pbm-chaos-issue-43

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Subscribe to PBM Chaos

ISSUE 43

September 1st, 2025

COMING IN NEXT ISSUE

Prepping For Galac-Tac

Takamo's GNN - Galactic News Network

Galaxy #223

More Hyborian War

And Other Things of PBM Interest

Image ad for Galactic Gossip: Tannhauser

* In an environment of e-mail and Discord, a newsletter may seem a little anachronistic. However, it is a platform for articles and artwork that may not necessarily fit well with the ‘instant messaging’ approach. Galactic Gossip: Tannhauser is the newsletter for the game Green Sun: Rise & Fall.

* Click on the image ad above to grab a copy of Galactic Gossip: Tannhauser Issue #11.
* Or click here to be taken to the Green Sun: Rise & Fall Discord chat server.

Editorial

Issue #43 of PBM Chaos greets you and wishes you well!

Another week, another issue of PBM Chaos. An unexpected and unplanned trip to an apple festival in North Carolina this past weekend tossed a kink into my plan to finish up this issue a day early. It wasn't a terrible thing, nor even a particularly bad thing, but time spent on one activity or event is time that suddenly becomes no longer available for me to work on PBM Chaos. At least I managed to dodge what was looking to be a double header, with the flea market trip never taking flight. Whew!

I don't dislike flea markets. Heck, I was raised on regular visits to local flea markets growing up. What I hate about flea markets, though, is when they keep on having what seems to be "the same old junk." It reminds me too much of watching the same old commercials on some of those free streaming TV channels, these days. At least give us different commercials, even for the same products. Likewise, even if all that you're gonna bring to a flea market to sell is junk, then at least treat us to different junk, from time to time.

In a PBM sense, it reminds me of seeing the same old PBM ads, time after time after time. And for at least some of you readers out there, it probably reminds you of me, when I write about the same things, time after time after time. Oops!

Somehow, I managed to survive the cool and pleasant weather, that chicken on a stick, and a post-trip baked apple turnover. I even managed to somehow decline my wife's generous offer to share her roasted pecans and roasted cashews with me. That probably won't be one of the best decisions that I ever made, particularly in light of the fact that she kept telling me how good they were.

If you've taken a trip recently, be sure to write in and tell us about it, that we might share with others how it went for you.

This issue bulked up with Sea of Nyx League stuff and Galac-Tac articles. If you're out there and you're reading this issue of PBM Chaos (or just skimming it, as one individual over in the Dungeonworld PBM Discord server did with a previous issue back in mid-August, and who was mainly just interested in the Mo Holkar interview that Richard Lockwood did with Mo a number of months back), then hopefully, you'll find something of interest to you.

I am dedicating this issue to two different individuals - Joe Franklin and Daryl Holloman. Joe may be taking a siesta away from writing articles for PBM Chaos for a bit, but he's been a really big help in providing this PBM publication with content in the form of multiple articles and other content to publish, since PBM Chaos' return. Daryl Holloman has been stepping up to the PBM plate in recent weeks, by way of writing several different articles - with more on the way.

As part of my own efforts to whittle down my own verbosity a bit, we'll call it a day on this issue's Editorial.

As always, happy gaming!

Charles Mosteller

Editor of PBM Chaos

PBM Question for Our Readers

On an older version of their website, KJC games long ago announced, "We are pleased to announce that we have signed a licence with Games Workshop PLC to jointly design a play by mail game. The finished game will be run by KJC. It will be based on their popular Warhammer series. The game will be located in a section of their fantasy world and based on Warhammer Quest."

See here on the Wayback Machine from February 20th, 1999.

Question for Our Readers: Whatever became of this?

If you have insight or details, please write in to PBM Chaos and share them with us.

* Click the image above to visit the PBM Forum.

Dungeonworld PBM Discord

* DungeonWorld bills itself as "The Largest PBM Adventure Game Ever Made!" It is a PBM game operating on digital stilts, playable by Internet users form all over the world, these days. It is run by Madhouse UK. The Dungeonworld PBM Discord chat server can be found here.

PBM Chaos recently [08/29/2025] dispatched an Away Team to the surface of the Dungeonworld PBM Discord server. Signs of recent activity there were abundant!

By the Away Team's count, the population of this particular Discord is 23. But do not be fooled by this PBM census, for it us received a great many postings by active members within PBM year 2025, alone. If you choose to visit for yourself, rest assured that you will have quite a number of posts by a variety of different people who play this game.

During the Away Team's exploration and scans of this Dungeonworld PBM Discord, it was

learned that back on April 27th of the PBM year 2024, PBM personality Lorddunmore identified himself to all who gather in that PBM space that he is Neil Bradley, the Madhouse USA GM.

Six minutes later, he shared such tidbits as 99% of USA-based Madhouse players are prisoners who have no direct access to the Internet, and that the "last turn" at that time, after he had printed out the PDF turn results, constituted 7,500 pages (3,500+ double sided).

Inmates at a wide variety of institutions of incarceration have long played play by mail games, stretching back decades. This is neither new nor alarming, but rather, just a fact of life, an ongoing tale of how human beings will see entertainment to distract from or to supplement that lot in life. PBM statistics of this nature feed the curiosity of proverbial cats not yet killed.

The Away Team also took note of a posting by a one Quasi-Modo of January 7th of the PBM year 2024 that confirmed numerous links from certain places to other particular places within DungeonWorld. This is a post that newcomers to DungeonWorld might well be served to familiarize themselves with.

The flag of the very first post in this Dungeonworld PBM Discord was made on March 16th in the PBM year 2023. Thus, the Away Team scrolled back that far in the chat log that exists for this Discord chat server in order to establish its date of origin.

Should curiosity or boldness lead you to visit the Dungeonworld PBM Discord, know that you will not be alone there.

Clickfest

Looking back at Issue #42

The Americans dominated Clickfest in Issue #42 of PBM Chaos, with nobody else even coming close, claiming 1st Place. The Canadians still managed to take 2nd Place, with the United Kingdom and Germany tying for 3rd Place. Slovakia captured 4th Place, with the Netherlands laying claim to 5th Place.

On a by-country basis, only two-thirds as many countries were fielded a Clicking team compared to Issue #41 before it.

The three most popular links in Issue #42 were:

1st Place with 5 unique clicks = https://play-by-e-mail.com/

2nd Place with 4 unique clicks = https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q-axRLu4mOvIJPcT0GH-DypvYPm6SMgk

3rd Place with 3 unique clicks = https://seaofnyx.com/

Finding a PBM Community

Joe Franklin

My journey to finding a PBM community spans four decades and two centuries. That sounds

impressive, even as I type it! Along the way, I had a couple of false starts before finally

discovering what I truly enjoy—and what I don't.

Talking about dislikes isn't always easy, but it's part of gaming's long history. Ironically, games

are designed around exploring differences—races, genders, and situations—yet there are

always people who work against that spirit. During my second attempt at PBM gaming, I ran

into one such obstacle. Rather than naming the game (and its unwelcoming GM), I'll simply

suggest visiting the PBM Discord, where it quickly becomes clear who fosters community and

who builds barriers. I hesitated to include this; I hope it adds context rather than detracts from

it.

Now, back to the fun. I've always liked Monster Island. The last time I played (in 2022/2023), I

was briefly distracted by the fast pace and automation of Quest G20. It's a great game if you

enjoy tearing through dungeons as a rowdy band of hellraisers in search of gold and traits.

Earlier this month, I picked up a new G20 group and played heavily for a week, but I soon let it

fade as my Monster Island activity took center stage again.

In February, I created a new monster—Orrgo the Furrcat—and submitted him for KJC's

approval. A couple of weeks later, he washed ashore in early March. From that moment, I

decided to share his journey widely. I revived the long-neglected Monster Island Facebook

page, started discussions on PlayByMail.net, launched the Monster Island subreddit, and later added a BlueSky account while repurposing my X account for PBM updates. In June, I set up the Monster Island Discord. Along the way, I also opened a Monster Island Monitor shop on TeePublic (my first shirt turned out great) and began updating the game's entry on RPG Geek.

It worked. Over the last six months, our Monster Island community has grown steadily. My

original goal was to reach 25 Discord members by June 2026—yet we've already hit 26.

Former players are reviving their monsters or starting new ones. Some of us even formed a

brand-new group, the first of its kind in the 21st century. Players are reconnecting with old

friends, inviting others to join, and breathing new life into the game. If you're looking for a

vibrant, active PBM community, you've found it.

We also publish a monthly newsletter, The Monster Island Monitor. While it mostly chronicles

the adventures of my four Ruks, contributions from other players are always welcome.

Looking ahead, I'm planning a special event—Monster Island Week—scheduled for October

2025 (a PBM Chaos exclusive announcement!). Details are still taking shape, but just like the

island itself, they'll reveal themselves in time.

Stay tuned!

Some Active Monsters on Monster Island

GNN — Galactic News Network

Issue Number 4

Dateline: Veythra Expanse & Sireth Belt

Population Growth and Militarization Sweep the Sireth Belt

By Jora Venn, GNN

Civil administrators confirmed widespread settlement growth across the Sireth Belt this week. Worlds including Almaris 2, Aquara 3, Belenor 5,and Jeltara 2 each recorded steady increases in population, adding strength to frontier economies. In total, dozens of colonies added new settlers, bolstering labor pools and resource extraction efforts.

Military recruitment surged in parallel. Thousands of Marines and Heavy Marine units were mustered on planets such as Belenor 5 and Jossa 2, swelling planetary garrisons to unprecedented levels. Officials cited the need to counter both external threats and insurgent activity.

Taxation proceeded without incident, with MU commanders collecting Resource Units (RUs) from worlds including Apelis 2, Gimorra 3, and Intara 1, reinforcing treasury reserves.

Yet unrest struck Almaris 5,where guerrillas of Die Schwarze Schar staged a successful offensive. Planetary defenses collapsed, local Marines were absorbed into the insurgency, and control shifted overnight. Revenues dropped sharply, underscoring the instability at the edges of the Belt.

Shipyards remained active despite unrest. On Almaris 2, engineers completed colony ships, terraformers, and production vessels, immediately dispatched to establish a new colony on Ammen 1. Additional shipyards at Jossa 2 began mass production of fighters, reinforcing forward lines.

Fighters Strike Jossa 4, Fleet 97 Driven Back

By Jora Venn, GNN

In one of the most intense engagements of the cycle, 225 fighters launched from Jossa 2

against the fortified world of Jossa 4.

Despite fierce resistance, Mutos-aligned forces destroyed 171 interceptors and inflicted heavy casualties, eliminating 371 Marine units stationed on the surface. However, defenders mounted a robust counterstrike: interceptor swarms, Heavy Marine fire, and ground batteries destroyed 118 fighters before the raid withdrew. Analysts estimate Jossa 4 maintains at least 40 forts and over 700 Heavy Marine units, signaling deep entrenchment.

Elsewhere in the Belt, Fleet 97approached Jossa 4’s orbit but came under immediate planetary torpedo fire. After evading three volleys, the fleet disengaged and retreated to deep space, avoiding catastrophic losses.

Meanwhile, defensive preparations accelerated across other colonies. New torpedo batteries, anti-ballistic missiles, and fortifications were reported on Almaris 2, Belenor 4, and Jossa 3, signaling an arms race between entrenched planetary militias and mobile fleets.

The Sireth Belt now teeters on the edge of wider conflict, with fighter raids escalating even as guerrilla movements destabilize planetary governments.

