There's a thread over on RPG.net about why Ars Magica Fifth Edition is an awesome game, and Erik Tyrrell just posted a brief review of all the Fifth Edition books. I thought I'd bring it up here because it's such a fun read. However, I must say I am extremely jealous that he has a copy of the first edition of Calebais and I do not. 
My oldest copy of Calebais is only second edition. 
Thanks for pointing this out. I'm just basking in the adulation. 8)
I had probably better not look at the thread again, though, or all the people who don't like ArM5 will have had time to post.
And here I was believing them to be as much a myth as Mythic Europe itself! 
Do such people in fact exist? They must certainly be worthy of a social case study if any anthopologist would have the courage to do so! 
I have a few minor quibbles , which i may yet post on RPG.net
Tactical Combat , with movement rates , is something i like ,
and features in most RPGs.
(i am not counting all those one-off type games systems that are all
"look how clever we are at not having numbery type rules and stuff")
House Bjornaer is not properly playable without stats for your Heartbeast form.
Granted , most people will buy HoH:MC , but there are no basics in the core rules to expand upon.
The rules are all in another book.
I think that keeping Ars threads on RPG net positive and busy is an excellent way to promote the game. The thread in question had over 900 hits as of this morning.
Erik, with the exception of first edition festival of the damned (I couldn't talk John out of his copy) I've got a copy of everything published in English. (well, I've missed the more recent Hermes Portals as well but those I still aim to get my hands on).
Okay, now you're just bragging. I think you are attempting to give me an Envious Trait through unholy influence, but fortunately for me I already have it as a Major Flaw. (Oh wait...)
Just after I submitted the final draft of the third edition, the first edition went up for sale on ebay. I bid what I thought was an insanely high amount, but I still didn't win it. Drat and double drat! 
Very true, but it's somewhat pointless to insert complicated tactical combat rules when the wizard's fire-power is so out of whack. Still, the thought of augmenting ArM's combat has its lure.
Yair, aka LoneDM over at RPG.net
Then again, some more worked over rules for combat might be good for when the Magi are out of it and/or working on something else.
One houserule that we curently run with is to let people take several specializations on skills. One per every 3 started levels of the skill.
For an archer this might be two specs in range or perhaps a mere +2 to hit with his favourite kind of bow. Or maybe +1 to initiative and +1 on moving targets. Giving a bit more flavour to companions which somehow has become the most favoured grade of characters.
I still want to know what chance the grog has of running and stabbing a magi casting an attack spell before it goes off, which is kind of done with initiative, yet kind of isn't.
Umm... but yeah... good thread over there. Don't let Berkelist know about it.
Going on 1500! Bravo!
Another Rpg.netter who is begging to be convinced to purchase Ars Magica has started a thread here.
forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=311982
Would anyone else care to provide him with a different Ars Magica insight?