My apologies for failing to make the column last time. I try to be responsible about making the deadline, as I feel an obligation to all those club members that take the time to send along newsletters or information for review. Like a lot of amateur writers, my business and personal life caught up with me right around deadline time. Enough of my sad tale of woe, on with the hobby news.
A short but personal letter was received from Charles Nelson of RAGE, the Riclmond Area Gaming Enthusiasts. The current club situation shows about 25-30 hardcore members with about 15 casual attendees. Most gaming nowadays is historical in nature, with attention given to American Civil War (ACW) with both Fire and Fury and Johnny Reb rules. Ancients and the American Revolution are also getting some play, and most gaming is in 15mm, except for micro-armor action. Club meetings are held the third Sunday of the month, and interested parties can contact the new president, Kevin Garber at 804-330-9001. Thanks for the info, Charles.
Also in the Southern Atlantic area is the Northern Virginia Garners Wargaming Club, or NOVAG. This group recently held NOVAG VIII on Oct 2-3 in Fairfax, Va. The con featured historical miniatures, boardgaming, and fantasy roleplaying. Besides the con, the club regularly holds a bi-monthly game day at an area library, as well as co-sponsoring gaming events at local hobby stores, like the Game Parlor or Wargames. Since I started receivng the newsletter, the club has risen in strength, with improvements noted in both quanity and quality in the club newsletter. The scope of activities and degree of organization seems to have improved as well. Novag can be contacted at PO Box 729, Sterling, Va 20167.
Moving still lower on the map of the US brings us to the Triangle Simulations Society, 905-11 Shellbrook Ct., Raleigh, NC 27609 - They're getting ready for the November convention, Southern Front 93, to be held Nov. 12-14. A reserved appearing bunch, TSS also has regular game days featuring some very highquality ACW and American Rev gaming, GM'ed by some of the hobby's heavy hitters, like master painter Chris Hughes, who frequently wins or places at Historicon painting competitions, and also famous rules-writer Larry Brom, of the well-known and well-used Sword and the Flame, which by now sports as many variations as the Christian religon.
Remaining South of the Mason-Dixon line, we have another class act HMGS Mid South. Although many other worthies help make mid-South proud, the driving force for organization, enthusiasm and recruitment has got to be Major Bill Harting, editor of the club newsletter Dispatch, and President for Life (as his friend affectionately call him) I mention Mr. Harting as he deserves much credit, from this outsider's point of view - the newsletter is always entertaining, and it's obvious from the contents the group is always up to something good. Lately the newsletter has been funny real funny, with Bob Duncan's comic strip "Okenfenokee HMGS", more installments from Dennis Ingersol Michelson (What! You haven't hard of him?) and a classic WW II letter to home from a homesick sub-mariner.Besides the humor, Mid-south keeps you updated on important hobby news like the lead bill, and other items of interest, like the upcoming Infantrycon at Ft. Banning, Ga on Dec 3-5. The Sept 93 issue just arrived, with good battle reports about a 1993 Greek invasion of Macedonia, and a 1990's India-Pakistani conflict. Finally, a Medieval campaign helps illustrate how imaginative the gaming can be.
MIGS, The Military Interests and Garners Society, also calls it's newsletter Dispatch. Along with HMGS Mid-south, this is one of the best newsletters in the hobby today. It looks good (God Bless computer printing) reads easily, and is fat with content on club news about the many interest groups that make up MIGS, including Napoleonic, Ancients WRG, ACW and REnaissance. Their May event MIGSCON XIV drew around 450 people and was hailed as a worthwhile occurance by club organizers. Other club activity shows interest in the Medieval rules, Knight Hack, plus occasionalrefights of Canadian actions in WW II, and a wargams demonstration last summer at an ACW re-enactment. Now there's a way to draw potential recruits, and drum up some positive hobby PR from the general public! For more info on one of the best wargaming clubs in North America, contact Chris Goldsmith at 821 Boronia Cres., Newmarket, Ontario, Canada L3Y 5J8, or phone 416-895-2935.