Smuggling Profits Surge Despite Crackdowns

By Jora Venn, GNN

Contraband networks tied to the Mutos of Rhatsibahn continue to generate enormous profitsacross the Veythra Expanse, despite mounting security crackdowns.

Local governors and trade centers collected significant handling fees and taxes, skimming off the top of each sale. The most profitable deal occurred on Qomra 1,where cargo units netted tens of thousands of RU for smugglers, even after local officials seized nearly 2,500 RU in fees.

Not all operations succeeded.Smuggling rings were intercepted on Flikar 1 and Gikos 2,with contraband valued at more than 2,600 RU confiscated byauthorities. Commanders reported these losses were absorbed quickly, though repeated seizures could indicate improved counter-smuggling patrols.

Guerrilla activity also escalated.Cells were deployed from orbit to several worlds, including Almaris 6 and Aquaris 3, destabilizing local administrations.However, one key base on Almaris 3 was captured by DieSchwarze Schar, marking a serious loss for the Mutos’underground network.

Naval skirmishes persisted. Near Almaris 2 and Almaris 3, Mutos fleets repeatedly clashed with Nepenthes raider squadrons, destroying waves ofspy ships. After sustaining heavy bombardments, enemy fleets attempted to disengage into deep space but left behind wreckage from dozens of destroyed reconnaissance craft.

Meanwhile, rival factions are rapidly arming. Intelligence sources confirmed the launch of new Marauder 7 warships and agricultural carriers in nearby systems, hinting at a coming contest over trade routes and planetary markets.

Despite losses, commanders report that overall revenues remain high, keeping the insurgency well-funded. With profits flowing and battles intensifying, analysts warn the Veythra Expanse is sliding toward a sustained war between insurgent networks and entrenched planetary defenses.

Mutos Fleets Rout Nepenthes Raiders in Repeated Engagements

By Jora Venn, GNN

One of the most decisive clashes in recent cycles erupted near the Almaris system, where Mutos fleets fought a series of engagements against Nepenthes raider squadrons.

The encounters began when multiple Nepenthes spy flotillas attempted to shadow Mutos convoys. According to fleet reports, the raiders were intercepted as they maneuvered in-system. Sustained bombardments followed, with Mutos gunners scoring thousands of direct hits.

In the first wave near Almaris 2,twelve spy-class ships were destroyed outright under heavy fire.Successive skirmishes around Almaris 3 and its companion worlds added more wreckage to the field, as precision strikes detonated enemy hulls in chain explosions.

Enemy attempts to disengage repeatedly failed. Though some raider ships broke off toward deep space, most were annihilated before they could escape. The final tally across the engagements was catastrophic for the Nepenthes: dozens of reconnaissance craft lost, with no confirmed Mutos ship losses.

Despite their success, Mutos commanders remained cautious. Several fleets reported shields failing during hyperspace transitions, and one stealth ship, Smugco24, was destroyed after drifting into an asteroid field. Still, the rout of Nepenthes forces has bought smugglers breathing space to continue their trade runs.

Analysts at GNN warn the destruction of so many spy craft may not end Nepenthes operations. The raiders are known to rebuild quickly, often fielding new squadrons from hidden bases beyond the Expanse. Still, for now, the Mutos hold the advantage, with their fleets asserting dominance over one of the most contested corridors of the Veythra Expanse.

Rival Factions Expand Naval Power Amid Rising Instability

By Jora Venn, GNN

While Mutos fleets celebrated victories in the Veythra Expanse, rival powers quietly expanded their own naval strength, signaling that the regional balance of power is far from settled.

Shipyard sources confirmed the launch of multiple Marauder 7 warships, adding a fresh layer of offensive capability to one faction’s fleet. The new class of vessels, designed for swift strikes against both merchant and military targets, is expected to patrol the trade routes that have become lifelines for smugglers and guerrilla cells alike.

In parallel, another faction moved to consolidate its hold over agricultural logistics, constructing eight new cargo carriers in orbit over Jondar 6 and five additional agricultural transports above Kiros 1. Analysts say these deployments are aimed at tightening control over food shipments, which are both a commodity and a strategic weapon in regions plagued by guerrilla uprisings.

Observers note the timing of these launches coincides with intensified smuggling, insurgent landings, and clashes with Nepenthes raiders. “Every major power in the Expanse is arming at once,” one trade analyst told GNN. “The Mutos may have seized momentum with their raids, but these fleet expansions suggest other players are preparing for direct confrontation.”

The steady militarization of trade and agricultural shipping has raised alarms among neutral colonies, many of which rely on imports to sustain fragile populations. Diplomats warn that if agricultural carriers are repurposed for blockades or denied to rival systems, the Expanse could face widespread famine alongside its mounting conflicts.

For now, the launches add yet another layer of uncertainty to a region already defined by smuggling, insurgency, and shadow warfare.

Editorial Wrap-Up: The Expanse Poised on a Knife-Edge

By Jora Venn, GNN

As we close this inaugural issue of GNN coverage from the Veythra Expanse, one fact stands clear: turmoil reigns supreme across its star systems.

Muto smugglers continue to rake in massive profit—tens of thousands of Resource Units—even as planetary authorities collect their share in taxes and fees. At the same time, rival insurgents like Die Schwarze Schar have seized key worlds, including Almaris 5, illustrating how quickly control can shift in this volatile frontier.

Naval supremacy, for now, rests in the hands of Mutos. Their repeated victories over the Nepenthes raider squadrons have crushed enemy reconnaissance efforts, opening corridors for continued trade—and illegal activity. But gains made using stealth and shadow operations tend to be fragile.

A growing arms race underscores the region’s instability. Newly launched Marauder 7 warships signal that rivals won’t let the Mutos dominate for long. Agricultural transport fleets, rapidly expanded by other powers, could be used not only to feed worlds—but to strangle them through blockades.

Investments in planetary defenses—forts, torpedo batteries, ABMs—are rising just as swiftly. Colonies across Almaris, Belenor, Jossa, and Ammien now sit behind stronger shields than ever before. Even as revenue flows into treasuries, the growing militarization and guerrilla activity carry a high cost—not only in blood, but in the fragile balance between order and chaos.

In this shadowed frontier, trade,insurgency, and military might are in constant flux. The Veythra Expanse stands perilously poised—one bold move, one broken alliance, and everything may ignite.

End of Issue Number 4

TAKAMO

www.takamo.com

Future Computing Games

An article authored by Rick Loomis of Flying Buffalo, Inc. fame that appeared in the May/June 1977 issue of Personal Computing Magazine. In this article, Rick Loomis focused upon two major kinds of computer games. The first is described as "the ultimate two player game." The second is described as "the giant, multi-player, super complicated game where the computer is in one central location and the various players mail, phone or telegraph in their moves."

This second kind of game was envisioned as having "at least 500 or 600 people involved in one game." Rick Loomis went on to say about it that "No one player would have the entire rule book — each one gets only the set of rules which directly involve his particular character. This would not be an ordinary game in the sense that someone eventually wins. Very possibly the game could go on forever."

A Letter to the Editor

A letter to the editor authored by Scott Sochocki appeared in Issue #174 of Retro Gamer UK magazine in 2017. In that letter, several things stood out, including his remark of, "It's truly mind-blowing that some of the earliest play by mail games had upwards of 30 players (who even engaged in hidden movements) during the era of Pong."

He also credited Rick Loomis, the founder of Flying Buffalo, Inc., saying, "I think that the industry founder, Rick Loomis from Flying Buffalo Inc, deserves more credit in playing a vital part in shaping the social and gaming dynamics of the last few decades. His name should be in the same elite category of computer pioneers like that of Gates, Jobs, Bushnell and Zuckerberg."

Perils & Postage

A lengthy article authored by Mark R. Kehl subtitled PBM Gaming #1: How to run your favorite role-playing game by mail that appeared in Issue #197, the September 1993 issue, of Dragon magazine.

In his article, Mark R. Kehl said, "(PBM) gaming is not just a last-ditch option when you can’t play “live.” It offers certain advantages that, when properly exploited, can compensate for the lack of face-to-face role-playing."

He went on to say, "In these days when letter writing is a dead art and a long-distance phone call can cost more than a pizza, a play-by-mail game is not a bad way to stay in touch with close friends who are far away."

As I explained in my previous article (see PBM Chaos issue 42), I began playing Duelmasters (a Reality Simulations play-by-mail gladiator game) April 9, 1996 after filling out a free registration for a Team and Five Gladiators that arrived via a Flyer in a box of comic books that I had ordered from a comic book distributor company.

I played consistently for a number of years with only a couple of gaps in my playing-string due to Real-Life interruptions that disrupted my ability to continue playing what is now known as Duel2.

In early 2022, I began playing Hyborian War: (Reality Simulations) a war game of Imperial Conquest in the Age of Conan.

If you have never heard of Conan the Barbarian, then stop reading right now and Google Conan the Barbarian or Robert E Howard (author).

Honestly, I have yet to finish a Hyborian War game! This is due to a number of Real-Life situations that impacted my financial gaming-budget, or I just dropped the game because I lost interest in the Kingdom that I was playing at the time!

Games are set up on either a 28-day Slow Game or a Regular Time that plays twice as fast as the Slow Game! Large Kingdoms cost $9, Medium Kingdoms cost $7 and Small Kingdoms cost $5 per turn. New Players get to play their First-Turn for Free!

Hyborian War has a total of 36 Kingdoms, but a number of them are quite popular, so it may take a while to get a particular Kingdom that you are interested in playing, depending upon its popularity!

On your Hyborian War First-Turn Orders, you have the Option of an Address Request for Any Two Kingdoms in case you would like to write a letter to a potential Friend or Enemy, or you can Request the Privacy Option to prevent anyone from receiving your mailing address when they Request the Address of the Kingdom that you are playing!

There are several Prison Inmates who play in the Slow Games, so if you do not want a Prison Inmate receiving your Mailing Address, simply check the Privacy Option!

I Choose to Not Check the Privacy Option!

Hammer, what does all this have to do with your Forgotten Entertainment article?

I am glad you asked that question!

One of the definitions of Forgotten is to be Overlooked.

One of the definitions of Overlooked is to be Ignored.

There is a Third War Game that Reality Simulations offers that many RSI Clients simply Ignore!

According to Sandy at RSI, the Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars games take the longest to fill with players!

There are up to 50 Players (Sandy says a game needs at least 30 Players to get started) in a game.

The Slow Forgotten Realms Game that I currently play took at least four months or more to get filled from the time that I submitted my First-Turn Orders!

I am still waiting for another Slow Game to start that I sent in First-Turn Orders for in late January or early February, as well as for a Regular Game that I sent in First-Turn Orders for in late February or March; so it takes much patience to wait for a Forgotten Realms Game to start, but it is well worth waiting for in my opinion!

In fact, Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars is currently my favorite play-by-mail game!

One reason is because we are allowed to Email our Orders to RSI (beginning with Turn-2) and the Forgotten Realms process of Emailing Turns is much simpler compared with the process of Emailing Hyborian War Turns!

First Turn Fee is $7.50 for returning Players, while First-Time Players play their First Turn for Free!

During the course of the game the Turn Fees may range from $6.50 to $15 depending upon how many Communities (Settlements, Villages, Towns and Cities) belong to your Realm: that were lost to Enemy Conquering Army(s), or your Army(s) have conquered, or Communities that have joined your Realm Banner when convinced to do so by one of your Exploring Units!

I was convinced to play Forgotten Realms by a Prison Inmate (who I began writing letters to from an Address Request in one of my Hyborian War Games) who has become a good friend of mine!

