Revolt on Antares Play By Email Support Page By Walter O'Hara Back to the Play by Email Emporium

Revolt on Antares is without a doubt my favorite game from the TSR mini game series (the line of pocket games that TSR came out with in the mid-80s to compete directly with Metagaming's microgame line).  The game takes place on Imhirrhos, ninth planet of the star Antares.  The standard cliche SF situation is taking place... Antares-9 is on the edge of Imperial Terra's influence, the natives are getting restless, there's threats of an alien invasion, 7 great houses vie for power in the vacumn left by the Terrans...  what makes this game outstanding is the depth of characterization designer Tom Moldvay threw into it.  Each house (of the 7) has a unique power and a unique unit mix.   Geography (where the houses control territory on the map) is a focus for strategy, as well.  Add to that the standard alien invasions, Imperial "Heavies", mysterious artifacts of the ancients, and the occassional Galactic Hero, and you've got a game that has everything but the kitchen sink (and it fits in your planner!).

REVOLT ON ANTARES TURN SEQUENCE:

1. Rebel Player Moves
2. Rebel Player Combat (Including Leader Combat)
3. Terran Player Moves
4. Terran Player Combat (ditto)
5. Rebel Player Replacement/Recruitment Phase
6. Terran Player Replacement/Recruitment Phase
7. Rebel Player Alliance Phase
8. Terran Player Alliance Phase

I don't think it would hurt anything to combine Replacement/Recruitment and Alliance into a single phase, thus making an electronic version of ROA go like this:

1. Rebel Player Moves
2. Rebel Player Combat (Including Leader Combat) email turn 1a to Terran player
3. Terran Player Moves
4. Terran Player Combat (ditto) email turn 1a to Rebel Player
5. Rebel Player Replacement/Recruitment Phase
6. Rebel Player Alliance Phase email turn 1b to Terran Player
7. Terran Player Alliance Phase
8. Terran Player Replacement/Recruitment Phase email turn 1b to Rebel player

Four transaction turns aren't optimal, but I think this should work.

NOTICE: This Gamebox is created using Dale Larson's excellent Play By Email utility, Cyberboard (the poor man's Aide De Camp!)

REVOLT ON ANTARES is copyright, TSR, 1981.

Designer: Tom Moldvay

Developer: Kevin Hendryx (of Remember the Alamo (TSR) and Fury of the Norsemen (Metagaming) fame)

Graphics: Jeff Dee, David LaForce, Erol Otus, Jim Roslof, Bill Willingham.

The Action

The graphic above illustrates some of the features of this gamebox.  The Orsini (purple troops and leader) and Kinrabe (pale green troops and leader) are in their starting positions in ROA_basic.gsn.  Keep in mind that you should move the units around as you see fit, as there are not starting positions per se for the game. 

A NOTE ON THE MAP:

Alas, I slipped up on the East edge of the map, and put in one hex too many.  The map was already drawn by that point, and I didn't have the heart to redraw it.  This minior irritant should not affect your game.

A NOTE ON THE CHARTS:

ROA calls for selecting units randomly (physically) from a 'pile' of counters in front of you.  At first this seems to be pretty tough to replicate using electronic means.   However, the random die-roll mechanism looks like it might be able to help here.   I created charts for the Hero and Artifact selection, then assigned numbers to the grid, and placed the artifacts and heros face down on these grids.  Each side rolls an appropriate number until the counters are chosen.  If you want to add an element of randomness that is in keeping with the game, have one player move the counters around randomnly and the other roll for both of the players. 

The Charts

TURN TRACK

This is the turn track.

Galactic Hero Selection

Artifact Selection

How to get the files

Download Cyberboard Gamebox:

Game Availability:

Not great.  Out of print, still available on Ebay from time to time.    Search on "TSR mini game".

Related Links/Resources:

This page content copyright, Walter O'Hara 1999