Courier Dispatch
News of the Hobby

Products

by Todd Fisher

KULTUR VIDEO ACQUIRES HOME VIDEO RIGHTS TO THE EPIC ACADEMY AWARD WINNING FEATURE "WAR AND PEACE"

Six Hour Film To Be Released In Its Uncut Version For The First Time

Kultur Video, the leading supplier of operas, classical music, and dance entertainment on videocassettes, has acquired the exclusive home video rights to the Academy Award winning feature film War and Peace.

With a production cost of $100 million, War and Peace is the most expensive motion picture ever made. It was filmed entirely in Russia and took 5 years to complete. This is the English language version of the film, and it is the first time that it is available on home video in its uncut form from the tapes struck from the original master negative.

The six hour and 20-minute feature will be issued in a collector's case which holds the 4 videocassettes and a program booklet, Itwill be available in VHS and BETA format for $99.95; Kultur Catalog # 1 180, color. Orderclate is September 6. Shipping date is September 26. Kultur, 121 Highway 36, West Long Branch, NJ 07764.

OSPREY ANNOUNCES 200TH TITLE IN THE MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES

Of the 20O Men-at-Arms books published since 1971, 150 titles are still in print, almost 200 million copies having been sold.

The Men-at-Arms series was conceived by Osprey as an aid for the enthusiast military historian and wargamer. The early titles concentrated solely on regimental histories but public demand soon encouraged the series to diversify; now subjects covered range from Ancient Mesopotamia to the Falklands, from medieval Japan to the Vietnarn War, from DarkAges Europe to the conflict in Lebanon.

Men-at-Arms books are known for the quality and thoroughness of their information, derived from the authors' expert, often 'inside' knowledge of their subjects.

The quality extends into the eight pages of color artwork at the heart of every Men-at-Arms book, specially commissioned from illustrators highly skilled in historical reconstruction.

All Men-at-Arms books sell at f4.50, contain 48 pages, have 8 pages of original color artwork and more than 35 black and white illustrations.

The anniversary title is El Cid and the Reconquista 1050-1492. It was published on Thursday, July 28, with three other new titles. Men-at-Arms books are available from the publisher, 59 Grosvenor Street, London W1X 5DA, and from the best hobby stores and dealers everywhere.

Frontier 15mm WWII figures are now available in 12-man platoon packs at $4.98 apiece. The German squad, for example, contains 1 officer, 4 SMG gunners, 1 panzerfaust, 1 heavy machinegun, 1 ammo bearer, and 4 riflemen. German, American, Russian, and Japanese squads are available.

Stone Mountain New 15mm Civil Warfigures include: ACW020Charging, frock coat, Hardee hat; ACW021 Charging, frock coat; ACW022-25 Charging Zouaves in turban, kepi, or straw hat, respectively; ACW025 Charging Pennsylvania bucktail kepi, ACW039 Standing loading, fatigue coat, kepi (2 poses); ACW040 Standing loading, blanket roll, soft hat (2 poses); ACW230 Couriers (8 mixed mounted); ACW059 Plumed hat (113 firing, 2 cmd, 5 horseholders). Infantry are 20 figures to a pack (1 officer, I drummer, 1 colorbearer, 17 troops, and 3 flags: Union, Confederate, and blank).

Triton Russian Napoleonic men of war in 1/1200 have been released: NS142 Rotislav, 100 guns ($5.50), NS143 Saratov, 100 guns ($5.50), NS144 Moskva, 74 guns ($5.00). Also available is a 12 gun Charleston privateer NS063, $5.00, and two 1/1250 Royal Navy warships HMS Kirkliston, a Ton Class minehunter (TRR 1079A, $3.75) and HMS Waverly, a River class minesweeper (TRR 1080, $5.95).

Action 200 A batch of new 1/200 WWII releases are now available. They include US open jeep with trailer, US 3' anti-tank gun, STUG IIID, STUG IIIG, Marder IIIM, SDKFZ234/3 short 75mm, German 75mmATgun with crew, SIG33/150 infantry gun, Pz 38T with 20mm, German infantry assault boat, small, with crew, German infantry assault boat, large, with crew, Russian BA6 armored car, and a Russian 57mm AT gun with crew. Prices range from $1.25 to $1.75.

