If I have calculated correctly this is my 60th issue and tenth year of publishing the Heliograph. I plan on another three years at least before I retire from work at 62, depending on the economy, and will then spend 4 to 12 months traveling around the UK before settling in a new place (still to be determined). Wherever that is I hope to read and game, until my wife thinks up things for me to do. So if any of you think you want to try out the editorship of the Heliograph now is the time to start thinking. But I’m not gone yet.

I can use some more articles, Please.

I still have not gotten around to a web site yet, but I’m slowly working on it. Ben and I spent several days at Historicon and as usual we had a great time as well as spending loads of money. Most of what I spent went to Castaway Arts new Fuzzy Wuzzy’s, FFL, and Tuaregs. While talking with Gerry, man was his stand busy, he showed me his new figures so I also picked up his new FFL Senegalese (2 10 man units) and Algerians (1 ten man unit) and 3 FFL sergeants as their command (see below).

I also bought from Brigade Games the Artizan Design’s Berber foot and mounted command (very nice figs) for FFL games, and Brigade Games female adventurers.

I stopped at Cotton Jim’s Flags and talked with owner Jim Russell, he gave me three packs of colonial flags to review (see below).

I usually buy a pile of books but this year nothing really caught my fancy. Ben and I are building up our (gasp!!!) American Civil War armies in 15mm for Fire and Fury rules, the figs we got are a big manufacturing mix and were relatively inexpensive in the Flea Market. We’re up to about a corps per side. Next year we will be looking to buy a full second corps for each side.

Walking through the dealer’s area four or more times is always a treat, looking for nothing in particular and whatever captures my imagination. I know Ben’s imagination went into overdrive, we saw and discussed all sorts of ideas for buildings, games, figures etc. for the entire time we were there, the drive home, and we’re still talking about it. Unfortunately, he has plans to liberate my wallet next year. Hopefully, he will have a better paying job in graphic arts and I can use his wallet instead.

I was somewhat disappointed with the stuff available in the flea market too much stuff that looked like it came from hobby shops rather than individuals selling their (gasp!) unwanted lead etc.

I played in two colonial Sudan games, one hosted by Chuck Turnitsa and the other hosted Scott Hansen. Both well run and loads of fun, I was a Dervish in both so it was great kicking British butt for a change, especially since they were none of my favorite units.

We went to the Southeastern Toy Soldier Show at the SC State Museum in Columbia (usually the 2nd Saturday each August) it included a major display (Assault on Battery Wagner, ACW – quite nice), painting and diorama display contest of mostly 54mm figs. But two high school war games clubs had entered ACW and Napoleonic displays, both very well done. There were also several talks/discussions by museum staff and re-enactors on museum displays (ARW, ACW and WW2), and the show/sale of figs, mostly 54mms, but I bought a Ral Partha Gatling Gun pack (which I really don’t need but if anyone needs two unpainted Gatling guns let me know I got them cheap). There are always several retailers selling Ospreys and books, this year I bought Men-at-arms 414 The Russo-Japanese War and the Essential Histories 31 The Russo–Japanese War got both for $24. All the photos and illustrations are different – even a photo of a Russian Observation Balloon. Well worth the money, at least now I have an English language history of the war to go with my Danish illustrated history of the war.