Product News
AIM 10mm figures has been purchased by Division after Division for production in the US. Production is expected to begin by April, with a goal of rounding out the Napoleonics, Ancients, and Dark Ages lines, and producing a complete Seven Years War line. Contact Roger Dospil, 16710 Bradbe Rd, Fisherville, KY 40023, tel:(502) 267-8146, email: rdosboe@aol.com
Battlefront, aka Military Miniatures, has released more 15mm WWII figures and vehicles in resin and metal. New offerings include American engineers, White scout car, and M18 Hellcat, British Churchill Mk I/II, Churchill Mk VII, German pioneers, PzIII L/M, PzIVG, 75mm infantry gun, Sdkfz 7 prime mover, Sdkfz 11 prime mover, and JgPz IV/L70, Russian engineers, AT riflemen, submachine gunners, T-70, Zis-5 truck with and without quad AAMG, and Zis-6 truck. Promised in March are a Jagdtiger, Elefant, horse-drawn limbers, and a Soviet 37mm AA gun. There are also some new French buildings. Available from A.T.A.K. Miniatures, 38 Shady Lane, Mercerville NJ 08619, tel: (609)890-2550, email: atak@nerc.com, web: http://www.nerc.com/~atak.
Battle Honors has a batch of new 25 mm WWII items out, including the US M3 scout car with crew, redesigned US M3 halftrack, M3 halftrack with 75mm gun, British Daimler and Humber scout cars with crews, Bedford truck, vehicle crew, German Opel Blitz straight up or with canvas top and infantry, or with a commo van body, Daimler Benz Maultier prime mover, and vehicle crew. Available from Grandiosity, Inc, P.O. Box 750992, Dayton, OH 45475-0992, tel: (937) 439-2488, web: http://www.erinet.com/bp/index.html,email: grandio@erinet.com.
Connoisseur has some new 25 mm figures out, including Napoleonic Saxon Hussars without command and a Bavarian limber set. For the Kitchener campaign there are Egyptian lancers without command, supply camels with leaders and falling camels with riders. The ACW line now has horse holder with horse, and resin casualty markers for cavalry, destroyed artillery and destroyed limber. Available from J & T Miniatures, HC 83 Box 15, Pequot Lakes, Mn. 56472, tel: (218) 568-7447, email: miniatureships@yahoo.com.
Essex has turned out a bunch of new 15 mm figures. Notable are a Viking boat, Dark Ages leader's boat and a Middle Eastern boat to fit 40x80 mm bases for DBM, with rowers and crew available for Dark Ages, Egyptian, Sherdan, Pelset, Mycenean, and Assyrian armies, as well as generic slave oarsmen. There are Skythians (four foot, four mounted), Maccabean Jewish (three foot, one mounted), and three general purpose irregular infantry packs. There is a substantial AMR line, with American (10 foot, light dragoons, artillery, and command), British (nine foot, light dragoons, artillery and command), and German (10 foot, artillery, and command) packs. For WWII there are a dozen German packs in regular field dress, another dozen in smocks, seven packs of British, and a dozen us packs. These are typically several infantry packs, and then packs of infantry heavy weapons. The Germans also include a pack of half-figure vehicle commanders. Moving back to the Medieval and Renaissance eras, there are eight pike, swordsman, mounted arquebusier and lancers, plus command suitable for the Spanish and English of 1550-1605, five musketeers with rest, four arquebusiers, artillerists, English demilancers, borderers, archers, billmen, and command, plus some Medieval Mamelukes, dismounted knights (1350-99), crossbows, English archers and billmen, East European bows, and some "poorly armed hordes." Available from Wargames, Inc, Box 278, Triadelphia, WV 26059, tel: (304) 547-0000, email: shood@ict.org.
