Product News

Courier Dispatch News

by Dick Bryant

Quality Castings continues to expand their line of 15mm WWII vehicles and figures. They are now producing Japanese infantry command and gun crew packs, as well as a batch of German guns: a 10.5cm LeFH 18 howitzer, 88mm 191 PAK AT gun, 3.7 cm and quad 2cm flak guns, both as ground mounts with trailers, and an Sdkfz 7/2 halftrack with 3.7cm flag gun. P.O. Box 11714, Alexandria, VA.

Victorian Classics is a new line of large 25mm figures for Colonial battles. There are about 40 British of 1898 vintage, with nearly 70 Sudanese, Egyptians, Abyssinians, Ashantes, Dervishes, and Fuzzy Wuzzies. Available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 Cedar St., Safety Harbor, FIL 34695.

Historical Products Co. is Pat Condray's new endeavor. He has acquired the license to produce the Hotspur line of 20mm Spanish Civil War figures designed by Dave Allsopp, and should have a full line available by the time this is printed. 8234 Kings Arm Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308.

Valiant Miniatures ships are back in production after an extended absence. Their 1/2000 Napoleonic and 18th Century, 1/1200 Spanish Main, and 1/900 Ancient models are available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 Cedar St., Safety Harbor, FL 34695.

GHQ has released another batch of models. The new WWII 1/2400 ships include the Rodney, the Capetown class light anti-air cruisers, heavy cruiser Frobisher, the Prinz Eugen, and the MV Gran, a cargo steamer complete with Shermans and 21/2 ton trucks as cargo. The new Microarmour offerings concentrate on modern logistics with the M 977 Cargo HEMTT, M978 Fuel Servicing HEMTT, and 5 ton wrecker. Also available are the AV8B Harrier jumpjet and the FV-438 Swingfire antitank missile carrier.

Schiffer Military Books are a series of 48-52 page soft-cover treatments of German vehicles. Nine volumes on WWII and one on the Leopard family are available from Modeler's Mart, 1183 CedarSt., Safety Harbor, FL 34695.

Kriegspiel , the Prussian military training game, seems to be havingabit of a revival. Bill Leeson, who publishes reprints of rules, example games, and maps, has now brought out a book of 12 scenarios. These are set up with reports, forces, and initial orders for both sides, as well as additional orders for the Red side to facilitate solo or commandervs. umpire play. 60 pp. card cover. $15 air, $13 surface from Bill Leeson, 5 St. Agnells Lane Cottage, Hemel Hampstead, Herts. HP2 7H].

He also publishes a newsletter with game reports, maps, rules commentary, and variations. This is available in the States from Howard Whitehouse, 104 Lawrence St., La Fayette, CA 30728, for $7/year (4 issues).

Wargames Foundry continues to churn out new figures. The latest offerings begin with the Zulu War in 25mm, some 40 figures, enhanced by scale models of the buildings at Rourke's Drift, complete with sectional lift- off roofing and interior partitions, cast in resin with metal windows and doors. There is also an assortment of breastworks of biscuit boxes and mealie bags.

The Colonial motif continues with about 30 figures for the Boer War and another 20 Chinese suitable for conflicts from the Opium War (1839) through the Boxer Rebellion (1900), all in 25mm. Another new line is the Great War series, about 25 French, German, and British 25mm infantry so far.

The Early Hundred Years War line has been increased by some 15 mounted knights, each with the body divided at the waist, right arm cast separately, and a loose shield to provide a variety of positions. There are 7 horses to provide yet more variation. Ten new Scottish infantry and some new crossbowmen, standard bearers, heralds, pages, and servants, as well as a number of special vignette sets round out the line. The Marlborough and Great Northern War line has been expanded by about 20 figures, bringing the total to something around 80 available.

There are also more than 70 new additions to their 20mm WWII figures and heavy weapons crews, including Finnish ski troops, Italian askaris, Australians, Indians, Chinese and Poles in addition to the standard nationalities and types. Available from Pendragon Miniatures, 1549 Marview Dr., Westlake, OH 44145. Tel. (216) 871-4587, fax (216) 892-5887.

Publications

Searching the Seven Years War is an enhanced catalog: in addition to a list of rare documents, books, and maps concerning the Seven Years War of which photocopies are available, there is a feature essay, a reprint of a document (proposed to be translated to English in future issues), and a letters section. A subscription to the catalog ($12 for 4 quarterly issues to the US) includes a 10% discount and a D'Heulland battle map of the 1757 campaign. This map is one of a series to which one can subscribe at the rate of $15 for 6 plates or $22 for 12. The example map provided makes this seem a good value. Juan L. Sanches Martin, Caleruega, 75 (mod). 1 -B 28033 - Madrid, Spain.

Command Post is a newsletter devoted to Command Decision and Combined Arms gaming, put out byGreg Novak. The summer 1990 issue includes organizations for a 1980s North Korean Army Corps and German heavy anti-tank battalions for 1944-5. Two game scenarios, letters, rules questions, and experimental rules proposals fill out the issue. Recommended to those who play these rules. 16 pp. to be increased to 24-32, $8/4 issues. Greg Novak, 618 West Union, Champaign, IL 61820.