GHQ The USS Colorado is the newest addition to GHQ's 1/2400 micronauts range. Complete with basket mask, she is available for $6.25. Boxed Combat Command units of 1/285 microarmor are also availble; priced at $19.95, each contains a'full unit', generally over 20 vehicles. The first 6 sets are: US medium Tank company (Sherman) (US1 50), German Tiger I company (GI 50), Soviet T34/76m.43 battalion (RI 50), modern US mechanized infantry company (Bradley) (NI 51), and modern T72 tank and BMP motor rifle companies (W1 50).

Minifigs has added Ottonnan Turks to their 15mm Renaissance 11 line. These include archers, arquehusiers, and a pack of spearmen, halbercliers, and swordsmen, all of which are available either as Janissaries or Arabs. One packcontains a mixture of Acemi Olgans (trainee Janissaries), Arnauts (Albanian skirmishers) and artillery guards. Three packs of Spahis, Muteferrika Guard, Dellis, two packsof Akinjis, Arab lights, CrimeanTartars, and Wallachians round outthe cavalry. Both heavy and light bombards are offered, as well as artillerists, mounted command figures, and a pack of mixed Janissary and Arab commanders on foot.

The Franco-Prussian 15mm troops have been reinforced as well, with French cavalry (Cuirassiers, Dragoons, Hussars, Chasseur a cheval, and Chasseurs d'Afrique), a mitrailleuse, field guns, limbers, and crews, and Prussian cavalry (Cuirassiers, Dragoons, Hussars, and Bavarian Lancers), a siege gun, field guns, limbers, and crews now released. Cavalry and infantry packs are available with or without included command figures, and mounted staff officers are available for both armies.

A new 15mm American Indian Wars line has been released, complete except forsome command figures to follow. The US Cavalry rides with carbines and pistols or with sabres and no drawn weapons. It is also available dismounted, advancing or tiring, and manning artillery. Indians are available mounted (3 packs) and afoot (2 packs). The Indian packs have two (mounted) or four (foot) poses in each pack. The new 15mm ACW transport releases, a sutler's wagon, and an ambulance, both with teams, will also be useful for this period.

Basic infantry figures are now available in the new 15mm Crimean Warline. British (Line, Light, Guard, and Highlanders), French (Line, Guard Grenadiers, Chasseurs, Zouaves, and Algerians), Russians (Line, Heavy inf., and Caucasian Lights), Turkish (Line), and Sardinian (Line) troops are ready, with cavalry, command, and artillery on the way.

Expected soon: 15mm American Napoleonics, 15mm French & Indian War, more Renaissance and Thirty Years War.

Stands Lynn Bodin is offering packs of.030 styrene precut for mounting figures for Colonial games at $3.50 apiece. These come in five flavors: 1/4" square (100 pieces), 1/4" tapering at 30degrees to 1/8" (100 pieces), 1/4" X 1 1/2' (48 pieces), 1 X 2" (24 pieces), and an artillery pack, with eight 2 X 2" pieces and 32 1/4" square pieces. 23902 S.E. 42nd St., Issaquah, WA 98027.

Empire Games has announced that Empire 4 is scheduled for release in September or October. Priced at $22.95, the rules are boxed, with quickreference sheets, foldout charts, and die-cut counters for orders, fatigue, and other functions. No remounting of Empire 3 troops is required, but the rules are extensively rewritten, so that there will be no simple way to update 3rd edition rules.

A second edition of Armies on the Danube 1809 was scheduled for release at Origins in August. Revised and expanded to over 250 pages, with new chapters, photos, and diagrams, it is now in hardback for $24.95.

Also scheduled for release at Origins were two volumes in the ACW Reesearch Series: Armies of the American Civil War - Introduction and Armies of First Manassas and Armies at Gettysburg. At $9.95 each, these contain detailed orders of battle, unit strengths, morale ratings, weaponry, and composition of each battery. Empire Games, P.O. Box 5462,Arlington, TX 76005.

Aketon USA For those preferring their French and Indian War in 25mm, Aketon has released some 30 packs of Iroquois, French trappers, Hurons, British Colonists, British soldiers, frontiersmen, and canoes. These are packaged 6 figures/$3.95.

