This is a copy of the Starweb PBM rules from 1991-ish (though the game was launched in 1976). It’s closed-ended, in that the 15 players are going for an unknown number of victory points in a range from 1,000 to 10,000 (every player puts a value on their starting sheet, which are then averaged by Flying Buffalo, so no one ever is entirely sure when the game will end). Starweb is apparently much loved, won a pile of awards and along with Heroic Fantasy, Battle Plan, Mobius I and five other legacy games, is apparently still available to play, thanks to Rick Loomis’ heirs (at least as of 2021).

Players can take one of six roles and hail from one of fifteen different homeworlds. They then compete to control as many of the remaining worlds — there are over 200 to gobble up. Each of the roles have different advantages and disadvantages, especially in relation to the length of the game — a merchant or pirate is going to have a slightly easier time of it than a conqueror or a religious zealot, who require time to rack up big scores.

I feel like I could actually play this one. It feels a little simpler, the commands less complex than Battle Plan, less tuned toward conflict, more emphasis on diplomacy. With a big universe, too, I feel like I don’t have to worry as much about proximity to my rivals. I think this comfort stems from the fact that I logged a lot of time playing Trade Wars and Solar Realms Elite on local BBSes back in the ’90s. Starweb reminds me a lot of them.

Michael Carroll on the cover, Steve Crompton on most of the interiors, but Liz Danforth snuck one in!