1. The Foundry figures, available in the US from Pendragon Miniatures, 1549 Marview Dr., Westlake, OH 44145, 440-871-4587, fax 440-892-5887. Guernsey Foundry, Hubert's Lane, Off Doyle Road, St. Peter Port, Gurnsey, GY1 1RG, Channel Islands, Great Britain. A conversation with Brian Ansell reveals that the next Heliograph issue will have a separate catalogue of Darkest Africa figures that will include French and Germans, and possibly Belgians. Not only a catalogue for you but a special discount envelope of, I believe, 25 percent discount. Don't miss the opportunity to obtain some really great figures. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!

2. Castaway Arts, PO Box 7599, Cairns Q 4870, Australia, castawayarts@ozemail.com.au Gerry Webb has sent the second part of their Ashanti Wars figures - Natives, See the review and read the articles.

3. El Dorado, The South and Central American Military Historians Society Quarterly. Terry D. Hooker, 27 Hallgate, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, HU16 4DN, England. In the US Paul V. Walsh, 3412 Huey Ave. Drexel Hill, PA 19026-2311. Check this out on magweb.com or get a subscription.

Once again Terry has produced a most useful 50 page booklet full of bookreviews, uniform drawings and descriptions, OBs and campaign descriptions. Although not in color the illustrations are all excellently done. Includes part 2 of US Troops Stationed along the Mexican Border, 1913-1918, very useful. All the articles are very useful for gaming and reading about South and Central American military history. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Terry has also produced a booklet entitled Two 20th Century Wars from Latin America: The Leticia Conflict 1932-33 and The Soccer War 1969. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

4. The Scholar's Bookshelf, 110 Melrich Rd., Cranbury, NJ 08512, (609) 395-6933. KAR: A History of the King's African Rifles by Malcom Page, $35.00. Contains 43 photos and 10 maps, great information and full of gaming ideas. Highly Recommended.

Skirmish Wargaming by Donald Featherstone, a 1995 reprint, $18.00. Contains three scenarios for the colonial period: French Foreign Legion in Mexico 1866; The Massacre at Isandhlawana 1879; and The Old West 1889. Not Recommended.

Featherstone has some interesting ideas for general rules then for each period changes little bits for them to fit.

I take exception to his 'chance of a hit' table wherein a standing target at short range has 80% chance of being hit, 70% at medium and 50% at long range. In the quaint American vernacular "ain't no way in hell" there's a 50% chance of hitting at long range, even when the range varies. You would have to be an expert with a zeroed in weapon to hit anything at long range. Case in point the FFL in Mexico long range is 400 paces which, by my pace (steady and not exagerated) of 28 to 30 inches (basically your inseam measurement), is roughly a little under 1,000 feet that six foot Mexican the FFL is shooting at is about 2mm high and you have a 50% chance to hit it with a minie rifle I don't think so.

For $18.00 this is a little steep for a 128 page paperback that has no updating from its original printing in 1975. So don't trust the suppliers pages.

5. Wargames, Box 278, Route 40 East, Tridelphia, WV 26059. Now carries subs to Miniature Wargames and Wargames Illustrated. Johnson Hood is have a back issue sale for both mags at $3.95 each. This is about $3.00 off the regular price - a very good deal. I ordered a bunch and got some very nice turn-around-time at less than a week.

6. Bob Burke, 4726 Apaloosa Court, Antioch, CA 94509. Until further notice, all original back issues of Savage and Soldier are on sale for only $2.50 each (photocopies of earlier back issues are still $2.75). He has the following originals available: Vol 17, #1; 18, #2; 19 #3-4; 20 #2 through 24, #4.

7. MWAN #95, Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Drive, Richton Park, IL 60471. Three articles in this issue have colonial contexts, the first "The Senegal Revolt - 1878" by Jack Scruby is a reprint from Jack's The War Game Digest from 1971. This is a two part account of a campaign on Jack's fictitious continent of Mafrica. It is very well written, full of ideas to borrow and a great inspiration to get you moving.

The next article is "Uniform References for the Franco-Prussian War" by Robert Burke is a great help for gamers who want a quick but accurately detailed idea of the French and German armies organization and uniforms without being bogged down with endlessly boring books by academics (I should know about them as that's what I do).

Finally, "A Long-Term Campaign on a Fictitious Continent The Colonization of East Asia" by Donald Featherstone is a brief introduction to colonial war on this continent with rationale behind the needs of the five antagonists. What makes this useful to me are the OBs created by Don for French, German and British troops - command, organization and placement, unfortunately there is no map provided. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

8. Journal of America's Military Past number 82, CAMP, 518 W. Why Worry Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85021. This contains one article of immediate interest "Camp Marfa, the Big Bend of Texas, and the Mexican Revolution" by J. Tillaugh has some interesting ideas for small campaigns for this era. Two other articles "Remember the Alamo" by Paul Toro and "Alamo Impressions" by Jeffrey Dane were interesting. Toro asks and answers five basic questions using documentary evidence.