Frontline Wargaming has some new scenic items for your colonial games, including a 25 mm African village pack with clay oven, log drum, grinding stone, fire, pots, and other bits and pieces, and a mealie bag wall for your stalwart defenders. In 20 mm there is a jeep and M3 halftrack, a Sampan with thatched shelter, and a Vietnamese L-shaped hootch. Gibraltar Farm, Ham Lane, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3JJ, United Kingdom.
GHQ has filled in a few small gaps in their WWII Microarmor line, releasing packs of German SdKfz 231 armored cars, SdKfz 233 and 263 75 mm and command armored cars, etched brass aerials for SdKfz 232 and 263, motorcycles with sidecars, and the E-100 prototype tank, along with a US M40: an open-topped M4 hull with a 155mm gun.
Matchlocks on the Warpath is a set of rules for skirmish actions in the17th century, but may be used for any period prior to repeating firearms. Unit lists for Colonists, Indians, and Pirates are included. Written by John Lundberg and published by Historical Enterprises Co. e-mail: drumlund@aol.com, web: http://members.aol.com/hisentco/.
Merrimack Miniatures has released another 15 mm resin ACW model, this one of the City class ironclads. Priced at $35, the model is 11" long and comes with 13 guns. They also have come out with a pack of cotton bales ($2.50) and one of ship wreckage ($5.00). Merrimack is now producing and distributing Yucca 15mm ACW coastal and fortress guns, and expects to have the full line available by press time. Merrimack Miniatures, c/o J & T Miniatures, HC 83 Box 15, Pequot Lakes, MN.56472, tel: (218) 568-7447, email: miniatureships@yahoo.com.
Musket Miniatures has a load of new buildings, scenics, and civilian figure sets. Among these are a dozen 1/300 North African buildings which come in pre- and post-destruction versions, an HO-scale outhouse, and lots of N-scale (10mm) stuff. These last include woodchopping crews, a crew loading supply wagons, farmers pitching hay, loading a hay wagon, plowing, and loading a milk wagon, and winds up with a complete farm with buildings, animals, family, and piles of accessories. There are a variety of horse and mule teams, mounted cowboys, sheepherders, wagon trains with horses, mules, or oxen, and some livestock, just what you need to round out that Wild West table top. PO Box 1976, Broomfield, CO 80038, tel: (303-439-9336), email: MUSKETMIN1@aol.com, web: http://www.musketminiatures.com.
Navwar has added Romanians to their WWII 1/300 line, including the Vanatorul de Care R-35, Tacam R-2, Tacam T-60A, Resita M-43 75mm A.T, and an IAR 80 fighter. Available from Regal Miniatures, 609 Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50313, tel: (515) 984-6470.
Osprey recent issues include San Juan 1898, Eggmuhl 1809, and Vittoria 1813 in the Campaign series, The Indochina War 1946-1954 and Armies of the Caliphates 862-1098 in the Men-at-Arms series, and Italian Militiaman 1260-1392 in the Warrior series.
Old Glory recent releases include in 15mm for WWII, British Matilda MkII and Valentine Mk VIII Tanks, and the Soviet BA64 Armored Car. There are half a dozen bags of 1940 French, and German riflemen for 1940 and the Afrika Korps.
There is a new 25mm Spanish-American War line of 30 bags, including US white and Negro Infantry, Volunteers, Rough Riders, sailors, Marines, artillery, Gatling guns, machine guns and dynamite gun, plus Spanish Infantry, guerrilla cavalry, sailors, and artillery. There are a couple of bags of Cuban rebels, several artillery pieces, American personalities and "Famous newspaper reporters and others."
The new ECW line in 25 mm has 16 bags of pikemen, four of musketeers, six of cavalry (plus dismounted dragoons), Highlanders with bows or assorted weapons, Lowland pikes, musketeers, cavalry and artillerists, along with command, generals, artillery crews, personalities, flags, and five guns.
The Mongols in Europe line is extended with four bags of mounted knights and one of mounted retainers for both Polish and Hungarian contingents, plus a bag of Cuman mounted retainers.
