STARSHIP TROOPERS

Avalon Hill 1976 Variants collection

Dragon June 1979

AND WHAT OF THE SKINNIES?

Ed Note: The author play-tested the game in question for AH and so is eminently qualified to write this. Starship Troopers (AH) is one of the most popular Science Fiction game on the market now, and with good reason. Good rules, great graphics and a large uncertainty factor keep every game interesting and fun. The Arachnids and Humanoids (known as Skinnies to you Earth folks) present alien psychologies as well as alien names and shapes. In the game, as in the Robert Heinlein book of the same name, the major battles are between the Terrans and Arachnids, with the Humanoids being a pushover for an experienced Terran player. While this was the case in the overall strategic conflict, there must have been some cases where the Terrans got more than they bargained for on a Skinny planet. I dedicate this variant to all you eight foot tall yellow nudists living in the interstellar commune First, some additional Humanoid units, then rules to cover them in existing scenarios as well as a scenario designed just for them.
10 NML

*64
GEV

1. Heavy Weapon - Nuclear Missile Launcher (NML). *Attack: six missiles with a range of 10 and an effect of a Terran NUC rocket launcher.

2. Ground Effects Troop Transport (GEV) - may carry 3 Humanoid Warriors or Workers. Loads and unloads as a Terran Air Car (see New Rule #l). May be attacked by DAPs and DARs.
6* SCT

0715

3. Scout Ship (SCT) - must start game on spaceport hex, and may not attack until after leaving spaceport. Attacks: Beam (as in Humanoid Heavy Weapon) or ONE Nuclear Missile (range: 15, effect: as Arachnid Scale 3 NUC demo). *Moves 25 but not less than 10 PLUS a second movement of 12 and not less than 5 at the end of the turn as in Terran Extended Jump Phase. May carry one Warrior or Worker as GEV. Not subject to DAPs or DARs unless loading or unloading.
WRSP

9*1725*

4. Warship (WRSP) - in spaceport hex only. Increases odds ratio by one for space defenses (New Rule #2). Each Warship contains 2 Scout Ships, l GEV, and 12 Warriors. Any or all of these units may be released at any time.
TRSP

0410

5. Transport Ship (TRSP) - in spaceport hex only. Each Transport Ship holds 1 Scout Ship, 8 Warriors, 16 Workers, l GEV, l NML, l Heavy Weapon-Beam and 1 Heavy Weapon-Missile. They release as in the Warship. Note: Spaceships take damage as Terran Retrieval Boats and are worth twice the victory points as heavy weapon units. GEVs are considered Heavy Weapons for victory points. Transports and Warships may unload GEVs and/or Scout Ships loaded with Warriors or Workers. There is a 1 in 6 chance that they are holding only half the normal amount of Humanoids and equipment (if only one type of unit is called for, there is a 50% chance it is there). Roll separate die rolls for each ship. NEW RULE #l: Humanoid Workers and Warriors may capture an immobilized MI and load the captured unit into a GEV. Only two Humanoids may be carried with the captive. The MI may be kept in the GEV or unloaded in any hex. If the GEV is eliminated in close combat, the MI is rescued on a roll of an l or a 2, otherwise it is destroyed with the GEV. Subtract l for each odds ratio over 6 to l (ex. 8-1: subtract 2). NEW RULE #2: Spaceports have a ground to air defense and a ground to space defense. Any MI unit that drifts within 10 hexes of a spaceport hex is attacked at 3 to l odds at the start of the Humanoid turn by the space defense. Terran Retrieval Boats suffer a 2 to l attack. Any Air Car that flies within 3 hexes of a spaceport hex is attacked at 4 to 1 odds by the air defense. Note: NUCed spaceport hexes do not count as spaceport hexes. NEW RULE #3: In Scenario 1 and in all other scenarios where the Terran player gets -l victory points for eliminating a worker, the Terran is awarded -3 points for each spaceport hex they NUC, and -10 points for each city hex they NUC. How many of these new units should be used? There are two answers: number one and number two. The first adds Humanoid units for each scenario thusly: SCENARIO ONE: l NML SCENARIO THREE: l NML, l GEV, and l WRSP (full to capacity) SCENARIO FOUR: 1 TRSP (halved capacity) and delay Terran entry one turn. The Second Way: For each scenario with the Humanoids, roll for extra units at the start of the 1st Humanoid turn after Initial Drop. Any space defense attacks are then rolled. Die Die Roll UNITS Roll SHIPS 1. 1 GEV & 3 Warriors 1. Scout Ship 2. 1 NML 2. Scout 3. 1 NML & a GEV & 3 Warriors 3. Scout 4. 1 Ship 4. Warship 5. 1 Ship 5. Warship 6. 2 Ships (separate rolls) 6. Transport AND NOW "EAT DIRT EARTHMAN," THE NEW SCENARIO! Terrans tried to forget the day when 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment hit Skinny-8 in the Terran offensive vs. the inner Humanoid systems. They were forever known as The Lost Platoon. FORCES: Terran: 1 Platoon of Mobile Infantry with 12 DAPs, 6 DARs, 12 HE launchers, and 4 NUC launchers. Humanoid: Force A: 24 Warriors, 6 HW-beams, 6 HW-missiles, 2 NMLs, 9 Workers, 12 Strong Points, 8 Decoys, all six Critical Installations, and 3 GEVs. Force B: l Warship and l Transport (both full to capacity). SET UP: Humanoid set up first. Force A: anywhere on board. Force B: spaceport. Move second. Terran set up second via Initial Drop Procedure . Move First, must be retrieved by end of game. GAME LENGTH: 14 Turns. VICTORY CONDITIONS: Terran: Destroy all Critical Installations. Humanoid: Prevent more than 10 Terran units from being retrieved. NOTE: if neither or both of these conditions are met, victory is awarded to the player with the most points. Tie goes to the Terran. Humanoid Victory Points: HVY Damage Scout 1 Marauder 2 Commander 3 for each unit so damaged at the game's end. WIA/KIA 2 4 7 Terran Victory Points: Warriors Heavy Weapon Ship Power Source Communications Center Water Supply Eliminated 1 3 6 5 7 15 Not Eliminated -5 -7 -15

0340

SCENARIO FOUR AND A HALF: THE SKINNIES STAND ALONE

2157.12.22(UC): Emboldened by the success of some Skinny outposts in defeating the Bugs (albeit with Terran help) several Humanoid cities impatiently attempt to oust the Arachnids prior to the arrival of Terran reinforcements. The large garrison in the spaceport of the city codenamed "Skinopolis" on the planet "Skinny 6" decided to take arms against their nearby Arachnid "friends" and launched a major offensive intended to clear the surface of any bugs and hold them underground until the M.I.'s heavy weaponry arrived. On this day the soldiers of the Skinopolis garrison hoped to free the citizens from the yoke of Arachnid oppression once and for all or would this be the day that the warriors of Queen Chtel-ha'r-ztl would show the Humanoids who's boss? AVAILABLE FORCES: Arachnid
6

631

25

011

25

1883

PLUS: HE Demo x25

Humanoids
6 10

232

25

984

11

1244

14

11

012

SET UP: Arachnid: Construct tunnel complex. No tunnels within 5 hexes of city/spaceport hexes. Move first. Humanoid: Set up after Arachnid tunnels are constructed. Move second GAME LENGTH: 15turns. ORDER OF TURN: 1. Arachnid:

2. Humanoid:

a. Special Function Phase b. Ranged Weapon Phase c. Movement Phase d. Close combat Phase a. Movement Phase b. Ranged Weapon Phase c. Close combat Phase

SPECIAL RULES: 1. Rules for scenarios 1 through 4 are in effect. 2. All map terrain features are in effect. 3. Both players can use inverted counters. 4. Both players attack with the Terran Attack Table. 5. Arachnid Warrior, HW, and Worker units can destroy critical installations (per scenario 1 rules). VICTORY CONDITIONS: The bugs need to occupy the city to assert their dominance, and if possible block the spaceport to prevent reinforcements landing by spaceship. Property damage is also an objective. The Skinnies need to clear their city and keep the spaceport open, hopefully Terran or Humanoid troops will arrive soon. The side with the most points at the end of the game wins. A tie is a tie! Victory Points are awarded as follows: Arachnids receive: 2 points at the end of every Humanoid turn in which there are undisrupted Arachnid Warriors or HW unit(s) in the city. 5 five points at the end of every Humanoid turn in which there are undisrupted Arachnid Warriors or HW unit(s) in the spaceport. 3 three points for every critical installation destroyed. Humanoids receive: 1 point at the end of every Humanoid turn in which there are no undisrupted Arachnid Warrior or HW units in the city. 2 points at the end of every Humanoid turn in which there are no undisrupted Arachnid Warrior or HW units in the spaceport. Make this Five points if the last turn. 1 point for every Arachnid Warrior or HW unit destroyed.

THE GENERAL Volume 13 Number 6

SAGA OF THE BUG WAR

By Richard Hamblen The story of the First Interstellar War, 2156-2161 A.D. (also known as the "Bug War"), is actually many stories, not all of them covered in the book and or game STARSHIP TROOPERS. It is the story of Grand Strategy, of great troop movements and competing societies, and it is the story of individual mobile infantry troopers such as Juan Rico, all within the context of a clash of alien races. One of these stories is the story of the Mobile Infantry platoons, the story of the teams of troopers that had to win the war in thousands of small actions - victories and defeats. This story is one of the major themes of the book STARSHIP TROOPERS, and is the basis for the same game. In the book, however, the story is told as the platoon evolves during the course of the Bug War, losing troopers in combat, developing new leaders and officers, and adding recruits to make up their losses. The Mobile Infantry platoon is a living entity that loses efficiency with its casualties but gains it back with experience, new leaders and transfers. This variant is designed to simulate these fluctuations and follow a platoon - the "Roughnecks" - through the course of the Bug War, by stringing the scenarios in STARSHIP TROOPERS together into a campaign game, with the "Roughnecks" progressing from scenario to scenario, and with new rules that cover the problems of losing leaders and troopers and having to replace them with new leaders and untried recruits. VARIANT RULES I. THE CAMPAIGN GAME The players play Scenarios 1,2,3,4,5A,6 and 7, in that order, with the same player playing the Terrans for all seven scenarios. Scenario 5B is skipped. (I know, I know, the "Roughnecks" were not at Sheol nor Skinny-5, but these battles represent the battles the" Roughnecks" did take part in but which are not described in the book.) A. The Victory Conditions of each Scenario are used to determine the winner of that Scenario, as usual. The player who wins a majority of the Scenarios wins the Campaign Game. B. Between Scenarios, the Terran player must replace all his KIA and WIA losses with recruits, as explained below. C. All rules and Scenario Addenda are in effect and, in addition, Special Variant rules have been included, as explained below. ROLL 1-3 4 5 6-7 8 9-10 COMBAT VALUE 4-6-6 (full value - use no recruit counter) 3-6-5 4-6-6 (full value - use no recruit counter) 3-6-5 3-5-4 2-5-3 the Terran player must roll a die for that Platoon. The number that he rolls identifies the Marauders in that Platoon that CANNOT MOVE THAT TURN! For example, if he rolls a "6", counters A6, B6, C6, D6, etc. in that Platoon cannot move in that turn. These counters may still attack normally. (If they couldn't move anyway, then there is no penalty; he does not have to roll again.) IV. SPECIAL RULES The above rules will affect play balance drastically, so the following rules have been added to aid the Terran player - and, incidentally, to introduce a little more of the Terran Weaponry mentioned in the book.

