Ixnay, you and Bob are already signed up to play in galaxy #60 (which is still out there and available). I'd love for other folks to jump in there as well! If we can get at least a half-dozen players (10 or 12 would be better) then we can make a reasonable game out of it. See my post at
Galac-Tac group game offer for more details, including the fact that I'm giving away plenty of play time to get people involved. I'd like for people to post their experiences (both general and position-specific, as long as it doesn't give away any of your position's secrets) on the forum for discussion and interesting reading. Pick what and when you'd like to talk about it, and I especially encourage public sabre-rattling. Treaties are, at best, temporary (since "there can be only one" in the end), but you can make them with an anonymous in-game messaging system (so you don't know who you're talking to) rather than in the public forum.
Since we now run over the web instead of using paper mail, turn frequency can be much faster. For comfort's sake I think that a one-week turnaround works out pretty reasonably for most people (that way you can have your own favorite day of the week to spend on it), though I can change that to anything the players desire.
In addition to signing up for the group game, I encourage everyone to also immediately sign up for a "solo" game (against simple computer players) for a little preparatory play to get used to the game system and commands and try out some strategies. You may play in as many solo (computer) and/or human games as you feel like you have time for once you get signed up.
The game is true to its PBM ancestry with web-based "turn sheets" and web-based "printed reports". You may certainly print your turns (even old turns if you want) and work from the classic report style on paper (I do), or you can do all your work on your screens without using any paper. Better yet, for those of you playing on Windows computers I have a "game assistant" program called "GTac" that you can download from the web site and install on your computer. It offers a customizable map-based interface for you to explore the galaxy, and will allow you to input and error-check your turn sheet and will submit it for you, as well as many other helpful features.
FYI - missing turns in the early (expansion) part of the game will hurt your position (as it will limit the size of your empire), but as the game progresses missed turns are less critical (unless you're in the middle of a major offensive, on either side). You normally set up automated "shuttle runs" that will continue running your basic economy every turn even if you miss one.
There's a manual on my web site for reading, even before you sign up, plus a number of introductory and quick-start articles that were published in S&D and are also available on my web site that will give you a good flavor and direction for the game. Doug Neman also publishes in S&D a fictionalized, first-person, episodic storyline set in the Galac-Tac universe for some fun reading. It may be interesting for some to note that his empire name in that storyline is "Benevolence Limited" which was taken from an actual Galac-Tac game position way back when and kind of gives you a hint about the style of play.
Does anyone have any questions or want to sign up to play?
