screen in
? WinACE, but that's more work than I am going to do tonight.I can parse if
? the HIDDEN feature is on, but I'm not sure what good that will do me..  So
? no change for that here, but I'm open to suggestions...
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Wed Feb 13 11:14:56 2002
Ok I'm stating that Wainrider is a Weenie
all he has done is whine and complain ever since we bumped
into him !!
Firstly he complained that we had taken two sectors that he
had his eye on
Then he complained that we had take Manwe sector using boats
and that it was unfair
Then he complained that we had taken sectors using planes
(opps eagles)
then he complained that we had got to sectors to his east
before he had thus stopping him from expanding
then he said he wanted the two sectors and we asked what do
we get in return ?
so he launched a very laim attack
In 11 years of playing this game I have never heard someone
whine soooooo much
Wainriders you are a WEENIE !!!!!!
U.S. Madison rides again :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 11:38:53 2002
Talking about
Whineriders?
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 12:58:23 2002
I miss the line that Wainriders accused you to have been
helped by the deities......
:)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 13 13:27:49 2002
IMHO not really good, but really topical:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cassieclaire/
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 14:00:39 2002
romm can you go and read your email please
there is a problem either with the server or the new winace (not being able
to kill off a connection) :(
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 13 16:07:37 2002
From the Meneltarma Department of Industry:
Quoted from elsewhere:
 Gandalf : Take the ring, Frodo... Look what is written on it ?
 Frodo : Made in China
 Gandalf : That is that I was afraid of
 Manwe
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 13 16:12:39 2002
Pop Quiz: What is the name of the race of horses ridden by
the Lord of the Mark and his sons?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 13 16:25:33 2002
Correct answer received!
Mearas were a proud race of wild horses, with lives as long
as men. Legends speak of their coming from the West by Bema.
One of these was captured by Eorl's father Leod. However, Leod
was killed when he attempted to ride the horse. The horse
accepted Eorl though, and later bore Eorl to Rohan where
the horse sired a race of horses nearly as great as himself.
This race of horses was of extraordinary intelligence, strength,
and stamina and would only allow themselves to be ridden
by the Lord of the Mark and his sons. This tradition was
broken by Gandalf, who managed to train Shadowfax, the greatest
of the Mearas of his time, to answer his will.
> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Wed Feb 13 17:28:49 2002
Infuriated that Prince Imrahil had used his initial lcms to
build a huge statue of himself instead of educating Gondor
citizens, the armies of the King marched on the castle of Dol
Amroth this morning.  There was much rejoicing as the Tower
was sacked and the statue was toppled.  Now the citizen of the
Dol Amroth will recieve a proper education and enjoy the happy
lifesytle of all Gondor citizens.
Aragorn.
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Wed Feb 13 17:44:07 2002
Rhun has played for 11 years!
Oh my I should just run from my PC and hide!
This seems to be his major tactic with me, to
claim to be such a good player I must accept his
conditions:
? I am quite happy to tell you who I am, did you play in the
? "Big Game" in which I held of two vastly superiour nations
?(one one being "mongle horde" who is playing in this game)
? for two months (the other player got taken out because
? everyone thought he was crap when he sacked my capital twice
? and still failed to take my land - but he was
? actually a good player)
Rhun started on the sea in our area and lightly took much of
the coastline with riverboats.  I asked for 2 sectors that were
isolated on my coast in exchange for friendly relations.  He
never dropped his demand that I build no harbors or ships even
though I had a harbor and 2 ships when we met.
?we will let you have the two sectors without dispute,
? however in return we ask that you do not sail any ships
? on the sea or build a harbour.
My lame attack was to take and hold the 2 sectors.  He then
attacked our shared border and I counter attacked.  I also
decided to attack some lightly defended coastal sectors for
intel purposes, learning the location of his starting cities
and a bank.  I did not expect to hold those sectors.
Another of Rhun's tactics is obvious from his annoucment:
Mommy!  Rhun's calling me names :-)
Bottom line is that Rhun and I are at war.
King Wayne Ryder of the Wainriders
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 17:48:12 2002
decl war Rhun

the leader of the * M O N G O L _ H O R D E *
and remember, it's *Khan*, not Kahn,
is that clear, Mr. Escher?
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 13 17:55:18 2002
} On Wed Feb 13 17:48:12 visitor wrote:
}
} decl war Rhun
}
}
}
}
} the leader of the * M O N G O L _ H O R D E *
}
} and remember, it's *Khan*, not Kahn,
} is that clear, Mr. Escher?
}-- End of excerpt from visitor
It's, in fact, Kohen... :)
Chenghiz Cohen is a character of Terry Pratchett's DiscWorld.
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb 13 18:40:25 2002
BTW, for those who have upgraded to the latest version of WinAce
and wonder why their production summary still isn't quite right...
Try doing a "show sector s" to properly update the max pop. That should
fix things. Then you can curse the fact your thresholds left the proper number
of civs for _last_ update's max pop. :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 13 18:41:45 2002
At least you don't lose civs from it... :)
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb 13 18:50:07 2002
Yaya... So it reminds me on how I don't care for ResPop.
And I'm sure your tail really wags as you listen to us cursing.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 13 18:50:43 2002
Actually no. Read my recent posts about complexity in r.g.e.
I'm not a fan of res_pop
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 13 18:54:46 2002
Bug detected. Hell of a way to crash a server too.
We won't try *that* again :)
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb 13 19:01:25 2002
Heh. Might be interesting to see a write up once this game is
done on the choices made by the Deities in setting up the
stats of the game, and the actual results created by the players.
After all, we mess up all great plans.
Heh. Not that there are too many noob dieties who could really
use this.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 13 19:19:48 2002
Also, we see dat de "idle civ" display in de new
WinACE sector window may be de slightest bit
optimistic - we think de 2.10 version truncated,
but de new version rounds, or some such flummery.
Dis is not a big problem, unless you wanna be
*sure* you produce dat last gold bar, like us.
Dat's 15 gold!! At risk!!!!
--
Gimlet, son of Groin
- on da way to get more exclamation points
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Wed Feb 13 19:29:31 2002
It does seem that WinAce presumes that there is an
endless amount of gold and oil in the ground, so that
more workers is always better.
Now, if you're getting idle civilians in a gold mine... Did you upgrade
to the latest version of WinAce _and_ done a "show sect s"?
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 13 19:43:16 2002
Yes, dis is 2.11b.  De sector is a bank.  In
2.10, dere's 0 idle civvies, in 2.11b we were
at first happy to see dat dere was now 1 idle
guy, but den we got suspicious.  What was he
doin before?  So we did da calculation by hand,
and saw dat da work produced would probably be
4.6 on dat last bar (depending on da pop growth,
it's not at max_safe_civs), so because of da
way we tink roundavg() works, dere's a chance
dat last bar wouldn't be produced. For us
dwarves, dat means less gold!  Dat's unthinkable!!
Thus our suspicion dat de calculation is now
rounding instead of truncating, like it used to.
--
Gimlet
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:54:41 2002
very quiet :)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:55:08 2002
Yeah, *too* quiet.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:55:48 2002
If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears ..
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:56:10 2002
any good killing (Byz)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:57:10 2002
they get flattened :) (Byz)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:57:51 2002
10,9,8,7,6......
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 13 23:59:26 2002
a tote should be run to guess when the update will be
and the one who is nearest gets to run their script before the next update :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:03:55 2002
Ain't gonna happen :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:11:44 2002
maybe its a position that only you and Resvon knew about :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:12:26 2002
I wouldn't know, which is why I didn't spell it correctly :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:14:18 2002
I hate being a visitor in a hidden game :(
it's like being english at an american football game !
you don't know what's going on
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:14:35 2002
Not an unusual situation for you.
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:15:26 2002
Just to let you know, you don't have to be european to not know what's going 
on at a US football game...
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:15:33 2002
} On Thu Feb 14 00:14:18 visitor wrote:
} I hate being a visitor in a hidden game :(
} it's like being english at an american football game !
} you don't know what's going on
}-- End of excerpt from visitor
Well at least English football had a good evening against the Dutch.
And Israel, oh Israel.. to lead 1:0 against Germany IN Germany at the
half-time, and to lose 1:7...
I am very very curious about tomorrow's newspapers.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:17:13 2002
so why do the americans call it football when you hold it with your hands ?
in the uk we'd call it hand ball (which is a game we play as well as rugby)
but you call football (in which you use only your foot) soccer !
why ???
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:17:50 2002
it's another one of those uneducated American misnomers...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:17:59 2002
Because we're Americans. Now fuck off :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:18:25 2002
do the germans get sent to the west bank for loosing :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:19:13 2002
} On Thu Feb 14 00:17:13 visitor wrote:
} so why do the americans call it football when you hold it with your hands ?
} in the uk we'd call it hand ball (which is a game we play as well as rugby)
} but you call football (in which you use only your foot) soccer !
} why ???
}-- End of excerpt from visitor
I thought it was called Rugby?
And also I heard Rugby is almost as popular on British isles as football.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:19:40 2002
At least we don't name our national sports after a friggin' BUG!
:)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:20:00 2002
mmmm fuck and anglosaxon english word your not allowed to use it :)
only american swear words allowed for you like nuts :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:21:08 2002
Since we 'mericans speak better anglish than you
lazy fucks, we'll say whatever we damn well please :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:21:33 2002
rugby !!
go ask rook about it
no padding (no teeth as well)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:23:08 2002
do you speak to all your visitors like that :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:23:34 2002
Only the hair ones.
Er, hairy.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:24:10 2002
ireland beat russia too
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:24:33 2002
} On Thu Feb 14 00:18:25 visitor wrote:
} do the germans get sent to the west bank for loosing :)
}-- End of excerpt from visitor
You misunderstood. Israel led by halftime 1:0 but _lost_ at the end
by one goal to SEVEN from Germany.
So it's the Israeli players who're being send somewhere, and Germans
rejoice with weissbier and sauerkraut and roast pig etc.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:24:43 2002
One third world nation beats another. Big deal :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:24:56 2002
no the're sheep :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:25:28 2002
(ireland vs russia)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:25:35 2002
} On Thu Feb 14 00:24:43 Mithrilien wrote:
} One third world nation beats another. Big deal :)
}-- End of excerpt from Mithrilien
Well, considering your president thinks the world ends around El Paso...
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:26:06 2002
like the americans in football (soccer) :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:26:24 2002
It does. The rest is just insignificant bits that need
to be beaten upon occasionally.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:29:56 2002
and i thought regan was frightening
pretzel boy is even more so :)
mind you he wouldn't know where the target was
or who the president of pakistan ("general") :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:30:25 2002
...is
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:30:44 2002
I wouldn't assume Bush doesn't have a few million brain cells up there.
They don't hand out MBA's at Harvard you know.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:31:12 2002
no you have to buy them :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:31:41 2002
Yeah, but that's beside the point :)
Seriously, he's quite intelligent, and he's selected
a very strong cabinet.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:32:07 2002
These are the same Harvard MBA's behind the .gones?
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:32:32 2002
but whos brain cells are they ?
just don't show him empire or he might be confused !
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:33:46 2002
Bush's supposed stupidity has been a creation of the
press. The New York Times did an interesting article
on it, and anybody with half a brain would conclude
the press was being ludicrously biased and stupid themselves.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:34:39 2002
} On Thu Feb 14 00:33:46 Mithrilien wrote:
} Bush's supposed stupidity has been a creation of the
} press. The New York Times did an interesting article
} on it, and anybody with half a brain would conclude
} the press was being ludicrously biased and stupid themselves.
}-- End of excerpt from Mithrilien
We've got a bit loopbacked here :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:35:18 2002
maybe harvard added up the votes I mean marks incorrectly
whats the difference between english and the U.S.
here we count all the votes (no matter how long it takes)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:35:58 2002
When I say "press" it's not necessarily inclusive of
ALL press. Just much of the press.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:36:25 2002
Visitor, do NOT get started about the voting in Florida.
It is highly likely you do NOT know all the facts in the case.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:38:00 2002
yeh they say that sheep are stupid as well
oops they are
I hear Resvon opened a velcro factory (but only made the non hairy bit)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:40:28 2002
it was covered in very very minute detail over here
including demos of the machines
also the fact that 30000 black people were stuck from the voting register
(for being crimbos)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:42:10 2002
and that they never counted all the votes
what was the final out come when the press had them recounted ?
> Announcement from Forochel, (#3)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:42:37 2002
Yeah, there in england you count all the votes.
how many did chamberlain get?
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:43:23 2002
In the last election?  Not many.
> Announcement from Arnor, (#4)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:43:28 2002
it's not like it matters anyway, it's not like the president
actually runs the country or anything :)
everyone knows it's the trilateral-bilderberg-illuminati-CFR
alliance that controls the country through the Federal
Reserve and black helicopters. ;)
> Announcement from Forochel, (#3)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:44:45 2002
yeah, great, dumbass, I wasn't talking about the last election.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:45:44 2002
After the press recounted, Bush still won.
If you think taking millions upon millions
of votes is going to be 100% accurate, guess again.
There was no way to determine voter intent. Yet, it didn't matter.
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Thu Feb 14 00:47:25 2002
Not to change the subject, but has anybody else downloaded
the songs from
http://www.sensoryresearch.com/~starkeff/beatallica.html
Kind of funny. (but slow)

> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Fri Feb 15 01:07:54 2002
true enough but I studied maths and Physics mainly
and chaos was of real interest to me.
but there have been many experiments conducted on third
world countries that have shown strong similarities.
also what happened in the uk and us in the eighties showed
that certain types of economics work better than others
in different conditions.
much like you don't give anti-biotics for pain relief or
viral infections, and you don't use pain killers for wiping out bacterial infections.
giving tax cuts when less people are paying them is a con
public works bootstrap economies.
the trouble is that govenments don't like paying back the
national debt in the good years, but love to borrow when
the bad ones are around. so they saddle future good times
with even more debt.
Clinton (in the US) and Blair (in the UK)were the first leaders in the 20th century 
to have done the right thing (the uk has debts going back to the napolionic war - 
we're still paying for it 200 years on !). Pity the US defaulted
on it's debt to the uk we'd be the richest country on the planet :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 01:44:35 2002
Perhaps we'd have paid you back if nearly 2/3rds of the
rest of the world would poney up and pay us money owed,
including even back to WWI.
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Fri Feb 15 07:30:22 2002
and what imaginary debt is that, exactly?
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Fri Feb 15 12:06:01 2002
From the Meneltarma offices - Culture and Holidays Dept.:
A question was asked about the national holiday policy of this game.
So, Meneltarma offices want to clarify, that due to quite wide
geographical and therefore ethnical spread of the players, and the
variety of national holidays (and even week-ends) NO UPDATES will
be cancelled due to any national holiday within any country.
The only exception for that might be the Passover holiday, which is
eight days around End of March-Beginning of April, during which
Tel-Aviv University where the server is located, will be officially
closed (although the computers remain running). But the final decision
about Passover will be taken around 10-15th March.
Thank you for your attention,
  Eonwe,
  Meneltarma offices spokesman.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Fri Feb 15 15:25:43 2002
=== Foreign Affairs === Thu Feb 14 19:55 Wainriders declares TOTAL WAR on Dorwinion
oohh bet he's scared :)
especially as he's over six sectors away !
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Fri Feb 15 15:31:05 2002
Yeah, he's probably a bit more worried about the
3 other countries munching away at him.
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Fri Feb 15 17:53:09 2002
Well I'm at war with Rhun, Dorwinion's ally and
my ally Balchoth is at war with Dorwinion so it
only seemed logical that I should also declare
war.  Rhun doesn't have to worry too much about
his ally, I will be sending my forces elsewhere :-)
King Wayne
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Fri Feb 15 18:28:05 2002
There seems to be a problem with the server...
For now the update is not cancelled, but it might be, if another crash
occurs. A possible source of the problem has been identified and
is being checked.
 VIU
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Fri Feb 15 18:37:18 2002
From the Meneltarma offices - Dept. of Transportation
A bug was discovered in the rather rare 'route' command.
We still haven't discovered what the bug is about, but we know
it crashes the server.
Until further notice, 'route' command is DISABLED.
 Eonwe,
 Meneltarma Offices Spokesman
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 19:27:00 2002
Pop Quiz: (This one may prove to be a bit tricky)
What is the largely honorary title of the military leader
of The Shire? (not the name the title).
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $50 Empire gold.
 
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 19:30:40 2002
Correct answer received! And much faster than I expected.
"Thain" was a largely honorary title of the military leader
of The Shire. The first Shire-thain was Bucca of the Marish,
and the title was held by eleven of his descendants, the Oldbucks,
until their removal across the River Brandywine to Buckland.
Thereafter the title was held by the head of the Took clan,
from Isumbras I onwards.
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:07:33 2002
Of course anyone who played any of the "muds" with the
Shire would know that one..  The Thain was always fun to
kill.:)
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:31:50 2002
that's why we hire mercenaries from dwarven, elven, and human
stock; let the big people kill themselves if they want to.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:32:18 2002
To those that would like to know...
Yes, a 2% city allows riverboats to enter it.
(a player asked)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:46:58 2002
[bug in route, now disabled]
Ehhh, how do I figure out where my deliveries go in the mean time?
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:51:19 2002
It's in census and comm, depending.  You'll have to
parse it from there yourself.
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:51:36 2002
Oh yes, it's in "cutoff" too.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:51:41 2002
See "info deliver", and use the "q" flag.
Example results:
Deliver iron ore from mine @ -5,-3 to -4,-2
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:53:29 2002
dump.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:55:57 2002
[deliver with q flag]
Doh!. Didn't look there. Thanks almighty Deity.
BTW if good answer are rewarded wth gold, maybe silly questions should
be punished (in the future off course :)
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 22:58:30 2002
Rivendell: dump
Ehhhh, its not exactly human readable and my (own) client doesn't use
 or parse dumps yet :)
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:05:03 2002
De dwarves have de simplest way to know
where all deliveries go: wipe *
It's de only way to be sure.
---
Gimlet
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:06:52 2002
Get a better "dump" processing unit. I hear toilets sell well.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:07:32 2002
You smart.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:08:09 2002
I cannot believe that Dwarves wipe after dump.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:09:19 2002
"Nuke em from orbit - it's the only way to be sure"
 ancient dwarven proverb
-----
Boggies are an unattractive but annoying people whose
numbers have decreased rather precipitously since the
bottom fell out of the fairy-tale market [alas, if
only that were still true today!]. Slow and sullen,
and yet dull, they prefer to lead simple lives of pastoral
squalor. They don't like machines more complicated than a
garrote, a blackjack, or a luger, and they have always
been shy of the "Big Folk" or "Biggers," as they call them.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:09:25 2002
It's a good thing they live in holes.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:11:13 2002
16 sectors out there have still not discovered the wonders
of pizza delivery. FEED YOUR CIVS you miserable dictators!
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:22:13 2002
I have some Chilli leftovers from yesterday, I can deliver them on request.
And better start workng on that dump unit soon.
> Announcement from Anfalas, (#32)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:25:24 2002
Dunland,
You didn't finnish your baby back ribs?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:35:10 2002
He was too busy with the latest sheep delivery from Rohan.
> Announcement from Dunland, (#12)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:46:58 2002
Although Rohans most famoust for their horses, their sheep are also first class
and well loved alover middle earth (esp. in the Shire I presume, since a horse is kinda big).
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Feb 15 23:49:04 2002
That all depends on what you're doing with it.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Sat Feb 16 09:19:24 2002
Another bug detected - in "sharebmap"
Unlike "route" this command will not be disabled. The bug will be fixed
during today, but until further notice please refrain from using
"sharebmap". Note that logs allow tracking of anyone using it.
Thanks in advance.
 VIU
> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Sat Feb 16 11:39:12 2002
[<censored>] : att <censored>
<censored> is a 0% Dagorlad highway with approximately 0 military.
[Now lokee what I found:]
Scouts sight reacting enemy unit: naz  nazgul #134 (eff 100, mil 10, tech 106)
   [...]
   You have been defeated!
   [<censored>] : att <censored>
   [...]
                Initial attack strength:      <censored>
   Scouts sight reacting enemy unit: naz  nazgul #134 (eff 100, mil 10, tech 81)
   Defense strength with reacting units:      271
                  Final attack strength:      <censored>
                 Final defense strength:      271
                             Final odds:       <censored>
   @@@@@@!@!!@@!@@!@@!@@!!!!
   - Casualties -
        Yours: 15
       Theirs: 10
   Papershuffling ... 3.8 B.T.U
   We have captured <censored>, sir!
That just cost you $5000!  Bwuahahahaha!
I'm getting dogpiled, I might go down in flames, but I'm having fun :)
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Sat Feb 16 12:47:30 2002
}- Casualties -
}  Yours: 15
} Theirs: 10
}Papershuffling ... 3.8 B.T.U
}We have captured <censored>, sir!
}
}That just cost you $5000!  Bwuahahahaha!
Wrong...
I just add to do :
lload mil 134 9
that the good thing with Nazgul !!
even with 0 mil, they seem to come back home !!!
Ha... the pleasure of using the Nine.
You should add girls and hobbits to your army next time.
MUHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA
> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Sat Feb 16 12:52:42 2002
? that the good thing with Nazgul !!
? even with 0 mil, they seem to come back home !!!
D'oh!  But it felt good :)
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Sat Feb 16 12:58:04 2002
I can imagine.
;-)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Sat Feb 16 15:40:03 2002
Hopefully the sharebmap bug was fixed.
This one, just as deity declare bug was a result of an unsigned char
receiving various negative values and not being checked on them.
I hope I will not have to track these one by one in any place they
occur.
VIU
> Announcement from Dol_Goldur, (#26)  dated Sat Feb 16 18:54:09 2002
Well, if you want casual bugs... I think the plague code doesn't
quite do the right thing should it ever get corrupted. Of course... you'd
need to corrupt this data first....
So make this more of a misfeature, then a bug.
Ie,if plague state is is not between plg_healthy and plg_exposed, it
just slowly counts down towards exposed. So I think you'd get a sector that's
likely plague proof for a hundred update.
But as I said, you'd need things corrupted before they acted broken.
> Announcement from Dale, (#18)  dated Sun Feb 17 06:10:47 2002
I lost my connection after the update again. Should
we expect a lot of this?
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Sun Feb 17 08:54:16 2002
} On Sun Feb 17 06:10:47 Dale wrote:
} I lost my connection after the update again. Should
} we expect a lot of this?
}-- End of excerpt from Dale
No, we shouldn't.
I am really surprised by these outages.
 VIU
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Mon Feb 18 04:53:24 2002
 WAR !!!
Negotiations between Bree and Rivendell over a long running border dispute
broke down early today, with infantry and cavalry units conducting
cross-border raids and destroying border garrisons.
The peace was first shattered several days ago when Bree forces
indiscrimately trampled a wild bird refuge under Rivendell protection.
Rivendells subsequent establishment of a small protective buffer zone
around the fragile sanctuary was tolerated without reply for several day,
but a recon patrol then found a large buildup only a few sectors across the
line of control.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Mon Feb 18 04:53:38 2002
Shortly after the inadvertent discovery of the buildup, Bree forces
began moving within the patrol region, and no further reports were received
from beyond the LOC.  Some 400 Rivendell Peace Corps recruits on a
work-for-the-dole scheme were known to be working in the region, guiding
locals in the construction of environmentally planned roads.  Rivendell
officials would offer no comment on a report that all were slaughtered.
Rivendell was then offered the opportunity to withdraw unconditionally from
the potection zone, surrender control of its foreign policy, and become a
vasal state of Bree, but only if an answer was immediately received.
Attempts to renegotiate these surrender terms, and to simultaneously make
some suggestions for Brees future gold mining and diplomacy efforts were
poorly received.  Negotiations, though only briefly recessed, were not
resumed when it was learned that several large infantry units had crossed
the LOC into the buffer zone.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Mon Feb 18 04:53:51 2002
Rivendell officials are now pondering a response, which may include
an appeal to the international community for economic sanctions.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Mon Feb 18 16:17:16 2002
Rivendell wrote
[some looong anno]
Is he inviting us to his cap?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 18 16:32:41 2002
It's all about the beer in Bree.
> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Mon Feb 18 18:24:21 2002
 *NEWS FLASH*
 GONDOR DECLARES WAR ON MORDOR
The council of captains met in a tent outside the city of Minas Tirith.
There was Hirluin the Fair, Prince Imrahil, Faramir, Eomer, and Aragorn.
The Dark Lord Sauron, a being of pure evil, had launched a unprovoked
attack against the valley of Ithilien.  His troops fouled the land and
turned it into a uninhabitable wasteland.  However there was no panic
around the table, just an iron resolve.  We must rid the world of this
evil.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 18 20:22:30 2002
Yep, definitely about the beer in Bree.
> Announcement from Bree, (#5)  dated Mon Feb 18 21:30:02 2002
Here is a report from the Bree Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Bree police officers on patrol encountered some Rivendell
Guerilla Bird-Watchers on a druken spree attempting to acquire
large quantities of the excellent Bree beer. The officers rapidly
dealt with these itinerants. In an act of friendship to the people
of Rivendell, Bree dispatched convoys of armoured beer delivery
personell to Rivendell to supply their beer consuming needs. It
seems that this gesture was not fully appreciated by the fair
people of Rivendell.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Mon Feb 18 23:48:23 2002
I'm not supprised if you didn't supply a can/tin opener
Or did they have ring pulls ?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Feb 18 23:50:52 2002
   |----------------------------------------------|
   |             Middle Earth News                |
   |______________________________________________|
   |                        |                     |
   |  GOLLUM CAPTURED!!!!!  | Vingilot sighted    |
   |    Angmar rejoices     |                     |
   |                        | An unusual ship     |
   | The sneaking stoors    | which appears to    |
   | hobbit known as Gollum | be called Vingilot  |
   | was found skulking     | has been sighted    |
   | about in Angmar.       | off many coasts of  |
   | Iluvatar smiled.       | Middle Earth. Some  |
   |________________________| wonder if it will   |
   |                        | fly them to Valinor |
   | Weather Report         |_____________________|
   |                                              |
   | Hazy, hot and humid with heavy black clouds  |
   | on the south-east horizon.                   |
   |______________________________________________|
> Announcement from Bree, (#5)  dated Mon Feb 18 23:52:46 2002
The beer was in the finest oak casks. They needed only to turn the
tap


> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Tue Feb 19 09:13:50 2002
Dagorlad kindly advised:
? You should add girls and hobbits to your army next time.
?
? MUHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA
We couldn't find hobbits, so we tried little children.  Apparently
Dagorlad trolls are child's play:
  tro  cave trolls #338 blown up by the crew!
Who's laughing now?
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Tue Feb 19 16:27:56 2002
From the Meneltarma offices, Ainur Crafts Dept.
The following message was received from the WinAce maintainer:
WinACE 2.11 no longer gets MAXPOP from the nation command.  The new version
gets it from parsing Show Sector Stat and stores the numbers in the game
database.  However, it does not automatically do a Show Sector Stat every
update.  in a RESPOP game, this is pretty much required.So for LOTR, the
players will need to manually do a show sector stat (either on command line
or from the show box with refresh) each update in order to use their updated
MAXPOP in WinACE's projection data.  I had thought somone anno'ed this one,
but if not, you way want to.
End of Quote
Hope this helps,
  Eonwe,
  Meneltarma Offices Spokesman
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 19 20:26:01 2002
Pop Quiz: What was the password Frodo and Sam used between themselves
in Cirith Ungol tower?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $25 Empire gold.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 19 20:32:35 2002
Correct answer received.
The password was Elbereth
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Tue Feb 19 20:49:19 2002
why do we have to do a show sector stat after each update ?
are they changing ?
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Tue Feb 19 21:05:13 2002
It will if you're researching (check da
last field).
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Feb 19 22:41:21 2002
Don't blame the game. Blame WinACE. Honestly, it IS better.
Just not better for this implementation.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 01:54:17 2002
While ponderin' da nature of da Ring, dwarven researchers
at the Dwarven Institute of TechnologieZ (DITZ) ran across
da following in alt.fan.tolkien:
? If someone (Sauron, or any ring-maker) has a tremendous
?amount of power anyway, why put it into a ring, thereby
?endangering the power with the possibility of the ring
?being lost or stolen?
Yeah, if Sauron had instead made a Metal Plate of Power and
stuck in under his scalp on his skull no one would have ever
seen it!
Isildur: Wow, Sauron is felled. I shall scalp him looking
for wergilds or something.
Elrond: Oh gross, don't do that Izzy!
Isildur: Oh. Okay.
Sort of Dead Sauron: Hee, hee, hee.
Actually maybe it was easier to fool people into taking a
piece of jewelry as a gift, ie the other rings.  While other
objects, more hidden might not have worked as well...
Sauron: I will show you how to make Steel Suppositories
  of Strength!  No one will see them!  With them you'll
  be feared from my Crack of Doom to dwarves' Black Pit
  from which some enter via the secret back door!
Elves: EEEEEEEEwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
--
> Announcement from Minhiriath, (#11)  dated Wed Feb 20 03:25:51 2002
Also WinACE 2.11 does not show food required (FR)
in the cesus window or in the production summary tool.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 03:36:27 2002
Hmm, dat's workin for me - you may need to run "version" as
well as "show sector info" a couple times to get it to
work ok.
--
Gimlet
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Wed Feb 20 11:00:52 2002
From the Meneltarma offices - Culture and Holidays Dept.:
Due to the early notice that was received about maintenance electric
power outages that are going to occur at Tel-Aviv University
during the Passover holidays, Meneltarma Offices decided to shut
the game down for the Passover holidays.
The last update before the break will be Wednesday, March 27th 22:00
GMT (approx.) .
The first update after the break will be Friday, April 5th 22:00 GMT
(approx.) .
Eonwe,
Meneltarma Offices Spokesman
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Wed Feb 20 16:14:32 2002
From the Meneltarma offices - Culture and Holidays Dept.:
Addition to the previous Passover shutdown notice:
The game will be shut down Wednesday, March 27th 23:59 GMT (about 2 hours
after the update)
The game will be brought up Wednesday, April 3rd 23:59 GMT (about 46 hours
before the update).
The effective break length is one week precisely.
 Eonwe,
 Meneltarma Offices Spokesman
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 20 16:23:08 2002
Here is another topical one:
http://w3.enternet.hu/felici/prsten.jpg
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Wed Feb 20 21:33:38 2002
From the Meneltarma Offices - World Engineering Dept. :
Deities' intention has been from the beginning, that not only you need
to build your sectors' defense infrastructure for them to get their
defensive bonuses, but also you have to keep them efficient.
Unfortunately, the fact that current server code, in case DEFENSE_INFRA
option is enabled, doesn't care about the efficiency of the sector to
yield the defensive value.
This has been fixed now. Your defense value is scaled by both efficiency
and defense infrastructure now.
That means, that a 50% fort with 50% defense infra has a defense value
of 2.75, 50% fort with 100% defense infra has a defense value of 4.50
and 100% fort with 100% defense infra has a defense value of 8.00 just
like the deities' want.
Sorry for this small inconsistence.
Eonwe,
Meneltarma Offices Spokesman.
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 21:37:58 2002
lol - seein dat picture, reminds us dat da inscription on
da ring in "Bored of the Rings" in da Black Speech is:
  Grundig blaupunkt luger frug
  Watusi snarf wazoo!
  Nixon dirksen nasahist
  Rebozo boogaloo.
We is seein dat da Black Speech is similar to
Republican :)
--
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:17:11 2002
Hmmm...
Why is it that a few crows have landed
in the trees outside just before an update!
Which one of you is spying on me?
Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean
that they aren't really out to get me
you know...
King Wayne
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:36:36 2002
oh but they are :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:37:53 2002
they are all out to get you :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:47:37 2002
Please observer that, like the crows in this game,
the crows outside your window don't eat PETROL.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:50:08 2002
but they are more fun when the do (and smoke at the same time)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:55:17 2002
when you cross and ork with a dwarf do you get a dork :)
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:58:13 2002
We always say it as "When you cross a dwarf, you get...
dead"
We got a similar one for "When a dwarf is cross" too :)
--
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 22:58:13 2002
how do you confuse a dwarf put three spades in the corner and ask him to
"Take his pick" :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:00:41 2002
if dwarves are are so good how come it took seven of them to keep
snow white happy ?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:01:08 2002
Snow White was a whore
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:06:21 2002
} if dwarves are are so good how come it took seven of them to keep
} snow white happy?
'Cause dat's a fairy tale man!  Dis is real life.
Da DADL (Dwarvish Anti-Defamation League) suspects dat
da fairy tale was written by some elves with "dwarf envy"
--
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:07:41 2002
Genuine Absinthe, made in Czech Republic... 140 proof.
What a drink!
I understand Van Gogh & Co.
  VIU
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:08:21 2002
so if you cross snow white, Manwe and Mithrilien
do you get Manthrilien :)
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:10:50 2002
Oh-oh, sounds like de gods are flyin ;)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:10:52 2002
well you know what the old saying was
Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder !
A freind of mine drank some an had the most bizzare dream I've ever heard :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:12:18 2002
Absinthe should be drunk diluted... If one drinks pure, even sweetened,
especially in large amounts, he must remember it is a weak hallucinogen.
There lay roots of impressionists' magnificence.
 VIU
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:13:22 2002
and being short sighted :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:13:47 2002
...and having hairy palms
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:15:55 2002
In the most vivid dream I ever had I was a
male lion.  I could feel the sun on my fur,
the wind blowing in mane, the thrill of the
hunt and even the blood trickling down as I
ate.  I blame as a reaction to the vegetarian
chili I had for dinner :-)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:17:56 2002
an the best one I had was shooting a lion :)
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:20:50 2002
ahhh... the life of the male lion... the thrill of watching the
females hunt, wondering when one of them was going to come
into heat again... then cuffing them aside after they make a kill
and taking the best parts for yourself...
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:22:24 2002
ah do hobbits like shagging lions ?
or is it just your own fantasy :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Feb 20 23:23:31 2002
only trouble is you'd have to bring a step ladder :)

> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Tue Feb 26 04:20:26 2002
Well crap. That's what I get for fighting the unemployed.
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Tue Feb 26 04:21:46 2002
Let's attack the shire.  Cmon!  It's only the shire
I got my but kicked in the Shire once.
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Tue Feb 26 04:22:05 2002
My co-ruler attacked the shire and all I got was this lousy
t-shirt.
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Tue Feb 26 05:21:12 2002
"co-ruler"!?! grr...
> Announcement from Dale, (#18)  dated Tue Feb 26 08:22:27 2002
That's a goddamned deliberate, hostile act
if I ever heard one...and I have. Recently.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Feb 26 22:31:21 2002
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,46552,00.html
If you don't treat your sheep well enough, they will join that cow.
 VIU
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Wed Feb 27 03:23:38 2002
Hey!  I live in Cincinnati, and that cow
has been front page news for a few days now.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Wed Feb 27 19:27:06 2002
Hear now all people who bow not to the Shadow in the East,
by the gift of the Lord of the Mundburg we will come to dwell
in the land that he names Calenardhon and therefore I vow
in my own name and on behalf of the Eotheod of the North
that between us and the Great People of the West here
shall be friendship for ever: their enemies shall be our
enemies, their need shall be our need, and whatsoever evil,
or threat, or assault may come upon them we will aid them to
the utmost end of our strength. This vow shall descend to my
heirs, all such as may come after me in our new land, and let
them keep it in faith unbroken, lest the Shadow fall upon them
and they become accursed.

Eorl
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 27 20:21:36 2002
Pop quiz: Name the two men who guarded Frodo and Sam while
Faramir's troop went off to attack Southrons who were on
their way to Mordor by way of Ithilien.
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $50 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Feb 27 20:40:47 2002
Correct answer received!
Mablung and Damrod were the two men who guarded Frodo
and Sam while Faramir and his troops went off to battle.
It was during this battle that Sam saw an Oliphant.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Wed Feb 27 23:52:11 2002
quiet out there.
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Wed Feb 27 23:56:56 2002
oh course it's quiet, everyone's waiting for the update....
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Wed Feb 27 23:57:28 2002
That's what sucks about update windows.  Up to
0 minutes of "fingers poised . . ."
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Wed Feb 27 23:57:41 2002
<20>
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:01:27 2002
Anybody remember the "eskimo.com" games?  Half hour
wait while the update figured things out . . .
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:05:18 2002
Yes, I miss Dave's games
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:05:35 2002
*sniff*
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:07:20 2002
 Dave?
Dave's not here man...
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:08:04 2002
Rhun must be older than I thought :-)
King Wayne
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:08:25 2002
You actually think?
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Feb 28 00:08:37 2002
No, if I remember right, David Fish ran the eskimo games
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Fri Mar  1 17:40:25 2002
sheeh... What do you have to do to get a "Carnage wrought" headline?
Damn corporate media...
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Fri Mar  1 17:53:10 2002
That is something I have always wondered
Exactly how much damage does it take to
cause carnage?  I mean losing one airport
or bank seems like carnage to me sometimes.
Or other times, you can lose a lot of
territory, but not really be worried because
you haven't developed it yet...
Is there a formula that the news uses?
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Mar  1 18:28:20 2002
If anyone is willing to do so, it would help me tremendously
if you would e-mail your telegram files to me at cashman@kiva.net.
No, I'd rather not have all the bulletins of this that and
the other attack to sift through :) Just the telegrams between
nations, as it will help me tremendously in creating a
narrative for this game.
Thanks!
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Mon Mar  4 14:17:42 2002
headlines:
You know that you are in trouble when all headlines
mention your name - on the receiving side.
How are you doing, Dale?
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Mon Mar  4 15:00:59 2002
From the Meneltarma Offices: Logistics Dept.
Sometime in the next two weeks Meneltarma Offices will move to another,
more spacy ridge on the Meneltarma. (I.e. I am getting another office -
VIU). The move will include the shutdown of empire.tau.ac.il for several
hours.
The date for the move has not been set yet. If it occurs on a Sunday (a
workday in Israel), no updates will be cancelled. If it occurs on another
day, the next update will be cancelled.
We will update you more as the things develop.
 Eonwe,
 Meneltarma Offices Spokesman.
> Announcement from Arnor, (#4)  dated Mon Mar  4 22:14:33 2002
We have decided that for the protection of the people of Forochel, that we need 
to take them under our protection, even if it is against their will, to protect 
them from the Dark Lord.
--
Elendil the Tall
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Mon Mar  4 22:18:48 2002
Please use the return key occasionally in your anno's so that I don't have to
paste them into notepad to read the whole line...
> Announcement from Iron_Hills, (#20)  dated Mon Mar  4 22:26:14 2002
Notepad?  Notepad?!?  You *admit* that you use the
tools of the Evil One?  Poor befouled wretch!
Gimlet
-- One OS to Bind Them, etc.
> Announcement from Hildorien, (#21)  dated Mon Mar  4 22:36:09 2002
I would wonder why anyone had trouble reading that announcement,
as we have the generic 5 year old telegraph readers (little dated
yes, but hey they still work) here and didn't have any trouble
reading that message.
You might want to upgrade your wire service equipment, I heard that
there were problems of that sort way back in the early part of the
First Age, but none of the locals remember that time (we were not
born yet).  I know it is a big expense to keep upgrading those
telegraph machines, but that really is the only way to keep up with
the news and it is an expense you just have to grin and bear.
Hildorien General Administration Office
> Announcement from Dale, (#18)  dated Mon Mar  4 23:01:53 2002
Thank you for invading Dale. All of our soldiers
are busy fighting other countries. Your war is
important to us, however, so please stay on the
line and our forces will counter-attack you shortly :)
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Mon Mar  4 23:04:10 2002
Press 1 for artillery barrage
Press 2 for eored attack
Press 3 for a wizard bolt
Press 0, or stay on the line to pray to the deity.
> Announcement from Hildorien, (#21)  dated Mon Mar  4 23:06:31 2002
Am I late for the party?  I had several Oliphants on the way to Dale.
Will I get serviced or are the staff of Dale too overtaxed already?
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Mon Mar  4 23:39:27 2002
"due to the larger than normal volume of incoming telegrams, you may
have to wait...1...update for a response."
> Announcement from Dale, (#18)  dated Tue Mar  5 00:45:32 2002
Customer service is our highest priority here at
Dale, so we are very pleased to report over 500
opposition mil destroyed along with a wolfriders,
2 ravens, an elven infantry, a cart, and at least
two oliphants. We captured 4 wolfriders, 2 winged
beasts, and an elven infantry (and you thought nobody
made those!).
Our auditors, Aurther Anderson, have verified these
confirmed kills, and we would like to reaffirm our
guidence for the next update. Due to an innovative
off-balance sheet alliance, Dale losses were not
material.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Mar  5 14:09:54 2002
I was just notified that after empire.tau.ac.il moves, it will
have to change its IP address.
You will be informed of all the changes as they occur.
 VIU
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Mar  5 22:48:23 2002
Pop quiz: Who were the two servants of Sauron who debated
amongst each other while Sam listened from the other side
of a rock in Shelob's lair?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins 50 Empire gold



> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Thu Mar  7 01:10:11 2002
There have been rumors linking the suspension of guided tours of
Dorwinion Central Bank vaults to shipments of Dorwinion gold to Canada
in battleships.
The Dorwinion secretary of disinformation categorically denies that
any gold whatsoever has been shipped in battleships to Canada.  The
Dorwinion Central Shellhole^WBank is temporarily closed for
redecoration.  Guided tours will resume shortly.
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Thu Mar  7 02:16:24 2002
I already had the guided tour of two of them.
:)
Man... nothing worse then 10 minutes before the update
window your connection goes down... for several hours.
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Thu Mar  7 04:01:17 2002
wheeee... my new chair doesn't squeak.
> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Thu Mar  7 07:29:29 2002
Balchoth> I already had the guided tour of two of them.
And all you got was a lousy t-shirt ;->
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Mar  7 09:57:14 2002
Shire, please keep your sick chair fantasies to yourself.
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Thu Mar  7 16:55:35 2002
I certainly didn't get any gold bars out of it.
Your enslaved citizens do seem quite willing to make
more for me though.  :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Mar  7 17:32:27 2002
Pop quiz: What was the name of the seige weapon used to break
open the gates of Minas Tirith in the War of the Rings?
First right answer telegrammed to Mithrilien wins $50 Empire gold
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Mar  7 17:40:48 2002
Correct answer received!
"Grond" was the name of the battering ram used to destroy Minas Tirith's
Great Gate during the Battle of the Pelennor. It took its name from the
ancient weapon of Morgoth: Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Mar  7 17:44:10 2002
Mensa reject castle builder question: Why oh why oh why did
the great Numenoreans design and build a castle gate that
could be attacked with such a seige weapon? If their building
prowess was so great, certainly they should have realized
they needed to turn the gate, inset it at 90 degrees, or
something...to prevent it from being destroyed by such a weapon.
Ah well. Maybe Tolkein didn't know much about castle design.
Seems odd though, what with the land he lived in.
> Announcement from Forlindon, (#2)  dated Sat Mar  9 00:28:36 2002
Shire:  How on earth can you afford a new chair?
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Sat Mar  9 00:32:20 2002
hobbit women are in _very_ high demand among certain types...i'm having
trouble finding things to spend money on.
> Announcement from Dorwinion, (#25)  dated Sun Mar 10 17:26:57 2002
The battle for Dorwinion is over.  After fighting Balchoth, Dagorlad
and, at times, Dol_Goldur for more than three weeks, Dorwinion
organized resistance finally crumbled today.
We went down fighting.
We salute the gallant victors, and wish to thank all who helped us.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Mon Mar 11 17:18:15 2002
Addition to the previous Passover shutdown notice:
It was declared that
}
} The game will be shut down Wednesday, March 27th 23:59 GMT (about 2 hours
} after the update)
}
But a thorough check with the calendar showed that March 27th is already
the holiday eve.
Therefore the game will be brought down 48 hours earlier, and the update
on March 27th will NOT occur. The last update will be on March 25th,
circa 22:00 GMT.
I hope there is no confusion.
} The game will be brought up Wednesday, April 3rd 23:59 GMT (about 46 hours
} before the update).
}
The game goes back up as declared.
The effective break length will be 9 (nine) days.
Thank you for your attention.
 VIU
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Mon Mar 11 23:15:51 2002
say what?!?
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Mon Mar 11 23:25:10 2002
Chicken Butt.
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Mon Mar 11 23:46:26 2002
first there's this damn 'vingolot', now Peasants are stealing my food.
> Announcement from Nurn, (#29)  dated Mon Mar 11 23:53:22 2002
 >> Announcement from (1) The_Shire  dated Mon Mar 11 16:41:47 2002
 >first there's this damn 'vingolot', now Peasants are stealing my food.
I believe you are looking for the "shoot" command.  I haven't
had any problems with the peasants since decimating their population
in the affected sector.
Of course, hobbits may not be strong willed enough to apply
such firm punishment.
-------------------
King Gul Haroth of Nurn
Grocer of Mordor
First Declared Vassal of the Dark Lord
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Mon Mar 11 23:56:50 2002
both weak approaches, force the offending offal into slavery!!!
Make them toil under your watchful eye to produce even more food!
and you can always shoot them later :)
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Tue Mar 12 00:31:05 2002
That's been my attitude.
Them Dorwinion slaves make good workers.
:)
> Announcement from Harlindon, (#8)  dated Tue Mar 12 00:35:19 2002
damn, I want to know who the poor bastard on the recieving one of that is...
that locked the server for close to half a minute....
pardon me while I scan the horizon for smoke....
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Tue Mar 12 12:16:23 2002
You smell that? Do you smell that?
burning orcs, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
I love the smell of burning orcs in the morning. You know,
one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it
was all over I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em,
not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know, that orc smell,
the whole hill. Smelled like...
... victory.
> Announcement from Near_Harad, (#38)  dated Tue Mar 12 21:09:53 2002
Excerpt from a speech made earlier today by the Grand Orifice of Harad to the
assembled Parliament of Harad following the temporary sack of its capital:
"Even though large tracts of Harad and many old and famous States have fallen
or may fall into the grip of the co-rulers of Umbar and all the odious
apparatus of Umbar rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end,
we shall fight in Harondor, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall
fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend
our land, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall
fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do
not for a moment believe, this land or a large part of it were subjugated and
starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the Haradrim
Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in Manwe's good time, the New World
of Valinor, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the
liberation of the old."
> Announcement from Near_Harad, (#38)  dated Tue Mar 12 22:06:50 2002
Sir Winsome Anthill, the Grand Orifice of Harad, further wishes to
publish details of the Umbrian losses to the Haradrim counter-attack,
following this most recent ill-advised Umbrian expedition on to sovereign
Harad territory.
Enemy Umbrian units confirmed destroyed this morning:
Eight regiments of Firstborn Cavalry
Five squadrons of Eagles and other winged beasts
Nineteen roaming packs of Wolfriders
Four forests of Ents
Four batteries of Trebuchets
One antique Catapult
Two rampaging herds of Oliphants
Let that be a lesson to all who dare to trespass on the sacred land of
Harad.
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Tue Mar 12 22:16:00 2002
You forgot the partridge in a pear tree!
Don't worry, there are plenty more where
those came from, and you'll see them next
update.
From under which rock will you be able to
dig up an army?
> Announcement from Near_Harad, (#38)  dated Tue Mar 12 22:25:44 2002
?> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Tue Mar 12 22:16:00 2002
? Don't worry, there are plenty more where those came from, and you'll see
? them next update.
No peace for the wicked.
? From under which rock will you be able to dig up an army?
Manwe will provide (won't you, Manwe).
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Mar 12 23:28:03 2002
Well... I have some weapons...
But for some reason I am sure neither side will like it ;)
 Manwe
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Mar 13 01:02:02 2002
Hey Manwe, the soldiers aboard Vingilot are asking
for shore leave. Shall we allow it?
> Announcement from Near_Harad, (#38)  dated Wed Mar 13 02:18:08 2002
Hey, Mith, if they want to come & fight for me I'd be very grateful... ;)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Mar 13 03:05:56 2002
Fight you? Er, um...ok...here they come!
> Announcement from Eonwe, (#42)  dated Wed Mar 13 16:08:24 2002
From the Meneltarma Offices: Logistics Dept.
The aforementioned office move will occur tomorrow, unless some drastic
events (in Israel these days, how can we know?) occur.
The time of the move is not clear yet, probably between 9am to 1pm
GMT.
That means that Friday update is LIKELY TO BE CANCELLED.
 Eonwe,
 Meneltarma Offices Spokesman.
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Wed Mar 13 19:14:25 2002
Oh child of Iluvatar:
Since some uncertainty exists about the update,
I humbly request that you cancel it. Not that
I think I get a vote, but that's my.. vote,
anyway. That would simplify a lot of complicated
Friday-Saturdays out there if we knew now. :)
-Thranduin (who never saw the light of the trees)
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Wed Mar 13 22:56:55 2002
Valinor is feeling a little grumpy today
it seems!
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Thu Mar 14 00:08:37 2002
man, that is one long che report.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Mar 14 12:07:12 2002
Well, well, well
By the so often course of events, especially in Israel, it seems the move
is now being stalemated over a logistic issue that might be solved
within an hour, but might take a couple of days. It involves the Dean
now... I wonder if it would get to the Chancellor.
Anyways, the updates ARE CANCELLED until the move occurs.
The game will remain UP until the move occurs.
After the move, the server will change its IP address. When this
IP address is reachable by all the active players, the game will
be back up.
Thank you for your attention.
 VIU
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Fri Mar 15 16:42:35 2002
To clarify things:
This and Monday's updates are CANCELLED.
FYI.
> Announcement from Near_Harad, (#38)  dated Fri Mar 15 23:22:50 2002
The Haradrim executive board is pleased to announce that, following
acceptance by the Harad shareholders of the board-recommended merger proposal
from the People's Republic of Khand, involving an innovative land for arms exchange, 
merger proceedings have commenced in earnest, and are expected
to be completed during the current fiscal period.
The Harad chief executive, Sir Winsome Anthill, declined to comment on
speculations in the media that the merger agreement was precipitated by
a potential hostile takeover bid originating from the Union of Umbrian Republics.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:09:26 2002
why don't the heathers read their email :)
and respond :)
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:20:36 2002
mmm,
not very busy !
why is that ?
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:21:23 2002
The update for today and Monday has been
cancelled...
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:21:43 2002
hello anyone in ?
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:22:32 2002
ahh a voice
any deities ?
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Sat Mar 16 00:27:29 2002
anyone else on ?
> Announcement from Mordor, (#30)  dated Sun Mar 17 04:36:35 2002
Ash nazg durbatuluk
Ash nazg gimbatul
Ash nazg thrakatuluk
Agh burzum-isi krimpatul
Lord Sauron of Mordor is pleased
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Mon Mar 18 14:27:35 2002
Welcome back!
The next updates are:
March 20th
March 22nd
March 25th
And then the passover break begins
 Manwe
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Mon Mar 18 14:46:15 2002
Reminder of Passover break schedule:
Last update:
March 25th circa 22:00 GMT
Game goes down
March 25th 23:59 GMT
Game goes up:
April  3rd 23:59 GMT
First update:
April  5th circa 22:00 GMT
Thanks for your attention.
  VIU

> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Tue Apr 16 13:06:45 2002
This senseless violence against the diety must stop!
Tue Apr 16 13:01  fifty-two times Rohan gunners bombard Manwe territory
Waste of good shells!
King Wayne
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Tue Apr 16 15:05:20 2002
declare war Wainriders
Declaration made (give 'em hell).
Diplomatic relations with Wainriders downgraded to "At War".
I think we just found a better target...
Berohir,
Captain of the Border Guard
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Apr 16 16:08:43 2002
We really need stock markets and accounting firms
and countries should be publicly traded.
Really, we do.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Apr 16 18:52:23 2002
Kamikaze missions for planes:
it would be good enough if ground2ground
 missiles had a range that exceeds that of land-based
interdiction artillery.
for a price of $2200 and one shot only,
wizard bolts are just a waste of time
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Tue Apr 16 20:07:07 2002
grin
Wizard bolts are NOT a waste of time. You just have
to know when to use them.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Tue Apr 16 20:14:24 2002
Your position on the power chart indicates that
you know that indeed......

> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Apr 16 23:25:35 2002
Hey, at least he's still ON the power chart.
Certain countries can't even claim that honor anymore...
> Announcement from Balchoth, (#27)  dated Wed Apr 17 14:24:48 2002
Lets see how well you do when your ally opens a path through
himself for a neutral country to attack you. :)
There's a very obvious situation where you want to use
wizard bolts.  I'm not going to announce it because I know people
using that strategy in the game right now.
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Thu Apr 18 19:43:04 2002
Look the incredible infos I got digging the ruins of Dagorlad:
THE VERY SECRET DIARY OF GANDALF THE GREY
Day One:
In Shire. Stunning vista of innocent and pastoral beauty. Is it me, or was
Frodo just hanging around in that field masturbating before I came along?
Day Two:
Bilbo's Birthday party improved by substantial amount of hobbit weed.
Everyone sho nice. Bilbo nice too. Lights sho pretty. Frodo not bad either.
Hobbits sho cuddly. Whups. Fellover.
Day Three:
Massive fecking hangover. Off to Minas Tirith for some aspirin.
Day Twelve:
Went to Saruman for advice about Ring but he had become evil. Nobody tells
me anything. Apparently there was a memo. Radagast the Brown probably
stealing paper out of my inbox again.
Day Thirteen :
Stuck on top of tower. Great view, but constant pelting sleet not good for
pointy hat. Am amusing self by spitting gum down on the Orcs.
Day Fourteen :
Visited again by Saruman who tried to grab a feel. As if!
Day Sixteen :
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Thu Apr 18 19:43:16 2002
Am lonely. Saruman maybe not so unattractive after all. If only were not for
giantly flaring nostrils and huge clawlike fingernails...okay you'd think I
might have figured out he was evil before.
Day Nineteen :
Escaped. Am in Rivendell. Sam slightly out of control. Keeps giving Frodo
baths. Elves all out of strawberry-scented soap now. Elrond getting annoyed.
Day Twenty :
Elrond has decided to send Frodo away as is tired of never being able to get
into the first-floor bathroom. Big folderol about Ring. Have agreed to go
with Fellowship in case Sam might decide to give ME a bath. Could use one.
Day Twenty-One:
Aragorn obviously into Frodo. Sam will kill him if he tries anything. Asked
Sam to give me a bath. He said, "Ha ha, Mister Gandalf, you're not serious."
Useless git.
Day Twenty-Three :
V. cold on top of Caradhras. Aragorn won fight about who got to carry Frodo
up the mountain. Boromir sulking. If Legolas keeps nancing about on top of
the snow, may have to hit him with my staff.
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Thu Apr 18 19:43:23 2002
Day Twenty-Five :
Do not want to go through Mines of Moria, as suspect Balrog still angry
about bad date we went on back in Second Age.
Day Twenty-Six:
In Mines of Moria. Yep, Balrog still angry.
Day Twenty-Seven:
Fell into shadow. Balrog such a prat. Had to do some quite unspeakable
things before he would let me leave the caverns. Have decided not to tell
the rest of Fellowship. Will make up story about having engaged in huge
battle instead. Off to see Elrond to get quite unpleasant third degree burns
in embarassing places treated. Hope Elrond does not laugh at me. If he does,
will tell everyone about his dirty weekend with Sauron. Ha!
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Thu Apr 18 20:01:12 2002
In reply to the Captain of Rohan and to inform all, it's the only diary my orcs found for now.
Azaghal.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Apr 19 04:30:18 2002
Day Thirty
Damn Eagles dropped me in Fangorn. Hit head on whopping
big tree, giving me a fecking big headache. Took two days
to recover my wits. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli appeared
from nowhere whilst I was massaging things and thinking.
Gimli says he'll give me a bath. Go me!
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Sat Apr 20 00:09:29 2002
Why's the update only late when you're in
a hurry? :)
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Sun Apr 21 10:22:05 2002
For all you Empire fans:
http://www.fuckedcompany.com/images/bullfucking2.gif
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Mon Apr 22 01:34:55 2002
I really didn't need to see that.
Besides...it's not topical. That was NOT a sheep.
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Mon Apr 22 19:45:13 2002
Terrible news from Dagorlad.
The lovely plains of Dagorlad made the news lately with the discovery of a 
secret diary. This increased an already high touristic interest for the 
area. Were there any other diaries to be found ??
Then, Azaghal, leader of the tribes of Dagorlad, made one of the worst 
deals ever in three Ages in Middle Earth : he signed exclusive right 
contracts with all neighboring nations.
Of course, I was only a matter of time before the 'pot-aux-roses' was discovered...
The duped (and much enraged!) neighbors promptly invaded, hunted down Azaghal 
and summarily executed him.
Meanwhile, the Captain of the Border Guard (of Rohan) found secret runes that led 
him to the vault where the other diaries were to be found. Here is a reproduction 
of this runes:
http://ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/index.html
Thus ends the story of Dagorlad.  How will Azaghal be remembered?
Some might remember him as a misguided, failed diplomat, others might consider him 
to be one of the worst schemers of Middle Earth.
May Eru have forgiveness for his soul.
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Mon Apr 22 19:53:31 2002
Byz. Contact Pludarian.
end of line
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Tue Apr 23 03:51:12 2002
How the hell can something interdict
8 sectors from the closest border?
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Tue Apr 23 17:52:38 2002
Just to let everyone know .. I'm gone
Have fun .. but I'm pulling out ..
When an obvious bug isn't addressed ..
I've no time to deal with it ..
quit
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:02:54 2002
Rivendell,
There wasn't a 'kidnapped' firing unit on an
interdiction mission near where you got hit?
I don't know if they will still interdict or
not, but it's the only thing I could think
of...
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:06:56 2002
No, it's certainly something different.
But I think Dieties (and wolfpack) should have more
than 14 hours  to get a look at the problem....

> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:09:23 2002
Rivendell, before you bail out, have you tried reproducing it?
I have seen that event before, but only 2-3 times over several years.
It is a very elusive problem that I have never reported because
I could not make it repeat.  If you can make it repeat, I am
sure the deity will be willing to fix the problem.
Faramir
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:42:31 2002
Hi,
I tried to get some help from Steve (Ionica) on this subject, but
we couldn't advance on it.
I will be looking on it tonight and tomorrow, as long as it takes
to find out why it is happening.
The updates are disabled until then. For your own sake I would recommend
that you won't issue any command that might affect the bug.
If anybody is interested to help, welcome.
Interdiction ranges reported were from 4 to 18 sectors for a unit
that is supposed to have range 1.75 .
 VIU
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:44:24 2002
}  I would recommend that you won't issue
} any command that might affect the bug.
move/march/transport/navigate
:(
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:54:53 2002
It's just that I don't want to switch the game off completely.
 VIU
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:55:33 2002
I always manage to move without thinking
about where my highways are- so I'll try
to move three sectors through a warehouse, and
winace gives me the "cheapest route" right
through enemy artillery interdiction. That's
happened to me a bunch today in fact - d'oh!
Riv, are you sure that isn't what happened to
you? We've had so much counter-battery and int.
going on I'm sure I don't know all of it, but
I didn't see any indication that any of my trb
had chucked a rock into low orbit. :)
Thranduin Noldor-Killer,
King of the Sindar of Mirkwood
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Tue Apr 23 19:29:37 2002
Just to dispel any rumours...the following was overheard
in Rivendell this morning...
"The King is dead! Long live the King!"
> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Tue Apr 23 22:43:53 2002
?> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Tue Apr 23 18:55:33 2002
?I always manage to move without thinking
?about where my highways are- so I'll try
?to move three sectors through a warehouse, and
?winace gives me the "cheapest route" right
?through enemy artillery interdiction. That's
?happened to me a bunch today in fact - d'oh!
BTW, WinACE does not compute the best route
when you are marching units - the Empire
server does that.  WinACE can compute that
same route and inform you where the server
is going to route them unless you provide an
explicit route.
Faramir
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Tue Apr 23 23:48:30 2002
One of my winged beast made a 11 sect interdiction mission.
Is this the same problem ?
I reported the "weird report" when it occured.
Azaghal, from the other world.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Apr 24 00:14:19 2002
Yeah, I reproduced it .. 3 times.
Each time I got nailed with Interdiction
fire from at least 10 sectors away.
The sectors hit were 8 within MY border.
And I CAN'T SEE any of his TRB's
with lookout ON the border.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Apr 24 00:28:02 2002
} On Wed Apr 24 00:14:19 Rivendell wrote:
The problem is being taken care of.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Apr 24 00:34:46 2002
Out of curiosity,
was same bug ever encountered in return fire? Or only in interdiction?
Did someone notice the aircraft flying over enormous radiuses when on
regular interception or air defense missions (NOT INTERDICTION mission) ?
 VIU
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Apr 24 00:37:23 2002
No .. no plane interceptions ...
things appeared normal there
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Apr 24 09:08:05 2002
The heathen ruling the country of Mirkwood
is ordered to surrender to me.  Failure to
do so, will result in dire torture inflicted upon
your body.  I AM THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED,
YES, ALLOWED TO RULE MIRKWOOD!
All other are pretenders.  Prepare
to surrender, you have 45 seconds to
acknowledge this message.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Wed Apr 24 09:09:06 2002
You have failed!
Prepare to die.
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Apr 24 11:46:59 2002
Sport is marvel
http://sports.yahoo.com/pga/gallery/20020421/1019436850lpga_longs_drugs_rcp107.html
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Wed Apr 24 15:26:09 2002
I am still unable to reproduce the interdiction bug.
Anyone who has encountered it and still has the logs of it,
especially the move/march/navigate command that caused the
interdiction, please send the logs by email to romm@empire.tau.ac.il
Thanks
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Wed Apr 24 16:09:22 2002
Rivendell: what you been smokin'? :)
> Announcement from Mordor, (#30)  dated Wed Apr 24 17:36:08 2002
I am assuming since last I heard updates were disabled
because of the interdiction bug that at minimum we are
not having an update today.  If that is not correct
the deity should let us know immediatly.
Lord Sauron of Mordor
Lord of the Ring
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 18:00:02 2002
=#=#=#=#=#=#=# IMPORTANT #=#=#=#=#=#=#=
We are NOT having an update today, Wednesday, April 24, 2002.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Wed Apr 24 18:46:31 2002
To All Nations of Middle Earth,
This message is being sent by my Elite Eagle
Squadron to your current locations.  Some of
you are at the front of battle, others,
overseeing your nations production.
The Western Alliance is making a Victory Declaration
and the end to the game
We do not make this declaration lightly.  The battles
have been glorious as well as devastating.  Many have
sacrificed to survive, others to prosper.  But we see the
final outcome, and are ready.
Our alliance will rule Middle Earth, ending violence
and bringing peace that has so far eluded all.
The Win Declaration is being made by the Nations of
Rohan, Gondor, Angmar, Umbar, and yes, rewriting
history, Mordor.
Theoden, King or Rohan, along with Aragorn Dunadain,
the Sheriff of Angmar, Valwin of Umbar, and the
Dark Lord Sauron declare victory.
The Western Alliance thanks the able assistance provided
by it's friends and allies, the countries of
Lorien, Anfalas, Rivendell, Harandor, and The Shire.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Wed Apr 24 18:46:40 2002
Rohan specially thanks Lorien, our first ally, led
by the Commander of the Silver Elves.
We request to the Eastern Alliance, so ably led by
Iron Hills, that they lay down their arms and return to
their homes, mines, and farms.  Fighting bravely for the
East were Celduin, Nurn, Wainriders, Easterlings, Rhun,
Hildorien, and Dagorlad.
Because of the nature of Middle Earth, we are unsure of
the existence of other countries.  If we have omitted
them it is not an intentional error.
There is more that I would like to say, but will hold
until the appropriate time and place.
Theoden, Son of Thengel
Lord of the Mark
King of Rohan
The stories that will come out of this game will
be {very} interesting.  I know most of them, though
there are some who may think I do not.  :)  You
should not take lightly the resources of the Lord
of the Mark.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Wed Apr 24 19:27:05 2002
you forgot to mention Thranduin, King of Mirkwood
who bravely threw himself into the fray against Rivendell and Angmar
in support of Iron Hills
even when the Eastern Alliance forces were in disarray and the cause had 
already been lost.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 19:46:28 2002
###################################################
A win declaration has been made. Please respond to
the win declaration by publicly stating your support
or opposition to the declaration ASAP.
###################################################
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:06:30 2002
fine by me
> Announcement from visitor, (#40)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:08:02 2002
I apologize for leaving Mirkwood of off the
list of Iron Hills supporters.  They were
actually in an earlier draft but got lost in the
world of cut and paste.
Thedoen
King of Rohan
not the Scribe of Roahn
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:24:26 2002
So far:
The win declaration is being made by:
Rohan, Gondor, Angmar, Umbar, and Mordor.
In support of the declaration:
The_Shire
In opposition to the declaration:
<none yet>
-----
To answer a question posed to me by a player...
The win declaration and how long it must stand
unopposed is being debated right now. Obviously
there's a problem in that updates are currently
suspended. I will post information on this when
it becomes available. Thanks for your patience.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:30:22 2002
just spotted:
galleon (#1231)
Somebody building a path to Valinor??
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:51:22 2002
With regrets, I will vote to concede.
I'll leave it to others to explain the
recent turn of events, but as things
stand there is not point in continuing.
Mad props to Angmar, a courtly and skilled
opponent. My hats off too to the allies,
for their skill in operating on allied
turf -- go Celduin!
Thranduin, King of Mirkwood
> Announcement from Lorien, (#15)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:58:42 2002
Silvan Elves of Lorien support the win declaration
that has been made.
Commander of Silvan Elves
> Announcement from Anfalas, (#32)  dated Wed Apr 24 20:59:06 2002
I support the declaration
> Announcement from Nurn, (#29)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:08:01 2002
On behalf of the grateful men and orcs of Nurn, I accept the declaration
of victory.  It is only natural that the great lord Sauron and his servants
rule Middle Earth.  My what nice shiny rings he offers...
-------
King Tan Haroth of Nurn
First Vassal of the Dark Lord
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:35:01 2002
I support the declaration of Mordor and his alliance
as the winners.
Being in the middle of two allies who were at war has
been a strain and both Mordor and the Easterlings have
been wonderful to have as allies.  Nurn was very helpful
with much needed supplies on occasion as well.
I was sorry to see my early ally Balchoth fall as he
was also a true friend and a good ally.
Celduin and I started out on the wrong sides of the river
so to speak and listened (in my opinion) to the wrong advice.
We were able to work together after we ended our hostilites
though the occasions for cooperation were limited by the gulf
between us :)
I had little direct contact with Gondor & Rohan, though
many of my troops & shells found their way into combat
with them before they reached an agreement with Mordor.
If things had gone differently perhaps Umbar and I could
have been friends.  He was an able opponent and we came
into conflict as he was responding to aid his ally Khand
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:35:08 2002
just as I was responding to aid my ally Nurn who Khand and
then Umbar was attacking.
I also had limited contact with Harondor who was as nice
as could be about my liberating 30 of his birds in Umbar
territory :)  I regret not being able to find the Ocean
and appologize to him for disturbing people in my search
for it.
I did not have much direct contact with Iron Hills either,
but we did chat alot and I was happy to be on friendly
terms with the dwarves there was very impressed by their
skill at combat.  It is too bad that forces beyond their
control contributed to their demise.
I do regret my early disagreement with Rhun, but I still
say I was NOT at fault :)
To the others I regret not travelling far enough to meet
you, but am glad I did not having you knocking at the doors
of my keep!
Congratulations to Iron Hills and Easterlings for fighting
the good fight!
Congratulations to Mordor (and Rohan/Gondor/Agmar/Umbar, et. al.)
on their victory.
King Wayne Ryder of the Wainriders
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:45:29 2002
So far:
The win declaration is being made by:
Rohan, Gondor, Angmar, Umbar, and Mordor.
In support of the declaration:
The_Shire, Mirkwood, Lorien, Anfalas, Nurn, and Wainriders.
In opposition to the declaration:
<none yet>
########################################################
GET YOUR VOTES IN PLEASE
########################################################
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:54:43 2002
Celduin concedes victory to the Western Alliance.
We wish to congratulate the gallant victors: Rohan, Gondor, Angmar and
Umbar.  We had the honor to cross blades both with Rohan and Gondor.
You have our greatest respect.
We also wish to honor some of our foes we helped to vanquish: Balchoth
and Dale.
Our heartfelt thanks goes to our allies, in particular to Iron_Hills
and Rhun.  You can't find better allies than those.
However, we cannot help but wonder why the Western Alliance blemishes
their glorious victory by including a certain greedy, spineless,
treacherous slime, whose name I will not utter here, because that
would be an inexcusable maltreatment of perfectly innocent electrons.
We are ashamed to have been associated with him.
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:54:49 2002
We do not claim to know all his sins in this game.  In fact, his true
role was a deep secret for quite some time, and when we learned of it,
we went along with what those who had dealt with him had decided.  We
were not aware of the full depth of his treachery then, but we should
have known better even then.  This is what we have pieced together
from different sources:
The soon-to-be slime was loosing his war against Gondor and Rohan.  He
turned to the Eastern Alliance for help, which was provided, but could
not save him.  He sued for peace, and got it under the condition to
fight Iron_Hills.
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Wed Apr 24 21:55:01 2002
Dear reader, pause and behold his transformation into slime: he did
not actually fight Iron_Hills, and never intended to.  They staged a
sham war for the news.  He actually had a safe city in the middle of
Easterlings all the time.  He provided all kinds of intelligence, in
particular from behind Umbar's line.  He diverted goods he received
from Gondor to supply Easterlings' fight with Umbar.  He promised to
turn back against the Western Alliance after recovering his strength.
And lastly, he proposed to take many sectors from Iron_Hills `to
shield Iron_Hills from Rohan and Gondor while he is helpless', which
sounded like a good idea in a desperate situation.
We were duped.  Maybe we deserved to be duped.
We are ashamed to have been associated with him.
We are ashamed to have been associated with him.
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Wed Apr 24 22:18:24 2002
Although I'm probabbly bigger than any single
country in the western alliance.  With Iron_Hills
being abandon due to the loss of a network connection
I have no hope of standing up to the win declairation
from five good sized countries in the west. Even with
help from my allies it would be a wast of time.
I would like to thank all the members of the eastern
alliance, and the feeder countries.  It has been
an interesting game to say the least.
I would like to give special thanks to the following
players
Iron_Hills: for being such a good allie, and a great
partner on the front line.  He also saw through Gondor's
earlier telegram conceding defeat to us trying to get
us to make a win declairation to unite the western
world.
Wainriders: who was a big help in the battle in the
south aginst Khand, and Umbar.  He rightfully earned
the title of "Eagle Killer" by killing no less than
80 enemy eagles while they were still in their nests.
Dorwinion: for holding out so long aginst impossible
odds.  Ultimately leading to the quick fall of Balchoth.
Now that it's out in the open (read the Celdiun post), I would
also like to thank Mordor for supplying us in the fight aginst
Khand and Umbar. The shells and mil were especially helpfull.
As well as the spy reports, and being a stump in the middle of
their way to funnel enemy troops where we wanted them.
Every individual in the alliance played key rolls in
many different battles, including Celdiun, Dagorlad,
Hildorien, Mirkwood, Nurn, and Rohan. ( Wainriders
not included in this list only due to past agreements
in the game).
It was a great game, my main regret is that it had
to end this way.  Not because I was on the losing side
but because one of the key players (Iron_Hills),
dropped out due to a long term loss of his network.
I'm sure Gondor/Rohan/ etc. would agree.
I hope to see everyone in the next LOTR game.  There
is going to be another one isn't there Geoff ?
Dristonia
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 22:24:22 2002
So far:
The win declaration is being made by:
Rohan, Gondor, Angmar, Umbar and Mordor.
In support of the declaration:
The_Shire, Mirkwood, Lorien, Anfalas, Nurn, Wainriders,
Celduin and Easterlings.
In opposition to the declaration:
<none yet>
##########################################################
GET YOUR VOTES IN PLEASE
##########################################################
> Announcement from Dagorlad, (#28)  dated Wed Apr 24 22:29:37 2002
oOOOOoooOOOOOO... (from the grave)
I'll be back !!
Let me time to reshape my ghostly form in a material one
and Azaghal will come back from the dead to walk on Middle Earth again !!
OOoooOOOOOooo...
AzaghalOOOooOOOOO !!
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 22:30:23 2002
Marshes can't talk. Shut up.
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Wed Apr 24 22:47:20 2002
If some kind soul would care to reveal to me the true identity of
Mordor for, hmm, let me put it this way: purposes of self-education,
drop me a line at celduin@pond.sub.org
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:02:26 2002
I'll do it if I receive a case of Belhaven Scottish Ale
within 42 seconds.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:51:25 2002
I see several people executing "update" commands.
Today's update is most definitely cancelled.
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:55:05 2002
I believe WinACE issues the update command
at a preset interval to prevent the client
from being disconnected for sitting idle
too long...
So I know you have seen some update commands
coming from me.
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:56:23 2002
des * ?command=update .
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:59:11 2002
The original Iron_Hills gave me "power of attorney" to make
end game decisions on his behalf, and confirmed it with
Mithrilien.
With the absence of the co-ruler put in place for Iron_Hills
at the last minute.  I announce that the country of Iron_Hills
accepts the win declairation.
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Wed Apr 24 23:59:28 2002
Glug, glug...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:01:05 2002
That "Glug, glug..." is appropriate to my post and Easterlings :)
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:01:22 2002
At least Easterlings finally for that ocean
front property he was always looking for. ;)
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:12:31 2002
Actually I got a nice chalet in the dwarven slopes of Iron_Hills.
Right beside a few other backup capitols ;)
> Announcement from Harondor, (#36)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:50:04 2002
Good game, people.
Loreth, guildmaster of Harondor
> Announcement from Harondor, (#36)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:50:41 2002
Oh yes, I am in support of the win declaration.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:57:12 2002
Well as the last disembodied remnant of Rhun :)
I am pleased that easterlings did not mention us :)
why because we did not agree with his twisting of the game of
putting mordor in the enemy camp while feeding the eastern
allience info (see celduim's post earlier) modor well done
on your win but you are a traitor who did not have the chance
to stick the knife in :)
easter and mordor are a little to close (apparently easter
tried to swap sides at the end and betray his allies)
If this is wrong I'm sure gondor and rohan will back you up :)
Roman you have been suppased (see Iceworld III) :) (keep
drinking the single malt)
just for a laugh I'll oppose (but you will find it difficult
to sack my capital) OK I really agree :)
just to let everyone know about easter and mordors treachery
mordor had a 100% capital sector in the northeast of middle
earth (in easterlings).
Also rhun was disolved by the alliance and we agreed (due to
easter not letting us expand)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:57:18 2002
I must thank Dorwin, celduim and Iron for being great allies
Easterlings for not being open and supporting non alliance
players more than allies. (also for keeping secrets from some
members of the alliance and thus sowing distrust - we found out
anyway)
Whine you fired the first shot but we forgive you :)
Rohan/gondor well done (pity you declared a win with a back
stabbing rat)
I hope that the deities tell who all the players were (easter
and mordor often corule)
last but not least plundaria for being a great ally :)
have a good one (byz)
oh by the way D & C (not giving anything away) you reputation lies in ruins for 
the future (If you ever had one).
maybe we should start a "Rats and backstabbers in empire
site" :)
and so the disembodied figure drifted off into the distance
crying "Arsenal 2 - West Ham 0" :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:59:32 2002
Arsenal doesn't have a midfielder worth a damn!
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:04:37 2002
that's because he's injured
but what about Vieira ohhh vieira ohhh
and freddy :)
you don't support Man Ure or Totscum :)
we are top of the league said we are top of the league
(by 4 points)
:)
> Announcement from Mirkwood, (#17)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:07:10 2002
What's UP with all this soccer talk?
[ Thranduin in Ugly American mode :) ]
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:10:18 2002
A sickly looking elf stumbles up to the podium
with a few pieces of crinkled paper in his
sweaty palms and raises his voice to the heavens.
We will fight until our last dying breath against
the ravening hordes fo those who have delcared
victory.  That is correct, we do NOT accept the
win declaration.  We shall see you ALL crushed beneath
our boots.  We'll torture your men, rape your sheep and
plunder your women.  Our loyal soldiers will certainly
triumph against over-whelming odds.  As such, the nation
of Rivendell does NOT accept the win declaration.

