Courier Dispatch

Product News

by Dick Bryant

ACW Society Shenandoah is the title of a campaign system rules set for use with Johnny Reb, On to Richmond, Rally 'Round the Flag, or Stars'n' Bars. It provides a 30 day fictitious conflict in the Shenandoah Valley of 1863, using randomly generated orders of battle. A grand tactical map and a series of terrain maps are supplied with the rule set. Available i n January for $10 plus $1 postage in U.S. ACW Society, 605 Sadie Ave., Metairie, LA 70003.

Falcon Miniatures has released a group of colonial figures. These include Italian Bersaglieri (officer, attacking infantry, advancing infantry), Turkish infantry (officer in fez, private in fez, private in sunhelmet, private in helmet advancing), a Russian cossack, and a French Legionnaire of a mule company. Falcon Miniatures, P.O. Box 444, Medford, MA 02155.

Transitional Steam, a new line of 1/1200 naval models from Triton concentrates on vessels of the period 1840-1850, when trial and error marked the development of ship design and tactical employment. British ships include HMS Victoria (121 gun fleet flagship, $11.98), HMS Hero (91 gun standard second rate, $9.95), HMS Phoebe (51 gun screw assisted frigate, $9.95), HMS Agamemnon (91 gun second rate, $9.95), and HMS Warrior (first iron battleship, $14.50). The French are represented by La Bretagne (130 guns, $11.98), Ville de Paris (Napoleonic era ship converted to steam assist, $9.95), Le Napoleon (90 gun second rate, standard for the bulk of the French line, $9.95), Eylau (90 gun second rate, $9.95), Souveraine (large scew assisted frigate, $9.95), and the Gloire (first ironclade, $11.98). Available from Modeler's Mart, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 34625.

GHQ has released three new WWII microarmor vehicles: the Sdkfz 7/1 FLAK 38 (3 for $5.50), the LCM-3 landing craft complete with M4A1 75mm Sherman tank load ($5.50 each), and the Japanese Type 97 Medium tank (5 for $5.50). For the modern gamer they also offer an N79 HUMMV with armored body and TOW missile launcher (5 for $5.50). the 1:2400 Micronauts range has been expanded with the addition of the USS Selfridge, a WWII destroyer (3 for $4.50).

Action 200 is rapidly expanding their line of WWII and modern figures in 1:200 scale. New WWII releases include British 6pdr and 17pdr AT guns with crews, US M20 utility scout car, a jeep with trailer, Dodge command car, GMC Bowser, 3 inch AT gun with crew, German PAK 43/41 and PAK 43 AT guns, with crews, Russian T26 light tank, a late version of the T34/76D, GAZ 69 jeep, and German and Russian tank riders. The new modern releases are a British tracked Rapier SAM, Soviety SA 13 on MTLB, Soviet ARCV, Flatface radarvehicle, Straight Flush radar vehicle, SAB Gainful SAM, Sheridan reconnaissance tank, US Marine LVTVP, LAV25, tracked M548, Chaparral SP SAM, and MLRS SP artillery rockets. Prices range from $1.50 to $2.50. Available from Modeler's Mart, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 34625.

Osprey has published two new titles in their Men-at-Arms series ($8.95): Louis XIV's Army and Wellington's Specialist Troops, and one in the Elite series ($10.95), The Crusades. The Zulus is scheduled for publication in January.

Napoleonic Tour to France - The Napoleonic Society of America has scheduled its annual tour to France to leave New York May 6, returning May 20. The tour will be guided by English-speaking scholars and will include visits to the Musee de I'Armee, Versailles, the Louvre, and other sites, with access to rooms and exhibits not open to the general public. A trip to Ligny, Quatre Bras, and Brussels will be followed by a tour of Waterloo, guided by David Chandler. Avisittothe Museum of Historical Figurines, among other attractions, follows. For information write to the Napoleonic Society of America, 640T Poinsettia Rd., Belleair, FL 34616.

The Compleat Strategist has opened a new store at 630 Fifth Avenue (concourse level) in New York.

