The holiday season is upon us. Please allow us to wish you the very best for this time of year and hope that we all have a safe and prosperous new year (Y2K not withstanding).
So what is new'? On the 25MM World War II side, 19th Century/Battle Honors has released their U.S. Marines for their South Pacific range. The rifle pack includes the usual mix of Garands. M-1 carbines, and Thompsons. The weapons pack is really the eye catcher. There are the usual mortars. medium machine guns, and bazookas. But also. each pack has 2 BARs, 2 flame- throwers. 2 snipers. and 2 really sharp looking pump action shotgun characters. Also the figures have been fleshed out to a more pleasing 25M on the Barrett Scale. At $15 per pack. they are. as always. a very good value.
Also Battle Honors has released a U.S. Jeep and trailer which are quite nice. The Jeep has a crew of 3. a 50 Cal. Machine gun and runs $15. They have also come out with a jeep crew pack which has not only U.S. ETO types, but also Russian. and British and U.S. Paras. These packs are worth splitting with a friend.
Also new in the 25MM World War II are the new Foundry figures. There are 3 packs of German paratroops (command. rifle, and heavy weapons). and 3 British Home Guard (personalities and 2 packs of rifles). rumor has it that this line is definitely going to start taking a rather tongue in cheek approach with the release of some specialty packs of British Home Guard. ALA "Dad*s Army." The British Communications pack which is now in design should include an old man on a bicycle, a boy scout, a letter box, and phone booth. The figures which we have seen to date are about 27-28H on the Barrett Scale and run $12 for 7-8 figures. Very cool
On the 20MM side, FAA has released a PZ II B/C. a Stug III C/D short barrel. and a Stug III F long barrel. All are combination resin and lead kits. There looks to be a bit of extraneous resin on the Stugs that will increase your prep time, but the detail is good and the air bubbles few. At $17.50 each, they will be a welcome addition to and 20MM early was German army. Also from FAA, their 25MM Spanish Civil War range has come out with a very nice Soviet T-26b tank which would be very useable in an early war Russian Army. It is, like their 20MM line, a lead and resin kit . One very nice feature is the use of slots and tabs to insure the proper alignment of the tracks to the hulls. Retail is $21.99. Next to be released is a PZ I.
On the 15MM ancients side. 19" Century/Old Glory 15 has come out with an excellent Hellenistic Greek line. Included are a command pack, Hopitites. Spartan Hopilites, light & medium Cavalry, peltasts. javelinmen, and staff and Rhodian slingers. Scale is 18M and flash is almost non-existent. The price is $12.50 for 50 infantry. 16 cavalry, or 36 command. Go buy some ...
The final item on the list is the new - Chariot Wars - army list supplement for the "Warhammer Ancients Battles" rule set. Covered are the classical Middle-Eastern chariot oriented armies: Sumerian & Akkadian through Assyrians. $20 for this book may seem a bit steep at first glance, but the color plates, and painting guides are worth the price. Kind of a "Readers Digest" version of a bunch of different Osprey books. The author, Mr. Stillman. also poses some interesting thoughts on the new theory of "new chronology", the idea that the ancient time line is off some 300 years. This would put the Battle of Kadesh at 941 BC as opposed to 1280 BC, and the Fall of Troy at 910 BC. An interesting theory to say the least.
Back to Dispatch Dec. 99 Table of Contents
Back to Dispatch List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1999 by HMGS Mid-South
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com