Federation Commander

[Jean]

Nexus #1 Is Released in PDF

NEXUS: The bond, link or tie existing between members of a group; a means of connection.

The word "nexus" doesn't come up in conversation very often. Its most common use is also its most dramatic: "the nexus of events," where great actions come together to form a point in history.

The first issue of Nexus, published in April-May 1982, is wide ranging. From the historical to the fantastic, there's something here for every taste. It is provocative; the feature article on role-playing by Eric Goldberg (designer of SPI's Dragonquest) will certainly raise a few eyebrows (perhaps a few people's blood pressure, as well). There is an entire section on the Star Fleet Universe. There are articles on strategies for Swordquest, background for Battlewagon, and information on Armor at Kursk. Reviews include Barbarian Prince, Intruder, Dragon Tiles, The Compleat Tavern, and Albion: Land of Faerie.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1982; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM01

DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/236356/

Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/236356/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #2 Is Released in PDF

He who travels changes only his skies, not his soul. -- Horace

Ever since the legendary Icarus took to the skies on his wax and feather wings, Man has desired to fly. And for nearly as long, he has wanted to expand that flight to the planets and the stars beyond. With that in mind, it is not surprising that the highly popular Starfire was featured in this issue.

Doubtless, Horace's quotation will still apply when Man changes not merely his skies but his planets. It seems that a part of the human soul is rooted in conflict; and so, when Man goes to the stars, warfare seems destined to follow. Thus, Starfire (and the Star Fleet Universe) deals with warfare.

Along with the focus on Starfire, there is a section on Star Fleet Battles (including a new scenario and information on Klingon battlecruisers) as well as reviews of various games and information on Armor at Kursk and Warsaw Pact.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1982; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM02

DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/237574/

Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/237574/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #3 Is Released in PDF

"The Greek heroes are ... treacherous and self-sacrificing, generous and greedy, vengeful and just, humorous and gloomy -- in other words human, and many times all too human."

Join us in 1982 when Nexus #3 was published. It focuses on the "new" Heroes of Olympus roleplaying game based on Greek mythology. Here you will find an Aegyptian extension to the game, as well as a who's who on the Argo.

Of course there is the Star Fleet Universe section where Ray Olesen's scenario "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" is introduced. Richard Kerr also lets people know how to change the Klingon D7 and F5 minis to the KR and KF5R.

There is an article on roleplaying, another with modifications for Moon Base Clavius, and a final one with four high-tech additions for Starfire. You'll find reviews of Man, Myth and Magic; Swashbucklers; and Pirates & Plunder. There is also a look at the "new" world of computer gaming, focusing on Starweb.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1982; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM03

DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/238837/

Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/238837/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Ran]

I do want very much number 4...

[Jean]

Nexus #4 Is Released in PDF

Jardine crawled out of his lifeboat, his head still reeling from the impact of the landing. "Guess I better check out this vacation paradise," he said aloud.

It is the start of 1983 and Nexus #4 has just been released. It focuses on the "The Savage Jungle" which combines Ultra Warrior and Survival to create a new solitaire game.

Of course there is the Star Fleet Universe section. This issue has SSDs of Q-ships and provides a scenario to fly them in. Richard Kerr also lets people know how how to assemble their Kzinti ships.

There is an article with modifications for Starfire and a piece of fiction set in that universe. You'll find reviews of Berserker, "recent" American Civil War games, Norway 1940, Soldier King, Cradle of Civilization, Traitor, and Axis and Allies. There is also a look at the "new" Hayden Software line of games for the Apple II+. Fitting in with the opening article, the closing article focuses on solitaire gaming.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1983; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM04

DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/240076/

Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/240076/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[mjwest]

[Jean]

If the ads were only from ADB, it wouldn't matter as much. I don't want the folks who advertised "once upon a time" to get hit with "I saw your recent ad" or people to try to contact businesses that may have moved or closed in the last few decades.
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[mjwest]

I might have more concerns if things like DriveThruRPG didn't exist, and reprinted gaming products didn't litter the internet. This is especially true for magazine reprints, including ones I have personally seen/bought/viewed including Dragon Magazine, Ares, and Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society. (Don't worry. All the ones I have are legal.) In no case did I see any disclaimers or apparent confusion.