They are: What were the conditions of the Alamo?; How many Defenders?; How many attackers?; How many casualties did the Mexicans suffer?; and How did the seige and assualt influence the ultimate Texas victory in the war?

Dane's article discusses his visit to the Alamo Village, where the John Wayne movie was made, and the original Alamo quite interesting.

9. Miniature Wargames, number 184 nothing colonial here. However, if you need some buildings for your Malaysian/Burmese Pirates or the Philippines - Spanish American War/Insurrection/Moros read "'Nam Buildings" by John Treadaway. This article should give you some ideas, but don't use corregated metal for these.

Number 185. Contains one article by Kevin Van Overmeire entitled "Tacambaro: The Belgians in Mexico", part I, this campaign takes place in 1864 at the request of the French. The campaign utilized Foundry figures and the color photos are all very nice. There is a painting guide, most useful, for both Belgians and Juaristas. Very interesting article with some good ideas to borrow. Highly Recommended.

10. Soldiers of the Queen issue 94, Sudan Centenary Issue. VMS Michael Parker, Fairness, 11 Fennel Close, Cove, Famborough, Hants, GU14 9XD Great Britain. If you don't belong to the Victorian Military Society you should, and tell them the Heliograph sent you. This is a 40 page issue with not a page to be missed. There is too much here of interest and great value to read, join up, NOW. You can't help but be inspired. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

11. From the Redoubt, the Newsletter of the Wargames Study Group of the VMS. Issues number 19 & 20, October 1998. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! This issue has several pages of period scenarios from the VMS Fair. An article by Toby McLeod "Encore Vers le Bled part 2 The French Foreign Legion in the Colonial Campaigns 1880-1914" is a very useful five page review.

John Hollyoak and Ian Hall's article "With the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force from Pir Paimal to Baba Wali Kotal" using Principles of War rules presents an interesting scenario with OBs map and a panorama drawing that's outstanding and gives a real feel for the local terrain.

Finally, a "Darkest Africa Painting Guide" by Mark Copplestone.

12. Uniform Study Group, VMS, Secretary Keith Perks, 22 Kennard Road, New Milton, Hants. BH25 5 JU Great Britain.

Dress Regulations, The Newsletter of the Uniform Study Group appears three times a year for about $12.00. Color covers! contains useful and esoteric (but interesting) articles with loads of photos, of mostly dress uniforms so far. Issue 1 among others is an article on the Royal Army Clothing Factory which could produce 9-10,000 garments a week, in a year they could make 190,000 uniforms. Issue 2 has uniform notes from the Public Records Office papers of an Indian Cavalry Officer on 4th Punjab Infantry (57th Wilde's Rifles) 1896, 25th Cav., and 2nd Punjab Cav. (1887, 1896).

13. The Sudan Wars Study Group VMS, newsletter Zeriba, Ralph Moore-Morris, 3 Franks Road, Guildford Surrey GU2 6NT Great Britain.

The first ten issues contains: copies of Obits of those who served in 1898; contemporary drawings and photographs; articles with drawings and photographs of weapons; transcribed original letters; articles; reprinted articles from English magazines and newspapers; and reviews. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

14. The Thin Red Line, Keith Perks, 22 Kennard Road, New Milton, Hants. BH25 5 JU Great Britain. This company makes equipment and headress for colonial era re-enactors. Very nice stuff, great drawings. 19th Century Tailoring (01202 537110 or email rbz@globalnet.co.uk) makes uniforms.

15. Books - four books of alternative history for the colonial period, the first three recommended by Bryan Ansell.

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, Bantam 1992 still available at $6.99. Takes place between 1855 and 1908, steam driven engines, Babbages analytical engine is perfected and the computer age arrives a century sahead of time.

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman It's 1888 and Queen Victoria is married to Prince Vlad Tepes. Meet the famous of Victorian England, real and literary, in this wild yarn where only Jack the Ripper can save England. by Kim Newman

Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson Tor 1998 hardcover from Science Fiction Book Club. In 1912 something happens to Europe, the old World is gone and is changed into a "nightmarish jungle" with "antediluvian monsters" a new world to colonize.

I just found three of these and have not yet read them but they all seem to read well and certainly have interesting concepts.

