Here are the random faction assignments for the game about to start:

   Dandelot - Bene Gesserit
   Sorvan - Emperor
   LoveTXmen - Harkonnen
   Sherlockazulu - Atreides
   JonathanMcC - Fremen
   CcollinsIII - Guild

   If any two people agree to trade factions with each other, just let me know. 

   You may begin planning your strategy, but please don't send me any actual orders until we have all the ground rules completely set.

   The only person I haven't heard from yet is Sherlockazulu. I need feedback from him on the vote issues, confirmation that he's in the game, and his email
   address(es).

   I also would like to hear each player explicitly confirm that the clarification list is acceptable, because I will be adjudicating by that list. Again, you can just
   email me this (qa1226@email.mot.com or tempus42@aol.com).

   The votes seem pretty clear, unless Sherlockazulu raises a major issue:

   1) We'll be playing all advanced and optional rules. (But not the expansions, as Sorvan noted.)

   2) Deadlines will be 2 calendar days from each request for orders I send out. Allowances will be made for people who are on vacation or whatever.

   3) Deadlines will not be enforced strictly, but I *will* nag people to get orders in if they're late. Trust me -- You won't like it if the game drags on too much.
   The last game I was in took >2 years to finish, and I'd estimate at least a quarter to a third of that was just delay.

   4) Everyone wants to try online chat for the bidding round, which sounds very good, but if I can't figure out how to get it working, we won't be able to do that.
   (Does anyone have any suggestions?) The fallback will be the sealed bid option. In that >2 year-long game, I'd say at least half to two-thirds of the non-delay
   time was spent on incremental bidding, so I don't want to repeat that.

   Brad (tempus42)