Keryn Riddle, a keen wargamer and writer of things military has sent in the following letter
To the folks at Kriegspieler,
It's good to see an Australian group getting organised and putting out a magazine specifically for Historical Wargamers - an endangered species.
We are all getting older, especially the fellows I game with and there seems to be very few younger gamers coming on at all, unless they are involved in Fantasy gaming I must confess that I am occasionally into a Fantasy battle, just as a break from too much history. I would hope your new mag may catch the eye of some new blood and inspire them - Lord knows we need it.
I am writing not only to subscribe, but to find out if your magazine would like any articles contributed from time to time. I have had articles published in an American Modelling magazine and an English Wargaming magazine. These stories were on American Civil War naval and modelling 1/600 scale vessels and the battle of Nersons Wood or Irish Bend. I have been modelling 1/600 scale ACW vessels for 20 plus years.
I have also written and self-published three American Civil War scenario booklets which are currently on sale through Eureka Miniatures, Melbourne. I have another booklet detailing many ACW ships in 1/600 scale and a campaign booklet on the Red River Campaign. My major area of interest is the ACW but 1 also have armies in Ancient, Medieval, Seven Years War, Napoleonic, Boer War, American West and WWII, all in 15mm. The SYW is an area I am fast becoming much more expert in, especially as my friend Dave and I seem to be escalating somewhat. We plan to have enough troops to be able to fight the battle of Kunersdorf. At the moment we are only a handful of battalions short. I enjoy a good dogfight WWI style from time to time and I plan to surprise the guys this Friday with a triple-header. A World War I dogfight for starters, followed by a Western Gunfight - trying to get the Dalton Gang safely out of Coffeyville, then an ACW battle based on the battle of Honey Hill.
Keep this offer in mind and let us know if you want an article or two.
Keep your powder dry!
Keryn Riddle Dip T
Thanks for the compliments Keryn, though I don't know if historical wargamers are an endangered species - our habitat is overrun by Fantasy ferals but there's still plenty of us left! Seriously though, both myself and most of my war gaming colleges have also enjoyed the odd game of Fantasy. At the C4NCON'99 H&M Big Bash war game on the last day (20, 000 points plus worth of Napoleonic armies in a Liepzig-scale epic struggle attracted as much if not more attention than any other game at the convention - and a fair amount of that from the Fantasy gamers next door - but yes, I take your point - we do need to attract younger players to historical wargaming. The ways and means of doing this (and the 'dire consequences', for the hobby of failing to do so) are a subiect of constant debate in other wargaming magazines (whose names escape me at the moment .. ) published in a distant damp country! For what its worth, I think that gamers who are genuinely interested in the bobby will sooner or later of Their own accord acquaint themselves with the historical aspect. Recent developments such as WAB have created (rekindled?) a great interest in this in the spotted-youth of the Games Workshop variety which, /or historical gaming, can only be a very positive thing. Thank you also for the offer to contribute articles. We would be most interested in publishing the sort of thing you have written (ie ACW naval etc). Details for acceptable formats etc can be found on the back of the front corer of the magazine - we look forward to hearing from you! - Ed.
The following 'Letter to the Editor' was e-mailed from Scott Nicholas of the Nunawadding Wargame Association.
Hi Brad,
Congratulations on getting your Oz wargames mag out! Presentation looks great. Our club just received its first copy, issue #5, and we will no doubt be acquiring a subscription soon to promote it amongst our members. Just a few comments on the direction you are going.
I was a bit disappointed with a section in "Diceman" concerning remarks about DBM. In lieu of a complete lack of any DBM articles (not necessarily your fault as you rely on external submissions), the only paragraph dedicated to DBM contained no less than five derogatory comments about the rules. Since you dedicated ten pages to WAB alone, it might create a perceived bias amongst readers and run the risk of those interested in DBM.
In regards to the Diceman's quote "if of course, you have the cash to keep up with the plethora of WRG releases", the total purchase price of all the printed DBM rules (v1.0 v2.0) to date still amounts to less than the price of the basic WAB rules booklet. As for many other comments, I can't make head nor tail of them. Please swing the editorial axe a bit more heavily. WAB-DBM slinging [not'slanging'? - must be a DBM term! - Ed.] are a sore point for other magazines and discussion groups. Do not degenerate to the same level please.
Will be endeavouring to get some DBx material to you ASAP.
Scott Nicholas.
Thanks Scott - I take your point about DBA/DBM and we will endeavour not to sink to that level. As for the Diceman; what can we say? He's a big boy now and takes as good as begets - be amongst others have on occasion felt the 'bite' of the editorial axe! I will continue to use it judiciously (including my own) . We will also try to make DBM a regular part of the mag but it is, as-you say, it depends on 'external' contributions. - Ed. READERS NOTE: Scott was as good as his word - see the article on the NVA's DBM Championships in this issue.
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