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May 31, 2001: Duello Gloves . . .

is the title of an article by Franchesca Havas, a SJ Games alumna, in the latest issue of Tournaments Illuminated, the national magazine of the Society for Creative Anachronism. It's a quarterly magazine, with a half-dozen or few articles in each issue, chosen from submissions from all over the Knowne World. So we're proud of Franchesca . . . Congratulations, Ches!

May 30, 2001: GURPS Goes To War!

Steve Jackson Games announced that it will launch a new roleplaying line covering World War II, beginning with the publication of the 176-page core book, GURPS WWII, in December 2001.

The GURPS WWII line will maintain GURPS' traditional excellence in supporting gaming that crosses genres or rules systems. The core book will provide a sweeping overview of the 20th century's defining conflict, while the following 128-page and 32-page supplements will contribute additional detail on nations that took part in the fighting, particular battles, etc.

"The second World War may be the most documented event in history," said Gene Seabolt, GURPS WWII line editor. "The GURPS WWII books will distill all that documentation, framing it in a gamer-friendly manner, and use that as a launching pad to explore all the dramatic possibilities that the war provides."

The first supplements will include GURPS WWII: Hand of Steel, a 32-page book on special forces, and GURPS WWII: Iron Cross, 128 pages on Germany and its armed forces.

-- Scott Haring

Warehouse 23 News: Attention Canada!

Effective immediately, the Canadian W23 is closed. Please review the shipping information page to find out how this will affect your orders.

May 29, 2001: Announcing Cartouche Press

Cartouche Press is a new imprint -- a new brand name, if you will -- that we're starting here at Steve Jackson Games. The first product to carry the Cartouche name will be Ronin: The Art of Christopher Shy.

The cartouche dates back to ancient Egypt. It is an oval frame containing a person’s name -- usually a pharaoh, queen, or other high-ranking official -- in hieroglyphics. Cartouches appeared on tomb walls to identify the person buried inside, on scrolls as a sort of official seal, and in amulets worn around the person’s neck for magical protection. “A cartouche is elegant and beautiful, and of course it has that whole pyramid tie-in going,” Steve Jackson said. “These books and other art products will live up to the Cartouche name.”

The decision to launch a separate imprint was made to give these products wider exposure. "When something is labeled 'Steve Jackson Games,' people expect it to be a game," Jackson said. "The 'Cartouche Press' imprint will let these books get the bookstore and mass-market exposure they deserve." Cartouche Press products will also be available to the hobby market through SJ Games’ normal distribution channels.

Ronin: The Art of Christopher Shy has been announced as an August release. In September, look for Brom Postcards from Cartouche Press, too. And in future months, Cartouche Press will be publishing art books and other art products from many of fantasy and science fiction's best.

-- Scott Haring

Warehouse 23 News: Hack 'n Slash at its Finest!

Atlas Games' newest offering, the Rune RPG, reinvents the "hack-and-slash" genre with a beautifully produced game that encourages monster slaying, horde looting, and intra-party squabbling.

May 28, 2001: Memorial Day Holiday

Today is Memorial Day, and the SJ Games offices are closed.

We'll be back at it tomorrow.

Warehouse 23 News: Cruisin' the Mississippi

This week's addition to the Rio Grande Games Clearout is The Black Rose, the expansion for Mississippi Queen.

May 27, 2001: More Origins Awards Plugs

OK, we mentioned the nifty SJ Games products that got nominated for Origins Awards a few days back. But we forgot to plug our good friend John Kovalic, and now's the time to mention it.

His story, Matt and Gilly's Big Date (from Dork Tower #11) is nominated in the Best Game-Related Short Work of 2000 category. This is the first ever "graphic story" (you know, a comic book) ever nominated in this category.

In case you missed it, John has posted the entire story to the web at www.dorktower.com/comics/comicbooks/bigdate.html. You should definitely check it out.

And if you haven't voted for the Origins Awards yet, go do it!

