Hey, you know, Alabama isn't hot and sticky all year round. We've hit fall and are heading into winter and it's actually nice outside, though a bit rainy here. Also, gaming has picked up. I pulled out the handy Mega List and contacted some folks up in Birmingham. They are devout DBMers so I am back in business with ancients. I've played the last 7 of 8 weekends and went down to Baton Rouge with several of them to play in the US Open-had a great time despite finishing in the middle of the pack, and met many very nice people.
Speaking of my new group, the Birmingham Wargaming Association, or as they call themselves, The Bunnies, consist of about 5 active members and about 4-5 others. They gather at the law offices of Lee Cleveland in Birmingham near the university, playing ancients on Sundays and boardgames on Thursday nights. Their current boardgame campaign is wrapping up the War & Peace game, and we are planning to start a Mediterranean miniatures campaign using DBM and some rules created by our fearless leader, Vincent Solfronk. Vince is a great organizer and runs the website for us as well as acts as a NASAMW coordinator for the area. You can learn more about the club at the website below or contact Vince directly. I've also got a hot lead on a couple of gamers in Montgomery so I'm going to pursue that angle too. We hold our third annual Henry Brewer-Gus Sailors Memorial DBM Tournament April 26-7, 2003 at the Deluxe Inn and Suites, 7905 Crestwood Blvd., 35210, Reservations: 205-956-4440. If you are interested in attending, or have any questions, please contact Vincent at 205-853-5434 or at vsolfronk@mindspring.com.
Besides my new friends we have another new group, the SOMME, The Society of "Other Maine" Miniature Enthusiasts, which Bob Bailey runs up in Bangor. The group is affiliated with HMGS East and claims 20-25 members though they are recruiting heavily right now. They play a variety of games and are interested in you if you can get up there for a game. Contact Bob at Omemin@aol.com or 80 Mt. Hope Avenue in Bangor, ME 04401-4056.
Another new gang to grace our pages, the Rochester Miniature Wargaming Society. They meet once a month on Saturdays at U of R Dining Hall, Elmwood Ave., Rochester, New York. Their point man is Alex Hawkins at 249-9101. They like to play air games like 1/72"d WWI, ACW using Brother vs. Brother, African colonial, 15mm Nappies using Battalion Masse, and WWII naval. Their meetings include games sales and trade days with about 16 members attending. Membership runs $10 annually. Contact them at P.O. Box 25403, Rochester, NY 14625 or Alex at his number above.
My friend Doug Hamm of Larry Leadhead fame and the ranks of the Trumpeter Club up in British Columbia dropped me a line to say "hi." He straightened out my club listing a bit, and clued me on about their website. If you visit the website you'll find game location info for almost any day of the week, the latest newsletter describing past and future events, a plug for their convention Breakthrough that went off last weekend in conjunction with HMGS Northwest. You also have the choice of about a dozen clubs in the greater BC area to choose from. Did I mention they are very nice folks and good garners? And their President Steve Allen is quite a gentleman. Check them out.
The 19 &1 Game Club In Indianapolis keeps cranking out game days-every Tuesday night you can revel in Squad Leader or a featured miniature event; e.g. Formula De Racing, ACW, Shako Napoleonics. And Saturdays are just as god with French & Indian War, Naps Battles, and Spanish Civil War offered lately.
My friend Mike Demana, editor extraordinaire of the HMGS Great Lakes Herald writes that their big annual con Advance the Colors went very well, breaking all attendance records for them, so they are expanding the room for gaming next year. I must get to this con some time. These guys are fun and innovative. At the Hayes Reenactment Encampment in Fremont OH this past October they hosted a number of Civil War wargames to try to recruit or at least entertain the many blue and gray bellies at the event. Joe Cairo wrote up his Desperado scenario with a taste of Pig Wars cooperation thrown in. Jack Show designed a WW2 Brit paratrooper scenario for you Red devils out there. Henry Lubbers offers some interesting black powder skirmish rules called Firelock and Scalplock. Demana's 1st c. BC Roman campaign marches on with Incitare and Gracchus hot on the heels of Drusus.