II. CASUALTIES AND RECRUITS At the end of each Scenario, the Terran Player must replace all of his WIA and KIA casualties with "recruits," representing the addition of untried Starship Troopers fresh from training camp. A. When making out a new Terran Control Sheet for the next Scenario, indicate with an "R" each unit that was KIA, WIA, or non-retrieved during the last Scenario. Thus, if Marauder F7 was WIA, an "R" would be written in the "F7" location on the Terran Control Pad for the next Scenario. 1. If a SCOUT is KIA or WIA, place an "R" in the box of any other non-recruit Marauder in the Scout's squad, instead; never place an "R" in a Scout's box (it is assumed that Scouts are elite troops, and that losses among Scouts will be made up by shifting a Marauder into the Scout slot - but then a recruit must replace the transferred Marauder). lf there are no non-recruit Marauders in that squad, then use any non-recruit Marauder in that Section; if there are none in the Section (boy, are you in trouble!), any non-recruit Marauder in the platoon. 2. Similarly, if a Command unit has been KIA or WIA, place the "R" in a Marauder's box in the appropriate unit: within the Section for a Section Commander (if possible), or any Marauder in the Platoon if a Platoon Leader is lost. It is assumed that the new Commander has been made available either by promotion within the ranks, or through transfer, but at the expense of a Marauder who must be replaced. (However, changing Commanders has an important effect in other ways - see the next section of the rules.) B. When a "recruit" first attacks or is attacked in any way, the Terran Player must roll a die and consult the table below:

1. It is assumed that he attacks or is attacked, the unpredictable quantity that is the recruit will have a "moment of crisis" that will determine how well he will fight for the rest of the Scenario. For the rest of the Scenario, that recruit will have the attack, defense and movement allowances indicated above under "COMBAT VALUES" - these values are also used in the attack which triggers the "moment of crisis." 2. When a recruit undergoes his "moment of crisis," place a "RECRUIT" counter with the combat values indicated by the die roll on top of the recruit Marauder's counter. The factors on the recruit counter are the factors that Marauder has for the remainder of the Scenario. At the same time, circle the "R" in that Marauder's box, to indicate that the recruit has already undergone his "moment of crisis" and does not have to roll again, ever. 3. When rolling the die, add 1 to the die roll for each Platoon Leader, Assistant Platoon Leader, Section Leader (in the Recruit's section) or Assistant Section Leader (in the recruit's section) who is either KIA, WIA or "incompetent" (see below) at that moment. B. At the end of the Scenario, roll for each of the recruits who have not yet had a "moment of crisis," place the appropriate RECRUIT counters and circle their "R's". DO THIS FOR ALL RECRUITS WITH THE PLATOON AT THE END OF THE SCENARIO, WHETHER THEY TOOK PART IN THE SCENARIO OR NOT. C. After all recruits already with the platoon have had their "moment of crisis", and before the next Scenario's recruits are added, replace each RECRUIT counter with the next highest RECRUIT counter (to indicate the seasoning the new Marauder has gained by experience). Recruits that survive will thus gain one level each Scenario until they are full-strength Mobile Infantrymen. 1. When making out the control sheet for the next scenario, indicate the surviving recruits by a circled "R" and write down their combat values for that scenario. As tested recruits, they will not have to roll for a "moment of crisis" in the new Scenario. 2. When a recruit becomes full strength, whether by gaining levels between Scenarios or because he rolled well at his "moment of crisis," the RECRUIT counter is removed and he is a full strength Marauder again; no "R" is placed in his box subsequently (unless he is lost again). 3. Marauders remain "recruits" until they reach full strength; an "R" cannot be placed in a box if there is already a circled "R" in that box. D. Each Marauder is at full strength the first time it is used in the Campaign Game. E. Recruits cannot be transferred between Squads and Sections except as required to replace Scouts and Commanders. F. In Scenario 4, the Terran player may choose either of his sections as his strike force; similarly, the Terran may select any of his Squads to be "Force B" in Scenario 5A. G. In addition, the Terran player should keep track of all the WIA he manages to recover (retrieve) during each Scenario. For every WIA he retrieves, he gets one fullstrength Marauder, instead of a recruit, to replace a vacancy between Scenarios. III. COMMANDERS A. The Terran player must roll one die every time a Leader or Assistant Leader must be replaced. If a "6" is rolled, the leader is "incompetent," and this is noted on that Commander's box on the control sheet for the next Scenario. This is done at the same time that new recruits are being brought into the Platoon. 1. At the end of each Scenario, the Terran player may turn one of his "incompetent" Leaders into a normal, competent Leader; the Terran player may choose which, if he has a choice. B. EFFECT OF LEADERS: 1. As explained for recruits, above, a recruit must add one to the die roll for each incompetent (or KIA or WIA) Section Commander in his Section and 1 for each incompetent (or KIA or WIA) Platoon Commander in his Platoon at that recruit's "moment of crisis." 2. In addition, each turn that ALL of the Command units in a Platoon are KIA, WIA, "incompetent," or captured,

A. NEODOGS Add the "NEODOG" counters to the Terran forces in Scenarios 3, 4, 5A, 6 and 7. 1. NEODOGS move through terrain paying the HUMANOID terrain penalties; however, NEODOGS may travel on AIRCARS at no cost, in addition to normal AIRCAR capacities. 2. NEODOGS land using the INITIAL DROP procedure; each NEODOG must land with a M.I. unit specified before the start of the Scenario (example: the Terran player indicates that one of the NEODOGS will land with Marauder F3; during the drop, the NEODOG lands in the same hex as Marauder F3.) 3. NEODOGS cannot destroy Critical Installations, but they do cause enemy units in the same hex to be turned face up at the end of the Terran turn. B. THE HEAVY WEAPONS BRIGADE Lacking any firm descriptions in STARSHIP TROOPERS about the "Heavy Weapons Brigade," we can only guesstimate:

1. HEAVY TANK. Treats terrain like Humanoid infantry. May not enter tunnels.

2. ARTILLERY. Ranged weapon; moves through terrain like Humanoid units. May not enter tunnels.

3. BORER. This unit may move on the surface or through tunnels. On the surface, it pays terrain movement costs like Humanoid infantry. The BORER enters and moves through tunnels like Mobile Infantry except: a. A BORER may move through enemy occupied tunnels at the normal rate - it does not have to stop; and b. A BORER can move through and, re-open collapsed tunnels at its normal movement rate. When a BORER enters a new tunnel hex, the Arachnid player must announce the orientation of all open and collapsed tunnels entering that hex; the BORER can move through either open or collapsed tunnels, and as soon as the BORER has passed through a collapsed tunnel, that tunnel is open for all subsequent Terran and Arachnid movement.

4. BREACHER. This unit pays terrain costs like Humanoid units while moving. It cannot enter tunnels, but it can make breaches exactly like Combat Engineers: in effect, it is a heavily armored Combat Engineer unit. 5. Each Heavy Weapons Brigade comes equipped with two retrieval boats (use blank counters for these, if required). Heavy Weapons units must land via the "soft landing" technique, no more than four units per retrieval boat; the retrieval boats need not land in the same hex nor at the same time. 6. The Heavy Weapons Brigade is available for Scenarios 5A, 6, and 7 only.

C. SPACESHIPS 1. This rule re-creates the effect of spaceships in orbit passing over the battlefield during the battle. 2. Before the start of the Scenario, the Terran player must write down the path and turn number that the spaceship will use when passing overhead. a. The path must be a straight line directly along the grain of hexes, crossing each hex side at a 90 degree angle like tunnel segments. The route must be a straight line extending from one edge of the board to another edge; the route may be in any of the six directions that follow the grain of the hexes. The player should draw this route on his control pad map. b. The Terran player must also indicate the turn the spaceship will pass overhead, and which end of its route it will enter the board. c. The spaceship may enter the board one turn, stop along its route, and then finish its pass the next turn. (This indicates that the turn ended before the spaceship actually completed its path; the spaceship does not actually stop in orbit.) If the Terran player wishes for this to happen, he must indicate the hex the spaceship will stop in on his control sheet before the start of the Scenario. 3. Effects of spaceships: a. Each enemy unit in a hex the spaceship passes' through or passes adjacent to is turned over at the end of the Terran turn (orbital reconnaissance). b. Each spaceship may fire nuclear rockets that attack like Arachnid demos into any hex along their path or into any hex adjacent to their path, as they pass overhead. Each spaceship has a total of 3 Scale-3 nuclear demos and 3 Scale-6 nuclear demos: they must be fired while the moving spaceship is in or adjacent to the hex to be attacked. These demos may be used regardless of the presence of Terran units in the hexes affected. 4. The spaceship enters the board and moves and attacks at the end of Terran movement that turn, but before combat or extended jumps. 5. The Terran player gets one spaceship pass in each of the following Scenarios: 1 (no nuclear attacks from space allowed), 4, 5A ,6 ,7.

D. BUG SPACESHIPS 1. Bug spaceships must be pre-recorded like Terran spaceships. They enter the board, move and fight at the end of all other Arachnid movement, before Close Combat. 2. Arachnid spaceships reconnoiter from orbit like Terran spaceships, only on the Arachnid turn. 3. Arachnid spaceships may NOT fire nuclear demos; they execute their attacks in a different fashion.

a. Each Bug spaceship carries 6 "scrambler" missiles, which it may launch in any hex it moves through, one or more per hex. b. The "scrambler" missiles do not move nor attack on the turn they are launched. c. On every turn after they are launched, each "scrambler" missile moves during Arachnid movement. It must always move towards the closest Mobile Infantry counter on the board, (with the Arachnid player choosing directions in case of ties), and as soon as it enters a hex with a non-KIA Mobile Infantry unit (Marauder, Scout, Leader, or Assistant) it must stop. d. During the Arachnid Close Combat phase the "scrambler" missile must execute an attack against the top Mobile Infantry unit in its hex (if any). e. A "scrambler" missile may be attacked normally by Ranged Combat or Close Combat. Ignore "DISRUPT" results - they have no effect. f. Each scrambler unit is removed from the board when it attacks or is eliminated by enemy attack. Otherwise, it remains on the board. 4. The Arachnid player gets one spaceship pass, in each of the following Scenarios: 2,4,5A.

THE GENERAL Volume 13 Number 6

AND NOW A WORD FROM YOUR LOCAL PLAYTESTER

STARSHIP TROOPERS EXPANSION by David Fram There are good jobs and there are bad jobs, but playtesting must be characterized as 'bittersweet'. To an avid wargaming fan, it is invigorating to be involved with a game on a very close and personal level front the roughest beginnings to a finished product. While unobvious to other wargamers, a playtester can see the fruits of his labor in many small refinements in the finished game. Playtesting is also a lot of hard work. In the Avalon Hill developments system, the emphasis in play testing is on TESTING. That's quite a bit different from simply playing the game. And for the most part, except for a small mention in the game's credits, it is thankless work. But playtesters make games work. For that, gamers all over the world owe them a generous tip of the hat. Let us go better than that by shedding some limelight on one stalwart playtester, Dave Fram, a displaced Interest Group Baltimore veteran who did yeoman service in developing SST. Let's see what Dave would have added had HE been the designer of record: Ranged Weapon phase, with the following addition: The Alien player must subtract one from the die roll for every additional consecutive Terran Movement of Alien Ranged Weapons phase he attempts to fire that unit. Thus, the Alien player may try to fire in succession for as many times as he thinks his luck will hold out. Note, though, that the Alien player may only fire once per phase for any one Heavy Weapons unit." H. W. Final Fire Chart Unit Type Die Roll Effect H.W.-Beam 1-2 Disruption H.W.-Missile 1-3 Disruption H.W.-Arachnid 1-4 Disruption Disruption effects: the disruption lasts until the end of the next phase that could possibly allow Ranged Weapons fire. i.e. if an Beam fires in its Ranged Weapons phase, then attempts to fire again in the next RW phase, and rolls a 3, it will be disrupted till the end of the succeeding RW phase. Rules Addition for Scenario Tourney-3: "III. C. 4. (optional) Final Fire for Alien Heavy Weapons Units: a. During the Terran movement phase or extended jump phase, if the Terran player wishes to move into a hex which contains an Alien Heavy Weapons unit, he must stop and announce his intentions before completing his movement for that unit. The Alien player has the option to fire on that unit about to enter its hex. b. If the Alien unit has fired in the previous turn's Ranged Weapons phase, before it fires, it must roll a single die on the HW Final Fire Chart to determine what happens to the Heavy Weapons. If disruption is indicated, the unit is disrupted before it undergoes any type of Terran attack. If undisrupted, it may attack the Terran unit normally. If the unit did not fire in the previous RW phase, it may always fire normally. c. If the Alien player can fire in the Terran movement phase, he may then attempt to fire again in the next Alien

Scenario Tourney-3: Harassment of the Skinnies 2157.09.07 (UC): After 'Bughouse', the Terrans decided to mount an offensive against the Humanoids (see Scenario 3: Skinny-5). While the main attack came against the inner home planets, several platoons were detached for raids to tie up communications and possible reinforcements. Terran intelligence discovered that the Skinnies had started a pair of bases in a system which was uncomfortably close to Sanctuary during the Terran hiatus following 'Bughouse.' Since Sanctuary was of such importance and secrecy* the High Command decided that both bases must be destroyed, but with a minimum of force, for any excessive force might alert the Skinnies that they were close to something very important to the Terrans. It was decided to use the coming offensive as a cover for Operation 'Cleanup'. The plan was not easy, it required that one section of a platoon be soft landed out of sensor range of the first bases planet, with the M.I.'s 'legging' it in to attack at the same time as the other section dropped on the other planetary base. As H-Hour approached, 1st Section, 3rd Platoon, F Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 2nd M.I. Division (Mc Farland's Highlanders) prepared for the most strategically important (and secret) "diversionary action of the First Interstellar War: AVAILABLE FORCES: Terran:
2610 2310

