From Darryl Smith A bit of an update to my letter that appeared a few issues ago. The Mexican-American War Yahoo Egroup continues to grow, now with over 115 members. Topics include uniform information, tactics, small arms, orders of battle ... just about anything that covers the War with Mexico. Anyone can join by going groups.yahoo.com/mexamwar. Also, with the "official" rules of the Wayne's Legion Historical Gamers being published in MWAN 114 (Our Moccasins Trickled Blood), I have received some great feedback from fellow MWANers Rich Barbuto, Irv Horowitz, and David Sweet, That's one of the great things about MWAN, gamers from all parts of the globe have joined the egroup I set up to discuss and develop the rules, and have provided some insight which I think will make the rules "better". Rich reviewed the rules in his War of 1812 online magazine (which can be seen at Magweb), and David sent me some articles and sources I didn't have before. From the egroup I have made some changes and additions to the rules, which I have sent to MWAN as a separate article. If anyone wants to join the egroup, go to groups.yahoo.com/moccasins The Wayne's Legion boys have been active playing "Anaconda", an ACW naval campaign written by Legion member Ray Garbee. Ray intended Anaconda to be used as a vehicle to generate gaming sessions, and in that aspect he has succeeded admirably (and he has done a great job developing the campaign rules). We use Smoke on the Water from Canis Publishing, and Thoroughbred 1/600 scale ships (you can get both from Grandiosity www.warweb.com). I have been assisting as the Confederate second-in-command, and the "Iron Squadron" (consisting of several Richmond Class ironclads) has been giving the bluebellies fits. A few of us have also started a World in Flames game. I haven't played boardgames for years, and now all of a sudden I am running China and the US. Could be interesting! As I believe I have mentioned before, we are gearing up for the 2002 convention season. We are running several events at Drums Along the Maumee in May, which should be great fun. Also, Matt Davidson and I are going to be running some events at Advance the Colors in September that deal with the Ohio Frontier in the 1790s. Matt is doing Fort Recovery (1794), and I am hosting Big Bottom (1791) and Fallen Timbers (1794). Want more info? Go to www.hmqsqreatlakes.org. From Bob Burke After reading your editorial in MWAN #115, 1 went searching for the Nicholas Carter books. I couldn't find them until I stumbled across a reference to the books of Nicholas (not Nicolas) Carter. Here's a list of his Shadow on the Crown Series in published order, along with two other historical novels set in the early 16th century. Shadow on the Crown ECW series, 5 books Turncoat's Drum (#1) Storming Party (#2) And The King's Men Crow (#3, March 1998) Harvest of Swords (#4) Stand by the Colors (#5, March 2000) Knave of Swords (16th Cen; Sept 1999) King of Coins (16th Cen, March 2000) I'm going to do my best to buy them all. From Chuck Hamack Here are some useful things which miniature gamers will find handy on the Internet. I use them often to help me get a weekend miniature game together. Maybe some other folks will fined these things handy. First is the Hex-grid program, which places grids on any picture file. It uses most graphics files and places a grid on the picture, and you may specify the size. It's easy to down load and extract Nothing special is needed. Below is the Address: StratSoft Hex grid program is free. http://www.stratsoft.co.uk/ Well almost free. They ask you to fill out a questionnaire. A great program that overlays various hex grid size on to actual maps. What maps? any that you may have on your hard drive in the correct formats. Here's a useful site for some maps you can down load. But as long as the graphic file is in the right format you can use it. To down load the maps from your browser just right click on the mouse and scroll down to "save picture as": Westpoint Atlas Maps www.dean.usma.edu/history/dhistory maps/Atlas%20Paqe.htm - This is a work in progress. But its the collection from many of the government printing office publications. If you just need some graph paper at a certain size the program below may do the trick. I have printed out a grid on plain white paper, gone to the local copy center, inserted transparencies and presto I have a grid I can over lay on maps in books for a reference on making my own map. This is also an easy program to down load and extract: Graphpaper printer perso.easynet.fr/~philimar/graphpapeng.htm This is a nice shareware program from a Gentleman in France. Its great for making graph paper to the size you want. I hope folks find these tools useful. From Bob Richardson: The Inca Civil War As I had said in an earlier letter, I am writing or have written about eight articles for SLINGSHOT on Meso-American Ancient warfare. There is another 6-10 articles they have in their possession yet to be published. Have been working on a Giant Book now 500-600 pages on Inca warfare and campaigns. The Inca Civil War between Huascar and his half-brother Athvalpa runs 60 plus pages alone for one chapter. It goes only up to