When I finally decided that Johnny Reb really did need another edition -- JR III -- I was determined that this time it would be properly supported. Like GDW did with JR II, I was determined to bring out more scenario books and -- most important establish a Newsletter that would keep the ideas flowing.

Well, I got as far as a few scenario cards good enough by themselves -- but hardly bookworthy and the newsletter never really got done. And that was a real regret. But, now, Scott has stepped up and we will finally have a Newsletter that will round out the full package... and Scott, of course, has also been doing the scenario books I never did -- and just as well -- as they are done far better then I would have done.

Those of you that have participated in the online Yahoo's JRIII discussion group have already contributed to how JRIII is played and interpreted and I look forward to more vigorous discussion and debate on everything from the nature of the civil war woods -- they came in many flavors, as Dean West has pointed out -- to the proper placement and representation of ammo wagons.

However, while the online discussion group had a real spontaneity -- and that is good -- it lacked a "keepsake" or "reference" storage value that only a "paper product" could have. While we all appreciated and admired the loving care and artistic talent that that Ivor Janci lavished on the Zouave, it came out too infrequently to keep the interest going ... but, we treasured every issue. Ahh, but a vibrant newsletter fills that "printed" void that exists between online discussion group and a slick magazine. It is a place where talented gamemasters could offer up interesting new scenarios for playtesting, or techniques for simulating the impact of weather or changing seasons on visibility and movement, or master scenery builders, such as Doug Kline, could offer simple techniques that could improve the look of any of our wargame tables. The concept is very valid, and it has been needed for far too many years.

So, thank you Scott for finding the time, patience, and foresight to actually bring it to reality.