Issue #49 (Index to The Mouth of Sauron)

[darrell]

NOT From the Mouth of Sauron

Issue: E-49
Date: 09-15-02


First Word

>From the December 1993 (issue #1) to August 1994 (issue #25),
and then after a delay ran again from January 1995 (issue #26)
to March 1997 (issue #48). I don't recall exactly what caused
Tom and I to cease publication at that time --- while I'm a
real packrat with regards to documentation (and here, your
honor, I place into evidence the mepbm info files), I can't
place my hands on that discussion, nor do I know what old GSI
games in which I participated. O, some of the early bloody
ones I lost are recalled (62: Cardolan, Hello Tom! and 97:
Rhudaur, Hello Brian and Steve!). As far as I can tell the
last game I played was in early 1997, and I suspect a lot has
changed since then. I know I've had a lot of big life changes.

When I decided to resume playing me-pbm, one of the things I
did not want to do is come into a game and look like the return
to tennis of Bjorn Borg. Anybody remember that? He was a big
player of the early 80s who made a brief return and found out
that the game had left him behind.

Now, I'm no Bjorn Borg, but one of the things I wanted was to
be happy with my own play, so somewhat naturally, I decided to
bring myself up to speed by looking over old issues of "From
the Mouth of Sauron." In doing this I noticed that I had compiled
an index in issue #25, but did not do anything else. This then
is an index of the entire "From the Mouth of Sauron" collection,
issues 1-48. As before, queries, riddle, dragon, and encounter
information is not included. Hope you find them as useful as I
do, and if you come across an antiquated player looking older
than Hallas out there, be kind.

Brian

SPECIFIC GAME DISCUSSIONS
=========================

A Lost Cause (or how the Ice King Bit It in 7 turns in game 101)(Issue #23) - Nunya B. Sness
What Fun I could Have Had if I had Stayed In? (Issue #24) - Ronald C. Cudworth
The "From the Mouth of Sauron" 2950 game Rogues Gallery (2950/22) (Issue #26), (Issue #27), (Issue #28)
Grudge Games: 2950/22 (Issue #27) - Brian Mason
Grudge Games, II: 2950/22 (Issue #28) - Brian Mason
Game 22 - lessons learned about "grudge matches" (Issue #29) - Dave Holt
Player Roster List for Game 22 (Issue #29) - Brian Mason
Game 115 and Team Play in Middle-Earth (Issue #30) - Tom Walton
Game 5 (UK) - The truth is told... (Issue #34) - Colin Forbes
Anatomy of a Game: The First Eight Turns (Issue #42) - Tom Walton and Brian Mason
Reunited Arnor: The Story Continues (Issue #43) - Brian Mason and Tom Walton
On an Autralian (sic) Game: 2 (Issue #43) - Ken Lee
ME 180 - An Unhappy Ending (Issue #45) - Jim Drysdale

FICTION, HUMOR, ETC.
====================

The Council Debate (Issue #3) - Brian Mason
The Lighter Side (Issue #3) - Jeff Holzhauer
Commentary (Issue #5) - Leslie Foreman
Commentary (Issue #6) - Leslie Foreman
Commentary (Issue #9) - Leslie Foreman
Commentary (Issue #10) - Leslie Foreman
Commentary (Issue #10) - Leslie Foreman
People's Midwinter Meeting (Issue #13) - Jeff Holzhauer
Commentary (Issue #14) - Leslie Foreman
A New Nation (Issue #14) - Brian Mason
Tolkien and D & D (Issue #14) - unknown
Commentary (Issue #15) - Leslie Foreman
Attolma (Issue #15) - Patrick Wynne & Carl Hostetter
Top Ten Rewards for Mouth Submissions (Issue #19) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Capital Pun-ishment (Issue #20) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Reports on Game 158 (Issue #24) - Jeff Holzhauer
At Rivendell, In a Slightly Different Vein (Issue #26) - Tom Walton
The Ringwraiths: A Cautionary Poem of Real Estate Values (Issue #26) - Damrod the Deft
At Edoras (Issue #26) - Dave & Rochelle
Eomer's Saga (Issue #27) - Dave and Rochelle
On the Road Again (Issue #27) - Brian Mason
Outside of Imladris (Issue #28) - Tom Walton
Untitled Fiction (Issue #28) - Dave and Rochelle
At Barad Perras (Issue #29) - Mark Jaede
Ji Indur and Adunaphel share Bunk Bed, Story at 11! (Issue #29) - Dave Holt
An Old Debate (Issue #29) - Brian Mason
Zaken's Bad Day (Issue #29) - Dave and Rochelle
The Die is Cast (Issue #30) - Darin Fitzpatrick
King Tarondor's Ride (Issue #32) - Jon F. Zeigler
On the Lighter Side (Issue #32) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Erkenbrand's Rescue (Issue #33) - Dave Rossell
True of Heart (Issue #33) - Tom Walton
Fiction (Issue #35) - Dave Rossell
Saruman's Diary (Issue #36) - unknown
A Soldiers Tale (Issue #36) - Gary Drebit
The Second Battle of Osgiliath (Issue #37) - James Vigil
The Gift (Issue #37) - Gary Drebit
Untitled (Issue #37) - Dave Rossell
The Burning of Angmar (Issue #38) - Tom Walton
The Shadow (Issue #38) - Gary Drebit
The Star Maiden (Issue #38) - James Vigil
Tales of the Great War: The Second Battle of Eldanar (Issue #39) - Tom Walton
In the Midst of the War (Issue #41) - Brian Mason
Poetry (Issue #41) - Geoffrey Allbutt
Tales of the Great War: At the Prince's Court in Metriath (Issue #42) - Tom Walton
Untitled Fiction (Issue #44) - Dave Rossell
Unnamed Fiction (Issue #48) - Tony Zbaraschuk


