Product News

Dispatch

By Dick Bryant

Flightlines "The newsletter of aerial warfare" is a fledgling effort to address a much neglected area of wargaming. The first issue (six pages, photocopied, $4/4 issues) presents updates and a scenario for Jet Ace, book reviews, some short biographies, and a commentary on some aspects of WWII combat. Lion King Enterprieses, P.O. Box 34333, Chicago, IL 60634.

Iron Brigade has added powder barrels, wooden barrels, oil drums (8/ $3), campfires (6/$3), scaling ladders (6/$4), the Frozen Rock Cemetery ($13), the Greenhill Cemetery ($17), palm trees (6 small or 3 large/$1.25), and a troop mover ($11.95) to their offerings. They run regular games, including a large ACW campaign, at their headquarters. Iron Brigade, 2121 West Shawnee, P.O. Box 1705, Muskogee, OK 74402-1705.

The Heliograph The July issue is completely devoted to the second installment of a complete set of TSATF modifications for fighting the Plains Indian Wars by Hans von Stockhausen. The next issue will include a bibliography and another complete TSATF variant, this time for the Afghan War. ($5/10 issues). Milton Soong, 2046 Mauricia Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Painting Service is now being provided by Modeler's Mart. Bill Renc will be building an inventory of painted Frontier, Hinchliffe, and Minifigs figures, and will paint other figures on request. Prices for stock painted figures range from $1.30 for a 15mm foot figure to $14.95 for 25mm mounted personality figures. Modeler's Mart, 1183 Cedar St., Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Tel. (813) 725-5168.

Skytrex WWII Naval models now include almost two dozen new ships in 1/3000 scale, These are an OPQ class BB, the Taiyo (1941), Kometarmed merchant raider, Spah Kremzer CL (1943), Mikura (escort), Tokyo Maru (merchant), Akitsu Maru (landing ship/carrier), Aikoku Maru (merchant), Tamano Maru (oiler), Kamikazi escort, Katori (escort cruiser) Eterofu (escort), Chitose (1943), Tomodzum (escort), Hosho, A Z6-56 DD, B65 Battlecruiser, Ryujo (1941), Koromoran (armed merchant raider), Asachio Dd, Shinyo 0 943), and a "D" escort. Prices are $1.75 and $2.00. Available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 Cedar St., Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Tel. (813) 725-5168.

Viking Forge has assumed production of the 15mm Ancients line of figures formerly sold undertheAsgard label. They offer Romans, British, Dacian, Sarmacians, Carthaginians, Sassanid Persians, and Successors, among others. Viking Force, 1727 Theresa Lane, Powhatan, VA 23139.

Frontier Miniatures has released the first of a line of early Napoleonics in 15mm. These include Sans Culottes, Fusiliers and elites in bicomes and pants or gaiters, in mirletons, or in forage caps, Fusiliers of the Ancien Regime, Grenadiers in bearskins, 1794 Legere in crested helmets, 1798 Legere in bicomes, 1800 Legere in Shakos, foot artillerymen in bicornes, horse artillerymen in mirletons, 8 pdr guns, Hussarsx in mirletons, Chasseurs a Cheval in helmets, Cavalry in bicornes, and Dragoons in helmets. All of these come in packs with or without command figures and elites, and several packs include multiple poses. Available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 Cedar St., Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Tel. (813) 725-5168.

Minifigs has also entered the Revolutionary Wars/Early Napoleonics affray in force. They now offer Line Fusiliers in crested helmets, bicornes, forage caps, or leather caps, Line Grenadiers in bearskins or leather caps, Legere in bicornes, mirletons, or 1801 shakos, and dismounted dragoons. In the later Napoleonics, French Carabiniers in bearskins are available, as are a pack of mounted French Line Colonels and one containing mounted figures of St. Cyr, Lasalle, Junot, and three generals of division. Russians have appeared for battles in 1802, with Grenadiers Musketeers, and Chasseurs in bicornes, Grenadiers in mitre, Guard heavy and light infantry, Cuirassiers, Dragoons in bicorne, Hussars in mirleton, foot artillerymen in bicorne, horse artillerymen in crested helmet. The Spanish have been augmented by Dragoons in bicome and Hussars in mirleton.

The AMR line has been rounded out with Continental Light Dragoons, Philadelphia Light Horse, Continental artillerymen and mounted field officers. The British also have Light Dragoons, artillerymen, and mounted field officers.

The Renaissance II line has also been expanded with both Muscovites and Moghuls, the forces of Muscovy include bowmen, crossbowmen, Streltsi with muskets or axes, cossack arquebusiers or cavalry, and mounted Boyers. From the Moghul Empire come levy spearmen and bowmen, musketeers, light cavalrymen and mounted noblemen.