Humanoids:
6 10 984

466

21

14

232

1244

012

PLUS: HE Launcher x8 NUC Launcher x2

10

SET UP: Humanoid: Set up first, within the restrictions of the special rules, move second. Terran: Set up second, as per Initial Drop Procedures. Move first. GAME LENGTH: 10 turns. SPECIAL RULES: 1. The Heavy Weapons Final Fire optional rule is in effect, along with all regular and optional rules which are pertinent. 2. Critical Installations and City/Space Port hexes may be destroyed by firing a NUC launcher into the hex. 3. Only the following hexes are City hexes: II 6-9, JJ 5-9, KK 3-10, LL 2-9, MM 3-5, 8, 9. 4. At least one Power Installation must be placed in Rough terrain with a clear LOS/F to any City hex which must be designated after the Terran player has completed his Drop procedures. (This power station is a geo-thermal unit which is temporarily supplying the power of the small base while a fusion plant is being built. It transmits its power by way of a high power laser which is collected at a special receiving complex in the 'city'.) Within an area of 6 hexes from the receiving hex, the Humanoids may use the power plant as a Heavy Weapons unit, with these characteristics: a) The Range is unlimited. b) The Attack Strength is 20. c) The following die rolls are necessary to destroy the unit: Attacking Weapon Die Roll HE launcher 1 DAP 1-3 DAR 1-4 NUC launcher Automatic VICTORY CONDITIONS: The player with more points at the end of 12 turns wins. Terran: Terran receives points for each of the following: 1 pt. for each city hex destroyed. 2 pts. for each city hex controlled.* 5 pts. for each spaceport hex controlled.* 6 pts. for each communications center destroyed. 5 pts. for the nonspecial power station destroyed. 13 pts. for the special power station destroyed. 4 pts. for each HW-Beam destroyed. 6 pts. for each HW-Missile destroyed. Humanoid: Humanoid player receives points for the following: 2 pts. for each spaceport hex controlled.* 1 pt. for each city hex controlled.* 3 pts. if the special power unit is undestroyed. Unit type Scout Marauder Command HEAVY/WIA 1 2 3 KIA 3 4 6

*NOTE: A controlled hex is one which is occupied or last occupied by a friendly functional unit.

THE GENERAL Volume 13 Number 6

SOLITAIRE TROOPERS
By Jay Reese STARSHIP TROOPERS is an excellent game for solitaire play, provided certain random factors are introduced into the game. In the suggestions given below, it is assumed that the solitaire player will take the side of the troopers. Introducing Random Factors into Tunnel Complexes. Step l. Draw five or more tunnel complexes on as many master sheets, using various locations. Place mines. Use colored pencils or pens and give each separate brain a different colored tunnel (for instance A yellow, B blue, C red, and so on). Step 2. Turn the master sheets over, mix them up, and pull out one at random. Put the rest away sight unseen for future games. Step 3. Before turning the chosen master sheet over, place an opaque sheet of paper or light cardboard under it, and turn them both over at once so the tunnel complex is completely hidden. Step 4. Cut a sheet of 8-1/2/11 opaque paper to fit the master sheet. At random, cut a circle in it, about the size of a quarter. Step 5. After you have begun the game, and the troopers have made their initial landing, place the sheet with the cut-out circle on top of the master sheet, pull out the middle opaque sheet that was on the map, and you will have a view of a small portion of the master map. Secure with paper clips. There may or may not be an Arachnid tunnel showing. If there is, place a Breach counter on the corresponding place on the board, and mark the master sheet as well. If not, cut another circle in a different location. Step 6. Each turn when the Arachnids move, enlarge the circle by cutting a square three hexes on a side along each end of the tunnel that is showing. Make more breaches as necessary. Step 7. To randomize the Arachnid entry from the Breach, turn all of the counters for that tunnel face down. Roll a die. The number is the number of Bugs emerging from the Breach that turn. Rules for Arachnid movement and combat. Warriors always move toward the nearest trooper counter. (Exception: One Warrior must always remain within the tunnel or on the Breach.) Automatic Weapons fire at Command troopers first, scouts second, and others taking the lowest number first. Workers shield Automatic Weapons first, Warriors second. Arachnids never retreat (Exception: If troopers are ready to enter a Breach or have already entered it, all Warriors from that tunnel immediately head for the Breach and give battle to any troopers found inside.). A mine will automatically fire whenever a Trooper counter is on it . Automatic tunnel extension: Arachnid engineers automatically enlarge tunnels that are visible by extending them further into the visible areas, toward the nearest troopers. Introducing Random Factors on the Trooper Side. To guard against a subconscious recollection of possible Arachnid tunnel locations, randomize the drop location(s). Choose six or more possible drop locations and write the hex number of each on a small piece of paper. Take one piece at random and without looking at it, place it in an envelope. Destroy the others without looking at them. (This can be done either before or after the tunnel complexes are drawn). When the game starts and a drop is to be made, open the envelope and use the designated location as the center point of the drop. If there is to be a second drop or soft landing, choose a second piece of paper before destroying them and place it in another envelope. Randomize the pickup location the same way, to guard against subconscious movement of Arachnid counters toward (or away from) a pickup hex before the turn in which the beacon is to be dropped. Final Comments. Enlarging the circle on the paper precludes the use of Special Talent or Listening Devices. It assumes the presence of LD or ST at the circle itself. If you want to make use of ST and/or LD, do not enlarge circles until an ST or LD is present within the circle area. (I have found, however, that doing this works to the detriment of the Arachnids). Should a tunnel be entered by a trooper, then the circle will automatically have to be cut in the direction the trooper goes. If you should find that despite these random factors, the Arachnids always lose, alter the victory conditions. For example, in Scenario Five-B, give the Arachnids two points (instead of one) for each MI or CE unit KIA or destroyed. By using the above ideas, a solitaire player can have an exciting and interesting game. STARSHIP TROOPERS is an excellent game for either the solitaire player or a number of players. It introduces new concepts and is an imaginative and very playable game. AVALON HILL is to be congratulated for the new format for the rule booklet, which makes the game easy to play. If you haven't bought one yet, do so when you can.

THE GENERAL Number 1 Volume 15

MISSION SCENARIOS
By Arnold Hendrick Lieutenant, you're detached to the Corvette Novgorod, with the 3rd Platoon. Sealed mission orders are waiting for you on board. Don't forget to requisition the special equipment and support you'll need after you read the orders." The Colonel stood up, "Good luck, son, and bring'em all back!" One of the real tests of military judgment is being able to accomplish the mission assigned. Furthermore, this mission must be accomplished in relative ignorance of the enemy strength. The "mission scenario" system presented here approaches this idea better than the simple straightforward scenarios given in the STARSHIP TROOPERS game, and provides for over 100 variations, so that it is almost impossible to get the same mission on the same planet, and even less likely to be facing the same enemy. The operation of the system is very simple: 1) The Terran player draws one card, secretly and at random, from a deck of 52 playing cards (no jokers). This card indicates his mission, and the type of planet he will be landing on. 2) The Terran player informs his Arachnid enemy of the type of planet, and may be obliged to inform him of certain restrictions, in the case of some missions. From this information, the Arachnid can narrow down the possible Terran missions, but the exact Terran mission won't be revealed until the end of the game. Furthermore, only the Terran player knows the time limit of the game, which can range from ten to thirty turns. (The planet type/mission code letters should be jotted down secretly and the card returned to the deck.) 3) Both players now select their forces. Players have much greater selection ranges than in actual scenarios, so that the Terran player can equip himself as needed, while the Arachnid player can form "incomplete" hive complexes (with fewer than the full number of brains, workers, warriors, heavy weapons, and/or engineers). Play balance is maintained by a point system, which compares the "value" of the player's initial force to what he accomplished, and relates this to the enemy forces. Although opposing sides don't know what the enemy selected, if it turns out you have twice the force the enemy does, to just draw the game, you must do twice as much damage as you suffer, etc. In other words, if a player selects a big, powerful force, he must do a correspondingly superior amount of damage to the enemy, or he will lose. In game terms, the net result is that it is easier and safer to command a small force than a large, providing a balancing factor on the impulse of every commander to fit himself out with every weapon he can find. 4) These scenarios assume that the primary opponents are the Terrans and Arachnids. In the "Early War" period, the Humanoids are considered Arachnid allies, and in most circumstances can fight with them, or instead of them. In the "Late War period, the Humanoids are Terran allies instead. A few rule changes and additions are necessary to maintain balance throughout these mission scenarios. Point Values Before the start of the game, each player must calculate the overall value of all the forces he has selected. This is the "initial army value" for that side, and includes the value of any Humanoid allies serving with a player. At the end of the game, each player tabulates his "final victory value," based on the damage he inflicted on the enemy (and any enemy allies). This includes damage, wounding and killing enemy units, prisoners, destroyed installations, etc. Overall victory levels are determined by the following equation (see below). In the equation "TI means Terran initial army value, "TF = Terran final victory value, "AI" = Arachnid initial army value, "AF = Arachnid final victory value. (TF) x (AI) -------------- = Victory Level (TI) x (AF) Victory levels use the type of victory won: 2.00 or more 1.50 to 1.99 1.15 to 1.49 0.88 to 1.14 0.67 to 0.87 0.51 to 0.66 0.50 or less following scale to determine the Terran decisive victory Terran recognizable victory Terran marginal victory draw Arachnid marginal victory Arachnid recognizable victory Arachnid decisive victory officer would. A decisive victory is worth +5, a recognizable victory +3, a marginal victory +1, a marginal defeat -1, recognizable defeat -3, and decisive defeat -5. A player should keep a running total of his "file points," and the number of "missions" he has performed. The overall total indicates his current rank, while the average score indicates his general combat ability. The Terran player should assume that the platoon leader (PL) man represents himself, and the PL should always be used. The Arachnid player should select any one master brain, and consider that to represent himself (exact master brain should be listed when planning out the hive complex). If a player is only using Humanoid allies, he is represented by the Humanoid Leader. If a player's personal representation is killed or captured, he is considered "out of the war" and a new record must be started. If a Terran suffers a WIA, he must roll a die: 1,2,3 he is so badly wounded he can never return to combat; 4,5,6 he recovers. For those who like a specific rank representation, for every +4 total file points accumulated, a Terran player advances one level in rank. Rank levels are: 3rd Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel. A total of 50 points must be accumulated before he advances to General, the highest rank. The Arachnid player can conjure up equivalent ranks for himself. Optionally, the amount of forces a player may use could be related to the rank he has achieved so far. A Terran 3rd Lieutenant is represented by only a section leader, and cannot command more than three squads, and no more than two engineer squads. A 2nd Lieutenant is allowed one full MI platoon, and up to one Engineer section. A 1st Lieutenant can use up to nine squads of MI, but no more than one full Engineer section. A Captain may use any quantity of troops, limited to those available in the counter mix. Similarly, an Arachnid player would have to have a rank equivalent to 1st Lieutenant before he could use two hive complexes, and equivalent to a Captain for three hive complexes. There would be no limits on use of Humanoid allies, regardless of rank, but the overall number of heavy weapons units allowed to the player could not exceed his current number of file points, save that a minimum of four heavy weapons would be allowed regardless of the file number. If a player reaches down into the two-digit negative numbers (-10 or worse) it is likely he would be cashiered and replaced with a new "personality." Actually, any player who drops below zero should be allowed to drop that personality and start a new one.

