[FT]: Campaign Recommendation???

which do folks like better for a good strategic space game (and FT campaigns):
Twilight Imperium or JUMP Into the Unknown??? they both seem to have the same
game features, so I'm looking for opinions from folks who have played either
or both several times.

thanks, Dave

I prefer Imperium, Dark Nebula or Basic old fashioned Traveller.

Michael Brown

[quoted original message omitted]

DAWGIE WILL BITE;

WOT IS JUMP INTO THE UNKNOWN?

DAWGIE also prefers IMPERIIUM, DARK NEBULA, or plain old TRAVELLER.

[FT]: Campaign Recommendation???I'd vote for Stellar Conquest, Imperium,
and Dark Nebula...

I really hate to appear ignorant... but I'm not familiar with ANY of these
games listed in "Campaign Recommendation."

The only other Space game I have is "Star Force: Alpha Centauri," an OLD game
put out by SPI eons ago.

Could someone give a same run-down on the pros & cons of each game?

> I really hate to appear ignorant... but I'm not familiar with ANY of

JUMP got an overview review earlier last year on this list. I've played a
couple of games (PBeM) and can see where it has potential for translating into
FT, but never had an opportunity to pursue this. It plays fairly fast, and is
open to tweaking (second PBeM game run by Tom McCarthy introduced a wider tech
tree to explore).

Stellar Conquest I almost got a chance to play (again PBeM), but it fell
through before anything could go anywhere. I don't have the rules to review
for you any. SOrry.

Imperium has been redone from the old GDW game. I used to play it years
(~15-20) ago. I've looked at it from time to time for use as a generator
for FT scenarios, but again, no time to pursue this in any realistic
manner.  :-/  (lack of time again). I don't have the new version of
the game, but the old one was fun. Alas, I cannot give you any rigorous
information on it; would have to go dig up the rules again.

Dark Nebula, Traveller, and other campaign games mentioned thus far I have not
played.

Starfire, Imperial Starfire, and its subsequent incarnations were fun,
but the campaign stuff was hideously paper-heavy. I tried several games
because I *really* liked the system, but always got bogged down in the paper.
I haven't had an opportunity to play the latest version of this
game. Oerjan could give you a detailed blow-by-blow of the system,
though, as he is one of the design team.  ;-)

In message <22614-3CAA47B9-2046@storefull-2235.public.lawson.webtv.net>
> DAWGFACE47@webtv.net wrote:

> DAWGIE WILL BITE;

Well, I'm sure others can describe it better, but Justified Use of Military
Power (J.U.M.P.) into the Unknown (to give it its full title) is a 'space
conquest' strategy game, by, IIRC the Evil Polish Brothers.

You start with one planet, some starting forces, and an attitude [1]

You visit other planets, and either woo them to your cause with diplomacy, or
conquer them.

The other players do the same.

More planets = more resources, each planet has a tech level, which determines
the best hardware it can produce.

The Game Components look quite high quality (beautiful planets etc. on
transparencys that are laid upon the 'board' to form the game layout,
foil-printed card counters, etc.)

Played it once, so far.

> Indy wrote:

> Dark Nebula, Traveller, and other campaign games mentioned thus far I

Dark Nebula uses essentially the same game engine as Imperium, but with
different ships, different economics and different maps.

> Starfire, Imperial Starfire, and its subsequent incarnations were fun,

The latest version (Galactic Starfire) cut away massive chunks of campaign
paperwork, but there's still a fair deal left of it (keeping track of the
damage status of all your spaceships, for example... though the days when even
smallish empires could field fleets hundreds of superdreadnoughts and
thousands of escorts are, mercifully, gone!).

The previous version (3rd edition Revised/Imperial Starfire) has a
computer campaign handler called "Starfire Assistant" (by Steve Walmsley)
which is said to be very good, but I never managed to get the hang of all
details in
the user interface :-( Without computer support you had to be *really*
dedicated to finish a 3rdR/ISF campaign :-/

Later,