Also in 25 mm, the Colonial Wars have sprouted all sorts of new figures. For the Boer War, the are two bags of Boer and three of British infantry. For the Dervish unpleasantness, there are three bags of British infantry, Fuzzy-Wuzzies with swords or spears, Ansar spearmen and swordsmen, charging cavalry, and a bag of Dervish command. For the Indian Mutiny there are five bags of British infantry, some Highlanders, artillery crews, and a couple of bags of mutineer infantry. Moving to the Northwest Frontier, we have three bags of Indian infantry, opposed by Pathan command, riflemen, swordsmen, and jezail/musket troops. Finally, for the Zulu wars there are six bags of British infantry, and Zulu in married, unmarried, and rifle-bearing versions. Outland Games is producing 15mm WWII figures, with infantry and support packs for Italian, German, British, Australian and French. composition varies with nationality, but the infantry packs have about 20 riflemen, and may have LMG, MMG, or SMG figures as well. The support packs have mortars, with perhaps an AT gun, howitzer, or HMG, with crews and an officer or two. 1061 Bertram Ave, Dayton, OH 45406, tel: (937) 276-2336, email: outland@erinet.com, web: http://www.w-n-s.com/shops/OutlandG/index.htm
Quality Casting continues to churn out the new releases in their 15mm WWII line. For the US, there are newly sculpted versions of the M7 Priest, M3A1 White scout car, and M5A1 Stuarts with 37mm, M26, M8 HMC Scott 75mm, and new M1 155mm Howitzer, with 155mm and 105mm artillery crews. For the UK, there is a redone M3 Honey with 37mm, a new Kangaroo (Priest version) APC, 5.5" gun/howitzer, and artillery crews for the 5.5" and 25 pdr. There is an Italian 149 mm howitzer, with crews for the 149mm and 100 mm guns, and similar German artillery crews for 10.5 cm and 15 cm guns. The Russians get crews for 122mm and 155mm artillery, plus rubber-tired limbers. The Sherman, PzKw IV, and KV-1 tracks have been resculpted and appear on all the vehicles and variants with those chassis. There are also a bunch of new resin aircraft, including a Spitfire MkVb, P-51D Mustang, F6F-3 Hellcat, and Yak-9D. PO Box 11714, Alexandria, VA 22312, tel: (703) 354-5469 eves after 6:00, new email address: qc@qualitycast.com, and new web URL: http://www.qualitycast.com/
Realmworks has added Soviet WWII aircraft to their Flying Tigers line of metal models, which come with decals. Priced at $14 per pack of two or three models,, the new items include the IL2 type 3 Stormovik, MiG3, LaGG3, Poliarkarpov I-152 (I-15 bis), I-16, I-15, and I-153. Realmwerks, PO Box 579, Merrickville, Ontario, Canada K0G-1N0, tel: (613) 269-2557, email: david_jackson@fcmail.com, web: http://www.fortunecity.com/underworld/grandprix/623
Reviresco has released two new Model "T" Ford kits in 25mm scale, passenger cars and sandbagged flat cars to go with their new 1/72nd scale train for Colonial games, and a 1/144th scale SPAD 13. Reviresco Products, c/o John McEwan, 1119 San Francisco Ave. NE, Olympia, WA 98506, tel: (360) 754-9591, email: shamrock@halcyon.com, web: www.halcyon.com/shamrock.
Santa Anna Rule Set, vol. I uses Buck Surdu's Tactical System for larger battles of the Mexican American war. This volume contains rules tuned to the characteristics of this war, orders of battle and background information on the Mexican-American War and the Maximillian Adventure, accompanied by scenarios for Buena Vista, Churubusco, Puebla. and San Jacinto. Each player commands a brigade.
Thoroughbred has new 1/600 ACW ships: packs of Mortar Schooners (2 Each) & Rafts (4 Each) at $10.00 a pack. 4106 Timberland Drive, Portsmouth, VA, 23703, tel: (757) 686-1048, email: trbarrett@worldnet.att.net.
