Subject: MN: Re: Dollis Hill Loops

From: "Kevan Davis" <kevan@z...>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 14:36:09 -0000

>Kevan's recent move in the Ruttsborough game has brought the whole
>miserable wording of the Dollis Hill loop back into the spotlight.

Miserable? Hmm? Let's quote the Rule, so we can see what we're dealing
with:-

Rule 1.8.1 - Dollis Hill Loop

If the previous non-Pass Move in a Game is "Dollis Hill", Dollis Hill
is a Valid Move. In addition, all Stations other than Dollis Hill are
Invalid Move destinations, unless the Player taking eir Turn has
performed
a "[Dollis Sidestep]" or "[Dollis Escape]" Action this Turn.

A "[Dollis Escape]" Action may only be performed if the Actioning Player
has an LV of 10 or more.

>The issues I have are:
>
>* Is the Player's Piece moved to Dollis Hill (explicitly or implicitly?)

Not as such; the Player's Piece *must move* to Dollis Hill, if it moves at
all. If a DH Loop is in effect, the only Valid Moves are "Pass" and "Dollis
Hill", so you have to make your choice from those.

>* When the Player plays the [Dollis Escape] action, what are the Valid
>stations for his move?

Anything that would be valid were the Loop not in effect; it's effectively
the same as a Sidestep, except that it requires an LV of 10, and doesn't
cost anything.

There is one (presumably) glaring mistake in the "[Dollis Escape]" Action,
actually - that you don't need to actually be at Dollis Hill to perform it.
I'd always envisioned the Escape as being a steady build up of LV at the
Hill itself, until you'd gotten enough to break free; not a mere "if you're
going fast enough you don't even have to go to Dollis Hill in the first
place" thing. Worth fixing, or am I the only person who thinks this?

Kevan

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