We are finally back on schedule with respect to the timing and delivery of issues for the current Volume No. VII year. Essentially, this issue takes the place of what would have been the December issue. Issue Number 3 will be ready in March, 1994 as scheduled.

I would like to take a few moments to remind everyone that our 11th Annual SYWA convention will take place on March 18 and 19, 1994 in South Bend, Indiana. I placed a phone call to Herb Gundt, who has graciously consented to organize this year's convention, to see how things were going. The site is all arranged at the Holiday Inn - Downtown in South Bend, and it looks as if we will have a number of new dealers attending our convention for the first time: Soldiers & Swords (from New York) and Bicorne Miniatures (from Arizona). Herb was a little bit concerned because only five people had volunteered to host wargames and an embarassingly small number of people had gotten around to sending in their $30.00 admission fee for the convention sessions and the annual banquet.

Wargamers tend to put things off until the last minute, and I assured Herb that the membership would rally to the colours in a big way, come convention time. So come everybody, fill out the enclosed convention registration form and send it to Herb, along with your check for $30.00. payable to Herb Gundt. I'm certain that we will eventually have a dozen or more wargames scheduled, so if you are planning on hosting a game, then give Herb a call at (219) 299-0352 and let him know about your proposed game.

Having said all of that, I think that nothing beats the SYWA Convention for fun and friendly gaming and comraderie, and if I could only attend one convention each year, this would be the one. The games are always colorful what with great looking terrain and orderly lines of troops, and the variety is hard to beat. Last year, we had games representing the French & Indian Wars, the Jacobite Rebellions of 1715 and 1745, Russians vs. Ottoman Turks, Austrians and Prussians, British vs French, and of course the memorable Marquis of Granby's Cup. It's a rather laid-back affair and you'll often find a dealer or two playing in one of the games. Don't worry, they will run back to their booth between game turns and help you out.

I can honestly say that I have never heard or seen a "rules lawyer" at the SYWA convention. This is, after all, the Age of Reason and disputes are generally settled with a gentlemanly roll of a six-sided die (even you're right, odd, I'm right).

If you have never been to a SYWA convention and live within a half-day's drive of South Bend, then why not give it a try? Once you attend one convention, you will never want to miss one again.

Just as Ground Hog Day signals the advent of Spring, so does the arrival of the SYWA convention. Many a cold winter's night is spent painting up new battalions of Austrians, Prussians or TVrks in anticipation of the convention. Last year at this time, Brian Vizek, Paul Petri and I were feverishly painting up hordes of Ottoman Turks so that we could host a Russian vs. Turk convention game. There is nothing like a deadline to speed up one's painting output!

This Year

This year, I plan to host an Austrian vs. Prussian wargame in 25mm scale using Rusty's Rules, on Saturday, so I'm busy perusing my Duffy books for possible scenarios. I've also beefed up my Prussian cavalry with a few more regiments of dragoons and cuirassiers as my force had been a bit heavy on hussars and understrength in heavy battle cavalry. Of course, now I'll have to add some more Austrian Cuirassiers to balance things out. I was checking out my trays of Prussian cavalry and remembered that I have a 40 figure unit of Bayreuth Dragoons (10 sqds.). This is undoubtedly my all-time favorite Prussian unit because it is so HUGE and seems to scare the bejabbers out of the Austrian players. I tend to like bigger units and figure scales, such as 20:1 men per casting and 25mm figures. The 18th Century battles are so colorful and its such a shame to see gamers using 50:1 scales, especially with 15mm figures.

One of my friends owns a 15mm Prussian army based in 12 man units for Age of Reason rules. He was thinking of selling his army and rebuilding it with the new Old Glory 15mm SYW figures. I suggested that he consider using the optional 25:1 figure scale with 15mm figures, i.e. 24 man units instead of 12 man units.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked. I went through all of my standard reasons why big is better and he concurred that the visual appearance of 24 man units in 15mm would look smashing, but he persisted on sticking with the 12 man units. Why? "Because I want to field entire armies!" he cried. There is still much work to be done.