Also available are 1/76 WWII castings. The first available are three guns: an Italian 75mm field gun, a British 2 pdr, and a German SIG 33, at$2.50each. A swarm of additional castings is promised. Aketon USA, RD1, Box 125, Philadelphia, NY 13673.

In Service Miniatures This new line of 1/285 vehicles specializes in the "in service" look. Trucks with a variety of loads, tanks with missing side skirts or piles of sandbags, these are models of vehicles in combat, not in depot. 106 packs (most of 5 castings) of WWII and modern vehicles are listed, selling at $4.75. In Service Miniatures, 3671 Industry Ave., No. B-4, Lakewood, CA 90712.

Gallia USA 45 different interchangeable terrain square and hills in 3-D polystyrene foam have been released, each one foot square. These have finish colorand texture, with pricesfrom $3.95 to $5.95. Available from The Armory, 4145 Amos Ave., Baltimore, MID 21215.

Midwest Wargamer's Association Newsletter The Sept/Oct issue cbritains the previously unpublished contents of Don Featherstone's Wargamer's Newsletter No. 215 from Feb. 1980 aswell asthe usual assortment of articles. Included are two sets of rules - one for tiger hunting in India by Paddy Griffith (black & orange wargaming?), the other for viking expeditions by Stephen Lawrence. (108 pp. 81/2x5l/2, $15/6 issues). Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Dr., Richton Park, IL 60471.

The Heliograph This newsletter for Colonial gamers has a set-up for a campaign based on the relief of Chitral filling the whole of its July issue. Based on a series of linked scenarios, this looks like a good way to get a strategic background for your battles without committing to a full-blown logistics and map movement campaign. (10 pp, 8 1/2 x 11, photocopied typescript, $5/10 issues). Milton Soong, 6580 Prague Ct., San Jose, CA 95119.

Best of the Heliograph For those of you who don't subscribe, Lynn Bodin has collected the pick of the first 40 issues in this collection. $8.00 from Savage and Soldier Magazine, 23902 S.E. 42nd St., Issaquah, WA 98027.

Glencoe Models, Box 846, North boro, MA01 532 (508-869-6877) is offering the old 54mm Marx figures which have been taken from the original mold which predate the old sets and are slightly larger than the 54mm size. I'd like to hear about these if anyone gets any information. I wrote to them but didn't hear back as of yet.

Battle-Cry Miniatures, Tanglewood, 2 Treesdale Close, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 3QE, England (0803-557649) recently sent me their latest catalog. They are a new company producing "top quality, hand-crafted buildings and scenery for 5, 15, and 25mm figures". They report that they specialize in four foot long wall and tower defenses and Medieval to ECW buildings and castles. Within the catalog were some color pictures as well as line drawings of their work. It is most impressive, as one would expect. International money orders and dollar checks are accepted from overseas customers. Free estimates are given upon inquiry. Contact them for details. They also give a 10% discount to "recognized" wargames clubs.

Stone Mountain Miniatures, Box 594, Broomfield, CO 80020, offers 15mm French Foreign Legion forts and desert buildings (for $29.95) and buildings ($4.00), GEO-Hex; 15/25mm Hovels (resin cast buildings); rail fences in 15/20/30mm; stone fences, earthworks, hasty works, sandbags, mealybags, bridges, haystack kits, metal wheatshocks, cornstocks, trees, and a palisade kit. Write to them for catalog.

Alliance Miniatures, P.O. Box 2347, Des Moines, Iowa 50310 offers TABLETOP GAMES 15mm Han Chinese, Egyptians & Assyrians to add to their ancient ranges. TABLETOP GAMES has added a Crenadier-a-cheval and Chasseur-a-cheval of the Guard to their 15mm Napoleonics range.

The Armory, 4145 Amos Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215 is now offering TOTAL SYSTEM SCENICS (TSS), a new line of foam scenic terrain squares from England. Each mini matric is one foot square and is finished in "realistic colors and textures". There are 14 different squares available at present ($4.95 to $7.95) as well as three hill packs (small, medium & large, $7.95 each). They also offer a new item from TABLETOP GAMES, #6019 Terrain Maps for Wargamers ($9.95) which "contains over 100 gaming maps battlefield layouts illustrated as line drawings. Maps are mainly for ancient and medieval periods hut can also be used with the Renaissance period."