As far as the Midwest goes, Michigan and Illinois better watch out for Indiana who's starting to leave them in the dust for wargaming activity. The Northeaste Indiana Gaming Association will hold Pentacon IX this Nov 13-14 in Ft. Wayne. Pentacon has mixed events with the accent being on role-playing, sci-fi, and fantasy, but Napoleonics, ACW, WW II and Age of Sail also appear on the schedule. From Carl Overshiner of Speedway, Indiana we have news of a new local group called the Game Guild in the Indianapolis area. They're also a diverse bunch devoted to role-playing, boardgames, computers, and our favorite, toy soldiers. The Game Guild is also a business ran by Randy Smith, offering a permanent location for hobbyists. Historicals are well-represented with regular days for the biggies, ancients, Naps, ACW, and Medieval. Yearly membership is a whopping $150, but unless you plan on using the facilities extensively, a single gaming night costs a mere $5. Good luck, Game Guild, and thanks for the news, Carl.
Also from the Ft. Wayne area are three issues of the Phoenix Rising, from the hobby store of the same name. Again the focus is on role-play, sci-fi, and fantasy, but the group seems well organized and offers regular gaming on a variety of things like Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer 40K, and an occasional Johnny Reb scenario. Phoenix Rising can be reached at 6652 St. Joe Rd., Ft. Wayne, Ind 46835.
Frun the West Coast canes the occasional Messenger, the written voice of the Pacific Southwest Him. A good-sized periodical full of articles and news of local interest, one useful feature is the spotlighting of area wargaming groups, giving data on when and where they meet, as well as stuff on what they've been doing. It looks like naval gaming in any era is big on the coast, and there's rising interest in WW I land action, judging from the clubs' stated interests and battle reports.
The Pacific Northwest HMGS sends copies of it's venerable newsletter, the Citadel. Big changes are afoot: The Great Motivator Mike Pierce has transferred from the area - it was obvious from much of the Citadel that Mike put a lot of effort and love into the group and I'm sure he'll be missed. Official ineox*men into the national HMGS brings a name change - now call 'em HMGS Northwest. Good times were had at Enfilade 93 with Editor Hal as the guest of honor, Plans are already in place for Enfilade 94, organized bunch that these guys are News of garners from Seattle to Tacoma to Portland shows that gaming, like most Other places, enjoys a healthy interest in ACW and Naps, and most clubs are receptive to sharing space with sci-fi, fantasy and boardgaming.
Heart of America HMS put on Border Wars in Kansas city, Mo last Oct 15-17. One neat thing about Hearts of America is that their cons are actively supported by many named local groups, Like HATSOFF, Manhatten Manuever, and Pioneer Panzer, who put on games sponsored by the group, rather than individuals, similar to UK conventions. They publish a newsletter, Communique, which offers battle reports, local and national convention listings and occasional poetry of a military nature. Contact Diana Samson, 10721 N. Walnut, Kansas City, Mo 64155 for club or newsletter info.
Around Oklahoma way Tornado Alley EMS held Historical Retreat Nov 12-14 in Oklahoma City. Games include WW I air combat, DBA, Napoleonic naval and Western skirmish action, to name a few, all for the low entrance fee of $5. A local hobby store in Tulsa, Renaissance Miniatures and Hobbies, featured a games day weekend Oct 22-24 with role-playing, sci-fi, and historical miniatures. Other gaming groups or nights are mentioned in the club newsletter, Tornado Alert. Tornado Alley HMGS serves the states about Oklahoma, with individual members ranging much further afield, and can be contacted at PO Box 20863, Oklahoma City, Okla 73156, phone 405-755-9418.