With many missions, the Terran player has a secret victory requirement. He must accomplish certain goals, or he is unable to win a victory. If he fails the requirement(s), the best he can do is accomplish a draw. The Terran player also has an indication of whether he must "retrieve" his forces by boat, or get them into a safe planetary perimeter. Forces that are not retrieved or within a safe perimeter by the time limit are considered captured by the Arachnid. EXCEPTION: Any Humanoid allies with the Terrans need only be retrieved if the scenario requires retrieval. Extend Multi-Scenario Play Players may wish to maintain a "Combat File" for themselves, recording victories and defeats, just as a real

TERRAIN TYPES: Planetary Geoforms - Type A Planet: (Arachnid). No Humanoids allowed. All terrain considered Savannah, no roads. - Type B Planet: (Barren, modified). Barren terrain only costs aliens 1 MP to enter per hex. In late war scenarios only, no Humanoids allowed, roads do not exist, and city/port hexes are considered Savannah. - Type D Planet: (Desert). Rough terrain is considered barren instead, does not affect ranged weapons. City is considered ruined, equivalent to rough terrain, but the four space-port hexes are still intact city/port hexes. No more than 100 points of Humanoids allowed, and no water, power or communications installations, or Humanoid fortresses, are allowed. - Type G Planet: (Gas Giant). Thick and totally poisonous atmosphere. All terrain considered rough ground, no roads. All Terran MI drops and beacon drops must roll twice each for individual unit drift. All Terran WIA are automatically considered KIA instead, as atmosphere kills any men whose suits are opened. Special talent may not be used on this planet. - Type H Planet: (Humanoid). Humanoids MUST be used. No terrain modifications. - Type M Planet: (Mountainous Mining). All savannah and city/port hexes are considered barren terrain, no roads. Arachnids allowed one extra engineer per queen, assigned to any combat brain in that queen's complex (allowing one brain per complex to have two engineers). Engineers must work separately, and individually. Terrans lose their extended jump movement phase, may not use extended jump movement. Terrans must roll twice for each individual unit drift, for MI initial drop and beacon drops. - Type O Planet: (Ocean). Barren ground is actually the "great red ocean." Ocean costs 3 MP for aliens to enter, 6 MP for Terrans, and blocks ranged fire similar to rough ground, since "Ocean" operations actually occur on the floor of the ocean (not the surface of the "water"). Note that MP costs prohibit the Terran from making an extended jump move into an ocean hex, but do permit him to jump out into a non-ocean hex. Ignore all roads in ocean hexes. Arachnids may tunnel freely under the ocean, but cannot open a breach in the primary tunnel segment. All Terran HNG bombs are rendered useless in the ocean, unless exploded with an Engineer demolition charge. Humanoid installations and fortresses may not be deployed in the ocean, and no Humanoids may start in ocean hexes (although their heavy weapons may enter it) . - Type R Planet: (Rolling non-mountainous ) All rough ground costs 2 MP for all units to enter, instead of 3 MP. - Type T Planet: (Terran). No Humanoids are allowed. Barren terrain is considered savannah instead. - Type W Planet: (Wet). Non-road savannah hexes are marsh, cost 2 MP for aliens or Terrans to enter. Roads are dike transportation lines, and block ranged fire between marsh hexes (do not block ranged fire if the firer and or target is in a non-marsh hex).

Barren terrain is considered highland jungle, 2 MP for all units to enter, and blocks ranged fire like rough or city/port terrain. Roads in the "red jungle" increase movement rate for aliens to normal road rate, but do not affect firing or Terrans. RAD areas demolish jungle, and the RAD hexes are considered Savannah instead. EARLY WAR MISSIONS A. Raid 1. Terrans must destroy at least one Humanoid installation, or one Arachnid Brain or Queen, or they cannot win, regardless of points. 2. Terrans are not allowed more than three MI Squads, and no more than one engineer section. Terrans must arrive by drop or soft landing, and must retrieve all forces by the end of the game. Time limit 12 turns unless Terran player is attempting to kill brain or queen, in which case he is allowed 16 turns. B. Diversionary Attack 1. No specific victor requirements. 2. Terrans not allowed more than three MI Squads, and no more than one engineer platoon. Terrans must arrive by drop or soft landing, and must retrieve all by the end of the game. Time limit of 10 turns. C. Occupation 1. At the start of the first turn, the Terran must place one or two perimeter markers within 10 hexes of V17: if both markers are used they must be at least 8 hexes apart. Terrans score bonus of 50 points for each turn there are no alien units on the surface within 8 hexes of each perimeter marker placed (thus Terran could score 100 for each turn marker is in place). 2. Terrans may arrive by drop, soft landing, and/or enter overland via any one edge. Must retrieve any units that are not within 8 hexes of a perimeter marker at the end of the game. Time limit of 15 turns. D. Assault 1. Terran must clear city of all surface units, installations and fortresses at the end of ANY Terran segment, or the Terrans cannot win regardless of points. In addition, Terrans must clear one of the four spaceport landing hexes, and have it clear of alien surface units on the last Terran segment of the game (turn 18). 2. Terrans may arrive by drop, soft landing, and/or via the west or south edge overland. Must retrieve any units that are not within 8-hex perimeter of a city port hex at the end of the game. Time limit of 18 turns. E. Capture 1. Terrans must capture Humanoid leader or Arachnid Brain, and retrieve it from the surface in a landing boat, or they cannot win regardless of points. 2. Terrans arrive by drop and or soft landing. All Terrans and captives must be retrieved. Time limit of 16 turns. LATE WAR SCENARIOS F. Defend Humanoids 1. Arachnids are on offensive, and may only use offensive demolition charges (no defensive). Arachnid player must be so informed. 2. Terrans must maintain at least one operational water, power and communication plant within 15 hexes of the city throughout the game, or kill all Arachnid Queens; otherwise he cannot win the game. 3. Terrans allowed one MI squad or one engineer unit in city/port hex(es) at the start, plus Humanoids. Other Terrans can arrive by drop, soft landing, or spaceport landing on the 5th turn or any later turn. Terrans need not retrieve units, entire surface of map considered a secure perimeter. Time limit of 15 turns. G. Evacuate Humanoids 1. Arachnids are on offensive, and may only use offensive demolition charges (no defensive). Arachnid player must be so informed. 2. Humanoids MUST be used. Arachnid scores no points for destroying any power, water, or communications installations, but is not informed of this until the end of the game. Any Humanoids, including heavy weapons and fortresses, left on the surface at the end of the game are considered destroyed. Humanoids may be evacuated only in special landing boats, which arrive by beacon or spaceport landing, on the 5th turn or any later turn. 3. Terrans may arrive by drop, soft landing, and/or spaceport landing. Must retrieve all forces, no secure perimeter on map. Time limit of 12 turns. H. Raid 1. Arachnids must be informed that there are no Humanoids in this scenario, and that they must have one prisoner cell per brain in each hive complex. 2. Terrans must destroy or capture at least one Arachnid Brain or Queen, or they cannot win regardless of points. 3. Terrans arrive by drop and/or soft landing. They must be retrieved by the end of the game. Time limit of 16 turns. I. Assault 1. Arachnids must be informed that there are no Humanoids in this scenario, and that they must have one prisoner cell per brain in each hive complex. 2. Terrans must destroy all queens, or they cannot win regardless of points. 3. Terrans arrive by drop and/or soft landing. Terrans may either consider the entire map a secure perimeter and use a 20 turn time limit, or have no secure perimeter and retrieve force, and use a 26 turn time limit. Terran must make selection before the start of the game. J. Occupation 1. Arachnids must be informed that there are no Humanoids in this scenario, and that they must have one prisoner cell per brain in each hive complex. 2. All other conditions same as the early war mission. K. Recover prisoners 1. Arachnids must be informed that there are no Humanoids in this scenario, and that they must have one prisoner cell per brain in each hive complex. 2. Terrans must recover all surviving prisoners from cells, or they cannot win. 3. Terrans may arrive by drop, soft landing, and/or overland via any one edge. Map is considered secure perimeter area, but recovered prisoners must be retrieved from the surface via landing boat before the end of the game, or Terran cannot score victory points for them. Time limit of 30 turns. ADDITIONAL SPECIAL RULES A. Terran Arrival 1. MI INITIAL DROP: each MI platoon dropped uses a separate direction of launch and individual unit drift procedure. If parts of a platoon are dropped on different turns, each new turn requires a new direction of launch, as well as individual unit drift. The exact turn of drop must be specified before the start of the game, in writing (may be kept secret from the Arachnid player). Location of MI drops need not be specified. 2. SOFT BOAT LANDING: one or more landing boats may transport ANY Terran forces to the surface, using the soft landing procedure, including beacons. Each new turn, a new direction of launch is required for landing boats, but two boats landing on the same turn use the same direction of launch. The original target HEX and turn of landing for each boat must be secretly noted in writing before the start of the game. 3. OVERLAND: any troops may arrive overland, over any ONE of the four map edges, ONLY if the scenario permits. The edge selected must be noted in writing before the start of the game. Exact quantity of troops arriving on any turn is at the option of the Terran player. 4. SPACEPORT LANDING: in some scenarios, landing boats may use a "Spaceport Landing" instead of normal soft landing procedure. In a spaceport landing, only the turn of arrival must be specified. The boat will AUTOMATICALLY land on that turn, without use of beacons, on either hex FF5 or EE7, as the Terran player desires. Landing is impossible if any Arachnid demolition charge or Terran demolition charge or nuclear rocket has exploded in the spaceport hex. If both hexes are knocked out, no spaceport landings are allowed, and all boats scheduled to land cannot, for the ENTIRE game. There is no direction or launch or drift in spaceport landings. 5. BOAT LOADING: the Terran player must specify exactly what troops are loaded into each boat before the start of the game, as well as specifying the exact contents of each drop. Drops and landings may be cancelled, or boats landed but their cargo cancelled (left behind), but plans cannot otherwise be altered. Cancelled forces still count toward initial army value, but are considered surviving fully operational troops, and thus do not count toward the enemy final victory value. B. Aircar Transport 1. Aircars may carry up to five MI instead of an engineer squad. A special talent may be loaded with either. An aircar cannot carry both MI and engineers simultaneously. 2. MI transported by aircar are reduced to 2 MP when loading, and 2 MP when unloading. MI may not load using extended jump movement, but may use extended jump on the turn they unload from the aircar. MI transported by an aircar cannot use any of their weapons, and like engineers, defend as one unit, using the defensive value of the aircar. C. Humanoid Leader 1. If any Humanoids are used, at least one worker must be included. Any one worker is secretly recorded by the player controlling the Humanoids as the "Leader of the Humanoids (use the worker ID numbers). 2. If a Humanoid leader occupies a fortress, no other Humanoids are allowed within that same fortress. 3. A Humanoid leader will automatically surrender if in a hex that contains a fully operational enemy, but no friendly units (fortresses, other installations, disrupted, WIA or KIA friends do not count). When the leader surrenders, he is "captured" and remains in possession of the captor as long as surrender conditions continue to exist. Stunned or disrupted or WIA MI cannot capture a Leader, but an MI with heavy damage can make a capture. 4. A captured Leader can be carried by MI like a wounded man. He can be carried by any Arachnid worker or warrior without penalty. A player may not voluntarily direct any weapons at the captured leader, including ranged weapons firing into the hex, which would affect the leader, or explode demolitions that might kill the leader. This limit ONLY applies as long as the leader is in a captured state. Capture is permanent whenever the Terran player loads the leader aboard a landing boat and the boat leaves the surface, or whenever the Arachnid player gets the leader into a prisoner cell. D. Arachnid Offensive Demolitions

1. The Arachnid player may store demolition charges, in a non-explosive mode, in a brain cell. During the game, that brain's engineer can carry them into any hex of the tunnels, or set them into any hex adjacent to the tunnel net of the brain. This is a special function, and prevents the engineer from opening a breach, building or repairing a tunnel, or performing any other special function. The engineer can move after emplacing the charge, during normal movement. An engineer can only lay one charge per turn, maximum. 2. Once the engineer lays the charge, it is considered active at the end of that special function phase, and can be set off any time. E. Arachnid Cell Creation Whenever the Arachnid player carries a Terran MI or Humanoid Leader underground, he will immediately create a prisoner cell in that tunnel system to hold the captured man, even if it is a KIA casualty (Arachnids are so unfamiliar with Terrans, they have a difficult time distinguishing WIA from KIA). No special engineer work is necessary, the cell is presumed ready and waiting, but is only drawn on the map when it is put into use. TERRAN POINT VALUES Initial Army Value Points of the initial army value are determined by adding up the value of each of the following units or groups of units: 140 each MI (mobile infantry) squad of eight men. 20 each MI commander, no more than one per squad allowed. 20 each Engineer unit (squad), maximum of 6 allowed. 500 Special Talent, maximum of 1 allowed. 4 each DAP charge. 6 each DAR charge. 10 each HNG bomb, maximum of 8 allowed. 9 each HE launcher. 25 each NUC launcher with four rounds. 7 each Listening Device (LD), maximum of 6 allowed. 10 each HE demolition charge. 40 each NUC demolition charge. 30 each Air Car, maximum of 6 allowed. 50 each Landing Boat arrival-departure. 2 each Capsule for MI initial drop landing (one capsule per man dropped necessary). Army Choice Limits l. The Terran player must purchase MI by whole squads, he cannot select individual men. MI commanders may be selected individually, in addition to squads, but the number of commanders cannot exceed the number of squads. Normally the Terran player is limited to one platoon of MI, and one section of Engineers. However, he is allowed two of each in an "assault," "occupation," or "recover prisoners" mission. 2. No more than two landing boats may be scheduled to arrive over any three-turn period, but an unlimited number of boats may be used throughout the game, provided each planned arrival is valued at 50 points more. Loss of any landing boat does not jeopardize future landings. Final Victory Points The Terran player scores victory points for destroying Arachnids, and for destroying Humanoids in the early war scenarios only. Arachnid: 1 each Worker destroyed. 24 each Warrior destroyed. 50 each Engineer destroyed. 80 each Heavy Weapon destroyed. 75 each Combat Brain killed. 125 Master Brain killed. 225 Queen killed. 200 Brain captured. 50 each Prisoner recovered. Humanoids: 1 each Worker destroyed. 3 each Warrior destroyed. 18 each Fortress destroyed. 18 each Heavy Beam Weapon destroyed. 25 each Heavy Missile Weapon destroyed. 100 each Communications plant destroyed. 150 each Power Plant destroyed. 300 Water Plant destroyed. 100 Humanoid Leader killed. 200 Humanoid Leader captured.

