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Old 12-02-2017, 08:55 AM   #1
DAT
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Default Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Greetings,
I need some advice.
First some background.
Played Car Wars years ago, enjoyed it, but never got around to buying it.
Recently, came up with a plan to run a GURPS game at a convention, using the Car Wars (GURPS Autoduel) background. The scenario is a group of different characters at a truck stop get pressured into doing a mission. The mission will be to escort/deliver a reefer truck with medical supplies, under a deadline, through gang territory to a small town (across the state of Nevada if it matters). The route they take will be up to the players, but will generally break down to either:
1) A running gun battle with the gangs along Interstates and major highways, with short breaks to rearm, repair, and recharge at a few truck stops along the way.
2) A more stealthy approach along back roads, dodging ambushes and check points, but a few running gun battles with gangs along narrower highways and roads, and a way station to rearm/recharge at.

My initial plan (subject to change from later advice) is for the PreGen PC to include/have:
1. A motorcycle scout on a “Police Cycle”, customized with a Stealth Suite, IR System, and Machine Gun or Micro-Missile Launcher in place of the Recoilless Rifle.
2. A Trucker with a “Roughrider” Tractor, with a “Type Two ‘Reefer’” trailer
3. A Truck Gunner, who can help with the “Roughrider/Type Two” armaments
4. A cross-country courier with a “Torch” van (which I may bump up its arms/armor and add a long-range radio, but reduce its acceleration to match the cars
5. A van gunner, to help with the “Torch’s” armaments
6. An auto duelist with a “Flamberge (Turret Model)”
7. An auto duelist with a “Iron Horse”
8. An auto duelist with a “Piranha, I”
9. An auto duelist with a “Piranha, II”

I have the GURPS Autoduel book and a big mega-mat with 1” hex/1” square.
I don’t have counters.
I looked over at Warehouse 23, and there are lots of options.

At first glance, I was thinking of getting:
  • Car Wars Classic (physical and digital)
  • Car Wars Classic Counter Set
  • AADA Road Atlas V7: Mountain West
  • Car Wars: Convoy
  • Car Wars: Truck Stop

But there are other items that seem that they might be useful, like:
  • The Uncle Albert Catalogs (‘from Hell’ or annuals)
  • The AADA Vehicle Guide Volumes (1-3)
  • The AADA Vehicle Guide Volume 2 Counters
  • Other AADA Road Atlas?
  • Autoduel American Map
  • Car Wars – Deluxe Edition (+ Car Wars Compendium Upgrade)
  • Car Wars Deluxe Road Sections Sets 1-3
  • Car wars Expansions Sets?
  • Etc …

So for the advice, what should I get?
-Dan
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Old 12-02-2017, 10:11 AM   #2
josephrey
 
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Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Hello!

I'd start simply, and if that's not enough you can always build more of a collection down the road.

Get what I consider the new basic set:

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/car-wars-classic-2

That will include counters and maps and rules. Everything you need to get started. To really fill out a campaign, I think your imagination can more than step up to the task. You don't need to buy every expansion. However, the ones you listed above are great if you want to stay in canon.

Other than the Car Wars Classic box in the link above, I'd add the Deluxe rules:

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...deluxe-edition

Slightly more advanced rules.

Those two are more than enough to get you all rolling.

All puns intended.
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Old 12-02-2017, 10:31 AM   #3
Magesmiley
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Snohomish, WA
Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

For what you're interested in, I'd recommend the following:

Car Wars Deluxe Edition - this should be the #1 item on the list. The Classic rules are a subset of this and it includes the materials from Truck Stop as well. This is the same purchase as a Compendium + upgrade, so skip those. It has road sections and counters too, although you may want more variety.

The Mountain West Road Atlas is a reasonable purchase for background material, however it doesn't include Nevada. The Road Atlas series was never finished, and Nevada was one of the states not covered. That said, there was a scenario (Badlands Run) in Autoduel Quarterly 2/2 which went through Nevada. You can probably get some useful stuff from that.

I'm not sure which version of GURPS Autoduel you are using, but the First Edition is generally considered to have better setting info in it.

