Version 2.1 (November 2002)
This Meta-FAQ is a summary of basic information about Ground Zero Games (GZG) and their wargaming products. It contains pointers to more detailed FAQs on individual subjects.
This document is available on the web at
http://steve.pugh.net/gzg/meta-faq.html (HTML format)
or
http://steve.pugh.net/gzg/meta-faq.txt (Plain text format)
or via e-mail from steve@pugh.net
A copy should be sent to all new subscribers to the GZG-L mailing list (see section 4 below)
All amendments and comments should be sent to Steve Pugh at steve@pugh.net
GZG started out in 1984/5 as a very small part-time operation (no more than an extension of my own hobby), casting a few 15mm resin SF items. The first rules set, G-Cav (for 15mm squad/platoon actions, about the same level as SGII) was published in 1985, with a total print run (OK, copy run!) of 100.
Dirtside I followed in 1989, and Stargrunt I in 1990. GZG became a properly-organised full time business in 1991, around the same time as the release of Full Thrust 1st ed. There were only ever a couple of hundred copies of FT 1 made, as we decided to go for an A4 colour-cover edition (FTII) almost immediately, with the first printing being early in 1992. DS II followed in 1993, with More Thrust in 1994. SGII was released in 1996, and most recently the FT Fleet Books (vol.1 in 1998, vol.2 in 2000).
In late 1996 GZG expanded from a one-man to a two-man business with the addition of Dave Garnham to deal with much of the production side, and in early 1997 we moved from a home-based business to a workshop unit.
At the moment GZG produce three Science Fiction wargames:
FULL THRUST (FT) is an award winning generic starship combat game. The first edition was published in 1991, the second edition in 1992. Both editions use the same basic rules systems.
A supplement, MORE THRUST, was published in 1994. Another, THE FLEET BOOK (1998) contains some rules modifications, an advanced design system and over sixty ship designs. FLEET BOOK TWO: THE XENO FILES (2000) contains rules and ship designs for three alien races.
All four books are now out of print. PDF versions can be downloaded free of charge from the GZG web site. <http://www.gtns.co.uk/store1/commerce.cgi?page=downloads.html>
The rules in the two Fleet Books modify the basic game to an effective version 2.5. A third edition is planned for sometime in the next few years.
FT FAQ: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3565/faq-index.html maintained by Tim Jones <Tim.Jones@Smallworld.co.uk>
DIRTSIDE II (DS2) is a battalion level ground combat game, designed for the 1/300, 1/285 or 1/200 scales. It was published in 1993 and uses the Full Metal Anorak (FMA) rules system. The original Dirtside was published in 1989 and used a different rules system.
Dirtside II are now out of print. A PDF version can be downloaded free of charge from the GZG web site. <http://www.gtns.co.uk/store1/commerce.cgi?page=downloads.html>
DS2 FAQ: http://valley.150m.com/Dirtside/FAQ/FAQ.html maintained by Andrew Martin <Al.Bri@xtra.co.nz>
STARGRUNT II (SG2) is a platoon level ground combat game, designed for the 15mm, 25mm or 28mm scales. It was published in 1996 and is compatable with Dirtside II, also using the FMA rules system. The original Stargrunt was published in 1990 and used a different rules system.
SG2 FAQ: http://www.cowell.org/~andy/min/sg2/rules.html maintained by Andy Cowell <andy@cowell.org>
Full Metal Anorak (FMA) is the name not only of the game mechanics used in DSII and SGII but is also the working name for a proposed set of individual level skirmish rules (also referred to as FMA Skirmish or FMAS). A playtest version of these rules was released on the GZG-L mailing list in July 1999. Even earlier proposals for this game used the name Jungleland.
In addition the FT rules served as the basis for the ship to ship combat rules of the Babylon Project Role-playing Game from Chameleon Eclectic. This rules were included in the Earth Force Sourcebook.
An earlier version of the Stargrunt rules provided part of the basis for the Kryomek rules system from Fantasy Forge (1991). (Now published by Kryomek Ltd.)
GZG also sell a number of games produced by other manufacturers, at the moment (April 2002) these include Weed Killer and Pig Tickler.
