From Mark Serafin About #79 wow, color! Really nice - you seem to be getting better and better at layout and making it lookprofessional. Goodwork. The letters section looked like an NHMGS (Pacific Northwest chapter) convention, with submissions from at least 5 of our members. Hi guys, why aren't you writing for The Citadel? We had our quarterly meeting in February, and included the annual auction to help support Enfilade!. Attendance was lower than usual, due mostly to flooding that closed Interstate 5 and a lot of secondary roads in the area. Still, everything put up for sale found a home. Saturday was given over to actual gaming (and heavy panting over the auction items on display), with a WW I naval game in progress (part of an on-going North Sea campaign), ACW Ironclads, a Spanish Civil War scenario, a Franco-Prussian war scenario and my own Command Decision game.

After reading Charles Sharp's and Bruce MacFarlane's articles, and Mike Pierce's letter, in #79 about WWII gaming I am in an even deeper quandary about how to proceed with my interest in that period. Lots of new rules sets coming out, and Frank Chadwick is working on Command Decision 3, which I think will clean up the firing system- there's been a lot of discussion of this on the CD mailing list (on the internet), which Mr. Chadwick recently joined. Well, I guess I'll have to see what the other folks up here want to play and follow along. Related to this is the fact that I have been wasting a lot of time playing a computer game called Steel Panthers, which is a tactical WWII armor simulation, at the level of individual tanks and squads of infantry. Great fun.

From Michael Mathews Just looked at #81 and just have to say how pleased I am with the look and contents of MWAN. Although the main focus is usually not towards my mainstream of gaming, I always eagerly look forward to each issue. I tend to first look at the Sutler's Wagon (I've gotten some real bargains there), then your editorial, and then the rest. Glad you decided to continue the labor of love. Some time ago you published my Napoleonic skirmish rules, Tirailleurs En Grande Bandes. If any played them and are interested in our group's updates I would be happy to provide them for a SASE. They have been generally successful at conventions and provide us with a fun diversion from our more intense games. My current project is Prussians of the Seven Years War using Old Glory l5mm figures. No one has any figures yet besides me, but I hope to generate some interest in the Lace Wars using the old Tricorne rules written by my friend Ken Bunger. I sure regret selling off my old 25mm Prussians now! Jim Purkey's new column is a most welcome addition.

Lately we have been playing a great deal of Red Baron with Skytrex 1/144th scale miniatures. It has really been great fun and fried our earthbound spirits and dice. If only there was something comparable for WWII and I might not set "foot" on a table again. Unfortunately, it also brings up a "buyers beware" story in two parts. The first is that the Skytrex kits are consistently missing parts. Some can easily be built with floral wire, but I got a two-seater missing a wing recently. I've written Skytrex in the hopes that they will correct the error.

From Dennis M. Popek. Jr. I am really impressed with and enjoy reading the Midwest Wargames Association Newsletter. I hope that it will be with us for a long, long time. l have always enjoyed history, especially 19th Century Military History to be exact. I guess what l like about it most is the clear evolution of uniforrns, weapons, and strategy/tactics from Napoleonic Wars to the "Modern Age". It's a century that offers the gamer and miniature collector plenty of diverse conflicts and variance in combatants to choose from. You can field an army with flintlock muskets and smoothbore field guns or bolt action rifles and breechloading artillery. You can field your army in a major "global" war, or send into battle in a colonial skirmish with native hostiles.