True North has introduced 15mm 1939 Poles, in czapka and backpack. Packs of 50 infantry and heavy weapons (LMG, HMG, ATR, and mortars, with crews) are available so far. Polish highland division and cavalry in Adrian helmet are promised, along with vehicles. True North Miniatures, PO Box 579, Merrickville, Ontario, Canada, K0G-1N0, tel: (613) 269-2557, web: http://underworld.fortunecity.com/grandprix/623/true_north2.html. Available in the US from Men-at-Arms, 309 S. Westmore Avenue, Lombard, Illinois 60148, tel: (630) 889-9606.
Vanguard recent issues include books on the PzKw III, PzKw IV, SdKfz 25l Half Track and German Light Panzers.
Warfare in the Age of Discovery is a set of Renaissance Miniatures Rules (1470-1680) By Todd Kershner and Dale Wood. Army lists for the Italian Wars and the Religious Wars are included, as is a mapless campaign system, for $22.50. Available from Grandiosity - Historical Books and Miniatures Store, tel: (937) 439-2488, web: http://www.erinet.com/bp.
Magazines
Midwest Wargamer's Association Newsletter continues to provide almost 200 pages of miniature wargaming reading every other month. A few examples of articles from the Nov/Dec issue: Charles Sharp on improving the painting of WWII tanks for the tabletop, Bryan Ansell on manufacturing miniatures, rules supplements and a Wild West scenario for The Rules with No Name, a very simple set of WWI rules with a battle report, some Jack Scruby reprints, a history of the British attack at New Orleans in 1812, reviews, letters, and a whole lot more. Highly recommended. $35/6issues from Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Dr, Richton Park, IL 60471.
Seven Years War Association Journal includes in the Winter 98 edition an account of a tour of Silesia with Christopher Duffy which occupies most of the magazine with participant accounts, descriptions of the battlefields visited, and short histories of these battles with maps. There is also some reprinted regimental history material. 64 pp, $30/4 issues from James Purky, 3127 Park Place, Evanston, IL 60201, email:.JPURKY@aol.com.
Practical Wargamer has unfortunately ceased publication with the January edition.
The Canadian Wargamers Journal has also had to stop publishing, although the Canadian Wargamers Group is still producing booklets and desktop published play aids, and individual articles will be published on the net at http://www.telusplanet.net public/cwgroup/cwghome.html.
Miniature Wargames, the British glossy, begins a multi-part guide to the Spanish Civil War in the February issue, with background material, a couple of color uniform plates, maps, and history of the early part of the war. Other installments of multi-part articles include treatment of the War of the Portuguese Restoration (1640-1668), the Mexican American War, and Fontenoy. There are also articles on Hastings, Gross-Gorschen (1813), and a random scenario generator for WWII, along with news, reviews, and letters, along with the usual numerous full-color photos of miniatures. US subscriptions from Wargames Inc, Box 278, Route 40 East, Triadelphia, WV 26059-0278, tel: (304) 547-0000.
Spearpoint is the newsletter of the North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers. The Nov/Dec 98 issue includes two sets of official DBM v2.1 amendments, clarifications and amendments by Phil Barker and R. Bodley Scott, a history and army list of the oasis city states of the Tarim Basin (in present Xinjiang province, China)by Darrell Smith, tournament results, theme rules and army lists for the Historicon tournaments, tournament announcements, and Society news. 24 pp, $18 / 6 issues & membership from Scott Dickson, 590 Woodend Dr. SE, Concord, NC 28025.
Other Magazines Received
- Age of Napoleon, On Military Matters, 55 Taylor Terrace, Hopewell, NJ 08525, $42/ 6 issues.
The Citadel, (HMGS NW), c/o Mark Serafin, 2614 Rucker Ave #14, Everett, WA 98201, $10.
The Herald, (HMGS Great Lakes), HMGS membership Secretary, 2251 Wayne Madison Rd, Trenton, OH45 067, $10/6 issues, membership.
