We have TWO great themes to address for GI for 2002: “THE YEAR OF THE GAME MASTER,” and “CAMPAIGN EVENTS.” Along with our other articles and features for 2002, we will focus on these two aspects of Historical Miniatures Wargaming. WHAT are they? WHY are they important? WHERE can we find information on either? WHO has experience we can learn from? And most of all, HOW can both “Game Masters” and “Campaign Events” gain their fullest potential to promote the Hobby of Historical Miniatures Wargaming?

Finally, what is in store for 2002? First, growth for GI Newsletter. We will continue with smaller articles in the newsletter, but we will also begin to put larger pictures, articles and scenarios onto the GI website, with a summary in the email-newsletter.

“THE YEAR OF THE GAME MASTER”

WHAT are GM’s?

In a word? GM’s are LEADERS. All Wargamers who direct or produce Historical Miniatures Wargames, whether it is a huge convention game produced by one or more GM’s, two players matching their own two armies, or a solitary gamer at home, they all produce games, and are all “Masters that Game.” We will provide more on this from others soon.

WHY are they important?

You simply cannot have Historical Miniatures Wargaming without SOMEONE who provides the figures, scenario, and gaming system. Also, the more productive, innovative, resourceful, and skilled in leadership that someone is, the BETTER they are at leading the game, and the better that game promotes Historical Miniatures Wargaming.

WHERE can I find GM information? and WHO has experience we can learn from?

Subscribe to GAME MASTER SUPPORT NETWORK at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HMGS-GM

Also, GI will provide a full battery of references, articles, and websites with GM information and guidance, as well as input from many veteran GM’s. See a few such articles below.

HOW can “Game Masters” gain their fullest potential to promote the Hobby of Historical Miniatures Wargaming?

The GAME MASTER SUPPORT NETWORK has the following mission:

GSN MISSION (what we do): Coordination and SERVICE to support Game Masters and Conventions. Coordinated with HMGS BoD [Board of Directors] though HMGS LNO [Liaison Officer].

GSN PURPOSE (why we do it): Support GM' as an interface with Convention Managers, gaming group Directors, HMGS, for the mutual purpose of building and promoting Historical Miniatures Gaming.

“CAMPAIGN EVENTS 2002”

WHAT are “CAMPAIGN EVENTS?”

See www.jodiecon.org. Carefully planned “FULL IMMERSION” mega-wargame weekends operationally re-fighting of an entire historical campaign or its decisive battle.

The Jodiecon Campaigns of Waterloo (’98 & ’99), Market Garden, Crete, Kanev and Alexander’s Successors were VERY successful campaign examples, while Gettysburg (’99 & 2k), Monmouth, and Austerlitz are successful Decisive Battle examples.

BORODINO 2002 is the next great event of this sort. But this event, the anniversary of the 1812 Battle, will include both the “MagWeb.com Napoleonic Conference” with many principal speakers, and GI NAPOLEONIC WARGAME EXPO 2002, with scores of Napoleonic Gaming systems produced and demonstrated for all to enjoy. See more on Borodino at www.jodiecon.org.

The CAMPAIGN EVENT is not a new facet of this hobby, but one of great value, as it takes to extreme impact the values of Historical Miniatures Wargaming: in-depth education on the topic, excellent comraderie, and a new level of professional development for all. We will be providing much information on Jodiecon, and other Campaign Events in 2002, as well as HOW to produce one in your area.