Over the past nearly two years, he has answered my questions about the game and provided locations of known Communities that are spread across the 5,000 Hexagon Map.

There are two other Prison Inmates who have also done the same for me from time-to-time!

My mother was a Matron (Woman Guard) at the only Womens Prison in Michigan from when I was a student in Junior High School until a few years after I graduated from High School.

Mom told me that some of the nicest people she had ever met were Prison Inmates!

She told me more than one time, “Son, the only difference between you and them are that they got caught for doing something wrong and you did not get caught for doing something wrong!”

Had I not heeded my mom’s advice from way back in the late 60s and early 70s, I would have missed out on what has become a great pen-pal friendship with Bob Barr, who convinced me to consider playing Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars, while answering my questions and providing me with game tips!

In a future issue or issues of PBM Chaos, I will write another Article or Articles with more insight into my currently favorite play-by-mail game!

PBM Question for Our Readers

What is the correct way to pronounce Takamo?

* Hopefully, the owner of the PBM game, Takamo, will read this and send in the answer.

Reality Simulations, Inc. (RSI)

Duel2

open-ended

Duel2, the game formerly known as Duelmasters, is a play-by-mail game of ancient gladiatorial combat.

$3.25 per turn + $1.50 per warrior

Forgotten Realms

In Forgotten Realms: War of the Avatars, your goal is to carefully cultivate your realm’s growth, using economics, diplomacy, and your military might.

$1.50 per turn + $0.50 per order up to $15.00

Hyborian War

Hyborian War is a game of imperial conquest in the age of Conan.

$5.00 (Small), $7.00 (Medium), $9.00 (Large) per turn based on the kingdom size

Pricing

Mailing Address

Telephone

Email

All RSI games offer free first-time setup and rules.

Reality Simulations, Inc.

P.O. Box 22400

Tempe, AZ 85285-2400

(480) 967-7979

[email protected]

* This information extracted from An Introduction to Play-by-Mail Gaming, a PDF document created by Raven Zachary in the PBM year 2021 to identify which PBM companies still offer the play by mail gaming experience via postal mail (turn results received via the postal service).

SEASON ONE

Report for Round 1

Ahoy, ye landlubbers an’ bone-crackers –what a blasted openin’, what a feast o’ mayhem an’ madness! The first round o’ the Sea o’ Nyx League struck like a broadside o’twenty cannons an’ still the fans an’ players stagger ‘twixtrum-drunk frenzy, wild ecstasy an’ shattered jaws.

From the stands roared more than fifty-thousand throats, an’ what they beheld was a maelstrom o’ blood, splintered timbers, an’ helmets flyin’ like gulls in a gale. The Scallywag rats scurried like rabid gulls across the deck, the Buccaneers stomped through the fray like hellspawn beasts, the Looters sent souls down t’ Poseidon, the Leviathans dragged noodles screamin’ into the deep an’ th eReavers turned their vessel into a rollin’ butcher’s block. There was bellowin’, bashin’ an’ – aye – even dyin’. More than one player set sail on his final voyage t’ the deep blue, while others were battered so sorely that e’en the Chaos gods grimaced.

An’ what sights, me hearties! E’en the gulls quit their screechin’ when a rat got clobbered clean t’ the afterlife – the crowd roared like thunder. One o’ the hexes staggered off the pitch covered in bruises, while on the other side a pirate was struck so hard the planks themselves quivered. Amidst noodles rollin’ ‘cross the grass an’ undead stumblin’ like drunks, the ball – aye, theball! – still carved its path through the storm o’ bone an’ chaos.

But in the end, only the boards be speakin’ truth: blood, points, an’ glory. The rats skittered off with speed, the Buccaneers crushed all in their wake, the Looters cheered their triumph with another corpse in tow, the Leviathans slipped back t’ the depths with a narrow win, an’ the Reavers crowned the day with a double strike, though they too paid in bones.

So the first round ends like a sea shanty drowned in ale, blood an’ tears. The Sea o’ Nyx League has made its entrance with thunder an’ fire – an’ if ye be thinkin’ that was wild, best pray the next storm don’t rip yer sails t’ tatters. For one thing be certain:this be only the beginnin’, an’ the sea still holds plenty o’ hungry sharks.

1. Match Reports (Short)

Skavern Scallywags : Keelhaul Kickoff Club | 1 : 0

The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths : Regeneration Hex | 2 : 0

Rum Looters : The Drowned Revenants | 1 : 0

Jah Pastafari : The Dreadwake Leviathans | 0 : 1

Wolfsblood Reavers : Ship of Fools | 2 : 0

2. Match Reports (Detail)

Skavern Scallywags : Keelhaul Kickoff Club

Fans:
🐀 Skavern Scallywags: 15.000
⚓️ Keelhaul KickoffClub: 7.000

⚓️"Avast, Ye Sports-Lubbers!" –Match Report from the Shakin’ Decks☠️

Ahoy, me hearties! Strap in tight and hold on to yer rum mugs – today’s match rocked the planks of the arena like a storm in a barrel of barnacles! On one side, the Keelhaul Kickoff Clubbers, heavy as anchor chains and with more brawn than brains. On the other, the Skavern Scallywags, quick as rats fleein’ a sinkin’ ship – and twice as loud, aye! Their fans crashed in like a tidal wave of squeaks and screeches!

From the openin’ kick, the wind was clearly blowin’ in the rats’ favor – a lightning strike start! Before the pirates could tell port from starboard, Cookie was out cold in the mud and Kevin Klumpfoot got flattened by Bilgerat Blackwhisker. But then, a moment that could only be described with a thunderin’ “Ooooooooooh!”: Dörte didn’t just knock Barnacle Gnawpaw down – she sent the poor scurvy dog straight off the plank into Davy Jones’ locker. Dead! The crowd exploded and even the seagulls stopped squawkin’ in shock.

But rats don’t quit, nay! With cunning, shriekin’ chaos and legs faster than a cannonball run, Wharf-Rat Wriggles snatched the pigskin and scurried into the end zone. 1–0 to the Scallywags!

The Clubbers tried to strike back, but their luck was as empty as a leaky rum jug. Polly face-planted twice on the dash, Old Franz got knocked out and Bob the big baby rolled himself right outta the game. Still, they fought on with fire in their bellies, tossin’ rats like rag dolls and sendin’ Scrimshaw Skitter, Cheeserip Clawhand and more scurvy rodents to the hammocks. But those whiskered fiends had a nose for the ball: Rotgut Redtailand Rustfang the Swift kept things movin’, while Guttertail Grim and Scabjack Rattlefang stormed the pitch likebloodthirsty banshees – until they, too, were beaten back by the furious fists o’ the pirates.

In the end, though, the tale be clear: for all the brawlin’ and bloodshed, the score favored the rats. A filthy win – just the way they like it.

FinalScore:
🐀 Skavern Scallywags: 1
⚓️ Keelhaul Kickoff Club: 0

The Buccaneers ofthe Infernal Depths : Regeneration Hex

Fans:
🏴‍☠️ The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths: 9.000
🧪Regeneration Hex: 3.000

☠️🧪 “Hellfire vs. Healing Potions” – Buccaneers Board the Hex!”🏴‍☠️⚗️

Welcome, ye bloodthirsty romantics of the pitch, to another edition from the pit where taste goes to die! Today’s cookin’: The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths vs.Regeneration Hex– or as we say it below deck: Hell vs. Band-Aids.
Weather? Sunny as a siren’s smile.
Mood? 9,000 roaring Buccaneers screamin’ fire from the stands, while 3,000 Hex-fans muttered hexes and boiled potions from their seats.
The coin flip? Heads! Buccaneers receive. And I, by thunder, take a long, hearty swig o’ rum.

Right off the kick – CRACK! The Buccaneers roar into the fray with gusto! Extra rowdiness in the stands, and Nancy “Rim Lover” Swailes charges like a dock wench on payday. Ruford “Blunderbuss” Norman clears the lane like he’s knockin’ crates off a gangplank, while Aldred “Savage Soul” Reks stomps ahead like a thunderin’ forge.

The ball slips once – aye, butterfingers! –but Carolyn “Four Teeth” Lynx scoops it up just as the Hex swarm in. Swampe Socke, Jr. dishes out some rugged “skincare” and The Milk Man drops the hammer: Salty McStubby takes a nap.

Then comes the first real crack‘n crunch:
Nancy breaks down the flank, flattens Cotton and the lad ain’t gettin’ up. “Badly hurt,” as the landlubbers might say. The Buccaneers scent not just blood – but points.
Leta “The Hawk” Lea rings William Muggs’ bell, Ruford stamps Weymon Miller into the turf like yesterday’s fishbones and Nancy smuggles the rock over the line. Touchdown Buccaneers! Hell leads 1–0 and Hex fumbles about searchin’ the rulebook for how to stop a storm.

Next kickoff? Chaos! The crowd explodes, a mug flies through the air – Ron Cycles gets beaned and sees stars. The match goes wild!
Somerton “White Hair” Hamilton slaps Starlyte like fine porcelain, the Hex just can’t find their grip on the game.

One more restart – the Buccaneers line up sharper than shark teeth – and Starlyte trips ‘n coma-dives all on their own! Perfect moment for Hayley “Nightmare” Quinn: slicin’ through the defense like a dagger in the dark, she scoops the ball, vanishes behind a wall of golden teeth – and BAM! Buccaneers score again! 2–0!
Hex’s bench fills up – the scoreboard don’t.

Now Hex tries to work some “magic”:
The Milk Man gets his revenge, sendin’ Hayley nappin’ – fair’s fair – and Darin “One Leg” Read eats a knuckleduster straight to the jaw. But for every KO they manage, the Buccaneers clap back louder.

Ruford “Blunderbuss” Norman slams home the next nail – Silk gets a first-class trip to the massage table in the clouds.
Nancy and Leta clean the field like deckhands on inspection day and somewhere in the scramble, yet another Hex player bites the dust – turns out boots be slippery when wet.

Final quarter? A dance of missed picks and wayward balls:
Quadruple Y wants it, the ball don’t.
Starlyte has it – then doesn’t.
Orange Ye Gladd gets clobbered by Darin, comes back later to shove, but time be runnin’ out like rum at a pirate wedding.

Whistle blows – and the Buccaneers fans cheer like someone just forgave their debts.
This wasn’t surgery –it was a dockyard demolition with a cannonball finale.

Summary?
The Buccaneers may not play a pretty tune – but they hit all the loud notes.
Regeneration Hex? All sparks, no fire.

Final Score:
🏴‍☠️ The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths: 2
🧪Regeneration Hex: 0

Rum Looters : The Drowned Revenants

Fans:
🥃 Rum Looters: 11.000
🧟 The Drowned Revenants: 8.000

☠️ "Raise the Sails ‘n Lower the Dead!" – Match Report from the Blood-Soaked Decks ⚓️

Ahoy ye scurvy sea dogs – what a match we witnessed! Crack open the rum barrels, fer this clash between the Rum Looters and the Drowned Revenants had it all: bone-snappin’, knockouts and not one but two poor souls takin’ their final stroll off the plank!

From the very first kick, it were clear the Rum Looters had the wind at their backs. Peg Leg Jennings and Cabin Boy Richard tore through the deck like drunk dockworkers on payday, and before ye could shout “Aye!”,the first Revenants were snoozin’ in the grass. And while Davy Doubloon let his cannons do the talkin’ – sendin’ Wight-Eye Wanda straight to the briny deep, Jolly Roger Rumrooter danced ‘round like a bilge rat and the crowd roared as he rode the openin’ into the end zone for the first touchdown o' the day.

