The Mid-South Region of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society is an organization of persons devoted to the promotion at the hobby of Military History and Wargaming. It was created in June of 1988 by wargaming groups tram Nashville, Columbia and the Highland Rim of Middle Tennessee. The society is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Tennessee and serving members throughout the country but located primarily south of the Mason-Dixon and East of the Mississippi. Mid-South has, as of this writing, the second largest membership in the nation (only the East Region has more members).
The Society functions as a contact point for wargamers by way of the Directory of Members it publishes. This listing, free to all members, contains the names, addresses and phone numbers. In short, most everything that you would need to meet a group of people interested in any given period and enjoy the activities of the society.
The society also promotes the study of military history and conflict simulation both to the general public at large and at schools by using historical miniatures to help bring history 'alive'. We also sponsor conventions and demonstration games open to the general public to further our goals.
HMGS Mid-South is an accredited Region of the Historical Miniatures Gaming Society, one at ten such Regions currently recognized by the National Board of Directors of HMGS. Each Region is responsible for their own activities and membership in one Region is recognized by the others for benefits such as reduced admission to HMGS sponsored events. Normally, additional specific benefits (e.g: newsletters, discounts) accrue only to members of that Region.
Essentially, each Region is a separate corporate entity, acting in concert more as a confederation rather than any stronger affiliation.
HMGS Sections within the Region
Now that you have read all the P.R. just what really is HMGS Mid-South? As of this writing there are 32 active gaming groups are affiliated with us as HMGS Mid-South Sections where regular gaming takes place. If you wish for your group to be recognized as a Section within HMGS Mid-South and included in this listing, please contact Mai Bill Harting, 101 Taylor Rd., Estill Springs, TN 37330. The Sections are listed below:
HARTSELLE- HUNTSVILLE, AL. POC: John Bill, 503 W. Broadway, Hartselle, AL 35640, 205-773-0323.
FAYETTEVILLE AR - NORTHWEST ARKANSAS HISTORICALLY ORIENTED GAMING SECTION (HOGS). They meet the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month. Of particular interest is Chuck Blouin's 32'x22' game board, raised 4' off the floor. Commanders roll around under in on chairs and come up through holes in the table to move their units (shades of Brigadier Peter Young!) POC: Grady West, 13737 Viney Grove Rd., Prairie Grove, AR 72753, 501-846-3766
MONOCRACY GAMERS Monocracy, MD. Meets the 2nd Saturday (2pm) and last Tuesday (6pm) of each month at Roy Rogers Family Restaurant, Hwy 26 & Trading Lane, N of Frederick, MD. POC: Ken Carter - 301- 834-6516, or Jim Butters - 301-696-1653.
MIAMI, FL - SFGA. The South Florida Garners Association is our main Section in the ares. POC: Andy Petry, 931 Lyons Rd., Coconut Creek, FL 33063, (W) 904-3383430.
ORLANDO FL. POC: Jim Boyle, 755 Bernice Ct., Orlando, FL 32825, 407-281-6971.
ATLANTA GA - ATLANTA MINIATURE WARGAMING SOCIETY. The oldest gaming group in the Atlanta area, formed by S. Craig Taylor (of Avalon Hill fame) on or before 1972. The group is arrogantly disorganized (their words, not ours), as evidenced that their president moved to Alabama about 10 years ago and has yet to be replaced. POC: Bill McGinnis, 2158 Superior Place, Decatur, GA 30033, 404321-5826
ATLANTA, GA - ATLANTA SOUTHSIDE WARGAMERS ASSOCIATION. POC: Donald Jenkins 100 Grenoble Road Peachtree City, GA 30269 404-487-8781 or Fred Schaller, 1690 Old Rex Morrow Rd., Morrow, GA 30260, 404-961-9976.
MARIETTA, GA-KENNESAW MOUNTAIN WARGAMERS. These Cobb County gamers meet monthly, usually on the Ist or 2nd Saturday for friendly, laid back games of almost any period. The group welcomes anyone who is interested. Meetings are held in Bill Amick's basement. POC: Bill Amick, 4068 Ophie Dr., Marietta, GA 30066, 770-565-8038.
GAINESVILLE, GA - THE GAINESVILLE GRENADIERS. Formed in 1992 around stalwart Ed Thilenius and the gamers in the area. Ed states they are expanding their horizons as time goes by. Newcomers are welcome, POC: Ed Thilenius, 415 Adair St., Gainesville, GA 30501, 706-532-8740,
AUGUSTA AND EAST GEORGIA. The Section holds monthly games at the ROTC building of Augusta College and the section is the hand behind the SIEGE OF AUGUSTA HMGS convention held each January. POC:Chris Damour, 348 Parkway Ct. E, Martinez, GA 30907 (H)706855-1169 (W)706-791-251112327 damour@enrmo2.gordon.army.mil
COLUMBUS, GA - FT BENNING. Wargaming in and around Ft Benning is actively supported by our man Mike Graziano, who proudly espouses his ancestry to include 'Old Electric Whiskers' of Western Desert fame (or is that infamy?). INFANTRYCON, an HMGS event is held at the Infantry School in December. POC: Mike Graziano, 514 46th St., Columbus, GA 31904, 706. 322-3631.