The Command Post is a quarterly newsletter to be put out by GDW for people who play Command Decision or Combined Arms. To get a copy, write to Greg Novak, 618 West Union, Champaign, IL 61820.

Gorget & Sash, the Journal of the Early Modern Warfare Society, includes in issue III-4 articles on the history, organization, uniforms, and colors of the Strelzi, the cossack military system as described by the Sieur de Beauplan in the middle 1600s, and the second part of a piece on the Janizaries, this one covering the period of increasing Turkish membership. There is also a biography of Rochambeau and a short piece on military Orders. Illustrated with very nice line art throughout. 32pp with card covers, $14/4 issues. 5218 Landgrave Lane, Springfield, VA 22151.

Military Hobbies, a monthly glossy from Britain, continues to expand its coverage of toy soldier collecting and reenactment groups. There are also articles on vehicle kits and collector figure painting in every issue, along with an article on uniforms. Available in a number of hobby shops. 40 pp, 4- color, f 13,50/12 issues by air. AE Morgan Publications, Ltd., 9 West St., Epson, Surry KTI 8 7RL.

Portsmouth - Phil Barker recalls a slighting reference to a dearth of military museums near Portsmouth, and has manfully come to the defense of the cultural reputation of southern England (not to mention the British tourist industry). Now in hand is a colorful little booklet outlining the attractions for tourists interested in military history. It has descriptions of dozens of attractions, including the Victory, Mary Rose, and the Warrior, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, the Royal Marine Museum, Cowes Maritime Museum, the Tank Museum, D-Day Museum, Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum, Museum of Army Flying, Airborne Forces Museum, innumerable fortifications, castles and batteries, and enough other sights to fill more time than any working man will ever have available. For information, contact the Project Co-ordinator, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Defense Heritage Project, Ferry Gardens, South Street, Gosport, P01 2 1 EP, tel. (0705) 504332. For suggestions on how to convince the wife and kids that they want to spend that vacation in England entirely in military museums, contact Phil directly.

CATALOGS RECEIVED

Redoubt Enterprises An extensive line of 25mm Peninsular War Napoleonic figures (two dozen British centre company poses, for example), all illustrated with line drawings. 49 Channel View Rd., Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7LN. Telephone 0323 32801. VISA accepted.

Adventure Simulation Games Knight Designs 6mm and 2mm figures, terrain, vehicles. Aircraft and ships in several scales. 22659 Keswick St., Canoga Park, CA 91304, tel. (818) 702-0670.

The Thistle and the Rose Miniatures Normans, Saxons, Scots/Irish, Welsh, Russ, Germans, Franks, Vikings, Picts, Eastern Europeans, Crusaders, Gauls, and assorted oddments in 15mm. 2-page listing from 3079 Bridgeton Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192, tel (703) 490-4753, 7 to 10 p.m. EST and weekends.

Wargames Foundry Franco-Prussian War 25mm figures, catalog illustrated with line drawings of each figure. There is also a listing of all available lines, without illustrations. Each catalog $2 from Pendragon Miniatures, 1549 Marview Dr., Westlake, OH 44145, tel. (216) 8714587.

Armchair General Bookstore Descriptions of over 400 books of interest to military history buffs, a wonderful way to browse away an evening. These are in print, not rarities. 58 Brock St., Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 1R9.

SIMTAC Jacobite 15mm, Main Force 1/300, Scotia Micro Models 1 300 modern & WWII, Britannia 25mm Ancients, Napoleonic, Gordon Relief, Little Bighorn, and Crimean War, Denian 1/3000 Naval, Tiny Terrain 1/300 structures. All these lines are now manufactured by SIMTAC in the US. 20 Attawan Rd., Niantic, CT 06357, tel. (203) 739-3609.

Wargames West Over 100 pages, almost all fantasy & SF. 3422 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerqe, NM 87106, tel. (800) 729-4263.

Raventhorpe Miniatures WWII 20mm figures of great variety, specializing in figures not carried by other manufacturers, although the bread- and-butter infantry are here, too. Many poses, oddments, and such things as packages of separate heads. 2 Bygot Lane, Cherry Burton, Beverley, North Humberside, HUI 7 9RN.

Waterloo Miniatures Battle Honours Napoleonic, ACW, and Ancients 15mm, Ceo-Hex, Gallia structures, Adler 6mm Napoleonics, Battle Vista terrain, Minifig 1 5mm and 25mm Napoleonic, 15mm ACW, Conoisseur 25mm Napoleonic, Tradition 54mm and 90mm Napoleonic, and ESCI plastic Napoleonic figures. 64 page catalog with illustrations. 4803 Burning Springs Dr., Arlington, TX 76017, tel. (817) 478-0721 after 6:00.

Eagle Miniatures Four page list of 25mm Napoleonic, ACW and Seven Years War figures. JDW Atkins, 'Wild Acre', the Devils Elbow, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, CL6 9AJ, tel. 0453 835782.

GAJO Buildings for wargamers, an illustrated listing of painted buildings and terrain pieces from The Drum, Hovels, Gallia USA, Chariot, Battle- Vistas, J R Miniatures and TCS. 1926 Fern St., Royal Oak, MI 48073, tel. (313) 546-6554.

Courier Dispatch News of The Hobby

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