The 15mm miniatures are my favorite to collect for the period. Especially for the American Civil War, Crimean War, and Mexican Expedition. Presently, the only 25mm's I have are British Colonials. I think I'll finish my present collections before I even think about starting Napoleonics. Napoleonics would take up too much time and space right now. I'd like to submit two movies that were not on your list for "good" wargaming movies. ( 1 ) Waterloo-Starring Rod Steiger as "Napoleon" and Christopher Plummer as "Wellington". I'm sure many already have knowledge of it, but I felt it deserved mention. The battle scenes and uniforms are great! I heard they used thousands of extras for the filming. (2) Revolution-Starring Al Pacino. This is a fairly recent film that I heard little mention of at the theaters. It starts at the very beginning of the war and goes, in stages, all the way to Yorktown. It has good battle scenes and uniforms. Also, I liked that realistic "dirty" look of the towns and soldiers. These are a couple of my favorites. If you know of a good movie about the Crimean War (excluding The Charge of the Light Brigade, old or newer) please let me know. Also I consider Major Dundee one of my personal favorites. I like the idea of alter-history for wargames. I've found, though, that most of the wargamers I know aren't interested in these kinds of games uless you research it to death so you can explain its historical possibility (I guess you can call it "historical correctness"). Having a U.S. Cavalry unit engage French/Mexican units in Mexico, too me, isn't that far fetched that you need in depth historical explanation. (However, I do believe that when you got into mixing 20th Century units with 18th and 19th Century periods, then you've exited historical gaming and entered fantasy.)

I've been interested in having a border "skirmish" between British/Canadian forces and U. S. forces during the ACW period. I have plenty of Crimean War Brits to throw in. Any thoughts about this? One more topic before I go....... books. I have 2 books that have been invaluable to my ACW figure painting. They are both titled Arms and Equipment of the Union/Confederacy, respectively. They are from the Time-Life series called, "Echoes of Glory". These two books set me back about $80, but are full of actual color photos of uniforms, weapons, flags, and other equipments, as well as, plenty of relative historical literature. Please keep up the good work. My thanks to you, and all those who put MWAN together.

(Editor's Note: Your mention of "alter-history" is quite interesting, Dennis. Many years ago, while building my 15mm ACW armies, I was looking for 15mm Maximillian Era figures and couldn't find any. I had a great time drawing up maps of afictitious area during the ACW time and included a southern country akin to Mexico. I just found them the other day while browsing through my file cabinet. Often thought this would be a perfect situation for "alter-history " - the French decide to invade Texas while the USA and CSA are involved in a civil war. What would happen.

From Scott Hansen Regarding my article on gaming the Great Northern War, I have dropped the defensive fire phase addition for Volley and Bayonet rules. People had a lot of trouble with it and it was hard to explain. Sometimes the attacker ran away, other times, the attacker stayed in melee. Anyway, it was a bad rule, ruined the basic simplicity of Volley and Bayonet and didn't add anything. Game design is very hard. While Volley and Bayonet looks very simple, it is very subtle and a lot of work has gone into it. My friend and I have been fighting War of 1812 battles. We use the Dawn's Early Light booklet from Canadian Wargamers for rules and scenarios. We have fought a number of quick fun games. The command deck turn sequence is very frustrating. Two people can fight a battle in an hour or so. I just finished up my Danish 6mm army for the Prusso-Danish War. Now I need to finish up my Prussians. However, they can fight my Austrians.

When I was completing my Danes, I waited for my Friekorp 15 SpanishAmerican War armies for my next period. I'm trying to limit the size of my armies to twenty twelve men infantry units plus some artillery and cavalry. Why paint thousands of figures for an obscure period? I've hardly used my mid 19th century armies.

Good news for mid 19th Century European War fans. It seems like 19th Century Miniatures now cast Rank and File Miniatures for the same prices as their Napoleonics: 100 figures for $20!!! A great buy. If I was starting over, I would do the Crimean War in 15mm.

Speaking about ECW boardgames, I've read good things about the strategic level game, King's War published by Clash of Arms Games.

Note: The Art of War Annual, here on MagWeb, is CoA's magazine.--RL

I know it uses area movement and features various scenarios. I plan on buying it and will let you know how I like it. Stay away from Ironsides by 3W. The rules and map are quite flawed. It seems like a game that was to be published in the old Wargamer magazine fifteen years ago that was never updated. Feel free to write me if you have any questions about board wargames. I actually started out with board wargames fifteen years ago only getting into miniatures five years ago. I wanted to do something with my hands besides read all of the time(I paint about 1500 figures a year). I finally used my 1859 Austrians in a small battle. We used Principles of War rules from the Victorian Military Society. These are very good rules for European and colonial wars complete with army lists. I have enclosed a review of them.

