diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index 28c2a2f89..8484275b9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 D1X-Rebirth Changelog
 
+20120415
+--------
+main/multi.c, main/multi.h, main/net_udp.c: When possibly sending player positions prior to firing, do that before messing multibuf; Added more strict sanity checks for outgoing and incoming multi packets; Moved some general game stuff from net_udp_init() to multi_new_game()
+
 20120414
 --------
 main/gamesave.c: Fix crash when loading a level in the editor
diff --git a/main/multi.c b/main/multi.c
index 699c9c19b..532e134d3 100644
--- a/main/multi.c
+++ b/main/multi.c
@@ -145,11 +145,6 @@ int     VerifyPlayerJoined=-1;      // Player (num) to enter game before any ing
 int     Player_joining_extras=-1;  // This is so we know who to send 'latecomer' packets to.
 int     Network_player_added = 0;   // Is this a new player or a returning player?
 
-//added 02/26/99 Matt Mueller - reactor kill stats
-short reactor_kills[MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS];
-int reactor_kills_total;
-//end addition -MM
-
 ushort          my_segments_checksum = 0;
 
 netgame_info Netgame;
@@ -403,15 +398,15 @@ get_team(int pnum)
 void
 multi_new_game(void)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, save_pnum = Player_num;
 	
 	// Reset variables for a new net game
 
-//edited 02/26/99 Matt Mueller - reactor kill stuff, and fix this other memset that hardcoded short=2bytes
+	for (Player_num = 0; Player_num < MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS; Player_num++)
+		init_player_stats_game();
+	Player_num = save_pnum;
+
 	memset(kill_matrix, 0, sizeof(kill_matrix)); // Clear kill matrix
-	memset(reactor_kills, 0, sizeof(reactor_kills)); // Clear kill matrix
-	reactor_kills_total=0;
-//end edit -MM
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS; i++)
 	{
@@ -426,21 +421,29 @@ multi_new_game(void)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_ROBOTS_CONTROLLED; i++)
 	{
-		robot_controlled[i] = -1;	
+		robot_controlled[i] = -1;
 		robot_agitation[i] = 0;
 		robot_fired[i] = 0;
 	}
 
+	for (i=0;i<MAX_POWERUP_TYPES;i++)
+	{
+		MaxPowerupsAllowed[i]=0;
+		PowerupsInMine[i]=0;
+	}
+
 	team_kills[0] = team_kills[1] = 0;
 	Endlevel_sequence = 0;
+	Control_center_destroyed = 0;
 	Player_is_dead = 0;
 	multi_quit_game = 0;
 	Show_kill_list = 1;
 	game_disable_cheats();
 	Player_exploded = 0;
 	Dead_player_camera = 0;
+	Network_new_game = 1;
 }
-	
+
 void
 multi_make_player_ghost(int playernum)
 {
@@ -591,9 +594,6 @@ void multi_compute_kill(int killer, int killed)
 		if (Newdemo_state == ND_STATE_RECORDING)
 			newdemo_record_multi_kill(killed_pnum, -1);
 	    
-//edited 02/26/99 Matt Mueller - add kill stats to messages
-		reactor_kills[killed_pnum]++;
-		reactor_kills_total++;
 		if (killed_pnum == Player_num)
 		{
 			HUD_init_message(HM_MULTI, "%s %s.", TXT_YOU_WERE, TXT_KILLED_BY_NONPLAY);
@@ -813,8 +813,10 @@ void multi_do_frame(void)
 void
 multi_send_data(unsigned char *buf, int len, int priority)
 {
-	Assert(len == message_length[(int)buf[0]]);
-	Assert(buf[0] <= MULTI_MAX_TYPE);
+	if (len != message_length[(int)buf[0]])
+		Error("multi_send_data: Packet type %i length: %i, expected: %i\n", buf[0], len, message_length[(int)buf[0]]);
+	if (buf[0] < 0 || buf[0] > MULTI_MAX_TYPE)
+		Error("multi_send_data: Illegal packet type %i\n", buf[0]);
 
 	if (Game_mode & GM_NETWORK)
 	{
@@ -834,9 +836,12 @@ multi_send_data(unsigned char *buf, int len, int priority)
 
 void multi_send_data_direct(unsigned char *buf, int len, int pnum, int priority)
 {
-	Assert(len == message_length[(int)buf[0]]);
-	Assert(buf[0] <= MULTI_MAX_TYPE);
-	Assert(pnum >= 0 && pnum < MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS);
+	if (len != message_length[(int)buf[0]])
+		Error("multi_send_data_direct: Packet type %i length: %i, expected: %i\n", buf[0], len, message_length[(int)buf[0]]);
+	if (buf[0] < 0 || buf[0] > MULTI_MAX_TYPE)
+		Error("multi_send_data_direct: Illegal packet type %i\n", buf[0]);
+	if (pnum < 0 && pnum > MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS)
+		Error("multi_send_data_direct: Illegal player num: %i\n", pnum);
 
