Car Wars
Encyclopedia
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
. It was first published in late 1980
(1981).
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
s to semi trucks
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
s, ultralights, balloon
s, boat
s, submarine
s and tank
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
s (such as missile
s and machine gun
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
or Matchbox
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
(Origins Award
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
, published by Origin Systems
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
by Croc
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
was released in 1991
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
First edition
Second edition
Third Edition
Fourth Edition
Fifth Edition
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Louisiana
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
published Car Warriors
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
in 1999.
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
. It was first published in late 1980
(1981).
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
s to semi trucks
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
s, ultralights, balloon
s, boat
s, submarine
s and tank
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
s (such as missile
s and machine gun
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
or Matchbox
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
(Origins Award
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
, published by Origin Systems
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
by Croc
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
was released in 1991
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
First edition
Second edition
Third Edition
Fourth Edition
Fifth Edition
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Louisiana
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
published Car Warriors
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
in 1999.
}
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
. It was first published in late 1980
(1981).
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
s to semi trucks
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
s, ultralights, balloon
s, boat
s, submarine
s and tank
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
s (such as missile
s and machine gun
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
or Matchbox
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
(Origins Award
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
, published by Origin Systems
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
by Croc
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
was released in 1991
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
First edition
Second edition
Third Edition
Fourth Edition
Fifth Edition
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Louisiana
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
published Car Warriors
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
in 1999.
}
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
. It was first published in late 1980
(1981).
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
s to semi trucks
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
s, ultralights, balloon
s, boat
s, submarine
s and tank
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
s (such as missile
s and machine gun
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
or Matchbox
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
(Origins Award
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
, published by Origin Systems
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
by Croc
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
was released in 1991
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
First edition
Second edition
Third Edition
Fourth Edition
Fifth Edition
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Louisiana
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
published Car Warriors
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
in 1999.
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
. It was first published in late 1980
(1981).
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
s to semi trucks
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
s, ultralights, balloon
s, boat
s, submarine
s and tank
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
s (such as missile
s and machine gun
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
or Matchbox
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
(Origins Award
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
, published by Origin Systems
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
by Croc
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
was released in 1991
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
First edition
Second edition
Third Edition
Fourth Edition
Fifth Edition
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Louisiana
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
published Car Warriors
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
in 1999.
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 1980
1980 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucks
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or Matchbox
Matchbox (toy company)
Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
Charles S. Roberts Award
The Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
Autoduel
Autoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
Pyramid (magazine)
Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Croc
Croc (game designer)
Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
Car Wars The Card Game
Car Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 1991
1991 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
Battle Cattle: The Card Game
Battle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.First edition
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition
- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition
- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition
- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition
- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car Warriors
Car Warriors
Car Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 1980
1980 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucks
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or Matchbox
Matchbox (toy company)
Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
Charles S. Roberts Award
The Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
Autoduel
Autoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
Pyramid (magazine)
Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Croc
Croc (game designer)
Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
Car Wars The Card Game
Car Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 1991
1991 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
Battle Cattle: The Card Game
Battle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.First edition
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition
- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition
- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition
- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition
- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car Warriors
Car Warriors
Car Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
}
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 1980
1980 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucks
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or Matchbox
Matchbox (toy company)
Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
Charles S. Roberts Award
The Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
Autoduel
Autoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
Pyramid (magazine)
Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Croc
Croc (game designer)
Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
Car Wars The Card Game
Car Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 1991
1991 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
Battle Cattle: The Card Game
Battle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.First edition
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition
- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition
- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition
- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition
- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car Warriors
Car Warriors
Car Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
}
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 1980
1980 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucks
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or Matchbox
Matchbox (toy company)
Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
Charles S. Roberts Award
The Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
Autoduel
Autoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
Pyramid (magazine)
Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Croc
Croc (game designer)
Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
Car Wars The Card Game
Car Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 1991
1991 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
Battle Cattle: The Card Game
Battle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.First edition
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition
- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition
- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition
- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition
- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car Warriors
Car Warriors
Car Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games
Steve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 1980
1980 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucks
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectors
Nitrous
Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper counters
Counter (board wargames)
Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or Matchbox
Matchbox (toy company)
Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro Machines
Micro Machines
Micro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming convention
Gaming convention
A gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or Champions
Champions (role-playing game)
Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts Award
Charles S. Roberts Award
The Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100
GAMES 100
The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game Autoduel
Autoduel
Autoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in Pyramid
Pyramid (magazine)
Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS
GURPS
The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by Croc
Croc (game designer)
Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card Game
Car Wars The Card Game
Car Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 1991
1991 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle Cattle
Battle Cattle: The Card Game
Battle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.First edition
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition
- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition
- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition
- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition
- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car Warriors
Car Warriors
Car Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
- The official Car Wars site
- Steve Jackson Games Car Wars Forum
-
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 19801980 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucksSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloonHot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boatBoatA boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weaponWeaponA weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missileMissileThough a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectorsNitrousNitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper countersCounter (board wargames)Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot WheelsHot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or MatchboxMatchbox (toy company)Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro MachinesMicro MachinesMicro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming conventionGaming conventionA gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or ChampionsChampions (role-playing game)Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts AwardCharles S. Roberts AwardThe Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100GAMES 100The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin SystemsOrigin SystemsOrigin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in PyramidPyramid (magazine)Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPSGURPSThe Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by CrocCroc (game designer)Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card GameCar Wars The Card GameCar Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 19911991 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle CattleBattle Cattle: The Card GameBattle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.