-- Scott Haring

Warehouse 23 News: It's baaaack!

Thought dead for several years, The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep has been resurrected by dark ceremonies and the reprint is now available.

May 26, 2001: Now Shipping!

Several new things are shipping this week:

Alien Races  
4 Alien Races 4 (for GURPS Traveller)
Enough aliens to fill a cantina! GURPS Traveller Alien Races 4 brings 16 strange species to life, including the winged Ael Yael, the bureaucratic Bwaps, the nonviolent Virushi, and the newest species to be recognized as sentient, the aquatic Shalli. Compiled and edited by Loren Wiseman and Steve Jackson, this book features the creations of several favorite Traveller authors, including Phil Masters, David Pulver, and David Thomas.

#6609 ISBN 1-55634-433-3. $24.95


GURPS Atlantis GURPS Atlantis
Long ago, beyond the edge of the world, a great empire grew decadent . . . and sank forever beneath the waves. The Lost Land; the Sunken City; the Ancient Birthplace of Secrets. It has haunted our dreams since the days of ancient Greece. In some of those dreams, the Lost Land is still out there.

Written by Phil Masters (GURPS Discworld), this is a gamer's guide to the story, the history, and the myth. GURPS Atlantis includes rules for underwater operations, stats for a wide range of submarines, and no less than three campaign backgrounds - one high fantasy, one conspiratorial, and one for steampunk or superhero games.

#6536, ISBN 1-55634-478-3. $22.95.


Planetary Survey 3 -  
Granicus Planetary Survey 3 - Granicus (for GURPS Traveller)
Granicus, in the Glimmerdrift Reaches sector, is home to over 25 million people. Its corrupt, faction-ridden government and out-of-the-way location make it the perfect base of operations for pirate cartels, whose criminal enterprises reach into Imperial space. The cartels are the secret masters of the planet. But in every corner lurk Imperial spies, looking for ways to combat the pirate threat.

#6803 ISBN 1-55634-510-0. $8.95


Floor Plan 2 - The Great Salt Flats
Huge, flat, and completely featureless . . . well, we could have just called this set "Blank Map Sheets." But this is more fun.

This packet contains six sheets, the same size as those in all our other floor plans . . . two-sided, with hexes on one side and squares on the other . . . but except for that, they're completely blank. Use them to expand or customize any Floor Plan or Deck Plan, or create your own!

Or use them for a parking lot, football field, warehouse . . . Never mind. We'll stop now.

Stock #7302, ISBN 1-55634-503-8. $9.95.
Paneuropean Set 4 -  
Luftpanzer Company Paneuropean Set 4 - Luftpanzer Company (for Ogre Miniatures)
Here's the first Company Set for the Paneuropean forces. The reusable plastic case contains five 3-vehicle lances . . . there are 9 "Galahad" GEVs and 6 of the new "Cossack" Light GEVs. The Galahad is the original GEV that Ogre players know and love. The Cossack is its little brother - but it still packs a punch. This set adds 72 points to your Ogre Miniatures force.

#10-2204 ISBN 1-55634-489-9. $19.95
-- Keith Johnson

Warehouse 23 News: Moo-ve over!

Cow tipping just got a little tougher with the arrival of Battle Cattle, cyber-enhanced steer with an attitude and a lust for battle.

May 25, 2001: What Is Behind You Is Vitally Important

Illuminated Site of the Week: Whether you're a fan of dangerous cop shows or you're just planning on having friends back home videotape your flight from justice, PursuitWatch offers you quick access to car chases across the nation. Sign up and they'll page you any time there's a televised pursuit in your area.


Warehouse 23 News: The Earth is dying, but adventure is still alive.

From newcomer Pelgrane Press comes The Dying Earth RPG, based on the novels by Jack Vance.

May 24, 2001: Live Action Toon At GenCon

The one and only, incredible, unimaginable, Doc Cross will be running a LARP - that's right, we said LARP, of Toon at GenCon this year. There will be four sessions: Thursday at noon, Friday at 10am, Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 8am. Each session costs $3.00 and runs for 4 hours. 8 player limit per session.

