Have I got news for you!

As most of you are vaguely aware, Lowry Enterprises, Inc., has consisted of three related businesses. The oldest is Lowry's Hobbies, our mailorder business, conducted mainly via our discount catalog. We started Lowry's Hobbies in Belleville, Illinois in early 1970, from scratch, with a few hundred bucks, moving to Evansville, Indiana in October of 1970.

In early 1971 we added Guidon Games when we started producing our own games and rules booklets (another shoestring outfit), and about a year after that we bought PANZERFAUST from Don Greenwood, who was going to work for Avalon Hill. In October of 1972 we moved here to Maine in search of larger quarters to hold the employees we needed to handle all that work, Unfortunately sales dropped off drastically about them, and though they occasionally improved, they didn't do so consistently enough to cover all those salaries.

As a result we got rather badly in debt. We finally let the extra help go last October and started a program of economic retrenchement which kept us from having to go bankrupt, but resulted in pretty lousy service for Lowry's Hobbies customers most of the time (due to the inability to stock up on anything in much quantity) and often delayed the printing of PANZERFAUST (and wiped out CAMPAIGN completely).

However, we are happy to announce that there is a happy ending to the story: We have sold the Lowry's Hobbies part of the business to a fellow member of the Down East Wargamers' Association, Pete Rice! He has changed the name and address to THE TOY SOLDIER Searsport, Maine 04974. There's no need to worry about orders being lost in the shuffle he just lives up the road a few miles and has been getting some on-the-job training.

By the time you read this the transfer will be completed and the new business running in high gear. All back orders will be filled, refunds paid etc. Unused credit slips will be honored by the new business or by PF or Guidon Games, as you like.

What does all this mean to you, the PANZERFAUST subscriber? Mostly it means we will have more time to devote to working on PF: netting it out on time, working more closely with writers and illustrators to improve the contents. Also our financial condition will be good enough to insure that we can cover the printing bill when it's time for another PF.

We can also improve our stock of games, etc. to improve service on orders on-our discount coupons. Also we will be able to bring out some new Guidon Games products in the near future. But mostly our ambition is to improve PANZERFAUST and make it the best gaming magazine possible. We ask your continued support toward that end.

The last issue was a very unusual one. so far as the Return Fire 1-10 ratings go. It contained both the highest and lowest rated articles we've ever had!

BAR LEV: The Use of the Israeli AF 7.77
CHACO: Game Review 6.83
ISSUE #62 AS A WHOLE 6.63
The Swedish National Army 6.33
Delaying Action 6.30
Thumbnail Analysis 6.17
WINTER WAR: Addendum 5.70
SS Cavalry - 1945 5.40
Passing In Review 5.40
Wargamer's Guide to the ACW 5.30
Line of Communications 5.27
G2 Reports 4.97
Mail Call 4.97
Realistic D-DAY 4.90
Reconnaissance In Force 4.67
Strategy I Checklist 4.67
DIPLOMACY: Fight to the Finnish 3.97

This also sets a record for the number of articles rated below five and is the first time one ever rated below four! However, that 7.77 decisively tops the previous record of 7.59 set by John Lundstrom's "Prelude to Disaster". And the overall rating for the issue is the best since #59's 6.93. Once again the voting for best three refused to agree with the 1-10 ratings.

BAR LEV - Hill $5.00
Swedish National Army - Clotfelter 3.00
CHACO: Game Review - Greene 2.00