I have recently been made aware of a letter posted by a member somewhere in cyberspace about the failing(s) of HMGS-Great Lakes. I haven't read the letter, but understand that the basic complaint was that Great Lakes has not provided any activities or services for members in Michigan and that GL only caters to the central Ohio gamers. I'd like to speak briefly about that, potential activities in other "far away lands", and the obligations that we all have as members of Great Lakes.

The BOD will probably slap me in the head for mentioning this, but we have discussed trying to run a convention up north (up north relative to my living in Delaware, Ohio) since November/December `95. Before the BOD could considered a second convention, we had had to get a positive cash flow. Advance the Colors `96 did that. Two things generally lead the BOD in the direction of Michigan for the second convention. Next to Ohio, Michigan has the largest number of GL members, and Michigan already has a large number of organized historical gamers. That second item was also a potential drawback. Although most of the BOD has had little first hand contact with Michigan Gamers, we are aware that a group(s) in Michigan currently run several conventions per year, some of them feature only historical miniatures. Spartacon, which ran a few weeks ago (I found out about it a week after the con, please send info to the Herald for future cons) drew around a hundred and fifty historical miniatures gamers. Before Great Lakes can try to run a convention in southern Michigan we need to determine if a GL con would strain attendance/financial support for these conventions. The BOD also wants to avoid running a convention that will be bankrupt by existing conventions.

I think it would be best if GL either worked with the existing groups/conventions in Michigan and offered GL's resources for those events, or GL could run a convention somewhere north working with close and extensive input from the gamers in that area. At this point Toledo seems like a good location geographically, but that's a very loose, unconfirmed, semi investigated possibility. There are no specific plans about location, dates, etc. The second convention could just as easily be in Pittsburgh, Indy, or Louisville. Wherever it ends up, we will need involvement from gamers in that area.

The reason the first GL conventions were in Columbus, was because the active members were in Columbus. The convention shifted to Dayton because most of the active members involved by `96 were on a line between Delaware, Ohio and Cincinnati, and a very reasonable offer was made to GL by the Radison thanks to Scott Savory's inquiry. The only thing keeping the current convention in southwestern Ohio is the lack of active members in other places. When I joined GL in `92, about 75 percent of the membership lived in Franklin county (Columbus), about one percent was located in Michigan and in West Virginia, and the remainder was scattered across Ohio. By Advance the Colors '96, the balance ( or lack of it) of members shifted dramatically.

Currently about a third of the membership is from Cincinnati-Dayton, a third is from the Columbus area, about ten percent is from southeastern Michigan, with the rest spread from Connecticut to North Carolina to Illinois.

The reason GL doesn't have much happening in Cleveland, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Pittsburgh, etc. is because the guys running events for gamedays and doing the leg work on the Advance the Colors `97 are located in central and southwestern Ohio. I can't effectively organize games at a hobbyshop in Detroit, or cruise the streets of Pittsburgh looking for potential convention sites from central Ohio. Being that HMGS doesn't refuses to make my house payment, I have to keep my day job, making it hard to do that cruise Pittsburgh thing. Although the BOD would love to see Great Lakes activities spread more evenly throughout the region, it will take participation of members in other parts of the region with time to help organize events for this to happen.

All I can say is that we have grown, are growing, and will continue to grow. It will take members from all over to organize activities all over. Two and a half years ago there was no convention, and no gamedays. With time more activities will come.

Somewhat related to this are the comments made/related to me by a few of our members. I was informed that we, the BOD, better get are butts in gear doing stuff for the membership. Hmmmm, The BOD is obligated to maintain the business end of GL, they take care of tax forms, balance the bank account, etc. The editor, not necessarily a BOD related position, has an obligation to put together a newsletter (I'm trying). Every dues paying member has the same obligation to each other to contribute to activities for the group. There is nothing in the Bylaws stating that the BOD must perform all of the work and provide all of the entertainment (not insinuating that it has, the gamedays have been mostly the work of the general membership). It is probably not a good idea for GL to run that way (checks and balances???). Besides, if I get to run everything, the only game you guys will ever get play will be the French in 1940. Why would anyone want to do anything different.

Next...

Advance the Colors `97 will be held at the Radison Hotel and Suites on S. Ludlow Street in Dayton, Ohio on September 12th through 14th, 1997. This years convention will cost quite a bit more to run than last years, so I hope that more of the membership will be able to support the convention this year. More information next issue.

If you are interested in running an historical miniatures event at Origins, contact Andon directly at 206-204-5815. Quite a number of HMGS-Great Lakes sponsored events are scheduled, although most will not make it into the preregistration program.

The HMGS Delaware minicon for this spring has been canceled.

Lastly, The Herald would like to thank Clash of Arms games for the use of the map for the El AL scenario in issue 14.