Osprey has produced another batch of their Men-at-Arms books. Now available are The Venetian Empire, 12th-1 7th Cenuries, by David Nicolle, Napo/eon's Overseas Armies, a treatment of small-scale campaigns for island colonies by Rene Chartrand, Victoria's Enemies (1): Southern Africa, by Ian Knight, and German Military Police Units 1939-45, by Gordon Williamson. Each of these hasthe familiar format of 48 pages, 8 in color, with 35-40 black and white ilustrations. Due out in September are resissues of Wolfe's Army and The American Indian Wars 1860-1890, and two newtitles in the Elite series: Soldiers of the English Civil War(l): Infantry, and Tank War - Central Front. NATO vs. Warsaw Pack. These are 64 pages long, with 12 in color.

Tactica is a new setof rules for Ancients demoed at Historicon and likely to be reviewed soon in these pages. Its rulebook is illustrated with 40 diagrams and 65 photos, 45 of them in color, and includes 25 army organizations described as historically accurate and complete. Priced at $19.95, it is available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 CedarSt.,Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Tel. (813) 725-5168.

GDW For those interested in boardgames which could be used for strategic maneuver, A House Divided will be published in a second edition in September. GDW, P.O. Box 1646, Bloomington, IL 61702-1646.

Fred& Liliane Funcken have produced another volume of uniform information for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution. Les Soldats de la Revolution Francaise covers the period 1789-1804 in their usual style, color pages carrying most of the information. Published by Casterman, the book may riot yet be available in English translation, but will be welcomed by anyone interested in painting the multitude of figures of the period recently produced by half a dozen manufacturers.

Wargames Foundry is one of those manufacturers: their 25mm French Revolution figures are nothing short of beautiful. This new line includes seven poses of infantry in regulation uniform with tricom, with two officers, an ensign, a sergeant, drummer, and mounted officer, five poses of infantry in crested helmets, again with two officers, an ensign, sergeant, and drummer. There are 21 armed figures to represent civilians, Sans Culottes, and Vendeans, in various headgear and with either musket or peasant weapons, two wounded civilians, and a complete working model of a guillotine, complete with five figures. Another six civilian figures are unarmed and suitable for any conflict of the late 1 8th or early 19th Century. Weapons packs are also available, containing either four muskets and a pistol or five peasant weapons.

Another new line is the American War of 1812: three infantrymen in service dress, three in summer kit, privates of the 4th and 17th US Infantry, officers in service or summer dress, and an ensign, sergeant, and drummer in service dress.

The Crimean War line has been extended to over 170 figures with Russian artillery crews (7 figures), Don Cossack horse artillerymen (5 figures), British mortar crew (4 figures), naval gun crew (5 figures), foot artillery crew (6 figures), gun crew in fatigues (5 figures), and Royal Horse Artillery crew (6 figures). New ordnance available for the British crews (which are also appropriate for the Indian Mutiny) are a 13 inch mortar, 10 inch howitzer, or 32 pdr gun on garrison or field carriage, while the Russians have a 6 pdr gun, 10 pdr howitzer, 12 pdr gun, 20 pdr howitzer and 32 pdr gun. British horse and foot limber sets are already available, with the Russians probably available by the time you read this. The French have also made it to the Crimea, with 7 infantry poses, plus two officers, ensign, drummer and bugler.

Their English Civil War line, already extensive, has also been expanded. A new command group of 8 pieces has been released, along with a redesign of a musketeer at porte with rest in five head variants, and five new musketeers. No fewer than 19 new additions have been made to the general purpose collection of such things as furniture, sheep, barrels, and ladders, and 15 figures have been added to the Townsfolk range, looking pretty medieval. Available from Pendragon Miniatures, 1549 Marview Dr., Westlake, CH 44145, Tel. (216) 871-4587.

Zulu War N&S Press is reprinting that portion of Duncan Moodie's History of the Battles and Adventures of the British, the Boers, and the Zulus covering the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. First published in 1879, this is a collection of first-person accounts along with Moodie's narrative. Comprising 292 pp with 34 illustrations, 8 maps and a new index, it is priced at $16 in paper or $25 in hardback. This is the first of what is expected to be a series of reprints of contemporary accounts of the Zulu War. Clarkes Bookshop, 211 Long St., Cape Town 8001, South Africa.

Napoleonic Warfare The 3rd edition of this set of grand tactical rules is now in print. Based on a 60:1 figure scale and a 1 inch to 50m ground scale, these rules use alternate turns with a reaction system, and expect each player to command a large division. Command structure is reflected in the ability of maneuver units to become activated. A series of optional rules is provided, offering more features at the expense of complication. The rulebook is heavily illustrated with clear diagrams and includes some 20 pages of unit information. 66 pp, 8 1/2 x 11, with quick reference card. $12 from TCS Distributors, Dept. C, 257 Beachwood Dr., East Greenwich, RI 02818.

