Historical Miinature Gaming Association Formed WASHINGTON DC, NOVEMBER 21, 1981. A meeting which may, someday, be considered a hallmark in the annals of the Historical Miniature Gaming hobby took place today, Some 30 gamers (representing wargame clubs from the whole eastern seaboard) met to discuss the need for an Association. Ten hours of discussion resulted in the formation of THE HISTORICAC MINIATURE GAMING SOCIETY with a triumverate as its governing body: Ed Mohrmann (Raleigh, NQ Bob Luddy (Greenbelt, MID), Dave Waxtel (Brooklyn, NY). A fourth officer, Pat Condray (Alexandria, VA) was appointed treasurer. The exact purpose of the not-for-profit society hasn't been formalized but the stated objectives were to foster all aspects of Historical Miniature Gaming, to educate the public about it, to see that new wargamers (especially those gaming in other areas of the hobby) are properly informed of it, to provide the support necessary to any and all wargame conventions to insure that Historical Miniature Gaming is given its just due and that it be the best presented group of functions at that convention. "In short to promote historical miniatures wargaming in all manners and ways!" (W. Simon) Bob Coggins, a member of the ORIGINS '82 committee was in attendance. He invited HMGS as their first order of official business to take charge of all miniature wargaming activities at ORIGINS '82. This they have done with the Potomac Wargamers taking on the organizational duties for this effort. Some of the initial activities in this area will include the development of seminar, demonstration game and tournament guidelines; the obtaining of some BBC films on miniature wargaming; and a survey of what events and tournaments (played under what rules) gamers would like to see at ORIGINS '82. The society has several tentative immediate goals besides the support of historical miniature gaming at conventions. They include a survey listing all the historical miniature gamers and gaming clubs in North America; a "beginners packet" introducing the hobby and telling how to get started; a series of brochures about various periods listing a bibliography, available figures and rules, manufacturers and perhaps, clubs who game in the period; a newsletter of HMGS "doings"; a discussion group similar to Wargames Discussion Group in England; guidelines for convention organizers; sponsor Historical Gaming weekends; develop standards or guidelines; support awards (painting awards, best new rules etc.). The list is long and the goals high but with support they can be all attained. Membership in the association is open to all historical miniature gamers but the near time plan is to first recruit the "Movers and Doers" in the hobby - the club leaders, the authors, the idea people followed quickly by club members themselves and finally the individual gamer. The long term plan is an association (a union) of virtually all Historical Miniature Gamers. Such an organization would have all the clout necessary to make the hobby suppliers listen to their needs, their wants, their standards. Medieval Wargaming Society to be Formed The dispatch has received the following letter from Mr. William Hamblin. I hope that any interested parties will respond directly to him. It is often the case that the medieval period of wargaming is treated by many rulebooks, publications and figure manufacturers as a minor backwater of the ancient period. Yet the technological, tactical, social, and economic differences between the ancient and medieval periods are certainly significant enough to merit the consideration of the military systems of the Middle Ages on their own. Therefore the 'SWORD AND SCIMITAR SOCIETY' has been established with the purpose of studying medieval warfare and promulgating medieval wargaming. For such a society to succeed it needs the support and participation of everyone interested in this fascinating period. "Initially the main purpose of the society will be the publication of a journal, 'THE BATTLEAXE, to present detailed information concerning all aspects of medieval military history and wargaming. 'THE BATTLEAXE' could potentially include a number of features. There would naturally be articles concerning tactics, organization, equipment, campaigns and battles, etc., dealing with any military system of the Middle Ages. Such articles would come mainly from the membership of the society. It is hoped that the journal could thereby serve as a forum for the exchange of information and surces, and for organizing and correlating research among medieval gamers across the nation. Books, articles and game-related publication could be indexed and reviewed, such a publication will further serve as a forum for discussing wargame ideas and experiences of interest to the Medieval Wargamer, news of medieval related products, clubs and events would be disseminated. Additionally it would be hoped that eventually play-by-mail campaigns could be organized on a broad scale (for example, a national play-by-mail crusade, involving the military systems of Western Europe, Byzantium, Islam, The Mongols, etc.). Finally, the activities and input from medieval gamers across the nation could serve as the foundation for eventually formulating a comprehensive set of rules and army lists dealing directly with the military systems of the Middle Ages. A worthy project and deserving of support. The extension of the W.R.G. Ancient Rules to cover the medieval period under the sixth edition does not really do the period