GENERAL STRATEGY
================

Economics in Middle-earth (Issue #2) - Tom Walton
Population Center Development (Issue #2) - Brian Mason
NPC skill ratings (Issue #2) - Tom Walton
Allegiance Comparison Tables (Issue #3) - Tom Walton
The Problem with Army and Troop Training (Issue #4) - Brian Mason
The Problem with Army and Troop Training, II (Issue #5) - Brian Mason
Arriving at an Equation to Represent Skill Rank Increases (Issue #5) - Brian Mason
Looking for Statistical Trends in Data (Issue #5) - Brian Mason
Food and Army Movement (Issue #8) - Jeremy Richman
Winners & Losers in Middle-earth (Issue #8) - Tom Walton
The Problems with Dragons (Issue #14) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Building a Framework for your Team/Nation's Success (Issue #16) - Wes Fortin
Diplomacy in Middle-earth (Issue #19) - William "Rock" Chasko
Drops, bankruptcies, and other defeats (Issue #19) - William "Rock" Chasko
Team Play by the Dark Side (Issue #19) - Patrick McGehearty
The Role of the Neutrals (Issue #19) - William "Rock" Chasko
The One Ring (Issue #22) - Tom Walton
Army Movement in MePBM (Issue #29) - Paul Erik Lundstroem
It's a Team Game...... (Issue #29) - Colin Forbes
A Sort-Of Neutral Rebuttal to Colin's Article (Issue #29) - Tom Walton
More On Encounters (Issue #29) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Some Encounter Myths (Issue #29) - Tom Walton
The Bribe/Recruit Order: A Call to Arms! (Issue #30) - Brian Mason
Thoughts on Climate in Middle-Earth (Issue #30) - Sam Freeman
Database of Climates (Issue #30) - Sam Freeman and Brian Mason
Revising the Middle-Earth Combat System (Issue #30) - Tom Walton
Comments Regarding "Revising the Middle-Earth Combat System" (Issue #31) - Brian Mason
Middle-Earth Movement (Issue #31) - John Mason
Unknown Powers of Artifacts (Issue #31) - Paul Erik Lundstroem
Database on Climates, a Growing List (Issue #32) - Brian Mason
Population Center Combat (Issue #32) - Brian Mason
Recons for Major Towns and Cities (Issue #32) - Brian Mason
Comments Concerning Men-at-Arms (Issue #33) - Darren Beyer
Allegiance Comparison Tables (Issue #35) - Brian Mason
The Database on Climate (Issue #35) - Brian Mason
Navies (Issue #37) - Bob Tweedy
On Population Center Improvement (Issue #37) - Brian Mason
On Dragons (Issue #38) - Brian Lowery
Neutrals and Allegiance Changes (Issue #39) - Keith Petersen
Population Center Combat, II (Issue #39) - Brian Mason
Forced March Movement (Issue #46) - John Cain


