The Lead/Pewter controversy is the latest off-the-table battle to confront the hobby. Most American manufacturers are changing to pewter type materials as fast as they can. However there are many voices screaming that this is just a ploy to raise the prices of figures! The facts that we have to live with are: 1. Lead ingestion is horribly dangerous to young children. 2. The public can be easily swayed into believing that warmongers who play war could care less about their children's welfare. 3. A small hobby is an easy target for legislative action. 4. It is only a matter of time before all state legislatures hop on the bandwagon to make political hay with their constituents. 5. Insurance companies around the country are refusing to sell liability insurance to companies who use lead in their figures. New York's recently passed bill (April 1) allows a maximum of .06% lead in toys, and models, etc. There is no exclusion for miniatures used in the hobby as there is in Federal Law. I believe that the NY law will be the basis for all other state's legislation. Most figure manufacturer's have seen the handwriting on the wall and have started the change so as to have no lead inventory by the time these laws take effect. Obviously some will attempt to gouge out a greater than necessary price increase to earn a momentary maximum profit, but market forces will overtake them and reasonable price increases will prevail. However an other unexpected cost factor has reared it's ugly head! Note the .06% content allowed. Manufacturers who have used their melting furnaces for lead for any length of time will find that residual lead is leaching out of the pot liners into the pewter mix to give a much greater percentage of lead content then expected. Replacement of this capital equipment is going to be an even greater cost. I worry about the small cottage industries that make up so much of our hobby. The transition is more painful for them and some are tempted to maintain the status quo. I believe that that is a big mistake. There are too many people out there who sue to make a living and will see the hobby as an easy target for easy money. Everyone Manufacturer, Publisher, Hobby store should at least be incorporated to protect their personal assets and get liability insurance if they can. If, as a gaming club, you sometimes allow attendance by small children or by parents who bring small children, you should consider your exposure here as well. A Major problem will be the Foreign Figure Manufacturers. The temptation will be to undersell the American manufacturer by offering cheaper lead figures. This is bound to result in a war as the reaction of the Americans will be to insist on full application of the no-lead laws, with prosecution of those who violate it in the selling or the buying of figures with lead content and woe to those who continue to import high lead content figures from abroad, either as a distributor/seller or personally. It is important that we, the hobbyists support the manufacturers in these trying times. The last thing I think we want to see is the loss of variety because many manufacturers had to fall by the wayside. Give them your support, yes but also keep the market honest by buying the pewter figures as the lowest offered price. GAMA AWARDS The GAMA AWARDS for best gaming products is usually awarded at Origins each year. For various reasons the 91 awards were not made. This year both 91 and 92 awards will be given at Origins in Texas. I urge you all to vote using the ballot found in the center of this issue, It is essential so that Historical Miniatures will get their just due. Never mind deadline dates! just get your vote in Back to Table of Contents -- Courier # 61 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com