First edition- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalypticApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionApocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbiesDemolition derbyDemolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic ComicsEpic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car WarriorsCar WarriorsCar Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
- The official Car Wars site
- Steve Jackson Games Car Wars Forum
-
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 19801980 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucksSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloonHot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boatBoatA boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weaponWeaponA weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missileMissileThough a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectorsNitrousNitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper countersCounter (board wargames)Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot WheelsHot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or MatchboxMatchbox (toy company)Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro MachinesMicro MachinesMicro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming conventionGaming conventionA gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or ChampionsChampions (role-playing game)Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts AwardCharles S. Roberts AwardThe Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100GAMES 100The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin SystemsOrigin SystemsOrigin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in PyramidPyramid (magazine)Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPSGURPSThe Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by CrocCroc (game designer)Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card GameCar Wars The Card GameCar Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 19911991 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle CattleBattle Cattle: The Card GameBattle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.
First edition- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalypticApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionApocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbiesDemolition derbyDemolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic ComicsEpic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car WarriorsCar WarriorsCar Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 19801980 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucksSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloonHot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boatBoatA boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weaponWeaponA weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missileMissileThough a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectorsNitrousNitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper countersCounter (board wargames)Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot WheelsHot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or MatchboxMatchbox (toy company)Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro MachinesMicro MachinesMicro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming conventionGaming conventionA gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or ChampionsChampions (role-playing game)Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts AwardCharles S. Roberts AwardThe Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100GAMES 100The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin SystemsOrigin SystemsOrigin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in PyramidPyramid (magazine)Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPSGURPSThe Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by CrocCroc (game designer)Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card GameCar Wars The Card GameCar Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 19911991 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle CattleBattle Cattle: The Card GameBattle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.
First edition- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalypticApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionApocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbiesDemolition derbyDemolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic ComicsEpic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car WarriorsCar WarriorsCar Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
- The official Car Wars site
- Steve Jackson Games Car Wars Forum
-
Car Wars is a vehicle combat simulation game developed by Steve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson GamesSteve Jackson Games is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.-History:...
. It was first published in late 19801980 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1980. For video and console games, see 1980 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1980:...
(1981).
Game play
In Car Wars, players assume control of one or more automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s, which may include any powered vehicle, from motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to semi trucksSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
. Optional rules include piloting helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, ultralights, balloonHot air balloonThe hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
s, boatBoatA boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s. The vehicles are typically outfitted with weaponWeaponA weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s (such as missileMissileThough a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s and machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s), souped-up components (like heavy-duty fire-proof wheels, and nitro injectorsNitrousNitrous oxide is a chemical compound used as an oxidizing agent to increase an internal combustion engine's power output by allowing more fuel to be burned than would normally be the case.-Nitrous and NOS:...
), and defensive elements (armor plating and radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
tracking systems). Within any number of settings, the players then direct their vehicles in combat.
The published games use paper countersCounter (board wargames)Boardgame counters are usually small cardboard squares moved around on the map of a wargame to represent armies, military units or individual military personnel. The first modern mass-market wargame, based on cardboard counters and hex-board maps, was Tactics, invented by Charles S. Roberts in 1952...
to represent vehicles in a simulated battle upon printed battlemaps. Most editions of the game were published to use a 1-inch = 15-feet scale (1:180 scale), although the Fifth Edition switched to 1-inch = 5-feet (1:60 scale). At this larger scale, players can use miniature toy vehicles such as Hot WheelsHot WheelsHot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
or MatchboxMatchbox (toy company)Matchbox is a popular toy brand which was introduced by Lesney Products in 1953 and is now owned by Mattel, Inc. The brand was so named as the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold...
cars, S gauge model railroading scenery, or 28mm-30mm scale wargaming miniatures. Some play at yet other scales by using toys such as Micro MachinesMicro MachinesMicro Machines: The Original Scale Miniatures were a line of toys originally made by Galoob in the mid 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Galoob licensed the idea behind Micro Machines from Clem Heeden, a toy inventor from Wisconsin...
