Thanks
for taking an interest in Fog 8. The game has been underway now for several
months. You can keep up with the progress of this very interesting game at the Fog 8 Central Page. ---Vandal
The "Fog of War" Series of PBEM games are large fleet battle scenarios where each ship has a separate captain. Each Fog game has had a slightly different set of rules and objectives, based on the scenario. Fog games are played via E-mail, which opens up many possible ways that information can be limited, communication can be restricted, and coordination can be disrupted. This is the Fog in the Fog of War.
It uses a the Squadron Rules of the Star Fleet Battles PBEM Rules, [4 impulse autobreaks, no other breaks, longer breaks at long ranges] and runs at an average of one Sitrep per two weeks, with 7 days allowed for each SOP. There will be occasional longer SOPs for Christmas/New Year and perhaps Origins but generally one SOP eery other week is expected.
By combining the communications rules with tactical intelligence and secret damage a true 'Fog of War' can be simulated, where even the Admiral does not know the full picture of the game.
The first test of these rules (without tacint) was in the Starbase Assault. The first true Fog of War was an Alliance vs Coalition, 1700 BPV fleet engagement. Subsequent Fogs have been mostly fleet battles like Fog 2, but with different communication options and some special scenario rules to prevent Fog and PBEM rules abuses that were unbalancing in previous games.
For Fog of War 8 we are going to try something quite different (see the scenario): a double base assault scenario with communication limited to the action around one base or the other.
Players will choose their ships, be divided into 2 teams, invited onto one of two private discussion boards on Yahoo and allowed to communicate freely to organise themselves and devise battle plans. The 50x50 map is divided into two sections, diagonally. There is a base on each side of the divide, and each team has objectives to both destroy the enemy base and protect their own. Communication and tactical intelligence is open and continuous on each side of the divide, but can only be shared across the two sides of the board using special sensors.
The moderator for the game is Jim 'Vandal' Hart.