Jonathan Aird I have now got all my gaming stuff in one place - it was previously spread between a cupboard in the living room, the loft and some storage in the spare bedroom/study. It's now all in the new spare room. The good thing is that I can now see exactly what I've got. The bad thing is that I can now see exactly what I've got. So, once the dust has settled I think a sort out will be the order of the day. I hadn't realised quite how many magazines I had squirreled away here and there, and in all honesty a lot of them will never be looked at again. I'm also thinking of slimming down my stack of Osprey books - there are so many Napoleonic titles and I'm beginning to doubt if I'll ever do any serious gaming in that period. It's difficult to decide where to get started with Napoleonic’s, as it is just too vast a period. Perhaps I should just go back to plan A - the 100 days of the Waterloo campaign. Then I could get rid of everything prior to 1815 (books and figures). Except, I really want to do something to do with Napoleon in Russia one day. Maybe it'd be better to clear out the moderns first. I have read about people who can get fired up with a period, buy the books (and read them), get the figures (and paint them), play the games (then sell the lot at the flea stall at the local show). But, do they really exist? Anyway, I'm hoping to get a table set up in a week or so, and to actually push some figures around - that'll make a nice change, since almost the whole of this year's spare time seems to have gone on tidying (to sell house), packing, unpacking, tidying new house. There may be some redecorating coming up soon as well. It'll all be worth it in the end! [Good luck in the new abode and I hope you get your games going soon. Kenn] Steve Widdows Renew my subscription to Lone Warrior, thanks. Excellent magazine. Thought provoking, innovative (inexpensive). One day I hope to contribute, but my own ideas look extremely pedestrian compared with the high quality of many (most?) which appear. [Put pen to paper, digits to keyboard etc., everyone has to start somewhere. Kenn] Mikhail Podolsky [Russia] Hello from Russia! My name is Mikhail. I'm 21 years old. Do you interested different things military historian, military models from Russia? I can selling these material. And, would like, will make game by post. I'm waiting your reply and good new from you. e-mail: podolsky2000@mail.ru Mike Buttle I recently acquired a copy of Terry Wise's 1969 book, Introduction to Battle Gaming. Mentioning that the gamer will soon find that the dining room table is too small for his wargames the book instructs on preparing a board to fit one's table to extend the length and that the board can be hung over the mantelpiece when not in use. i.e. make a 3 foot board then gaily inform the wife that with a pretty picture affixed to the reverse side it will serve as a nice wall decoration! He uses the old Airfix figures in photographs of demonstration wargames to illustrate narratives of wargames in play. Of the Ancient period wargame he describes a Carthaginian wargame army is comprised of Red Indians + 'Sheriff of Nottingham' figures the 2 ranges Airfix made that were closest in costume to a non-Roman army. And didn’t look anything like them. I think 25mm metal figures were 5p each in those days + Airfix 20p for a pack of 48. [Mike, I remember dashing out from church on a Saturday after a wedding, being a choirboy, across the road into the toy shop and spending my choristers fees (2/6p) on a box of Airfix! Great days. Kenn]. Aaron W. Thorne I was late in reading issue 138, so I didn't respond to it until now. Mr. Arnold's "Confessions of a Wargamer" got me thinking, and he is right on target that almost nobody really gets into all aspects of wargaming. Specifically when dealing with miniatures games, I get frustrated by my slow painting skills, though I do normally really like the results. It just takes me too long. Sometimes this means I send minis off to a "professional" to be painted, and sometimes my grand plans just die an ignominous death because I get so frustrated. But what I DO love to engage in is rules tweaking. Either taking existing rules for whatever set I'm using and "improving" them, or kit-bashing parts of different rules sets, or just making up my own stuff from scratch, I love making, breaking, and changing rules. I like to think this improves my games. And God bless Mr. Arnold for his love of rebasing, as I have never rebased a figure in my entire life, and don't plan on ever doing so, as I hate it. Anyway, a great article, and one that proves that the more "theoretical" rather than "practical" articles can be entertaining and thought-provoking in their own right. Play By Mail Please note Carl Carlson’s new address: CJFCarlsson@telia.com David Elrick I stumbled across this website today and I thought you might find it interesting: http://www.freewargamesrules.co.uk/ It's got links to various different types of wargames rules - all free. Good gaming. [Any thoughts, ideas or just solo ‘wargaming’ general chat then please send it to me. Kenn] Back to Table of Contents -- Lone Warrior #140 Back to Lone Warrior List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Solo Wargamers Association. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com