BOWLING GREEN, KY - THE BATTERY. Since our previous POC has been taken by 'the Dark Side' of gaming, a new POC for southern KY has been designated. He is: Greg Spence(, 1508 Live Oak Ct.#58 , Radcliff, KY 40160 270-3521157 email: gspencer@aol.com
ST LOUIS, MO - SAGA This is a unique Section due to their proximity to three HMGS regions and as such members can and do owe allegiance in all three directions under the auspices of SAGA (St Louis Area Garners Association). POC: Kevin Fitzpatrick, C/O Games, Crafts, Hobbies and Stuff, 9220 Lackland Rd,, Overland, MO 63114, 314-423-2199, email: KFitzgchs @aol.com
OXFORD MS - N. MISSISSIPPI MILITARY GAMING SOCIETY. POC: Cowan Hunter, 801 Frontage Rd., Oxford, MS 38655, 601-236-2631
MS-TOMBIGBEE RANGERS Mike Farrar as their point of contact. You can reach Mike at 405 3rd St. S., Amory, MS 38821, They meet on the last Wednesday of the month at a member's home.
HATTIESBURG, MS - HATTIESBURG KRIEGSPIELERS. POC: Wayne Trovinger, Box 1854, Laurel, MS 39441-1854 601-425-4374, email: BigTimeTC@aol.com
HATTIESBURG, MS - HATTIESBURG FUSILIERS. Meets Tuesday evenings & occasional weekends. Vince Clyant, 41 Beverly Hills Loop, Petal, MS 39465, 601-584-8533.
CHARLOTTE, NC The Section meets the last Saturday of the month and no experience is necessary to come and play. POC: Jim Brokaw, 3611 Quail Ridge Rd., Matthews, NG 28105, 704-846-1652.
RALEIGH, NC - TRIANGLE SIMULATION SOCIETY. Meets one Saturday each month except for the months of Cold Wars and Historicon. Sponsors 'Southern Front" wargames convention every Veterans Day. All periods and scales; newcomers are welcome. POC: Preston Buck, Rt 3 Box 129A, Angler, NG 27501, 919-639-4500.
GREENVILLE, SC - UPSTATE SC WARGAMING SOCIETY. Meets monthly at the Greenville County Public Library, All historical periods and scales. This group publishes "The Objective", a free newsletter available to all members, POC: Tim Walker, 210 Reisling Way, Mauldin, SC 29662, 803-281-0488, email: WavemanWT@aol.corn
NASHVILLE, TN - THE NASHVILLE VANGUARD. The Vanguard was formed at the same time as the first organizational meetings for the Mid-South Region. The real catalyst was the opening in 1987 of Games Extraordinaire (since closed). Some people accuse Maj Bill of being the father of the Mid-South Region. If that's so, then Gavin Gosset and Stu Merrill are the midwives, and much of what this organization is, is due to their efforts and support. The group is the prime instigators of NASHCON, Mid-South's Flagship convention. POC is 'Lord' Al Gaiser, 2929 Kraft Dr., Nashville, TN 37204. 615-742-9666 gaiserco@bellsouth,com
NASHVILLE, TN - NASHVILLE TRACK & HULL CLUB. An offshoot of the Vanguard, as their name implies they are interested is 20th Century warfare, Land, Naval and Air, thou other eras are gamed as well. They meet regularly on 2nd and last Tues evenings of the month and have over 5000 vehicles plus ships and aircraft available for action. The POC is Joe Collins, 323 Isaac Dr. Goodlettsville, TN 370721217. 615-851-6189 Collins@ ML EESmith.co m TULLAHOMA, TN HIGHLAND RIM HISTORICAL GAMERS.
Originally formed in 1980 by Bill Harting and Barry West plus anyone else who could be dragooned (usually from the Air Force base). The group has gamed continuously ever since. After Bill's retirement from the Air Force, the headquarters were moved to his home In Estill Springs. Games ate held weekly, usually on Thursday evenings. Call ahead as space is limited, although new players can usually be squeezed in. Between Bill and Barry they have over 40,000 miniatures available and al2x5 table. POC is Mal Bill Harting, USAF (Ret), 101 Taylor Rd., Estill Springs, TN 37330, 931-6495366, majorbill @united.net
COLUMBIA, TN - MAURY COUNTY LIGHT ARTILLERY. Formed around another 'old grongard', this time Bob Duncan, this group has been in existence since 1983. The group is quite active, with monthly meetings held on Saturdays at a building that Bob owns with a 24' custom built gaming table. The group has over 30,000 miniatures available. Bob is also responsible for starting our WARGAMER'S REUNION convention, held in October-November. POC Bob Duncan, 609 W. 7th St (business), Columbia, TN 38401, 931-388-4418, (W)mauryco @columbia.total-web.net (H)emeraldelty@columbia .total-web.net
MEMPHIS, TN - PERKINS STREET IRREGULARS. A shop based group in the Memphis area. POC: Duane Leavesley, 3527 Blackberry Bush Rd. Apt 1, Memphis,TN 38115-8104 901-368-4661 RatOgre@aol.com
KNOXVILLE, TN. A n active group in Knoxville, TN run by Mike Kennedy. POC: Mike Kennedy,10820 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, 423-524-0125.
KNOXVILLE, TN East. The man to see is a guy who is very active in the gaming community there, Mark Spruiell, 6438 Norwood Dr., Knoxville, TN 37914, 423-637-7844.
CHATTANOOGA, TN. They are always looking for a few good men, meeting Wednesday evenings 7pm to 10:30 or so at the Constitution Hall at Ft Oglethorpe, which is about a mile from the visitor center of the Chickamauga Battlefield park. The group is held together by the stalwart, Gary Peavyhouse 423- 775-7642 or MC snapshot@ aol.com,
AT LARGE HMGS-Gl MEMBERS Was a section/idea within the region, now a full fledged Region within HMGS, The POC is Cpt Pete Panzeri AUS, or Mal Bill Harting, USAF (Ret),
FELOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN WARGAMERS Another idea more than a section, these folks meet on Sunday mornings at conventions for a Prayer Breakfast. POC: Dr Jim Birdseye
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