Review and Outlook

This is the last issue of Volume IX and as most of the members know, that means that everyone's subscription expires at the same time. So please take a few moments now to fill out the subscription renewal form (if you have not already renewed by now) that is enclosed with this issue and return it to me as soon as possible.

Although the "volume year method" of subscriptions makes the bookkeeping aspect of the Journal easier, it does have the major drawback of having no subscribers for a short period of time. So help your editor keep his anxiety level down by resubscribing today.

The 7YWAJ is reaching for its 10th volume, quite an accomplishment, and is an invaluable guide to mid 18th century-era history, not to mention a wide variety of product reviews and other news. Subscriptions are the lifeblood of publications. If you regularly read and enjoy a particular magazine on MagWeb, such as 7YWAJ, please support the publisher by renewing or taking out a print subscription. Sorry for the interruption. Thank you. --RL

I regret that I have to raise subscription prices for the Journal from $25.00 to $30.00, but printing and production costs have increased substantially over the past two years and I need to cover my costs. International subscriptions will remain at $30.00 or the local paper currency equivalent.

Thanks

I want to thank every subscriber and advertiser for the support that they gave to the Journal this year because, after all, it would not be possible to publish it without the revenues generated by ads and subscriptions. A special thanks also to those men on horseback who have organized conventions, run wargames at conventions and/or have contributed their literary talents to the publication of the Journal. Your contributions are highly valued and help make our organization and publication the success that they are today.

At the same time, I have always believed that subscribers should feel no obligation to write articles or participate in Association activities unless that is what they want to do. After all, this is a hobby or diversion. Most of us have busy lives, what with work and family commitments, and this hobby of ours is for our enjoyment and relaxation. Sometimes wargamers need to step away from the running of convention games or the writing of articles and take a break from that aspect of the hobby.

I know that sometimes I forget how much fun it can be to play in someone else's wargame or to read someone else's publication. The support that members give through their subscriptions is a valued commitment in my eyes and in return, I will always endeavor to give the members the best value for their money.

With regard to the frequency of publication, an issue raised earlier in the year, I have decided to continue the format of four issues published over a twelve month period. The first issue of Volume X will probably be published by the end of November for December delivery.

It is hard to believe that we are about to start Volume X of this publication. It seems like but a short time since I started publishing the Journal back in September 1992, and now I am getting ready to start on my fifth volume.

A lot of good things have happened over the last five years. Perhaps the most important thing has been that Christopher Duffy has become a regular visitor to the United States, both at national conventions such as Historicon and Gencon, but also as an annual visitor to our SYWA convention.

Several weeks ago, I was watching a re-run of one of Duffy's presentations, on Rossbach I believe, and I was struck by how entertaining and informative Dr. Duffy's presentations can be. We are truly fortunate to have such a resource of information available to our association.

We also had the first Duffy tour of Frederician battlefields back in 1994. When I first became interested in the period, circa 1985, the thought of ever seeing any of tbe SYW battlefleld sites in eastern Germany was just a pipe dream. However, the forces of history dramatically changed the world what with the fall of the Soviet empire, making travel in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic relatively easy to do.

Being able to visit these sites with Christopher Duffy and members of the association is probably my personal highlight of the past five years. Now, we are fortunate in that there is likely to be a second Duffy trip to Silesia in May of 1998. See the newsletter section for more details.

On Publications

On tbe publication side of the hobby, we have seen a number of new English language books on the mid-18th Century period, starting with Reed Browning's book on the War of the Austrian Succession, Dennis Showalter's book on The Wars of Frederick the Great, and Duffy's second edition of The Army of Frederick the Great. In addition, Osprey seems to have committed itself to the 18th Century with books on the Austrian, Prussian, Russian, English and French armies.

In other words, the amount of available information on the War of Austrian Succession and the SYW in English has Increased dramatically. Advances in computer software technology is now making it possible for Individuals to translate French, German and Spanish text material into English Jim Mitchell and Dean West, through Old Battlefields Press; and Neil Cogwell in the UK, are at the forefront of efforts to extract first and second hand accounts and source material from non-English text. Their efforts deserve our support so that they will continue to provide such information to our group.

Wargaming Side

On the wargaming side of the hobby, we seem to be in a golden age of figure producing, in which there is a plethora of high quality miniatures available to the public. Back in 1985, RSM rescued the Pax Britannica line of 25mm figures, added to the line, and made them available to us.

It was a big improvement over the scant lines of SYW figures then in the market. Since then, we have seen the addition of extensive SYW figure lines from Front Rank and Old Glory. Last year, Guernsey Foundry burst onto the scene with the first of a 500 plus figure SYW line that will include all of the major combatants by the time they are through. Guernsey has raised the bar in terms of the quality standard that is now available in miniature figures. I am very excited about the availability of high quality 25mm figures at reasonable prices and I encourage everyone to support these companies by purchasing their products (and tell them that you saw tbeir adverts in the SYWA Journal).

In terms of rules, Age of Reason seems to be the most widely- used set of rules in North America and it is possible to find them in use at almost any major convertion in the US. The idea of combining rules with a booklet full of information, a complete campaign system, and army lists was ground breaking, in my humble opinion, and I hope that other rules publishers copy AOR's example in the future.

We have also seen Final Argument of Kings, a Johnny Reb clone, hit the market with a hard core following of advocates. Oddly, though, there have not been many other SYW rules sets published over the last five years. Perhaps this will change, especially with regard to the publishing of European Theater rules for the period.

In conclusion, the state of our hobby has never been better and it looks as though things will only get better.

ARJ

I got my first issue of the Amerlcan Revolution Journal published in time for the SYWA convention in April 1997, but regretably did not mail out notices until June. This publication follows a format similar to the SYWA Journal, except that it will be published four issues over a two year period (i.e. semi- annually in the spring and fall). The cost is $25.00 per subscription or $30.00 international. If you have an interest in this period, or in the 18th Century in general, then I think that you will enjoy this new publication.

The first issue includes articles on re-enacting, the Battle of Brandywine, Hesse Cassel Jaegers, and much more. Write to me at 3127 Park Place, Evanston, IL 60201 for more information.

I would like to make a request for more articles from the members to use in Volume X. It is my hope to have some articles on the Russian campaigns against Frederick and his subordinants. Charlie Sharp had given me some good information about Russian supply wagons and artillery supports (including line drawings) that I hope to include with an article on Gross Jaegersdorf, a battle that does not receive much attention in English language texts.

In general, I would like to get back to Frederick and focus in on his activities during the SYW through the course of Volume X. This issue's article on the Maxen campaign and Prince Henry's activities have also stoked my interest in his army. So this might lead to an article on Freiberg down the road. Also, Jim Mitchell is requesting articles for the French - Indian War so that we can maintain coverage on this part of the period as well.

Reviews

This issue's reviews of the Guernsey Foundry line has really given me the itch to try painting either a Russian SYW army or else adding a bunch of fusiliers and freilcorps to my Prussian army. Anyone can win battles with guards and cuirassiers, but it takes talent to do the same with an army of freikorps, impressed-service prisoners in fusilier regiments, and a smattering of regular musketeers.

Once a year I take all of my Austrians and Prussians out of storage and set them up on the wargaming table in my basement, where I take inventory of what I have and hold a grand review. This year revealed that I had a shortage of cavalry for both sides, so I spent tbe summer painting cuirassiers, etc. This summer and fall, I want to add more GF fusiliers to the army List. Wow, I can hardly wait! Oops, running out of space, so more of this in the next issue. See you then.

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