Spammers FAQ
General Questions
Q: What is SPAMMERS?
A: SPAMMERS is Atlas Games' non-collectible card game of internet junk mail. Non-collectible means that all the cards needed for play are available in one package and that each player draws from the same common deck during play.
Q: What is the game about?
A: SPAMMERS is a satire on the internet junk mail phenenomenon. In SPAMMERS, players take the roles of internet entrepeneurs who send internet junk mail (commonly called spam) to mailing lists. Over the course of the game, the scams each player operates become more and more wealthy, until one of the players wins the game.
Each player has the opportunity to not only cultivate his or her scams, but to interact with the other players by attacking their scams, proprietary lists, hardware, and hands of cards.
SPAMMERS features many choices for each player each turn. Not only does each turn offer three actions to each player, each action offers many choices. Finally, most cards can be played in two or more different ways. Furthermore, each player must decide when to use communal resources and when to attack them in order to deprive other players of their benefits.
Q: How and when can I get SPAMMERS?
A: SPAMMERS has been available since 1 May, 1998. It is available through standard hobby game distribution channels. You should be able to purchase it through your local hobby game retailer.
Q: What if my local retailer doesn't stock SPAMMERS?
A: You have two options. First, you can tell your local retailer that you'd like him to special order SPAMMERS from his distributor. You might want to provide him with SPAMMERS' Atlas Games stock number (AG1200). If you want to order SPAMMERS through a book store such as Barnes and Noble or Borders, they'll probably want SPAMMERS' ISBN number (1-887801-62-6) instead.
If your local retailer still can't or won't get you a copy of SPAMMERS, you can contact Atlas Games directly for the location of another retailer who will be happy to fill your order. See "How can I contact Atlas Games?" below.
Q: How much does SPAMMERS cost?
A: $24.95
Q: Are you guys at Atlas Games trying to rip me off?
A: No. Consider that an average 60 card starter deck for the average game usually costs about $9.00. SPAMMERS has 110 cards, 140 counters, a die, a rules sheet large enough to have legible type, and a durable box. We don't think that's a bad deal at all.
Q: Can Atlas Games make me rich beyond my wildest dreams?
A: Probably not.
Components
Q: I think I'm missing some cards. Can you provide a card list?
A: Sure. SPAMMERS has 110 cards. You can download the card list here.
Q: What other components come with the game?
A: 140 counters, a die, a rule sheet, and a two-part box with a platform.
Q: Can you provide a list of the counters?
A: Sure. The following counters are provided with SPAMMERS.
- 40 Gruntle counters
- 5 Adult Specialty counters
- 5 Get Rich Quick Specialty counters
- 5 Internet Specialty counters
- 5 Free Stuff Specialty counters
- 10 "1" Rating counters
- 10 "2" Rating counters
- 10 "3" Rating counters
- 10 "4" Rating counters
- 7 "5" Rating counters
- 7 "6" Rating counters
- 6 "7" Rating counters
- 5 "8" Rating counters
- 5 "9" Rating counters
- 5 "10" Rating counters
- 3 "11" Rating counters
- 2 "12" Rating counters
Q: Why do some of the Rating counters look faded?
A: They're supposed to look that way. If you line numbers 1-12 up in order, you'll notice that the lower ratings are simply a lighter shade of yellow.
Q: What if I'm missing a card or other component?
A: Contact Atlas Games (see "How can I contact Atlas Games?" below) and they'll replace the missing component.
Play
Q: Why did you bother to include Specialty counters? Each list that has a specialty has the information printed on it.
A: Because specialties can change during the course of play.
Q: Can a list have more than one specialty?
A: Sure.
Q: Can I do a mailing at +0 without using a mailing card?
A: No. In order to attempt a mailing, you must play a mailing card for its mailing effect.
Q: When I play a mailing card for its mailing effect, what happens with regard to that card's special effect?
A: Nothing. When you play a mailing card for its mailing effect, the special effect is not relevant. Similarly, when you play a mailing card for its special effect, the mailing effect is ignored.
Q: What happens if I have two On-Board Co-Processors?
A: The same thing that would happen if you only had one of them. This ability is not cumulative.
Q: If I use my own Little Black Box to copy my own Monster Processor, can I draw two extra cards in one turn?
A: No. They both give you the ability to draw one extra card per turn, and this ability is not cumulative.
Q: Can I play Corporate Stranglehold on my own scam after it's rating is 12 or more to guarantee victory at the beginning of my next turn?
A: You can play it on your own scam, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee victory. The Old Switcheroo can counter this stragegy. Someone will win, but it might not be you.
Q: The rules state that a player who has five scams in play (the normal maximum) may, as an action, discard a scam and draw a new card. Must the discarded scam come from the player's hand, or can he or she discard a scam currently in play, forfeiting any value that scam may have accumulated?
A: The discarded scam must be from the player's hand, since the discard and draw rule is a provision to allow players to draw cards when their hands are maxed out at nine cards. Discarding scams from the table doesn't help the player draw more cards as part of the action in question, so it's not allowed.
Q: Enormous Monitor permits a player to maintain more than the normal allowed maximum of five scams in play. Does the rule permitting the discard of scams still apply, or does having an Enormous Monitor in play negate the player's ability to discard scams?
A: If you have an Enormous Monitor, you may not discard scams. In order to discard scams, you must be in a position where "[your] hand has nine cards in it and none of them are playable."