To all DBA Players

I'm planning on developing a week-long "learn history with wargaming" program for kids. The Continuing Education department of the college where I teach is trying to develop a full summer of week-long kids programs, and I've been approached to do this. I've done a little bit of this sort of stuff in an informal setting using DBA, but I thought I'd toss this out to Great Lakes members for their thoughts. (I like DBA because the rules are pretty easy to teach and the armies are small). Has anybody had an experience with this? How did it go? What worked and what didn't? What was the age range of the learners? Anything you could tell me to avoid or be certain to include? Thanks! -- Brad Thurmond, 3604 S. Webster, Kokomo, IN 46902

WWII North Africa

Mike,

Just a short note to update my WWII North Africa battle report from the last issue. First, my apologies for omitting any kind of scale for the map on page 24. The map is supposed to represent a playing area 5' square. Thanks to Ray Garbee for noting my oversight! Also, I ran the same scenario at Jeff Russ' Cambridge gameday back in May. For this replay, I did not give the Commonwealth player the option of unloading the 2 pounder AT portees, but instead forced him to keep the guns mounted in the trucks. The results were predictably grim. With their more visible silhouette and their lower defense value, the Axis players quickly picked off the portees, resulting in their early elimination.

The rest of the battle was remarkably similar to the game described In my article, with the Commonwealth player deployed in and around El Mechili, and a similar Axis plan of attack, Again, the game hinged on the critical morale check die rolls, although this time the Axis prevailed, but just barely. Once again, the German panzer regiment entered alone from the west edge of the map, and again they took heavy losses. Since the scenario requires that the Axis enter at least one battalion from the western edge, perhaps the Italian motorcycle battlegroup would be a better choice They are faster than the panzers, and so would reach El Mechili sooner. More importantly, however, is that the Axis could then bring the tanks in with Infantry support from the east, thereby using combined arms tactics again the Commonwealth forces. This should reduce early losses to the already weak German tank regiment.

As for the British, I think it would be interesting to try a strategy of disengagement, abandoning El Mechili but trying to preserve their force a they retreat off the table. Anyway, after running this scenario twice, I think it's a keeper. Now it's time to paint up some Grants for the Gazala battles! --Scott Savory, Reynoldsburg, OH

Subject: Call for Papers, History: The Military and Society VI

The Annual Graduate Student Conference in Military History at the Ohio State University, Nov. 5-6, 1999

History, the Military and Society is a conference organized by and given for graduate students. Graduate students are invited to submit papers on all time periods and aspects of military history. Topics may include, for example, the effects of war on society, the evolution of strategy and tactics, civil-military relations, gender and the military, disarmament issues, the ethics and laws of war, the economic aspects of war, and warfare and culture. Although the emphasis of the conference is on military history, scholars in other disciplines that could shed light on the role of the military in society are encouraged to submit papers.

For further information, contact: Paul Westermeyer, Graduate Conference in Military History, The Ohio State University, Department of History, 106 Dulles Hall, 230 W. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210-1367. (614) 287-5377, or e-mail: histmilsoc@osu.edu Paul Westermeyer, Columbus, OH