Let's just jump into this quickly and then jump back as even quicker. Last issue, I wrote: Combat Simulations, a WWII magazine, is making the leap from 5.5x8.5" MWAN size to full 8.5x11" size with two-color cover. More information when I get it. Why? Under new management.

Well, I have more information. It seems the economics weren't there for printing and the new owners decided to fold the magazine. If this changes, I'll let you know.

I have been quite remiss with writing about a club newsletter called The Penny Whistle (from the Lion's Den Wargaming Club). In a sad shuffle of papers, I completely lost the sample copies sent, and searched for them without success--only to have them reappear two months later when I was looking for something else (anyone else ever do that?). They are finally covered here, and I hope editor Ken Van Pelt accepts my apologies.

Publisher Richard Brooks is considering almost doubling the size of The Heliograph newsletter (for colonial period gamers) from 40 pages to 72 pages, although that would also double the price from $12 per year to $25 per year. He's looking for feedback, but will probably wait until issue 100 or so (it's at 95 now) before making a decision.

First Empire magazine celebrates its 5th year of publishing with Issue #30 (reviewed below). Congrats to Publisher David Watkins on achieving the milestone.

Publisher Terry Gore added assistant editor Jamie Fish to the masthead of Saga.

And now on to the magazines. As before, each rating: PQ (Physical Quality of layout, print quality, and use of graphics), WR (Wit Rating or quality of writing and sustainable interest level), and IR (Inspiration Rating or creativity of ideas and reference value) comes with a grade (A, B, C, D, F). indicates the magazine is part of MagWeb, which offers the full text and graphics of magazines' articles. Check http://www.magweb.com for free samples.

You can reach me at 161 Lambertville-HQ Rd., Stockton, NJ 08559 or via e-mail at: magweb@magweb.com

First Empire -- #30; 44pgs.; 8.5x12"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; On Military Matters, 55 Taylor Terr., Hopewell, NJ 08525; $36 per year, bimonthly.

A Naval Review- part 1 leads off the issue with an overview of naval museums in Britain. Next comes The Battle of the Piave with an analysis of The Viceroy of Italy, Prince Eugene, as he takes the offensive against the Austrians under Archduke John in the May 8, 1809 battle. The 45th Regiment D'Infantrie de Ligne gets a profile, both "Les Invincibles" the historical unit and the reenactor group. A profile of Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane tells about the commander of the sloop 'Speedy' who captured over 50 enemy vessals in a 13-month period and then tackled a Spanish frigate. And another profiles of the Polish battalion in the French Imperial Guard, including history, organization, and uniform details.

A new research column, Aide de Camp, answers in detail the following questions: What were the Regimental Names of the Russian Infantry 1796-1801? (Excellent huge Table) What was the organization of Russian infantry 1801-1810? What was the headgear of the Russian infantry 1805-1812?

Book reviews of: 1812: Napoleon in Moscow, by Paul Britten Austin; Britannia Rules: The Classic Age of Naval History 1793-1815, by C. Northcote Parkinson; Nelson's Blood: The Story of Naval Rum, by Capt. James Pack; and The Most Monstrous of War, by Milton Finley. Part 2 of a test battle using House Rules Napoleonics miniatures rules (includes French and Russian orders of battle for the Battle of Drehsa, 1812). Plus other reviews and lots of news.

The Heliograph #95 30 Aug 96; 40pgs.; 8.5x5.5"; PQ B, WR C, IR B; Richard Brooks, PO Box 716, Swansea, SC 29160; $12 per 6 issues ($15 Canada, 15 pounds for Europe)

Lots of miniature reviews (complete with photos) and book reviews in this issue. Part II of GDW's Soldiers Companion Rules (More Adjustments, Amendments, Clarifications, and Updates) tweaks the rules. And there is a fascinating overview of the making of the movie, Gunga Din, complete with a centerfold spread of stills and PR shots from the movie.

Napoleon -- #5; 64 pages; 8.5"x11"; PQ A, WR A, IR A; The Emperor's HQ, 5744 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL 60634; $33 per year (US), $35 (Canada), $38 (all other countries via surface mail), bimonthly.

