First and most important is a message from the McPeak family:
To Our Friends in HMGS
Aaron, myself, and our family want to thank you for your kindness. The support that you have shown us is immeasurable and means more than these small words can express. You have no idea what your friendship means to us at this time in our lives. HMGS came together as a group with a common interest, but it has always shown that is more than that.
As those of you who are grandparents know, this child was special to us and had a place in our hearts that is reserved for the children of our children. Caine Leigh, was the first born of my first born. He was the center of our lives and we devoted every opportunity we had to be with him. From all the misfortune that we had been through the past year, he had become our brightest star. Now from a single senseless and violent act our lives have been forever changed.
We would like to ask just one more thing from each of you. We do not want his death, no matter how senseless to also be meaningless. In our grandson Caine's memory tell the children in your life no matter how young or old that you love them. It is the greatest lasting gift you can give to someone. It will stay with them the rest of their lives. And when in times of deepest sorrow and strife, they will remember that someone cares for them.
Buddy McPeak
Aaron McPeak
From Bill Osborne
Thank you for the e-mail. Many years ago, Rhea, AL, David, and a fellow named Al Gatlin were just about the only wargamers in the Nashville area. Everything was 25mm Napoleonic, everything was Minifigs. Rhea did Italians, Al did Prussians, David used Crimean Russians as their Napoleonic counterparts, and a fellow named Ronnie Beane did British. I did French, Bavarians, and Confederation of the Rhine. We put on a demo game at the old 100 Oaks Mall hoping to gain new members, but without a shop or anything to really focus our efforts, nothing really ever became of it.
I remember a game between Rhea, Al, and myself. My French had to hold a village (scratch built balsa wood...I think I still have those things somewhere) against the Italians and the Prussians. I was getting my butt whipped (as was usually the case) and sent my Marines de la Garde in a suicidal charge to buy time for the rest of my force to extricate themselves from the village. Rhea refused to attack them, saying that they were "too pretty to kill." Isn't it funny how you remember such things throughout the years?
Then Bob Moon moved to town, and we had a game at his apartment using 25mm Essex medieval figures. It was the first time I had ever seen them, and I was smitten. Johnson Hood was still in Texas, and he became a very good friend helping me pick and choose among all the different figures. I know that some folks don't like Johnson, but he has always been extremely nice to me. Anyway, this was a large skirmish game we were playing, and I drew the peasants. In one turn, I surrounded one of Bob's knights with my horde of peasants and had a go at him with my pitchforks, mauls, clubs and the like. Couldn't even dent the chap's armor, and got roundly trounced for my efforts. Probably a very historical outcome, but it certainly didn't help my morale for the rest of the game.
That started my long-lasting interest in knights though, and changed my whole outlook on painting. Before then, I painted strictly with enamels. Now I am (all ego aside) a very, very good painter, and have won a bunch of awards, but I never could master acrylics. Bob's beautiful knights were painted with acrylics, and I swore then and there that I would learn to paint with them. And that was the last time I ever painted with enamels. Went out and bought myself a set of Polly-S paints and boxed up all my Humbrols. Considering I have a terrible habit of putting a point on my brush by drawing the bristles through my mouth, I probably saved myself from some future health problems...all that turpentine, you know.
Bored you enough....sorry. But the memories were coming back (hadn't thought of those poor peasants in years).
Take care. I'll get you another article soon....
From Theron Kuntz
Dear Editor (Maj.Bill):
I have now started the Metawargame Group, part of the MSN Web Community, for new and mainstay members in Historical Miniature Wargames. The community's "equipment" makes members virtual managers. It's, therefore, an excellent platform for not only explaining the elements of METAWARGAME, but also a useful discussion platform for Wargamers, in general, to become familiar, help solve problems with rules, improve strategy, to out-source, and to topicize and conduit these categories for better thought.
If any DISPATCH subscribers are interest, I have an announcement prepared, and it's available by sending a 22-cent SASE to my smail address OR just use your computer and visit the Metawargame Group's home page at://communities.msn .com/MetawargameGroup.
The research and invention of METAWARGAME required a nurtured experience about Wargames and post-secondary education. It is also a product, or more firmly, an end-product of my retrospection, not only of the recurring disabilities within The Hobby, but also from the obtuse and egregious manners portrayed by elements of our society.
From Gerald Swick
Major,
I've been skimming through a book that will probably interest all the tank lovers in our membership. It's called 'Iron Fist' by Bryan Perrett. Originally published in 1995, it was reprinted last year to include the Gulf War.
Iron Fist covers several armor battles from WWI, WWII (Africa, East & West fronts, Pacific), the Sinai Campaign of '67, Vietnam and Operation Desert Saber from the Gulf War. It's published by Cassell, in London, so it is heavy on Brit armor experiences. For $10, it's a good scenario generator.
strategypage.com
I just found out about this fascinating site: http://www.strategypage.com/
Here's their description:
JIM DUNNIGAN, AL NOFI and other notables from the heyday of wargaming are
the driving forces behind the new Strategy Page web site found at Dan Masterson, their web master, the developer of the computer Great
Battles of History game as well as a longtime FG customer, said they hope
to include coverage of board wargaming in the future (something I strongly
encouraged), and to add online simulations (such as Dunnigan's perpetual
Hundred Years War game.) It's excellent and cool. Joe Bob says 'check it
out.'