ARACHNID POINT VALUES Initial Army value Points of the initial army value are determined by adding up the value of each of the following units or groups of units: 350 each Queen and Master Brain (pair), maximum of 3 allowed. 75 each Combat Brain, maximum of 10 allowed. 80 each Heavy Beam Weapon, maximum of 1 per combat brain. 50 each Engineer, maximum of 1 per combat brain. 25 one Warrior and one Worker, as a pair, maximum of 5 pairs per combat brain. 10 each Defensive Demolition point. 7 each Offensive Demolition point. -4 each Prisoner Cell (with one prisoner). Army Choice limits l. Each complex requires one Queen and Master brain, and must have at least one combat brain, and no more than five combat brains. Complex must be either a straight line of brains and queen, or a queen with brains adjacent. 2. Each combat brain must have at least one Heavy Weapon, Engineer, Warrior or Worker. It need not have the maximum allowance. 3. An entire hive-complex may not have demolition points exceeding five times the number of combat brains within the complex (i.e. a complex with the maximum of five combat brains could not have more than 25 demolition points). Points may be offensive or defensive, or a mixture. 4. Prisoner cells may be added to a complex to REDUCE its value. A complex may not have more prisoner cells than it has brains (including the master brain). Final Victory Points The Arachnid player scores victory points for causing damage to the Terrans, and for destroying Humanoids in late war scenarios only. Terrans: 10 heavy damage to MI (but no worse damage inflicted), per man. 20 each MI suffering WIA, but ending the game retrieved by boat or within perimeter. 75 each MI suffering WIA, and captured, or ending the game outside boat or perimeter. 30 each MI suffering KIA, but ending the game retrieved by boat or within perimeter. 60 each MI suffering KIA, and captured or ending the game outside boat or perimeter. 35 each Engineer squad destroyed. 500 Special Talent destroyed. 30 air car destroyed. 100 landing boat destroyed. 1 each HE launcher, NUC launcher, or Listening Device lost (destroyed). Humanoids: 1 each Worker destroyed. 3 each Warrior destroyed. l8 each Fortress destroyed. l8 each Beam Weapon destroyed. 25 each Missile Weapon destroyed.

100 each Communications Plant destroyed. 150 each Power Plant destroyed. 300 Water Plant destroyed. 100 Humanoid Leader killed. 200 Humanoid Leader captured.

HUMANOID POINT VALUES Initial Army Value Humanoids may be added to Arachnid initial army value in early war scenarios, or to the Terran in late war scenarios. Add up the value of each of the following units: 1 each Worker, maximum of 11, must use at least one 3 each Warrior, maximum of 25 18 each Fortress, maximum of l4 18 each Heavy Beam Weapon, maximum of 11 25 each Heavy Missile Weapon, maximum of 6 40 each Decoy Station, maximum of 8 The real communications, power and water plants add nothing to the initial army value . Special Limits 1. Each Heavy Beam and Heavy Missile weapon must be matched by one Warrior. Number of Fortress may not exceed the number of Warriors. 2. One worker is required. Any one worker is secretly designated the Humanoid Leader, see special additional rules. 3. All three communications stations may be combined into one giant super-station, represented by only one marker; if destroyed the super-station counts as the loss of all three stations Both power plants may be combined into a similar giant super-plant . 4. Communications stations may not be placed in rough terrain, nor may the water plant be placed in barren terrain. No more than one installation may be placed in a city/port hex. No installations may be placed in EE7 or FF5 (landing pad hexes), marsh hexes (type W planet only), or ocean hexes (type O planet only). Final Victory Points Compute based on normal final victory points allowed to that player (see Terran or Arachnid points, as appropriate). MISSION SELECTION KEY - EARLY WAR SPADE A Raid, planet A (AA). K Raid, planet B (AB). Q J Raid, planet H (AH). 10 9 Raid, planet M (AM). 8 Raid, planet O (AO). 7 Raid, planet R (AR). 6 Raid, planet T (AT). 5 Raid, planet W (AW). 4 Diversionary Attack, planet B (BB). 3 Diversionary Attack, planet D (BD). 2 MISSION SELECTION KEY - LATE WAR SPADE Defend Humanoids, planet A (FA). A Defend Humanoids, planet B (FB). K Q Defend Humanoids, planet H (FH). J Defend Humanoids, planet O (FO). 10 Defend Humanoids, planet R (FR). 9 Defend Humanoids, planet W (FW). 8 Evacuate Humanoids, planet A (GA). 7 Evacuate Humanoids, planet B (GB). 6 5 Evacuate Humanoids, planet H (GH). 4 Evacuate Humanoids, planet O (GO) 3 Evacuate Humanoids, planet R (GR). 2

HEARTS Diversionary Attack, planet G (BG). Diversionary Attack, planet H (BH). Diversionary Attack, planet M (BM). Diversionary Attack, planet O (BO). Diversionary Attack, planet R (BR). Diversionary Attack, planet W (BW). Occupation, planet A (CA). Occupation, planet B (CB). Occupation, planet D (CD). Occupation, planet G (CG). Occupation, planet H (CH).

DIAMONDS Occupation, planet M (CM). Occupation, planet O (CO). Occupation, planet R (CR). Occupation, planet T (CT). Occupation, planet W (CW). Assault, planet A (DA). Assault, planet B (DB). Assault, planet H (DH).

CLUBS Assault, planet O (DO). Assault, planet R (DR). Assault, planet T (DT). Assault, planet W (DW). Capture, planet A (EA). Capture, planet B (EB). Capture, planet D (ED). Capture, planet H (EH). Capture, planet O (EO). Capture, planet R (ER). Capture, planet W (EW).

HEARTS Evacuate Humanoids, planet W (GW). Raid, planet A (HA). Raid, planet B (HB). Raid, planet D (HD). Raid, planet G (HG). Raid, planet M (HM). Raid, planet O (HO). Raid, planet R (HR). Raid, planet W (HW). Assault, planet A (IA). Assault, planet B (IB).

DIAMONDS Assault, planet D (ID). Assault, planet G (IG). Assault, planet H (IH). Assault, planet M (IM). Assault, planet O (IO). Assault, planet R (IR). Assault, planet T (IT). Assault, planet W (IW). Occupation, planet A (JA). Occupation, planet B (JB). Occupation, planet D (JD). Occupation, planet G (JG).

CLUBS Occupation, planet H (JH). Occupation; planet M (JM). Occupation, planet O (JO). Occupation, planet R (JR). Occupation, planet T (JT). Occupation, planet W (JW). Recover Prisoners, planet A (KA). Recover Prisoners, planet B (KB). Recover Prisoners, planet H (KH). Recover Prisoners, planet T (KT).

THE GENERAL Volume 15 Number 5

STARSHIP TROOPERS EXPANSION

SCENARIO EIGHT: SEARCH & DESTROY By Bill Maclaren The Terrans are at war with the Arachnids. This is the obvious idea behind Avalon Hill's great spiff wargame STARSHIP TROOPERS (based on the book by the illustrious Robert Heinlein). The 'skinnies' were knocked out of commission early in the war, before they dropped their Buggy allies and joined the Terrans. So, the war is mainly between the Terrans and the Bugs. The Terrans have finally gained the initiative in the war and are taking Arachnid
6

the fight to the Bugs. The only problem is, where are the bugs located? Sure, Space Navy could destroy every planet they weren't sure of, but, why waste a perfectly good planet for no reason? Enter the Mobile Infantry. Their job, drop on a strange planet. Find out the location of bug tunnel complexes on said planet (if any), and with the aide of Combat Engineers create as much havoc as possible before retrieval. The mobile infantry is going to

have a slight problem in this scenario. They won't be sure where the tunnel complexes will be located to begin with, but, they also won't know how many tunnel complexes there are on the planet . . . Most scenarios use one or two complexes with an equal number of units in each. But were all Arachnid Complexes set up in such a form? As usual, it's up to the MI to find out

Terran
011 1883 2610 466 2310

631

50

50

10

42

12

12

Force A

PLUS: Nuc Launchers x6 HE Launchers x18 PLUS: Nuc Launchers x12 HE Launchers x18

1 or 2 tunnel complexes* PLUS: Demo Points x45

2610

42

466

2310

6
0620

12
HE

12
NUC

12
012

Force B

232

0180

3*

2*

12

Force C

*See appropriate special rules. SET UP Arachnid: Construct one or two tunnel complexes on alien control pad prior to play. Move second. See special rules no. 1 & 3. Terran: Force "A" enter via initial drop procedure. Units must be positioned West of hexrow V prior to drop. Move first. Force "B" enter via initial drop procedure, on turn one, East of hexrow V before drop. Move first. Force "C" enter via Soft Landing procedure any time after turn one. Move first. (* Note: Force "A" enter on turn 1.) GAME LENGTH: 20 turns. SPECIAL RULES 1. Arachnid Tunnel Complexes: The Arachnid player has a unique choice to make in this scenario. He has the option of building one or two tunnel complexes. He does NOT have to inform the Terran player how many complexes he has built until after the game. No matter if the Arachnid player decides to build one or two tunnel complexes, he still receives THE SAME AMOUNT OF UNITS. If he decides to build two sets of tunnels each brain would control the normal number of units. But if he decides to build only one complex, then each brain would control DOUBLE the normal number of units. (Ten warriors, ten workers, and two heavy weapons). Note that each brain would still have only ONE engineer no matter how many other units are in that complex, and the number of demo points available for use remains the same for both variables (one or two complexes). 2. Retrieval Boats: There are three retrieval boats used in this scenario. The first boat is used to soft-land force "C". It may then be used to retrieve casualties. The second retrieval boat must be used before turn 12 and the last retrieval boat may not be used until after turn seventeen. Basic retrieval boat rules are used with the first two retrieval boats (each, of course, with its own homing beacon). But rules change slightly for the third boat. It lands on the homing beacon for one of the first two boats and may remain grounded for one OR TWO turns, at the Terran player option, before lifting off. 3. Reaction Time: The bugs had no way of knowing that a Terran attack was about to be made. This sometimes slowed their reactions to the Terran drop. To check if Terran reaction time is slowed, roll one die: 1-4 Arachnid reaction time delay 5-6 reaction time normal If the Arachnids reaction time is slowed, they may not move on turn one. If it remains normal they move normally on turn one. 4. Effects of Master and Queen cells: In the game the Master and Queen brain cells were given no definite purpose except that they were worth victory points if captured or killed. But the Master and Queen cells actually do hold a position of significance. The Queen would be in control of all units and all other brain cells. The Master brain would coordinate the combat cells in their attack and defense. The Queen cell affects the complex in a powerful way. If a combat brain cell is destroyed, instead of all of that combat cell's units being destroyed, one half of the units would be controlled by the Queen and only half the units would be destroyed. Ex.: Combat brain 'A' is destroyed. It has three workers, six warriors, and one heavy weapon left. The Queen would take over one worker, three warriors, and the heavy weapon. The other units would be destroyed. If there is only one of a unit type it is kept, otherwise odd units (three, five, etc.) are destroyed. If the Queen cell is destroyed, the combat factors (attack factor and defensive factor) of all Arachnid units are reduced by two. Worker units would be eliminated and would count for victory point purposes. The Master brain cell operates in the same manner as the Queen except in a reduced way. It can only control three units from any one Combat cell and only one of these may be a heavy weapon. If it is destroyed the Attack factor ONLY of all units in that complex is reduced by TWO. 5. Treat all hexes on mapboard as savanna hexes. 6. Use Combat Engineer Breaching and MI Multiple Damage optional rules along with regular rules. VICTORY CONDITIONS Terran: Accumulate more victory points than the Arachnid player at the end of the game. Arachnid: Accumulate more victory points than the Terran player at the end of the game. Draw: it is a draw if both sides have an equal amount of victory points. Arachnid player receives two victory points for every Brain Cell, no matter what type, surviving at the end of the game. Additionally the Arachnid player receives points for the damage/destruction of Terran units as follows: HVY WIA/KIA Scout 1 2 Commander 3 7 Marauder 2 5 Combat Engineer 2 Special Talent 4 Terran player receives ten points for every Queen and Master brain cell destroyed and five points for every Combat Brain Cell destroyed. Terran receives one point for every tunnel hex destroyed. Additionally, the Terran player receives points for the elimination of Arachnid units as follows: Each Warrior unit eliminated: 2 Each Worker unit eliminated: 1 Each Heavy Weapon unit eliminated: 5