Wargames foundry has released a swarm of beautiful eastern American Indians in 25mm, suitable for the 16th through early 18th centuries. There are Algonquins charging with shield and club, throwing spear, kneeling with bow, and a sachem with matchlock musket. Iroquois figures are available charging with spear and club, running with club, attacking with spear, with musket, and firing bow. Other figures include a warchief with matchlock and wooden armor, an Indian crawling with club, a dead Indian, Illinois chieftain and bowman, Creek bowman and chieftain signalling, a Choctaw with spearand club, and a Choctaw chieftain howling war cry.

Renaissance Naval, another new range from Triton, is made up of Christian and Turkish fleets in 1:600 scale. Included are Venetian and Spanish galleasses ($11.98), three sizes of Christian galleys ($5.50 to $6.95), the same three sizes of Turkish galleys, and a package of three furled sails ($2.50). Available from Modeler's Mart, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 34625. Triton has also released some new 1:1250 modern warships: HMS Cornwall (Type 22 batch 3 frigate, $6.95), HMS Newcastle (late Type 42 destroyer, $6.95), HMS Abdiel (minelayer, $6.95), RFA Argus (helicopter training vessel, carrier escort, ($27.95), and HMS Norfolk (Type 23 destroyer).

Minifigs has announced the release of an Aztec Army, the US Army for the War of 1812, American and British for the American Revolution, all in 15mm. The Aztecs include Eagle Knights with maquahuitl, Jaguar Knights with maquahuitl, Arrow Knights with spears and javelins, Quachic veterans with spears and maquahuitl, apprentices with spears and maquahuitl, Otomis with bows, warriors with javelins and spears, warriors with bows and slings, and warrior priests and captains. The US 1812 infantry is represented in felt shako and coat, leather shako and coat, or leather shako and coatee, allowing you to pick the state of updated uniform for your troops. Other infantry is available: riflemen, militia in top hat and coat, volunteers in shako and hunting shirt, and US Marines. Dragoons and Kentucky mounted rifles, artillery and light artillery crews, horses and artillery riders, and mounted officers round out the line. All troops are also available with command figures. Revolutionary troops include Continental Infantry in regimental coatwearing tncorne, floppy hat, or roundhat, or in tricorne with hunting shirt. American riflemen, militia, and Continental marines are supported by a single French line infantry figure. British troops are represented by line infantry, grenadiers, light infantry, highlanders in trews, Butler's Rangers, Queen's Rangers, Royal Highland Immigrants in kilts, dismounted British dragoons and Brunswick dragoons, and German Jagers. Box P, Pine Plains, NY 12567.

English Civil War Notes and Queries is a magazine published by Partizan Press. Number 28 included articles on the Battle of Middlewich, the campaign and siege of Colchester, an analysis of the weapons of the trained bands in northeast Cheshire, Scots officers in James King, Lord Eythin's Regiments, and Sir Bernard de Gomme and thecapture of Bristol. 40 pp. 6 x 8 in. £1.25 per issue. Partizan Press, 26 Cliffsea Grove, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 1 NQ, Great Britain.

Hinchliffe has added to their 20mm WWII line with a captured Bren carrier with a PAK 36 AT gun and crew ($7.50), Russian BT5, BT5U, and BT7 tanks ($9.95), Russian Komsomulet artillery tractor with seated artillery crew ($9.95), German PAK 36 AT gun ($4.95), Sdkfz 251/10 command half-track ($9.95), and Skdfz 231 (8 rad) armored car ($9.95). Available from Modelers Mart, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 34625.

Lyzard's Grin has launched a fleet of new ACW ships in their 1:1071 line. (Ironclad ram) CSS Chattahoochee, USS Tuscubia, USS Chillicothi, CSS Virginia II, USS Eastport, CSS Milledgeville, CSS Wilmington, shore fortifications, a waterline battery, a US balloon boat with balloon, the French Gloire, some 1/4 inch shade trees, and a variety of troops described as "no detail-lumps". This brings their line of ACW ships to more than 70 vessels, plus forts and what-nots, at prices ranging from about $1.50 to $3.00 per ship. Lyzard's Grin, P.O. Box 14522, Oklahoma City, OK 73113.