A real specialty group, The United States Pike and Shot Federation, games late Medieval-Renaissance action with a serious passion, using WRG rules to govern their many leagues and nation-wide tourneys. Members and events range across the States, with California, Louisiana, and Indiana being hotbeds of activity, judging from contributions and content of the club newsletter, the Reiter. Volume 9, #3 features a continuing series on the Thirty Years War, a confusing event requiring sane serious record-keeping to keep all the players straight. The Reiter is a pleasant magazine if Renaissance is your interest, and I'd love to tell you where to order it from and how much to pay, but nowhere in the magazine is there info explaining how to do that. Odd that they'd leave that out. The Reiter shouldn't be singled out in that regard - it always suprises me how many newsletters/magazines do not include contact or subscription data. Sometimes a real Quest must be conducted in the pages to locate same. C'mon gang, get that stuff out there. I'll print it if you tell me about it.
From HMGS Mid-west there are #14 and #15 of the Phoenix, the club newsletter. In #14 much preparation abounds for the Spring Little Wars and Summer Gen-con held in the Chicago-Milwaukee areas. Todd Fisher is enjoying fair sucess with his Cordeliers History Dining Club - he had a noted ACW expert, Marshall Krolick, speak to the group at the April 9th meeting. Issue #15 brings the sad news that the dynamic Mr. Fisher has retired after five years of more-than commendable service on the HMGS Midwest Board of Directors, as well as the controversial news that Little Wars 94 will again be held Easter Weekend. The board came up with a better convention site with better scheduling times in the long run, but the price to pay was one more Easter holiday. Regardless of the timing, Little Wars 93 was a reported success offering 100 plus games. As noted with the loss of Todd, Midwest has elected some new enthusiastic faces to the BOD, who plan on working to correct those problems on conventions and communication that have troubled Midwest in the past. While on communication, Midwest is now releasing a smaller info flyer, the Dispatch, in between the Phoenix printings, with the purpose of keeping club members up to date on area cons and club happenings.
Miniature Gamers of Michigan have held two cons and prepare for a third since the last writing. Peninsular Campaigns in Kalamazoo and Pro or Con in Wayne both showed reduced attendance, and Pen Cam had several games cancel. plans continue for Spartacon held around the holidays in Lansing and Bob Marshall's Whatcha Con will move to a new location this May.
A flyer from Frederick, Maryland tells of the Monacacy Gamers Association, who meet the second Saturday of the month in the community room at the Francis Scott Key Mall. Some of the veteran garners in the group have 20 plus years in the hobby, and the club enjoys all historical gaming, including computers, boardgames, and miniatures. They've only recently organized, so enthusiasm/participation ought to still be high amongst members. Frederick is about a half-hour drive northwest of Washington DC; those seeking more info can call Ken Carter at 301-834-6516 or Jim Butters at 301-696-1653.
More mail from the area comes from Robert Eubanks who wants to share news of his group, the Old Dominion Military Society, based in Newport News, Va. Another veteran group, this band of 20-30 garners have a great diversity of interests and soldiers ranging from ancient Biblical times to WW II microarmor. Most everythings done in 15mn, and the club's recently settled into Thursday night action at a very supportive hobby shop in Newport News, The Garners Guild. Bob wants us to know any vacationers are free to stop by for a game, and any military personnel from the areas many bases are more than welcome. It sounds like a good bunch, and with all the interests - medieval, renaissance, ECW, ACW, Naps, Franco-Prussian, (whew!) and WW I & II naval - it might be worth the drive from any distance. Thanks for the letter, Robert. Interested parties can phone Gamers Guild or Robert at 804-779-2923.
Well, everybody has cons these days, three day affairs at that. The trouble is, most of the cons are reporting reduced attendance. That's problably not a prediction of doom, as you read the newsletter over the months it's apparent most clubs are undergoing a period of replacement of the Old Guard. Those names that used to be constants in the local newsletters or events news are gradually being replaced by other members. People like Mike Pierce move on due to life's circumstance and others just get burnt out from being the flagbearer. Others that used to sit back stand up and take over, once they see someone has to. Kind of reassuring, eh? Thanks to all those persons who took time to write this time, it made for a more interesting column to hear what you're doing.
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© Copyright 1994 Hal Thinglum
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