THE GENERAL Volume 15 Number 6

SCENARIO 4: SKINNY CIVIL WAR

By Charles D. Maisen The problem with variants based on variants is that they presuppose the reader is familiar with the original variant. This one makes reference to such new features as neodogs, breachers, and heavy tanks which first appeared in Richard Hamblen's variant "Saga of the Bug War" in Vol. 13, No. 6. The latter is no longer available but for those late subscribers in love with STARSHIP TROOPERS who feel they must have it, our customer service dept. will provide xerox copies of the article for $2.00. Address your inquiries to Ron LaPorte, c/o Customer Service. After events related to Scenario 4, the Terrans, believing all of the Arachnid garrisons destroyed, resumed the offensive against the Arachnid home planets. However, unknown to the Terrans, or even the Skinnies who negotiated the peace treaty, the three Humanoid capital planets had double garrisons secretly built by the Arachnids. A Master Brain of one of these double complexes convinced large numbers of Skinnies to rejoin them. Soon all Humanoid planets were locked in civil war, which forced the Terrans to dispatch platoons to various planets. This scenario portrays a Terran relief force landing on the capital home planet where the Master Brain who started the uprising is located. AVAILABLE FORCES: Terran:
K-9 2610 466 2310 3310 023

Rules Additions for Skinny Civil War 1. Neodogs have an attack strength of 2 against workers. 2. K-9 Corps (Neodog units) were actually attached to platoons and as such were separate units. Therefore Neodogs will not land with marauders but will drop with these units, 3-3-10. They may drop with 9 man sticks or alone. If a specified Neodog's man counterpart is WIA or KIA it may not turn over enemy units but may still kill spotted workers. If a man's Neodog is killed a die is rolled, if a 6 is rolled he may not attack for the rest of the scenario and must go to the retrieval area, any other result and he may still function as a marauder. K-9 units may not carry or deploy SW & E. 3. After the devastating effect of the M.I. on the loosely organized Skinny infantry, Humanoid Scientists went to work and developed an armor piercing grenade which proved to be very effective against the M.I. armored suits. At the start of the scenario each Skinny warrior carries one armor piercing grenade. Warriors may exchange these in the same manner as Terran SW & E. Each Warrior may carry two grenades at a time. A Warrior may fire a grenade during either the ranged weapon phase or close combat phase or one each phase. Each grenade has an attack strength of 6. This attack strength is used instead of the regular attack strength and

the range is the same hex as the firing unit. The target receives no benefit for terrain. Grenades can be combined with each other in attacks but with nothing else. Neodogs and Combat Engineer Squads are not affected by grenades. If a Warrior is eliminated, a die is rolled on the Terran SW & E loss chart, using the WIA table. If he does not lose his grenades the unit is inverted and remains that way for the rest of the game, even if it had no grenades at the time of elimination. Terrans and Arachnids may not use Skinny grenades. Strongpoints are supply depots as well as fortifications. Warriors who move into or through strongpoints are immediately carrying two grenades no matter how many they had before they entered the hex. Workers may act as "grenade carriers." Each worker may carry one grenade per strongpoint visit to any Warrior. They may not use the grenade themselves or carry more than 1 at a time. Humanoid workers lose any carried grenades when eliminated. Humanoid players keep track of number of grenades carried on a piece of scratch paper in a similar manner to the Terran control sheet.

4 HE Launchers

Force A
Pro-Terran Skinnies

14 4

2 2

4 6

2
012

10

232

10

984

1244

HE 2610

NUC

K-9 3310

Force B

4 1

466

28 1

2310

4 1

012

1 1

232

0620

023

15

24123

1862

3102

062

8 HE Launchers 4 NUC Launchers

Arachnid:
6

631

35 15

011

35 7

1883

8 Engineers 1 Repair Engineer

10

Pro-Arachnid Skinnies

232

984

1244

012

25 Demo Points

8
repair engineer can connect the damaged tunnel systems to the others in the same complex as part of their tunnel systems. The units in the complex must still return to their respective cells upon entering the tunnel system however. The repair engineer may build 5 tunnels and make a breach or repair 2 tunnel segments. Only the repair engineer may connect the tunnel systems and only to the damaged complex. Other engineers must still remain in their respective tunnel systems. 4. C.E.s and Heavy Weapons Brigade must be retrieved before the end of the game.

SETUP: Terran Force B enter any turn after turn 3. CEs and Heavy Weapons land by soft landing. Terran Force A and Pro-Terran Skinnies set up second, move first. Pro-Arachnid Forces set up first, move second. GAME LENGTH: 15 turns. SPECIAL RULES: 1. Pro-Arachnids and Pro-Terrans can stack and attack together regardless of race. Pro-Terran Humanoids may not be inverted.

2. There are two Arachnid complexes. One was largely destroyed by Skinnies and Terrans and has only 3 functional brain cells. One has full complement of Warriors, Workers, and Heavy Weapon-Beam, another has only Warriors and Workers, and the third has only a Heavy Weapon Beam. The 3 functional brain cells must be adjacent in the complex and other tunnel systems in the complex cannot have more than 4 hexes of uncollapsed tunnels in a row. 3. The repair engineer is a mutation produced by the Queen before she died. During the course of the game the

VICTORY CONDITIONS: Terran: Accumulate more victory points than the Arachnid Player at the end of the game. Victory points are awarded as follows: Terran player receives points for destroying the following: Arachnid player receives points for the following: HVY WIA KIA Master Brain 15 Skinny Warrior 1 Marauder 2 4 5 Communication Installation 10 Skinny Beam 2 Scout 1 2 3 Brain or Queen 5 Skinny Missile 3 Commander 3 5 7 Repair Engineer 4 C.E. 4 Arachnid Heavy Weapon-Beam 3 Heavy Tank 7 Skinny Warrior 1 Borer 7 Skinny Missile 2 Breacher 5 Skinny Beam 3 Artillery 5 Engineer 2 5 for each undestroyed communications installation Arachnid Warrior 1 3 for each unretrieved, undestroyed C.E. 4 for each unretrieved, undestroyed part of the Heavy Weapons Brigade If you find that the Arachnids win too much or want further realism use the following optional rule. At the start of the scenario each M.I. unit is equipped with one Psychological bomb. During the movement or extended jump phase, this bomb may be dropped like DAP and DAR in any hex already containing enemy units but does not attack them until the next ranged weapon phase. The Skinny units are free to move in and out of the hex in their turn, but if they do move out of the hex no Skinny units may enter that hex for the rest of the scenario. If they stay and accept the attack the hex may still be traversed normally by Humanoid units. Only one unit has to stay and accept the attack to fulfill this condition. The

"Psycho-bomb" attacks all skinny personnel units with an attack strength of 12. Units in strongpoints, Heavy Weapons, and Arachnids are not affected by Psychobombs although Arachnid Warriors and Workers in the target hex at the time of detonation are subject to the attack of the bomb. Psycho-bombs are lost if a roll on the SW & E loss chart destroys all SW & E. They may be transferred among M.I. units but each one in addition to the normal amount of one carried counts against the amount of DAP, DAR, and HNG that may be carried by that unit.

THE GENERAL Volume 17 Number 4

BUG FORTS AND TERRAN TANKS

by Stephen Sanders and Jimmie Long One of the biggest Bug problems is that once he gets above ground, Terran Firepower blows him away. The Arachnid can always blast somebody and move on top of him to avoid rocket attacks, but eventually the Bugs will get close assaulted to death. In order to give the Bugs some surface staying power, the Bugs may build Bug forts. The idea that the Bugs finally get smart and begin to build forts assumes that the Terran-Bug War drags on quite a long while. After a couple of encounters with the forts, the Terrans would get smart and build a tank to destroy forts. While a tank would be slow, it would be less likely to be destroyed by the fort than a trooper would. In designing scenarios, including forts and tanks the Bugs would get a maximum of two forts. The Terrans would get three or four tanks. While more would be fun, only three or four could be brought along due to weight and space considerations on the Terran spaceships. A Bug fort would have a force field (probably stolen from a Bug spaceship) capable of absorbing energy and deflecting projectiles. The field could be suppressed if enough energy was absorbed by it. After being suppressed, the field would come back up at less power because of the strain on the generator. Inside of the fort would be a Heavy Weapon Gun Emplacement with its own fortifications (a tank turret). The Terran tank would have an unlimited NUC capability in the game. This is justifiable because the longest games are only 15 turns. Firing only one NUC per turn amounts to only 15 rockets. Hopefully, the Terrans would design their tanks to carry more than 15 rounds. For the future tank freak, the Terran tank would probably look just like a tank from this era. A turret (why turn a whole tank when you don't have to), a heavy chassis (protection of the crew and drive systems only makes sense), and treads (which go over almost anything). About the only radical change would be an anti-gravity unit or a very compact hovercraft assembly. To emplace a fort, the Bug engineers would create a breach and remain in it for two special function phases. In the second special function phase, the fort is emplaced and may begin firing. This setup time represents the time it takes to get the gun emplaced and get the force field working. The takedown procedure is much the same as the setup procedure. The Bug engineers would move under the fort for two special function phases and in the second, the fort would go underground. A fort defends with 100 which decreases 25 every time the field is suppressed. The Terran NUC rockets attack a force shield with a strength of 24. HE rockets are ineffective against the shields. A fort is destroyed by suppressing the shields with NUC fire and then subjecting the gun emplacement, which defends with 8, to rocket attacks, HE or NUC. A disrupt roll suppresses the shields while an elimination roll destroys the fort completely. The gun inside the fort is a hijacked Heavy Beam Weapon inside of its turret but without the equipment to move. This gun is a slightly modified version with an attack of 18 and a range of 9. Tanks must be soft landed with the Terran engineers. Because of their weight and size, an entire landing boat must be designated to carry nothing but tanks. As mentioned, the tank fires unlimited NUC's and attacks the force field at 24. Its movement would be 3 and its defense would be 12. A roll of WIA would damage the tanks. They would not move but they could fire their weapon; also, they would be dispersed for one turn. A KIA roll would destroy the tank. Anything else is ineffective. A tank's gun would be a long range form of the MI NUC rocket. The rocket would be no larger because these are slapped together tanks. In the game, the range is 9. In closing, the rules provide for interesting games. For reasonably good players, introduction of forts and tanks will not throw off play balance. However, the only way for you to find out is to get someone and try out a game or two with tanks and forts. We highly recommend you do.

