The Matrix Gamer has had a little bit of a hiatus while I've been running Dar as Salaam as a PBEM. But now that game is over. Spring is here and it is time to move on to new projects. The first order of business is to analyze the PBEM so everyone can learn how to run their own game. The next order of business to to follow up on the feedback I got regarding what to do next. And that will probably fill up an issue. Before I launch into that though, I want to fill you in on what I've been up to at conventions. I went over to Winter Wars in February to run a colonial game but unfortunately got no players. That happens sometimes – even when you put out a big terrain spread. So I did a series of solo games at the local club. I usually get there late so I bring a game to make certain I have something to do. First I did a solo game of Lawrence of Arabia leading a swarm of Camel riders (sixty 6mm stands) in a frontal assault on a Turkish line. The Turks blew up the British armored cars but were overrun by the Arabs. Next I ran a 1941 Lybian Desert game in which a German armor column attacked the same terrain against British defenders. This time I have two other players (the Huns). I did a two line defense with the first line falling back on the second line. It worked. The Germans were stopped. Then I did a solo 25mm 18th century French attack on a Prussian river crossing. The French won!!! Which lead to running a large 25mm 18th Century French vs Morrocan battle at the Seven Years War Association Convention. I had nine players and a rousing four hour game. The French were attacking a Barbary Pirate base. They took the base but missed capturing the renegade sailors of the base. Many a fine Frenchman died that day and the Muslims declared victory. All in all a rolicking good winter. You will not that all the games I ran were military miniatures games. Each used my miniature battle Matrix Game rules – Politics by other means… I did this because the conventions I went to were all historical miniatures cons. And guys come to these cons expecting to play a battle. Campaigns – even campaigns in a day are not what is wanted (making getting players real tough). I don't need rejection so I sway to the publics whim. Well enough of that! On to the analysis. Back to Table of Contents -- Matrix Gamer #12 To Matrix Gamer List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by Chris Engle. 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