Classical Hack:
A New Approach
Editorial
by Phil Viverito
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For those who are not Hackers, let me explain first what Classical Hack is. Classical Hack is a set of miniature gaming rules played at most of the major Miniature Gaming Conventions hosted by HMGS and GAMA all along the eastern Sea Board. To find out more on these groups on line just search for HMGS or GAMA. In this country gaming with miniature figures begins with Robert Lewis Stevenson who first wrote about gaming with toy soldiers. We have come a long way since Mr. Stevenson’s day. Today game systems like Classical Hack reveal an interest in history through the thoroughly modern manipulation of miniature military models. In brief Classical Hack is a game for young and old using miniature models or figurines. Classical Hack is more than just a game. It has nothing to do with computer games or hacking. It has grown into an educational experience though. In order to get people interested in Classical Hack, I as the author, decided that the current method of gaming in the ancient period was fairly dry. The games others and myself were putting on we fairly boring set-ups. Consequently after attending Siege of August in about 1994 I saw later periods with more than just miniature trees, hills and figures. These included buildings and various instruments of war that fascinated viewers and participants alike.With that I too began creating ancient structures and with the introduction of The Pharos: Alexandria 48 B.C. Classical Hack finally took off after about 7 years! Today Lynne Viverito and I go not just to conventions but also to local area educational institutions and societies lecturing on ancient history and illustrating our talks with enormous dioramas, showing people what the ancient world was like in miniature. Many of our dioramas can be seen on line at http://www.classicalhack.com. This new approach is not just a news letter but also a way of taking gaming to the class room and academia. The news letter is just a buttress to our attempt to inspire others to take an interactive interest in history by using miniatures. The news letter itself is all new ground for us. So please take what interest you may and know that we hope that you will make occasional sallies into our world with contributions to the Classical Hack News Letter. Contributions Sought If you wish to send contributions to the Classical Hack News Letter send them electronically to pviverito1@earthlink.net or by U.S. Mail to LMW Works 211 Greentree Road Tonawanda, New York 14150 Subscription Rates Subscription rates are $6.00 for a year. There are 12 issues produced each year. Back to Table of Contents -- Classical Hack Newsletter # 1 Back to Classical Hack Newsletter List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by Phil Viverito. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |
This is the first Classical Hack News Letter. It is our hope that this humble broadside will inform, entertain and inspire its readers. With this in mind we will get people of all ages and backgrounds into the world of miniature gaming and ancient history. For those already involved we hope it enhances their interests.