THE GENERAL Volume 20 Number 4

ALONE AGAINST THE BUGS

A Solitaire System for STARSHIP TROOPERS By Rick Mathews What with all the discussion on solitaire play recently, it was inevitable that a few articles concerning such come across my desk. As skeptical as I am, I gritted my teeth and played every one. Surprisingly, in terms of the game system, Mr. Mathews' solitaire version of SST can be quite enjoyable. And he's right it is tough to beat the bugs. Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. It is simply not always possible to find an opponent to play a good competitive game whenever I desire. For this reason, I set about designing solitaire systems for some of the games I own. With the expectation that other wargamers find themselves in a situation similar to mine, this article will attempt to share the results of my efforts to design a solitaire system for Avalon Hill's STARSHIP TROOPERS. Using this system, the player as the futuristically armed Terrans may battle the subterranean Arachnids without making any decisions for the opposition. The system is competitive - it has beaten me more often than not. Before this system is explained, perhaps a few words about STARSHIP TROOPERS and why it was chosen for solitaire treatment would be in order. Gamers generally interested in historically based wargames often turn up their noses at STARSHIP TROOPERS, regarding it as little more than a fantasy "trip" undeserving of a second look. They are making a mistake. First, SST is in many ways a very conventional wargame. Second, and more important, SST captures like few other games on the market the intensity and elusive "feel" of individual soldiers locked in desperate, raging combat. This is partly because the game is most often a wild melee with no static fronts. Also, each counter represents but one man and not an "abstract" group. While playing, one can easily imagine oneself as the lone trooper standing on a desolate future battlefield with awesome blasts exploding in too close proximity, deadly energy beams flashing overhead, and hideous giant spiders boiling out of their holes and madly charging without regard for the hand flamer cutting down their companions. At first glance, STARSHIP TROOPERS may seem to be one of the least likely to lend itself to solitaire play. The Arachnid hidden movement system looks to require a live opponent. It is this very hidden movement, however, which makes a solitaire system possible for it. In a twoplayer game, a good Arachnid will try to appear as random as possible to his Terran opponent. A predictable Bug is a dead Bug. Consequently, it is possible to design a system whereby the Arachnids really do move and fight semi-randomly, while the solitaire player controls the Terrans. In the following system, it is assumed that since the Arachnids would have little knowledge of the Terran mission, they will react in basically the same manner to any Terran invasion. Thus, they will try to maintain access to the surface, protect their hive, and kill Terran troopers. Even though the Terran player may choose from three possible missions, only one set of rules is needed to control the Arachnids. They are, after all, alien and their thoughts beyond our ken. This results in a very playable system. All regular rules for STARSHIP TROOPERS are in effect unless amended by the following: Battling the Bugs 1. The sequence of play is somewhat altered. Refer to the game tables for the revised Sequence of Play. The rules in this section generally follow that sequence. Steps one through four are ignored on the first game turn. In addition, note that there are no inverted alien counters in Solitaire SST. 2. The mapboard is divided into six sectors defined by the map fold and the board partitions. Each of these sectors (except one in each game) will contain an Arachnid "hive" consisting of one, and only one, combat brain cell. There are no queens nor master brains here. These cells and their corresponding tunnel complexes are not drawn on the Alien Control Pad prior to play. They are simply assumed to be there, and their actual location must be discovered by the Terran using the following rules. 3. To begin each game, the Terrans must drop to the planet surface using the initial drop procedure, except that only one squad may initially be placed in each sector. After the initial drop, Terran troops are free to move out of their sector. When the drop has been made, five sectors are randomly chosen by assigning each an arbitrary number (l-6) and making die rolls. Each of these sectors contains an Arachnid one-cell "hive". Place a counter for each hive, labeled A through E, in these individual sectors as a reminder. Each hive begins with the usual compliment of units attached (i.e., five warriors, 5 Workers, one Beam Weapon). 4. At the beginning of each turn (except the first), the Terran must determine where new breaches will be created. A new breach will appear in each sector where a die roll yields a number equal to or less than the number of Arachnid workers surviving in that sector. To find the location of the new breach, the player must randomly choose a vertical row in that sector, and then randomly choose an actual number hex within that row where the breach will be emplaced. This can conveniently be done with numbered chits (l-17) or with a twenty-sided die (available at any game shop). When a breach is placed, a worker is also placed in the same hex. It is assumed to be underground. Workers never come to the surface nor are used in any way other than this in Solitaire SST. At the end of the next Terran player segment, all surviving workers are removed from the board and are available for subsequent breaching on the next game turn. There are no "engineers". Instead, the workers perform a semi engineer function as described. 5. The Terran now rolls two dice for each sector containing a hive. If the roll is equal to or greater than the current turn number, an Arachnid demolition may explode in that sector. Roll two dice for each hex in that sector occupied by a functional Terran. On a roll of three or less, the hex will receive a demo attack. Roll one die on the Arachnid Demo Table to determine the exact demo type. The player must roll for possible demos as long as the combat brain in that sector is alive and on-planet (even if captured). 6. Surviving, underground Arachnid beam weapons will now move to the surface; and all beam weapons will attack if any targets are available. If more than one target is available, use the Beam Fire Priority Table. Beams will not fire at WIA Terrans, unless the same hex contains another non-WIA Terran. After firing, beam weapons will move onto any WIA Terran (if one is available) and remain there until destroyed, firing normally in the meantime. Failing this, they will remain in their initial breach hex until no targets are available, at which time they will descend underground. The Terran must roll for beam weapon attacks as long as the combat brain in that sector is alive and on planet (even if captured). 7. The player must now check for Arachnid warrior attacks in each sector. If a Terran unit or units on the surface can be reached and attacked by warriors during the current game turn, the warriors will attack on a die roll equal to or less than the surviving number of warriors in that sector. The same die roll is used to determine the actual number of warriors attacking. These warriors will issue from the nearest breach to the Terran target. Any warriors still underground will always attack underground targets (no die roll is necessary) unless the potential target hex contains heavy nerve gas. For either surface or subterranean warrior attacks, if the warriors are presented with multiple targets, roll one die for each sector to determine which targets are actually attacked and at what odds: 1-3 Warriors will attack at the highest possible odds (up to six against one!), even if this means that some potential targets must remain unattacked. 4-6 Warriors will attack as many targets as possible, with the highest odds being but a secondary concern. If, after using this method, there is still a question as to which targets will be attacked, choose between the targets randomly by assigning each a die roll number. Like beam weapons, warriors will not attack a WIA Terran. Once on the surface and unengaged, warriors will move toward and attack any new targets which present themselves, using the same system described above for actual target determination. When warriors no longer have potential targets, they will move onto any WIA Terran available; failing that, they will move as quickly as possible underground. Warriors will never move through radiation areas. 8. The Terran player now conducts his player segment according to the rules. At the conclusion of this segment, the Terran must remove surviving Arachnid workers from the mapboard and record accumulated Arachnid defense points. Terrans and Tunnels 1. In Solitaire STARSHIP TROOPERS, no one taught the Bugs how to dig straight tunnels. When Terrans descend below ground, roll one die for each tunnel hex entered (beginning with the first breach hex entered) and consult the scatter diagram printed on the board. The tunnel will exit the currently occupied hex through the corresponding hexside. Use the Alien Control Pad to keep track of tunnels explored. 2. If the number rolled while mapping indicates the hexside last passed through, the hex currently occupied is the brain cell for this sector. After the brain cell is found in a sector, subsequent rolls of this result simply indicate a dead end. 3. If the Terran is searching for prisoners he may roll one die for each tunnel hex entered. On a roll of six, a prisoner cell maybe drawn in the appropriate adjacent hex. 4. If mapping die rolls would cause a tunnel to run off the mapboard, or to intersect previously mapped non-breach tunnel hex, simply roll again. 5. When a Special Talent is activated use the same procedure described above for mapping any tunnels within range. Simply choose any breach and begin. A Special Talent may also map from more than one breach simultaneously. 6. Listening devices may be used to locate tunnel hexes (most likely for subsequent CE breaching or demolitions). When a LD is activated, roll on the scatter diagram. A tunnel will exist in the indicated direction at a range from the LD determined by a second die roll. If this second roll is five or six, however, no tunnel exists. 7. A combat Engineer demo charge detonated in a nonbreach tunnel hex will seal off the breach nearest the detonation hex, as well as any subsequent breaches which may be placed nearer (do not even place these later breaches on the mapboard since no units can issue from them). Arachnids do not receive defense points for sealed-off breaches. Breaches may also be sealed off by using Heavy Nerve Gas or a CE demo in the actual breach hex, or by placing a radiation area there. DAP and DAR charges do not seal off breaches but they can affect units underneath them (i.e.: workers). Defense and Casualty Points 1. Defense points are tallied for the Arachnid for the following: a. 1 point per turn for each functional breach b. 3 points per turn for each functional warrior on the surface c. 6 points per turn for each functional beam on the surface Victory points are no longer awarded for breaches when all warriors and beam weapons have been destroyed in a sector (although points accumulated by the Arachnid up to that point are valid). Bugs must be undisrupted to be considered functional. Defense points are awarded at the end of each Terran player segment and must be recorded. 2. Casualty points are tallied for the Terran for the following items used in accomplishment of his mission(s). Points for support weapons and equipment are only calculated if that item is either expended in combat or lost. Unretrieved non-KIA Terrans are worth three times their KIA point value listed below. Casualty points are not totaled until the end of the game. Each trooper HVY: 2 Each trooper WIA: 4 Each trooper KIA: 6 CE Lost: 8 ST Lost: 50 HE Launcher: 2 NUC Rocket (each): 6 DAP: 2 DAR: 3 HNG: 4 HE Demo: 5 NUC Demo: l0 Aircar Lost: l5 LD Lost: 1 Boat Lost: 75 Help From the Humanoids 1. The Terran may use Humanoid allies, who revolt against the Bugs in conjunction with the Terran invasion if he so desires. For each sector where they will be used, the Terran must choose the specific force before play starts and predesignate the turn of arrival. On that turn, the Humanoids may enter via any exterior board edge of their designated arrival sector. The Terran may cancel the entry of any group at any point prior to their arrival.

2. The Terran must add casualty points for any Humanoids concluding the game on the mapboard but outside of a strongpoint, unless their specific sector has been cleared of Arachnid warriors and beam weapons. Humanoids may not go underground, and may not be retrieved via landing boat. Casualty points are charged to the Terran for Humanoid losses: Worker Lost: 1 Warrior Lost: 2 Beam Weapon Lost: 6 Missile Weapon Lost: 12 3. Strongpoints may be built as follows: two workers must commence their player turn in the construction hex; here they are inverted. On the next game turn, they are turned right-side up, and a strongpoint is placed over them. Terran units may not use Humanoid strongpoints. The Missions Solitaire STARSHIP TROOPERS is not meant to be used with the scenarios provided in the game. Instead, prior to play the player must choose from the three missions below for each sector; alternately, use a die roll to randomly determine which of the missions is to be attempted in each sector. These need not be identical; a different mission can be chosen for each sector landed in. Each game is twelve turns in length. At the end of the game, Arachnid defense points and Terran casualty points are added together and divided by the number of sector initially occupied by Arachnid hives to find the average point value. The Terran wins if he is able to accomplish

his mission objectives in a majority of sectors without having the average point value exceed 100 points. The Terran must use initial drop procedure for all but his Combat Engineers and Special Talents - which must enter via soft landing. The player may use as many landing boats as desired so long as no more than two are on planet at any one time. He need not predesignate turns of arrival nor hexes for rocket beacons. Note that the Terran may play as large or as small a game as he desires. If he chooses to drop less than a full platoon, he will only battle as many hives as he has squads. When he does drop a full platoon, the squad landing in the unoccupied sector may assist any other squad in the accomplishment of their mission. The Missions: (Quotations from Robert Heinlein's fine novel, Starship Troopers) The missions are arranged in order of increasing difficulty. It is generally easier to destroy the contents of a hive (usually by destroying the combat brain itself) than to retrieve a prisoner. Mission One: "Burn 'em Down" Bugs, Mr. Rico! Zillions of 'em! I'm a-burning 'em down! Your Objective: Destroy every beam and warrior in this sector. Mission Two: "Get 'em Alive!" He had captured a brain Bug and was using its bloated body as a shield. He could not get out, but they could not attack him without (quite literally) committing suicide by hitting their own brain.

Your Objective: Capture the brain in this sector, and transfer him off-planet via landing boat. (Yes, Bugs will fire at a Terran carrying a brain, once that brain is on the surface. If hit, the brain is not hurt.) Mission Three: "Bring'em Back!" Those who are still alive are waiting, knowing that we will show up. And here we are. Now we go get 'em. Your Objective: Retrieve at least one prisoner from this sector, and transfer him off-planet via landing boat. Concluding Remarks Basically, the Terran must do what every good commander must: accomplish his mission with a minimum of loss - but against a strategy totally alien, and hence seemingly random. This fact will influence his choices from the outset. Heavily armed Terran troopers will certainly kill Bugs, but they are also prone to higher casualty ratios. On the planet surface, the Terran is confronted with many tasks and several difficult decisions in a short space of time. He must blast surface threats, chase down worker units, and invariably go underground in order to accomplish his mission. He will find it difficult to do all of this and retrieve his boys inside the twelve-turn limit. If he does go underground before blasting most of the beams, warriors and even lowly workers in a sector, he may find himself not only fighting at a disadvantage in the tunnels, but will also watch helplessly as Arachnid breach points mount. If he goes underground too late, he may never get off the planet. All in all it is a tense contest. The solitaire trooper will not find it easy standing alone against the Bugs.

