VICTORY GAMES, INC., has been formed to initially provide hard-core wargames. In the future, they will expand into innovative science fiction, fantasy and role-playing adventure games.

The design staff is composed of former SPI designers Mark Herman, John Butterfield, Eric Smith and Gerry Klug.

The range of topics to which Victory Games plans to address itself has not been categorically limited. since the design staff includes experienced personnel in virtually every aspect of the industry.

According to Jerry Glichenhouse, Director of Marketing, "We plan on filling a void in the marketplace. The loyal base of the industry -- the serious gamer -- has been neglected during the past couple of years. Our line will be strongly oriented to the gamer's games -- sophisticated and well thought out."

Victory Games will release their first group of games at the hobby industry trade show, HIA 1983. The entire staff planned to attend Origins '82 in Baltimore to answer any questions that consumers, dealers, or distributers may have had.

TSR HOBBIES, INC., has announced the acquisition of the copyrights, trademarks and trade names owned by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) of New York.

TSR will utilize the acquired copyrights and trade names in a separate division of TSR Hobbies, Inc. TSR is planning on the continued publication of the SPI magazines Strategy and TacticsAres, through it's new SPI division.

TSR plans to evaluate approximately 100 of the current game titles to further develop the products that have proven successful, and discontinue those which have not been popular.

THE AMERICAN WARGAMING ASSOCIATION is a non-profit, national wargaming club which is in the process of compiling a nationwide directory of wargaming clubs. This directory will be made available for a minimal charge and will describe each club's interests and activities, as well as giving the club's mailing address.

THE SPI NEWSLETTER For Your Eyes Only has been purchased from TSR Hobbies, Inc.. by Steven V. Cole. Mr. Cole is a partner in Tiger Publications, which will operate the newsletter.

Mr. Cole is a professional engineer, military analyst. and game designer. For over two years. he has been the military affairs editor for a weekly national news magazine. He had been picked by SPI be become the newsletter's new editor before that company ceased to operate. TSR Hobbies had no plans to continue the news letter and accepted Mr. Cole's purchase offer.

Plans have been announced to cut the price 30%, (from $50 per year to $35). reduce the time-lag between an event and its report from months to days, mail the newsletter on a regular schedule, and to start an extensive advertising campaign.

MDG WINTER GAMEFEST sponsored by the Metro Detroit Gamers, will be held November 12- 14, at Cobo Hall in Detroit's downtown convention center. Over 250 events will be featured including many tournaments in board games, miniatures, and roleplaying games; three game auctions; a major figure- painting contest; a video arcade room with tournaments; an art show and auction; seminars and meetings; and a 24- hour open gaming room. Admission is $12 per weekend ticket and $6 per daily ticket if pre-registered before November 1, 1982.

GEN CON XV Game Convention is scheduled for August 19 thru 22, at the University of Wisconsin, Parkside Racine-Kenosha.

MASSCON 1982, will be held September 18-19, at Amherst, Mass. Events will include: Squad Leader, Panzer Leader, WSIM, Diplomacy, fantasy role playing, armor and Civil War miniatures, computer games, figure painting contest and more.

DRAGONFLIGHT '82 will be held August 27-29, at the Campion Tower, of Seattle University. The convention will feature board games, historical miniatures, and a wide variety of roleplaying games to entertain the Northwest gamer. A miniature figure show and painting competition is part of the art show at this year's convention. Movies, demonstrations, and seminars are also available. Pre-registration is $12 until August 20; $15 at the door; and single day registration sold at the door is $5 Friday, $5 Saturday and $5 for Sunday.

GATEWAY 1982 will be held September 4-6 ( the Labor Day weekend ), at the Sheraton-Anaheim Hotel, next to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Wargame, fantasy, sports, SF, and family game tournaments will be featured, along with industry exhibitors and many special events. Something for everyone, from novices to experienced players. Admission: $12.50 for advance preregistration for all three days; or $14 at the door for all three days; or $10 at the door for one day only.

PACIFICON will be held over the Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, at the Dunfey Hotel in San Mateo.

CROSSFIRE will be held October 9-10. Role playing games, miniatures, and board games. Pre-registration (by September 1) is $5. At-the-door registration is $9.

WIN GAMES III will be held October 810. This event will be held in the University Centre Building at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

NEW RELEASES

Guadacanal Campaign is SSI's first monster computer game was released this summer.

The gume starts in August, 1942, and ends on December 31, 1942. Each day is divided into a.m. and p.m. turns -- 294 turns in all. Every Japanese and American warship that historically participated in the campaign is included and rated for speed, cargo/plane carrying capacity. damage points, and number of main guns, secondary anti-aircraft guns and torpedo tubes.