16. Principles of War the magazine issue 6 July 98. from John Hollyoak, The Farrows, Offmore Court, Offmore Farm Close, Kidderminster, DY10 3XJ Great Britain. This issue co0ntains other articles but those of interest to colonials include "19th century Q&A", "Boer War Suggestions" by Jeremy Howison-Haworth and Christopher Ash best part is Upper Class Twits as officer what a great idea!!

"The Relief of Fort Gulistan, Sept 1897", typical relief scenario with civilians to guard. Contains good ideas to borrow. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

17. Wargames Illustrated, see 5 above. As I have missed a few issues below is a compendium of issues with colonial articles. Most of the 97 and 98 issues have photos of Foundry and Old Glory as well as other manufacturer's products painted and in color, great painting guides.

110 - Nov 96 Wild West Forces by Chris Riches, how to create forces and victory conditions for use with the Rules with No Name after deciding on a scenario.

111 - Dec 96 nothing

112 - Jan 97 nothing

113 - Feb 97 "It's Them Pesky Injuns Again! Or some thoughts on Customizing Plains Indian Armies." part one by Chris Peers, covers Blackfoot, Assiniboin, Crow, Shoshone, Sioux, Cheye4nne and Arapaho.

Painting the Plains Red and blue and green and yellow by Mark Copplestone with B/W illustrations.

"Beating the Odds" Sergeant Booth VC" by Dave Orton, recreate the "Ntombi River" fight of nine 80th Foot versus 200 Zulus rules creation just for this action. 114 - Mar 97 "It's Them Pesky Injuns Again! Or some thoughts on Customizing Plains Indian Armies." part two by Chris Peers covers Pawnee, Kiowa and Comanche.

"'Mystic Warrior' Being Additional Rules for Indians and Hand-to-hand combat in the 'Rules with No Name'" by Bryan Ansell dropping the rules for horses and changing a few names/titles these could work well with Darkest Africa.

115 - Apr 97 nothing, However, letter and some articles for the next year or so seem fixated on the doom and gloom of wargasming's future. GET OVER THIS WI and use the space for productive articles.

116 - May 97 "Painting the Plains Again" by Mark Copplestone Indian shields, horses in color very nice.

117 - Jun 97 "Indian Fights of Texas" part oneby Chris Peers, the Battle of Plum Creek 12 August 1840.

118 - Jul 97 "Wargaming 'Duffer's Drift' Swinton's Boer War Primer" by Adam O'Brien too short but very interesting.

"Indian Fights of Texas" part two by Chris Peers, the First Battle of Adobe Wells 25 November 1864 and the Second Battle 27 Jun 1874.

119 - Aug 97 "Fire & Fury Francese" by Nick Dorrell uses Fire and Fury in 19th Century European conflicts.

"Indian Fights of Texas" part three by Chris Peers, the Lost Valley fight 12 July 1874, great scenario.

120 - "Victorian Canadian Battles" by David Allen Smith, includes St. Denis 1837, Ridgeway 1866 and Fish Creek 1885 The Sword and The Flame variant.

121 - Oct 97 "Indian Fights of Texas" part four by Chris Peers, the Battle of Yellow Horse Canyon 18 Mar 77. "US Cavalry 1870s Painting Guide" by mark Copplestone, color.

124 - Jan 98 "Writing Your Own Wargames Rules" part one by Stephen Simpson pretty interesting, includes rules for the 1st Boer War 1880-81. "Maps for the Wargamers" by John Laing good source of info.

125 - Feb 98 "Writing Your Own Wargames Rules" part two by Stephen Simpson for the War of 1812, but contains info for all periods and has possibilities for Darkest Africa. "Starting Wargaming?" part one by Peter Tanner good basic info on figure sizes, basing, and metal or plastic.

127 - Apr 98 "Starting Wargaming?" part three by Peter Tanner rules - commercial or or do it yourself.

132 - Sep 98 "In Darkest Africa II" by Chris Peers skirmish rules and campaign system, color drawings and photos of figures with B?W illustrations. Great rules for skirmishing, interesting campaign system kind of like 'Chutes and Ladders'.

"Sudan Miscellany" by John French color drawings of flags and jibbehs. Drawings from several different museums with detailed descriptions.

133 - Oct 98 "Eating People is Wrong" by David Bickley alternative scenarios for Darkest Africa: cutting out party, raiding slavers camp; and a cannibal tribe has some of your crew. Great title, cutting out party is kind of routine but the others are good ideas.

A color ad for Trent Miniatures, 18 Lovers Lane, Newark, Notts NG24 1HZ, 25mm, 19th century Abyssinian warriors: four mounted (3 guns, 1 spear) and nine foot (drummer, standard bearer, 2 swords, 2 guns and 3 spears). Just from the photo these guys are great. Recommended until I see these, then probably highly recommended.