FANTASY GRAPHICS AND CASTINGSPO Box 179, New Ellenton, South Carolina 29809 - Don't let the name fool you, this firm sends three pages with large listings of figures in three definitely historical ranges. The ranges are the Zulu War, Napoleonics, and something called the "Wind and the Lion" which covets turn of the century North Africa, with Berbers, Moroccans, US Marines, and the German Navy for figure types. Both the Zulu and Wind and the Lion range are extensive and seem complete with personality types, wagons, and artillery. The Napoleonic range isn't as well covered as some other firms, but there is still a good selection of British and French with a smattering of Russians. No size is given but I anticipate they are 54mm as they average $3.50 per foot and $6.00 mounted. No photos of troops are included.
LANCER MILITERIA - Box 886, Mount Ida, Arkansas 71957 - This is the place to go for an excellent selection of reasonably priced books ranging from World War II to modern times. Lancer carries the popula. Sven Hessel series about a German squad on the Eastern Front in WWII. These books are great reading and highly addictive once you've read one. They remind one of Sgt. Fury and his Cowling Commandos at an adult reading level. Lancer also sells posters and military prints at very reasonable prices in the $10-20 range. Most of the books are less than that, and when was the last time you bought a hardcover book for under can dollars? Granted, some of Lancer's book offerings will make you feel like the kind guy that wears camos to the grocery store and has two years worth of batteries and canned beans in the basement, but the useful items will more than outweigh this sort of thing. From Lancer: Five Fingers, The Dying Place, and the Devil's Guard, the best books I've ever read on Vietnam - all paperbacks under five dollars.
HINTON HUNT 20mr - David Clayton, PO Box 5101, Hudson, Florida 34674 - from the man who reintroduced Tradition and Willie figures to the US now comes another classic line. Mr. Clayton has released a 16 page catalog ($2.00) which covers the popular Hinton Hunt 20mm range of Napoleonics, originally in production several years ago. Ahh, and what a range it tis. Suffice it say all nations involved are represented. Hinton Hunt will blend with your Eschi and RSM armies. This is available in metal, and figures can be bought individually or with a price break for bulk purchases. For example, a single foot figure cost 50 cents while twelve of the same costs 35 cents each. A $50 minimum order is required, but I understand Mr. Clayton is making the figures here, so there's no lengthy waiting period for the figures to be shipped from Europe.
UPPER STILLWATER CAVALRY - R.L. Curtain, Route 2, Nye, Montana, 59061 - And now for something totally different. If you feel adventuresome this summer, and have lots of money, you can journey to the wild, wild west,and join the cavalry- at least for two weeks. For only $998 you can experience two weeks worth of life as a cavalry trooper, in a locale not far from Yellowstone Park. For your money you will learn to shoot period weapons, care and maintain a horse and equipment, how to sleep in the cold and otherwise endure the elements: this is starting to sound too much like real military service! Seriously though, it mighr be fun. Think about riding western mountain trails, especially so near the Ccecer Battlefield, while wearing cavalry clothes. I'd like it.
SEVEN YEARS WAR - Juan L. Sanchez Martin, Mallorca, 11 Urb, Zulemn, 28810, Villabilla (Madrid) Spain. This Spanish gentleman offers collected works gathered from research in libraries and archives thoughout Europe on the SYW. '..a catalog offers hundreds of selections and is probably worth the effort if obtaining if this is your area of expertise.
MGM GAMERS - If you live in the Michigan area, you can receive the flyers from Miniature Gamers of Michigan, which gives information on the seasonal mini-cons held by MCM. Send a couple of dollars to cover postage to Craig Tyrrell 751 S. Lafayette, Dearborn, MI 48124.
THE LEGIONARY - 823 Central Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091 - This friendly military book specialist has released their latest catalog with 44 pages of listings. Titles range from the ancient period through the end of the 19th century. Both paperback and hard-cover are offered with prices ranging from very reasonable to grab your pocketbook. The pain can be eased with the use of major credit cards. This firm offers efficient friendly service and has a lot of good products to offer.
