Dear Don,

I just wanted to add that I as very pleased to see RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN reviewed (and reviewed favorably) in PF 67. It is an excellent, yet little advertised game.

Also in #67, Noyes Livingston mentioned seeing Conflict magazine ads for issues that haven't come out. You said he probably confused C. Games ads for the magazine. However, I've heard, though not personally seen, that there were some ads for Conflict magazine issues that have never appeared; I believe they tried to get in some money to send out at least one more Conflict.

Altho Conflict is apparently gone (along with $9.00 of my re-subscription money) they do still sell the games to my knowledge of it.

It is my understanding - and I may be mistaken - that CONFLICT #8 has been printed but the printer will not mail it until it has been paid for, which SDC so far, has not been able to do.

I'm afraid they tried to put out too fancy a product before building a sufficient circulation to make it pay.

Dear Lowry:

It's been well over a year now since the Thesis Games came out with their ads for Alesia. Since then I heard very little about any game or my money. I'd like the game but I no longer have their address to find out if they are putting it out. I've heard that the owner of Thesis is a lawyer and he should know better than to advertise a product without having it. If able to, could you please print his address so I can write to him. I hope he subscribes to PF so I can get my message across to him.

Thesis Games Inc. Charles Pasco, 1726 - 99th NE Bellevue. WA 98004

Dear Don:

Late last summer, I ordered the color catalog widely advertised by TAURUS, LTD of Chicago. I received the catalog in early October, with an indication that later editions would have color ilustrations (this one did not). On October 8, 1974, I ordered two games advertised as "now available for immediate sale" as well as an order of battle booklet entitled Data I.

I have a photocopy of my order for the games (titles: Raiders of the North, and Battle of the Atlantic) as well as a metered receipt, signed for by D A Nowokunskl, and a copy of my cancelled money order endorsed by D A Nowakski on 15 Oct 1974.

The TAURUS, LTD catalog listed 4407 N Sheridan Road is retail store address and 1010 N LaSalle as its mailing address. I visited the store Sheridan Road in late October and was told the the games were not yet printed. I visited again on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving) and found the store closed. I then visited the mailing address, and was told by its occupant that 1010 N Lasalle was only a "mail-drop" with no real connection with TAURUS LTD.

In January; First Echelon Publication of El Paso TX received a letter from TAURUS stating, "When our games leave the printers ( soon ) we will send you a free copy of each.."

On February 19, 1975, I wrote to TAURUS LTD asking if my order had been sent, and, if not, when I could expect it. I have a registered mail receipt dated 24 February 1975 acknowledging delivery. To date I have received no reply.

In February, TAURUS sent a photocopy from a letter to some of its advertisers answering the criticism of one magazine. It stated that they answer most, if not all correspondance within 10 days of receipt.

On March 18, 1975. I wrote several registered letters to TAURUS, LTD, asking if the advertised games had been printed, if they had been shipped, and when could I expect them. I noted that my order was over 5 months old, and that they had indicated that they answer most correspondence within 10 days. I have registered all receipts for these letters, as received at the Lasalle St address.

In mid-March. I visited the TAURUS, LTD retail store on Sheridan Road, and found it closed, and for rent. In talking to a neighboring storeperson, I found that the store had been vacated a round the end of January.

On March 11, I received a letter from "The Entire Taurus staff" which was quite irate at the fact that I seemed unwilling to wait 5 months for a purchase to be manufactured and shipped. Note that my first inquiry about my order was on February 19, 1975, more than 4 months after ordering. The letter from TAURUS indicated that the catalog advises that the games they advertise are not ready, were not ready, and that a wait of from 5 to 9 months should be understandable. (I quote from the 'original catalog: "Our Battle of the Atlantic game is now available for sale..." and "two of our games on Naval Conflict for immediate sale...")

Additionally, the letter refunded my original payment in an incorrect amount, and insisted that I not "bother" them again. Finally, the letter made several false, or confused allegations as to my business connections, none of which are really pertinent here.

Specifically, Don, the Taurus catalog, and their correspondence indicates that Taurus feels itself persecuted by the industry. I know a lot of gamers really don't like NOT receiving games they ordered, and consider that to be persecution.

Does anyone have anything good to say about TAURUS? DSL

Dear Mr Lowry:

Re the AH/SPI/SDC controversy: to each hsi or her own. Wargaming was/is/still (hopefully) continue to be a game system/hobby/addiction attracting individual and not dominated by either one or two vendors or by the "supergamers" who all too often have driven new gamers away from the hobby in droves.

If someone wishes to became a devotee of a small number of games -- fine. But do not tear down other persons' preferences if they differ from yours. If someone wished play every new game published once at twice - wonderful. But do not laugh at the person who has played 187 full games of Stalingrad.

I personally am a "USN" fan and have played some 20 games to conclusion. I do not consider it a difficult game -- complex, yes but not complicated. Conversly, both "WWII" and "Third Reich" are of average interest only and I enjoy both 'Combined Arms" and "Panzerblitz".

Your magazine, on balance, is by far the best I have yet encountered as it is still a gaming forum and has not became a soap box -- both Mr Dunnigan and Mr Greenwood tend to speak 'ex cathedra", especially while excommunicating the heretics--(each other, usually).

Keep up the good work.

Gentlemen,

I am writing in response to Bob Davis' article "What I Dislike About Critics of SPI" in Issue 66.

Although SPI has: 1) contributed greatly to our hobby, 2) published an impressive array of good games, and 3) shaken AH out of its long lethargy; the fact remains that many simulations are very poorly done and often playtesting is obviously a joke. The implication that we should not criticise SPI since they have contri buted so much is a false logic. With that reasoning we should not fault AH since they founded the hobby. AH has received its share of well-deserved flak. The volume is lower than SPI's simply because it's been said about a relately small amount of games.

SPI has more bad games (as wall as good ones) than any other company has in titles. This is the reason for the volume of "noise from below." Perhaps GDW with its growing record of excellence may move SPI in much the same way SPI has moved AH.

Don:

After reading the letter to you in PF #67 by Steven List I'm at last forced to write. The contention by Mr. List that a great deal of the dislike for much of SPI's games is that 15 year wargame veterans (myself included) can no longer be "experts" due to the plethora of titles churned out by the gnomes at S&T is horse fertilizer, pure and single.

The 15 year vet is unhappy with SPI for making dozens of unplayable games that's all. I'm one of those people (a simple moron to the SPI stat gatherers) who think the BORODINO, NAW (basic and advanced), and PANZERBLITZ are great games: in fact, they are about the sum total of the great, playable games that S&T has published, along with less than a half-dzen other titles. Other than incredibly brilliant new concept such as that found in STARFORCE, I see little for SPI to pound their chest about (as they incessantly do). Actually, I do see scam upon scam of poor, shabby, incomplete games with nigh impossible rules and together, hundreds of mistakes theiein. It is so sickening to read the trash spread in S&T about how great they are compared to AH; Indeed, one gathers that he should be thankful to SPI for allowing AH to exist! Yuck!

I agree with Louis Coatney that SPI's 'Quadrigame" approach may be a step in the right direction, i.e. backwards to playable, interesting wargames for ignorami such as myself.

You do not ban to apologize for your editorial policies. Don, as I'd be willing to bet that a lot more people out there are disenchanted with SPI than they would care to admit. In sum, AH doesn't affect me one way or the other. SPI, due to their constant Anti-AH campaigning, turns me off.

PS - PF continues to lead the field in wargaming as an open form for the little guy to be able to voice his opinion. Thanks!