But the Revenants weren’t about to lie down in their graves just yet. Ghosthook Gale and Grave-Tide Gwen struck back like cursed tides, knockin’ skulls and leavin’ the Looters reelin’. Still, fortune be a fickle mistress – their hands were slipperier than an eel in oil and the ball kept squirmin’ away. With another blow: Cabin Boy Richard, not content with clearin’ the deck once, laid Skulljaw Jack out with a hit that’ll be hauntin’ him fer seasons to come.

Then came the moment of the match: Keelhaunt Kade, grim as a thunderhead on the horizon, crashed into Kenny Crow Nest– and the poor looter dropped like a cannonball. No twitchin’. No breathin’. Dead. A second soul claimed by the sea this day! The stands quaked, and the fans screamed like a fleet of drunken corsairs – which, to be fair, they were.

From there on out it were a chaos of boots, blood and bellows. The Revenants cracked a few more bones – Clumb “Tigershark” McCloggins and Percy Plankwalker got themselves a right maulin’ – but the ship had already sprung a leak.

By the final whistle, it were clear:
The Looters hadn’t just claimed victory – they’d plundered their enemies’ very souls.

Final Score:
🥃 Rum Looters:1
🧟 The Drowned Revenants:0

Jah Pastafari : The Dreadwake Leviathans

Fans:
🍝 Jah Pastafari: 9.000
🌊 Dreadwake Leviathans: 5.000

⚓️🍝"Noodles vs. Nauticals" – A Culinary Clash on the HighGridiron! ☠️🌊

Ohhh me hearties, break out the olive oil and brace the galley – today’s match cooked up a storm on the pitch! Welcome to the grand duel of Seafood vs. Pasta al Dente– as the mighty Dreadwake Leviathans took on the saucy lads of Jah Pastafari! Sunshine on the sails,14,000 throats howlin’ and the mood bubblin’ like pasta water about to boil over!

Kickoff! And the first fumble hits the galley floor – Spaghetti slips the ball like a wet noodle, but soon finds his sea legs and serves up a silky smooth assist. The pasta crew starts off with flavor. Ravioli sends Riptide Vox flyin’ to the KO kitchen,Fusilli turns out the lights on Corvus Grime and Vermicelli rocks Velra Doomwake straight into dreamland!

Jah Pastafari fans be cryin’ “Mammamia!” while the Leviathans be gaspin’ “Glubglub…” like a beast breaching ferair.

But ye don’t sink a Leviathan so easy, no sir!
Drog “No-Neck” Huller rumbles forth like a dock crane in a monsoon, Gorethump clears the table and somewhere in the seaweed stew, Snagglefist the Twice-Cursed slithers up to the ball. Two long, briny strides… and BAM! A flood of fury – TOUCHDOWN, Dreadwake Leviathans! The Deep Sea stands erupts, while the pasta fans passive-aggressively stir their marinara.

Just before halftime, Jah Pastafari whips up their finest attack yet: Spaghetti slices the ball through the foam like a proper chef and Macaroni grabs it with sauce-slicked fingers –it smells like equalizin’! But alas! Fettuccine slips on a rogue drop o’ olive oil and lands belly-first in disaster. The moment vanishes like garlic on the wind.

Second Half: The full-contact kitchen returns! Skreech gives Fettuccine a quick sear, Kelra “Sea Wasp” jabs Conchiglie into a nap, but Jah Pastafari ain’t done yet – Linguine sends Nix “Ghostfeet” driftin’ off the pitch.

Despite all the spice, swings, and simmerin’ scrums, no more goals boiled over. The Dreadwake Leviathans held tight, defendin’ their lead like a grizzled harbormaster barkin’ “No more cargo today!”

Final whistle blows.
The Leviathans dive back into the depths with the prize in tow and the Pastafari swear next time, they'll serve their pasta al dente… and their foes soft as overcooked gnocchi.

Final Score:
🍝 Jah Pastafari:0
🌊 The Dreadwake Leviathans:1

Wolfsblood Reavers: Ship of Fools

Fans:
🐺Wolfsblood Reavers: 10.000
⛵️Ship of Fools: 5.000

⚔️🐺"Steel, Sorcery and Splintered Dreams!"– A Reaver’s Tale of Glory and Guts⚓️🎭

Ahhh, me tender-hearted lovers of the artful blood tackle – what a day on this soggy, splintered deck of the Wolfsblood! The sun be grinnin’, the crows squawkin’ and 10,000 Reavers fans had their throats oiled better than a siren’s singing voice – enough to make the coastal watch jealous.
Opposite ‘em: 5,000 brave fools, all good cheer and better self-deprecatin’ humor.
Perfect weather. Perfect noise.And then, with a thunderous boom – we were off!

The kickoff soared north like a blade through butter… and aye! The gods o' chaos took the wheel. Edda Crowbone dove in like a storm raven, claws first, while Grimm Yorrick planted Falstaff face-first into a deep philosophical nap. Armor clanged like hell’s own dinner bell as Maura “Witchwake” Karrin slipped away with theball.
Two bouncin’ steps, a nervous murmur from the crowd –then she darted through a gap that didn’t even exist – Touchdown!
The Reavers take the lead and the stadium shook like someone kicked a Balrog in the barnacles.

The Fools didn’t take kindly to that. Dromio Also took it personal and swept Captain Verek Hollowtide off the pitch with a slide tackle right outta Tide Lore 101. “Just bruised,” said the field medics – “But no piano playin’ tonight.”
But vengeance is swift in black steel: Reaver rage balled up into one mighty uppercut that rocked Dromio into dreamland. Feste took advantage o’ the brawl to knock Edda Crowbone out cold and soon, half the pitch looked like a field hospital. Pure Sea-of-Nyx poetry, mates.

Amid the clang of helms and roarin’ crowds, Ship of Fools tried showin’ a bit o’ grace.
Nick Bottom danced with the ball like a tavern bard, knockin’ Captain Darran “Wretch” Vale into darkness before trippin’ his own fancy feet right into a trap set by the Reaver line.
Iskar Nine-Lives had no patience for prancin’, and tucked Dogberry in for a long nap. Somewhere, a stadium scribe scribbled: “Many. So many. Far too many knockouts.”

Second half? Time to twist the blade.
Nareen Duskwrithe caught a wobbly kick that looked more like a joke than a pass, and took off like she’d grown fins.
Meanwhile, Maura “Witchwake” Karrin cleared the way – Dromio got folded so neatly you’d swear a carriage had been ordered.
But the Fools had some fight left: Launcelot Gobbo sent The Widow Salt to the showers early and Nick Bottom clocked Selka Veil hard enough to give her visions o’ her ancestors.

Autolycus took a stroll too close to the Reavers' fan curve – and received the customary “Welcome With Twelve Fists™”. Result: poor for health, excellent for crowd morale.

Grand Finale:
Falstaff rose from his slumber – and oh, was he mad.
He found Grimm Yorrick and shook his bones with a handshake so hard it turned his hand to powder. That’s game over for Grimm – and maybe the next one, too.

But by then, it didn’t matter – the board already sang the final truth.
Nareen, slippery as the tide, dashed through the last breakers and scored the second touchdown.
The Ship of Fools fought to the bitter end, but this weren’t no fairy tale – more like a dockside epic, soaked in splinters and steel.

And with that, mates and maidens of the violent arts, we close the ship’s log:
The Wolfsblood Reavers win, fair and square – with two clean strikes, a dash o’ witchcraft, and a shovel o’ raw grit.
The Ship of Fools? They limp home with bruises, pride, and plenty o’ tales for the tavern bards.

Final Score:
🐺Wolfsblood Reavers: 2
⛵️Ship of Fools: 0

3. League table

Place	Name	TD	TD(-)	Points	Games
1	🏴‍☠️ Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths	2	0	3	1
2	🐺 Wolfsblood Reavers	2	0	3	1
3	🥃 Rum Looters	1	0	3	1
4	🐀 Skavern Scallywags	1	0	3	1
5	🌊 The Dreadwake Leviathan	1	0	3	1
6	🍝 Jah Pastafari	0	1	0	1
7	⚓️ Keelhaul Kickoff Club	0	1	0	1
8	🧟 The Drowned Revenants	0	1	0	1
9	🧪 Regeneration Hex	0	2	0	1
10	⛵️ Ship of Fools	0	2	0	1

4. Next Matches

🧟The Drowned Revenants : 🍝 Jah Pastafari

🧪Regeneration Hex : 🐀 Skavern Scallywags

🥃Rum Looters : 🏴‍☠️ Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths

⚓️Keelhaul Kickoff Club : ⛵️ Ship of Fools

🌊The Dreadwake Leviathan : 🐺 Wolfsblood Reavers

5. Transfer List

⚓️Keelhaul Kickoff Club bought NewPlayer1 for 240 Gold. He is now called Bob the big baby.
🐀 Skavern Scallywags bought NewPlayer4 for 20 Gold. He is now called Scabjack Rattlefang.
🏴‍☠️Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths bought NewPlayer5 for 45 Gold. He is now called Salty McStubby.

The followin’ new players be up fer sale in the second Round.
Each Captain may place one bid per offered player and the highest bidder gets the player at their bid price. Remember, matey – along with yer bid, ye must be givin’ the player a proper new name.

Name (Level, Strength, Value, Age, Minimum Bid) (additional info)

NewPlayer2 (1 / 81 / 120 / 1 / 89) (seems to be a fast player)
NewPlayer3 (1 / 80 / 105 / 2 / 78) (seems to be an agile player)
NewPlayer6 (1 / 77 / 75 / 2 / 56) (seems to be a brutal player)
NewPlayer7 (0 / 65 / - / 0 / 10) (this is a fresh talent)
NewPlayer8 (0 / 65 / - / 0 / 10) (this is a fresh talent)

6. Messages

Yo, Regeneration Hex, we rise from the brine DX spirit coursin’ through every spine We chop with the cutlass, our crosses connect Opponents walk the plank when they can’t intercept Sails dyed green like a renegade X We pillage the pitch, demand your respect Booty in the net, points we annex Pirate pros reborn Regeneration Hex!

~Avast-Ye Scurvee (Regeneration Hex)

Where's me rum? Confound yer blasted hides! Cap'n Slackweed still in hidin', I see. No surprise there, the mangy bottom feeder. Not a one 'O ye sea lasses could sail a real ship, if'n yer lives depended on it, ya barnacle smokers, Aye! And now, ye've gone ashore, avoidin' the dangers 'O the sea, in favor of becomin' landlubbers, yer natural callin', no doubt. ARRRR! Well, I be bringin' me crew, Storm-Melons and all. Aye. Who needs ballast, when she's aboard? HAR DEE HAR HAR HAR! ARRRR!

~GlueBeard (Rum Looters)

Regeneration Hex be going to Davy Jones' locker. They can regenerate in the depths and serve on his crew.

~Wadham “No Knees” Lynx (The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths)

7. Rumors

The Pirate Union be mighty disappointed that not a single one o’ the captains be a member.

Keep yer eye on those scallywags over at the Rum Looters. A lil parrot told me they're plannin' on poaching Ship of Fools's best baller!

I heared someone say that Cap'n Whiskerfangs crew is made of stinky rats!

