Another convention has drawn to a close: Historicon '97 has come and gone. This year's theme was "Victory at Sea", which was well represented by keynote speakers and several mega-games.

Clash of Empires sponsored two five-hour games of "Nachod II" in the Distelfink Ballroom.There were some scheduling problems caused when the Convention Director moved our alotted time on Friday from 2:00 pm to 11:30 am and then neglected to inform me about the switch!!!

I had arrived just before noon on Friday, giving myself what I thought was a full two hours to set up, when they dropped the bomb (or should I say they dropped the ball). To those readers who had signed up for the game and were left standing around an empty table, you have my most abject apologies (what kind of slot is 11:30 am, anyway?)

Be that as it may, pickup attendance for the game was rather good, and in both cases the Austrian masses were held back, with some difficulty, by the Sons of the Rhine. I am planning to run this spectacle again at Cold Wars '98.

Reader Thomas Hoff, from Chicago, IL., writes "On your handy guide to wargaming figures you said that Freikorps does not make figures for the Mexican American war. So far I've painted about 300 of the ones they make and they are really nice."

OOOPS! I stand corrected. Freikorps does make 15mm Mex-Americans. Tom goes on to say that the line encompasses "All the usual types plus some offbeat things like the NY (regiment) in shakos for the Californian Expedition." Freikorps also does "an extensive range for the Maximilian period...not to mention the Great Paraguayan War 1865-71." Many thanks for the commentary and corrigenda, Tom.

While I'm on the topic of corrections and retractions, I would like to undo an accidental disservice done by me to Modelers Mart in Clearwater, FL. While they remain distributors for Frontier 15 and 25 mms, Modelers Mart is no longer casting the line - apparantly someone else retains those rights. So any flash or other flaws is not their fault, at least where Frontier figures are concerned.

On a related note, Frontier has adapted a "mega-bag" packaging strategy, perhaps in response to the actions of other manufacturers. In 25mm they are offering 30 infantry or 10 cavalry for $19.95, 15mm figs are 100 infantry or 30 cavalry for $18.50. The new pricing is excellent, but again presents problems for those of us who are rounding out armies.

What's your opinion, dear readers? Alan Conroy and Dale Stewart have asked how we, the gamers, feel about this rigid marketing strategy. Should they additionally adopt a "compromise pack" of six to ten figures at a higher price per figure? Write them at 1555 Sunshine Drive, Clearwater, FL 34625, or Fax them at (813)449-1397.

In last issue, in the article on the Crimean War skirmish, the map has no terrain key because I felt it was superfluous. At least one reader mistook the river for a road, so I thought perhaps to make it clear here and now: It's a river and not a road (possibly you mistook my reference to a "Ford"?) There actually is no road whatsoever, since the idea is to get your players lost in the "Fog of War".

Finally, we've expanded four pages with this issue. Hope you all approve.

What's Next

• Second Schleswig War: KJAER - 1864
• Uniforms of the Kingdom of Naples - Part II
• Orders of Battle for Rome: 1849
• Finally, Some Franco-Prussian Stuff!
  and much, much more!!!

-Finis-