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Courier Dispatch News

by Dick Bryant

NEW EDITOR AT MINIATURE WARGAMES!

Iain Dickie, Secretary of Slingshot and Editor of Army & Navy Model World Magazine, has replaced Duncan MacFarlane as editor of Miniature Wargames. The well received magazine, formed by Duncan and Peter Gilder some 5 years ago, is well known for its wonderful color photos of Peter Gilder's magnificent 25mm figures and terrain from his Wargames Center. What prompted the change is not known, but there has been some difficulty between Duncan and his publisher over distributor policy as evidenced by recent editorials in the magazine.

Iain has considerable experience in hobby magazine editing and is a very active historial miniature wargamer. He promises no break in production of MW and says that there will be very little change in the "taste" of the magazine. lain (that is the correct spelling) says that he plans to run more color photographs of actual miniature games in action and to expand the book and figure review sections. The Courier wishes Good Luck to both participants in the change.

HELP WITH MAIL ORDERS TO ENGLAND

Johnson Hood of WARGAMES has offered to help anyone who is experiencing difficulty with overseas orders of items offered by advertisers in MINIATURE WARGAMES MAGAZINE as he is now sole importing distributor of that magazine.

He has received many complaints of very poor service (despite several expensive calls), damaged product, etc., and would like to help.

If you have a problem send a SASE (large) together with an OUTLINE of your problem - no longer than one side of a sheet of paper - to: Wargames, P.O. Box 278, Route 40 East, Triadelphia, WV 26059-0278.

Results are not promised, but every effort will be made to help.

FRONTIER MINIATURES HAS NOT BURNED DOWN!

Atley Turner of Frontier Miniatures has been somewhat disturbed by rumors running through the wargaming community that his establishment had been destroyed by fire.

To the contrary, Frontier has just added an additional 1000 square feet to their facility and published a comprehensive illustrated catalog. Atley says this has slowed his response to orders for the last 3 weeks but with the move now completed, his new space will make his operation more efficient than ever. - DICK BRYANT

COURIER AGE OF SAIL EDITOR PUBLISHES BOOK

Jon Williams, Editor of the Age of Sail period for THE COURIER, had another book, HARDWIRED, published in April. THE WHIRLWIND will be published in May and will sell for $16.95. Both are published by Tor.

GAMA TO SPONSOR REGIONAL GAME CONVENTIONS

GAMA, the Game Manufacturer's Association, announces they have adopted the concept of sponsoring regional game conventions in a manner similar to that of their ORIGINS convention sponsorship. What this means is that GAMA will be involved in endorsing what can be loosely termed "Regional Origins" conventions. These conventions will not be using the name Origins, as that name is reserved for the largess of the single National Strategy and Adventure Gaming Convention and Exposition held each year. Instead, a new name, Gaming Adventure, will be the "GAMA Presents..." subtitle to the name of the regional game convention.

According to Alan Emrich, Vice-President of GAMA, the advantages are as follows: (1) GAMA can test drive regional conventions before awarding them Origins bids; (2) GAMA can indicate to gamers and manufacturers alike, strong regional conventions to support; (3) Regional conventions will access to useful GAMA connections and promotional support, as well as the strong encouragement of regional GAMA members to attend and exhibit there; and (4) Garners and manufacturers will have more scheduled opportunities to meet each other at these endorsed Game Adventure conventions. Mr. Emrich went on to say that what GAMA needs now are bids for game conventions being held beginning in calendar year 1988. Interested organizers should contact: Martin Wixted, c/o West End Games, 251 W. 30th St., Suite #11, New York, NY 10001, to receive the bid proposal and generic agreement forms.

LAMMING NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED BY MINIFIGS

Miniatures Figurines Limited in England recently announced that the Lamming 25mm figure line is no longer being by their company, effective August of 1986. Neville Dickinson, Managing Director of Minifigs, reported that there is some possibility that the Lamming line may be produced by another company although this is not for certain.

OSPREY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 1987

The Derby Wargames Associates and Osprey Publishing Limited report that the Osprey World Championships will be held on October`10 and 11, 1987 at the Assembly Rooms in Derby, England. A total of 184 players representing 11 different countries took part in the finals of the 1986 Championships and it is anticipated that at least 15 different countries will be represented in the 1987 edition.