, or even 1/25th scale models in the game.
Car Wars had many scenarios available and the system allowed for players to make their own. Common scenarios included making it successfully through a harrowing gauntlet and competition in an arena to win a virtual cash prize with which to upgrade their cars. Many game sessions consist of players taking their cars through many successive arena-style scenarios, upgrading their cars between each round. At the height of the game's popularity, many gaming conventionGaming conventionA gaming convention is a gathering that centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel...
s and gaming clubs sponsored Car Wars tournaments where finalist players could win real world prizes.
Car Wars uses a number of standard six-sided dice to determine the outcomes of weapon fire, damage and vehicle control during the game. The game is played in turns, where each turn represents one second of real time. Each turn was initially divided into ten phases (first edition) then to five phases (revised edition) and finally, in the latest edition (Car Wars 5.0) three phases. All action in Car Wars is simultaneous. Players do not roll for initiative which is common in other combat games, instead, each phase, a vehicle moves a number of inches determined by the vehicle's speed and players may fire weapons on any phase as long as they have line-of-sight with a target of their choosing. As part of movement players may attempt turns and other maneuvers of increasing difficulty. The more maneuvers one attempts in a turn and the more difficult they are, the more likely it is that a player's car will skid or crash. After all phases of movement and combat are resolved, a new turn begins. Typically, a game is over after a few turns, which represents a battle being over in a few seconds of real time, but because every action in the game must be resolved a typical game takes a few hours to play.
While the core of the original Car Wars was a boardgame, the supplements allowed it to be extended into a larger role-playing game.
Other expansions such as rule-additions,
mini-scenarios
and dual-stated products like Autoduel Champions (for use with Car Wars or ChampionsChampions (role-playing game)Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games that is designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. It was created by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer....
)
published in game magazines expanded the game even further.
Publication history
Car Wars was first published in a small ziplock-bag format in 1980, and cited Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
's short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", as a primary inspiration. The game won the Charles S. Roberts AwardCharles S. Roberts AwardThe Charles S. Roberts Awards are given annually for excellence in the historical wargaming hobby. It is named after Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S...
(Origins AwardOrigins AwardThe Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
) for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1981
and was named to the Games magazine Games 100GAMES 100The Games 100 is an annual feature of Games magazine, a United States magazine devoted to games and puzzles. The Games 100 first appeared in the November/December 1980 issue as an alphabetic list of the 100 games preferred by the editors of the magazine...
list in 1985.
As the game became more popular, there were a series of increasingly more expensive and elaborate editions. Car Wars also served as the inspiration for the 1985 computer game AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
, published by Origin SystemsOrigin SystemsOrigin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
.
Steve Jackson continues to express an interest in developing video games based on the Car Wars concept.
The game's popularity waned during the 1990s, and in response to slipping sales, Steve Jackson Games ceased support for Car Wars. The last official Cars Wars material for the original game appeared in PyramidPyramid (magazine)Pyramid is a gaming magazine, publishing articles primarily on role-playing games, but including board games, card games, and other sorts of games. It began life in 1993 as a print publication of Steve Jackson Games for its first 30 issues, though it has been published on the Internet since March...
magazine (an article introducing High Torque Motors, by Robert Deis).
Autoduel America, the setting for Car Wars, was developed for role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs) using Steve Jackson Games' GURPSGURPSThe Generic Universal RolePlaying System, or GURPS, is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting...
system (called GURPS Autoduel). That GURPS worldbook has seen two editions. A series of expansions for both the GURPS version and boardgame, the AADA Road Atlas and Survival Guides, were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2002, Steve Jackson Games released an entirely new version of Car Wars. Redesigned for a new audience, it was called version 5.0. The new game's unusual marketing, scattering the game across several redundant products, met with mixed responses and the game's popularity has continued to wane. The 2002 products are still in print.
In October of 2009, Steve Jackson Games made the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition (Fifth Printing) available as a PDF from the e23 online store.
Car Wars (both boardgame and RPG version) was translated into FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
by CrocCroc (game designer)Croc is the pseudonym used by a French creator of role-playing games. Croc's games are edited by Siroz , now called Asmodée éditions, French for Asmodeus...
.