More details about Round 1 and the game “Sea of Nyx League”:
https://seaofnyx.com/

Image ad for the Sharing of Information Game of Galac-Tac

By the time that you read this, it will be too late to join the Sharing of Information Game of Galac-Tac. While you can already create or join other games of Galac-Tac, this one will already have started. What you can do, though, is to observe from afar and follow along, as the various players in this particular game of Galac-Tac openly discuss and report in about their thoughts and progress about this Sharing of Information Game.

Some of it will make its way into the pages of PBM Chaos, but as this game's turn results begin getting processed, you will also be able to find out stuff about this game and what's happening therein on the following sites:

Galac-Tac channel of the PlayByMail Discord chat server

Sharing of Information Game thread on the PBM Forum

Feel free to follow along with those of us who shall be players in this game of Galac-Tac, whether here, there, or everywhere. Now and again, we might even be witness to Talisman Games' very own GM, Davin Church, chime in.

Did I mention that Davin's wife will be playing in this particular game of Galac-Tac? Well, she will. At least, she's gonna give it a try. Rumor has it, though, that she's grown very rusty at plying Galac-Tac. But her carefree life will soon be over. It's a pity that her homeworld won't survive, this time around.

You see, the propaganda war has already begun. Let cosmic history record that it was I who drew first blood.

It's nothing personal, Genny, but an entire galaxy is at stake. Plus, we can't attract new players to Galac-Tac by boring them to death. On the propaganda end of things, each individual PBM game is like a gladiator event in the Colosseum. The Colosseum was used to stage spectacles. Spectacles of sorts continue to be used to this very day to attract eyes and ears.

Poor Davin! He doesn't get to play in this Sharing of Information Game with us. I have it on good authority that he will be doing dishes. Besides, he claimed, previously, that he doesn't have any time - a common lament among both PBMers and PBM GMs, alike, these days. No need to extend an invitation to him to play in this game of Galac-Tac with us, since he has no time.

Meanwhile, in entirely unrelated news, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Davin on him having time, over time, to post no less than two thousand three hundred and eight (2,308) posts over in the PlayByMail Discord.

No time, indeed!

Well, I don't have time, either, but all the more reason, I figured, to go ahead and sign up for this game of Galac-Tac. It's been a while since I last conquered an entire galaxy, so I'm overdue for a win, the way that I see it. Besides, who's gonna stop me? One of those two galactic grannies that will be in this game with me?

Does Ajwan even read PBM Chaos? Does she fully grasp what she's gotten herself into? Or am I underestimating her, perhaps? Will she turn out to be more like Granny Goodness of Apokolips and Darkseid fame? Or will she prove herself to be weak and easily brought to heel in the realm that is Galac-Tac?

Longtime PBM persona Hammer has tossed his oversized Oklahoma hat into the fray. But will he be out of his league among the stars? He's used to PBM fare such as Duel2, Hyborian War, and Forgotten Realms. How will things go for him and his empire, once he heads into outer space? I know that he's been practicing, trying to hastily prepare himself for the clashes to come in this Sharing of Information game of Galac-Tac that he and I will both be in. Maybe his luck will be better than it has been in the ongoing Twelve Days of Christmas debacle that he's been struggling to win Santa's favor in.

Have I mentioned that everybody's PBM sweetheart, Richard Lockwood, aka Slackweed, will be in this game of Galac-Tac, also? Imagine that. I may have to cut Richard some slack in this game of Galac-Tac, seeing as how I never cut him any slack any other time. Of course, he could have written more articles for PBM Chaos, so there's that which he still needs to answer for. Should I take bets, now, on which of Richard's enemies in this game of Galac-Tac will snuff his empire's existence completely out? I hear that they're already lined up, just itching to invade Planet Lockwood.

There's one other player in this game that I know of, and that's Brendan. He's an experienced Galac-Tac player, and may well be the odds-on favorite to win this game (nothing quite like painting a target on his back, huh?). But does he lack the staying power to stick things out through thick and thin? Has he ever faced any real competition in Galac-Tac, before? One thing is for certain, and it's that Brendan is gonna need to park that pink Cadillac of his long enough to get his turn orders in on time. You know how these young kids are.

Me? I haven't been practicing Galac-Tac in the lead-up to this particular game of Galac-Tac starting. Oh, sure, I've created a practice game, already, but that was just so that I would lay the groundwork for starting practicing in a solo game while playing in this Sharing of Information Game of Galac-Tac, also. Talk about a two-fer-one deal!

As I sit here ahead of this game of Galac-Tac actually starting (which will be a short time later on, today, here on Friday, August 29th, 2025), just thinking about what shall possibly come to pass after we are officially underway in this game, the words of a defeated Ixnay come to mind, when he and I found our space empires in Far Horizons at odds and in armed conflict.

Poor Ixnay. Feel free to review these two posts by him in the old PlayByMail.Net forum that I just happen to have handy dandy links to:

Link One

Link Two

Ah, to drink of his puny empire's misery, once more!

This galaxy in Galac-Tac, Galaxy #223, will soon be aflame and alive in activity. It will be interesting to learn what the respective empire names are that will soon begin exploring among the stars. Who among us will kick ass and take names? [Editor's Note: If you guessed Richard Lockwood, then guess again.]

Focus upon winning the game, all that they want to. In the meantime, the propaganda war has already commenced, and all of the other players in this game are now left to play catch up.

How. . .very. . .fitting.

Understanding the PBM Maze

Our maze runners have completed Turn #3, and none of them are dead, yet. Heck, none of them are even injured. Well, sort of.

Maze Runner #5 has only completed two turns of game play, thus far, but whose fault is it but his own that he arrived late to the party? This is the kind of thing that can happen, if one slacks off. If he has excuses, then he should try to use those excuses in the maze, and see what comes of it.

For game purposes, though, I don't care if players start early or start late. I only use one set of numbers to track which turn that we are on. It just makes the bookkeeping easier on my end.

Thus far, three of out five maze runners have managed to discover gold within the PBM Maze. And the other two? Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. None.

This may not be that newfangled Dutchman game that Bryan Ciesielski is working on breathing life into, but there's still gold here in the PBM Maze just waiting to be discovered, as all of our maze runners have by now discovered - whether they've actually got any gold in their possession or not.

OK, great. There's gold in the maze. But how is it determined how much gold that a player discovers, when they find gold in the maze? Well, the answer to that, of course, is, "It just depends." Maybe there's more than one way to obtain gold in the PBM Maze.

If I had to venture a guess, I would likely say that, "Yes, there's more than one way to obtain gold in the PBM Maze." As maze runners venture deeper and deeper into the maze, the same rules and the same scenarios may well change.

What I can tell you, being as I am the Maze Narrator, is how these early incidents of gold discoveries calculate how much gold that a given maze runner found, thus far. And this deals purely with the three separate gold discoveries yielded, thus far.

I took two d6 dice, and rolled them. If they rolled doubles, then I would roll the dice again. And if the dice rolled doubles, yet again (which has actually already happened, in fact), then the dice would get rolled yet another time. To determine the total number of gold coins collected by the player for the encounter in question, just add up all of their encounter dice rolls. Make sense?

This way, I don't have to know, myself, how many gold pieces that your maze runner is going to find at a particular encounter anywhere on the map, where this particular methodology is brought into play by players' choices on where to move to, and when to move there. I roll the dice, and you pay the price!

That Richard and Rob ended up with 10 gold pieces each on different turns is purely coincidental. Blame the dice, baby, just don't blame me! And old Steve's dice were simply good at rolling doubles, is all that I can say.

But what about that Soul Meter thing that Rob's maze runner is wearing around his neck like an anchor, now? What does that mean? What is that all about? What, indeed!

For, you see, Fate isn't the only force that populates the PBM Maze along with out maze runners. This version of the PBM Maze is exactly like the last version, which was the original version, except where it's different. The Soul Meter is one of numerous things that is different, this time around, compared to the original maze.

In this PBM Maze, maze runners can become injured. They can also die. Reckon there's any chance that they can also get captured? Or, dare I say it, stranded? When you're the Maze Narrator, the world is your oyster, I suppose.

But your soul? What about that Soul Meter, you ask, again? Well, this time around, maze runners don't have the luxury of worrying only about their lives. Poor, poor Rob! He's already developed a reputation as a Corpse Robber. Is that a good thing or a bad thing, though? If you were a bettering man (or woman), and you discovered gold in a maze, how would you bet on the answer to that question?

I predict that players cannot predict what all that this version of the PBM Maze holds in store for them. I do wonder, though, whether the players behind our maze runners have been as focused as they need to be. Are they paying attention? Have they missed any clues?

I take this opportunity to remind our players and our maze runners that the players are linked to their respective maze runners. There's more to that than you might at first imagine.

Think that you understand everything? You have a maze runner, and you issue movement orders for it. Right? Well, yes. On one level, that is correct. On another level, by moving, you are choosing what to see, and where to see it at. Additionally, by choosing where to move to, you are choosing whether certain encounters will be engaged with or avoided.

The original version of the PBM Maze was instructive. It taught me that maze runners, more times than not, do not tend to be very good at thinking outside the box. The ongoing and ever- growing flood of water in that maze revealed that no one - not one single maze runner - in that incarnation of the PBM Maze would make any attempt, at all, to turn the water off. Instead, they all chose to flee from the onrush of the water. I sat and watched it all unfold, turn after turn after turn. If Bugs Bunny had been in that version of the PBM Maze with them, he likedly would have said, "What a bunch of maroons!"

Granted, they probably were all just too focused upon trying to stay alive and not drown, that they all suffered from collective brain freeze. Wax on, wax off. Turn the water on, but then just leave it on. As such, a relatively small inconvenience was allowed by maze runners to turn into a major life-threatening problem. As a result of players not thinking big enough or broad enough, what started as a very localized problem soon enough ballooned into a problem of such size and such magnitude as to threaten a rather large chunk of the maze (as well as its numerous inhabitants, thereof).

There are "things" in the PBM Maze that players and their maze runners have absolutely no real control over, whatsoever. But there are things that they do have control over. Namely, the choices that they choose to make, and to no less a degree, the choices that they could make, but don't (which is a choice, also).

If there are clues to be found, where would they be? Would they be hidden? Would they be in plain sight? Would they be in your turn results? Would they be in the turn results of other players? My point is simply this - How far outside of the box, of at all, do you look and think?

Return to the PBM Maze is a very simple concept, right? Or is it as simple as you might, at first, have led yourself to believe?

I will be the very first to admit that the PBM Maze certainly looks about as simple and straightforward as it gets. Just a dinky little plain Jane maze. Right? Maze runners don't even get an icon. Just an itty-bitty little number in a great big maze.

Nothing requires maze runners to even think about clues, much less to act upon them.

I didn't actually say that there are clues to be found. If there are - or if there will be, then where would you leave them, and what form or forms would they take? More importantly, though, where would I leave them?

It could be that I'm simply trying to confuse the players of the PBM Maze. What you don't know is sometimes more important than what you do know. If you're one of the players in this version of the PBM Maze, and you're so smart, then why didn't you turn the water off, the last time around?

I've droned on long enough, already. Now, enjoy the turn results for Turn #3 for Return to the PBM Maze!

Maze Runners

Stefan

Life Force

Maze Vision = 200

Maze Runner 1

Maze Runner 1 - Turn 3 Orders

Maze Runner 1 - Turn 3 Results

Rob

Life Force

Maze Vision = 200

Gold Pieces = 10

Soul Meter

Maze Runner 2

Corpse Robber

Maze Runner 2 - Turn 3 Orders

Maze Runner 2 - Turn 3 Results

Steve

Life Force

Maze Vision = 200

Gold Pieces = 17

Maze Runner 3

Maze Runner 3 - Turn 3 Orders

Maze Runner 3 - Turn 3 Results

Richard

Life Force

Maze Vision = 210

Gold Pieces = 10

Maze Runner 4

Maze Runner 4 - Turn 3 Orders

Maze Runner 4 - Turn 3 Results

Your luck being what it is, you have taken a wrong turn in the maze, winding up at a dead end.