Old Glory is a new figure manufacturer; their first line is 25mm ACW infantry. These are provided in packs of three figures with four different heads for $3. The infantry is marching or advancing, with backpacks, blanket rolls (two versions), orl ight equipment (2 versions). Each of these versions is available with kepi, hat or mixed headgear. There are also officers, standard bearers, and 7 wounded figures, with drummers, NCO's, artillery, and skirmishing infantry due out soon. Old Glory American Military Miniatures, R.E. Dunaway, Box 20, Acme, PA 15610. Tel. (412) 547-2731.

Quality Castings has added a number of new 15mm armor and infantry sets to their line. In the modern era are a US M1 6 quad.50 AA Htrk and a USSR T80 standard or with reactive armor. Older USSR vehicles area T26S Lt tank (M1939) and a ZSU 23/4 SPAA. Chinese infantry are available in winter dress for the Korean War in packs of advancing, defending, weapons, and gun crews. Quality Castings, P.O. Box 11714, Alexandria, VA 22312.

The Courier has instituted a new policy of providing a variety in publishing. First there was the newsprint issue, then the loose-leaf issue. Rumors of an invisible ink issue are swirling through the wilds of West Bridgewater, and a highly placed source swears he's seen proofs of an issue printed entirely in pale yellow. Be sure to extend your subscription to keep up with the latest innovations.

Strategist is the newsletter of the Strategy Gaming Society, addressing boardgaming, roleplaying, computer gaming, play-by-mail, game collecting, and miniatures, and modestly billing itself as "the greatest amateur wargaming magazine". The August issue is comprised of modifications to Panzer Leader for modem warfare, and an article on preparing and painting miniatures. 10 pp. photocopied, $9.99/12 issues. Scott Orten, 1430 Audubon, Grafton, WI 53024.

The Vedette is the official publication of the Central Illinois Tabletop Warriors. The July issue contains modifications for Fire and Steel, a scenario for the Battle of Prague (SYW), and an article on Ireland 19191921. Contact Greg Novak, 618 West Union, Champaign, IL 61820.

Spearpoint, the journal of the Society of Ancients, continues to reflect the political uproar among Ancients gamers in the July issue. Articles include the second part of a description of a game using four Roman players and four umpires in what is nearly a staff exercise, a review of two Punic boardgames, a guide to wargaming the Second Punic War, a brief description of Tuhiru, new 15mm rules for the late Bronze Age, by their author, and a short reviewof the rules, and a battle report. 32 pp, A4, $10/ 6 issues. Jim Hill, NAMSAMW, 6415 Dancer's Image, Tallahassee, FL 32308.

Caisson is of interest to all Empire players, and to Napoleonic gamers in general. The journal of the British Association of Empire Players, the latest issue includes a concluding article on British unit quality by George Nafziger, an COB for the Battle of Brienne, grading of the French Guard in 1813 based on Lachouque, a review of Empire 4th Edition, and some figure reviews. 18 pp, folded A4, L9/4 issues in the US. Richard Lawrence, 43 Smithy Carr Lane, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 4BG, UK.

Catalogs Received

Waterloo Miniatures - This firm specializes in the Napoleonic Wars, and has added Battle Honours Line figures to their line. In hand is a newsletter updating their catalog, which is available for $3.00. A complete Battle Honours listing is available with the catalog on request. 4803 Burning Springs Dr., Arlington, TX 76017. Tel. (817) 478-0721.

Mirliton S.G. - Two pages, apparently updates, of 25qm figures, Napoleonics, Teutonics, Etruscans, Samnites, Aztexs, and Maas. Prices range from 880 lira for an infantryman to 39270 lira for a band of Napoleonic Cuirassiers or Dragoons. A new catalog is promised soon, for 13000 lira. Via A. Barduccii 5/a, Tavarnuzze, Firenze, Italy.

Geo-Hex - Sixteen pages, illustrating all of the Geo-Hex pieces and the various sets in which they are available. Other products include Gallia, Hovels, and Little Mini Shops buildings, Woodlands Scenics and K&M landscape materials, Stone Mountain and Detailed Castings Products scenic details and Howard Hues paints. $3.00 from Ceo-Hex, 609 NE Schuyler St. Unit #1, Portland, OR 97212.

Searching on the Seven Years War - This is a service providing photocopies of printed works on the wars of the early 18th Century, with a heavy emphasis on contemporaneous accounts. A fascinating list, 20 pp. long, priced in dollars. A research service is also available. Juan L. Sanchez Martin, Mallorca, 11 Urb., Zulema, 28810, Villalbilla (Madrid), Spain.

Aide de Camp Books - The summer 1989 catalog has 123 used books of interest to wargamers and military historians. P.O. Box 9250, Schenectady, NY 12309. Tel. (518) 346-4966.

Panzerschiffe - Four pages of teeny tiny type, listing ACW, SpanishAmerican War, Russo-Japanese War, WWI and WWII ships in 1.2400 scale, cast in epoxy. P.O. Box 26074, Akron, OH 44319.

Courier Dispatch News of The Hobby

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