Doc tells us that the game themes/genres will be announced at the time of the game. No real cream pies, seltzer or anvils allowed. No Exploding Robotic Baby Ducks, either. Interested parties who have the wretched Pre-Reg con book can look up all these details on page 80.

Warehouse 23 News: Crazy fun for only a few bucks!

Everyone's favorite budget-minded game company, Cheapass Games, has produced two more wild and crazy games: Unexploded Cow, which is as weird as it sounds, and Devil Bunny Hates the Earth, featuring their infamous, psychotic, clip-art rabbit.

May 23, 2001: Guardians Of Order, Grey Ghost Playtests Up On Pyramid!

If you subscribe to Pyramid, then you already know about the playtest files. In exchange for an advance peek at some of our upcoming products and the chance to have your input help shape them, we get a great group of dedicated, talented playtesters.

Now other companies are getting in on the action. Three upcoming books from Guardians of Order and Grey Ghost Press are also now available for playtest, with discussions open on the Pyramid discussion boards.

The products up for playtest are:

Hong Kong Action Theatre!, 2nd Edition, from Guardians of Order;
Terra Incognita: The NAGS Society Handbook, from Grey Ghost Press; and
The Deryni Roleplaying Game, also from Grey Ghost.

Check out the Pyramid playtest page for access to the files.

And if you don't subscribe to Pyramid, here's yet another reason to ...

-- Scott Haring


May 22, 2001: Unimaginable Horror: A Lifestyle Choice

If you check out the Call of Cthulhu listing on Amazon.com, you'll see that one of the categories it's listed under is "Health, Mind & Body" . . .

Warehouse 23 News: Decor by Steve Jackson Games

Are your walls boring? Help has arrived: Warehouse 23 has a whole slew of new posters, perfect for brightening up any room. The line-up includes: Illuminati Brainwash Poster, Ogre Combine Poster, Ogre Paneuropean Poster, Chez Geek/Slack Attack Poster, Frag Poster, Munchkin Poster, and Horror Poster.

May 21, 2001: Frag and Munchkin Preview Coming!

Game Trade Magazine is featuring our two big July releases, Frag and Munchkin, in Issue #16, which should be in a game store near you in early June.

Game Trade is published by Alliance Distributors, and while it has a lot of product listings for game retailers, it is trying hard to include game content to interest the gamers. In addition to our big cover story, this issue also has stuff for the DC Roleplaying Game and Shadowrun, and a preview of -- I'm not kidding about this -- the D&D Clue game. ("Raistlin, in the Tomb of Horrors, with the Fireball...")

-- Scott Haring

Warehouse 23 News: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

This week's addition to the Rio Grande Gams clearout is the English set of El Grande Cards, for those who purchased the German version of El Grande.

May 20, 2001: Looking for INWO Starter Decks . . .

We have been out of stock on the INWO Starter Sets for some time . . . and as far as we know, no distributor has extra. However, the CCG business being what it is, there's probably a retailer or ex-distributor someplace with CASES stacked up. If you know that person, have him contact our Sales Manager, Ross Jepson, at jepsonr@telusplanet.net . . . and we'll do a deal and get those cards to the people who want to play with them.

Warehouse 23 News: Who needs a computer?

The New Breed, based on the Heavy Gear computer game, allows for both Northern and Southern campaigns aboard a landship.

May 19, 2001: Origins Award Voting Now Open!

The Origins Awards are presented every year at the Origins game convention (duh ...). This year's awards, to be presented July 6 in Columbus, OH, will be the 27th annual.

While paper ballots will be available in a number of gaming magazines, the vast majority of votes last year were cast online. Opening up voting on the net resulted in a huge turnout last year, several times greater than any previous year.