NATION STRATEGIES (1650-specific)
=================================

Strategy & Tactics: The Woodmen (Issue #3) - Brian Mason
The Woodmen (Issue #4) - Wes Fortin
Strategy & Tactics: Cardolan (Issue #5) - Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Blind Sorcerer (Issue #8) - Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Dragon Lord (Issue #8) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Eothraim (Issue #8) - Brian Mason
How Many Woodmen Could a Dragon Lord Chuck if a Dragon Lord Could Chuck Woodmen...? (Issue #9) - Dan DeYoung
Strategy & Tactics: The Dwarves (Issue #9) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Quiet Avenger (Issue #11) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Noldo Elves (Issue #12) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: Arthedain (Issue #13) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Northmen and Other Comments (Issue #13) - Dave Rossell
Strategy & Tactics: The Witch-King (Issue #14) - Wei Wang
Strategy & Tactics: The Corsairs (Issue #14) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Cloud Lord (Issue #15) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Long Rider (Issue #16) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Dunlendings (Issue #17) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Dark Lieutenants (Issue #18) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
N. Gondor Strategy (or how game 101 was won in 20 turns) (Issue #19) - Dave Holt
Strategy & Tactics: The Sinda Elves (Issue #19) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Comments on the Sinda S&T, Issue 19 (Issue #20) - Dave Holt
Strategy & Tactics: The Easterlings (Issue #20) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy and Tactics: North Gondor (Issue #20) - Dan DeYoung
Strategy & Tactics: The Easterlings (Issue #21) - William "Rock" Chasko
Strategy & Tactics: The Fire King (Issue #21) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Witch King (Issue #22) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
On the Witch King S&T Article (Issue #23) - Paul Comber
Strategy & Tactics: The Northmen (Issue #23) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: South Gondor (Issue #24) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Dog Lord (Issue #24) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: The Haradwaith (Issue #24) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: The Ice King (Issue #25) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Strategy & Tactics: Northern Gondor (Issue #25) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Strategy & Tactics: Rhudaur (Issue #25) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Agents and the Cloud Lord Revisited An admittely (sic) DS biased article (Issue #34) - "Amarthlinde"


OTHER NON-FICTION
=================

Place Names (Issue #8) - Brian Mason
Of GAD games and Middle-earth in Europe (Issue #16) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Proper Usage of Nation Titles in Middle-earth (Issue #16) - Darin Fitzpatrick
My Experience with GSI, Or "Customer Service in a Monopoly" (Issue #19) - David Foreman
What Would J.R.R. Have Thought? (Issue #19) - William "Rock" Chasko
Customer Service (Issue #20) - From Bill at GSI
Tabs, Spaces, and Screwed up Tables (Issue #21) - David Foreman
The All Email Game (Issue #21) - David Foreman
How I got Screwed by GSI (Issue #24) - Tom L.
News from the GSI Seminar at Origins (Issue #24) - Willam "Rock" Chasko
Questions and Answers with GSI (Issue #24) - Jeremy Richman
My Experiences and Opinions about ME-PBM, c.1650 and c.2950 (Issue #31) - Greg Reid
My Thoughts on Middle Earth (Issue #32) - Jeff Holzhauer
Editorial Response to the Previous Article (Issue #32) - Brian Mason
Another Editorial Response (Issue #32) - Tom Walton
The War of the Ring: A Proposal (Issue #32) Tom Walton
My Thoughts on Various Subjects (Issue #33) - Kevin McGee
MePBM as a Military Simulation (Issue #33) - James Vigil
Questions for Bill Feild (Issue #33) - Brian Mason
Top 10 Middle Earth Blunders (UK) (Issue #34) - Colin Forbes
On Customer Service (Issue #38) - Brian Lowery
Pointless Silliness In The Face Of Abject Despair (Issue #38) - Dan DeYoung
Pondering the Hall of Heroes of Middle-earth Play-By-Mail, c.1650 (Issue #39) - Greg Reid
Team Dynamics (Issue #39) - Wes Fortin
Special Abilities in Middle Earth...One Man's Opinion (Issue #41) - Marc Parker
Miscellaneous Items (Issue #42) - Dennis DeYoung
More on Marc Parker's Article (Issue #43) - Ken Lee
On Troops in Middle-Earth From Martin Read (Issue #43) - Brian Mason
Contemplations of a New Guy (Issue #43) - Darrell Shimel
More on Team Dynamics (Issue #43) - Quico Gil
Beating a Dead Horse, or Team Dynamics - Yet Again (Issue #43) - Tom Walton
Writing Turn Reports, Part 1 (Issue #43) - Sheldon Campbell
Interesting and Confusing Occurrence (Issue #44) - Darrell Shimel
Influencing Game Winners (Issue #44) - Anonymous
More on Game Winners (Issue #44) - Tom Walton
Dragon Encounters versus Dragons in Personal Challenge (Issue #44) - Mark Jaede
Rookie Mistakes to be Avoided in MePBM (Issue #47) - Darrell Shimel