You see a smartly dressed man step from the shadows.
You see him pull an assault uzi from under his
sports coat, point it at the elf and calmly pull the
trigger.
*BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM**BLAM*
He turns to the next elf in line.
- Do you think you can do a better job?
The elf quickly bobs his head up and down and races
up to the podium.
With the recent change in leadership, our Lord has
decreed we WILL accept the win.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:12:02 2002
What soccer?
some other wierd american sport played by one country :)
The rest of the world will be glued to the TV in June and the
US can bomb Iraq cause no-one will care (even Iraq)
Byz
:)
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:12:44 2002
Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 00:57:18 2002
? (apparently easter tried to swap sides at the end and betray his allies)
And where did you come up with that story?
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:25:51 2002
Not saying but you could hardly bring the whole alliance
otherwise there would be no losers.
we all win yippee :)
If you don't want mistrust you shouldn't have secrets :)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:27:17 2002
So mirky made it after all
but which bit :)
Sean or the other bloke (like bill gates and the other bloke)
:)
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:31:37 2002
? Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:25:51 2002
? Not saying but you could hardly bring the whole alliance
? otherwise there would be no losers.
You are not saying because there isn't anything to say.  You are
simply a sore loser who's trying to stir up trouble.  You wouldn't
have even been around if I had not have pushed wainriders back
for you. Maybe I should have waited, then hit wain "after" he had
taken you out.
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:32:18 2002
Well, I must admit, if Easterlings was talking
about switching sides, and discussed this with
Gondor and Rohan, I wish someone would have told
me about it.  Being the only one from our side
with any kind of border with Easterlings (Mordor
possibly the exception?!?), I would have slept
a LOT better knowing that was going to happen.
I would have only had Wainriders to fight then!
And nothing personal King Wain, but that wouldn't
have kept me up at night (at least not so late)! ;)
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:36:14 2002
So are you saying that you didn't make an approach via Mordor
Yesterday ?
:)
Are you ?
:)
This should be interesting reading
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:38:42 2002
There has been absolutely no talk of me switching over to their
side.  Five good sized countries is too much, six would be
even worse.  Besides, why would they accept me ?  The don't
need me to win ?
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:39:34 2002
Silence is golden, golden :)
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:40:42 2002
What does that mean ?
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:40:53 2002
just how big are you ..
hrm?
I want to know the size of the countries.
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:41:36 2002
it means you should keep quiet
the more you protest the more
people will think you actually were
going to do this or that ...
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:46:43 2002
so did you or didn't you communicate via mordor ?
and if you did what did you say
(I know you did) :)
so there is no point denighing it :)
> Announcement from Easterlings, (#22)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:46:46 2002
Duh! You sure are parinoid.  I have talked with several of them today,
mainly after I conceded defeat.
> Announcement from Hildorien, (#21)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:50:46 2002
I don't usually bow out early.  I prefer to be taken by force.
However, I can not compare to 5 larger forces without others on
this side.
Hildy
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:54:03 2002
secrets come out into the light in the end
The winning allience didn't know about mordor but they do now
some of us beleave that it is better to lose in honour than
win by deceit.
OK I was out but at least I don't make allies and not communicate
to them while doing other plans on the side.
Your secrecy undermined everything
which is sad
but you lost as well :)
so I maybe a loser but so are you.
so much for your email saying it could be fun fighting a losing
war first sign of trouble you gave up.
also Rhun gave up it's country for the allience in the end.
so at least we had honour :)
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Thu Apr 25 01:56:02 2002
Yes, Umbar I'm sure you could handle me.
I am proud I of what I have been able to
do with only 74 non-road, non-mountain
sectors.
I probably would have taken Rhun out had
Easterlings not come into the fray.
Balchoth and I probably could have made
a bigger dent in Celduin and contested
things better had Iron Hills not come
on so fast.
I think I had a 1 update max at about 250
sectors, but that was a statistical blip
before I consented to share some of my
newly acquired Balchoth sectors with Iron
and East.
My recent max was in looking for the ocean
at about 174 sectors.  I am currently at 138
including mountains and roads do to my gift
of several sectors to Umbar :)
King Wayne
> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Thu Apr 25 02:08:43 2002
Rhun, it was haughty language like that
that I found intollerable and led to my
decsion not do deal with you :)
King Wayne ruler of the Wainwash!
(formerly the Rhun Sea)
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Thu Apr 25 02:08:51 2002
King Wayne, I truly meant no disrespect...
You did well with what you had, and Khand
admitted to me that you dealt him the death
blow when you hit his airforce...  I was
really just saying that a 2 or 3 sector
front with one enemy is much easier to
defend (hence my easier to sleep at night
comment) than an 18-20 sector front with 2
enemies knocking at your door!
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Thu Apr 25 02:50:11 2002
He was a skilled opponent both militarily and diplomatically
The main mistake we could see was his attack on Rivendell which
drew the peaceful Northwest Coalition (Rivendell, Shire, Angmar) into the war.
Even though he entranced the dark elves of Mirkwood to join his side
His fate was sealed. He could not sustain a war on multiple fronts.
We have no doubt that even if he were still on line, the forces of Shire/Rivendell/Angmar
would, in the next couple of updates, continue their advance.
The Hobbits of Angmar thank the elves of Rivendell for their unwavering support and 
friendship We thank our honourable cousins from the Shire for their patience and assistance
(and they were just about to get their dose of fun at the battle front too, but
are going to miss out, it seems)
More on why a hobbit is ruling Angmar later
Wahbit, Chief Sherriff of Angmar
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Thu Apr 25 02:53:18 2002
who must have spent many hours designing and overseeing this game
We MUST play this again, so they can have a go at the wonderful game they created.
Looking forward to their Tales of Middle Earth.
Wahbit, Chief Sherriff of Angmar
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Thu Apr 25 02:56:19 2002
oops the first line of my annos got chopped
first message should start
Shame about Iron Hill's disconnection
second message should start
And Finally three cheers for our deities
Manwe, Mithrilien and Valinor(?)
Fraid this shows what a newbie I am
:)
Wahbit
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Apr 25 03:39:19 2002
Nevermind the ravings of my coruler.  They're harmless.
If it's not clear, Rivendell supports the win declaration.
 Rivendell hit RL constrictions, and did not participate in
the final battle in any significant way.  With IH going offline,
the forces of Evil were also down a significant player - somewhat
later and more completely than I vanished.
My thanks to L.C. for holding the country together, and allies
Angmar, The_Shire, Lorien and Anfalas who kept the borders safe.
Iron_Hills initiated an attack on a small stockpile of units,
based on a tip from an anonymous informer in the Western Alliance.
There were rumors of such an informer for a long time, and it
did damage communications within the West - plans stopped being
circulated.  I'm still not certain there _was_ an informer, as
I'd have attacked that stockpile as IH anyway, and made up some
such excuse to cover it.  :)
> Announcement from Khand, (#37)  dated Thu Apr 25 05:01:16 2002
From the standpoint of Khand:
Real life kicked my ass.  My wife
is due with our first child in 5
weeks.  Between all of the Dr's
visits and classes and runs to
Dairy Queen, I barely had time for
work, let alone Empire.  (That's
not to say that Easterlings still
wouldn't have mopped the floor
with me, it's just that the night
that Wain wiped out my airforce,
I had 10 minutes on line before
breast feeding class.)
So, congrats to the winners, thanks
to my friends/allies.  Great job by
the deities.  And please, lets all
keep the whining and name calling
to a minimum.
P.S.  After my wife's maternity leave
is over, I'll be staying home as Mr.
Mom, so who knows maybe I'll have
more Empire time???
Khand/Stardust
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Thu Apr 25 05:45:14 2002
Hehe, Khand, if you think you will have more time for Empire
if you have a newborn. you are sadly mistaken!
You will be in the middle of a critical attack when your opponent is online
and your kid will cry
then when you get back 40 mnutes later you will find all your attacking forces 
wiped out!
But good luck and congrats in advance on becoming a father
> Announcement from Rivendell, (#7)  dated Thu Apr 25 07:21:04 2002
I want an update!!!!!!
> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Thu Apr 25 08:16:27 2002
} On Thu Apr 25 07:21:04 Rivendell wrote:
} I want an update!!!!!!
}-- End of excerpt from Rivendell
Try dried frog pills.
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Thu Apr 25 09:09:24 2002
Let me comment on the accusation that Easterlings attempted to desert
us.  I'm speaking for myself here, my coruler may or may not agree.
Celduin and Easterlings had some quarrels, but I don't wish to discuss
them in public.
I have to admit I had my suspicions about Easterlings at times.
Secretiveness makes suspicions multiply like jackrabbits.
I examined the `evidence' I now have, and I found it lacking.  Sorely
lacking, in fact.  Some of it involves the word of a certain
double-double-agent (not sure I got the number of doubles right), who
relegated himself to the Doghouse by his behavior.
Easterlings told me that he was going to offer a joint victory to the
Western Alliance.  I understood that this joint victory would include
all of the Eastern Alliance.  I still have absolutely no reason to
believe that Easterlings meant anything else.  Sure, we had next to no
hope that this would be accepted, but what did we have to loose by
trying?
> Announcement from Celduin, (#23)  dated Thu Apr 25 09:09:36 2002
So, based on the information I have now, I cannot believe Easterlings
tried to betray the alliance.
Others may have different information, and may weigh it differently.
Markus
> Announcement from Anfalas, (#32)  dated Thu Apr 25 13:41:50 2002
Many thanks to the deities.  For designing a great world. As I've not
played in any other long term games, all future games will be judged
by this one.  Thanks for giving me a great starting location. In the
hands of a better player Anfalas would have been twice it's size.
Under my fumbleing control I managed to make friendly with all the right
nations, last to the end of the game and align with the winning nations.
Thanks to my allies, but most especialy Rohan who answered my questions
and taught me much about the game.
Thanks to Iron_Hills who taught me a couple of things, like that it's
very difficult to wage war on someone who is 25 sectors away...
---Nad
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Apr 25 18:17:43 2002
##########################################################
# The WIN declaration stands. All nations remaining have #
# agreed to the win declaration made by Rohan, Gondor,   #
# Angmar, Umbar, and Mordor.                             #
##########################################################
    Congratulations to the winners!
> Announcement from Umbar, (#35)  dated Thu Apr 25 18:21:52 2002
Are we still waiting for votes, or have they
all been cast?
And while I am sending this question, I will
also state my thanks to the deities for setting
up this game...  Awesome setup, and well run
IMHO (this was my first 'big game' too).
Thanks also to friend and foe alike, from whom
I was able to learn.  I learned a lot in this
game!
Special thanks to Harondor who helped to pull
me out of the fire a few times in this game.
First by providing a diversion to split Near
Harads forces, and later for all the supplies
I put to (hopefully) good use keeping the
Easterlings horde outside of our borders.


> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Apr 25 18:29:38 2002
Oh, and the winner of the "I'm not dead yet!" award
goes to none other than: Rhun!
Missing all limbs, his nose, lower appendage, and
sporting a gaping hole in his gutt, his nation struggled
on with at one point less than 25 sectors. He only
disappeared in the late game when there was hope that
the co-rulers of that nation might be able to then
take over for the MIA Iron Hills. Rhun did an amazing
job just staying alive with a crappy starting location.
> Announcement from Lorien, (#15)  dated Thu Apr 25 19:58:32 2002
Final words from me too :)
First of all I want to thank Rohan and Rivendell
for being such great allies.
Also a big thank you to the whole western
coalition. Even if it might have looked loose
to some of you, there was still a great (imho)
cooperation among the nations. The more time
went the more solid it became.
As I didn't know that many countries from the
east myself, I'll just give credit to the one
I got to know - Iron_Hills. He gave me a good
lesson during the fight. If it wasn't for the
great allies (and the Misty Mountains) I doubt
if I'd survived to this point.
Last but definitely not least - a big thank you
to the Deities. You did a GREAT job creating the
world and keeping the game running so smoothly.
Definitely one of the best long term games I have
ever played.
Dynonia
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Thu Apr 25 22:18:44 2002
Thu Apr 25 20:58  Rohan spy shot Iron_Hills firing squad eight times
What, Dwarves have taken a sudden liking to horsemeat?
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 22:56:28 2002
PNN Headline News
Mountain of Power, Plundarian Prime
This just in from the diplomatic office
in Middle Earth
Victories Declared! West declares victory
Traitors accused!
Mysterious Inderdiction:Rifts in reality or new super weapon?
But first an editorial:
Plundaria, the quiet co-ruler of Rhun,
we would like to thank all for participating
in this excellent game. Too bad it had to
end in such manner, I'm sure most of the parties
involved (both enemy and ally) would have
prefered it differently
Got to try alot of new things, operating from allied
soil is a first for me, lots of neat logistic
issues to tackle. As I told Iron, my units where
motion sick by the time the arrived at the front
after marching 100+ sectors of roads to get there.
Still think allied land mines in roads exploding
on friendly troops is bogus but I'm a litte
strange that way.
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 22:57:12 2002
Got to try alot of old favorites,
little disapointed that that our troops
never got to the open water, Plundarian advisors
to the Rhun regulars had big plans for open water.
12 unit capacity! oh did they drool.
Instead they got to vent their frustrations on anyone
sailing about the Sea of Rhun. Had a good colection,
over 50% of my navy was "donated" by opponents. The
Corsair "Rhun's Bain" looked nice next to the Swanship
en Pecked" :)
Loved the units, balance came out pretty good.
I think the speed of the hobitt slingers was bit high,
"how can they run so fast on those stumpy legs?"
City costs. This was fantastic. Even though both of ours
were burned to the ground while I was away in Nevada, I
liked the high material and monetary costs in building.
I'll probably have to shamelessly copy that for later
games I run.
Lots of Machavellian Tricks pulled. Everyone knows what
they did and to whom, but this has already been beaten
enough.
Thanks to unselfish allies, those that delivered timely
> Announcement from Rhun, (#24)  dated Thu Apr 25 22:57:43 2002
help can't be thanked enough.
Thanks to hard fighting
opponents, game would be boring with out savages like
Thanks to the dieties for running this game, and even
having the foresight to archive the flow for an endgame
movie! Save the configs, this game is a classic that
must be revisited.
-Ray
Tyrant Ruler of Plundaria
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:23:15 2002
From the top of a mountain, the Captain of the Border Guard looked
over the plains of Rhovanion. The message of peace in Middle Earth has
reached the restless riders, who were in constant combat from the day
their King Theoden spoke the magic word "break"....
Their first missions were just exploring wilderness, but soon they
found their neighbors, and border patrols took their time. The elves
of Lorien turned out top have the same interests as the Rohirrim,
and an alliance was formed for mutual benefit. Then the King ordered
to expand southwards to the land of Dol_Amroth. Berohir shuddered,
remembering how they climbed mountains to bring the troops into
position for that enterprise, and then all they could do was to watch
the forces of Gondor eliminate the nation of Dol_Amroth.
The traditional strong bound between Rohan and Gondor soon led to the
renewal of the Oath of Eorl, and their leader decided to join forces
against the dark powers. Meanwhile, in the West of the country,
Enedwaith has massed troops along the border at the Gap of Rohan. The
troops had to rush to this border, defeated the aggressors and fought
their way through to the cities of Enedwaith. - to be surrounded by
friends of Enedwaith. It was King Theoden himself who negotiated a
non-aggression pact for the region - which was partly obsolete only too
soon, as war hit the area again. The Dunlendings opened hostilities
against Rivendell, and soon Dunland became to most beloved place in
Middle Earth as at least four nations tried to get there with their
troops....
This battle in the the West was not over yet when the Men of the Mark
were ordered to the far East, where Dol_Goldur and Dagorlad were met
near the falls of Rauros. Dagorlad appeared to be a vasall of the Dark
Lord, his forces blocked the path to Mordor for our troops. By that
time, Rohan had to be considered as one of the stronger powers, and
the men of Dagorlad were forced to withdraw, facing immediate
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:23:26 2002
for the epic clash between Gondor and Rohan vs. Mordor.
Mordor was surrounded by mountains, with only a small path through
them. Moving the troops through the Black Gate, directly into enemy
fire, storming the flanking mountain ranges, throwing back waves of
orcs, was the grim task of the Border Guard. The battlefield was
covered with blood and body parts, many brave men were lost in the
fierce fight, and Sauron proved to be an excellent leader who did not
hesitate to send even the best of his forces on suicidal missions,
which inflicted heavy damage on our battered forces. But whatever the
Scorcerer threw against the Riders, it was eventually annihilated,
and Mt. Doom fell after several failed attempts to the forces of
Rohan.
A decisive change in the war was initiated by one brave hobbit,
Frodolin Brockhouse, who volunteered to gather information about the
defenders of Mordor. The Rohan forces received valuable information
about Sauron's forces, their supply, their infrastructure between
MIA in the border region between Mordor and the realm of the
Wainriders. His reports allowed a devastating blow against the cities
of Sauron, which were burned down to the ground. The Dark Lord was
defeated in the field!
But meanwhile, the dwarves had left the Iron Hills, conquered large
Erebor, Dale and Dol_Goldur, and were now building on the East bank of
the Anduin. The Lord of the Mark ordered a cease-fire and a long
series of negotiations took place between Theoden and Sauron, while
the riders moved back Northwest to protect Rohan and Lorien from the
new threat. Berohir felt betrayed for a moment, being ordered to give
back all the strongpoints they had taken over weeks to the Evil
Forces. But the men were still scattered all over Gorgoroth when
Gimlet, the son of Groin, attacked the elves of Lorien and closed in
to the weak defended border region of Rohan. There was no time for
regrets about the missed chance to eliminate the forces of Sauron once
were in dire need of help.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:23:37 2002
Berohir shuddered. When he  and his men attacked Mt. Doom, he thought
that he saw the worst  scenes men can  imagine, with all those
corpses, some still bleeding, some rotting for days from another
assault, body parts, burned flesh all over the place....
But yet the battle against the dwarves of Iron_Hill turned out to be
worse. Their highly effective use of trebuchets sometimes annihilated
an Eored, before the men could even engage the enemy, from sucessful
attacks (or what his superiors called successful) he regularly
returned with less than one third of his men. Things would have looked
dull, if there was not the incredible support Rohan received from the
Western neighbors of Anfalas. Whenever the Captain returned to the
barracks from the struggle, dirty, blood-covered, with a horse that
could not carry the weight of a rider anymore, there were new men,
fresh horses, shiny armour, polished equipment delivered by Anfalas to
continue the battle and stop the expansion of the dwarves.

> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:23:43 2002
ground of Lorien into bloody mud, he faced the Dwarven ruler himself:
Gimlet himself asked the nation of Rohan to end their "spirited
resistance" and surrender to the Eastern Alliance. The short and clear
reply of Berohir found entry in the history books: "Nuts!". The series
of battles raged on... very slowly, the riders began to make progress,
the forces of Iron_Hill slowly lost their order that made them so
strong in the battles before. Then one morning, the rumour spread:
"Gimlet has left!" The despair in the ranks of the dwarvens could be
felt all along the frontline - this was the moment to strike the
enemy! For hours the Rohirrim fought  mercilessly their way through
the defending line, the defenders were routed in many places, their
lines crumbled under the force of the attacks, not only by Rohan, but
also by Angmar, Mordor and Gondor.

