WarFlail's Archives - June 1999

Go to WarFlail's Archives - July 1999

Tonight, we had a Quake 2 DeathMatch against Clan Elements (no website, guys?). Well, we got our butts kicked yet again! The Demon Horde of Balgashang has only ever had three wars and the clan has been whipped in each and every one! If we weren't disbanding, I would have had to change the name of our clan to something more appropriate, like Suckers for Punishment... Our biggest problem was a complete lack of teamwork, which was a direct result of failing to practice. In addition, Quake 2 DM is just not our thing - skills acquired in Action Quake2 have no relevance whatsoever in Q2DM, a bit like getting good at playing squash and then trying to apply those skills in badminton... But enough griping - the match was good for a laugh and having fun is what counts.

House Rules update: I have posted version 1.5 of my Miscellaneous Combat House Rules for HârnMaster. The only addition is actually a Physician House Rule rather than a Combat one, but it is related. To summarise, for a while I've found S2 Blunt injuries to be too harsh if they are classified as Fractures, so I've decided to tone them down by re-categorising them as Serious Bruises. Still hurts just the same, but it is better from a healing viewpoint. Read the 34 KB .pdf file here.

I have disbanded my Action Quake2 clan, Demon Horde of Balgashang. This was prompted by the departure of one of my best players, Ned Kelly, who has now joined Soldiers of Fortune. With only three members remaining, it is no longer viable to maintain the clan. I suppose it had to happen one day... ah, well... The DHoB won't go away quietly, though - we will still commit to the war next week against Clan Elements.

Added: a supplement to the HârnMaster Player Character sheet for use in GunMaster III. It lets players record all the important details of their firearms for easy reference during gameplay. Have a look at the 14 KB .pdf file here.

I was getting fed up with the default sounds that my ICQ program was using, and was far from impressed with the various sound themes that are available on the Net. So, I compiled one of my own using voices from the highly entertaining (if somewhat disturbing) Kingpin demo. If you're looking for something different, why not give this a go: Kingpin.scm (1,168 KB, double-click on the file to import into ICQ). Have fun.

Just a couple of updates on the HârnMaster House Rules section of this website. Firstly, I have posted a revised Strike Location Table for Missile Weapons after collaborating with one of my players, Penfold. The need to create a new table became apparent after running a session of GunMaster III, where we found that the official Strike Location table works well for melee combat but is completely unrealistic when it comes to dealing with missile combat. The new table is intended to be a supplement for both HârnMaster and GunMaster III, and should only be used for determining strike locations from missile attacks. Have a look at the 22 KB .pdf file here.

Secondly, I have posted a supplement for GunMaster III, entitled the Firearm Impact Summary Tables. This is a handy reference for quickly looking up the Base Impact of a projectile according to range. It also shows the Base Impact, number of strikes and bonus to Effective Impact for Type 00 buckshot for each range category. Grab this 81 KB .xls file from here.

My father's funeral service took place today at 12:15pm in the Dench Chapel of Karrakatta Cemetery. About 60 friends and relatives braved the miserable wet weather to attend the service - a fantastic turnout. I was amazed by the overwhelming number of beautiful flowers and wreathes from Barrie's friends from around the world; they brightened up the whole chapel. After the excellent service, there was a wake at my parents-in-law's house, where friends and family reminisced on the highlights of Barrie's life. I was touched by the fondness that everyone remembered my father; it is comforting to know that he was loved by all.

On behalf of my mother, my wife and I, I thank everyone who expressed their sympathies. You have helped us cope with this difficult time of sorrow.

It is over. Barrie Sharpe Gant, my beloved father and devoted husband of my mother Seiko, died this morning at 2:50am at the Cottage Hospice. He was aged 69. My mother and I were by his side when he passed away with dignity. It was sad, but it is a great relief that he no longer needs to suffer from the cancer that had been affecting him for over three years. I'm truly grateful that I could be with him when he died - although he had been almost comatose for the past two days, he still managed to find the strength within him to shed a tear and murmur his gratitude to my mother and I with his last breath. I will always remember and love him.

The cremation service will be held on Friday, 11 June at 12:15pm at Karrakatta Cemetery. All are invited.

The deterioration of my father's health has moved on to the next level. His breathing has become laboured from a build-up of moisture in his lungs. In addition, earlier this morning, he was suffering from serious fits. He's now on a variety of drugs that have helped to calm him down. Apart from the gurgling sound of his breathing, he appears as though he is sleeping comfortably.

My father's condition has deteriorated. He is no longer able to respond to us. He opens his eyes half-way every now and then, but doesn't appear to be looking at anything in particular. At least his breathing is clear and because of the fluid retention caused by renal failure, he doesn't look unhealthy...

My father surprised us all today by being quite active, even to the point of attempting to get out of his bed a few times. He managed to keep his eyes open for the better part of an hour, participating as best he could in conversation.

The situation on my father has not changed significantly, although because of the build-up of toxins within his body he is spending increasingly more time asleep. Even when he is conscious, he is extremely drowsy and prone to fall back to sleep within a short time. He has so far managed to surprise the hospice doctors, who say that most people with the same level of toxicity as my father would have passed away by now - just goes to show how extraordinary he is, I think. The most important thing is that he is not suffering from any acute pain; I hope this will continue through to the end.

Thanks again to everyone who has been sending me e-mail, calling me on the phone and actually visiting the hospice. Your support is most appreciated.

Go to WarFlail's Archives - May 1999

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