The 45th Annual Craft, Model and Hobby Convention and Trade Show sponsored by the Hobby Industries of America Association takes place the week of January 25-29th in Chicago, Illinois. More than 8,000 buyers and 600 exhibitors are expected to attend the show at McCormick Place. In addition to the product lines displayed on the exhibit floor, 150 hours of workshop seminars, over 30 hours of retail seminars, breakfast roundtable discussions, division and product meetings, the HIA Annual Business Meeting, and a banquet are all planned. This year, the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is officially supporting the trade show. The GAMA members support so far is impressive. Of the 34 exhibit booths reserved for Adventure Gaming, 33 were booked by the end of September. The Hobby Industries of America Association (HIA) has stated that any additional booths for Adventure Gaming manufacturers would be in the same area as the initial booths. GAMA also reserved two hours daily of the seminar time for presentations on Adventure Gaming. There will be a demonstration area by the Adventure Gaming booths so that the manufacturers can display their products "in action." The HIA show is the primary trade convention for the manufacturers and distributors of the Adventure Gaming segment of the hobby industry. To see what was planned for new releases by the companies, and distributor and retailer expectations, GAME TRADE NEWS talked to representatives of all three areas of the Adventure Gaming industry to see what the HIA trade show means to them. In this issue of GAME TRADE NEWS, the manufacturers provide a list of items to be released and announced at the show; the distributors and retailers tell us what they want to see at the show; and the distributors and retailers tell us what they expect from the show and the manufacturers. To see how the show measured against these opinions, watch for our HIA show report in the May issue of GAME TRADE NEWS. The Manufacturers' Plans GAME TRADE NEWS called Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) members to ask who will be attending, and what they will be releasing, previewing, and supporting in 1986. Two companies, The Avalon Hill Game Company and Games Workshop U.S., are planning railroad games. Task Force Games is releasing a line of miniatures aptly titled Off the Wall Armies that includes Bunrabs and Highland badgers. Hero Games Inc. will be expanding their line with Space Hero and Robot Warrior. Nova Game Designs Inc. will be featuring an upgrade of the Ace of Aces game and a picture book combat system for World War II. Also new from The Avalon Hill Game Company are two air combat games: one featuring World War I dogfights and the other, modern warfare. Victory Games Inc. plans a release on the Korean conflict, a solo game on the current conflict in Afghanistan, and a tactical combat game that can be used with the James Bond 007 role-playing game. West End Games Inc. has scheduled a modern war in Europe release, a solo game covering the Battle of Britain, a political intrigue game set in ancient Rome, The Ghostbusters roleplaying game and a new edition of Cosmic Encounter. For more detailed information on what GAMA members are planning for 1986, as well as the plans for existing product lines, the companies furnished the following information in October. Some information is subject to change by publication. The Avalon Hill Game Company will be releasing Empires in Arms, a multi-map strategic level game of the Napoleonic Wars, expected to retail for $35.00. Griffin Island, a RuneQuest adventure module will be released, as well as the Leisure Time Game, and 013, an odd card game. Possible releases include Knights of the Skies, a World War I dogfighting game, and Tac Air, an operational level game of modern air warfare. Later in 1986, two modules will be released for Advanced Squad Leader, one covering the American army in Europe during WWII, and a North African desert war module. Three RuneQuest modules are planned for the first half of the year, including Glorantha World, a campaign setting and sourcebook. Also of interest will be 1830: Railroading in the Era of the Moguls, a railroading game. Chaosium Inc. will be at the show with Black Sword, a Stormbringer module. Later releases will include: Terror from the Stars for Call of Cthulhu; The Boy King for Pendragon; Dreamlands, a rules supplement for Call of Cthulhu; and several more modules for their roleplaying games. FASA Corporation plans to attend, but the product releases for the show were not finalized by press time. What is clear for 1986 is the heavy support of three games: Star Trek, The Role-Playing Game; the Dr. Who Role-Playing Game; and BattleTech, the robot warfare game. FASA Corporation's biggest promotion next year will focus on the 20th anniversary of Star Trek, and the expected Christmas 1986 release of the fourth Star Trek movie. Game Designers' Workshop plans to have Bundeswehr, an expansion for their Assault series, available at the show. it covers the West German army, and includes rules for engineers. First quarter releases should include The Soviet Vehicle Guide for Twilight:2000, two more Twilight:2000 modules, and a Traveller module. Also out in the first quarter will be Persian Gulf, the fourth game in the Third World War series. Later in the year, a game on the naval war around the world will be added to the Third World War series. Games Workshop U.S. will be expanding their line of AD&D figure sets under the Citadel line, with new production taking place in their new U.S. plant. Games Workshop U.S. plans to release Warrior Knights, a fantasy board game, and Railway Rivals, a game of railroading. Later in the year, Superpowers, a game of peaceful and not so peaceful world domination is scheduled. Hero Games Inc. will be previewing Robot Warriors, a game of HIA Craft, Model & Hobby Trade Show Hours Sunday 1-26-86 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday 1-27-86 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Tuesday, Appt 