The Vehicle Guides might be the next best items to pick up, as they provide stats for vehicles to use. If you do, be sure to check the errata for them. I'd go with Vehicle Guide 2 as first choice, then the Combat Showcase, then VG 1, and finally VG 3.

Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell would be the next item. It has pretty much every item every published for the game. The other catalogs are pretty much redundant if you have it.

I'd probably look at additional counters and/or road sections next (there are some that aren't in the Deluxe Edition). Deluxe Road Sections 1 and 2 have some. If you're just after counters and not looking for maps, I'd take a hard look at Expansion Set 10 - it has the counters (but not maps) from most of the other expansions.

Keep in mind that for all of the above, you'd need to print the road sections and counters (and cut them all out). The physical copy of Car Wars Classic (and the counters which are duplicates of the ones in the set) are the only ones currently in print. (You can try E-Bay for materials, you'll probably end up paying more though).

Other stuff on your list...
The Autoduel America might be helpful, but I'd place it lower than the above, as it is just a map, and you're looking at a smaller area. Convoy is a standalone adventure designed to be played solo (with numbered entries leading from one to another) - there might be some bits you can pull from it, but I'd actually suggest getting Autdouel Quarterly 1/1 instead as it has the adventure as well but is intended to have a GM and might be friendlier for your purposes. The other expansion sets might be worth getting, but you'll need to pick and choose - many are arena maps mainly. Similarly, the other Road Atlases might be useful, but you'll want to look at where they cover.
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Last edited by Magesmiley; 12-02-2017 at 10:34 AM. Reason: Typo
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Old 12-02-2017, 10:00 PM   #4
LokRobster
 
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Republic of Texas; FOS
Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

I agree w the book suggestions above. I *love* Road Atlas and Survival Guides and GURPS Autoduel 1st Edition for their background and source material and adventure/campaign ideas.

I’d suggest for your actual scenarios and car stats that you not stress too much about them being “legal” or exactly used as written. There are enough variations over the years that a little shifting of armor values or weapon efficiency won’t matter as much as you running the game to enable the Players to have Fun.

The stats and costs are really to let different players design and go up against each other in duels and give some framework of balance. In running an Adventure as you’re describing, the GM sets the balance and tone and so anything to further the story should work great in that context as long as you don’t throw them something obviously wacky like a tank gun in a subcompact... although now that i mention it that sounds like a really fun bit of weirdness for some Winnemucca Wasteland gang to have cobbled together!
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Old 12-03-2017, 07:26 AM   #5
jimmylogan
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Can't really add to what has been suggested above as far as purchases, but I want to say it sounds like a BLAST!

I never played GURPS but I always enjoyed the source material from the Atlas books, etc.
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Old 12-03-2017, 10:25 AM   #6
Blue Ghost
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

The Deluxe 2E Compendium seems to have everything from the classic CW era. I think if you just buy that you'll be set for life as far as the classic game goes.
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Old 12-03-2017, 06:23 PM   #7
DAT
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Thanks to everyone for your helpful replies.

I'll be placing my W23 order shortly.
-Dan
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Old 12-05-2017, 03:05 AM   #8
ak_aramis
 
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Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Ghost View Post
The Deluxe 2E Compendium seems to have everything from the classic CW era. I think if you just buy that you'll be set for life as far as the classic game goes.
Not Everything. No Tanks, no planes, no dirigibles.

For "Everything", add CW Tanks and Aeroduel, and UACFH.
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Old 12-06-2017, 07:35 AM   #9
Suncrush
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Quote:
Originally Posted by ak_aramis View Post
Not Everything. No Tanks, no planes, no dirigibles.

For "Everything", add CW Tanks and Aeroduel, and UACFH.
Wouldn't bother. Tanks and Aeroduel are not Car Wars' finest hour.
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Old 12-06-2017, 10:04 AM   #10
Blue Ghost
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Default Re: Advice for What Car Wars Products to Buy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Suncrush View Post
Wouldn't bother. Tanks and Aeroduel are not Car Wars' finest hour.
Yeah, I didn't want to say anything. Boats, blimps, skateboards, ice-skates, pogo-sticks ... hippity hops ... all kind of side shows next to the core game.
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