HMGS Dispatch, (Midsouth), Major Bill Harting, 101 Taylor Rd, Estill Springs, TN 37330-3831.
HMGS East Newsletter, LTC Wilbur Gray, 2727 Duke St, Apt 1106, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Lone Warrior, (solo wargaming), Solo Wargamers Association, 1707 Ridge Rd, Leavenworth, KS 66048., $20 / 4 issues.
PW Review, Walter Simon, 12905 Layhill Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20906, $18/12 issues.
Tornado Alert, (Tornado Alley HMGS), TAHMGS, PO Box 890031, Oklahoma City, OK 73189-0031, $12/6 issues, membership.
The Zouave, (ACW), The Zouave, c/o marek/Janci Design, 725 Ranch Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187-3656, email: mjdesign@eagle.ais.net, $24/ 4 issues.
Calendar
Insertions into this column are free. Please use the format indicated with venue, dates, type of games (using code below) and contact point- address and phone number. Be sure to have it to us at least 4 months before your event.
Event codes (best available information, check with contact person for details) HM: historical miniatures; FM: fantasy or science fiction miniatures; BG: boardgames; RP: roleplaying; CG: computer games; PC: painting contest; LS: lectures, seminars, etc; AT: ancients tournament; AU: auction, TO: tour.
4-6 June PRAIRIECON XXI Canadian Inn, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada(HM, FM,BG,RP, PC,LS,AU) POC:PrairieCon, Box 21029, W.E.P.O., Brandon, Manitoba Canada. (204)765-2379; prairiecon@hotmail.com.
11-13 Jun 99 GI JODIECON-WATERLOO 1815 at the USMA Prep School, Fort Monmouth, NJ. Weekend (HM Napoleonic Campaign.) Web: http://www.planet.net/pjtsavo/JodieCon99.html POC: Jodie Lindberg, PO Box 372, Oceanport, NJ 07757 jodiecon@yahoo.com
11-13 June Bayou Wars Quality Hotel in Metairie, LA (HM) Sponsored by HMGS Gulf-South. Contact: Hilton McManus, 6612 Colbert St., New Orleans, LA 70124, tel: H (504) 486-5340 W (800) 796-4696, email: HCMcManus@aol.com
1-4 July ORIGINS 99 Columbus, OH. Mxd, POC: Andon, POB 13500,Columbus, OH 43213 614-856-3219 AndonEvts@aol.com
21-25 July Historicon, Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster PA. (HM, LS, PC, AT) sponsored by HMGS East. Contact: James (JT) Thomas Jr., 8314 Sprague Place, New Carrollton, MD 20784, tel: 301-552-4879, email: KingJT@aol.com
5-8 Aug GENCON GAME FAIR 99 Milwaukee, WI. Mxd, POC: Andon, POB 13500,Columbus, OH 43213 614-856-3219 AndonEvts@aol.com
21 Aug The Valley Campaign (aka SurduKahn II) College Station, TX. (HM).POC: John R (Buck) Surdu, 2208 Dewberry Lane, Bryan, TX 77807. 409-775-4781. surdu@cs.tamu.edu NOTE NEW DATE.