Nothing here but a collection of assorted trash. Of course, if you had any real luck, at all, you wouldn't have ever wound up inside this accursed maze.

You start to turn around to head back in the direction that you came from, when suddenly, something caught your eye.

Eh? What's this? A small pouch.

Inside? 10 shiny gold pieces!

Somebody must have dropped it. But if that were the case, then why didn't they pick it back up?

You wouldn't be making the same mistake. You clung to the pouch and its precious contents, as you headed back down the passageway to try and find a better route that would lead to somewhere other than this dead end.

Brendan

Life Force

Maze Vision = 210

Maze Runner 5

Maze Runner 5 - Turn #3 Orders

Maze Runner 5 - Turn 3 Results

Turn #3 Results Are In!

If all that a maze runner is doing during a given turn is moving through the maze, then that is not something that will typically warrant an episode of narration from the Maze Narrator.

Encounters always warrant some degree of narration. Whether any given encounter warrants excitement, that just depends upon the particular encounter being encountered.

Not every moment, nor ever turn, will prove to be a hotbed of excitement. Danger, while it can manifest itself quickly, doesn't actually lurk behind every corner in the PBM Maze.

Image ad for Hyborian War for Reality Simulations, Inc.

Hyborian War: What should I know as a newbie?

Charles Mosteller

Should an important question warrants a lengthy expounding upon the subject, but the best that I can do for this issue of PBM Chaos is to briefly touch upon it, for other matters dominate my priorities at the moment.

A post in the # hw-general channel of the RSI Games Discord server by PBMer Talos back on July 27th of our current PBM year of 2025 is what nudged me to try and offer up some off-the-cuff remarks about what newbies to the play by mail game, Hyborian War, need to know.

In a nutshell, a lot.

Now, that's probably not what most newcomers to Hyborian War, or those who are on the fence about whether to give the game a try or not, want to hear. But how much that a Hyborian War player should know really just depends. Let me explain.

Does a newcomer to Hyborian War want to win on their first time playing the game? If so, then good luck with that. My long-standing quote about luck in the context of Hyborian War is this: Luck is for the weak and unprepared.

"The nature of luck makes it an inherently difficult thing to characterize and judge. Is it better to have luck, or to have skill? I seem to have recalled telling more than one individual over time that luck is for the weak and unprepared. Yet, even still, luck has its day. And on that day, does luck crown the best?"

- GrimFinger
January 9th, 2005
SOURCE: https://www.warbarron.com/rok/index.php?threads/best-of-the-best.279/page-5#post-44373...

Newcomers to any game, including any PBM game but not limited thereto, suffer such notable deficiencies as an overall lack of experience and an overall lack of knowledge of a game's rules, as well as a lack of comprehensive understanding of a game's mechanics, to say nothing of their lack of familiarity with a game's interface and player community.

In a nutshell, that's a pretty steep deficit to overcome in one's very first game of Hyborian War. Plus, unlike in lot of other games out there, including PBM games, a newcomer to Hyborian War faces up to 35 other players in the same game, all vying to win or to interfere with one's chances of surviving. There are no "safe zones" or "safe spaces" in the Hyborian Age. Newcomers to this tried and tested PBM wargame enjoy no immunity from the reality of playing a very competitive game against very competitive players. Many die-hard and very experienced players of Hyborian War have continually refined their playing skills, strategies, and tactics over a span that stretches years, or even decades.

But newcomers to Hyborian War should keep in mind that at some point, every player of Hyborian War starts somewhere. None of the came straight out of the womb playing Hyborian War. The very first game of Hyborian War that I played in was game number HW-85. I played the Kingdom of Asgard, and I sure don't remember the player who played the Kingdom of Hyperborea tasking pity on me or extending mercy to me, simply because I was brand spanking new to Hyborian War.

Hyborian War wasn't designed during the height of the modern Woke Era. If you make mistakes or bad decisions in Hyborian War, or if you just have poor timing for the actions that you take in-game, then your kingdom will likely pay the iron price.

That said, Hyborian War does have peace treaties that you can to to negotiate with other kingdoms. A peace treaty successfully negotiated can prevent the kingdom that you negotiated it with from invading your kingdom, thereby granting you some degree of reprieve from said kingdom invading and conquering your kingdom's provinces.

But even then, your characters in your kingdom's royal court can still become targets of assassination and kidnapping attempts. Your provinces can still be raided by neighboring kingdoms' provincial armies. And your enemies' allies can still invade you through their provinces (if they have access to them). The Disrupt Warpact command can sometimes be useful in send packing one or more enemy armies invading your kingdom, simultaneously.

The real joy of playing Hyborian War comes not from winning, but from playing. Hyborian War is a game where the individual components and aspects of it are greater than the sum total of its individual parts.

If you need help learning to play Hyborian War, or if you need advice mid-game, there's lots of Hyborian War players that will be more than to willing to try and explain the intricacies and nuances of how to better defend your kingdom with the resources and assets at your disposal, or to help your kingdom do a better job, when going on offense against other players' kingdoms.

Hyborian War is not a game that can be learned in five minutes, nor mastered in just a few weeks or even months. Many are the players of Hyborian War who swear by the game. Even the most experienced of Hyborian War players get their asses kicked, at times. After all, war is hell.

Even when you learn stuff about Hyborian War, that doesn't mean that you'll never forget anything. When in doubt, as other players. You can always find plenty of Hyborian War advice over on The Road of Kings forum site, which is the largest gathering of Hyborian War players on the Internet.

Even the greatest masters of Hyborian War make mistakes - and their egos don't save them, when they do. Just like the fact that you're a novice won't save you.

If you've got some gumption in you, and if you're willing to stick it out over the long haul (games

of Hyborian War last many months), and you're willing to learn, then you just might end up surprising yourself at how well that you can play the game, by the time that your first game of Hyborian War is over and done with.

If I could learn to play Hyborian War, you can learn to play it, too. Experienced veterans of many Hyborian War games will strive to be a thorn in your kingdom's side. Accordingly, you should be prepared to be a thorn in other players' side, as well.

Not everything that happens in games of Hyborian War is under your control. You're just one player out of three dozen, each with their own agenda, and each generate a variety of different plots and schemes and nefarious antics over the course of the entire game.

And as might well be expected in the Hyborian Age, other players and their kingdoms might just seek to backstab you and your kingdom. Thus, always be on guard, and never trust anyone fully. Your trust in them is an opportunity and an opening that they can - and sometimes will- exploit to your and your kingdom's disadvantage and eternal suffering.

Experienced players of Hyborian War tend to become predictable in their style of playing the game. With newcomers to Hyborian War, they tend to bring an element of the unexpected with them. That won't last forever, but if you try, you might well be able to exploit the lack of familiarity with you and your playing style that experienced Hyborian War players suffer from.

Hyborian War - why not give it a try? The worst that can happen is that your kingdom gets crushed, but not every kingdom that doesn't win the game gets crushed. Many, in fact, often go on to amass mighty empires in their own right

Sure, the odds are stacked against you, and especially if you're new. But in a PBM game with 36 players, the truth of the matter is that the odds are stacked against everyone at the very beginning. How you play and what you accomplish from turn to turn to turn is what enables you to defy the odds and to turn the odds in your favor.

Peace treaties are one-way streets. Just because you can't invade someone, due to you being trapped in a peace treaty, does not mean that they can't invade you. Understand that one little fact, and you'll be well ahead of me, back when I first started playing Hyborian War. If memory serves me correctly, my kingdom finished in 5th Place in my first game of Hyborian War. I think that's a respectable finish for a newbie. Only one of the thirty-six player kingdoms can come in dead last place, aka 36th place, in any game of Hyborian War. Even if you're a newbie to the game, odds are pretty darned good that you won't finish in dead last place.

Trying to set a goal of winning your first game of Hyborian War is probably not very realistic. That is one tall mountain to climb, and to do so without the benefit of any experience, that would definitely be one hell of a tough struggle. Who knows, though, what fate and luck hold in store for you? You might just be the one to pull that sort of a challenge off successfully.

If not, though, then you'll find yourself in really good company in the Hyborian War player community at large.

Image ad for the Monster Island PBM Facebook Group

Where We're Heading...

Editor's Note: This is a reprint of the Where We're Heading column from Issue #1 of the original Suspense & Decision magazine. Suspense & Decision came first, PBM Unearthed came second, and PBM Chaos came third - but they are all closely linked and interconnected. The PBM Chaos that you read, today, is an extension of my PBM efforts that came before it.

Feel free to judge for yourself how issues of PBM Chaos compare to what I outlined in this article below, an article from November of 2013 - almost twelve full years ago.

Is PBM Chaos missing the mark by a country mile? Is it a better bridge to gaming's past? Or has it taken us backwards in all the wrong ways?

My thinking on and about play by mail gaming has evolved over the course of this lengthy journey between then and now. You may not be able to tell, or you may sometimes get lost in the avalanche of words about PBM that I rain down upon our readership, but if you actually were to go back through everything that I've written on the subject of PBM in more than a decade of on-again, off-again pursuit of talking about it, and if you paid really close attention while doing so, then you would probably be able to discern this evolution in my thinking. Along the way, I've noticed it, even if you haven't.

Rather than back to the future, we're headed forward into the past.

The truth is, of course, that we're just trying to get off the launching pad, to get out of port. The wild blue yonder is still ahead of us, as it will likely ever be, but for the moment, we're just trying to cobble together this life raft of digital print, so that we can cast ourselves out onto the Sea of Uncertainty that is, was, and always will be play by mail gaming.

To be certain, while postal gaming fanaticism flows through our veins, our actual gaming tastes and our enthusiasm for the future of our long-standing hobby, namely PBM gaming, engenders within us a healthy respect and an abundance of appreciation for a wide berth of turn-based gaming.

As we head from Issue # 1 toward Issue # 2, the bulk of what we will write and what we will report on remains firmly off in the distance ahead of us. Our eventual destination will likely be

something akin to PBM gaming from the past meets turn-based gaming of the future. The real question, to me, is whether we will even recognize this proverbial Isle in the Mists of Time, if and

when we cross the equator of what it is that we pursue.

Our first issue is a bit on the sedate side. We are a crude creation whose unifying force is a common interest that harkens back to a bygone era – the golden heyday of play by mail gaming.

Rather than a time machine, what we are building is more along the lines of a memory-mobile. Going forward, we will continuously be tweaking this vehicle, in order to increase its horsepower and range of interest. We're not trying to reach the entire world, just you – just each and every one of you out there that is looking, and yearning, for something more from a gaming experience.

In recent years, we have all seen the wonderful enhancements to gaming made possible by

technological advancement. One thing that I hope to accomplish, that I have set as a personal goal for myself, where this new magazine is concerned, is to build a better bridge to gaming's past.

Gaming, itself, spans many different genres of play and many different mediums of delivery of the gaming experience to the player.

Technology will continue to evolve, and to inflict itself upon gamers and gaming, for better or for worse. It is a driving force for change, and as we have all seen over the course of our respective

lifetimes, change can be both a good thing and a thing that is not so good – at least, as far as how it impacts our gaming interests at the individual level.

