Outside of some reading I have done very little in Colonial gaming in the last two months. Ben and I have played several games of Pirates of the Spanish Main (Wizkids) and the new Star Wars Miniatures Game (Wizards of the Coast). I wish I had stock in these companies. Both are great games but somewhat OT here, but if you have kids these are both worth playing to get them interested in gaming. I did get Ben to make me an oasis, well a small water hole in the desert, on a CD (see the article). I have some ideas for future CD terrain pieces that will show up soon. I’d like to build an oasis with palm trees to make it look more realistic to place a small town next to it. Something to give my new Castaway Arts and Old Glory FFL to do.

I must thank Greg Blake for his article and illustrations, very nice. Also goes along with the 150th anniversary. Another 150th anniversary this year is the Crimean War.

I still need articles, please.

Just recently on the Colonialwars group there was a discussion on your ideal wargame room. I was quite interested in the responses and then thought how I would redesign mine. Currently the game room is 15 foot square with a 4X8 foot table with a waxed hardboard top. It has two rails, one per side for dice, pens/pencils or dead guys. Under the table is storage for some scenery and some figures (stored in cigar boxes, if you live in the east I get them from JR Cigars for anywhere from .25 to $1 a piece).

I have a four-drawer dresser that contains some buildings and most greenery. Two five foot wide adjustable wall shelving sections that contain board games, magazines and small scenery pieces and buildings. A closed shelving unit that contains rules sets, Osprey’s, uniform guides, and MWAN. A wall mounted set of cabinets for more figures, a metal daybed/couch that can double as a second table 3X7 (the daybed has two metal rails three feet tall, an old hollow core door that is hinged to the wall comes down to rest on the rails to make the table. The hollow core door when in the upright position acts as a bulletin board with various maps and enlarged rules tables from TSATF and Fire and Fury. Finally, the room has two smallish desks butted together in a corner under two windows for my painting area.

Under somewhat more ideal circumstances I would very much like to have a 5X16 or 20 foot table, a larger painting area, and more adjustable wall shelving. I would almost consider kitchen type floor cabinets with adjustable shelves above which would give more display/layout room as the cabinet units are two feet wide, while the shelves are only 1 foot wide. It would probably have to be done in a converted two-car garage. Having my military history library and a comfy reading chair in the room would also be very nice. A simple sound system to play those annoying native drums while in Darkest Africa to keep you from concentrating. Sorry, no pukka wallahs (I think that’s the right term).

Anyway, it would be very interesting for you readers to share with the rest what you would consider an ideal colonial game room, as well as what you currently use to game in/on.