Ian Knight

Thanks for your message, and the latest issue, just arrived. I do enjoy it, even though I am not really a practicing gamer.

I shall get my Cape Wars piece and an ad. for our tours to you for the next issue.

If you get no response about reviewing my two latest Zulu books, I have a friend here who I get to review my books for 'A of E' - he knows the stuff and is fair without being too sympathetic to me! Let me know if you want me to get him to write them up for you.

My next book is just going through the proof-reading stage. It's called 'Marching to the Drums' and will be published by Greenhill - it's an anthology of contemporary accounts of Victorian campaigns, mostly based on the 'Survivors Tales of Great Events' series which appeared in the Royal Magazine in the early 20th c.

Interesting querie from John Baxter - I've wondered myself why no-one makes acacia trees in 25 mm.

Actually, not Acacia but oak trees for Playmobil are fairly close. See Intelligence section

Bob Burke

I was excited to read about a new book "Long Arm of the Empire: Naval Brigades from Crimea to Boxer Rebellion."

I was wondering if you have obtained a copy of this book yet? If so, I was wondering if I could prevail upon you to copy the chapter on the Crimean War (along with the title page and Table of Contents)? If not, I'm going to have to find a copy somewhere. I need it for an article on the Battle of Eupatoria that I am writing. There was a small British naval detachment there with a rocket battery.

I am always glad to get my copy of the Heliograph. I appreciate you telling your readers how to order back issues.

No I have not ordered it yet but will try to soon.

Greg Blake

Thank you for the excellent review of Cannon Fodder Minis.

It was good to get an objective point of view, friends are often not critical enough. Your comments have not only encouraged me to do more but I have also noted your remarks in regards to the throwing stick being substituted for the knife on the Hadendowah...such a simple thing and I didn't even think of it. The comment about the heads on one figure being the same is also something I'll look into.

I've redone your favourite figure giving him a much more ferocious face. I'll send you one. let me know what you think. Those top knot natives are straight from the Phantom comics. Fantasy to be sure but so atmospheric. Like you I think they'll be excellent for cannibals etc. Deep down in the back of my mind there is an idea to do a war canoe full of those blokes. I recoil from the thought of the labor and time involved in such a task [I have a "real" job that keeps getting in the way!] but it would be a magnificent piece wouldn't it?

There are quite a few more figures, listed but not yet in full production, in the pipe line. I'll send you samples when the production moulds are made.

Plans for the future include Italians from the 1880s and 1890s and Ethiopians. I already have the rifles made and my fevered brain is putting together images of how they might look. How did you take the photos of the figures. Is it a direct scan? They are very clear and detailed.

Once again, thank you for the very positive review. I hope to keep you satisfied with new items on a frequent basis.

Your plans for the future sound great, ooooo a war canoe, from Africa sounds great!!!!!!. Sorry they are not photographs of the figures but xeroxs, sometimes scans.

P. Cranz

Did send you the new set- I will send you another- wondered why I had not heard back from you. We have made the grey more of a blue gray though I wondered why the regulations called it a sand grey. Source--Tradition articles from late 60s, early 70s.

I thought perhaps last time I was being unfair to Phil Kranz and Uniformology, but I was right on target. I sent a message saying I had not received anything at the end of June and it is September without receiving anything, buy it elsewhere or not at all.

Greg Blake

I was referring to the Phantom comics. The movie was a terrible travesty in the best 'how can we bugger up a good story' Hollywood tradition.

You will be pleased to know that I have completed another headhunter [as you seem to like these nasty blokes so much] and another Fuzzy. The Fuzzy is charging at a full run, bent forward waving a hamstringing knife in his right hand and firing a Remington with his left hand. I'm almost finished a standing Eygptian officer.

Have you received the three pre-production figures? Ansar with rifle, two Egyptians?

See the review

Gerry Webb

Issue 113 was great, keep up the good work. I noted Ron Lizorty's comments about "Fuzzies hamstringing cavalry while lying on the ground" on p.20. Does anyone out there have a sketch of the pose required? We may be able to get this figure added to future releases. The Fuzzy running at full tilt is also a desirable figure but surprisingly hard to get right.

Please someone send him an illustration. Gerry runs Castaway Arts, P.O. Box 7599 Cairns Q 4870 Australia. castawayarts@ozemail.com.au

Ian Knight

I know your next deadline is looming - how soon is it? I have painted and photographed the Aussie Cape Wars figures, but not First Corps' range yet (though I guess I could do this for the next issue). If I scan and e-mail a picture, can you use it?

Well, 'Age of Empires' was typset weeks ago - I have no idea what's happening to it now!

Thank you Ian, you material is here and looks great.

Gerry Webb

I just dialled the Ral Partha website & clicked on the Sudan range, only to be told the colonials are no longer available.

Anybody out there know anything about this? Is it temporary?

Can anyone help Gerry out, I do not know anything about them except you could call and try placing an order.