the end of the Civil War so it covers all of the Inca Andean World from 1230's A.D. to 1533 A.D. - some 300 years. Example, did you know that the Emperor's Huascar wife was an Ica princess, a small coastal Kingdom south of Lima, Peru? In the 1450's, the Emperor Pachacuti had built a 12-mile water canal (still present today) for the love of an Ica princess that he later married, one of several wives. So during the Civil War of the Incas, the small coastal Kingdom of Ica supplied 5,000 soldiers for the Tampu Army when he fought a giant battle against Athualpa's Generals - quiz, quiz - which means small biro in translation and Athualpa's other general Chalco Chima or Beer Belly. At the Strategic town of Yanamarca where some 1,000 warehouses stored food and weapons those armies battled in a three day gigantic battle to rival Gettysburg, Waterloo or Cannae. Athualpa's generals had 65,000 men and Huascare Generals had 80,000 men, some 55,000 died in the battle on both sides. The Huascar Generals fired some 60 warehouses to cover their retreat of their army after a three day battle. The ruins of the warehouses are evidence of fire is still present today. After a grueling winter month, Althualpa's half starved soldiers were desperate for supplies. After a turning movement, they finally forced Tampu veteran army (the core was 20,000 professional soldiers who had fought the Tupi Indians in the jungles of Boliva for three years before being recalled during the Civil War). Tampu army was greatly supplemented by Migmag's or recruits and other forces already present from the earlier campaigns. This is but a rough idea of a battle information that runs about three or four pages long and lists approximately 1216 Generals and events during the battle. Some 26 battles are covered in just the Civil War period. I've been fortunate to have been to a lot of museums and talked to a lot of archaeologists. Had access to many rare Spanish 1500-1600 A.D. manuscripts for all Meso-American exploration. In compiling this ethno-history or oral history among the native Indians is vital, legends, myths and historical fact is still handed down amongst the elders. Even today, for example, outside of Mexico City, farmers still know where the Tlaxacallans attacked Cortez' Spanish army and where Cortez's army encamped. In the Andes of Peru, it is the same, with even names of descendents, chieftains, etc! For example, most people believe the Chimor Empire line of Kings ended with the capture of King Minchcaman in his war against Topa Inca (the Alexander of the New World). Not true, his nine year son continued to reign with his son raising a brief rebellion around 1510 A.D. during Huayna Capac reign. In addition, after he was dethroned and his half-brother installed, another Chimu King led a guerilla force against the Athualpa army. That is why Athualpa's army stopped at the strategic town of Cajamarca where the Spaniards found him. Athualpa was not just there enjoying the hot spring baths (still present today by the way), he was guarding the supply lines of the advance armies of Qujzquiz and Chalco Chimas. In addition, Cojamarca had been once a Quizquiz ally and held strategic passes in the valley overlooking Chan Chan, the Chimor capital. So Athualpa's 40,000 men which could have been greatly used in fighting his way south, guarded supply lines to the north half of the Empire. The Chimor King had perhaps 5,000-10,000 men, but fought a guerrilla war for the better part of a year against Athualpa while the main battle lines moved further and further south towards the Inca Capital of Cusco. In addition, another three Chimor Kings who would adopt Spanish names after the Spanish Conquests, would continue to rule in the area of Chen Chen (information was from Spanish land grants and marriage certificates, etc). This is only a paragraph or two of a massive work that will tell of hundreds of battles and campaigns in the Andean World and open up a new area for gamers to research, collect, and game in. We all know of Alexander the Great's Empire but did people know that Topa Inca conquered an Empire just as great from about age 16 when he started out north with his two uncles and lived till age 80. These armies were as complex and organized as any ancient army of the Ancient World. It is my hope to follow this up with one on the Aztec World, it's enemies and Empires and then a third on the Mayan City States and campaigns. Falcon Miniatures, 34 The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DB UK, produces an extensive line of 15mm MesoAmericans. The Inca line has 30 different soldiers in the line and 12 different countries and still has another 20 or 30 coming out to do all the campaigns eventually. Also, they produce Tracasans, Huaxtecs, Aztecs, Tlaxacallars and Mayans in other ranges for those interested. I also did research for Outpost Figures in the UK on Ancient India Armies from around the 600 A.D. to 1000 A.D. period, Cholas, Tamils, etc! Did the drawings, etc. I knew the three years of Sanskrit I took at the University would pay off some day. Also, perhaps some Thailans and Champas all in 15mm. Outpost already produces Ancient Burmese, Khmer and Sui, Tang