From Mike Cannon

I have started a discussion forum on my web site for those who live in the Texas Panhandle (and surrounding areas/states). The idea is to get the garners in the area together and help support our local shops. I would appreciate it if you would pass this message on to anyone you know who might be in the area. Please take a look at http://www.miniaturewars.com and go to the discussion forums. It is free for use and only mildly moderated. If there are stores in the area that desire to have an events section, please let me know and I can set one up for you.

From Kevin Killian

Yes Hal, I am still painting like a crazy man. I finished painting all units for Shiloh in Reb III. And am halfway done with Gettysburg the 4th day (If Lee would have stuck around). The other project I have been working on is the Alamo 15mm man to man. All the Texans and a little over half the Mexicans are finished and mounted. Now all I need is to have Joel Gregory make a 15mm Alamo, talking with him at the last Little Wars, it was on his list of items to create. The 15mm Franco-Prussians I purchased at 2001 Historicon haven't been touched. I have always liked the AWI as well as SYW. Our gaming group have been doing quite a bit of 15mm AWI using the rules Guns of Liberty, and we enjoy the rules very much.

From Terry Cabek

Wes Rogers, creator of Game Mapper, and Terry Cabak of Imagine Image Multimedia, announce that going forward, Game Mapper is re-priced down to $30 U.S. and only available as a download from the iimm server. Game Mapper will still be shipped on "The Wargames CD" if customers wish to receive it, along with the other materials offered by Imagine Image Multimedia and other contributors, but there will be a flat rate shipping of $10 worldwide. PayPal is the preferred method of payment though customers can still send in payments via surface mail. On-line purchasers will be sent an email giving them access within 24 hours to a server where the program and components of the CD can be downloaded, in parts, so they can choose what they wish to download. The PowerPoint presentation, which takes viewers conveniently through the components of the CD and serves as the graphic user interface (GUI), remains intact and the CD is always being updated with more art, improved databases and scenarios for wargamers. Also note the Yahoo groups site, wargameswithminiatures, has closed in favor of Pete Panzeri's Yahoo groups Garners International Newsletter and Game Master Support Network sites. On another note, the GenCon debut of the Hex Command series of rules was an outstanding success. The simplicity of the hexagon system is now proven, without a doubt, to be the best, fastest way to play wargames with miniatures where time is a constraint. As long as the rules are smartly designed, and maintain historic flavor which we believe Hex Command do, the usual objections to the use of a hexagon system are diminished. The reception of the system by garners at GenCon was a welcome confirmation, and we are proceding full steam ahead with Hex Command Horizons (naval) and Hex Command Quartermaster [working title] (space and future-era). Lastly, we are pleased to announce that pending several more weeks of research and development, we may have another announcement on a technological breakthrough coming soon, that many tabletop wargamers should be very glad to see. From Fidelis Models of fidelismodels@cox.net: Fidelis Models is now carrying the following items: www.fidelismodels.com 1/87 Scale Roco Minitanks #682 Lance Missile set #566 Marder 1A3 #595 Marder 1A3 Trainer #726 Bergepanzer 3 "Buffet" #881 Panther, Camouflage Painted TL Decals #1153 Netherlands Army #1155 French Army Military Depot #7034 SturmTiger, 380mm Rocket/Mortar #7035 SdKfz 11, 3-ton halftrack #7036 Faun SLT 56 ton Tank Transporter, Bundeswehr Imex Four tank set, Panther,Tiger,Chieftain, M60 Four tank set, Panzer IV,Stalin,Sheridan,Leopard More information is available on our website at www.fidelismodels.com From Guy Barlow of ab(acharles coleman.com: I have just been to the Colours show here in the UK. I bought 6 of the latest MWAN's from the Calivers stand to add to my collection together with the latest fabulous Hourtoule book on Wagram. I do hope you have seen this series. The two previous one's cover Jena and Boridino. They cost £20 each (about $30 -- probably less from Amazon etc) for a wealth of colour uniform illustrations and pictures. A must have. I have nearly finished my last major project which is the 1809 campaign in 28mm. Needless to say I can't stop adding extra units as soon as I see new manufacturers eg Sabre and Sash. Then Foundary have a sale. More lead! I am now trying to concentrate on the Peninsula. I am churning out the Brits and their allies using the new Foundary painting technique. I read somewhere once that your figure painting only improves when you have painted 10,000 of the little blighters. I've only done about half of that but I have to admit this new system is a quantum leap forward for me. (Actually that is not meant to sound boastful if only because my starting point was so low!). I still can't get them to the standard you see in Wargames Illustrated. I might have to go on one of their new painting courses. As you can probably gather I like my figures, good and bad, and I am not into figure painting companies. I find painting a great de-stresser. With what my wife thought was admirable restraint I only bought a single figure at Colours. Like most I have a huge backlog of lead to clear. Years of painting ahead. My search at the moment is for suitable buildings. They have to be in 25/28mm for the Danube, the Peninsula and I am always looking for more for my Sudan project. Like you I often get sidetracked back to the ongoing rescue of Gordon. All I need is some easy rules. I have tried many sets. Years ago Peter Gilder at his wargames centre had some where all the players were the Brits and the Dervishes were controlled by random rules. Does anyone have a copy of these? I find the internet excellent on the building hunt and especially like the look of the Old Glory output. I do however like to see them in the flesh. Finally many congratulations on your 20th anniversary. The web is fine (check out czapska.com and wargamesreview) but give me paper any day of the week. I started my Sudan project some time ago after reading Peter Gilder's five articles in WI. It's almost a straight copy of his. My figures are 25/28m for the 1884/5 campaign. I first built up the Dervish army. Most are based 10 to a stand although sometimes there are only 8 or 9 actual figures. I have about 400 odd infantry and then camels and cavalry. Probably about 500 in total. The Brits and Egyptians infantry are in 24 figure battalions. I have 3 battalions of Egyptians and 2 Krupps guns, then units of the camel corps, khaki Brits,a Guards regiment still in their red jackets, a small naval brigade with their gardener gun and a battery of guns. The cavalry are in 12 man units and include some hussars and Bengal lancers. The figures are a mixture of Connoisseur, Essex and many Redoubt. All British and Egyptian units are followed by an enormous camel train to slow them down and stop unrealistic manoevers. There are also the usual towns people. I'm always on the lookout for more figures but it seems the Sudan has gone a little out of fashion. My plan has always been to run a historical campaign, mainly solo but with the occassional help from an old university friend. I love the possibilities of the terrain, the Nile and its rapids, gun boats and dhows, the seige of Khartoum and the race against time. I have also been greatly inspired by the contents of the excellent Major General Tremorden Rederrings web-site. I do hope you have found it. They are apparently based in Texas. My historical campaign will now also have all sorts of extras including spies(elements of The White Feather here!), French units interfering at the source of the Nile, Egyptian troops mutineying, interfering politicians from London and rioting towns people. Finally I wonder if you have read any of Patrick O'Brian's Napoleonic naval stories? I heard for the first time today that they are making a film starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator). Can't wait. If you haven't read any then do try them. There are about 20 in total and they soon become compulsive. The Foundary painting system is based on the black undercoat method. It is written by Kevin Dallimore who has recently written to your letter columns (post Sept 11th). There is an excellent 8 page painting guide and other multipage examples have been running in recent WI issues. You gradually build up the colours with thin layers of paint, darkest first and then progressively lighter shades. I have just finished my first unit which is a 24 figure regiment of Foundary 28mm British Peninsula heavy dragoons in their marvellous bicornes. Talavera here we come! Highlanders next. The system seems to use colour contasts very successfully. Some of the colour shades are much bolder than you would initially think of using. The lighter shades bring out items of uniform or equipment such as white cross belts or carbines which have I find in the past, practically merged into the figure. For me however, the main difference has been the faces which seem far more lifelike. Over the years I have read numerous painting articles in various magazines or on the web but this is the first which accompanies the figure painting system with about 25 individual photos of each stage. Nice simple instructions. It is no more time consuming than normal. I hope they do one for horses. I have in the past relied on methods such as drybrushing and picking out parts of the uniform with dark brown lines but it never looked totally right. I will now varnish them and base them up. Only then will I know if it has really worked. My initial thoughts are that they seem more realistic and less toy soldierish.

