From: Mr Robert McArthur (mcarthur@fit.qut.edu.au)
Date: Sat 16 Oct 1993 - 00:51:15 EET
Thom Baguley writes
> DRAGON PASS
>
> I just played Hearts and Minds from the Dragon Pass game from start to finish.
> It was the first time the Sartar player has won in any game I have played
> (previous Sartar best was a draw). I think (on balance) the Sartar side is
> slightly weaker (or maybe just slightly harder to play). My real reason for
> bringing this up though is several rule queries:
In the many games I have played, I have been lunar for probably half. I find lunar slightly easier to play but have won consistently with both - keep trying. If you're interested I'll pass on some hints for both sides if you like.
> 1) Do all defending units (including those who attack) get the benefits of
> defensive terrain? My understanding of the rules is that they do.
The attackers *never* get the benefits of terrain. Even in the example of the enemy being next to a fort, and you moving into it, becoming adjacent and thus attacking. Defending units do not get the benefits of defensive terrain if there is a superhero in the attacking stack, unless the defending stack has (at least one !) superhero as well.
> 2) My opponent kept some lunar magicians within the glowline in order that
> their spirits could attack outside the glowline at full strength. I thought
> that the rules didn't support this. The rules say a unit within the glowline
> with a cyclic factor is at full strength and spirits are described as
> individual units in the rules. A second argument is that the spirit is not a
> ranged attack and probably not the spirit of the magician, but a bound or
> summoned entity (tied to the red moon).
Our house rules were that as the spirits were attacking outside the glowline, they are at the mercy of the phase of the moon; however, the magicians themselves are at full (7) since they are within the glowline.
> 3) Can a magician unit who has had its spirit destroyed engage in defensive
> spirit magic (my interpretation was yes).
Yes. If they can attack they can defend. Of course, there are other units that can defend but not attack.
> 4) How would other people order exotic magic in the exotic magic phase? In
> particular, could someone use the assassins to scout a stack (and discover
> whether any powerful units are in it) and then attack that stack with the
> Crater Makers or Stormwalkers special attack (destroying all the contents of
> that stack). I refrained from doing this as I thought it was a little unfair on
> my less experienced opponent (and because the rules don't refer to it).
Again, house rules. We made the rule that you must specify which exotics you will use in the term before actually doing any of them (to let the priests warm up :-), but that the order and *targets* were up to you. So, that would allow the person to say they will use assassin and crater maker, check out a stack with the assassins, and *then* decide which stack(s) get annihilated. Something *very* important to remember for both sides is that the crater makers can't be used on death and dying moons. This can make for mucho strategy decisions on the part of both sides!
> I feel obliged to get a second opinion on these rules as most of the decisions
> went in my favour and we are about to embark on the marathon game.
We have pages of rules additions and some modifications after years of playing DP (I just wish they *were* on one or two pages). Have fun with the marathon game - it's great fun too. Try the three player at some time, with the right people it can end up very political and, surprisingly, even.
Robert
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