Chines, all of which I have. So a few things to watch out for. After publication of the three books on Ancient Meso-American warfare, still no takers or editors or money? Would love to do Ancient Asian Warfare! (Editor's Note: Ambitlous undertaking, Robert, good luck) From Paul Trapani Re FUZELIER MUSTER Convention Saturday morning, kind of cool. Got the car and went to pick up my new wargaming buddy, Ramsey. Then we were off to the Fuzelier Muster held at the Hattiesburg Coliseum in Hattiesburg, MS. We arrived there about nine AM and paid our entry fee and walked around introducing Ramsey to my friends. Well, he was hanging with me for awhile, then I turned to tell him something and he wasn't there. He told me previously he just wanted to watch? To my surprise, he was getting into a Russian Civil War. Now he is really entering the dark side. I think I have hooked a young fish. Back to the Muster Hilton McManus and the New Orleans guys came up. DBA tournament and various other games. Ken Haffer did a wonderful Space 1889 game in 25mm. My friend Shane came and met me there. Vince Clyant of London Warroom, Rudy Nelson of Time Portal Hobbies, Pat Condray - Russian Civil War, Meso-American Imports David Horaist, nice resin castings. Add Andrew Doyle and his fine scenery, hills and accessories. Lots of fun had by everyone there! Mike Broom was heading up the Muster. Major Bill was there from HMGS. Well, while Ramsey was preoccupied with Pat Condray's game, Shane and I got involved in a playtest game. Roman ' s vs Jewish Ancients. Shane and I played one on one from 2:00 to 5:00 then he had to go, so the gamemaster played me. We played till 9:00 that night. I didn't win, but I enjoyed it. Oh, the scale was 15mm. My friend came over to our table all excited and said that he won the game on a blank chit. I also stopped at Rudy's and picked up some nice 15mm MiniFig navy guys. I plan on using them for the different naval engagements in and around Africa. He also has Frontier and some new other figures from Spain. I want to blame you, Pasha Hal! After reading MWAN #110 and #113, I sent off an order for $201.07 worth of Essex Sudan figures in 15mm. Yes, I have taken the 15mm plunge. Got them from Military Miniatures of Texas. Brian is really a nice guy. My table is ready for the figures. Got a hold of some Antique white felt from Wal Mart (54" X 72") - two pieces. Covered my board completely. Looks like real sand color. Beats having play sand all over the room and up your nose. My palms from the cake decorating place glued on pot holders made of tin and cardboard, Got these from the Dollar Store by the pots and pans section. Makes wonder groups of palms. I took the 20 and 25mm trees and chopped them to bits and made about 35 15mm trees. Another Wal Mart purchase. Yes, bought some fake fur called Feaux Fur. These were square about 10" X 14" - comes in black, white or brown. I used brown - people use this for costume making. Get some greens, yellows, browns, etc., cheap dollar store paint. Doesn't have to be matt or dull. You can use gloss. Take the fur outside on a sunny day and spray it your desired shade and let the sun dry. You can cut it to any shape with scissors and tape the backside down together. I have this on my board and it looks like real African fields. You can also cut out trails and roads with barber's electric shears. This goes out to all wargamers wherever you are. Have with the hobby, experiment, you never know what you can create! From Matt Slagter I game with a group called the Bux-Mont Wargamers. Most of us live in the Bucks and Montgomery county area north of Philadelphia. We game in just about every period, but ACW, Napoleonics, and American Revolution dominate. I put on War of Spanish Succession games in 15mm. We use our own rules which several of the guys have self-published and sell at Cold Wars, Historicon, and Fall In. I keep tinkering with my Marlboroughian (spelling?) rules. Eventually I'll get the feel I want. Right now several of us are building 25mm armies for the game Medieval Warfare. We are concentrating on period 900-1200 so that we can use many of the figures for several different army lists. It has been extremely enjoyable painting 25mm figures (mostly Old Glory) again. I have started using semi-gloss varnish with stain in it to seal the figures after they're painted, a method suggested by another member of the group. It is amazing how it gives them great shading and a hard finish ' I then spray them with a matte sealer to dull down the gloss. Because the figures look so nice, I have been upgrading the way I finish the bases as well. I use light weight spackling to build the hardboard base up to the level of the figures' base. I then paint this with a mixture of brown latex paint and Elmer's white glue and then scatter Woodland Scenics flocking on it. Finally, I add a few sticks, pebbles, or Woodland Scenics long grass in clumps here or there to give the base a bit more character. My only concern was that the spackling might not hold up to the handling, but so far, so good. Back to MWAN #117 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum 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