WARGAMES INC. - Box 278 Route 40 East Triadelphia, WV. 26059 304-547-0000- Wargames sends a flyer mentioning old products and listing new. Page 1 has a listing of the Essex 15mm Napoleonic line, which is extensive and offers ready made army packs of 160 pieces for $48.99. These are well-detailed, larger, quality figures. Page 2 has a listiar of 15mm ancients armies for the same price, and gives separate listings for the Han Chinese, the Sassanid Persians, Huns, Asiatic hordes and the Maurikan Byzantine. Page 4 has a complete listing of 15-25mm Revo flags and the next page offers new releases in 25mm Essex particularly a Napoleonic Austrian range with over 50 models. Also mentioned are Tarters and Napoleonic equipment, like a British Rocket Carriage and French Ammunition Caisson. These Essex Napoleonics are very nice and go with Connoisseur and Elite figures. Last but not least are the Dixon 25mm ACW who at last have casualty figures both in zouave and regular infantry. Also 4 poses of Louisana Tiger Zouaves are available, as well as a new cavalry figure, a horse, several new infantry. The cavalry figures are a welcome additic,, because the range lends itself so well to dioramas. The figures have a lot of individual character and a large force of them is something to see. They're so realistic its almost uncanny.
GAJO - George Johnson 1926 Fern Sr. Royal Oak Mi. 48073 313-546-6554 - GAJO has released a new flyer Listing availa'._e services. GAJO is basically a mail order operation, buying and selling painted armies and military books. If you are looking for a painted army, you can be placed on the want list and the owner, George, will contact you when he has something. GAJO also sells pre-painted 15mm buildings and scenery from most major manufacturers. This firm providing such unique services is ran by the very reliable and likeable George Johnson. George will even help you when there's nothing in it for him, something unusual these days. Once I approached him about a particular magazine and while he did not have it, he knew who did and steered me in that direction. He also knows my period of interest and usually contacts me when he gets a hold of something he knows I could use. Definitely a good fellow to know if you want to enhance your wargaming inventory.
EXPERIMENTAL GAME GROUP - Chris Engle 720 Hickory Lane 531, Jasper, Indiana 47546 - I should have done this in Wargaming Magazines but since this is Chris' first issue of his mimeographed magazine, and since Chris' manuscript contains a concept as much as a magazine, I will mention it here now, and there from now on. Chris is the creator of an innovative idea called the Matrix system in which your troops action and movement is not determined by dice, but by your logical arguments of what you perceive is the natural progression of your forces in a given situation. Chris uses his magazine to explain this concept and wants to use it to explore other original gaming concepts much the way THE NUGGET does for Wargames Development in the UK. He invites any and all to use the magazine as a vehicle for our own ideas and wants to hear from you. He asks for no money for a subscription but I think it would be nice to send him a couple of bucks to cover postage if you're interested. Chris is very enthusiastic about the matrix system and supporting new ideas and has had articles printed recently in other amateur publications, like THE NUGGET. This first issue gives an explanation for the matrix game, plus a battle report on a Viking matrix action and a naval scenario for matrix. There's also a letter by Paddy Griffith critiquing the system.
MODELER'S MART - 1183 Cedar St. Safety Harbor, Fla. 34695 1-813-725-5168 1-800-223-5260 - Modeler's Mart has issued a new advertising flyer, drawing attention to their new toll free number for orders. (All questions should be directed to the area code number). Also mentioned are Frontier Miniatures newest listing of late 19th century British colonials as well as the announcement of Frontier's foray into 15mm Napoleonics. The range will cover the early years of 1790-1800 and promises a large variety of uniforms and troop types characteristic of the era. Also given are new listings for CHO micro-armor, with many modern Bundeswehr transport, much WWII anti-tank weaponry and some Japanese infantry and tanks for Pacific action. From Skytrex comes the new WWI Aircraft, and Minifigs has their 15mm Crimean range. Just to mention once again, the new 89 Modeler's Mart catalog is well worth picking up for $2.00. Lots of color photos highlight this catalog and do a superb job of illustrating the products available from MM. Of particular note is the ilating for the vast Frontier 15mm-25mm lines with accompanying photos that help to show the detail and action poses of the Frontier line. I don't see how this type of advertising can he anything but beneficial to hobbyists and retailers, as it makes sense to see a difference to be able to see what you're buying first.
