Greetings fellow garners. We have a good lineup of mail for you today. But first, I have skipped out of AOL and into AT&T (I love my cable), so please note my new email address: izmud@attbi.com.
My friends at HMGS Midwest continue to put an excellent e-newsletter edited by Matt Hyke There are currently seven regional conventions on their plate to support and boast 270 members Todd Fisher and Richard Pinelli wrote a good article "Hoist the Sails" describing what good period rules should look like in age of sail, and why all the current rules fall short. Richard Kurt expounds on the five rules of paint brush care which boil down to: don't' get the whole brush full of paint, don't let the tip sit in water unsupported, wash the brush periodically with soap, rinse between colors, and shape the brush to a point when left to dry. Duke Siegfried graced them with an amusing interview, and there was a very funny "Fantasy Garner vs. Historical Gamer bash Pretty pictures too. See their website for more.
Pete Panzeri is doing a great job with HMGS Gamers International. Each issue of the e-newsletter contains about a dozen interesting articles from op-ed pieces to historical treatise One issue had nearly a dozen variations on the current situation in Afghanistan from scenarios to political commentary. Another discussed refights in 54mm, book reviews, as well as the HBO series Band of Brothers and the historical background for it. You can read them all at the website listed below. Pete has also started another group called Game Masters-it's a yahoo discussion group devoted to improving GMs and their games both at your local club and the big conventions It's fun to read and easy to post. Try it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HMGS-GM
My friend Kevin Rounsaville out in California keeps his gamers in The Secret Society of Miniature Wargamers busy. January saw them at the Adventurers Guild twice, once putting on a 7YW game using Volley and Bayonet-- the British whupped up on the French. Then followed with several English Civil War games using Might of Arms. Spearhead WW2 should pick back Ull as soon as they get more stuff painted. And they continue their Fire and Fury ACW fights The latest battle was Perryville. The Union won a close victory, and they are considering using it for their next convention.
My good friend Barry Levin dropped me a line to talk about his new group, the International Brigade. These multinational gamers mostly meet in Belgium and are just beginning a fascinating sounding campaign in Flanders in 1299. It's a six-player matrix game (Chris Engle would be proud) and each plays a head of state or similar important personage. You can see the set Up and check their progress at www.ping.be/snv/HMC/index.html.
The latest Gamer's Closet from NOVAG kicks off with a controversial article on why Dungeons and Dragons is the best way to recruit future gamers. Wait O'Hara follows with Steal This Panic-Greek Fire, a simple game of trireme warfare. Finally, Bob and Cleo Liebl treat US to a discussion of the siege and relief of Narva in 1700.
HMGS Mid-South's Dispatch brings us two new clubs, the Ramstein Kriegspielers and the Birmingham Wargaming Association. The latest issues were full of Afghanistan discussions, and Mark Parker penned an Afghan wargame scenario for use with AK-47 Republic rules, David Raybin's interesting article on the Maccabean Revolt of 165BC was next, and Baxter Key wrote a battle report from an American and VC point of view.
Mike Demana, editor of The Herald for HMGS Great Lakes travels nearly as much as I do, only his is for fun. His latest mag talks about his Cambodia trip, and if you like that you can check out his website with some 25 countries with photos and trip notes-pretty interesting. Scott Mingus drafted some pretty good ideas on "how to start a game club" which could even be entitled to improve your existing game club." Dennis Frank continued his series on naval wargaming discussing Featherstone, Tony Bath, model making, weather, and other odds and ends. Then lie launches into Air Wargames and their roots. Mike recapped the third and fourth turns of his ongoing Roman 1st century campaign, where, surprise surprise, he is kicking everyone else's behind as Drusus the Roman Praetor. Perhaps we should hear a counter-version of the campaign from the apparently luckless Gauls, Numidians, Galatians and other Praetors.
The Northwest HMGS Citadel kicks off with some excellent "Gaming Etiquette" tips from Terry Sawchenko, such as "Conduct one's self like a gentleman" and "Never handle figures with greasy figures " especially if they aren't your figs! Bruce Meyer and the Gig Harbor irregulars are hosting the Harborstorm 2002 DBM championship this weekend-alas, I shall be hopping around the Pacific instead of pushing my newly painted Crusaders. Maybe Trumpeter Salute in March or Enfilade! in May.
Big Muddy HGA membership has grown to 90 members, Harold Wones penned a couple thought provoking pieces discussing the transition from the Dark ages to Medieval times in warfare, covering economic, religious, and regional issues. Bill Gray contributed an article describing the various flags of the Napoleonic era Swedes.
News broke through from the HMGS Heart of America front. Most of the Communique was dedicated to the Borderwars 2001 events, but Brian Beal included a couple pages of pictures and descriptions of his visit to Aberdeen Proving ground-great artillery photos, and tanks too.
HMGS Pacific Southwest also found it's way to my door. Dave Love offers an interesting set of Samurai skirmish rules which I shall pass on to a friend. A fascinating article chronicles the Knight's Templar and their destruction at the hands of the Pope and France and the flight of many to Scotland. Bill Heizer recounts the battle of Cow Run covering 7 hours of gaming to get a very marginal but bloody Confederate win.
The Big Buddha of wargaming, HMGS East boasts 2400 members these days, and Scott Holder. famous ancients rules expert, has taken over the editing job on the newsletter from Bob & Cleo Liebl. The mag seems to be going back to earlier times when mostly factual news was presented. One piece of general interest is that Johnson hood, founder of the Wargames company, Purveyor of Essex and Dixon miniatures, has retired and is moving back to England. He was honored bv the North American Society of Ancient and Medieval Wargamers (NASAMW) at the last Historicon. Norbert Brunhuber relates the culminating battles of Alexander's Successors that he held at Historicon. He used the unique idea of staging preliminary battles of the campaign throughout the year at other conventions, with the final battles fought in Lancaster and dependent on the previous battles.
The Indianapolis Historical Gamers are still meeting at the 19 & 1 Game Club in Indianapolis January events included Squad Leader (always), 15mm Shako Napoleonics, American Revolution, Nap's Battles, and WW2 Battleground. February has more ASL, some naval Close Action, and Fire & Fury.
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© Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum
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