1. www.magweb.com July 16 is the first aniversary of magweb.com and over the first year Russ Lockwood has managed to entice thirty military history and gaming magazines and newsletters to join. Free sample articles are available at www.magweb.com and pricing remains at under $5 a month unlimited access ($59.95 per year; other rates are $39.95 for 6 months). And it is well worth it [however, see Chris Nelson's letter]. While cruising through it recently I found in Tornado Alert "Great War Version 1889.1 Naval Architecture". Having done some of this research myself for a naval war game circa 1885-90, I found this information invaluable. This article has everything you need to produce your own rules for naval engagements of the period.

2. Guernsey Foundry figures, available in the US from Pendragon Miniatures see ad. See Review. If you are writing them directly they have a new address which means a new production facility and probably better service - Guernsey Foundry, Hubert's Lane, Off Doyle Road, St. Peter Port, Gurnsey, GY1 1RG, Channel Islands, Great Britain.

3. Articles of War LTD. 8806 Bronx Avenue, Skokie, IL 60077-1896, (847) 674-7445. See the book review section.

4. Wargames, Box 278 Route 40 East, Tridelphia, WV 26059. Their latest flyer contained no colonial stuff as usual.

5. Miniature Service Center, 1525 Bridge St., Yuba City CA 95993. Still have their 15 percent discount available on all orders. Nothing specifically new for colonials.

6. Barnes and Nobles, 1-800-the-book. The latest catalog contains lots of good military history books. There are two videos of interest to us: "The Battle of Rorke's Drift" dramatized reenactments with commentary by Ian Knight $24.95; and "Zulu" at $14.95 this is a good price.

7. Miniature Wargames. April 1997,

#167. Another Sioux War article and by David Diston "Under a Tropical Sun" concerning the Abyssinian Campaign of 1868. The article contains historic and uniform info, two scenarios with options and figure availability. Well worth reading and giving a try.

#168, May 1997. Contains part six of the Zulu War Campaign. Nothing much new here, although--the photos are quite nice and you can add some interesting ideas to small scale skirmishing.

#169, June 1997. An interesting issue but nothing colonial.

8. Caliver Books and Partizan Press, 816-818 London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 3NH. Nothing new.

9. Clash of Empires is a new newsletter edited by Keith Frye, 33 Ridge Road, Bloomingdale, NJ 07403.

10. Old Glory See review of Sons of the Desert 25mm French Foreign Legion range below. The Cold Wars catalog also list 15mm colonial for the Zulu War.

11. Wargames Illustrated. Nothing since Feb. see the letters section.

12. Soldiers Small Book, Victorian Military Society. Lots of good information for those living in Great Britain. This comes as part of the annual dues for the society as does Soldiers of the Queen well worth the $35, if you can afford it.

13. On Military Matters, 55 Taylor Terrace, Hopewell NJ 08525, 609-466-2329. Has several worthwhile books-- German Artillery 1864-1910, by Wetzig. Forty-eight pages with over 100 b/w photos/illustrations $10.00. Field Marshall Roberts' Forty-one Years in India, printed 1898, $25.00. This is a great book, the price is a good deal and it is fill with personal experiences on the frontier. This is a must have for anyone interested in the Northwest Frontier.

14. University of Texas at El Paso. Since I am also the book review editor for the Military and Naval History Journal I get a lot of military history books at work. If any of you are interested I can send you a sample copy of the MNHJ. Anyway two books from UT El Paso will go great with the (Guernsey) Foundry figures.

First is the Revolution on the Rio Grande: Mexican Raids and Army Pursuits 1916-1919 by Glenn Justice. It contains 100 pages, maps, photos and illustrations. This will provide lots of scenarios to us with the cowboys, lawmen and Mexicans.

The second book Nana's Raid: Apache Warfare in Southern New Mexico, 1881 by Stephen H Lekson. It only contains 49 pages with a map and photographs. I generally don't read the books that come in, I just find others to review them. I couldn't help myself with this one. It's like reading an action packed novel. Nana becomes leader of the Tcihere (Mimbres or Red Paint People) of the eastern band of the Chiricahua Apaches after Vicorio's death. Nana at this point is over 70 years old. His band is attacked by Mexican cavalry and is nearly wiped out. He must find supplies for them so he goes north on the the Mescalaro Reservation and recruits other Apaches.