justice. A successful publication devoted to Medieval Wargaming would certainly help to generate interest in what has been a rather neglected area. Minifigs 30mm Figures Re-released Under New Name by W. Simon In recent issues, THE COURIER has discussed many of the problems currently confronting the historical wargamer in pursuit of his hobby: the unavailability of figures as manufacturers discontinue all but the most popular lines, the lack of historical knowledge - indeed, an almost complete disinterest in history - on the part of the new wargamer, and the never ending escalation in prices in figures of all scales. COURIER readers will be interested in a contribution one group is making to counter this trend. As many wargamers know, MINIFIG ceased to market its 30mm line of Napoleonic figures around 1975. Although available for a while from a mail order outlet, that source too, dried up. Stadden 30mm figures have been off the market for several years, and Suren figures are priced far beyond the means of the average wargamer. Other than the Scruby line, the sources of 30mm figures today are severely limited. Last spring, a group of dedicated 30mm miniaturists became aware that MINIFIG was willing to consider selling its 30mm line. After many months of negotiation, they pooled their resources to purchase the molds, the masters, and all the rights to the line. They also arranged for its manufacture and production under the name FUSILIERS. The group indicated that they do not anticipate making a profit on this venture: indeed, if they recover their initial investment, they will be pleasantly surprised. Their primary motivation is to ensure the continued availability of these excellent figures for themselves and other 30mm enthusiasts. Because the FUSILIER group is not dependent upon this effort to put food on the table, they can indulge in this activity with far fewer economic constraints than are faced by commercial manufacturers. In an effort to stimulate interest in this aspect of the hobby, therefore, they shall be selling FUSILIERS for the same price that MINIFIG charged 6 years ago, a price which makes them as inexpensive as many smaller scale figures. They hope that this can revitalize the larger scales of wargaming figures; as a minimum, it will allow the "oldtimers" to complete their own collections. As of this writing, the word is that FUSILIER will be sending some of their first production figures to the THE COURIER for its review of these miniatures. The trend in the hobby today has clearly been towards smaller and smaller scales of figures (won't it be embarassing in 10 years or so, when the Avalon Hill counters are larger than the gaming figures?), with the result that newcomers to the hobby may be completely unaware that 30mm figures were ever used for wargaming. Yet there are several excellent reasons for gaming in this scale. Properly painted, the 30mm figure has a beauty no smaller scale can match. It is small enough to be mounted en masse on stands for large scale unit actions, yet possesses sufficient size and weight to be used as an individual figure for skirmish wargaming. In short, the 30mm figure is large enough to have a personality of its own; indeed, they are often used as the basis for superb dioramas. Readers of THE COURIER should be aware of FUSILIER's efforts for two reasons: first, to inform them that a line of quality figures has been given a second life, and second, to provide information and even inspiration to others who have seen their own favorites go off the market and wondered what they could do about it. The FUSILIER group will be happy to correspond with anyone who is interested in keeping the hobby alive. Historical Only Convention Yes, it is true, historical miniatures will have a wargaming event of their own! We have been advised a regional wargaming event is scheduled for May 1982, in Portland, Oregon. On May 8-9, 1982, the Pacific Northwest Regional historical miniatures championships will be held at Camp Withycomb near Portland, Oregon. championship games will be offered in seven eras using some of the most popular miniatures rules and several open games will be offered for those see ing less competitive sport. In addition, there will be discussions and seminars on military history, wargaming rules, and realism in miniature wargaming. There will also be awards for the best painted wargaming units. The event is being organized by three individuals working out of their own pockets. No club or manufacturer affiliation is attached to the event. The stated objective is to provide miniatures wargaming with an event of their own that will allow them the opportunity to exchange ideas tor the betterment of the hobby and to provide figure manufacturers with direct access to a select body of their primary customers. Tournament championships will be offered in WRG ancients Sixth edition, WRG Pike and Shot Second edition, GDW's Fire and Steel, Wooden Ships and Iron men, Rally 'Round the Flag ACW, Tank Charts, and General Quarters. Open games will be offered using other rules within these. eras of history and in other eras as well. in all championship games except the two WRG games the figures needed to play will be provided to allow new gamers to play without painting armies. Several guests are being invited to offer access to people of interest in the hobby. Seminars are scheduled in ancient warfare, conlonial warfare and wargaming rules, and the theories of rules design. Painting competition will be limited to wargaming figures only and awards will be offered in both 15mm and 25mm scale. To qualify thefigures must have been used in actual miniatures battles. Registration is $4.00 per day or $8.00 both days, requiring pre- registration; $5.00 per day at the door. Motel reservations are available at group discount rates. In summary, this appears to be the best type of event possible for the historical miniatures wargaming hobby. It is an opportunity to establish an individual inclentity without. being lumped together with role players, boarclgamers, SCA members, or SF fans and "Trekies". For the first time on a regional basis miniatures wargamers will have the opportunity to meet with a concentration of their own kind and to deal directly with representatives of the figures' manufacturing industry. Let's hope this event is just the beginning in a new direction for the hobby and let's all do our part to make it a success. GLEANINGS THE JOURNAL OF WWII WARGAMING (publishes bimonthly at $1.00 per issue for as long as you wish to subscribe) 1002 Warrington Drive, Austin, TX 78753. This 7x81/2 inch format magazine was one of the nominees for the Charles S. Roberts award for the best amateur magazine at Origins this year' and deservedly so, Volume II No. 3 (May 1981) has the first part of a historical paper of "British and German Air Doctrine between the wars, an article on "Squad Leader" scenarios presented at a recent convention, an examination and suggested simu ation of an allied invasion of France in 1943 as well as game and book reviews and an excellent editorial column. One great idea in this issue is a review of "The Military Book Club". Everybody ought to know it's there, but I'll bet that a lot of people don't. It certainly can't hurt to mention it in the pages of a hobby magazine. With all the figure and game reviews a lot of the peripheral trappings that are not specifically hobby oriented tend to be forgotten. The "Journal" tends to be a bit nonconformist in its format. The book reviews for instance, "History of the Second World War" and "Strategy! The Indirect Approach" both by B.H. Liddell Hart. It's more of a tribute than a review, but the point is still brought across that these are desirable reference works for a library, wargamer or not. all in all a good dollars worth. ADVENTURE GAMING (Published monthly, $29.00 for 13 months) Manzakk Publishing, Inc., POB 12291, Norwood, OH 45212. In THE COURIER, Vol. III No. 1, I reviewed the first issue of this magazine saying in effect that it is pricey but it has promise, Well it's still pricey but it is delivering on the promise. Vol. 1, No. 3 (September 1981) has some very good articles for people wanting to get started in Miniatures. There's "Getting Started in Historical Miniatures" by Tony Bath and "Painting an Army; Mass Production with a Brush" by George Mafziger. There's also a nicely done battle report on a game between Macedonians and Sung Chinese using W.R.G. 6th edition ancient rules. It puts the (sometimes) incomprehensible maps in "Slingshot" to shame. There are also articles on "Diplomacy" variants, "War at Sea" variants and a review of Avalon Hill's "Trireme" ancient naval game. In addition there are editorial-type columns on boarclgames ingeneral, the summer conventions and hobby news. There are several D&D and FRP related articles just to complete the smorgasbord. ADVENTURE GAMING certainly lives up to its goal of providing something for everyone. OTHER MAGAZINE NOTES DIFFERENT WORLDS (reviewed last issue) has two artices in its September issue of interest to miniature gamers. One is "Painting Miniature Figures". You may not take the opportunity to paint many enchanters but the techniques are the same as when painting Old Guard and the article has lots of good tips. The other article is on the maps produced by the U.S. geological survey. Certain of these would be ideal for campaign games. A free pamphlet entitled "National Mapping Program, Mini Catalog of Map Data" is available from the National Cartographic Information Center, U.S. Geologic Survey, 507 National Center, Reston, VA 22902. WARGAMERS DIGEST is opening the "Military Miniatures Wargaming Association" (MMWA) for new membership, the cost is $18.50. For more details see the latest issue of Wargamer's Digest or write to McCoy Publishing, POB 5526, Madison, WI53705. The address of the Military Book Club, by the way, is Garden City, New York, 11535. WARGAMER'S SOURCES This will be an occasional section where I'll mention some potential sources of information that may be of interest to gamers. Especially I hope to interest younger players in finding out about a period they may be interested in. THE LEGIONNAIRE (Military Book Specialist) 823 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. Obviously the best, and cheapest way of finding books on any subject is through your local library. However, the search can be made easier if you have a few titles to look for. A good way to find some titles that may interest you is through the lists put out by specialist book stores. These lists are available free or at minimum cost from the book stores themselves. If you find a book that you want to own or if you wish to purchase a specific reference work, a mail order bookstore is an easy and convenient way to buy it. THE LEGIONNAIRE is a mail order military book store that specializes in material dealing with warfare prior to the 1900's. Apart from the more common publications (The Osprey 'Men-at-Arms' series for example) that