Several Months have passed since Origins 1990, which has allowed me to digest the impressions of my first experience at a national gaming convention and as a member of Task Force Johnson. Because I am relatively new to the Europa community, I admit it was with a certain amount of fear and trepidation with which I agreed to pen an article for this magazine regarding my adventure. But Rick is a good armtwister, so here I am.

For those of you who don't know, Task Force Johnson is a group of Europa devotees who are available to travel to various gaming events under the able leadership of Tom Johnson (I think that Tom named the Task Force after his father) to sponsor a demonstration Scorched Earthl Fire in the East game. The purpose of this is to expose as many players as possible to the joys of playing what Christopher Cummins has rated "the best wargame of all time" (obviously Dr. Cummins is a brilliant individual with impeccable taste in wargames).

When I offered my services I was given the position of Registrar. Although this position has little "hands on" application to the game itself, it is demanding nonetheless. In my new capacity I was responsible for the copious amounts of paperwork generated by OKW and STAVKA. In addition, I handled public relations, signed people in, and made sure that individuals were properly out- processed upon departure.

I would describe my experience with Task Force Johnson in a few words: "a lot of fun." Although there was much to do and the days were long, the work was more than compensated by the camaraderie of new friends and the considerable enjoyment of being around so many gamers.

The only drawback to the position of registrar is that, unless two individuals are dedicated to the slot, the volunteer will have significant restraints placed upon him. The reason is that the registrar is basically on call during the entire time the game is in action. This can be very arduous for those who occasionally hear "the call of the dice" in the distance. A heartfelt thanks is offered to those who covered for me so I could enjoy the thrill of spending a few dollars on some old classics. More of the auction anon.

I cannot overemphasize the quality of the team. Tom has done a superb job of assembling a group of high caliber individuals. The result is a smooth-flowing event which is notable for its results (introducing people to Europa) and enjoyment.

To those who would follow in this position, I would offer the following advice. First, bring a dictionary if you aren't a good speller. Second, bring an alphabetized file box, which is large enough to hold 8x11 cards. Third be prepared to enjoy yourself. Fourth, remember, be as cheerful and as outgoing as possible!

Never, never forget that the more people exposed to our system, the better! My final advice is as follows: If there is any trusting soul who wishes to become part of Task Force Johnson, leave your trust at home (I've not forgotten about the redhead, Tom!).

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tom for allowing me the privilege of working with the team. I also think that thanks are due to Winston Hamilton for the support that he gave us. In addition, I want those of you who are reading these words who were players at Origins to know that I enjoyed meeting each of you and hope to see all of you with a friend at Baltimore.

As a final observation, it is my opinion that our effort to perpetuate the Europa tradition is successful. At the aforementioned auction, I noticed that few Europa games were sold and those that were sold fetched prices fairly close to the SPI classics. Although this could be considered a somewhat anecdotal observation, it would appear to indicate that most people with Europa games are holding on to them and that when the new games are out, there will be a demand for them.

Gentlemen, to victory conditions!