NEW COURIER THEME - As most everyone knows Dick Bryant's COURIER picks a certain military period as the theme for each year's print. This year the theme will be the Mexican-American War and the editor will be MWAN subscriber Bob Marshall. Bob has a great interest in the MAW and if anyone could be considered an amateur expert in this period, Bob can. Mr. Marshall often takes his excellent 25mm Mexican-American figures and games to conventions where many of you have had the opportunity to meet him and get to know what a great guy he can be. Bob has to prepare several articles over the next few months for publication and could probably use some help, single over-worked man that he is. If you know something about this interesting period, or would like to write an article or two that could possibly be placed on the printed page, why don't you contact Bob at 4174 Grayton, Detroit, Mi. 48224. I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing from you, and you could have a chance to add some information to the wargaming public on this dramatic but overlooked era.
MINIATURE SERVICE CENTER - Doug Carroccio, 706 S. River Rd. New Port Rickey, FL 33525 - Doug's latest project is to release a range of 25-30 mm hand-made buildings and they cover the French and Indian war period. The models are hand built, well-painted, sturdy and lightweight. Eleven items are ready now. They include 4 variations of log cabins (F1-F4) from $29.95 to 39.95, a log trading post F-5 for $34.95, a log barn F-6, a log mission F-7 and log barracks F-8, for $39.95. Also coming soon are a log stockade, F-9, and Indian lodge F-10, and an Indian hut F-11.
CONNOISSEUR - At Whatcha Con in Ferndale I purchased one each of all the 25mm artillery pieces available in the new American Civil War range, as well as some infantry and cavalry. There are 10 lb. parrots (G25), Napoleons (G26), 3" rifles (G27), whitworths (G28), and 20 lb. parrots (G30). I really like these guns. I couldn't tell you if they were historically correct to save my life but they look like artillery pieces, and go great with the larger 25's out today. The figures offered a nice rebel artillery officer looking through binoculars with a pinned up slouch hat, high boots, and a short zouave style jacket (AC18). All the cavalry pieces were nice with one rebel cav figure firing a pistol (AC3C) and one holdirl a shotgun (AC4C). All the infantry figures are nice and if you're building confederates there is enough variety to build very diversified units, especially in the charging pose. Whether you're buying one or one hundred the service is always personable from Keith Leidey and you can reach him at 2625 Forest Glen Trail, Riverwoods, 111. 60015. He takes VISA.
TACTICAL CONFLICT SIMULATIONS - TCS Distributors, Dept M. 257 Beachwood Drive, East Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818 - TCS, who are known for their ACW naval rules, Age of Iron have entered the business of 15mm resin building and scenery. For review they've sent 4 buildings, two bridges, and 2 gun emplacements as well as troop trays for 15mm to facilitate figure movement. The buildings are also 15mm, and are early American reproductions of two story houses, ranging from simple to heavily ornate. The houses seem very sturdy, yet lightweight. Past personnel experience with resin-like buildings have shown them to be fragile creations, so I tentatively applied pressure to one of the chimneys to see if it would break. It held so I pushed it, and it still held. Finally I REEFED on and TRIED to break it. It still held. The buildings are well detailed and well priced, ranging from $5.00 to $6.00. The bridges include a wooden pontoon bridge and a generic stone bridge, that could serve as a 25mm foot crossing. The earthworks were a much smaller scale with a 7 gun sand works, a 3 gun work in 1/1200 or 5mm scale, recommended for Lyzard's Grin products. This is only a sampling of two ranges that include almost 50 buildings and accessories and over 30 types of troop trays. All prices range from $1 to $6 and come available painted also, for usually double the price. Also worth noting is the packaging. All items come individually wrapped in cellophane bubble packing, and all pieces were intact. These kits are the same apparent quality and detail of other well-known firms.
SOLDIER WORLD USA - PO Box 175 Shrewsbury, Pa. 17361- Soldier World has released a flyer advertising a giant inventory reduction on Garrison 25mm products. Garrison has Napoleonic Seven Year War, ACW, medievals, and ancients and run in size similar to Hinchliffe. Speaking of, the catalog covers new Hinchliffe releases, and also offers a sale of an extensive selection of 15-25mm Minifigs. Noteworthy was the 25mm Indian Mutiny Minifig line.
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© Copyright 1989 Hal Thinglum
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