This year's voting is also online, with a spiffy new interface that's better than last year's. Of course, we want you to vote your conscience, and pick the most deserving entry in each category you are familiar with. But we would be remiss if we didn't note that several Steve Jackson Games products are nominated, including:

Pyramid Magazine for Best Professional Game Periodical of 2000;
GURPS Steampunk for Best Roleplaying Supplement of 2000;
And both Cardboard Heroes Dungeon Floors and The Munchkin's Guide to Power Gaming for Best Game Aid or Accessory of 2000.

So go vote already!

-- Scott Haring

Warehouse 23 News: Saga of the Fallen, Part 2

Participate in the ongoing struggles of the Eighth Tribe in Word From the North, for Tribe 8.

May 18, 2001: You Must be This Tall to Hunt Bigfoot

Illuminated Site of the Week: Feeling the South was getting short shrift, the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization was formed to point the Bigfoot-hunting spotlight at the southern states. The GCBRO has databases of sightings for the 50 states, Australia, and the rest of the world. They also have a site dedicated to weird stuff.

-- Suggested by Josh Marquart


May 17, 2001: See How They Fly!

Here's another SF staple becoming reality: flying cars! Read the Yahoo story. And while you're there, admire the total lack of proofreading and copy editing that the Web makes possible for an international news organization :-\

-- Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Oh, the horror of it!

Horrors of the Z'bri, that is. This Tribe 8 sourcebook gives you the inside scoop on the villians of Vimary.

May 16, 2001: I Chose The Road Less Bumpy

Road
Surgery
At long last, the men and their big orange machines are here to repair our driveway. It made for a slow Friday, with most staff electing to stay away from the rumbling and occasional ominous crunch. Kudos to William Toporek, Traffic Manager Extraordinaire, for finding us a contractor that couldn't run away!
-- Ben Kimball
Road Surgery

Warehouse 23 News: Lots of Good Soldiers . . .

The Southern Republic may be an intrigue ridden, supremacist viper pit, but it has a great army, as detailed in the first Southern Army List.



May 15, 2001: A Rare View Of Imperial Russia

The Library of Congress has posted The Empire That Was Russia, a photographic record of Imperial Russia originally created by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii in 1909-1912. What's the big deal? The photographs are in color. Check it out before your next GURPS Russia campaign.
-- Ben Kimball

Warehouse 23 News: The Living Dead Fight Back . . .

Are your zombies not quite scary enough? Get the help you need with the Zombie Master Screen for All Flesh Must Be Eaten.

May 14, 2001: RPG News Likes Frag

Check out the great review in RPG News . . . and yes, we gave them an advance look at Alex Fernandez' card art too, so the graphics you see with the review are real!

Frag is coming in July . . .


May 13, 2001: So Long And Thanks For All The Fun

Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its sequels, is dead of heart failure at 49. Here's the Reuters story on Yahoo.

May 12, 2001: Now Shipping!

The following products left our warehouse this week, headed for your local game store:

Combine Set 2 - Ogre Mk. III Combine Set 2 - Ogre Mk. III (for Ogre Miniatures)
The little brother of the fearsome Mark V, the Mark III was still big enough to stand in the line of battle . . . and like the Mark V, it fought on both sides, built by the Paneuropeans from captured templates. It adds 100 points to your army - on whichever side you choose!

This set contains a complete Ogre Mark III; a full "repair kit" (an extra tower and a full extra set of guns) in case of battle damage; a "swimming tower" to represent the Ogre when it's underwater; and a record card.

Miniatures in a box with a slip cover, #10-2102, ISBN: 1-55634-466-X, $16.95


Combine Set 7 - Howitzer Battery and Reinforced  
Infantry Battalion Combine Set 7 - Howitzer Battery and Reinforced Infantry Battalion (for Ogre Miniatures)
Build a solid defense against the worst that the Paneuropeans can throw at you. Start with a hard-hitting battery of two "Minotaur" howitzers, with its security section of two "Yankee" light tanks. Screen these assets with a whole infantry battalion - 3 companies of 4 platoons each, plus a reinforcing heavy-weapons company of 4 more platoons. (That's a total of 48 infantry figures, plus 12 heavy-weapon models.) Total value of these units is 150 points.