 	switch (multi_protocol)
 	{
@@ -2347,6 +2352,8 @@ multi_process_bigdata(char *buf, int len)
 
 void multi_send_fire(int laser_gun, int laser_level, int laser_flags, int laser_fired, short laser_track)
 {
+	multi_do_protocol_frame(1, 0); // provoke positional update if possible
+
 	multibuf[0] = (char)MULTI_FIRE;
 	multibuf[1] = (char)Player_num;
 	multibuf[2] = (char)laser_gun;
@@ -2355,7 +2362,6 @@ void multi_send_fire(int laser_gun, int laser_level, int laser_flags, int laser_
 	multibuf[5] = (char)laser_fired;
 	PUT_INTEL_SHORT(multibuf+6, laser_track);
 
-	multi_do_protocol_frame(1, 0); // provoke positional update if possible
 	multi_send_data(multibuf, 8, 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/main/multi.h b/main/multi.h
index 67e26bf7d..ea077f47a 100644
--- a/main/multi.h
+++ b/main/multi.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ extern int multi_protocol; // set and determinate used protocol
 //   3 Descent II Shareware
 //   4 Descent II Commercial
 // > 4 DXX-Rebirth
-#define MULTI_PROTO_VERSION 8
+#define MULTI_PROTO_VERSION 9
 // PROTOCOL VARIABLES AND DEFINES - END
 
 
diff --git a/main/net_udp.c b/main/net_udp.c
index 7a11f9add..f5fdb4711 100644
--- a/main/net_udp.c
+++ b/main/net_udp.c
@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ struct _sockaddr TrackerSocket;
 int iTrackerVerified = 0;
 #endif
 extern obj_position Player_init[MAX_PLAYERS];
-extern char MaxPowerupsAllowed[MAX_POWERUP_TYPES];
-extern char PowerupsInMine[MAX_POWERUP_TYPES];
 
 /* General UDP functions - START */
 ssize_t dxx_sendto(int sockfd, const void *msg, int len, unsigned int flags, const struct sockaddr *to, socklen_t tolen)
@@ -1023,10 +1021,7 @@ void net_udp_receive_sequence_packet(ubyte *data, UDP_sequence_packet *seq, stru
 
 void net_udp_init()
 {
-	// So you want to play a netgame, eh?  Let's a get a few things
-	// straight
-
-	int save_pnum = Player_num, t;
+	// So you want to play a netgame, eh?  Let's a get a few things straight
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 {
@@ -1044,12 +1039,6 @@ void net_udp_init()
 	if( UDP_Socket[1] != -1 )
 		udp_close_socket(1);
 
-	for (t=0;t<MAX_POWERUP_TYPES;t++)
-	{
-		MaxPowerupsAllowed[t]=0;
-		PowerupsInMine[t]=0;
-	}
-
 	memset(&Netgame, 0, sizeof(netgame_info));
 	memset(&UDP_Seq, 0, sizeof(UDP_sequence_packet));
 	memset(&UDP_MData, 0, sizeof(UDP_mdata_info));
@@ -1057,16 +1046,8 @@ void net_udp_init()
 	UDP_Seq.type = UPID_REQUEST;
 	memcpy(UDP_Seq.player.callsign, Players[Player_num].callsign, CALLSIGN_LEN+1);
 
-	for (Player_num = 0; Player_num < MAX_NUM_NET_PLAYERS; Player_num++)
-		init_player_stats_game();
-
-	Player_num = save_pnum;		
 	multi_new_game();
-	Network_new_game = 1;
-	Control_center_destroyed = 0;
 	net_udp_flush();
-
-	Netgame.PacketsPerSec = 10;
 	
 #ifdef USE_TRACKER
 	// Initialize the tracker info
@@ -2428,6 +2409,7 @@ void net_udp_process_dump(ubyte *data, int len, struct _sockaddr sender_addr)
 		default:
 			if (data[1] > DUMP_LEVEL) // invalid dump... heh
 				break;
+			Network_status = NETSTAT_MENU;
 			nm_messagebox(NULL, 1, TXT_OK, NET_DUMP_STRINGS(data[1]));
 			Network_status = NETSTAT_MENU;
 			break;
@@ -3141,6 +3123,7 @@ int net_udp_setup_game()
 	Netgame.RefusePlayers=0;
 	sprintf( Netgame.game_name, "%s%s", Players[Player_num].callsign, TXT_S_GAME );
 	Netgame.difficulty=PlayerCfg.DefaultDifficulty;
+	Netgame.PacketsPerSec = 10;
 	if (GameArg.MplUdpMyPort != 0)
 		snprintf (UDP_MyPort, sizeof(UDP_MyPort), "%d", GameArg.MplUdpMyPort);
 	else