The computer provides a colorful search map and allows for realistic battle conditions. such as hidden movement, limited intelligence, and inaccurate ship sightings. During tactical battle, it resolves every combat down to the last ship and plane.

As chief strategist, you must form forces from your fleet, provide them with a mission, and deploy them wisely. You must nom~nly deal with the interaction of infantry, ships, and planes, but with the smaller details, such as loading transports and training carrier pilots. The computer will provide you with a pipeline-of-ships report so you know when repaired ships and reinforcements will he available.

When a long game is neither feasible or desirable, players may choose one of the shorter scenarios, which can be played in two to four hours.

Finally, there is a solitaire game in which the computer takes on the role of the Japanese. This game is designed for the 48K Apple II Plus, Apple III or Apple II with Aplesoft ROM Card. The complete game sells for $59.95.

The Battle of Shiloh by SSI is now available for the Atari 400/800.

The game recreates the setting for the most c-sized units during three phases: movement, artillery and combat. Casualties and scores are displayed after each phase.

The units move on a brilliant, colorful battlefield which includes a variety of terrain features, such as fields, forests, hills, creeks and rivers. The map can be smoothly scrolled horizontally, allowing a player to cover the entire map. The game includes a solitaire version in which the palyer may choose either army. Each army may be rated at the start of the game to assure a balanced match.

Includes disc or cassette, rule book and player-aid cards for $39.95. The disc version requires a 40K Atari 400/800 with BASIC cartridge and one disc drive. The cassette version requires an Atari 400/800 with BASIC cartridge.

Tigers in the Snow by SSI is also now available for the Atari 400/800.

This game simulates the famous German offensive of December, 1944. The (iermans attempt to destroy the Allies' stronghold while the outnumbered allies try to hold on until their reinforcements arrive. The forces are on a division/regiment scale. Each side has infantry, artillery and air power. Fuel restrictions and weather conditions affect the attack/defense strategies each player may choose.

Includes disc or cassette, rule book and player-aid cards for $39.95.

The disc version requires a 40K Atari 400/800 with Basic cartridge and one disc drive. The cassette version requires an Atari 400/800 wtih basic cartridge.

THE CITADEL Stores of Groton, Conn., and Worcester, Mass., are pleased to announce their affiliation with game designer Larry Harris (designer of Axis and Allies) in the release of two games at Origin's 82.

Broadsides & Boarding Parties Two 12gun ships going at it, one on one. Each ship has 35 personnel units on the hexgrid ship display. Each cannon and musket shot is resolved individually. Play testers call the melee phase "pig piling". A Fighting Phases Randomizer has been introduced to reflect the chaotic nature of shipboard fighting.

VI Caesars A two- to six-player game involving leaders, generals, armies, cities, roads, and money. A tactical combat display rounds out this game of Mediterranean conquest which involves diplomacy, road building, campaigns and sieges.

These games are published by Citadel's Game Series (CGS). Check for them with your local dealer.

COMING FROM GDW during the summer season are several new items for the popular Traveller science fiction role- playing series, as well as traditional boardgames.

The Traveller Book is the first in a line of hardcover books from GDW. This volume serves as the starter set for a new series of books, which by Christmas will include The traveller Adventure, The Traveller Starfleet, The Traveller Alien and The Traveller Soldier due next year.

Other upcoming items from GDW include The Solamani Rim and Prison Planet (booklets for the Traveller series), and several historical titles Bulge, 1815, Assault, and ETO.

King Arthur's Heir is a new computer fantasy quest game in which the player serves at the King's right hand. Arthur, King of the Britons, has named him heir to the throne.

But the player must prove himself worthy to hold the crown of Camelot. Arthur commands that he shall go in quest of the treasured Scroll of Truth, hidden by the great wizard, Merlin.

The game is available for the ATARI 400/800 (32K) with joystick controller, from EPYX, P.O. Box 4247, Mountain View, CA 94040. The price is $29.95.

Alien Garden is a new computer strategy-action game in which the player is challenged to survive in a world thriving with enticing crystal life forms. Somc crystals are edible, while others explode, killing the player. To gain the most points, the player must decide whether to sting, avoid or eat each type of crystal. The faster he does, the more rapidly his score increases.

Alien Garden is available on ROM cartridge for the ATARI 400/80U from EPYX, P.O. Box 4247, Mountain View CA 94040. The price is $39.95.