Miniatures in a box with a slip cover, #10-2107, ISBN: 1-55634-471-6, $19.95
-- Keith Johnson


May 11, 2001: For the Junior Harper's Set

Illuminated Site of the Week: Recalling the finer publications of yesteryear, Timothy McSweeney's reminds us of a time when bands played in gazebos and kids rolled hoops down the streets. It then delves into advertising for the Great Old Ones and regales us with tales from Traig & McGrath, shut-in detectives.

-- Suggested by Richard Guy

Warehouse 23 News: Game of the Living Dead

Can you survive the horrors of a zombie invasion? All Flesh Must Be Eaten is the zombie horror survival rpg; find out if you have what it takes.

May 10, 2001: Transhumanity, Here We Come

Take a look at what the chief of NASA says in this Yahoo/Reuters story. Then dive back into the Transhuman Space playtest, grinning . . .

Warehouse 23 News: Fifty, and only fifty . . .

Warehouse 23 is very proud to carry an exclusive, limited edition of signed and numbered Christopher Shy Art Print Sets. Christopher is a high demand artist in the roleplaying (White Wolf, Eden Studios, Steve Jackson Games) and computer gaming (Freedom) industries and we expect these sets to go fast.

May 9, 2001: GURPS Traveller: Humaniti Now In Playtest

GURPS Traveller: Humaniti is now in playtest. This book addresses the biology, home worlds, culture, and society of 17 Human minor races for GURPS Traveller. Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Ben Kimball

Warehouse 23 News: War! What's it good for?

Making a profit, if you're a merchant prince of the Mekong Dominion. This Heavy Gear leaguebook details the greedy Mekong corporations and how low they'll stoop to make money.

May 8, 2001: Insanely Cute

Now in the auction . . . a single pre-production Pokéthulhu Miniatures Set. Plus a copy of the game book. Not our typical three identical lots on things like this . . . one lone set.

I expect to see the Cthulhu fans, the Kovalic fans, and the unclassifiable loonies all slugging it out for this one. Don't disappoint me.
-- Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Claim the home field advantage

The Tribe 8 RPG centers around the city of Vimary and this sourcebook from Dream Pod 9 gives you all the information you need to survive, and thrive, in its environs.

May 7, 2001: Playing With Technology

Here's a taste of things to come. A SMALL taste. See the space.com story.

Warehouse 23 News: Watson, can you hear me?

This week's special is the teamwork building Edison & Co. Each member of the two person teams controls half the team's movement around the board, while trying to get the highest score for their team's vehicle.

May 6, 2001: Hope For The Hopeless

Got relatives who just can't seem to hack it with computers? Are they still unable to read attached files? Do they have AOL accounts? Time to give up and send them to Silicon Pines.

And when you're done, check out the other features on SatireWire.

Warehouse 23 News: Hey Buddy, need an adventure?

Now available at Warehouse 23, In Your Face Again is a collection of Feng Shui scenarios, ranging from beginner to veteran and perfect for an ongoing campaign or a one session adventure.

May 5, 2001: Beam Me Up, Tiny

Okay, this is about tractor beams, not transporters. But it's still amazingly Trekish. At the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, they're pushing molecules around with paired laser beams. Read the Yahoo story.

Warehouse 23 News: T-Shirt Weather

We're getting into the warm part of the year, when staying comfortable means short sleeves and light fabrics. To aid in adding these elements to your wardrobe, we have two new t-shirts available: a reprint of the classic IOU T-Shirt and the all-new Powered by GURPS T-Shirt.

May 4, 2001: There's a Sucker Sold Every Minute

Illuminated Site of the Week: Modern medicine is all about speed: the faster you act, the better the patient's chances are. It should come as no small relief, then, that Leeches U.S.A. Ltd. can FedEx leeches to you. Housing is available, should your long-term needs demand a leech mobile home. Be aware: Users should be professionals, and the leeches are non-returnable.