The periods being contested are as follows:

    Ancients - 15mm - WRG 7th Edition
    Ancients - 25mm - WRG 6th Edition
    Renaissance - 25mm - WRG 2nd Edition
    Napoleonic - 15mm - Newbury
    Ultra Modern - 1/300th - Challenger

Each team will consist of three players although entries will be accepted from individual players who will then be grouped, by the organizers, into teams of three. Each player will play four games in the finals. Following each round, the players, not the team, will be placed in an order of merit as determined by their total scores from all games played and the top player will play the second, the third top will play the fourth, etc. Trophies and prizes will be awarded to the team and individual winners in each category as well as to the overall World Champion.

1987 NAPOLEONIC TOUR

The Napoleonic Society of America is sponsoring their Third Annual Napoleonic Tour, June 6-21,1987. It features a 16-day guided tour of the most interesting Napoleonic sites in Paris, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Dijon, Martigny, Milan and Venice, including the battlefields of the Italian Campaigns. The tour price is $3,150 and covers round trip airfare, first class hotel accommodations, motor coach to and from all sites, English-speaking Napoleonic scholars as guides at all sites, and much more. Contact Napoleonic Society of America, 640 Poinsettia Rd., Belleair, FIL 33516.

"ZINE BANK" OFFERED TO HOBBYISTS

Simon Billenness, 61A Park Ave., Albany, NY 12202, has established a "Zine Bank" service for hobbyists interested in obtaining copies of "amateur" publications. Two dollars to Mr. Billenness will obtain 20-30 amateur "zines". A large self-addressed manila envelope should also be included.

IRON BRIGADE SOLD

The Iron Brigade 25mm range of figures, formerly owned and operated by Larry Robinson, has been sold to Terry Carnarssa (Iron Brigade Miniatures, 2121 West Shawnee, Muskogee, OK 74401). Larry reports that he will still be designing figures for this line.

HELIOGRAPH TO CONTINUE PUBLICATION

Tony Adams, former Editor and Founder of THE HELIOGRAPH, an ameteur publication devoted to Colonial wargaming with an emphasis on the popular rules set The Sword and the Flame, recently announced in issue #39 that a new editor, Milton Soong (6580 Prague Ct., San Jose, CA 95119), has been located to enable the popular publication to continue. Milton, in an interview with Tony, reported that he does not plan to change the present format of THE HELIOGRAPH and is looking for article submissions. The cost of the publication will remain the same - $5.00 for ten ;ssues. Milton expected his first issue, #41, to be out by March, 1987.

MWAN SPECIAL ISSUE AVAILABLE

The MIDWEST WARGAMER'S ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER (MWAN) Fourth Special Issue is currently available from Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Drive, Richton Park, IL 60471. The 140 page publication is devoted to British Colonial Wargaming and the French-Indian War and features seven complete rules sets and 38 articles as well as an in-depth interview with SAVAGE & SOLDIER Editor, Lynn Bodin. Checksshould be made payable to Hal Thinglum and the cost of the Special Issue is $5.00, including postage.

WARGAMERS: HELP CREATE HISTORY

On both sides of the Atlantic wargamers are gaining reknown for their thoughtful contributions to military history. Here is a chance to enhance that reputation. I have been commissioned to write a book about America's own Napoleonic War, the War of 1812. I know that many of you have stashed away little historical nuggets that you uncovered during your research. If you would like to contribute them to my book, I know I and the whole wargaming public would benefit. What I am looking for are primary source (diaries, journals, participants' accounts, contemporary newspapers, etc.) material. If you could send a Xerox, complete with full citation, I would be most grateful. The book will take a'you are there' approach, so any anecdotes, quotes, or similar items that can help reconstruct this period are particularly useful. The book will be profusely illustrated; if you know about good artwork (including uniform drawings), maps, or sketches, I welcome that information as well. Any contribution I use will earn you a published acknowledgement. More importantly, if the book is strengthened by wargamers' contributions, the likelihood that more historical books of interest to wargamers will be published is increased. Furthermore, it may help show the publishing world that the consumer demands of the wargamer are worth catering to. Please contact: James R. Arnold, Rte. 1, Box 397, Bluemont, VA 22012.

THE INSIDIOUS INROADS OF FANTASY GAMING

I thought for a minute that this Ral Partha advt. was a pretty good deal for recreating a Hundred Years War Army (which Ral Partha makes figures for), but I couldn't find the last item on my army list. - TOM McMILLEN

THE BLACK PRINCE'S ARMY $88.00
CONTAINS: 84 Infantry (Guard & Allied infantry 01-141 thru 01 145), 6 Cavalry, The Black Prince and 1 Balrog.

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