From Michael Pierce Sorry for the long delay in writing. It's great to be back in Seattle area again --the gamers here are outstanding I've been busy with the boys on many a weekend, and am valiantly trying to resist half a dozen new gaming periods! I'm still working on the rest of your Japanese troops--after HISTORICON, I promise to concentrate and finish them, then start work on the Aussies.

I've been delayed by acquiring and painting up 15mm Russian and German troops for WWII -the OLD GLORY stuff is great and I've re-discovered the nice stuff QUALITY CASTINGS make. We just finished ENFILADE 96 over Memorial Day weekend. It was a great success --- over 250 gamers, 11 dealers, and 45 scheduled events. This was an increase of about 60 people over last year! Toby Barrett of Thoroughbred Miniatures was our guest this year --- a fine gentleman who ran two Ironclad games (with the able assist of Kevin Smyth and Dave Sullivan).

Bill Stewart and I ran a SPEARHEAD game in 15mm, and I ran a Western gunfight game in 25mm. The SPEARHEAD game went well, although I committed the cardinal sin of convention games and had too many players. The Western gunfight game quickly degenerated into a nasty affair between the Simpsons, the Bundys, and the townspeople --- ask Bill Stewart about running out in the middle of the street to stop a moving stagecoach (and instantly becoming the target for every rifle and shotgun in town).

There were a lot of neat games this year. I got to play in Bruce MacFarlane's JUNO Beach game using his new rules (published by Canadian Wargamer's Group DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. These are unique and great rules --- we played 3 days of battle in about 4 hours, including having Bruce explain the rules to 4 novice players. It uses company-level stands, and has an elegant way of portraying the way troops go to ground during battle, are regrouped and brought back to battle. Battalions maneuver and fight through actions --- and the better your troops, the more actions they can take in one turn. Not for the skirmish wargamer, but if you're interested in a battle that lasts more than an afternoon, try it. He's working on CRETE, 1941 and Eastern Front. Thompson hosted his 15mm ALAMO game twice--unfortunately, the Texans failed to hold the sacred ground either time--but they gave Santa Anna's boys a good fight. John Fisher ran his FIRE and FURY SHILOH game --- it looked great, and the Rebs even won this round. John also ran a 20mm WWI game suing rules adapted from the old Avalon Hill game SQUAD LEADER. By the way John has become a real leader in the hobby here in Seattle --- he's revitalized games at a local hobby shop and is very active in supporting NHMGS. It's great to have these younger guys step up and wade into the fray.

There were a whole lot of neat games that I could only long to play in--Charles Sharp ran a Napoleonic PIQUET game, Dick Larsen once again fought over the dusty plains of Spain with his 20mm Spanish Civil War troops, Phil Barnsley and Paul Hannah ran their MUSTANGS air war games with some incredibly painted 1/285th scale aircraft, and even some sci-fi DIRTSIDE II and STARGRUNT game snuck in there.

I know there were other outstanding events that I haven't mentioned, but only because I could only absorb so much. By the way, you recall the 1st Law of Wargaming: 'If you ever run out of lead figures to paint, you die." Here's Stewart's maxim to the 1st Law: "If your painted lead ever outnumbers your unpainted lead, you get sick!. Well, enough for now. I hope to make it to HISTORICON this year, and can hardly wait!

From Mike Reese I just read MWAN #79 and #80. These two issues sparked my interest because I had picked up both SPEAR HEAD and GREAT BATTLES OF WW2, the laKer at last year's MIGSCON in Hamilton, Ont.., Canada. I haven't played it, but wanted it if for no other reason because it has a good overview of the Canadian Army in Europe. It is surprising what few books on the Canadian military are in my local library.

Last WINTERCON in January Jim Pink and I ran a 7000 point WH40K SF game, 4000 points of Tyranids in a Tyranid Attack 6 turn game vs. 1500 points each of Imperial Guard and Space Marines. Twelve players in three hours.