From Ray Garbee

A quick update on the wargaming scene in Southwest Ohio. I just returned from HMGS-Great Lakes Advance the Colors 2002 in Springfield, Ohio. I had an excellent weekend wargaming. Though I hosted two events I still had time to participate in the DBA tournament (28 players-an AtC record!), peruse the dealers area and catch up with my friends. The games were again first rate with some real visual treats. There was a superb San Juan Hill Piquet game by Chris Velas, Pat Hreachmack's 25mm S.S. Keystone riverboat game again graced the convention and Doug Roger's did a marvelous Shiloh ACW game. Attendance seemed to be up and I found plenty to buy from the vendors (mostly 25/28mm pack camels from RLBPS). All in all a great convention. I'm already looking forward to Advance the Colors 2003. As I know you have an interest in the Sikh Wars Hal, you may be interested to know that the Sikhs were victorious in my 25mm Battle of Ferozeshah Volley and Bayonet event. Though a close run game, the British division's collapsed with victory almost in their grasp. I'm hosting it again at Gamefest in Indianapolis this November. Current projects include managing an ACW naval campaign using my Anaconda campaign rules with the Smethhurst's Basement gaming group in Loveland, Ohio. So far the Union have the upper hand, but the Battle of Memphis looms large in our future! The Wayne's Legion Historical Garners are working on an Arab-Israeli project in micro-scale for 2003. I continue to enjoy MWAN and now thanks to magweb.com can catch up on many of the issues that I missed in the past. Having access to these past issues is like having the keys to the library. I've got lots of reading to do!

From Beb Pecson

Having been a recent convert to your most excellent publication, I thought on my humble part to send you a copy of rulettes I have been developing to share with your broad readership. Please peruse them at your convenience. I enjoy the many articles in your work, and there is much to take at heart and learn from. I have been, Like senor Carroll , building up an extensive line in plastic 54mm,s from ancients to the present, and recently out on a small Spanish American war action based on the ambush by Cuban regulars on the Rough Riders at Las Gausimas, prior to San Juan Hill. The rules used was " Brother against Brother" and worked out to everyone's satisfaction, despite the minor irritant here and there ...lol. I thouroughly applaud the efforts of Mssr. Carroll and yourself to broaden the scope of the hobby . In these days when financial resources are ever precarious, it is great to note that plastic still affords an inexpensive medium comparably and to those who advocate it....I say " Bueno y bravo !!!!!!"

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