Now, the fighting is over!
Berohir has been haunted by visions of war in his dreams. He sometimes
fell asleep in the saddle, while leading a formation of fabulouswarriors. Even then, 
in his dreams, while in a different world, he was
on horseback, leading a Horde  of formidable warriors that were known
as "Mongols".
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:28:27 2002
I hate it when pei just drops lines in long annos :(((

"By that time, Rohan had to be considered as one of the stronger powers,
and the men of Dagorlad were forced to withdraw, facing immediate
destruction of the whole country otherwise. The battlefield was set
for the epic clash between Gondor and Rohan vs. Mordor. "
" expansion of the dwarves.
Then after an endless series of battles that turned the fertile
ground of Lorien into bloody mud, he faced the Dwarven ruler himself:"

sorry.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:39:32 2002
My King Theoden (Rook) already praised cooperation with Lorien,
let me extend our thanks to Anfalas who provided
units to our war machine faster and better than we could
throw them into battle.
Gondor was also an ally of the first hour, and a great help in battle.
Our thanks go to Angmar, who made the first breach into the Iron_Hill
defenses, and Umbar who kept the Eastern Alliance more than busy
on the far side of the map.
Mordor, a great warrior, gets a nomination for teh "Rude Dog Award",
he managed to transform from an effectively defeated country to
a member of the winning coalition.
Rivendell would have been probably part of it, if RL did not
prevent their engagement into the great clash between the power blocks.
We also salute to Gimlet, Son of Groin, for his outstanding performance
in this game - both as a warrior and as a role player.
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:42:21 2002
It has been said already, the Dieties did great.
The map, the units, the little extras, it all made up
an entertaining game.
Berohir,
Captain of the Border Guard
and Leader of the Mongol_Horde
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 14:46:56 2002
to adress game details:
yes, mines blowing up allied units are a major annoyance.
I guess that nobody looked at the landmine code,
when adding the code that allowed allied units to march
through their allies' territory. I'm sure that wolfpack
will fix that, along with the interdiction bug,
that was so disturbing in this game for the large number
of land arty units (trb's) that were set on interdiction.
:)
And I still think, that a missile (wizard bolt) for $2200
as a one-shot-weapon should outrange arty units by 1.

> Announcement from Manwe, (#0)  dated Fri Apr 26 15:03:40 2002
Thank you everyone for having part in this game.
A map screenshot was taken after each update. All of them
including the full animation will be provided later.
  VIU
  P.S. more later..
> Announcement from Gondor, (#34)  dated Fri Apr 26 15:04:37 2002
I enjoyed the game.  I thank the deities for a smooth
smoothly run game.  The units and the map were a good
combination.  I also like that cities were expensive to
build and required protection.  However, forts were made
useless in this game.  If they are going to be very
costly (which is a good thing), then they should be able
to fire.  Otherwise, without fortfire, they were useless
in this setup.  I look forward to the next game.
Faramir, sub-ruler of Gondor
a.k.a. Ski
> Announcement from Rohan, (#14)  dated Fri Apr 26 15:12:12 2002
The issue of expensive cities has merits
but also downsides.
When we captured Enedwaith's cities early in the game,
(with a low number of civ in it, as they had to work in
the mines) and made highways out of them, he effectively
lost any chance to fight back. You lose your ability to fight,
unless you have an ally that gives you a city protected
deep in his territory, and then a city is hard to rebuild.
This was no issue for those countries that made early conquests,
they got extra back-up cities almost for free...
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Apr 26 16:16:07 2002
Imagine, if you would, the effect on Gondor if Minas Tirith had fallen
in the Lord of the Rings?
Cities were highly defended things in the times that Middle
Earth was in at the end of the third age. Civilians and soldiers alike
would flock to the cities to seek protection and
to defend it. Cities were the very heart of nations. Without
them, there was little to do but to subjugate yourself to
the conquering powers.
We meant to simulate that in this game by having BIG_CITIES
enabled and having them be so expensive. They were NOT something
you would want to lose. If you were so unfortunate to lose your
cities, then so be it. Your fate was sealed just as it was in those times.
Another element this helped to bring it was that the battle fields were
not as fluid as they are in most Empire games. Strategy
played more of an element...you had to protect those cities.

> Announcement from Wainriders, (#31)  dated Fri Apr 26 17:06:44 2002
The big cities changed the way I played.
I was reluctant to damage them too much
when attacking in an attempt to take them
as whole as possible. If this proved to
be a problem I took the raze 'em and then
attack route, but at times "wasted" several
updates in my attempt to take them whole.
I would think that fortified sectors should
take less damage from shelling.  Forts and
cities would be harder to shell, units &
commodities in them should take less damage.
On other things, mines should be destroyed
by shelling.  If you take a sector down to 0
and explore in the new owner inherits the
mine field.
I don't think you should be able to shell a
sector down to 0% and kill all the civies
then just explore in.  If you have enough
mobility you can take take sectors without
attacking and make them 100% at the next update.
If the last civillian doesn't die from shelling
it would at least take 1 update to then kill/convert
it before you can move your own in rebuild and
you would have to have the mobility in a sector or
unit to take it and be subject to interdiction.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Fri Apr 26 18:10:11 2002
damn damn damn
managed to get my troops next to IH's original cap but not enough mob for a unit to sack it.
Would have ben nice note to finish game on
:)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Apr 26 18:18:05 2002
Ah, so the lonely mountain stands then, eh? :)
> Announcement from Mithrilien, (#41)  dated Fri Apr 26 18:19:21 2002
If it's any comfort, that's not his capitol :)
> Announcement from Arnor, (#4)  dated Sat Apr 27 02:20:04 2002
meesa thinking meesa classified as "Fodder"?
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 03:45:31 2002
Excerpts from the Chronicles of Angmar
As told by the Bard TzeTze Longshanks
Chapter 36: The Fall of The Witch King
The Witch King cackled raucously as her minions brought yet another batch of Hobbits
for processing. Her guards joined in with much laughter and back-slapping that was not
matched by their hollow, expressionless eyes. For years, the Witch King had sent the
"Angmar-Guard", which was really no better than a rag tag army of misfits, into the
northern wilderness of Bree to capture hobbits to be used as slaves in Angmar. With the
widespread smoking of "Viagra-weed", there had been a population explosion in Bree
over the last 50 years, and many hobbits had moved into the northern wilderness and built
new settlements there. However, this had also come to the attention of the Witch King,
and as a consequence, the hobbits lived in fortified townships, lest they come to grief by
meeting an Angmar slave party.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 03:47:24 2002
The hobbits had proved to be ideal slaves for the Witch King. They were docile and there
had never ever been a single case of attempted escape. They were kept in guarded
enclosures at night but during the day, were allowed to tend to menial tasks in the cities,
such as street cleaning, cooking, and building. As long as they were fed 6 times a day, the
hobbits generally made no fuss. Consequently, although guards were often present,
security was lax.
This was until Wahbit Talltree was captured. He was a most unusual hobbit and this had
even been remarked upon by his captors as he had actually put up a fight and nipped one
of them in the hand, much to the delight of the other guards. During his work cleaning the
city temples , he had observed that in fact most Angmarians were actually kind-hearted
souls who tried to look after their "slaves" the best they could, but they were always
looking over their shoulder, in case their acts of kindness were to be observed by the
ever-present Angmar Guard
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 03:48:47 2002
, and reported to the Witch King. He had even seen the Witch ]
King herself once in the distance, when she visited one of the temples. She was
surrounded by her guards, and all the other humans knelt down and grovelled in front of
her. One unfortunate soul had inadvertently turned his back to her, and was smitten by a
Basilisk spell from the Witch King, and turned into stone. All she had to do was issue a
stony stare at him. It was obvious to Wahbit, that even the humans in Angmar were not
truly free.
The temples were also full of depictions of the "heroics" of the Witch King, of how she
razed cities to the ground, how she saved the Dark Lord Sauron in the Elven Wars, and
how she defeated the Council of Wizards in a mighty battle at Il Sirath. Wahbit knew not
how much of this was truth, but he suspected not much.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 03:51:51 2002
There was even a mural of how
she bravely fought Dragon Attila, even though it was reputed that the only way she
could be killed was if tooth of dragon were to penetrate her body. Her mother, the
Enchantress of Sivanor, had apparently dipped her in Dragon's blood at birth, which gave
rendered her skin impenetrable, but also made her immune to all 346 ways of being killed
described in "the Book of Death". Wahbit looked, listened and learned and a plan
emerged in his mind.
Escape was easy. He merely walked out of the camp whilst the guards were drunk. He
headed straight for the Shire where he knew that the famed Bilbo Baggins resided and
told him his story. Bilbo was only too pleased to help his distant cousins in captivity and
gave him a little pouch of white powder. Wahbit was slip back into the slave camp
several days later without having been missed by the guards. However, the other hobbits
in his camp knew, and asked him what he was up to. He told them his plan, and there was
much debate.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:00:55 2002
In the end, despite much fear and trepidation, they agreed to his plan.
Several weeks later, whilst the Witch King was on one of her temple visits, Wahbit and a
small band of intrepid followers hid behind an altar. When the Witch turned away to
leave with her guards, Wahbit clambered up the alter and leapt forward, crying "You
Witch Bitch!", and tossed some of Bilbo's powder in her direction. A wall of guards
advanced upon Wahbit and grabbed him as the witch turned back with her stony stare. As
one of her guards hardened into stone, she shuddered, and blinked. Then she put her
hands to her eyes and uttered a horrible shriek. Blood poured from her eyes like a geyser.
She slowly vaporised until only an ashen stain remained on the marble floor. Bilbo had
ground up a tooth from Smaug, a gift from the people of Esgaroth into powder. The
Dragon tooth powder easily burnt through the membranes of the Witch's eyes, entering
her blood stream, disseminated throughout her body, vaporising tissues as it spread.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:01:49 2002
The guards stood aghast and in their horror, dropped Wahbit. Confusion and fear was
amongst them. Wahbit's followers came out with their brooms and sticks ready to defend
him. But even though they were a comical sight, the guards had no fight in them, and all
knelt down in fear of this Hobbit Sorcerer.
In the days that followed, the hobbits were freed to live in harmony with the humans of
Angmar. A Grand Council with equal representation from Humans and Hobbits was
elected to oversee the country. In recognition of his deeds, Wahbit was appointed the
Chief Sherriff of Angmar.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:03:52 2002
Chapter 37: The Empire War
After several years of peace, the tides of war came to Angmar. There were whispers that
the Dark Lord Sauron had awaken, that the Dwarves of the Iron Hills wee on the march,
and there were also horrible rumblings of war further to the East. Even the nearby elves
of Rivendell were arming themselves, as nearby Bree was no longer acting peacefully. It
appears that a particularly potent concoction of Viagra-weed had corrupted the minds of
the wealthier hobbits there, and they constantly fantasised about thin elven women with
glowing white skin called Cate Blanchette, and were starting to demand the
Administrator of Bree actually find them some to satisfy their desires.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:05:18 2002
In view of the uncertain times, the Grand Council of Angmar elected Wahbit as the
Protector of Angmar, and placed the army under his command. Immediately, Wahbit set
about building an effective force, and appointed Gwan as the Western Flag General, Fei
as the Eastern Flag General, and Liu as the Southern Flag General. Soon after, the Bree
forces ventured into Rivendell forests in search of female company. Despite a heavy
heart, Liu led Angmar forces into Bree to assist Rivendell to destroy the corrupting
influence of the Viagra-weed. Many a poor hobbit felt much guilt about putting down one
of their drug crazed cousins.
Even the slimey creature called Gollum sneaked into Angmar, but was fortunately
ensnared and imprisoned by our ever vigilant militia. Who knows what nasty deeds he
was planning to commit in Angmar, but he was probably drawn in by rumours that
Wahbit's powers came from a golden ring he possessed (absolute nonsense of course).
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:06:25 2002
From the East, fearful travellers returned with tales of Mad Dwarves torching the twin
cities of Erebor, and the sacking of Dale. General Fei soon met the Dwarves in the
Northern Wastelands, stopping their Westward expansion, with an uneasy truce. The
peacepipe was smoked with the Elves of Mirkwwod to secure our Easstern border.
In the West, Arnor was observed to attack our Angmar's old friend Forochel. Not
knowing if Forochel could suvive this onslaught, Gwan swept into Arnor and secured the
borders to Forochel. To his horror, he discovered that Forochel was also in the habit of
using hobbits as slaves. Therefore, He continued his onslaught and liberated the hobbits
of Forochel, in concert with the hobbit armies from The Shire who marched in through
the seaside nation of Forlindon.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:07:43 2002
Despite these successes, there was growing concern as more stories of ancient cities in
the South and East falling to the forces of Darkness emerged. The Iron Hills Dwarves
chewed up the Gladden Fields, and logged the forests of Lorien. A peaceful Rivendell
mountain climbing expedition was destroyed. Then, succumbing to the charms of
Gimlet's groin, and a share of the spoils of victory, the elves of Mirkwood turned against
Rivendell. Emissaries from the southern Nations of Rohan, Umbar and Anfalas came
with stories of massacres conducted by the dreaded dwarves. Stories of trebuchets firing
at cities until not a single lifeform remained. Just blood, guts and fragments of bone in the
dust.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:09:11 2002
Hearing of this, Wahbit could hold back no longer. Despite his sadness that many a poor
hobbit would die, he had no choice but to make a stand and help the poor souls in the
Western Alliance. Unfortunately any chances of a surprise attack were lost when a couple
of our scouts were captured when looking at the disposition of Iron Hills forces.
Eventually, a frontal assault had to be made, but because of vigorous defence from the
dwarves, progress was slow. However, the IH war machine could not continue this battle
of attrition, and started to rely on the troops of his minions for defence. Seizing the
opportunity, Wahbit utilised his strategy of "defensive attack", which he later outlined in
Wahbit's Art of War, and cracked open the IH line. Our troops poured through the breach
and into open fields north of the Iron Hills. Soon after, we heard of similar success in the
south as Rohan, Umbar and Anfalas all made gains.
> Announcement from Angmar, (#6)  dated Sat Apr 27 04:09:56 2002
Just when victory was in sight, the Evil Elves of Mirkwood attacked , threatening to cut
supply lines to our advance forces. Fortunately the resources put into defensive works
around Mirkwood proved their worth. The timely arrival of reinforcements from the
Shire ensured that our lines held. Unfortunately , this abortive raid by Mirkwood diverted
the second wave of our attacking force from the Iron Hills. Nonetheless, as news came
that everywhere, the Dwarves were laying down their arms, our cavalry sent news that
they were at the gates to the Dwarven capitol, the The Great Cavern of the Iron Hills.
> Announcement from The_Shire, (#1)  dated Sat Apr 27 07:04:53 2002
great, first roaches, now this... apartment two stories above mine had
a 'toilet problem', now i've got water flowing out of the ceiling and
oozing out from the baseboards everywhere... god what a hole this place is...
 
  
 

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