1. Wargames Illustrated

Issue 176: There is a great article on “Making Wheat Fields” by Kevin Calder using a rubber-backed doormat of natural fibers. This could be used for parts of Africa where the grasses were 8+ feet high. Of course, scale wise this would only work with 15s but with imagination 25s. Photos from Andrew Warner’s El Cid game show a well-done Bedouin tent for FFL.

Issue 177: The ad for Renegade Miniatures shows some very nice early WWI (1914-15) figures. “The Zanzibari Regular Army 1877-1896: a brief introduction and army list” by Chris Peers will be useful for using with Copplestone’s Zanzabari Regulars. This brief (2 pages, including 4 figure illustrations by Ian Heath) wit the very useful painting/uniform guide is part of the larger rules system “In the Heart of Africa” (the 2nd edition brings it up to the Zanzabaris). “A Viridian Pyramid” by Gary Chalk is very useful for constructing the pyramid from insulation board, painting and decorating it - even if it is for Games Workshop figures. The info is not only on the building but also includes jungle, trees, palm trees and bamboo. Very useful!

2. MWAN, Hal Thinglum, 22554 Pleasant Dr., Richton Park, IL 60471 $35 for six issues. Caliver Books, 816-818 London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 3NH UK.

Issue 117: This issue has four colonial articles:

“The Relief of the Taiping Missions - A Large Scale Skirmish Game set in the Boxer Rebellion” by Chris Hahn. Using TSATF a small force of Allied soldiers and sailors are trapped in a mission with Chinese converts under attack by Boxers, Tigermen, Imperial troops with cannon and irregular horse. The Allies have 11 platoons of infantry/marines/sailors, 3 troops of cavalry, 5 artillery/machine-guns; the relief force consists of 4 companies of infantry/sailors, 1 platoon of US Marines, 4 guns/machine-guns, and 2 troops of cavalry. The Chinese have 18 platoons of infantry, 3 cavalry and 5 guns. The mission force is wiped out and the relief force repulsed. This is very well written and explained.

“The Mad Mahdi” by Alexander Quinn is a prequel to MWAN 115s “The Debacle in the Desert pages 48-49.

“The Boys from Isandhlawana - Rules for gaming the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 with miniatures” by Chris Pangano includes an introduction, organization and game sequence: Zulu movement, British missile fire, Zulu morale, Zulu melee, British movement, British medical, Zulu missile fire, British melee. No British morale, hummmmm? The best idea is the British medical corps, very nice. This is worth reading and stealing ideas from.

“A View to Kharkee: The Indian Mutiny - a gamer’s perspective” by Steve Lawrence. This is a very nice introduction with extensive uniform information plus 6 scenarios and rules modification for TSATF. AS ALWAYS MWAN IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

3. Copplestone Castings

The first 'Back of Beyond' release is now available.
Character Packs - 4 figures
BC1 Armed Archeologists
BC2 Bolshevik Commissars
BC3 Chinese Officers

Unit Packs - 10 random variants or 1 Gun and crew
BU1 Bolshevik Infantry - random variants
BU2 Chinese Infantry in Fur Caps - random variants
BU3 Elite Bolshevik Infantry - random variants
BU4 Chinese Infantry Marching - random variants
BU5 Chinese Field Gun and Crew

This time I'm trying out a different way of building the range a mixture of big unit-builder packs and smaller character packs. The BU-coded infantry packs will contain a random mixture of variants with the more typical ones being more common. Usually there will be 10 infantry, 4 cavalry or one field gun and crew in a pack - or some equivalent of this. Sometimes there'll be extras - for example, some of the Chinese packs will have a few separate executioner swords or umbrellas to give your units a more motley look. The character packs will be a bit more varied figure for figure they'll always take longer to sculpt and you won't usually need to buy more than one of each pack. The first 3 BC packs will each contain 4 figures, but later ones might have a machine gun and crew or a mounted and dismounted hero. At least one pack will include some very nice dinosaur fossils sculpted by my friend, Will Hannah.

There are NEW pictures on the website: linked from
http://gisby.org/bobb.htm
Copplestone Castings:
http://gisby.org/copplestone.htm