(Editor's Note: Due to the enormous number of responses, Part II of this article will appear next issue.)

Another year and another Advance The Colors goes by. Believe it or not, even with all the work involved, I can't wait until next year's edition! Recently, I posted an e- mail to those Great Lakes members whose electronic addresses I have, asking their opinions about ATC and ways we can improve it. To be honest, I was only expecting a few replies, but to my surprise, I received more than I expected. This just proves to me that e- mail is a tool that Great Lakes needs to utilize even more in the future.

The questions I posed are as follows.

1. We are always looking for ways to improve the variety of events at ATC. What period/era would you like to see more/less of?

2. If you were a part of the ATC staff, how would you go about advertising the con to draw more gamers?

3. Would you like to see lectures or a trips to the Air Force Museum as part of the ATC weekend?

Here are the replies. I have answered or made comments where I deemed appropriate. Some of the comments are simply my opinion, but many are elaborations to allow the members to gain a little insight into what was accomplished behind the scenes for ATC'98.

John Haverstock - Ohio:

Regarding your TOM survey for ATC. Like most people, I would personally like to see more games in the areas that I play: Micro Armor, Napoleonics (Nap's Battles), and Age of Sail. Also some more ACW Fire and Fury. I think I would also like a miniature competition of some sort, maybe even for best looking or most practical terrain. With regards to advertising, I'll give it some thought. A trip to the AF Museum would be neat, but I don't think that would do much for the convention. You could add it as extra bait to get people in town for the weekend. I think it would be great to take a road trip to Fort Knox with a group. Not tied to the convention, but as an HMGS chapter activity. They have there the Gen. Patton museum of Cavalry and Armor. The Army's Tank school is there too. In fact, a gaming buddy is an M-1 tank platoon leader there and might be able to get us back stage passes.

But I digress. Overall, I think that ATC is developing nicely. Remember that which the Germans always seem to forget: you cant build the Thousand Year Reich overnight.

I like the idea of a HMGS trip to the Patton Museum, I would like to even see some of our members run a IAWI/ event there. The museum has a WWII reenactment on July 4th every year that is very well attended. Imagine a beautiful miniatures game for hundreds of folks to see. Any takers?

Craig Charron - Ohio:

Less WWII, more Horse and Musket
Internet/Newsgroups
Lectures

My opinion here, I like WWII, but I like horse and musket even more. This is e of simply having events that our event hosts wanted to run. In regards to the wsgroup, Ray Garbee placed numerous postings there, and we did receive some from those postings. It is an avenue I am sure we will keep emphasizing.

John Muncy - Ohio:

Korea is an off overlooked war. Yet there is a tremendous amount of interesting engagements and history, there. MORE!

The Arab/Israeli Wars; particularly, the middle'60s and upward. MORE!

I would establish a "shared booth" with some other groups, say a couple of hobby stores, at various regional gaming conventions. The booth sharing would be to help deftray the costs. Use this booth as an opportunity to "show-off" the organization, and advertise our convention.

Consider contacting various university educators and Rom trainers, about the convention. Advertise the con as an opportunity to learn some history, and to practice the "arts of war."

I would not be interested. The main thing, in order to attract gamers, is to show our name and let the world know that we are here. I would continue with the techniques that you are using now, but I would also consider some additions --- I didn't know that the organization existed, prior to "stumbling" upon it. I might recommend talking to other groups or even purchasing specific mailing lists from the companies that sell them, as a starting point for direct mailing.

Also, posting the organization's existence with a brief but "entertaining" description at appropriate places (high visibility and high traffic), would help.

Conventions, conventions, conventions. Did I mention, conventions? Even

RPG/fantasy gaming cons, or not "purely" HMG cons, would be beneficial to members in that a lot of people in the RPG arena, enjoy a cross over into the HMGS field.

You might consider putting on "demo" sessions for VERY contemporary military operations. An example, would be some "what if" scenarios based upon the rid where it is now. This might help to draw out some more players from "other" groups. (Hey a lot of today's technology is like Sci-Fi!) This happened to me with Napoleonics. Beforehand, I wouldn't even consider touching that "archaic" stuff. Then someone took the patience to show me what it was about, and I've taken a great liking to it. Of course, I STILL have a lot to learn.

Whew, John! Let my brain catch up! Great thoughts here folks. First of all, I know of a couple of gentlemen in Cincinnati who run Arab-Israeli War events, and I am harassing them to run a game or two at next year's show John s ideas about demo games at military sites I addressed previously, but it takes MEMBERS to step and run these events and follow through on these ideas. The board is only five guys, we need the membership to continue to get involved and act on ideas such as these. 

Brad Ruppel - Indiana:

1. Could see more Napoleonics, WWII armor. I don't believe in less of any game but checking to see if a pattern exists with those events cancelled this year would be a good place to start.

2. One goal could be to get more "non-members" interested in attending. A series of "exhibition games" held in public venues, shopping malls, student unions, etc., by the various members and groups would draw the interest of board- gamers and FRP's that have some historical interests. It should be possible to pull together an "Introduction to HMGS" package or print material and have these for any members or groups putting on the exhibition games. The intent should be to draw them in, explain enough about our hobby and inform them of the upcoming event(s). Posting the event in any of the national magazines wouldn't hurt .

3. Yes. I'd be really interested in a tour that had former pilots and crew as official or unofficial guides.

P.S., the last magazine was very good.

Ah, the "Intro to HMGS" idea is something I have been hounding the National Board of HMGS to do. I think if we are to continue to give the NBOD a dollar per year per member they need to develop a program to help the chapters promote the hobby, which is what Brad is referencing to here. Our natural recruiting ground are such things as reenactments, museums, battlegrounds, etc., that have a military history theme. Folks who visit or participate in such activities already have an interest in military history; we need to show off our hobby to these folks and get them interested, and then KEEP them interested by helping them with their questions. That to me is promoting the hobby.

Jim Robinson - Michigan

1. I love Fire & Fury - Civil Wars, Napoleonics, Age of Sail. I have enjoyed more modern naval, like Russo-Japanese, WWI and WWII. Vietnam and WWI land battles are not my favorite but obviously are quite popular. I would probably enjoy trying something more from the renaissance or earlier.

2. I would do just what you are doing now. This e-mail communication will do far more than the newsletter have ever done. I just had a wonderful weekend at Pro & Con in Wayne, MI, because HMGS sent me a note about ft. I live here and had to go to Dayton to find out about local gaming! As HMGS supports Sparticon and other Cons, you will draw more attendance too.

3. Maybe, but then again, probably not because its not my favorite era.

Jim's a gamer -- likes a little of everything. As for supporting other regional conventions, we do what we can. Unfortunately, I can't travel to every regional con and run events. I'd LIKE to, but it just isn't feasible. This is where the members can really help out. If you have a local show that you normally attend and/or runs events at, then how about taking along some membership forms and convention flyers and show the Great Lakes flag? It really doesn't involve much work, just being able to tell potential members what your perceptions of Great Lakes are and giving them info to look at. And, as long as you are attending those local shows, send the dates and location of these shows to the newsletter. We will continue to mention local conventions to help make our members aware of them.