Small Arms 1856 This is a reprint of a report on experiments by the US Ordnance Department, including data on range, accuracy, and penetration for rifles and pistols. 120 pp with diagrams, hardbound. $17.50 ppd (may be available at a reduced price) from 16 Fine Binding, Rt. 1, Box 174, McGregor, TX 76657.

Advance the Colors The first of two volumes on the Civil War battle flags of Pennsylvanian troops by Richard B. Sauers has been published by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Its 320 pages include 202 color photographs, sketches of the flags of the 1st through 87th regiments, an appendix of company listings and bibliographies for every regiment. $46.40ppd from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Public Services, State Bookstore, P.O. Box 1365, Harrisburg, PA 17105.

Artillery For those of you itching to build a diorama in 1300mm, Cook's Arsenal Works, 642 Johnson Ave., Meriden, CT 06450, has 1/4 scale guns available. Their iron James Model #3 (21/4 inch smoothbore, 50 inch barrel), for example, complete with implements, rammer, worm, sponge, and round ball mold for zinc shot lists for $6000. Their catalog, however, is only $2.00.

Battlefield Tour Video Travel Network Inc., P.O. Box 111345, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 544-8422, offers a 60 minute video tour of Mannassas, Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Appommatox Court House, including battle recreations. $29.95.

Athena Books This firm has taken over international Military Books; their May catalog lists over 1000 titles of interest to wargamers and military historians. Most are out-of-print or rare books but current titles are stocked as well. 34 Imperial Crescent, Town Moor, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN2 5BU, England.

Midwest Wargamer's Association Newsletter Hal Thinglum's May/ June issue (132 pp) is devoted to terrain (building it rather than writing rules for it). The variety of viewpoints on how terrain ought to look is thoughtprovoking, and there are techniques from all across the modelling spectrum - there are sure to be at least a couple you haven't tried... yet. Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Dr., Richton Park, IL 60471. $15.00/6 issues.

Empires, Eagles, and Lions Issue 104 contains an excellent piece on Austrian infantry maneuvers by George Nafziger, based on the 1807 drill regulations. Part of a larger work on tactics he expects to publish this fall or winter, this analysis is must reading for the Napoleonic buff. The N.J. Association of Napoleonic Wargamers variable length move rules, for those waiting with baited breath, are nearing full term, hut remain in gestation. RAFM Co., P.O. Box 62, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5, $18.00 US for 6 Issues.

The Manipular Quahog Tom McMillen is still keeping the Ancients pot well stirred in Rhode Island. This newsletter provides commentary, argument (often informed), and entertainment beyond its 15 page size. 1395 New LondonAve., Cranston, RI 02920.

Osprey Publishing New Men-at-Arms Series titles include: Napoleon's Specialist Troops (No. 199), El Cid and the Reconquiste (No. 200), U.S. Infantry Equipment 1910-1988 (No. 201), and Modern African Wars (2) (No. 202).The EliteSerieshas added Knights at Tournament and Israeli Elite Units Since 1948. The Squadron/Signal Action series now includes F4F Wildcat in Action, JU-88 Bombers in Action, and Pzkphv /I/ in Action.

Q.T. Models, 17 Hilderthorpe Rd., Bridlington, Y015 3AY, England, has 25mm multi-part ECW figures and report that they are now shipping directly to the U.S. and that all orders are dispatched airmail within two days. Infantry are 30 pence; cavalry are 70 pence. A catalog is $2.00. If anyone has any Q.T. figures, I'd sure like a review on them! They also have Ancients armies as well as a number of other periods including ACW.

Elite Miniatures, 26 Bowlease Gardens, Bessacarr, Doncaster, S. Yorkshire, DM4 6AP, England, has released 25mm additions to their Prussian 1806 armies including an NCO standard bearer and Jager kneeling firing and Hussars for their 1806-09 Saxon armies. These figures are available from Elite Miniatures, USA, 2625 Forest Glen Trail, Riverwoods, IL 60015.