Car Wars: The Card GameCar Wars The Card GameCar Wars: The Card Game is a card game version of Steve Jackson Games' Car Wars miniatures game. Players have a card in front of them to represent the car that they're using to battle the other players. In turn, each player plays attack cards to try to do damage to the other players' cars, and...
was released in 19911991 in gamesThis page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1991. For video and console games, see 1991 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1991:* Spiel des Jahres: Drunter und Drüber...
(with a 2nd edition in 2001), designed by Creede and Sharleen Lambard and published by Steve Jackson Games. Reviewer Shannon Appelcline said (of the 2nd edition game) "It's based on a fun concept--blowing the heck out of each others cars'--the box design is appealing, and there's a matching Battle CattleBattle Cattle: The Card GameBattle Cattle: The Card Game is a card game published by Steve Jackson Games. The game mechanics are based on the same system as Car Wars: The Card Game, so the two games are able to be combined, with some players playing cows and some players playing cars...
game that's compatible. ... when you actually begin reading the rules and playing the game the product starts to lose its luster." He described the game as having an "extremely high" random factor and concluded his review stating "I'm fairly certain there's a damned good game in this box somewhere, it's just not the one described in the rulebook."
Main editions
The first four editions use a ground scale of 1-inch = 15-feet. Aeroduel introduced an air-to-air scale of ¼-inch = 15-feet. The Fifth Edition uses a revised scale of 3-inches = 15-feet.
First edition- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
)- Cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles. Turns have ten phases.
- Sunday Drivers/Crash City 1982 (Pocket Box)
- Added pedestrians, a small bus, and rules for buildings
- Truck Stop 1983 (Pocket Box)
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truckSemi-trailer truckA semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
s
- Added full-size buses and semi-trailer truck
- Autoduel Champions 1983 (8½" × 11" book)
- Added helicopters, grasshoppers (flying cars), and superheroes (the last not canon for Car Wars)
- Introduced an alternate hex-based movement system–using 3-inch cars and 1-inch hexes–intended for use with role-playing games. This system was not used again in Car Wars, although the scale is the same as Car Wars: Fifth Edition.
- Car Wars Reference Screen 1983 (3-panel 8½" × 11")
- Added "Advanced Collision System"
- The AADA Vehicle Guide 1983 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added trikes (three-wheeled motorcycles) and off-road rules
Second edition- Car Wars Deluxe Edition 1985 (9" × 12" box)
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truckTruckA truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s - Note: Starting in 1990 the Deluxe Edition boxes contained the Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition rulebook rather than the original Deluxe Edition rulebook.
- Combined and refined the various first edition rules, adding 10-wheeler truck
- Dueltrack 1986 (9" × 12" box)
- Added gasoline engines, metal armor, race-cars, and Chassis & Crossbow (rules for the primitive early history of Car Wars)
- The AADA Vehicle Guide: Volume 2 1987 (5½" × 8½" book)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVsSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
)
- Added sedans, and campers (SUVs
- Boat Wars 1988 (Pocket BoxPocket Boxthumb|An empty pocket boxA pocket box is a small box or pocket-sized container, so named to emphasise its portability.In the 1980's pocket box was used by Steve Jackson Games to describe the plastic boxes designed to hold a rulebook and related game components. They replaced ziplock bags...
), 1990 (9" × 12" box)- Added boats, amphibious cars, and hovercraft
Third Edition- Car Wars Compendium 1989 (8½" × 11" book)
- Compiled all the second edition rules (except race-cars) in one place
- Refined car movement, based more on the Turning Key than on a map grid
Fourth Edition- Car Wars Compendium: Second Edition 1990,1996 (8½" × 11" book)
- Revised rules—including race-cars—with many updates and refinements. Turns reduced to five phases.
- Car Wars Tanks 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added wheeled military vehicles, tanks, and really big guns
- Aeroduel 1990 (9" × 12" box)
- Added fixed-wing planes and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s with both civilian and military grade weapons
- Added fixed-wing planes and airship
- Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell 1992 (8½" × 11" book)
- Includes all previously published construction rules, weapons, and equipment, but the only play rules are minor updates to the CWC2E rules.
Fifth Edition- Car Wars 5.0 2002 (9 comic book sized pamphlets, all containing the same rules with different variations of car designs - any one of which is all that is required to play)
- Back to just cars (all pre-designed), with simplified play rules. Turns reduced to three phases.