Please do keep the disclaimer. Seeing it still makes me smile. But I seriously doubt it is necessary, as I doubt anyone buying a digital copy of a 35 year old magazine is going to assume anything in it is still valid. (I am sure people that stupid do exist. I just doubt someone that stupid is going to be buying a digital copy of a 35 year old magazine.)
_________________

Federation Commander Answer Guy

[Jean]

Nexus #5 Is Released in PDF

Actually, there is a kind of magic in a historical game. It's not the blatant kind: no thundering giants are summoned, no demons appear, and no dragons spit fire. Instead, it's the subtle magic of being transported across time to stand in another man's shoes.

It is 1983 and Nexus #5 has just been released. It focuses this time on historical boardgames, starting with an interview with Keith Poulter. There are reviews of Broadsides and Boarding Parties, Warsaw Pact, and Armor at Kursk. One article focuses on Battlewagon. Then there are two historical articles of interest to wargamers. One focuses on naval ships; the other, on Gettysburg.

Of course there is the Star Fleet Universe section. This issue has SSDs of the Lyran Jaguar, Klingon D7C, and Kzinti Command Cruiser. There is also a master weapons chart and a scenario. Richard Kerr also lets people know how to make conversions to their Kzinti ships.

There is a new scenario for Boarding Party and an expansion for Operation Pegasus. There is also a look at the "new" Epyx/Automated Adventure line of games for the Apple II+, TRS-80, and Atari 400/800.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1983; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM05
DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/241780/
Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/241780/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #6 Is Released in PDF

Not all of the drama nor all of the heroes are on the Bridge. -- Stephen V. Cole

It is 1983 and Nexus #6 has just been released. It focuses this time on Star Fleet Battles, with the lead story of "Behind the Glory of the Heroes" by Joseph McCarthy. (The story was reprinted in Captain's Log #13.) Play by mail was arriving for Star Fleet Battles players and an extensive article explains how to do that. The Commander's Edition Rulebook was being released. Lyran space is described. Richard Kerr tells you all you want to know about painting Kzinti ships and there is a page of Kzinti emblems. SSDs of the Tholian destroyer, Lyran Cougar fleet tug/Puma transport tug, Hydran Caravan tug, and Gorn battle destroyer are included.

Other games are covered with a timeline for the universe of Starfire, a scenario for Battlewagon ("The Battle of San Bernadino Straits," released in PDF as "Battlewagon Article #2"), and a review of Epyx's Armor Assault.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1983; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM06
DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/244002/
Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/244002/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #7 Is Released in PDF

However, not counting playtest sessions, I can count on both hands the number of times I have played an adventure game with an opponent. The point of this is that I am not alone! -- Allen D. Eldridge

It is 1984 and Nexus #7 has just been released. It focuses this time on solitaire gaming. Of course there is a section on the Star Fleet Universe, too. In that section you will find a solitaire scenario with Igneous, a robot battle station. (A miniature of Igneous is available in our shop on Shapeways.) The first term papers appear along with a Q&A with Steve Cole. There was also the inevitable (at the time) collection of errata.

Other games are covered with a maintenance cost of ships for the universe of Starfire along with an article and scenarios on the Drolian Conquest 2068-2070, how to play a shorter version of TSR's Iwo Jima, looks at Operation Pegasus and Boarding Party, and a two-player variant for Intruder. There are reviews of the computer games Gwendolyn, Zork I, The Vaults of Zurich, The Cranston Manor Adventure, NATO Division Commander, The Return of Hercules, The Dark Crystal, Star League Baseball, Capture the Flag, and Odin.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1984; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM07
DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/247168/
Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/247168/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #8 Is Released in PDF

Silence. I remember the silence the most. -- Dennis R. Ricketts, "Patrol."

It is 1984 and Nexus #8 has just been released. This issue has "History of the Second World War" which is background for a game of the same name and Starfire with a history of their Orions. Of course there is a section on the Star Fleet Universe, too. In that section you will find "Patrol" by Dennis R. Ricketts, an article on names of Federation ships, some scenarios, term papers, and the Academy. These appear along with a Q&A with Steve Cole. There was also the inevitable (at the time) collection of errata.

Starfire has a good number of articles. There is one on the Khanate of Orion, one on Khanate Military Service, and one on incidents from the first interstellar war. There is also an interesting pair of articles examining balanced design.