are carried in stock, they will also attempt to locate specific titles that are not in stock on request, A current list can be obtained at the above address. THE ARMY MUSEUM, HOTEL NATIONAL DES INVALIDES, 75007 Paris, France. Dealing directly with museums by corresponding with the appropriate curator is another way of obtaining reference material at reasonable cost. I have recently received a batch of post cards depicting French army uniforms during the reign of Napoleon III which are excellent. There are other sets of cards depicting French uniforms of other periods including some nice studies of medieval armor. There are also postcard sized reproductions of many of the printings in the museum and of some of the museum dioramas. More details can be obtained by writing the Curator of Photographic Services at the above address. LATEST WRG PUBLICATION SCENARIOS FOR WARGAMERS, WRG's latest publication will be available soon. This book by Charles Grant contains 52 Wargame scenarios each complete with maps, force strength, troop dispositions, missions, etc. Both simple and complex scenarios are provided and most can be used for all periods with simple modification. Available soon from THE COURIER PUBLISHING CO., INC. WARGAME CLUB DISPATCH I have recently received some inputs from several of the 'unattached' gamers in the Boston area who are concerned that their point of view regarding wargaming clubs is given some print. Since they form a significant percentage of the local gamers this seems a fair enough request. To summarise their reasons for not joining clubs, they are: 1. Clubs are often too rigid and formal in character. They want to retain the freedom to play what they want when they want. They do not wish to feel that they are tied into playing a game that they are not keen on, using a set of rules that they dislike, because it was somebody else's turn to set up the scenario. This is especially the concern of some whose gaming time is limited because of other commitments. 2. Since most of the clubs around here demand some sort of dues to be paid to cover rent etc. There is a financial benefit to not belonging to a club. For some gamers having to pay to play is a reinforcement to number 1 above. "Why should I pay not to enjoy myself when my gaming time is limited". 3. A people problem. Some of the gamers find it difficult to play enjoyable games with people who do not share their style of play. in a club setting they feel they do not have the ability to pick and choose who they play with. There were by far the major problems that the non-club gamers found with the concept of wargaming organizations. There were other problems ranging from the distance that would have to be travelled to the clubhouse to the day of the week that the club meets, but the reasons above were the big three. One gamer that I spoke with indicated that he believed that clubs were a stage that most gamers go through, but that they eventually become unnecessary. By this I believe he meant that the local wargaming club serves a useful function as an entry point into the gaming community or as a focal point for local gaming interest, Once the local gamers are known to each other the individual gamers will decide what and with whom they wish to game on a regular basis and the formal club will disappear, having served its purpose, or will remain as an attraction to new gamers. Everybody I spoke with had considered joining, or were past members of, local clubs and had opted out. Their reasons for doing so are obviously sound. Their question was, "Why should I join a club? What's in it for me?" I have my opinion but I'd much rather have yours. If you have any thoughts on the subject write to THE COURIER. - ROB MACLEAN ED. NOTE: Most of the reasons given sound more like 'why should I join a group where I am expected to contribute some effort other than total and immediate self satisfaction.' Too many people in the hobby will take, take, take, but won't give anything back. The party who feels that 'clubs are just a stage....' can get by with that attitude as he probably games with club members who pass on all the material that is generated from contacts within the club .... in other words he gets something for nothing. If the club dissappeared, he would end up with nothing! Another point: when a person leaves a club of 15 to 20 gamers because of 'personality problems' he probably should look to himself for the problem!- DICK BRYANT CONVENTION NOTES The Rhine Confederation had its annual convention (Rhein Con) in Weisbaclen, W. Germany on October 9-12. The convention featured Otto von Pivka as guest speaker and he lectured (naturally) on Napoleonic uniforms and formations. There was a Napoleonic Miniatures contest using 25mm figures and home-grown rules, as well as some D&D and Traveller Games. Altogether the convention was a success drawing more than 400 people. My thanks to Jim O'Neill for the information. DONNYBROOK May 8-9, 1982; Pacific North West Regional Miniatures championships. A miniatures event only. Camp Withycomb military base Portland, Oregon. Tournaments in WRG Ancients 6th edition, WRG Pike & Shot 2nd edition, Fire & Steel Napoleonic, Wooden Ships & Iron Men with GHQ ships, Rally 'Round the Flag ACW, WWII Tank Charts, General Quarters WW II Naval. Open games using other rules and in other eras. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. III #3 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1981 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