HMGS Mid-South newsletter continues to entertain. Chris Ferree describes his Rorke's Drift scenario in extensive detail. Siege of Augusta is coming in January and I'm thinking of going down for a game or tow-maybe even run a DBM tourney. Buck Surdu an article laying out the basics of wargaming, while Louis Longoria penned a piece describing some fascinating details from n interview with a former North Vietnamese general and his views on facets of the war. Carl Arsenault captures two battle reports-Napoleonic naval and ACW. An article by James Webb entitled Heroes of the Vietnam Generation discusses the various generational viewpoints from WW2 through Vietnam-interesting. One of Mid-South's big conventions Wargamer's Reunion was successfully held in Shelbyville TN in October. Finally, Buck Surdu wrote a very useful piece describing how to mathematically model wargaming results so you know what you are getting when you make your combat tables.
HMGS East moved Fall In to the Lancaster Host this past weekend with an Age of Marlborough theme, but rumor has it that Baltimore will be next year's venue. This summer's Historicon featured Napoleonic and American Revolutionary reenactors in full kit to delight the eyes of attendees. They also boasted 2500 attendees plus vendors and staff. Amazing! In the newsletter, Darrell Smith concluded his series on the Early Lombards. In addition, Scott Holder is trying to tie newsletter themes and articles to the conventions themes, and the Age of Marlborough seems to have worked out well for that. Bill gray led the charge welcoming folks with a Spanish Succession article covering the history, the OBs, the figs, and the research materials. Excellent-a standard for all to meet. Graham Wilkinson presented some good techniques for stripping figs and painting techniques.
HMGS Northwest newsletter, the Citadel, reports that Enfilade! has moved to the Sea-Tac Marriott for 2003 as their previous digs closed. Reports from Dragonflight and Breakthrough also highlighted the diversity of the gainers in the northwest and the great cooperation between the Canadians and their southern cousins. Another game day was held at the Museum of Flight in Seattle-an amazing venue-a must see if you visit. Jim Mead comments on double blind gaming. And Mark Serafin analyzes 15mm ruins available for WW2 wargaming.
Big Muddy Historical Gaming Association publishes their monthly newsletter, the Fifth Column. Pat Connaughton wrote a good discussion of the merits of campaigns over one-off games. Harold Wones must have been reading Buck Surdu's work, because he penned a lengthy article describing "tinkering" with wargames. Harold also offered some amusing anecdotes form WWI that characterize it as a "gentleman's war". The Transmorastian Times reports that the ongoing Napoleonic campaign reflects the declining Austrian fortunes as the Bavarians drive them out. Earl Hodgen came up with a creative game-fox hunting using a card based systemquite unique. Command Con IV went off last weekend-no report on how well it went but the game lineup looked pretty good.
The Heart of America HMGS Communique reports that Border Wars was launched in October but I haven't heard how it went yet. The theme was Italy with prizes for best theme game as well as for GMs running theme games. Looked like a good lineup of games, with Ancients and WW2 dominating. Dick Zimmerman dug up some reprints of Wargamer's Digest that were good reads-the Napoleonic 12 Pounder, and a Survey of French Regulars in the American Revolution.
The Messenger, house organ of the Pacific Southwest HMGS contained some good stuff this month. Dan Henderson showed readers the inside of a German A7V Sturmpanzerwagon of 1918. Marc Canu hails the return of Ancients to California gaming. Robert Runnels followed that with an analysis of Spearmen in DBA, detailing each opposing troop type. Marc returns with a discussion of French battle performance in WW2, with some surprising successes for the much-maligned force. Jan Runnels rounds it out talking from the wargaming widow's perspective.
Terry Gore's SAGA newsletter showed up in my mailbox recently. It' chock full of interesting reading, but mostly caters to his Ancient Warfare/Medieval Warfare rules. Dr. Kevin Boylan leads off describing the rise and decline of the Anglo-Irish. John Sloan discusses the Campaign of Bouvines in 1214, while several others recount games held at various conventions. Terry Gore penned a rules discussion section on charges and retreats, as well as other Q&A.
Don Wolff's Camino Real Post keeps up the god work highlighting gaming opportunities in the Rio Grande river valley. Current listing show games every other weekend as well as a couple dozen individuals to choose from.
Well, that's it for this issue folks. I love to hear from you personally so please write an email and tell me what your club is doing. Bon chance! izmud@aol.com
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© Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum
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