Hinchliffe, now Skytrex, has released 20mm (1/76th) Russian quad AA M.G. which is mounted on aGaz truck &crew; Russian AA ground mount& crew; and a 4x4 Gaz and 4x6 Gaz truck. Also available are a Russian M1943 57r-nm AT gun and a Russian Ba010A/Car1 940.Theyhave also added Russian and British shops to their Triton Napoleonic 1/1200th line of ships. Available from S.G. Simulations, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 33575.

Connoisseur Figures USA, 2625 Forest Glen Trail, Riverwoods, IL 60015 has Peter Gilder's newest 25mm Napoleonic releases including Brunwsick infantry Advant Guard, Jager, and Leib Bn); Dutch-Belgian (line, flankers and carabiniers) and six Napoleonic personality figures (Napoleon, Ney, Mural Davout, Soult & Poniatowski).

Warbirds and Warriors is offering a free catalog of their new and out of print American military books. Box 266, Leicester, NY 14481.

Military Hobbies In the continuing saga of the British magazine market, Army & Navy Modelworld has been subsumed in this new magazine, which had added features aimed at collectors of toy soldiers but retained the same editorial staff. It is organized into sections entitled Naval, 20th Century, Re-enactments, Uniforms, Collecting Toy Soldiers, and Battle of the Month. The initial issue (May/June 88) includes articles on the modern Soviet surface fleet, modelling a 1/35 Israeli M60, uniforms of the Neapolitan Royal African Regiment of Cassino. 40 pp, A4,4-color; Ll 6 . 80/ 12 issues. A.E. Morgan Publications Ltd., Stanley House, 9 West St., Epsom, Surrey KT18 9RL.

MWAN's Fifth Special Issue The Midwest Wargamer's Association Newsletter (MWAN) has published its fifth Special Issue; this one pertaining to wargames terrain and accessories. Consisting of 132 pages, it covers many different types of terrain and accessories construction. Available for $5.00 including postage. Check should be made payable to Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Dr., Richton Park, IF 60471. MWAN will no longer be available at hobby stores effective with issue number 34 but rather will only be available through subscription ($15.00 for 6 issues) through the address above.

Saga This newsletter for "Ancients, Medieval, and Renaissance Wargamers" has begun its third year in print. The June issue includes EthiopianRoman and Viking-American Indian battle reports, the ninth in a series on Arthur's battles, this on on Badon, a discussion of the degree of organization prevalent in Middle Ages armies, and a reprint of a battle report form the 'old' Courier. (Photocopied typescript with cover, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2, 40 pp.). Terry L. Gore, 890 Janes Rd., Rochester, NY 14612,

Savage and Soldier The most recent issue AX-2) of this Colonial era magazine is given over in large part to the first half of a long article on the Teiping Rebellion. Also included is a piece on the Wessex Regiment in the Sudan, with a scenario based on their exploits at Kassassin. (81/2 x 11, 20 pp. $15/4 issues). Savage and Soldier Magazine, 23902 S.E. 42nd St., Issaquah, WA 98027

PW Review Always a forum for kibitzing about rules, the July issue concentrates on grand tactical Napoleonics, chewing on Battles of Napoleon for a while before moving on to the second edition of Garde du Corps. There are also proposals for a one-sided multi-player campaign against a randomly directed ACW foe and a Wooden Ships and Iron Men battle report. (20 pp. photocopied typescript, 8 1/2 x 11, $10/12 issues). Walter Simon, 12905 Layhill Rd., Silver Springs, MD 20906.

How to Sell Your Game Design Lou Zocchi's booklet, newly updated, though somewhat unevenly, has been released by Gamescience. Aimed at the prospective game designer, either of miniatures rulebook or a board game, this covers everything from copyrights to packaging, bar codes to advertising in a dozen pages of text. Another dozen pages are filled with sources of supply for your game materials, publishers, distributors, placesto advertise, etc. $6.00, Gamescience, 1512 30th Ave., Gulfport, MS 39501.

Uniformes The August issue of this invariably beautiful French magazine is a special issue on the Roman wars in Gaul. Pieces on the Celtic, Germanic, and Roman armies are mixed with histories of the major battles, coverage of reenactment units, and featured collectors' figures. (48 pp. A4, 4-color glossy, 325 F/1 2 issues) Bill Dean Books Ltd., 151-49 Seventh Ave., P.O. Box 69, Whitestone, NY 11357.

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