Welcome to The Gauntlet!
This issue represents three years of work from across the Atlantic. Not that this issue took three years to produce, heavens no (actually just a couple of months). What took three years was the foundation and experience that gave me the pleasure of meeting the Primary Editor and Publisher of The Gauntlet, Mark Hannam. I will be publishing this version, The Gauntlet - U.S., with what you expect from Mark and a few extra tidbits of my own. The magazine will be about 100 pages each time (except for this one - I used most of my material to publish The Rebel Yell, HMGS South's 6-time a year magazine).
Mark and I will have a number of regular features that include at least one set of rules and one scenario in every issue, product reviews, historical information, and a color cover. I look forward to publishing The Gauntlet for many years to come and in doing so, hopefully helping to expand the hobby of historical miniature gaming.
After you've taken a look, take a moment and subscribe to ensure uninterrupted delivery, four times a year. And if you haven't noticed, The Gauntlet was and is greatly influenced by MWAN and Hal Thinglum - and for Hal, this is meant as a complement to MWAN, not competition. Thanks for taking an interest in The Gauntlet and I look forward to hearing from any and all subscribers with their views, rules, scenarios, or even just ideas!
Thanks all who came to HMGS South's Hurricon 97 in Tampa, Florida! The gamers who came made it a great show. As evidenced by Richard Higson's Tinian Island, the quality of games seemed to reach a new level. No one settled for a simple horse blanket terrain setup. Flocked bases with high-speed accessories were the order for the day.
Convention People
The best part of any convention is talking with the people who come. I spent a lot of time talking with Herb Gundt, alias HG Walls and Mike Schundler. These two are a class act and put on one hell of a good Napoleonics game. Herb's buildings and terrain know no equal! Mike's figures were well-above game quality and I cringed when each figure was touched, waiting for that first museum-quality miniature to drop. But it didn't happen and all ended well.
Another fine individual was Bob Brodeur from Easy 8 / Battleground WWII. He ran some great looking games and was always available for questions or just easy conversation. Thanks Bob for making it in from Kansas. Keith Sullivan rolled in from Indiana (as did Herb). Another fine individual who I spent an inordinate amount of time talking with was Richard Borg., renowned game designer. His latest effort, Command and Colors represented the only game I had the opportunity to play in all weekend. What a superb game system! It took me about a half hour watching Mike play Herb to become an expert in the rules. And for anyone who hasn't seen Mike in action, he's the guy who always rolls a six when he needs it and when a two is good enough, he gets that as well.
Despite sound tactics, Herb suffered on the losing end of Mike's die rolling. Then there was the gang from Gainesville, titled the Gainesville Garrison. Representing Pat Condray's Editions Brokaw and Historical Products Company, they put on a number of games from a variety of periods. Their games were visually stunning 15mm extravaganzas & Tracks was a microarmour thriller. Products for sale weren't bad either as I picked up 15mm Austrian and Russian armies. All I need are a couple hundred Prussians and let the battle begin!
Let's see what other great buys there were at the show...I picked up about twelve packets of various Scenic Effects products for $7.50 - a fire sale from Fortress Games. I also must admit that I picked up a number of painted Warhammer 40K figures for my son. I'll build the fantastic terrain myself, but that was also available during Hurricon and for the right price.
Within 10 minutes of the doors opening, I'd purchased a destroyed three-story building from Joe Conejo's All Fronts Armor Depot (which I used later that evening in my Piquet Point of Attack WWII skirmish game). I bought some Ballantine Battle Books during the flea market along with about 10 more back issues of MWAN (numbers within 20s-30s). My MWAN collection is rounding out quite nicely. As I read thru the older issues, the number of timeless pieces is simply astounding. In Number 22, Orv Banasik gives insight into the building of a good Civil War battlefield and its environs. I found the creation of the wheat fields in miniature especially useful. I picked up a copy of HG Walls' Brother against Brother ACW skirmish rules and will have to try them out with my new Foundry 25mm Danged Rebs. To help in this scale, I also bought a couple Hovels in the broken down rack. Two substantial Hovels two-story city buildings for only $25!
Within two hours after getting home from the show, I had the buildings glued back together (only the chimneys were broken off and they were clean breaks) and ready for priming. a month later, and one building is done and sealed, the other is next up on the painting schedule. If it weren't for football, I don't know how I'd get anything painted. Once again, my wife lets me use the dining room table to paint, the formal dining area to game, and the computer room for everything else. I know, everyone out there is envious! I also picked up about 10 microarmour buildings to use with my collection of modern micro tanks. I painted the tanks with the European flavor camouflage and my buildings could be more middle eastern in their origin. Well, I guess I'll cross-pollenate by regions rather than attempt to repaint the armor or modify molded buildings. Once again, I'll paint the buildings myself.
Painting
If you couldn't tell, I'm not into painting the figures, although I will when necessity dictates. I really like to do the terrain, though. Lucky I reread this - I almost forgot my prized painted Old Glory Iron Brigade purchased from Russell Stakes (Triple R Painting Service and Florida's representative of Ohio's The Soldiery). These are 15mm figures with all piping clearly painted, buttons, sideburns, epaulettes, the painted detail is worthy of 25mm figures! I'll base these 100 using the Fire and Fury rules. I'm looking forward to getting these guys on the table with my sparse collection of 15mm ACW buildings and running them up against some butternuts!
No era is safe from these prying eyes! My friend Rhett had 100 Samurai painted up for use during Siege of Augusta. Dr. Jim Birdseye said if we brought the figs, they'd run the game. I'm looking forward to it. Every now and then, it's relaxing to get into a good hack and slash contest and what better soldiers to do it than Samurai? We also picked up a couple Japanese buildings for use during The Siege, with one being a very modest daimyo's castle. Talk about dominate the table! I think we'll be running a SYW contest as well.
As far as eras go, I picked up a copy of Arty Conliffe's Armati for perusal. I didn't think I was interested in ancients, but it started on Friday, when Jeff Lista ran an Armati demo game in 25mm. During the tournament, the players were simply riveted during the rapidly developing contests. The ancient armies were also extremely colorful. I see why there are so many Armati fans around. Once again, Rhett picked up the slack and a couple more ancient armies from Jeff, just in case...
Merry Christmas!
Let me make a suggestion. Highlight a few things you want from our advertisers - write some notes in the column outside the ad. Then leave this laying around where your better half may see it. After she stumbles across The Gauntlet a few times, she'll get the hint, make the call, and order the toys that you want. And heaven forbid if your highlighter bled over. The next thing you may know, your wife has you 20% into a new era! And what are you to do? Put your spouse's present in a box, never to be opened again? I say NO! Buy the remaining 80% and round out your collection. It goes without saying...
Thanks for all the support that has encouraged me to take up publishing the U.S. version of The Gauntlet. Without you, the Historical Miniature Gamer.... If you think of anything you want included in The Gauntlet, drop me a line snail mail or e-mail. I'd be happy to ask around for more information on an era or a unit type for you. I'm also interested in receiving your thoughts on historical miniature gaming. Any and all input is welcome.
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© Copyright 1997 by Craig Martelle Publications
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