Connoisseur Figures USA is expecting to release a line of 20 odd American Civil War 25mm figures in January. These will be in campaign dress, with slouch hats and torn clothes. Troops with kepis, cavalry, and personality figures will follow. If these are like their recent Napoleonic 25's in campaign dress, they will be well worth looking at, though very large. Connoisseur also carries a veritable landscape worth of terrain items from Battleground in a variety of scales and prices. Connoisseur Figures USA, 2625 Forest Glen Trail, Riverwoods, IL 60015. (312) 940-7617 evenings.

Frontier Miniatures has added 15 mm Russian Infantry for the Seven Years War: musketeers and grenadiers, each available as advancing or march attack, and musketeer command. In 25mm, they have released 13 Roman Republican Army figures from the Rene Classics line. Frontier Miniatures, 7343 Branding Iron, Canutillo, TX 79835. Frontier has dropped some of their colonial and US Latin American, Caribbean, Philippine, and Chinese figures. Modeler's Mart will produce them under the name of Outpost Miniatures. Modeler's Mart, 2071 Range Rd., Clearwater, FL 34625.

Ruins Unlimited produces custom made buildings. Kevin Burns had a couple at the Gathering of the Clans convention that were very impressive. These things aren't inexpensive: you're buying custom craftsmanship, at over $50 for a nice size structure based on matboard and woodframing. A 50% down payment on design completion with the rest on completion is required. Send a SASE to Ruins Unlimited, 37 Friend St., Amesbury, MA 01913.

Empire IV is not available as we reported it would be in the summer of 1988. It is now expected to be published in the second quarter or later of 1989.

Battle Honours has added more Napoleonic figures to their highly detailed 15mm line. French additions include a line grenadier and line grenadier officer, a fusilier advancing in greatcoat, hussar trooper in shako rouleau, chasseur trooper in habit longue, and a dragoon trooper in overalls. The Russian cavalry has been reinforced with Cuirassiers (trooper, trumpeter, and officer), and a British light dragoon officer and trumpeter have appeared (late uniform). Also filling out the range are Austrian landwehr (officer and drummer) and Prussian musketeer officer. Revolutionary war Austrians have been augmented with hussar, dragoon, cheveauleger, and kurassier troopers, grenzerdrummer, German grenadier advancing, Hungarian fusilier firing, German fusilier advancing or firing, grenadier officer, and a mounted officer. Command figures have been added to the Austrian 1809 cavalry: Hussar, Dragoon/Cheveauleger, and Uhlan officers and trumpeters and kurassier officer. A British limber set is now available. The artillery is now sold in separate crews (19 of them) and guns (13 of these) instead of in sets only. Infantry and riders are now 36c each, horses 45c each, artillery crews $1.50 for 4 figures, guns $2.00, and limber sets $7.25. Battle Honours America, 17 Ridge Rd., Budd Lake, NJ 07828.

The Heliograph has moved house. You may now address yourself to Milton Soong, 2947 Mauricia Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Gametable of Campbell, CA is no longer operating as a store, but the owners may continue business as a discount mail order house. For more information: Battleground Miniatures, 621 Laura Dr. #0, Campbell, CA 95008. El Dorado, the International Journal of the South and Central American Military Historian Society is an A4 photocopied publication some 12 pages in length. The Nov/Dec 1988 issue is composed of articles on the uniforms and equipment of the Mexican Army, 1865 (second of two parts), Aztec figures from theCodex Mendoza, and the Chilean Army 1879-84. The journal seems to be concerned with making primary material available, rather than concentrating on analysis. There are some interesting things here; well worth a look if you are at all interested in the area. £7.50/6 issues airmail in the Americas. T.D. Hooker, 27 Hallgate, Cottinham, Nth. Humberside, HU164DN, England.

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