CHARACTER STRATEGIES
====================

Train Your Characters! (2)(Issue #2) - David Foreman
More Character and Skill Improvement (3)(Issue #3) - Tom Walton
Personal Challenge Combat Results (4)(Issue #4) - David Foreman
Emissaries in Middle-earth (9)(Issue #9) - Tom Walton
Mages in Battle (10)(Issue #10) - Tom Walton
Naming Less than Ideal Characters (23)(Issue #23) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Character Movement (27)(Issue #27) - Shawn Glass
On the Bribing and Recruiting of Characters (32)(Issue #32) - Brian Mason
On the Bribing and Recruiting of Characters, II (38)(Issue #38) - Brian Mason
Agent Action Calculations (39)(Issue #39) - Keith Petersen
On the Bribing and Recruiting of Characters, III (42)(Issue #42) - Brian Mason
Challenge Ranks of 1650 Starting Characters (46)(Issue #46) - Tony Zbaraschuk


THE 2950 GAME
=============

Speculations: The New Game (Issue #16) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Speculations: Encounters in the New Game (Issue #18) - Tom Walton
Speculations: More Comments on the New Game (Issue #18) - Tom Walton, Eric Schnurr, & Brian Mason
On the New Information about ME-PBM 2950 (Issue #19) - Darin Fitzpatrick
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: Lothlorien (Issue #19) - Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: Mirkwood Elves (Issue #20) - Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: The Rohirrim (Issue #20) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: Rangers of the North (Issue #21) - Brian Mason
Speculations: Dark Servant Pop Centers in the New Game (Issue #21) - Tom Walton
Speculations for Middle Earth PBM 2940 (Issue #22) - Lucas T. Cuccia II
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: Imladris/Mithlond Elves (Issue #22) - Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: The Rhovanion Free Positions: Woodmen, Northmen, and Dwarves (Issue #23) - Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: North and South Gondor (Issue #24) - Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: Further Comments on the Dark Servants (Issue #25) - Tom Walton & Brian Mason
Speculations on player positions in the 2950 game: The Neutrals (Issue #25) - Brian Mason & Tom Walton
Rules and Syntax Changes (Issue #26) - Brian Mason
2950 Disappointments (Issue #29) - author anonymous upon request
Commentary on the Previous Article (Issue #29) - Tom Walton
Commentary on the 2950 Game (Issue #29) - Ben Diebold
Commentary on the 2950 Game (Issue #29) - Ben Pappas
More Commentary on the 2950 Game (Issue #29) - Adam Waters
A new player's perspective on the 2950 game (Issue #30) - Mark Jaede
Tactics for the New Game (Issue #30) - Wes Fortin
Thoughts on 2950 (Issue #31) - Patrick McGehearty
Comments on the Previous Article (Issue #31) - Tom Walton
Learning to "Think 2950": Some observations for 1650 players (Issue #31) - David Rossell and Mark Jaede
Me-PBM 2950 (Issue #32) - Jeff Holzhauer
The 2950 Scenario (Issue #34) - Colin Forbes
Newbie Thoughts on Me-PBM 2950 (Issue #36) - John Amenta
Comments on the 2950 Game (Issue #39) - Mike Hunnersen

THE FA GAME
===========

The Fourth Age Game (Issue #46) - Tony Zbaraschuk
The Cost of Nations in the 1650/2950 Scenarios (Issue #46) - Brian Mason and Tom Walton
Perceived Problems with the 4th age scenario (Issue #47) - Darrell Shimel

Last Word

As I said in line one of this document, this is NOT "From the
Mouth of Sauron" issue #49. Tom Walton was the exclusive editor
of the ezine for issues 1-10. I nudged my way on with issue
#11, so he was and will always be senior editor.

The whole history of "From the Mouth of Sauron" was given
completely in Tom's Last Word of issue #25. In summary, it was
started by him, first in paper, later electronically, to help
new players. The "old hands" of the game had a tremendous
advantage. The "Majiq Mafia" (Brian Lowery, Steve Latham, et
al.) continued to have a tremendous advantage thanks to their
fabulous dragon encounter tables (which I STILL don't have;
I don't remember a lot about my games but i DO remember how much
I hate dragons) allowing them, as DS players, to always have
one of the slimy wurms at their beck and call. Other players
(Mike Hostetter, Wes Fortin, etc.) had advantages because they
were just better than the rest of us. "From the Mouth of Sauron"
was designed to help level the playing field. Since I still see
it available on many me-pbm websites I think it did a pretty
good job.

"From the Mouth of Sauron" is not resuming. Without Tom it
could never resume. Also, "NOT From the Mouth of Sauron" is not
resuming either. I've been out of the game for five years and
I can't imagine that I actually have something interesting or
informative to say. I WILL continue to update the me-pbm info
files (1650, 2950, FA, and 5 Armies, I suppose) and if there
are updates to them or you want to get them, please email me
at home : elentirmo@mindspring.com .

So, we'll end this experiment with #49. For a while I considered
the idea of sending out the updated me-pbm info files as #50 and
end on a nice round number, but in retrospect (and to those who
know me) #49 is much better. It is after all, a perfect square.


Brian