Our gaming interests expand and contract, regardless of how fast or how far that technology pushes us towards where it intends to take us.

Even still, our gaming interests remain ever-grounded in the reality of our individual, respective

experiences – experiences that always keep us chained to the past, to the games and to the gaming experiences that we learned to appreciate and to cherish.

Sometimes, bigger or faster or flashier in our gaming experiences does not always or necessarily equate to better.

At the core root of PBM gaming, a strong sense of community has always been the axis around which the postal genre of gaming has revolved.

So, it is with a sharp eye toward the concept of community in gaming that I take the helm of this new magazine that seeks to carve out its own place on the gaming scene, amid all that has come before us, and all which shall inevitably come after us.

Suspense & Decision – We're not the first PBM magazine, but we are here at long last. We have arrived. Welcome to our journey.

PBM QUOTE

Phoenix Publications
Company News: Jon Capps of Phoenix Publications announced that that company would resume processing turns this month for its popular play-by-mail game, Galac-Tac. Phoenix shut down the game December 28 to rewrite the game program so that turns could be processed faster. Despite the delay, Dee Capps said that only two players out of over 250 have dropped out. "It's remarkable," she said. "I've never had so many supporters in my life."

- Quote from Keeping Posted: PBM Update

Space Gamer - Issue #68 - March/April 1984 Issue

Image ad for Galac-Tac for Talisman Games

Galaxy #223

Thus begins the Saga of Galaxy #223 in Galac-Tac

Prologue

The galaxy known as #223 has spawned. The Creation process is complete, and the players who will partake of war across the stars in this particular game of Galac-Tac have been informed of its launch.

Now comes the hard part.

Already, confusion begins to take root in different quarters of this galaxy. Basic human nature never changes, after all. Confusion is fertile soil for seeds of fear to take root, and this is true in both everyday life in the real world, and in many of the games that we human beings choose to play, in our bids to entertain ourselves.

The first set of turn orders for Galaxy #223 to be processed has a due date for turn processing of Friday, September 12th, 2025. The turn interval voted on by the players in this game has been established to be every two weeks. Two players voted in favor of 1 week turn intervals, and four players voted in favor of two week turn intervals. You win some, you lose some.

On the question of star density, one player voted in favor of sparse star density for the game creation process, four players voted for normal star density, and one player voted for dense star density. So, for this game of Galac-Tac, turns will be processed every two weeks in a galaxy which has normal star density.

Two weeks has historically been sufficient time for PBM gamers to get their turn orders issued, mailed in, and received by PBM companies and GMs for turn processing, when using the postal service as the courier for delivery of player's turn orders. Accordingly, two week should prove to be a sufficient amount of time for players of modern day Galac-Tac players to get their turn orders in for this Sharing of Information Game of Galac-Tac.

If you snooze, rest assured, your empire will lose!

Any pre-Turn-1 blurbs from players in this game sent to me in time to be included in this issue of PBM Chaos, you'll find below. I encourage PBM Chaos readers to heed what they each have to say, because their empires may not survive as long as their respective players might be hoping for.

Any other pre-Turn-1 blurbs that arrive after this issue publishes will be included in a future issue of PBM Chaos.

How players each intend to play their empires is up to them. It is their job to help and to ensure the survival of their empires. Someone will have to suffer, though. Someone will have to lose. Some will need to go extinct.

This particular game of Galac-Tac is no ordinary, everything as usual game of Galac-Tac. Even the most experienced of Galac-Tac players in it will be compelled to acquire new skills. If they don't, then they're in for one rough ride.

If all that anyone wants is to learn the rules of how to play Galac-Tac, then a rulebook for the game already exists. A copy of it is free for the taking, and it can be found right here. There's also an Introduction to Galac-Tac, as well as a Quick-Start Guide to playing Galac-Tac.

But what this particular game of Galac-Tac, this Sharing of Information Game, is intended to teach you about Galac-Tac will likely extend well past any and all information contained in those company-produced PBM documents. Learning is a core part of what this particular game of Galac-Tac is all about, but so is teaching, and playing, and most important of all, the experience of playing Galac-Tac.

Have you ever watched a boring video that tries to teach you have to play a particular PBM game (or any other kind of game, for that matter)? Instructional methodology matters. Every have a teacher in school who speaks in a dull, monotonic manner? Thus, HOW one tries to teach newcomers to play Galac-Tac actually matters, and that shouldn't strike anyone as particularly surprising.

The "big picture" of learning and teaching involves more than just having people to read a bunch of text. In this particular game of Galac-Tac, you will get to be a witness to the history of the game, as it develops and evolves from turn to turn. I can tell you, right now, that the Galac-Tac rulebook doesn't teach you that, for the very reason that it can't teach you that. It's not as if the Galac-Tac rulebook knows what turn orders that I am going to issue for my star-faring empire ahead of time, much less over the span of an entire game (if I last that long).

Turns in PBM games tend to run the gamut from boring to interesting to exciting. By and large, those turn orders are issued by players - by real, genuine, creative-thinking human beings. Even if you know all of the possible commands that another player can issue, human beings have ways of being creative with their issuing of turn orders to their in-game positions.

By and large, most people who sign up to give PBM games a try do not do so, just so that they can read a bunch of rules. Rules, you see, are a but a mere component of a much larger overall thing. If you're not careful, when reading rulebooks for PBM games, you'll get lost in the text, and that part of you inside of yourself that wants to play games to have fun will slowly but surely begin to drift away. The game will lose your attention. It ceases to be a true focal point for your mind and for your imagination. If your imagination isn't engaged, or even full engage, in games that you're playing, then odds are that you will move on to other things that can - and will - do a better job of commanding your attention and your love for what is before you.

With this Sharing of Information Game of Galac-Tac, readers of PBM Chaos will be able to get a better idea of the big picture as it unfolds every step of the way. You get to be there for both the victories and the defeats. When a homeworld eventually falls, as it no doubt will in due time, then you will become a witness to it. You can learn both HOW TO PLAY and HOW NOT TO PLAY. Learning how not to play can many times be at least as valuable an experience as learning how to play.

I will strive to include as many player blurbs as I can in this issue. I can't include them if the players don't send them to me, though. If you want to blame somebody, if some of them are missing, then my recommendation is that you blame poor old Richard Lockwood. Hey, somebody has to be the fall guy!

Now, whether feat or famine, enjoy the player blurb that you find below, however thick and meaty or however stingy they may be. And if along the way of this Sharing of Information Game journey, you want to pick a favorite empire of the bunch and root for them (or boo them), then by all means, please do so. After all, outer space is a vast a very lonely place. They could use the moral support, I'm sure.

Player Blurb - Hammer

The Name of my Empire is Misraw, which is the pronunciation of a Hebrew Word meaning: Empire!

Milchamah is the Name of my Home World (located at 53-96) which is a Hebrew Word meaning: a Battle, Warfare, Fighting or Warrior!

Hammer, Minister of War

Player Blurb - GrimFinger

Not to be outdone by Hammer (well, not completely outdone, anyway), my empire's homeworld is located at star 18-80, which shall soon be renamed Notrevlis Bawol. The name of my empire is the Yonds of Droon. It is not an empire comprised of a single dominant species.

For your viewing pleasure, feel free to partake of not one, but two (count them, two) maps of Galaxy #223 that I provide for your convenience, with the location of my empire's homeworld displayed as a red letter H.

Player Blurb - Djinny

I have a funny tale to share (Charles, you can print it if you wish) which took place in my last public game. I had quietly munched up all the territory I could, and established a very efficient shuttle network with multiple PCs, and was actually at the top of the empire "percentile" valuation at the time, but nobody knew who was on top but me. (Your "percentile" score is what percent YOUR value is relative to the front-runner. In other words, if you're at 83%, your total value is 83% of the value of the leader.) I was approached through in-game diplomatic letters by another nearby player, who suggested an alliance, so he and I could take on a third player, since "He's at 100%".

I hated to break it to him, but the other player wasn't at 100% - it was me! I didn't particularly want to gang up on myself, so I declined his offer. Here at the beginning, of course, we're all at 100% because we have EXACTLY the same starting value - same PI, one 10-PV star, and a set of identical ships. Next turn, that changes, as what we find and what we choose to do about it begins to have us diverge. Being at 100% paints a target on your back, if others know, because that means you have a LOT of juicy colonies and PCs. If you take out another player, you get half of their Home World's PI stockpile, you get all of his/her charting info, which is very valuable but not relevant to their percentile, and then all their PCs become your colonies, so you suddenly have a head start on anybody else who might be looking to claim territory.

In our learning game, we can talk about where we stand, and try to figure out WHY one player has accumulated a higher value than another. Of course, some of it is definitely just luck! I'm definitely willing to share with this group information it would be very foolish to reveal in a "real game", because I think that's a great way to demonstrate and illustrate the way things work.

I admit I've had some really fun exchanges with another "alien Empire" when another player took the time to take on a persona that was definitely not "human". They were very creative and I just loved their messages. Sabre-rattling took on a whole new meaning.

Not everyone has that skill/imagination, but it was delightful. But this is not a role-playing game any more than the classic board game of "Risk". People sitting down to play Risk have similar decisions to make - where to move, how many to deploy, etc. I happen to be really lousy at Risk, but the ones I played with really got into the conquest thing.

You can boil it all down to something as simple as Checkers... no propaganda or trash talking or role-play is necessary for aficionados of the game to enjoy the challenge and mastery of the competition. Hopefully, we have found a group of people soon-to-be-friends who enjoy the kind of mental creativity Galac-Tac inspires, and at least THESE starfish will have a good time. Maybe bring some friends along.

Bolbi Bitterberg’s Bloody Big Interview

Season One of the Sea of Nyx

By Bolbi Bitterberg, Halfling Correspondent,

survivor of three near-drownings and one pie-eating contest gone wrong.

The taverns of the Sea of Nyx are roaring, the floating pitches creak on their chains and the gulls above have started betting their fish-guts on who’ll be first to die. The first season is about to begin — and yours truly, Bolbi Bitterberg, bravest halfling with quill and belly both, set out to corner the fiercest managers of this league of madness.

Four captains agreed to talk (or shout, or spit) at me. The rest? They slammed the door, threatened to eat me, or muttered about “trade secrets.” But don’t worry — I got enough blood, bluster and bad breath from the ones who did talk to fill this whole edition.

I found Captain Fuzzymouth from Keelhaul Kickoff Club in his cabin, a place that smelled like rotten oranges, wet gunpowder and despair. He greeted me with a roar: “What bug dares disturb me!?” I squeaked that I was here for the interview and after a swig of rum, he allowed it.

Bolbi: “Cap’n, how high be yer excitement for the comin’season?”

Fuzzymouth: “Arrrr, ya know I am an experienced Captain.Maybe the greatest you ever heard of. This will be like a walk on theplank over a bunch of hungry sharks baring their teeth!”

Bolbi (muttering): “Walk the plank I can imagine, Cap’n,but I think the sharks might be more sober than you…”

Bolbi: “Any crew you’re glad to see sailin’ into theleague?”

Fuzzymouth: “Aye, a crew of noble folk, with their pouches full of gold and chests with even more shinies — which we can take from them.”

Bolbi: “Which crew’s got the best chance at the crown?”

Fuzzymouth: “Arrr, ya kiddin’ me, little bug? Nothin’ stands in the way of the Keelhaul Kickoff Club.”

Bolbi: “Yer own strength, then? What makes yer crew tick?”

Fuzzymouth: “This crew was welded togetta in the salt an’blood the sea demands. They’ve every trick up their sleeves andwill sell their own moth’a if needed.”