The Buffalo Soldiers (Heliograph 105)

For two months he leads the US cavalry (mostly 9th cav) on a 3,000 mile vengence raid through southwestern New Mexico's deserts and mountains. They fight at least seven major engagements, basically rearguard traps set for the following cavalry. Plus at least a dozen raids on ranches and small towns for supplies, cattle and horses. He returns to Mexico and is joined by Geronimo and Juh for the final campaign of the Chiricahuas. They are eventually captured, Nana being the last one captured. In 1896 he dies at nearly 90 years old still defiant. This was a good read and will supply lots of scenario ideas and further reading for more details, although most are official documents.

With this book as a scenario guide you can use Mexican army, Mexican peasants, cowboys, lawmen, Victorian bystanders and the new US cavalry. I don't remember if Guernsey has a Nana or not but any leader figure will do in a pinch. While the US cavalry that's available are great figures they are for the Plains Indians rather than for the Apaches, although I guess they can be used as the 8th cavalry in Arizona. If Guernsey will cast up some buffalo soldiers and white officers for using with their Apaches they become more appealing.

16. El Dorado, US subs - Paul Walsh, 227 Sunnybrook Rd., Springfield, PA 19064. Volume VII no. 4 is typically jampacked with great information on South and Central American military history. This issue contains pages of book reviews and the following articles: Brazilian army uniforms ca. 1865, Chilean and Peruvian uniforms 1837-39, Montenero Guerilla uniforms 1975-79, Armored fighting vehicles in Latin America (part 4) and numerous short articles. If you have any interest in this area of the colonial period this is a must have journal.

17. 19th Century Miniatures, 346 River St., Coopersville, MI 49404 (616) 837-7045, fax 837-8568. Carries the former Conniosseur colonial figures, now in bags of 24 inf with command for $20.00 ON SALE NOW FOR $15.00 or 6 cav with command and horses for $12 ON SALE NOW FOR $10.50 and 3 guns & 12 crew artillery bag $22 ON SALE NOW FOR $17.00. Looks like really good prices to me especially if you have these figures in your collection already. These prices are for all 25mm Conniosseur figs.

18. Chris Nelson has sent me several articles from the latest issues of Practical Wargamer.

In Vol 11 # 2 is a scenario by Charles Grant "Bandits in the Hills." could be used in most any time period but would be particularly interesting as a Pathan vs Brits on the Northwest Frontier. The ideas here are useful, I found the section 'Game Setting' concerning sentries giving the alarm to be particularly useful.

In issue vol 11 #3 the article entitled "Ansar and Ascaro" concerning the forces of the Khalifa and Italians in Ethiopia. This is an article well worth reading, with useful information about the Italians and their Ascaris, and a nice departure from the Sudan. 19. US Naval Institute Proceedings, April 1997. Contains an article by Lt. Forsythe "The Navy That Almost Was" is about the modernization of the Chinese navy at the turn of the century. Very interesting article.

20. MWAN March/April 1997. There are lots of great ideas in the issue and several letters concerning the colonial period worth reading. May/June 1997. I'm sure that I received the March/April issue since last time but can't find it in the move. There is another hilarious Podger Pilkington by 'orrible Howard Whitehouse. The whole issue is full of great stuff.

21. Soldiers of the Queen issue 88. contact Mr. Michael Parker, 11 Fennel Close, Cove, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 9XD Great Britain. While the issue is all worth reading there is an excellent article by Rod MacNeil "The Defence of Chakdara".

From the Wargames Study Group Newsletters # 14 and 15. contact Ray Boyles, 19 Plantsbrook Rd., Walmley, Sutton Coldfield B76 1EX Great Britain. 14 has a scenario about the Prince Imperial and the Zulus that is quite interesting by Tim Rose. There is also an update on a play by mail Ashanti campaign. 15 has a short article by Toby McLeod "The French Legion in The Colonial Campaigns of 1880-1914." Also a review of 15mm Sudanese tribesman wargaming figures (recommended) by Two Dragons, 18 Lipscomb St., Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, HD3 4PF Great Britain.

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