It's April and convention time is upon us again. We have filled up our spaces with a diverse and interesting line-up of events, games and scenarios.
The fight about us going or staying as a HMGS' chapter supporting the National HMGS board of directors generated a lot of mail, Thank you all for your opinions. The basic consensuses is we should support the BoD, since that is the only way we can stay an active chapter in HMGS. For a more clear look at that issue turn to page 8 and read the President's thoughts on the matter.
As for our Spring line-up of articles, we take a look at the Ottoman Empire's last major gasp -- The Siege of Vienna, 1692. Brent Oman gives his view on why 25mm figures are a better deal than 15mm. and you can afford them. We look at the special and mechanical effects behind the battle scenes of the Oscar winning movie "Bravehart," I review Chip Harrison's Le Petit Empereur Napoleonic rules where a battle can be resolved in less than 2 hours, Rich de Rosa explains how to make an inexpensive roster system that works and Ray Belknap reviews ACW historian David Martin's latest work. Gettysbu July 1st.
Because we got so much mail, E-Mail and faxes about topics covered in last February's issue, we now have a letter page. I hope to make this a permanent part of the newsletter, so keep those letters, faxes, and E-Mail rolling in.
Our Gameday at Brookhurst Hobbies March was slightly attended, members Tim Daun, his lovely wife Jennifer, Chris Snell, Joe Nacchio Jay via Cava, Patrick Mullins and yours truly were they only attendees.
In the Armati games that followed, Joe's Thracians broke Chris' Macedonians (a major setback for Phillip II), Chris's Manipular Romans edged Joe's Hannibalic Carthaginians and Tim's wild Cossacks of his Russian Feudal army cut my l7th century Turks to pieces. Tim and I also explored space warfare as Pat was kind enough to introduce us to the Full Thrust rules. Battle saw Tim and I fight down to our last capital ship each, and with neither Of us with the ability to harm the other, called the thing a draw. We picked up some new members, but we need more Gameday attendees. Three games going at once does not a Gamedav make, Next Gameday is May 18th (Armed F6rces Day) at Something Unuisual in Eagle Rock.
With the Academy Awards over, I can finally spend some time on this newsletter, so that is why it's late. Because of this I plan to change the publishing schedule to bi-monthly starting with next January. 1987. The schedule would be issues in Jan., March, May, July, Sept, and Nov. I believe this will help me be more productive, since I won't be splitting my time, writing and editing stories for Entertainment's industry's greatest events, and doing a newsletter simultaneously. I also won't be finishing the newsletter, 'and starting the Spring Campaign's Brochure in the same week ' (something I will be doing right after I finish writing this).
This issue sees the work of our first contender for the Staff artist position, Dan Gunther. Gunther completed the pin and ink sketch the same day his wife had their baby. My congrats to Joamic and Dan. We have three contenders for the position and we'll publish examples of their work in upcoming issues.
Rich de Rosa and yours truly are forming a rules publishing company. We are calling it Kaliphia Publishing and plan to publish these rule sets: a grand tactical WWI rule covering 1914, a grand tactical set covering the ancient-medieval period, a grand tactical set covering ACW, and a tactical set covering the Sudan 1880.
Anybody who has an original rule sets not covering these periods, we would be interested in looking/playtesting them. Contact us at my address.
Terry Gore publisher/editor of SAGA sent me a copy of his latest book: Neglected Heroes, Leadership & War in the Early Medieval Period. Terry explores a leader's competence to command and control men mixed with the tactical abilities of the period based on the contemporary chronicles, and finds that early medieval leaders weren't the dolts they are often made out to be. Suggested retail is $55.00, write Terry at 890 Janes Road, Rochester, NY 14612 to order. I'll review the book in the next issue.
C'ya all at the convention.
HMGS-PSW 1996 Board of Directors
Tim Daun, President (805) 257-0682
Chris Armstrong, 1st Vice-President (805) 486-8239
Jose Mendiola, 2nd Vice-President (310) 860-4234
Roger Treat, Secretary (619) 563-9029.
Amy Britt, Treasurer (919) 247-959-3
Grace Anvick, Convention Manager (918) 784-9181
Stephen Phenow, Newsletter Editor, (818) 982-5002
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