1-28-86 7:30 AM-1 0:00 AM Tuesday, Show 1-28-86 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Wednesday, Appt 1-29-86 7:30AM-10:OOAM Wednesday, Show 1-29-86 10:00 AM-3:00 PM robot war, and Star Hero, a space role-playing game compatible with all the other Hero system games. Other product releases expected for HIA: Bestiary, a book of beasts for Fantasy Heroes; Corialis Effect, an adventure for Champions; and Gadgets, a book of useful things for Champions and Danger, International. The big push from Hero Games Inc. in 1986 will be for more crossover agreements with other manufacturers. In this way, modules from different companies can be used with other companies products. Agreements are already in existence for: Call of Cthulhu, Villains and Vigilantes, Daredevils, Twilight:2000, Superworld, Chill, Middle-earth Role-Playing, and RuneQuest. Mayfair Games Inc. plans to release Batman, a DC Heroes sourcebook on the caped crusader. Other plans for the show were not final. Heavy support for the DC Heroes game is planned in 1986. Nova Game Designs Inc. will be showing their new edition of Ace of Aces featuring photos instead of line drawings. They will be previewing Front-Line,. a picture book combat system using fire teams and individual vehicles that can be used with games set in WWII. The first release will feature a snowy wooded village area in the Ardennes, in December, 1944. Pacesetter Ltd. will be attending the show, but had not finalized their plans. Rafm Company, Inc. will attend the show, but had no releases scheduled. Planned for 1986, is expansion of the Ancients and Flint and Feather miniatures line. Simulations Canada will probably be represented by Greenfield Hobby Distributors. Expected for preview are: Second Front, a computer game of the invasion of Europe in '44, and Line of Battle, a tactical game of capital ship combat, 1914-1924. Task Force Games Inc. will be releasing Introduction to Star'Fleet Battles, a training manual for solo or two player play. This will include map and counters and will be a true introductory set for Star Fleet Battles. Previews will include: SSD#7 and #8, providing the ships to finish the navies of the good guys (#7) and the bad guys (#8) in the Star Fleet Battles universe. Also new for '86 will be Off-The-Wall Armies, 25mm whimsical fantasy armies of humanized animals. Initial releases will include badgers in Highland gear, Wolf Warriors in Roman army style, and Bunrabs, bunnies prepared for war. Future releases may include Zulu-roos and The Otter-man Empire. TSR, Inc. will be previewing all of their 1986 releases. in the works are two new roleplaying games in the first half of the year, a new series of DragonLance adventures, as well as more E. G. Gygax novels about GreyHawk. SPI/TSR will release Barbarossa and Terrible Swift Sword this month. Victory Games Inc. will be previewing their February releases, which include: Korea, a two-map operational level game of the war in Korea, 1950-51, by Joe Balkoski; Battle Hymn an Ambush system game on the war in the Pacific; and a game of the war in Afghanistan, using the solo system from Mosby's Raiders. New for the James Bond 007 roleplaying game will be: Villains, a supplement covering bad guys including SMERSH; and Volcano Assault, a game of firefight combat to stand alone or use with the game by one or two players. West End Games Inc. plans to release: Next War, a game of NATOSoviet war in Europe; Chickamauga, the famous Civil War battle using their award-winning South Mountain system; Acute Paranoia, a module for Paranoia; and Cosmic Encounter, the second edition.. Future releases will include: Ghostbusters, the role-playing game, being designed for them by Chaosium Inc.; R.A.F., a solo game of the Battle of Britain; NMile Rome Burns, a multi-player political game of intrigue in ancient Rome; and a Paranoia solo adventure. Besides the new products being released and previewed at the show, this year's convention is remarkable for other reasons. The HIA is making real efforts to woo the Adventure Gaming market this year. GAMA members will all be displaying in a special Adventure Gaming area of the display floor; exhibitors will have an area for game demonstrations available near the Adventure Gaming section, and will have the use of a conference room to give seminars on a variety of subjects during the trade show each day. In addition, this year's convention is officially supported by GAMA. Many members are anxious to show their agreement with the HIA attitude, and plan to work with the organization. These companies, however, don't represent all of GAMA. Several GAMA members are not going to the show. Some members said they were not attending because they felt that HIA does not offer a fair value for the dues they charge. "The only people we ever sold to are people we already sell to," Scott Bizar of Fantasy Games Unlimited. "The HIA show is a waste of time," said Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books, who also pointed out, "We don't want to be trapped into going year after year just to avoid comments like, 'Gee, Palladium didn't show up this year, they must be in trouble." Perhaps, if HIA and GAMA can work out a mutual agreement, attendance at the show will be as necessary as Siembieda indicated. Chicago Gift Show The Chicago Gift Show is also being held at McCormick Place. It will be on the 20th level. The HIA Show will be on the 42nd level. Badges for each show will be honored by the other. A splendid opportunity to see a show for free! Sunday 1-26-86 10:00 AM-6:00 PM Monday 1-27-86 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Tuesday 1-28-86 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Wednesday 1-29-86 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Thursday 1-30-86 9:00 AM- 12 Noon Back to Table of Contents -- Game News #11 To Game News List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1986 by Dana Lombardy. 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