I found this while going through a box of Battletech stuff (boardgaming it this evening).



At the moment I am not sure if I purchased this in the early 80's or late 80's but a rough count puts the number of pages around 100 with about 5 or 6 missing. The top sheet is soiled but all others are fine with the exception of two about 3/4 of the way through that have small dog ears.

The binding for these tear off sheets are on the end with the directional arrow/sword and while all of the pages are still attached, the "glue strip" appears to be drying out and is starting to detach from the cardboard backing.

Any thoughts on what this might be worth? If it is just a $1.00 item it probably will not be worth listing on eBay (even on the next 10 cent day).

JasonW

Edit: I forgot to add that it is letter sized 8 1/2" x 11"

Fantasy Factory should not be confused with the gaming outfit of the same name in the early 80s/late 70s in California. Fantasy Factory of Canada produced a module called Catapult Run with a couple of print runs. I had never seen or heard of this hex pad but it doesn't mean they don't get around quasi-often.

As with anything else of this nature and rarity...it should be worth a lot more than the interest will allow.

Mars wrote:Afterglow does mention a first printing of Catapult Run but does anyone here have a copy of that?  Ideally a picture would be great but even just confirmation of existence would be good too.

Nope, I only have the 32 page module.
Is good to know though that Fantasy Factory published more then just the one module.  With Catapult Run numbered 8402 there should be something numbered 8401 I'm guessing. Would be interesting to know what the hex sheets were numbered.

((edit, both Afterglow sites list this..this the better described of the two:  http://www.afterglow2.com/Product/FFCanada.htm )

ShaneG.

I believe the 1st edition Catapult is possibly only found in Heroic Worlds. I have surmised Schick did most of his research at the library of TSR which had to have been the largest and most comprehensive gaming library ever.

Anyhow, I believe TSR both received items via submission and acquired items at gaming conventions of this nature. The longer copy of Catapult Run could very well just be a beta existant in TSR holdings only. Another example of this would be the unpublished Sacrifices to the Orclord, which is found in Heroic Worlds as well.

It would be interesting to find out if there were any game store in Brampton that have been around since the 80's.

They might have some "old stock". Hex pads were one of those things that if I recall, did not exactly go flying off the shelves.

JasonW

scribe wrote:I believe the 1st edition Catapult is possibly only found in Heroic Worlds. I have surmised Schick did most of his research at the library of TSR which had to have been the largest and most comprehensive gaming library ever.

Anyhow, I believe TSR both received items via submission and acquired items at gaming conventions of this nature. The longer copy of Catapult Run could very well just be a beta existant in TSR holdings only. Another example of this would be the unpublished Sacrifices to the Orclord, which is found in Heroic Worlds as well.

Sounds Interesting.
Good to hear from you, Adam.
Any news on the website?

An interesting blast from the past, here.

Catapult Run was first published in a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" booklet, with folded interior pockets front & back containing maps and sketches for the adventure. I think the print run was on the order of 250 units.

The 2nd printing (item #8402) with the black & orange cover in the 'traditional' 8 1/2" x 11" module format was undertaken based on feedback from vendors who had problems placing the small format booklet in with their regular stock, and who felt that the small format was not visually identified with AD&D (Traveller favoured small format books). I'd put money on this run being on the order of 1000 units.

The hexagonal mapping pad allowed for easy scaling up/down of terrain/campaign maps. Several thousand 100 sheet and 50 sheet pads were printed. We were unable to keep up with demand. As an aside, one of the features of purely optical photocopiers of the time was a difficulty in reproducing light blue ink...

I believe that item #8401 was the 1st printing of CR. The pads did not have a stock code, to my imperfect recollection.

Distribution outside the GTA was handled via L'Avenir Hobbies in Quebec. Inside the GTA, stock travelled in the back of my '79 Chevette. Good Stuff Games, Mr. Gameway's Ark, and other Toronto & area RPG dealers supported our efforts.

Cypher was, at the time, my campaign world. We adopted it as the area for this and other (planned) adventures. The 2nd module was to be "The Black Lancers of Barrowvale" for which artwork, text, and maps were ~85% prepared, and play-testing had occurred.

Cypher, the city itself, was to have its own module/book with detailed NPC's, guilds, shops, maps, and backstories to provide fodder for other adventures.

Fantasy Factory had no financial or legal connection to TSR.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane

Chris Abbott

edit: for the record, we had no idea that there was another company of the same name when we chose FF.

edit: there was a not-very-flattering review of the module in The Space Gamer magazine

Welcome Chris!

I can not remember where I purchased that pad of hex sheets.

Did you ever sell to Atlantic Canada? Most of my purchases were from either Odyssey 2000 in Halifax or Wilkie's Wonderful World of Comics and Games (Halifax and Moncton).

During the 1980's I also traveled to Montreal on many occasions so I may have picked up there.

Damn! That's around 25 years ago.  

EDIT: That settles the 8401 question.  

I haven't had any association with gaming in a long while. Haven't seen Joe or Ian for 20+ years? I don't think I've seen the inside of either edition of the module in about that length of time, either. Thanks for posting the pics.

I'm pleased, in an odd way, that this sort of thing appears to have some value and meaning outside of our meager efforts back in the early 80's. That time period is littered with a wide swath of "if only's"

L'Avenir handled distribution around Canada. We dealt with Toronto/Brampton/Barrie personally.

I don't know what else I can provide, info-wise. Wish I had a box of notes sitting around from that time to dig into, but that's unlikely at this late date. Happy to add whatever I can, if it's of any help.

Great to hear that it is fun to play. I think we all got pretty tired of the play-testing after a while