Ground Zero Games
P.O. Box 337
Needham Market
Suffolk IP6 8LN
ENGLAND
e-mail: jon@gzg.com
WWW: http://www.gzg.com/
Eureka Miniatures (Australian/New Zealand suppliers for GZG products)
10 Woorayl St
Carnegie Victoria 3163
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax/Ansering Machine: (03) 9568 4085 (or +61 3 9568 4085 from outside Australia)
e-mail: nicr@eurekamin.com.au
WWW: http://www.eurekamin.com.au/
GZG web ring
Michael R. Blair <pellinoire@yahoo.com> has set this up to replace the old Full Thrust Webring. <http://www.geocities.com/pellinoire/Wargames/GZG/GZG-00.html>
Mail list archive
Maintained by Roger Burton West <roger@firedrake.org> this site archives
the GZG-L mailing list and its predecessor the FTGZG list (see below) from June 1996 to the present. < http://lists.firedrake.org/gzg/>
Player locations list
Maintained by Mark 'Indy' Kochte <kochte@stsci.edu>
<http://www.bcpl.net/~indy/full-thrust/location.html>
The GZG-L list was originally set up to discuss Full Thrust but has expanded to cover Dirtside and Stargrunt (and sometimes the Earth Force Sourcebook) as well.
To sign on send an e-mail to majordomo@csua.berkeley.edu with Subscribe GZG-L <your name> in the body of the message, the subject line can be left blank.
Keep the e-mail you receive when you sign on, this contains important details about the list, including instructions on how to sign off.
The list is maintained by Matthew L. Seidl <owner-gzg-l@soda.csua.berkeley.edu>
The list has a few basic rules:
| GZG | Ground Zero Games |
| FT | Full Thrust (normally refers to FT2.5 at the moment) |
| FT1 | Full Thrust, First Edition |
| FT2 | Full Thrust, Second Edition (the current edition) |
| FT2.5 | Full Thrust, Second Edition rules plus amendments from the Fleet Books |
| FT3 | Full Thrust, Third Edition (the next edition, due ????) |
| MT | More Thrust (Full Thrust supplement) |
| FB/FB1 | Fleet Book 1 (FT supplement) |
| FB2 | Fleet Book 2 (FT supplement) |
| DS | Dirtside (these days normally refers to DS2) |
| DS2/DSII | Dirtside II |
| SG | Stargrunt (these days normally refers to SG2) |
| SG2/SGII | Stargrunt II |
| FMA | Full Metal Anorak |
| FMAS | Full Metal Anorak Skirmish (skirmish level rules using the FMA system, under development) |
| FMC | Full Metal Codpiece (proposed generic fantasy rules using the FMA system) |
| EFSB | Earth Force Sourcebook (supplement to the Babylon Project RPG which uses a modified version of the FT rules for ship to ship combat) |
| BDS | Bugs Don't Surf (proposed DS2/SG2 supplement covering alien races) |
| B&T | Blood and Thunder (proposed generic fantasy rules using the FMA system) |
| PSB | Pseudo Scientific Bullshit |
Q) What will GZG publish next?
A) Good question. It could be any of the following - Fleet Book 3, Full Thrust third edition, Dirtside III, Bugs Don't Surf, Full Metal Anorak - or it could be some as yet unannounced project.
Q) What are the fonts on the cover of FT2/DS2/SG2/FB?
A) DIGIFACE, STENCIL, GRAVICON DISPLAY, FAKTOS (heavily modified)
Q) What's an Anorak?
A) An anorak is a type of hooded winter coat (similar to a parka). The word entered Engliah from Inuit via Danish, but that's beside the point - the important thing about anoraks is that they are very uncool. As such they are associated with those kids at school who are dressed by their mothers. In adult life these unfortunates go on to become trainspotters, Sci-Fi geeks and wargamers. Mary Gentle combined the anorak with the type of bullet Full Metal Jacket to produce Full Metal Anorak, this term was subsequently adopted by Jon Tuffley as the name of the mechanisms used in DSII and SGII.
Q) Is that the Mary Gentle?
A) Yes. The Mary Gentle who coined the phrase Full Metal Anorak and who appears in the playtesting credits of Stargrunt II is the same Mary Gentle who wrote such books as Ash, Golden Witchbreed, Grunts and Architecture of Desire.
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