For the historical gamer there is the aforementioned background on the forthcoming game History of the Second World War and a timeline of events in the Russian campaigns. There is also a scenario for Battlewagon ("The Last Sortie of the Yamato," released in PDF as "Battlewagon Article #3"). There are reviews of the computer games Computer Football Strategy, Telengard, Cyborg, and The Pharaoh's Curse.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1984; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM08
DriveThru RPG: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/249429/
Wargame Vault: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/249429/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #9 Is Released in PDF

"A Klingon warship is not something that fights an enemy, but something that happens to an enemy." - Commander Mizia, DSF

It is 1984 and Nexus #9 has just been released, with an additional eight pages more than the last issue. This issue focused on the Star Fleet Universe and also on Starfire.

There is a list of Klingon ship names. An excellent article on painting battle stations is included. There is also a list of Federation frigate variations and war cruiser conversions for many empires. Origins 1984 had its report. There are the previews of then-forthcoming titles and of course, the Academy. Term papers and "Why" showed up in this issue. There is a story and scenario by Michael Bennett. Finally, there was also the inevitable (at the time) collection of errata.

Starfire has a good number of articles. The boxed set had just been released and there is an article that explored the changes. The third part of a series of articles on incidents from the first interstellar war shows up. Carrier rules that are new to Basic Starfire are published. Of particular interest is a one-page short story by David Weber. A series of scenarios by Mike Baker look exciting. There is also an interesting pair of articles on the Ophiuchi Association. The Starfire section winds up with an article on painting minis.

Finally there is a preview of the boxed game Musketeers and new torpedo rules for Battlewagon.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1984; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM09
DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/254171/
Wargame Vault: https://www.wargamevault.com/product/254171/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #10 Is Released in PDF

"A large part of any game's flavor is a product of the game system's inherent realism (or the appearance of the same)." -- Michael Anderson

It is 1984 and Nexus #10 has just been released. This issue focused on the Star Fleet Universe, Starfire, and History of the Second World War.

This issue starts with variants for Germany's Eastern Front in History of the Second World War.

The Star Fleet Universe section accidentally focused on Romulans. There is a list of Romulan ship names, The Academy has lots of good advice for Romulan commanders, and even the fiction and scenario are Romulan-based. There is a page of Term Papers and another page to explain why certain things are the way they are. There is the introduction of the rules for advanced boarding party combat. Finally, there was also the inevitable (at the time) collection of errata.

Starfire has a good number of articles. There are articles on the ion engine drive room, the Terran Federation including their military services, and incidents from the first interstellar war. There are both fiction and a scenario.

Finally there is a scenario for Battlewagon and a look at the history and future of Autoventures.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1984; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM10
DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/260205/
Wargame Vault: https://www.wargamevault.com/product/260205/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.

[Jean]

Nexus #11 Is Released in PDF

"If you find any Klingons, don't go heroic on me. Keep that ship intact until you get her overhauled. Don't run; the Klingons will smell blood and hunt you down. Instead, show a good front and hope they'll take the hint and leave."

It is 1985 and Nexus #11 has just been released. This issue focused on the Star Fleet Universe, Starfire, Musketeers, and History of the Second World War.

The Star Fleet Universe section starts with "First Command" which is about Lieutenant Commander Scofield's first command, an aging light cruiser being sent in for refits. There is a page each of Term Papers and The Academy along with another page to explain why certain things are the way they are. Gorn ship names are the subject of the Shipyard Report. There is a scenario that follows the setup from the fiction and a campaign (The Bargantine Campaign). Finally, there was also the inevitable (at the time) collection of errata.

Starfire has a good number of articles. There are articles on the Corsairs of Tangri, including their military services and a timeline. There is both fiction and a scenario. Also included are some new systems.

There is an article on the behind-the-scenes development of History of the Second World War and a scenario (The Finnish War) for it. Musketeers has a scenario (The Brawl) and the story, "Milady's Ghost Sleeps Poorly" and accompanying scenarios for it. Battlewagon has the Surigao Straits scenario. Finally, there is an article for variants of games produced by People's War Games of Oakland, California.

This PDF is provided by Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. with the kind permission of Allen D. Eldridge. It includes ads and offers from 1985; these are no longer valid.

Get your copy from these vendors:

Warehouse 23: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/ADBNM11

DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/271860/

Wargame Vault: https://www.wargamevault.com/product/271860/
_________________
Business Manager/RPG Line Editor
Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc.