  A novel method aimed at a kinetic moments closure for a magnetized plasma
with arbitrary collisionality is proposed. The intended first application is to
a tokamak edge and scrape-off-layer plasma. The velocity distribution function
for each species is expanded in 8 Gaussian Radial Basis Functions (GRBFs) which
are essentially shifted Maxwellians at eight representative 3D-velocity points
of drift. The vector of 8 fluid moments (for particle density, 3 particle
fluxes, total energy density, and 3 energy fluxes) has an 8x8 analytic linear
matrix relation to the vector of 8 GRBF density weights in 3D real space. The 8
fluid moments with sources for each species are advanced in time while the 8
GRBF weighs are determined from the 8x8 inverse matrix. The two closure moments
(for the stress tensor and the energy weighted stress tensor) are linearly
determined from the GRBF weights. Most importantly the velocity moments of the
nonlinear Coulomb Fokker-Planck collision operator [Rosenbluth et al, Phys. Rev
107, 1957] are evaluated from the GRBF weights. Generalization from 8 to 12,
16, 20 .., in an energy weighted moment hierarchy is straightforward. The
electric field follows from a generalized vorticity (quasi-neutral current
continuity) equation. A strong drift ordering approximation can be applied to
eliminate any spuriously unstable high frequency cyclotron motions. A novel
weak drift ordering two-time step scheme avoids the vorticity equation by
following ion cyclotron motion in time to get the electric field with ion
gyroaveraging. Inclusion of low-beta magnetic perturbations is straightforward.