- Scale change, with 1-inch = 5-feet instead of 15-feet
- No official construction rules published , although a reverse-engineered unofficial version exists
Background story
Car Wars is set 50 years after the publication dates of the various books. In this alternate future, natural resources are severely depleted and the United States government nationalizedNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
oil production. This eventually led to a second American civil war, ending with the secession of the "Free Oil States", TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Following famine in various parts of the world, there are limited nuclear exchanges between the USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the US, but anti-missile systems limit the resulting damage. After these wars, there are years of worldwide economic crisis, and related global unrest, during which "death sports" become a popular form of entertainment. It is this post-apocalypticApocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fictionApocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
setting which has drawn comparisons between Car Wars and the Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
movies.
As things began to recover, the organized sport of "autodueling" was born as a form of armed demolition derbiesDemolition derbyDemolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
. The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was formed, to sponsor sporting events and up-and-coming autoduelists. In this future, technology has allowed for new vehicle designs, miniaturized weapon systems, and replacements for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, human cloning (together with techniques for storing memories), has made death only a minor setback for autoduelists who can afford the procedure. Car Wars is a game designed for simulating these autoduels between competing players.
Clubs and organizations
The American Autoduel Association (AADA) was a worldwide group of players. It was started by Steve Jackson Games who supported the club with a quarterly magazine called Autoduel Quarterly. This contained campaign ideas, vehicles, "mock" advertisements, and new weapons and accessories, as well as questions and answers. Subscribers would receive a bonus in the form of an extra cutout or cartoon on the protective mailing cover. Local clubs could also pay a yearly membership fee to be considered "official."
The AADA served as a structured clearinghouse for common rules and guidelines to be followed during 'official' events. World Championships were held each year at the Origins Game Fair.
The AADA is no longer an official club as recognized by Steve Jackson Games. There are still several local clubs that claim to be AADA affiliated, and there are even web sites where interested parties can enjoy PBEM games. One site has a Car Wars podcastPodcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The official Car Wars site notes plans to relaunch the AADA and start a new periodical called Autoduel Times.
No date is given for this project.
Other products
In addition to the spin-off computer game, Epic ComicsEpic ComicsEpic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
published Car WarriorsCar WarriorsCar Warriors is a four-issue comic book series published in 1991 by Epic Comics. It was followed by a three-volume series of novels set in the same world but featuring different characters....
, a 1991 four-issue comic book mini-series set in the Car Wars world.
There were also a series of seven gamebooks based in the Car Wars universe, where a player could make choices for the protagonist to affect the outcome of the story. The Car Wars Adventure Gamebooks were titled: Battle Road, Fuel's Gold, Dueltrack, Badlands Run, Green Circle Blues, Mean Streets, and Convoy.
A trilogy of novels was published by Tor books. The Square Deal by David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
in 1992, Double Jeopardy: Car Warriors 2 by Aaron Alston in 1994, and Back from Hell by Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
in 1999.
See also
- Mad MaxMad MaxMad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
(1979) and The Road Warrior (1981) – Key cinematic inspirations for Car Wars and similar games. - BattlecarsBattlecarsBattlecars is a simple wargame based upon the Mad Max genre of a post-apocalyptic world dominated by aggressive, warring gangs. It was first published by Games Workshop in the early 1980s and the game designers were Gary Chalk and Ian Livingstone...
(1983) – A Games Workshop, Mad Max inspired road combat game using 1:60 scale miniature cars.- Dark FutureDark FutureDark Future is a 1988 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. It is set in an alternate reality where the United States—and indeed the rest of the world—is falling apart. Society is going to ruins, and the natural laws of physics are breaking down...
(1988) – A revised and expanded version of Battlecars, also by Games Workshop.
- Dark Future
- AutoduelAutoduelAutoduel is a 1985 computer role-playing game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and Atari 800 , Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga...
(1985) - A computer game inspired by Car Wars. - Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000Roadwar 2000, sometimes referred to as Roadwar 2K, is a 1986 computer game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which greatly resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max movie series.-Description:In 1999, a terrorist group...
(1986) – A computer game inspired by the Mad Max film franchise. - Darkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on WheelsDarkwind: War on Wheels is an independently developed 3D turn based racing and vehicle combat massively multiplayer online game for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux...
(2007) – A MMOGMassively multiplayer online gameA massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
with Car Wars style arena combat alongside open road based combat. - Market ForcesMarket ForcesMarket Forces is a science fiction novel by Richard Morgan, first published in 2004.Set in 2049 in the wake of a global economic downturn called the Domino Recessions, it follows up-and-coming executive Chris as he plunges into the profitable field of Conflict Investment...
(2005) - A novel by Richard K. Morgan heavily inspired by Mad Max and thus, Car Wars.
External links
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket Box
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket Box
- Car Wars 1981–1984 (4" × 7" ziplock-bag or Pocket Box