10-12 Sept Southern Front '99at the Club Hotel by Doubletree (2815 Capital Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27604; 919-872-7666) POC: Chris Hughes (919-859-0056) or email murat@concentric.net Website: www.concentric .net/~murat/TSS /SouthernFront.html All periods of historical miniatures, from ancients to modern; dealers welcome (contact above
17-19 Sept Advance the Colors, Holiday Inn Dayton South, Dayton, Ohio. (HM) sponsored by HMGS Great Lakes. Contact: RAy Garbee, 3920 #16 Rossevelt Blvd, Middletown, OH 45044, email:garbee@aol.com,
18-19 Sep NOVAGCON '99 - WestPark Hotel, Tysons, Corner, VA. Vendorsand gamers fleamarket. HM, FM, SFM. POC: John McConnell Email: firstva@patriot.net Web page:http://members.wbs.net/homepages/n/o/v/novag.html
8-10 Oct Border Wars, Carpenter's Hall between I-44 & I40/64, St Louis, MO. (HM) Sponsored by HMGS Heart of America. Contact: HAHMGS, John T. Davis, 1116 S. 2nd St. #101, Nebraska City, NE 68410, tel: (402) 873-4706, email: jd51055@navix.net
22-24 Oct Wargamer's Reunion Cobb Conf Center, 755 Cobb Place Blvd, Kennesaw, GA (HM) Sponsored by HMGS Mid-South. Contact:Tim Mullen, 537 South Summit , Stone Mtn, GA 30083, tel: (404) 296-3184, email: Tim@Travispruitt.com
5-7 Nov FALL IN!, Eisenhower Inn & Con Cntr, Gettysburg, PA. HM. POC:Bob Giglio, 5732 Goldfinch Ct., Ellicott City, MD 21043, phone (eveningsbefore 9 p.m.) 410-465-7688, EMail: ECWCaptain@aol.com .
With MAcDuff Erratta
In issues 72 & 73 we published Colonial and French & Indian wars by Ross Macfarlane. He has added some errata lately that is enclosed here:
COLONIAL ERRATA
There are always a few things which crop up with rules, errors and omissions when they are printed, developments as they are played more. Suggestions are welcome; e-mail them to me, I'll put them up on my WEB PAGE.(http://www3ns.sympatico ]ca/kcrane/macduff.html). Here are a few questions I received along with my response to each.
1. What's cannister range (short range = 24")? A. There is no artillery range chart as the long range of guns is limited by their ability to hit. That is to say since guns need to roll the range in feet or less, then normal field guns have a 6 foot range, mountain guns (-1 to die) have a 5 foot range and so on. So far so good, but, when it comes to cannister which hits automatically, well I forgot to specify a range! The original intent was 12" for all guns but feel free to increase it for heavy guns or reduce it for mountain guns, etc.
2. What happens when a unit is charged in the flank? Can the figures change facing? Can they fight if they can't change face? Do they have to be able to react to turn and face? Is there any penalty if they don't? A. The figures who are contacted can face, those within 1" of an enemy can move to contact same as for frontal. This is not a reaction. The penalty for the flank charge comes in 3 ways. 1. You usually can't get a shot off at the chargers or maybe 1 die. This of course weakens your defense. 2.The flank attacker can usually arrange a couple of 2:1 combats on the end guys. 3. If only a few figures are in contact, and little or no defensive fire takes place, the attacker ups his chances of winning (even having 1 figure in melee and losing is enough to force you back).
3. I assume that when moving units, all of the coys. of the same rgt. move on one card (correct?). I also assume they roll separate dice. Can regulars move on the same roll if forming a 2+coy. formation? A. If the companies are in close order and in formation with the battalion commander present, they roll 1 die. If in open order or detached each co rolls separately.
4. If a melee is tied, do you do a second round right away or wait until next turn? A. 2nd round comes right away. If that's a tie the attacker then retreats right away.
5. If a leader is hit is he removed permanently or can he come back (automatically or through recovery)? A. When the unit he is with rallies, he gets 1 roll to come back, same as anyone else. If he doesn't make it.
French & Indian Wars Errata
1. Playing faster:In large games, the cards & control checks can slow things down. In multi-player games, have whoever is turning the cards turn over another as soon as it is decided which unit is being activated. If the next card won't interfere, let that action happen before the 1st one is finished and so on. I would suggest grouping companies into commands and allowing all the companies under a commander to move on the same card even if not formed into close order. Also, if you find too many control checks are slowing the game, allow any units in sight of and within 12" of a player commander to pass automatically and just roll for those not in command. This robs the game of some of its feel, but will speed things up.
2. Skirmishers:The restriction on retiring was only meant to apply to close order troops. Allow skirmishers to retire full speed facing as they desire.
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