From Pat Condray
I got the latest DISPATCH today, and read it with interest. I think
Steve's article goes back a ways, but I enjoyed reading it over again.
After all, I raised 20mm flats for the Turkenkrieg and actually played Jay
Stone a WRG 2nd Edition game with them during a break in the Wally's
Basement meeting in November of 1981.
I think Knoetel gives the fourth listed Bavarian cuirassier regiment a
different shade of blue instead of brown cuffs, and I'd think Tercio de
Bade would be Baden or Baden-Baden Infantry, which, if memory serves (I
didn't look it up in Kuhn and Hall this time) wore medium blue coats with
white cuffs early in the WSS. Eugene of Savoy (one of our three dollar bill
military heroes) complained of that and other regiments failing to go over
to the gray-white mandated by the Hofkriegsrat or whatever. Also,
Stahremburg, who, I believe, commanded the Vienna garrison, was proprietor
of a regiment which bore his name and wore gray with blue cuffs, but had a
company colors with a red field.
The reference to "reiter" in the Imperial Service is interesting. If I
remember my Montecuccoli references, Wallenstien took carbines away from
several arquebusier zu pferd units and gave them breastplates after Luetzen
so they might do a little serious fighting next time. This was part of a
trend towards "Schwere Arquebusiere" or "Leichte Kurrassiere" towards the
end of the Thirty Years War. I wonder what the formal difference between
Reiter and Kurrasssiere was in the late 17th Century Imperial forces?
A couple of years ago I was provided with a complimentary copy of Bruno
Mugnai's (is he the guy who made O.J. Simpson's shoes?) book on Ottoman
Armies. Unfortunately my father's advice that I should be able to read
Italian by assuming it to be poorly spelled and ungrammatical French didn't
quite work out. If there is anyone out there who is skilled in Italian I'll
try to locate the book and send it to them. That way at least Bruno might
get a decent review out of it.
You apparently opted to "Out" Alexander, Eugene, William, and Frederick.
No matter, I suppose. Nobody can sue for defamation of dead folks even in
the lawyer plagued U.S.A. As for Alexander the Great being AC/DC, there are
rumors to the effect that he was romantically involved with a member of the
opposite sex. However, nothing much came of it.
Over the years I've caught a lot of flack in this hobby for being
politically incorrect. Do you suppose the hatred and discontent I stir up
by saying less harsh things about Slick Willie than he deserves will be
ameliorated by the fact that the print copy in the DISPATCH was very nearly
illegible for that article?
Pat: Thanks for the new info, and no it doesn't bother me to 'out' either
dead or alive persons of the three dollar persuasion...:O) As far as the
print is concerned, The real reason I did it in a smaller typeset was to
fit all of Steve's article in one issue. I hate it when someone has
'continued next month' in an article, particularly one I've got an interest
in. If at all possible it will not happen again if I can help it. Heck,
my eyes are bad enough already...MB
From Pat Condray:
Major Bill
I just read to the end of Phenow's TURKENKRIEG stuff. Please disregard most of my comments on the armies. My pointy headed comments were already incorporated from a previous reading.
Jean Belaubre's comments on colors worn by units of Sobieski's army I can't verify. However, Alt Stahremberg is pretty well documented.
From Theron Kuntz
There's an interesting and active Wargames and Historical Miniature
Wargame web community at MSN's Web Communities, located at //communities.
msn.com in the "Strategy" section of the "Games" category for DISPATCH
subscribers with the penchant for "chatting" and discussing some relative
subjects for general Historical Miniature Wargame elucidation. Elan is one
of the largest member sites of its type at the web community. Become a
member and drop in on the chats and discussion, OR start your own subjects
of discussion. Check it out!
The research and invention of METAWARGAME required a nurtured experience
about Wargames and post-secondary education. It is also a product, or more
firmly, an end-product of my retrospection, not only of the recurring
disabilities within The Hobby, but also from the obtuse and egregious
manners portrayed by elements of our society.
The feature article by Steve Phenow in the January 2000 DISPATCH is the
style and length desperately required for Historical Miniature Wargamers as
subscribers. Although being a convention-goer would certainly improve
one's realistic perspectives (and ideologies) about HMW, continuing the
reach would also be imperative, as continuing education is to physicians
and lawyers. Steve's article on The Siege of Vienna, its scope, for
instance, one being its collusion with Armati rules, while giving something
substantial and historic to the readers, dispenses a great deal of color
that is not only attractive to wargamers as consumers, but also as a
promotional element (which seems infinitesimal for Wargames) for the rule
set. Steve has done the job in these respects without too much
interference. This is the type of boost good rule versions need, not so
much for themselves, but for communal events as well as for Wargame
Appreciation. National organization and doctrine, uniform distinctions,
weapons, service specifications, a bibliography, and Advanced Armati
equivalents are some of the attributes in this valuable contribution. Now
if there were some graphics! Theron O. Kuntz
Theron: I wish this Region could afford good graphics, including color but
at $1 per page the print costs would become excessive fast. I have been
holding on to Steve's article now for over a year just to find an issue
into which it could fit.It was the shortest (and most interesting as you
can see by the comments it has generated) but this still takes a great deal
of time and effort to prepare. Not many members have such a luxury so it
is difficult but we would WELCOME any others so inclined...MB
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