Issue #5 brings a fascinating look at the Battle of Haslach-Jungingen during the 1805 Ulm campaign (includes a brilliant look in maps and dioramas on the French defense of towns using strongpoints and rapid couterattacks), an excerpt taken from Scott Bowden's upcoming book, Napoleon and Austerlitz. Part 2 of Women's Fashion (illustrated in color) shows the low-cut, transparent designs that the fashionable ladies wore during the Directorate and Consulate periods. Part 4 of the 200th anniversary of Napoleon in Italy finds the Emperor in crucial battles around Mantua in August and September 1796. If you ever wanted to collect Napoleonic swords, uniforms, and other militaria, don't miss a fine illustrated (color photos) overview--including how to spot fakes. Reviews of Friedland (board game) and a quartet of books round out the issue.

The Penny Whistle -- #24 and #25; 8 pages; 8.5"x11"; PQ C, WR B, IR B; The Penny Whistle, 1205 Allendale Dr., Greenwood, MO 64034; $3.84 per year, preferably 12 32-cent stamps gets you six issues.

#24: Aside from the club news, you'll find The Lair of the Desert Fox, a WWII scenario for the game Theatre of Operatrions about a raid on Rommel's HQ at Beda Littoria by British Commandos. A Wild West scenario set in Missouri 1872 is included as well. Short pieces on Guernsey Foundry gunfighters and the Solo Wargamers Association end the issue.

#25: Following club news, Editor Van Pelt's rules for 1/700 scale WWII air combat, Gnatz, are the main draw, including specs for Zero and P-40 fighter scenario. A listing of the Solo Wargaming Association Library items is included, and a full review of the Guernsey Foundry Wild West gunfighters ends the issue.

Saga -- #55; 44pgs; 5.5x8.5"; PQ B, WR B, IR A; SAGA, 890 Janes Rd., Rochester, NY 14612; $25 per year ($30 Canada, $35 elsewhere), bimonthly.

The Seleucid Army: Part Four of the series picks up with the death of Antiochus II and carries forward to the death of Seleucus III, along with guidelines for creating Seleucid armies on the tabletop. The "military intelligence" column covers aniticipated historical sites in Cyprus and the Middle East, while 1066: The Campaign for England brings Norman, Anglo-Danish, Welsh, Viking and Pre-Feudal Scots together to battle it out to rule Britannia in this DBA campaign.

Nikephorian Byzantines offers interesting historical uses of Klibanophoroi, Skoutatoi, Kavallarioi, and other forces, followed by a discussion of them under the DBM rules. A couple convention reports, a DBM Medieval Portuguese army list, Multiplayer Armati ("Modified Nearly Beyond Recognition") rules experiments, leters to the editor, and a pair of DBR articles: Rock:Paper:Scissors (Killer matchups), and Pistols Vs. Lances (An examination of PIs vs. LNs under the DBR rules) round out the issue.

Shadis -- #28; 96pgs.; 8.5x11", PQ A, WR A, IR A/F; AEG, 4045 Guasti Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; $34 per year ($40 Canada, $60 overseas), monthly .

Although this is a role-playing game, which means you'll either enjoy it immensely or not at all, there's some Samurai info in a section called The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly for scenario creators--it adds (fictional) character background, which can be used for historical, or more likely, historically-based scenarios. There's also a scenario for Deadlands, a horror RPG for the Wild West, which can easily be adapted from its wormy thing-cult generating Sioux-RR-posse trouble to a more traditional Wild West scenario involving, ah, the Sioux, RR, and posse. Certainly the character background will come in quite handy.

Tornado Alert -- #22; 8.5"x11"; 28 pages; PQ B, WR B, IR A; Torndao Alley HMGS, PO Box 20863, Oklahoma City, OK 73156; $10 per year, bimonthly .

This is the Journal of the Tornado Alley HMGS chapter. It's nicely done, although I really wish the type size could be a little larger--they put so much information within, it'd be nice to have some white space around the text and graphics. Inside, chapter news is pretty revealing--discusses ties with more general venues, like wargame demos at a RR fair, and free use of small college campus to host a mini con in part with the ROTC.

There's a couple of well-thought out articles on the fantasy vs. history debate, an idea on scenario design, impressions of a "push of shields" in ancient warfare, some WWII scenarios with historical commentary (The Battle of Vela Gulf [naval] and Air-to-Air over Rabaul Nov. 1943 [air]), modern model availability for skirmish gaming in 20mm, post-action official reports from the War of 1812 from the commanders of the USS Hornet and HM Brig of War Peacock, a replay of a Italian-Russian modern naval clash in the Med, a look at roleplaying in gaming, and a variety of news and opinion round out the issue.

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