GAME TABLES
Sequence of Play 1. Check for and emplace new breaches Arachnid workers. 2. Check for and resolve Arachnid demo attacks. 3. Check for and resolve Arachnid beam attacks. 4. Check for and resolve Arachnid warrior attacks. 5. Conduct Terran player segment. 6. Remove surviving, non-disrupted Arachnid workers. 7. Record Arachnid defense points accumulated during the turn. Beam Fire Priority 1. Humanoid Installation 2. Special Talent 3. Combat Engineer 4. Landing Boat 5. Scout 6. Commander 7. Marauder 8. Empty Aircar 9. Humanoid Missile Launcher 10. Humanoid Beam Weapon 11. Humanoid Warrior 12. Humanoid Worker Arachnid Demolitions 1-2 HE 3 Scale 1 4-5 Scale 2 6 Scale 3 Warrior Attack Priority 1-3 Highest Possible Odds 4-6 Largest Number of Targets

THE GENERAL Volume 23 Number 1

ASSAULT ON A QUEEN
Cellular Destruction in SST By Wesley L. Doody STARSHIP TROOPERS, to the distain of many wargaming purists, was Avalon Hill's first major step into the science fiction/fantasy realm-and a successful one at that. Unlike the then traditional games, SST recreates battles that have not yet happened and therefore does not have a broad "history" to fall back on for those fans wishing to simulate the other battles of this interstellar conflict. Heinlein's book, though thoroughly entertaining, is fuzzy at best when one wants to research for a new scenario. Fortunately, The GENERAL has published a number of excellent DYO scenarios. This is intended as another. This scenario has been designed to explore an aspect of SST which is only hinted at by the game and the GENERAL addenda. With the exception of Mr. Mclaren's "SST Expansion" (Vol. 15, No.5), the Arachnid Brain Complex includes a Queen and a Master Brain cell which seem to serve mostly as decoration in all previous scenarios. Assault on a Queen gives both of these cells a specific (and sometimes devastating) function. This scenario is essentially a search and destroy mission based on modifications drawn from earlier published SST articles in these pages. An optional rules section is also included which noticeably alters the play of the game. The Situation 2157.12.21 (UC): The Terran High Command desperately needed information about the biology and behavior of the Arachnids in order to formulate more efficient battle plans and bio-chemical weaponry. (The M.I. already knew "Bugs" were deadly and skilled warriors, but little else.) Established outposts were reporting that previously "wasted" hive complexes were becoming active. Since the Terran Navy has prevented re-invasion of these planetoids by Arachnid forces, it could only mean one thing the "Queens" must be reproducing! This could be disastrous to the Terran strategy if such growth went unchecked. ("it takes a minimum of a year to train a private to fight . . . a Bug warrior is hatched able to do this.") This scenario depicts the attempt by the First Platoon, C Company, Second Battalion, Third Regiment, First Mobile Infantry Division (known as "Warren's Wolverines") to study and destroy a Queen cell on an isolated Arachnid planetoid. Following a previous raid made the day before which had been turned back by excessive casualties, Warren hoped to fulfill his mission by utilizing unrepaired breaches to reach the hive center. The Scenario Set Up: Arachnid: Construct a tunnel complex such that all the breaches listed below are connected by tunnel segments (the listed hexes represent known breaches from a prior Terran raid). In addition to the standard hive complex, a total of 30 additional tunnel hexes may be added to the complex providing that these additional segments are connected via legal Tunnel Construction Procedures. These new segments may be divided in any manner among the Combat Cells and may be used to connect the listed breaches to the complex. Breach counters are to be placed on the board for all the following : I-15, I-16, K-24, O-20, O-21, O-26, P-10, P15, R-16, T-28, T-30, V-10, W-22, Z-12, BB-19, BB-27, DD-19, EE-17 and JJ-17. The Brain Complex must be constructed according to the circular pattern, but may be labeled in any order so long as the Queen is located in the central cell. Arachnid forces move first. The Arachnid commander has 25 Warriors, 25 Workers, 5 Heavy Beam Weapons and 13 Demo Points. In addition to this compliment of warriors, workers and beams, he may also have several "old bugs" (use the second set of Arachnid counters). Terran: Force A consists of one M.I. Platoon equipped with four Listening Devices, six DAP, eight HNG, six Nuclear Launchers, six DAR, 12 HE and one BOS (see below, Rule 3). Force B consists of all Engineers and one Special Talent, nine HE, nine NUC charges, one BOS, two beacons and two retrieval boats. Force A sets up second as per the Initial Drop Procedures. Force B may enter any time after Turn 1 via SoftLanding Procedures. Beacon location and turn of arrival must be pre-recorded on paper (to be shown to the Arachnid player when the game is over). Game Length: 20 Turns. All normal rules of SST are applicable unless otherwise stated in the Special Rules or modified by chosen Optional Rules. Victory Conditions: Arachnid: Prevent Terran victory conditions from being reached and accumulate 20 or more victory points as per SST Rules of Scenario 5A. Terran: record biological/behavioral data and destroy the Queen cell and prevent the Arachnid player from attaining his victory conditions. Any other result is considered a draw. Special Rules: Though most of the Bug warriors and workers were destroyed in the previous Terran encounter, some cells (even though severely damaged) were still functioning. Combat cells which were damaged or destroyed would eventually be replaced by the Queen by reproduction if she is left alive. The Queen cell, therefore, is central to the future existence of the hive. Additionally, "brain cell replacement" allows for the retention of the "old Bugs" along with the "new Bugs", provided that the "old Bugs" live through the transition. 1. To simulate Bug survivorship from previous M.I. raids, a die is rolled three times for each Combat Brain in order to determine the number of Bugs left to that Brain. (Substituting numbered chits for die rolls will provide a more permanent record). A. Workers: One die per Combat Brain. The number rolled is the number of Workers that survived for that cell. A "6" means no "old" Workers survived. B. Warriors: Follow the same procedure as in A. above. C. Heavy Beam Weapons: A die roll of "1"or "2" indicates that the old beam is still functional; any other result means the weapon was destroyed. (If you feel that 33% is too high, change the survival number to "1".) 2. "New Bugs" enter the fray as they hatch. They hatch in the following order: A. All new Workers hatch on Turn 2. B. All new Warriors hatch on Turn 3. C. All new Heavy Beam Weapons (completed by the new Workers) are ready on Turn 5. D. New engineer units hatch on Turn 6 (there were no surviving engineers). Engineers can begin tunnel repairs immediately upon hatching. On Turn 6, engineers may repair/construct anyone main tunnel segment connected to the Combat Brain. The engineer may not pass through a damaged tunnel segment in order to perform this activity. Starting with Turn 7, tunnel construction proceeds normally. Starting with Turn 8, new breaches may be constructed. 3. Terrans hope to study the biology and behavior of Bugs using the Biological Observation System (BOS). BOS emplacement requires two undisturbed turns (not necessarily sequential) in order for BOS to be successful. BOS records data when emplaced above the Queen's cell only, and remain functional depending upon the status of the M.I. unit operating it. (Any convenient marker is used to represent a BOS; when BOS is not in use, the marker is removed from the board.) BOS is not functional if the operating M.I. unit is "stunned". Further, if the operating unit suffers severe damage, the effects on the BOS is determined as per the SW&E Chart. Only one BOS may be deployed at a time. A. During the first turn of emplacement, during the Arachnid Player Phase the Arachnid Player must identify what -if anything- the BOS is showing (engineer, Combat Brain, Queen, Master Brain, nothing). Remember that BOS recordings of the Queen only serve for Victory Conditions. B. BOS must be deployed for two complete turns (not necessarily consecutive) without being moved, nor the operator disturbed (as indicated above). C. Each M.I. may carry only one BOS; possession is indicated on the M.I. Control Sheet. BOS may be exchanged with other M.I. units as per the usual SW&E rules. 4. After biological/behavior data has been recorded, the Queen cell may be destroyed as per normal procedures. Destruction of the Queen still allows other Arachnid units to function normally. 5. Terran Player is not required to execute retrieval of forces before the end of the scenario. The retrieval boat may rescue casualties at the Terran Player's option, however, when it lands with Force B. The Optional Rules The following optional rules, adapted from previous SST articles published in The GENERAL, may be used to add additional flavor and excitement. These rules may be used separately or in any combination desired. 1. Terran Force B may use the Spaceport Landing Rules (found in "Mission Scenarios" in Vol. 15, No. 1). Force B would be allowed to land without the use of a beacon in hex FF5 or EE7. Only the turn of arrival need be specified. The retrieval boat must still remain on the ground for one complete turn after arrival, after which it must lift off. If this option is exercised, Force B may not arrive before Turn 3. Spaceport hexes are subject to destruction by Arachnid Demo Charges; a spaceport hex is considered destroyed if a Terran or Arachnid Demo Charge or nuclear warhead has exploded in the hex. If both spaceport hexes are destroyed, Force B must resort to softlanding procedures. Landings at operational spaceport hexes are not subject to drift or direction of launch. 2. Arachnids may use offensive Demo Charges (also from "Mission Scenarios"). If this option is used, consider the Arachnid complex to have a "store" of 10 additional unused demo points. Brain engineers may emplace them in any tunnel hex or adjacent hex (except in a Queen or Brain hex) during the Special Function Phase. This is a "special function" and would prevent the engineer from operating in any other capacity. Only one charge, regardless of size, may be laid each turn. A charge is considered active at the end of the Special Function Phase during which it was emplaced and maybe set off in accordance with usual demo procedures.(If this option is exercised for this scenario, give the Terran Player one additional NUC launcher in Force A.) 3. Contrary to Mr. McLaren's ideas in "SST Expansion", the Arachnid Queen, like any social anthropod queen, is solely a reproductive unit. The rest of the hive functions to protect her and thus to insure its continued survival. Destruction of a Queen would result in the gradual death of the hive. The Queen has no other function. The situation regarding the Master Brain is different. If a Combat Brain is destroyed, the Master Brain may control any three units of that Combat Brain (one of these units, of course, may be a heavy beam weapon). All excess units are considered functionless and therefore destroyed and removed from play. The Master Brain may switch its control from one destroyed Combat Brain to another during play. However, switching in this manner will result in the immediate death of any surviving Bugs within the abandoned Combat Brain complex. If the Master Brain itself is destroyed, the attack factor of all units of the hive (except the heavy beam weapons) is reduced by two. 4. To fit the "Recruits Option" into the campaign designed by Richard Hamblen ("Saga of the Bug Wars" in Vol. 13, No. 6), this scenario should follow Scenario B5 and precede Scenario 6. In so doing, the Casualties and Recruits Rules and Replaced Commanders Rule can now be used. If however, this scenario (or any other) is to be played out of sequence, the Recruits option can still be used by simulating casualties in previous actions. To determine the number of casualties, roll one die for each M.I. unit: if a "6" is rolled, that unit is considered to have been a casualty. Each "casualty" must then be replaced with a recruit counter which is subject to Mr. Hamblen's rules. Final Comments Die rolls for setting up the Arachnid OOB should be made and recorded in secrecy. As an alternative, a series of numbered chits (1-6) can be substituted for these die rolls - being an easier and more permanent method of record keeping. These chits should be inverted and maintained in the original order of selection and then revealed to the Terran Player only at the end of play. Following this procedure will result in a tactical guessing game for the Terran Player. Since chance will heavily determine the available Arachnid forces, it is difficult to suggest a Terran battle plan that will be successful in every play of this scenario. One certainty, though, is that by the eighth turn the Terran will be facing at least one fully operational hive. Given the best of Arachnid luck, in terms of enemy counters this could be the equivalent of two full hives. It is quite possible that the "luck of the die" may be the foundation for a Terran disaster. As a general tactic, get the I.D.s into action before Turn 4, since you will only have to worry about "old Bugs" for the first three turns. Additionally, HNG can be dropped in existing breaches to hamper early Arachnid tunnel movement, forcing the engineers to reconnect routes instead of allowing them to build new ones. Whatever your plan, do it quickly because time is on the Arachnid's side. When Turn 10 has ended and the Terrans have fried only ten old workers and have not located

the Brain complex, you are in trouble. Remember, your mission is to record and destroy the Queen and depart as soon as possible. Destroy Bugs when you can, but don't be misled into hunting for every one of them. Due to the fluctuations in the Arachnid OOB, the Terran Player cannot sit back and expect to win; aggressive play is a prerequisite to victory. The Arachnid Player, on the other hand, can afford to be patient. Take time in designing the tunnel complex. Its early discovery by the Terran player could lead to a very short game. Variations offered by the listed breaches and additional tunnel segments will allow placement of the Brain complex almost anywhere on the board. The stronger the Arachnid OOB, the longer Arachnid attacks can be delayed. However, if the Terran Player locates the Brain complex on the first turn, it is time to throw caution to the winds. Generally, the Arachnid Player should play to achieve his twenty victory points and then adopt a strong defensive strategy. Slugging it out with the M.I. on the surface can be very costly and may result in a draw or a loss.