Ian Knight

In case you can squeeze it in, I've tagged a quick review of the Cannon Fodder CFW figures on the bottom of this, and attached a grayscale JPEG file.

Steve Leopard

Got #113 and your renewal notice today and here's is my check.

Great publication - I really do not care much for colonial war games because it is so difficult to duplicate stupidity and boldness without a judge. I have never liked a non playing judge. But I do love your publication ande also hopelessly love the French Foreign Legion.

What can I say but thanks Steve.

Bob Pavlik

Enclosed find a check for $12

Looking forward to seeing your booklet on Colonial Germany in Africa. I've got a Southwest Africa German vs Herero Army and plenty of info on the period. Just waiting to see what you come up with.

Great job with the Heliograph. And-by-the-way, those are not crosses in Foundry's DA15 - - Camp stools for the seated Ladies.

Well, boy, do I feel stoopid. Camp stools, duh!!

The Uniform booklet for German Colonial Africa (Part I: The Uniforms) is at the printer so I should have it in hand anytime. If you are interested in ordering please feel free to contact me now the booklet is $16 ( £ 15) and contains a color cover and three pages of color plates as well as over 25 black and white illustrations.

Part II: Military History will be a guide to German Colonial Africa and will be available in December for $15 ( £ 15).

John Baxter

Latest Heliograph arrived today, thanks for your ongoing good work.

I am sending off to Pallas Amarta for photocopies of old and out of copyright books.

I didn't have much luck with that review of the Nevill NWF book that I sent to you. You might have seen a flyer in the latest SOTQ that mentioned a "recent American reviewer (John Baxter) recommends" etc !

A quick look at the three most recent JSAHR issues shows a couple of interesting articles vis:

1. Some British Countermeasures in Mozambique and th

2. The Raid on Essaman (Ashanti) Vol 77 (1999) p19.

Wasn't that a great Caton-Woodville picture on the front of SOTQ?

Let me know what happens with Pallas Amarta I haven't tried them yet but would like to know more first. Thanks for the journal articles titles I will have to check them out.

Bob Pavlik

This E-mail is an after thought. I thought of it after sending a little note with my subscription for the Heliograph. Your Heliograph is getting better and better. Keep it up.

Just to let you know, I've kept up with Larry Brom and the revised TSATF. His good buddy Mark Stevens and I will be putting on a "Sword In Africa" game along with Larry's three TSATF games. Mark has play tested his scenario at Bayou Wars and said the game was a big hit. I'm basically helping out and bringing some extra figs and scenery (and YES -- Playmobile -- of all people, make what they call small oak trees that work very well as Acacia trees. The hard part is to find them ) Another thing you may not know is RLBPS in Rockford Ill. -along with the dinos and African scenics has African animals from the "Lead Something and Boiler Plate Company" About six different packs if I remember correctly. Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Wildebeests, Orax, etc. --check him out, very nice stuff. I've also put together some African "type" trees but they do take awhile to make. My DA collection is well over 500 pcs plus about 75 animals. By-the-way, those are not tools for the seated ladies.

Another thing, I'm really looking forward to your German Colonial Booklet. I've got a good size SouthWest Africa -German vs Hereros- army and lots of info. Way back when I wrote an article for the very early Heliograph on this period and I want to see what you've gathered as new info.

That's about all for these ramblings. PS> Do you have a mailing address for one of your contributors -- Ron Lizorty ? I have pics of Dukes Aztec game since we play tested it and used my rules with his beautiful set-up. I helped him with the game at last years Historicon and it was a real spectacle. If you have Rons address let me know or give him mine (should be in your files) I'll send his some photos

Are you going to Historicon? If so see ya around Larrys games or our Africa game.

No, I did not get to Historicon, But I would like a write-up of the game. I appreciate the Playmobil info see Intelligence and the German booklets are out soon.

Michael Parker

A brief note on what is for England, a very hot summer day. As you will gather the Zulu War enthusiasts haven't got me yet.

I enclose a little loot from this year's VMS fair which may be of interest. I can claim no credit as I was unable to attend due to a family commitment, but these were provided by Ray Boyles, one of if not the leading colonial Wargamer in Britain and Secretary of the VMS Wargames Group. which puts on some superb demonstration games at shows in this country-and one of life's good guys.

I have actions that actually took place in southern Russia during the Revolution with British and Indian troops defending the rail links against attacking Bolsheviks: for southern Russia say the north Indian Plain, for Bolsheviks say Afghans supported by Cossacks etc. then there are all the railway linked actions in the Second Boer War.

On TV over here we have a series of programmes introduced by Professor Henry Louis gates on Africa, which have been interesting but suffer from Professor Gates seeming all too often more There is so much yet to be learnt about Empires of sub-Saharan Africa, and they certainly were neither created nor maintained peacefully!

Keep up the good work with The Heliograph: always a pleasure to receive and with much of interest.

Thank you. The train idea sounds really good. I find the Travel Channel takes you into the back and beyond in colonial countries that you can't see on history shows.