I scribbled nervously and hid me lunch pie under the table.

Bolbi: “Any rival managers you fear?”

Fuzzymouth: “You point that out right — there be a loto’ managers, but only one Captain … Captain Fuzzymouth!”

Bolbi: “And when the waves turn rough, how’ll you keep yer crew in shipshape?”

Fuzzymouth: “I grind them rough stones like the sea grinds a ship between the cliffs. Funded by the gold coins out of the chests of other captains.”

Bolbi: “One last: Which player of yours will become a true legend?”

Fuzzymouth: “They are all capable, man and woman put forth by the sea itself. But between you and me, Polly is one eager monster I won’t mess with. Don’t tell the others I said that.”

Bolbi: “And to the fans?”

Fuzzymouth: “Bring gold coins, fellas! Bring a lot —we’ll outweigh it with blood on the field!”

Then he bellowed: “Now get out o’ my cabin, maggot!” —and I tumbled down the gangplank faster than a halfling at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Next, I met Wadham Lynx, known as “No Knees”,from The Buccaneers of the Infernal Depths. Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me.

Bolbi: “So, Mister Lynx… ‘No Knees’? Dare I ask?”

Wadham: “Because I lost ‘em gamblin’, boy. An’ I still play better than half these seadogs!”

Right. That shut me up. I moved on.

Bolbi: “How high be yer excitement fer the season?”

Wadham: “We be holdin’ back our rum rations to improve trainin’ and be ready to send the enemy to Davy Jones’ Locker.”

Bolbi: “Glad to see any particular crew joinin’?”

Wadham: “The more crew there be, the more souls Davy Jones can welcome.”

Bolbi: “So, who takes the crown?”

Wadham: “There be only one crew winnin’ — us.”

Bolbi: “Yer strength, then?”

Wadham: “Me daughter Carlolyn be the greatest player this land has seen.”

I dared a cheeky grin.

Bolbi: “And the fiercest rival?”

Wadham: “None worthy of the title. They all be scallywags and rapscallions.”

Bolbi: “Crew in shipshape?”

Wadham: “The obvious plan be more rum.”

Bolbi: “A legend among yer ranks?”

Wadham: “Aside from me own offspring, ya need to watch Darin. If he had two legs, he’d be unstoppable.”

Bolbi: “Message to the fans?”

Wadham: “Avast ye scumbags. Anchors aweigh — we be killin’ and maimin’ our way to the crown!”

I nodded politely and tried not to imagine Darin with an extra leg. Or me without mine.

Then came Asar, master of the Wolfsblood Reavers, eyes burnin’ like a forge at midnight.

Bolbi: “Excitement fer the first season?”

Asar: “As high as the crow’s nest at dawn! Me blood burns hotter than a powder keg, an’ the crew’s itchin’ to carve their names across the league. The Wolfsblood Reavers don’t step lightly — we crash into the season like a broadside o’ iron.”

Bolbi: “Any team you look forward to clashin’ with?”

Asar: “Aye, the Drowned Revenants! Captain Gravebeard be a terror o’ the deep, an’ crossin’ cutlasses with the risen dead’ll make fer battles sung in every tavern. Win or lose, the clash’ll be drenched in legend.”

Bolbi: “And if it ain’t you, who takes the crown?”

Asar: “If it ain’t us, then it be the Dreadwake Leviathans. Bosun Krag ‘Ironjaw’ Vex runs a tight ship, an’ his monsters fight like the sea herself—unyieldin’ an’ merciless. But even leviathans bleed when cut deep enough.”

Bolbi: “Yer greatest strength?”

Asar: “We thrive on chaos. Where others plan neat like clockwork, we storm in howlin’. The Reavers don’t play the game—they tear the game apart an’ stitch it back together in their own bloody pattern.”

Bolbi: “Your fiercest rival?”

Asar: “Bosun Krag ‘Ironjaw’ Vex, without a doubt. The man’s a brute, an’ he drives his Leviathans harder than a slaver’s lash. He’s the rock to our storm, an’ I mean to smash him to flinders afore the season be through.”

Bolbi: “How’ll you keep yer crew steady?”

Asar: “By lettin’ ‘em fight, drink, an’ curse their way through the storm. They ain’t delicate flowers, they be wolves o’ the tide. When the sea rages, we rage louder—an’ the storm breaks ‘fore we do.”

Bolbi: “Yer future legend?”

Asar: “Maura Witchwake Karrin. The sea itself bends to her whispers. When the season be writ down in blood an’ brine, hers’ll be the tale etched deepest into the tide.”

Bolbi: “And yer message to the fans?”

Asar: “Drink deep, cheer louder than the cannons, an’ keep yer wagers bold. The Wolfsblood Reavers sail not just to win,but to make the sea itself remember our names. When the season’s over, ye’ll know there was only one true terror flyin’ its flag—an’ it be ours.”

I didn’t argue. His teeth were sharper than me quill.

Last but most… odorous came Captain Gravebeard from the Drowned Revenants, beard drippin’ brine and grave-mud. The deck planks moaned under his boots.

Bolbi: “Cap’n Gravebeard, how high be yer excitement fer the season?”

Gravebeard: “Gorsh, this season’s gonna rise us outta the grave and into the clouds!”

Bolbi: “Any crew you’re glad to see?”

Gravebeard: “All these mucketymucks ain’t worth the devil’s mud ‘tween my toes!”

Bolbi: “Who wins the crown?”

Gravebeard: “That champion's crown is already ourrrrrrs. Yer just keepin' it warm for us.”

Bolbi: “Yer strength, then?”

Gravebeard: “Don’t think we’ll be givin’ away our team’s secret sauce so early on, savvy?”

Bolbi: “Your fiercest rival?”

Gravebeard: “Jah Pastrami’s team looks good — good enough to eat! Harharhar!”

Bolbi: “Crew in rough seas?”

Gravebeard: “This crew’s seen life an’ death flash before their eyes. We’ll train hard and smash skulls harder!”

Bolbi: “Yer legend-to-be?”

Gravebeard: “Ghosthook Gale’s been trainin’ her hook somethin’ fierce. Wouldn’t surprise me none if her body count’s impressive.”

Bolbi: “And yer message to the fans?”

Gravebeard: “The Drowned Revenants clumb out of the grave once — we’re doin’ it again fer a rollickin’ grand time!”

I ended the interview when his beard dripped onto me notepad and burned a hole through the page.

And there ye have it, dear readers! Four mighty crews, four terrifying captains and enough promises of blood to keep the sharks circlin’ all season. The rest of the managers refused to speak —whether from fear, secrecy, or simply bein’ too drunk to form words. But trust me, I’ll corner ‘em sooner or later.

Till then, keep yer mugs full, yer wagers bold and yer limbs attached— ‘cause the Sea of Nyx Season One is ready to explode!

— Bolbi Bitterberg, halfling journalist, survivor (so far).

At long last, you've reached the end of this issue. PBM Chaos bids you bon voyage, as you now go about other activities in your life. Hopefully, having a fresh issue of PBM Chaos to browse and read will help lift your PBM spirits a bit at the start of this, a brand new week. If you hate Mondays, then we hope that PBM Chaos is not the reason why.

Don't forget to vote in the PBM Poll for Issue #43. Just anytime between now and when the next issue comes out would be good. And if you can't make it by then, the PBM Poll will remain up, so you can vote in it, anytime. Unfortunately, out of sight also means out of mind, and if you put off casting your votes in our PBM Polls, then you might not remember it, again.

From the looks of it, some of PBM Chaos' more recent columns added since its return to publication may end up being short-lived. I'll be going through multiple PBM Polls in the coming week, and see which ones will face the old PBM guillotine.

My renewed interest in the PBM Forum was largely sparked by my recent browsing of PBMer Bearded Avenger's Orrgo thread, which has grown to 12 pages since he first created that discussion thread back on March 10th, 2025. Just strolling through his many pages of postings from his Monster Island turn reports for that character was a strong and visible reminder to me of one of the stark differences between dedicated forum software and dedicated chat software (such as Discord). Dedicated forum software does a much better job of keeping postings that accumulate over a long span of time organized and capable of being browsed through rapidly.

To each their own, of course, as far as personal preferences go, but as time is always a critical commodity that is ever in short supply (there never seems to be enough to do everything that we want to do), things that work better for me on the PBM end of things for considerations that are important to me warrant a greater allocation of my time that things that do not work as good for me.

Since the 1st of September is now upon us (where did last month go to?), I now have to really begin focusing more upon the PBM magazine. It will publish on October 1st, 2025, regardless of how much or how little material that I managed to compile into it between now and then. It will be interesting, even if challenging and perhaps a little unpleasant, working on issues of a PBM magazine and issues of PBM Chaos side by side, going forward.

In the coming year from today, what I am facing is 52 more issues of PBM Chaos plus 12 issues of a PBM magazine in PDF format. That's gonna require a significant amount of content. Combined, that's 64 issues worth of content that has to come from somewhere. It will also be interesting to see how readers receive the two, when they routinely have access to both. Publishing both in an ongoing basis is something that I will consider to be a milestone, if I can pull it off. And if I can keep both going for months on end, then I'll consider that another milestone, as well.

For all of the rumors that have abounded for years - or even decades - about PBM being dead or dying, the actual reality is that, even today, there is a substantial amount of PBM activity that takes place, outside of and beyond PBM-related stuff that I do, such as compiling and publishing and writing articles for issues of PBM Chaos.

The vast majority of of PBM postings in a variety of different PBM player gathering spots (forums and discussion groups and chat servers) dwarfs my ability than to do little more than to scratch the surface of it all. If I were able to devote 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to the task of covering it all, which is physically impossible, I still would, at the very most, only be able to cover a fraction of it all. Whether PBMers realize it or not, the current "dead or near dead" PBM scene produces more than enough content than even several different full-time PBM magazines could handle.

If you stop and think about it a bit, PBM magazine mainstays, such as Flagship and Paper Mayhem, while they covered a lot about play by mail game, and each of them did so for a great many years in their own right, the bulk of what all was happening or said in PBM circles never made the pages of either - or both - of those two apex-level PBM magazines, the old workhorses of the PBM magazine industry, as some see them as.

Jon Capp's not-so-very-long-ago attempt to publish a resurrected version of the original Suspense & Decision magazine didn't come to a earlier-than-expected end, due to there being no PBM content. Rather, it primarily proved to last only a relatively short span of time (a few months) because neither the PBM player communities nor the PBM GMs nor PBM Companies made much of an effort to send him stuff to publish. People play in PBM games every day and every week and every month, though not all of them at the exact same time.

Filling your turn orders out in one PBM game can vary noticeably from turn to turn to turn. Much like food that you see in grocery stores, someone grows that food, somewhere. PBM material that appears in PBM magazines and newsletters and mailings is created, before it can ever be published.

In one sense, PBM Chaos is a literary form of a community garden. Whether it's Joe "Monster Island" Franklin writing an article, or Daryl "Hammer" Holloway writing an article, or anyone else writing an article about PBM, it's grown in their heads and harvested with their words typed down, before the little digital country PBM store that is PBM Chaos obtains it and makes it available for you to browse and consume at your leisure.

Thank you for partaking of this issue! Even if you only just skim issues of PBM Chaos, I still count it as a win for PBM.

Write to PBM Chaos at
[email protected]

PBM Poll for Issue #43!
>>> Click here! <<<

Subscribe to PBM Chaos

If you would like to unsubscribe, please click here.