09/23/16

Car Wars – A Trip Down The Memory Fast Lane, Part 2

Continuing his series on Car Wars, Michael rolls back through the memory banks again ~

Michael Eckenfels, 23 September 2016

TRUCK STOP: A CAR WARS (FIRST EDITION) SUPPLEMENT

This expansion, released the same year I bought the original Car Wars, added massive 18-wheelers and other large rigs to the Car Wars universe. It seemed only right, given the fact that tanker trucks were a lynchpin of the Mad Max universe. Besides, these things are righteously huge. Just imagine them armored up with large-caliber guns bristling everywhere, and one wonders how cars, much less cycles, would have a chance in Hades against them.

One could virtually feel the temptation to HULK SMASH and sledgehammer smaller opponents with tons of rolling steel death. (Hell…I have this feeling even to this day.) I had to have the expansion, and so I have owned it for 32 years now. The box has held up well in that time, and I probably haven’t opened it in some 30-odd years, to be honest. So this will be something of a time capsule.

This box is in surprisingly excellent condition. I hope the insides have aged well, too…
This box is in surprisingly excellent condition. I hope the insides have aged well, too…

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09/12/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 2 Part 3

Airboy’s extended AAR across the Pacific rolls on ~

Avery Abernethy, 12 September 2016

click images to enlarge

My primary objective is protecting the Henderson Field airstrip. The four secondary objectives are: raid Tenaru; raid Matanikau; destroy 5 Japanese aircraft and protect both construction groups.

Last time, I was breaking out from my perimeter and taking the fight to the Japanese, until the air battle ramped up

Turn 26 and trying to take the center
Turn 26 and trying to take the center

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09/11/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 2 Part 2

Airboy’s extended AAR across the Pacific rolls on ~

Avery Abernethy, 11 September 2016

click images to enlarge

My primary objective is protecting the Henderson Field airstrip. The four secondary objectives are: raid Tenaru; raid Matanikau; destroy 5 Japanese aircraft and protect both construction groups.

Last episode, I had counter-attacked in the North along the coast with a coordinated attack towards the center of the Island after taking Tenaru. The Japanese received even more reinforcements. One Japanese column almost got to Henderson Field.

Turn 14 Marines advancing towards Tenaru
Turn 14 Marines advancing towards Tenaru

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09/10/16

Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 2 Part 1

Airboy’s extended AAR across the Pacific rolls on ~

Avery Abernethy, 10 September 2016

click images to enlarge

My primary objective is protecting the Henderson Field airstrip. The four secondary objectives are: raid Tenaru; raid Matanikau; destroy 5 Japanese aircraft and protect both construction groups. The construction groups are one bulldozer unit close to Henderson Field and one Seabees unit in the North coastal area. Both are weak and immobile.

There is a lot of ground to defend and holding the airfield is critical. Initially I have only one fighter unit. I attached truck or half-tracks to most of the Marine infantry. My initial forces had one Lee tank.

Primary and secondary objectives
Primary and secondary objectives

 

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09/9/16

Car Wars – A Trip Down The Memory Fast Lane, Part 1

The first of a series, Michael looks back at the wasted years of burning rubber through the blacktop battlefields of yesterday ~

Michael Eckenfels, 09 September 2016

CAR WARS: A MEGA-ARTICLE RETRO LOOK

 Back in 1983 or so, when I was transitioning from middle school to high school, hobby stores were a refuge of mine. Mostly I, as well as some of my friends, were into role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons. I still remember the modules at this store costing six dollars, which at the time was of course a princely sum for a 13-14 year old. (My first job in 1986 paid minimum wage, which I think was $3.25 an hour.) I’d be lucky to get five dollars from my cash-strapped parents, and having to save that money was a chore of epic proportions, because this was, of course, the heyday of the arcades.

Arcade games like Dig-Dug, Tron, Jungle Hunt, Zaxxon, Joust, and Burger Time hypnotized many a kid into pouring quarters into them, and I was one of the zombies. Saving money was never my strong suit, but when I found something I wanted in the hobby store, I’d save up religiously for it. Car Wars was one of those games.

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