-- Suggested by Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: No Need for Tenchi!

Another great anime series joins the Big Eyes, Small Mouth lineup. The Tenchi Muyo RPG and Resource Book covers everything gamers and/or otaku need to know about Tenchi and his gang of gal pals.

May 3, 2001: Just Shipped

The following products left our warehouse last week, headed for your local game store:

[GURPS Lensman (Second Edition)]GURPS Lensman (Second Edition)
Based on the Classic Novels by E.E. "Doc" Smith

The Galactic Patrol is the army and police force of the Civilization that fills two galaxies. Its prime agents are the Lensmen . . . incorruptible, powerfully psionic, ready for anything. They stand between Civilization and the ancient evil of Eddore. The Eddorians infiltrate with drugs, crime and corruption. The Lensmen fight back with everything from blasters to space fleets.

Players take the part of Lensmen, ultra-tech warriors for good from many alien races. Major characters, important planets, weapons, and the Lens itself are described for player and GM use. The "Space Opera Combat System" lets referees quickly moderate space battles to determine who won and what happened to the major characters.

Stock number 6067, ISBN 1-55634-283-7. $22.95.

Planetary Survey 2 -
Denuli

Planetary Survey 2 - Denuli (for GURPS Traveller)
The second of this new GURPS Traveller series, each of which has complete stats and adventure information for a new planet. Planetary Survey 2 presents the homeworld of a recently discovered intelligent race . . . the Shriekers. Unfortunately, all that most of Humaniti cares about the Shriekers is that their eggs are precious jewels. Will you help the Shriekers, or help wipe them out for profit?

Stock number 6802, ISBN 1-55634-496-1. $8.95.


Floor Plan 1 - Haunted
House

Floor Plan 1 - Haunted House
The mice play in the empty rooms, and the bats flit through the broken windows. The stairs squeak. . . even when no one is on them. and something is watching. . .

Lights in the upstairs windows. . . strange sounds. . . rumors of madness and death. Every horror game needs a haunted house.

Here is the first in a series of game aids suitable for use with GURPS and any other roleplaying game. This set includes eight sheets depicting a huge old house perfect for your next chilling scenario. One side has hexes, the other squares. . . so it will work for any system!

Also included: horror adventure seeds, and a sheet of all-new Cardboard Heroes miniatures created specifically for this terrifying set. Intrepid adventurers, chanting occultists, and brain-eating zombies. . . everyone you need for the perfect night of screams.

Stock number 7301, ISBN 1-55634-502-X. $16.95.


-- Ben Kimball

Warehouse 23 News: Big Eyes, Small Mouth Lite

The BESM Fast Play Rules are the perfect way to get a taste of this award winning rpg without having to commit a lot of cash.

May 2, 2001: GURPS Transhuman Space: In The Well Now In Playtest

The first expansion book for our upcoming Transhuman Space line, In The Well, is now in playtest. Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Ben Kimball

Warehouse 23 News: Top 10 for April

The Warehouse 23 Top 10 List for April is up. Come take a look at what all your friends are buying.

May 1, 2001: You Will Submit – Again (and Again)!

We are presently seeking submissions for two more GURPS books:

GURPS Historical Folks will be a collection of templates for generating characters who have mundane – as opposed to "adventuring" – occupations in low-tech (TL0 to TL3) settings. Interested parties should see the submission guidelines.

GURPS Magic Items 3 will be a collection of magic items from every time period and setting. The submission guidelines for this book are here.

We hope to be hearing from you!

Warehouse 23 News: It's the End of the World As We Know It . . .

The stars are in alignment, the Elder Gods are coming, and Humanity isn't handling it well. The Nocturnum Master Collection collects all three volumes of this modern day Call of Cthulhu campaign and adds a reference screen.

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