I mention this because I have taken the WH40k game and modified them for WW2 skirmish. They work pretty well for skirmish games. I am planning on running a WW2 game at MICHICON in June and another at MIGSCON in August, both using SPEARHEAD rules. My main problem is determining how big a game, I need to run a game with 6-12 players. I have a good feel for WRG 1925-2000, I've been doing those for years (decades actually). The rules say a player should run a battalion, or a Soviet Brigade. I am looking at the actions by CCA of 3rd Armor in France against two German Panzer Brigades, the 113 and 1llth.

I have an excellent article on this action in an old S&T magazine. I also have a complete TO&E on both of those brigades. Of course the TO&E in the magazine doesn't match the TO&E of the brigades, so I guess that will be my first problem. Hmm. I think those battles may be covered in the US Army History on Normandy and the breakout. [NOPE} Now, how many players do you use for a game with a Combat Command and two German Brigades? At MIGSCON I am looking at a bigger game. I ran the first part at a GENCON using CD2. It consists of a series of engagements in the Battle of Berlin on the southern edge of the SEELOW Heights involving the MUNCHENBERG Panzer Division and 17SS PG. I am using "Russo-German War Summer 1944 No.33 by W. Victor Madeja, "Stalingrad to Berlin: The German Defeat in the East", US Army Historical Series, and "Tigers in Combat I" by Wolfgang Schneider as references. If anyone else has a better reference please let me know. I am always updating this game scenario. Hmm.

What do you know. I've written three games, not two. "Tigers in the Sun" which is based on the MOLODECHNO battles of 2-5 July, 1944 and uses the above references; "Tigers in the Snow" which is based on the Battle for Berlin, again using the above references; and a Lorraine France game based on the S&T article, "The Arracourt Tank Battles, 19-22 September 1944." involving 4th Armored Division CCA and the 113th and 111th Panzer Brigades. I really want to run the two Russian games, so I will include the Arracourt game on the disk with this letter.

This game can be played using either SPEARHEAD or COMMAND DECISION 2 (making slight changes in the OB to account for the two difference rules sets - the listing is for SH). It was also, in fact, run using WRG 25-50 rules with a 1:1 ratio of figures, not the 5:1 of SH and CD2.

From Roustan Klotchkov This year's Enfilade was like usual, except probably more games were presented. In my opinion the best game was an "Old West" one. The guys did excellent job putting it together. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to play this game - I think all participants were signed up long before the Enfilade.

I really enjoyed reading the last two MWANs - a lot of very valuable information. Especially in #81, "The Reason Why" written by Jim Getz. I found this article very close to my own impression, about the hobby, as a new gamer. I like to look through all the old MWANs that you sent me. I really enjoy it because I can see the picture of the development of the hobby. It is so interesting I can't describe my impression in a few words.

This letter includes the copies of Gripping Beast's 25mm "Dark Ages" miniatures product lists (Gripping Beast, 19 Woodville Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, 1P4 IPA, UK). I talked on the phone with Colin Patten and he informed me that they continue to work upon the "Dark Ages" line and very soon we will see their Irish and Franks. Also, he told me that they produced more figures for their Norman Cavalry. On the list I sent you, there are only 5 varieties listed but, in fact, they have 13 now: (NMCl-NMCI3). They sell packs (mostly 4 figures in each pack), the price is slightly less than Wargame Foundry's and the quality is very good.

Unfortunately, they stopped exporting their miniatures to USA, because of the postal expenses which make the prices for miniatures very high. But they offer 10% discount for big orders. I think this is good news for anyone who will stop in England. Besides, they have a list of "Specials" which I also included in this letter. As you can see they have buildings, ships, stocks, farm animals, different goods, etc. So guess what?! I placed a big order and now am very excited to get it. I promise to inform you about these wonderful miniatures, when I receive them. I hope this information can help somebody who is thinking to add well done miniatures to his or her collection.

From Mark Bevis Just read MWAN #80; good issue. Photos were good, some day I'll send you photos of our Sink The Tirpitz game, which was very photogenic. In response to Kenn Hart's letter on DBR, I must ask any DBR users their thoughts on Light Horse. In DBM, which covers up to about 1500 AD, they are useful skirmishers, hard to eliminate, and a lot of them are downright dangerous (Mongol Army, for instance). In DBR, however, which covers 1500-1700 AD, they have become a liability to any oriental army (i.e. Turks) because you have to have a lot, they are easily killed and do not have the screening and slowing of every effect they had in DBM.

