We at the Courier want to thank all the Editors, Authors, and Readers who made it possible for THE COURIER in its first year to win: THE HG WELLS AWARD BEST PROFESSIONAL MINIATURE MAGAZINE We will do our best to live up to your confidence in the following years. This year's Origins pointed up the alarming trend among Miniature figure manufacturers. There is a definate cut back in historical Miniature line being offered by the major manufacturers. None except Ral Parth, (25mm) and Mike's Models (15mm) had anything new in Historical Miniatures at the show, and Ral Partha reported that their fantasy lines were outselling the Historical by 3 or 4 to 1! The Ship Shop also introduced Jacobite Miniatures (15mm) imported from Europe. This may well be the way we all have to get our Historical figures in the near futurel An even more alarming if ridiculous and assanine sign of the times is the fact that GDW CARDBOARD COUNTERS (for their System 7) won the HG Wells Award for BEST LINE OF MINIATURE FIGURES at Origin '80. Besides showing that more boardgamers than miniature gamers vot in the awards *(and attend Origins) it certainly does not give the figure manufacturers who lost to GDW (Ral Partha's Landschneckts, Heritage's 15mm Ancients, Minifigs' 15mm Ancients & Jack Scurby's unspecified were nominated) any incentive to come out with new Historical lines or to maintain those they have. The Historical Miniature hobby is not vocal enough! If we want to preserve our end of the hobby we must speak out and put our money where our mouths are (don't pirate or buy pirates, for instance) and support those miniature figure manufacturers who cater to the historical gamer. THE COURIER will give you a voice - let us hear from you. *This makes THE COURIER'S win even more satisfying. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. 2 #1 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1980 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com