You will note in this issue that BROOKHURST HOBBIES has released addition FIRST CORPS 25mm WWII Germans and Russians. I can't help but be fascinated by this period and scale! What if you had perhaps 25 or so 25mm WWII Russians and Germans per side; scratch built, had a professional build it for you, or purchase some of the quality commercially available buildings; set up an appropriate terrain system for the Eastern Front, and developed some scenarios? How long would it take to paint fifty 25mm WWII figures; wouldn't even be out of the question to have them professionally painted for you!

A short time ago, I read CROSS OF IRON for the first time outstanding book - and the section about a German attack on a Russian factory would be a fantastic scenario for a convention game. Listen to this. A small number of German infantry attack and surprise Russians holding a factory. Getting into the factory, they still have to fight their way through a multitude of rooms, corridors, and floors.

Okay, how do we do this on the wargames table? The factory has three sides on the table with the fourth side facing one table side. The factory has no walls on this fourth side, thus allowing you to access all of the floors - perhaps three floors total. The first two floors are just open areas, however, the top floor, which you could access directly from above, would have smaller rooms representing office areas.

How does that sound? I've even though one could represent the basement by ( 1 ) having a separate set-up perhaps on a smaller table right next to the factory section on the main table, or (2) somehow making an attachment to the factory which would then extend alongside the wargaming table and jut out a bit.

I kind of like the separate basement idea. One could easily construct a "maze-like" structure representing corridors with some rooms present. One phase of the game turn would represent whether or not Russian figures appeared within a certain distance of German figures moving through a dark basement. You could identify certain "personality" figures - Cpl. Steiner, for instance - who are able, via "saves", to perform above the ability of the average figure. Figures would be mounted on single figure stands and you could take that extra amount of time to do a special job on terraining the bases. Purchase a few of the 1/48th plastic model kits; you wouldn't need nor want more than a few.

What if you had a scenario set specifically for a convention game designed to last no more than 20-30 minutes? A weakly defended German outpost in a prepared position is faced with advancing Russian infantry accompanied by a Russian tank. The Germans have to destroy the tank; the Russian infantry are just there to give the Germans something else to think about. Nine German figures; two operating Panzerfausts, facing twenty Russian Infantry and a T-34 tank! Wouldn't take you anytime at all to put that together, would it! Does anyone know where one could pick up plastic kits to go along with 25mm scale?

Mike Heather of BROOKHURST reports that the old BANDAI 1/48th plastic armor kits being released by FUMAN would match. Where could I get these kits?

Johnson Hood of WARGAMES was kind enough to send me a review copy of the newest FIRE & FURY scenario book on Eastern Battles of the ACW. I must say that I was very glad to see them releasing another book on this great rules system. I make a habit of collecting scenarios for FIRE & FURY as well as ON TO R1CHMOND as I like both of these systems.

There are several new lines of 20mm Korean War available. BROOKHURST HOBBIES carries the OUTPOST WARGAMES SERVICES and FALCON MINIATURES just sent a listing. Another interesting period. We tend to think of the Korean War as a pretty static type of warfare, however, early in the war, it wasn't like that at all. Speaking of 20mm, we all know that this scale has been very popular for WWII, though so many companies are adding 20mm especially for Napoleonics and the ACW.

There are quite a few rules sets within this issue of MWAN. We have a first - Chris Ferree and Patrick Wilson submitted their "Rules for the Conquest of India" - John Company - with the kind permission of Brain Ansell of GUERNSEY FOUNDRY, who are in the process of publishing them. Hope you enjoy looking at them and thanks to Chris, Patrick, and Brian Ansell.

We also have a long set of Napoleonic Campaign rules by Gary Rhay and a number of shorter sets. Please keep the rules sets and articles coming so as to maintain MWAN's current length.

With the recent price increase in bulk mailing and the relatively hefty increase in other postage costs due to the much heavier weight of MWAN, I may have bitten off a bit more than I could chew by increasing MWAN's length to 192 pages, but we'll try it a few more issues and see if it works out. Hope you understand if I have to decrease pages. I really like going with the extra number of pages and hope you do as well!

I've been trying to think of additional ways to "streamline" my work with MWAN. There are certain aspects which tend to drive me a bit "crazy", such as bulk mailing, for instance. Scanning in typed letters for the letters column really made a difference for me as I used to hate typing them up. Having MWANers take on responsibility for columns I used to do has also helped greatly. I would somehow love to rid myself of "bulk" mailing as the recent changes in preparation of the mailing really drive me crazy! The problem is the large difference between bulk mailing costs ( about .70 per issue) and Third Class makes it so much more logical to go with bulk mailing.

By the time you get this, I'll have turned "50" years old! Hard to believe! Still crazy after all these years, I guess.

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