This has come about because the combat results if beaten have been severely altered, whereas historically, their effect seems to me to have been much the same in 'ancient' and Napoleonic periods, before and after the period covered by the rules sets. Their effect against Reiter types (mounted, armored pistoliers) seems illogical whilst a horse fired bow would probablly have a similar range to pistols, they would have a higher rate of fire and light horse are spread out skirmishers, whilst Reiter types tended to be closer togather (i.e., a better target). You would think that whilst the Reiter-types are advancing, they will push the light horse back, but they would remain in bow range In practice the light horse die over 50% of the time, and flee 600 yards in another 40% of the time. I think that Kenn will find, and other oriental army users for that matter, that DBR does not quite suit their style of fighting. I suspect that DBR has been written with western stile armies in mind, and that the oriental armies had been considered second.

At present a combat between two predominatly light horse armies (i.e. Tartars, Cossacks, American Indians) would be the most bloodiest and shortest of affairs, hardly the most realistic of results. I'll be interested to see what DBR players out there think. For the moment, our club has altered the light horse combat results (i.e., the same as Sipahis).

In response to James Casey mentioning the SOTCW. All US/Canadian gamers interested in joining can subscribe direct in the US to Chris Scruton, 4131-93th Lane NE, Blaine, MN 55014. Existing members who haven't resubbed yet should also contact Christ directly. Subs are still $30 for roughly 18months/6 issues of THE JOURNAL. As an added incentive, Brookhurst Hobbies now offer 10% and 15% discoutns to North American SOTCW members on certain lines. Chris will be promoting the Society at shows around the US, so if you're interested in any 20th Century warfare, get in touch with him.

As for current projects, I know you like to hear about these, Hal. I am busily painting 15mm Ottoman Turks for my Renaissance army, and 6mm WWII 1944 British, as well as 6mm Napoleonic French for a friend. We're running a mini-campaign with a fictional Brigade each for December 1944, playing once a month. I'm painting my aircraft for this at the moment - the next battle is a critical one and my battalion is going to need all the help it can get!

On a more occasional basis, I'm building up a 15mm US army of 1812 at 1/20 figure scale. Falcon Figures have just released an extensive range of US/CDN/UK figures for 1812-14, and very nice they are too - they even do the militia types. I've still bits to paint for my Ottoman Turk Napoleonic army in 6mm, now over 80,000 strong (2,000+ figures, I guess). One weekend we're planning to fight all these against someone's Austrians who has over 150,000, so I'd better get on painting!

It will be a monster two-day wargame. We use Irregular Miniatures figures exclusively, apart from a few Heroics and ROS figures for Guards and skirmishers and some artillery. Also assembling at an erratic rate are 6mm Danish and Russian Napoleonics, a modern army in 6mm, and I've just bought a bunch of 15mm Napoleonic Russians, mostly unpainted.

They were a bargain, and I was able to pay in installments. The same fellow has now persuaded me to relieve him of four boxes of modern microtanks. I have decided that my next major project will be a 1 5mm Moghul Indian army for DBR. I just love the idea of armored war elephants! I'll do this when my DBR Turks are finished.

I also dabble in 20mm modern skirmish games for which I've some Combat Miniatures; Argentinians and SHQ Iragis to paint. I think one of your subscribers had a point some issues back when he said that without unpainted lead, a wargamer will die! In addition to all this, plus full time work, I am writing one article a week for the BATTLEFIELDS and MINIATURE WARGAMES magazines and writing up details for more MicroMark army lists. As a result, I have'nt sent you many articles. When I do some more, I'll do some of those 'organizing your army type' articles that you like, as Thomas Sero did, which received much favorable comment and constructive additions. I suspect I'll do something on the WWI Romanian army - a much under-rated WWI army and something different to the ever dominant Germans.