Alamaze

Alamaze is a strategic fantasy play-by-email game run by Pegasus Productions. Alamaze has been running steadily since 1987. See our introduction for more information about the game. The rules are available online; the Tools section contains player tools and information; the Oracle contains strategy articles and player-written fiction; and Valhalla lists game and player records.

Alamaze Gamemaster and experienced player Phil McDowell has written a brief guide to diplomatic and strategic considerations all players should be aware of.

Current news from the Company:

July 20, 2007

Please be advised that we will be on vacation from 7/25 
to 8/1.  I will be visiting my brother in Albany, NY.  
Any existing games that might fall due while I am gone 
will get processed ASAP after my return.  

With Dana's assistance, I will be posting a new sample of 
the Epic Game before I depart.  There are various enhancements 
that will effect any existing games, thus by reviewing the new 
sample those that are interested can see the differences.  

Phil 

MAY 30, 2007

Please add the following to your Rule Book. 

We have redesigned the Intercept function to more accurately reflect 
the difficulty in getting an entire group to move to the unknown 
location of a target group considering the range of movement 
directions, terrain obstacles, and distances potentially involved.  
In addition to the kingdom based range requirement that exists, there 
must now also exist a path to the target that meets certain criteria:
there must be a path that is unobstructed by sea areas (unless a 
dragon kingdom is intercepting), and there must be a path that places 
the intercepting group closer to the target with each area moved to, 
and there must be a path that limits the group’s movement to the 
maximum movement costs available (including force marching and its 
penalties), but the chosen path will utilize the most efficient path 
to the target based on kingdom movement costs
 
In addition to these changes, a 735 Pursue Group order has been 
added.  The order works exactly as the 731 Pursue order, except that 
it will allow a group to have a chance to pursue a group that has 
successfully intercepted another group.  Order 735 functions exactly 
as 731 – it is just later in the sequence of events.  All columns 
should be completed as for the 731 order.
 
Keep in mind that if Group A is ordered to intercept Group B which is 
ordered to intercept Group C, several different results could occur 
even if all groups are within intercept range of one another 
depending on the order in which the intercepts are completed.  If 
Group A’s intercept completes first, they will be at Group B’s 
starting area.  Group B might then complete it’s intercept and leave 
that area to move to Group C’s ending area.  Group A would have 
successfully intercepted Group B, but not be in the same area as that 
force at the end of movement.  This reflects the nature of the 
difficult movement maneuver and the manner in which orders are 
processed.